I'll be home for Christmas

"I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love, even more than I usually do.. And although I know it's a long road back, I promise you, I'll be home for Christmas. You can count on me. Please have snow and mistletoe and presents by the tree."

42743:

There are 23 days until I go home for my winter break. Since the number 23 is my lucky number, I felt as though it is necessary to share my excitement for returning to the place I love most. I can say that now, you know, that Summersville is the place I love most. I've seen so many beautiful places, but for once in my life, I am able to say that my tiny town is where I would rather be.

No matter how far away you run, you'll always remember where you belong, and at the end of the day, it's important to know that it's okay to return to the place you started from. I've struggled with that concept my whole life. Growing up, I used to tell my mother how badly I wanted to get as far away from my hometown as possible and she always knew that one day I truly would. My life took me 4,345 miles before I realized that being in a town where everyone knows your name isn't so bad.

You are never aware of something's worth, until you don't have it anymore. I may not be cut out for the country life the way my family is, but this weekend during Thanksgiving, there is no place I would rather be than sitting in my grandmother's kitchen surrounded by food that she worked hard to prepare. Thanksgiving never meant much to me before now, but not being able to celebrate it made me remember everything that I loved most about it. The thing I love most about my grandmother is how soft her skin is. From all the Sunday's that I held her hand at church to the many times that I've kissed her cheek, her skin is what I think about when I try to paint a picture in my head of what Thanksgiving would be like from an outside perspective. That's what I'm doing. I'm on the outside looking in and as strange as you may find it to be, my grandmother's hands are what I remember most. They have prepared every Thanksgiving meal that I can think of, they've stirred mashed potatoes, set the table, and poured sweet tea into glass after glass for every dinner than I unknowingly took advantage of. I didn't realize just how much I would wish that I could hold my grandmother's hand as we prayed to bless the meal, or how much I wish I could take a slice of my mother's annual chocolate pie that I always hated. And as my eyes tear up thinking about how I can't race my brother to the dinner table, I understand what Thanksgiving was always meant to be about.

If you never get anything else out of these blogs, please listen to me when I tell you to enjoy what you have in your life. You may want more and it is okay to want more, but never for a second take for granted what you already have.

I haven't hugged my mother in 67 days. In over two months, I haven't seen my dogs, slept in my bed, seen my home, or laughed at my grandfather for watching reruns of Bonanza at a volume much louder than my grandmother would prefer. The day I left, I watched my grandfather cry more tears in 5 minutes that I had ever seen him cry in my entire life. He truly thought that in that moment, after I walked out the door, he may never have the chance to see me again. With his poor health, I came within inches of canceling everything and staying home. I even talked with my mother in a hospital parking garage a few weeks prior to my departure and asked her if I was about to make a mistake.

Leaving was not as easy as it may seem, but the reward has been worth the price. I'm 21 years old and have already lived a life beyond my wildest imagination. It's not every day that a girl from Summersville, Kentucky, a town with literally one gas station and no stoplights, has the ability to say that she followed her dream for 4,345 miles and never forgot how to find her way back. Someone told me a few weeks ago that my life should be a movie (probably one you'd find at the bottom of the 5 dollar movie bin at Walmart, but a movie nonetheless) and a part of me can agree to that. Movies are fictitious and usually have no grasp of realism... which is basically how I feel. None of this seems real to me, even after being here as long as I have been. I still feel like I'm going to wake up and the life I'm living will still be nothing more than an idea in my head.

My "little" brother and I circa Christmas 2010

I'm going home, my friends.
Before I confuse people, know that I'm not going to stay. I'm not leaving Spain early. I'm not dropping out. I'm not pregnant. I haven't been kicked out of my program, expelled from the university, or forced to leave my host family. My grades are perfect, my director's love me, and Granada is an overwhelmingly convenient place to live. The reason I'm going home is because I realized what is more important in my life... something much more valuable than my own dreams. . . . My family.

My grandfather has a countdown going. "Ca will be home in 25 days." "Ca only has 24 more days." "When Ca comes home I'll have to take her to get something good to eat." How could I ever choose to spend Christmas in Europe when I have people at home that miss me much more than Rome, Prague, or Berlin ever could? I can't put up a Christmas tree in Paris and London isn't going to feed me my grandmother's homemade lasagna. I could have spent Christmas in Dublin or Helsinki, but when it was all said and done, I chose Summersville. If you have to ask me why I chose a town that has no stoplights as the place where I wanted to spend Christmas, then you must have failed to read the beginning of this blog.

I have 23 days, 11 hours, 44 minutes, and 20 seconds from this moment before I get to walk through the airport in Louisville and see the people I love most standing there waiting for me. That, ladies and gentleman, will be worth more than anything Europe could ever give me.

When in Roma

Rome really wasn't built in a day.

The beauty of living in Europe is that you're a stepping stone away from many different remarkable cultures and sites just waiting for you to come and see them. I knew by moving to Spain, I would eventually make my way outside of its borders and experience more than what I bargained for, and the first stop on my list was Rome. We spend the majority of our school years learning about the Romans and how much of a role they played in terms of molding modern society. To be able to witness their ruins and see all that is left of them was absolutely incredible. That alone is enough reason to travel to Rome, but combined with good food, tasty wine, and fresco paintings... There is no greater decision than to spend a few days there.

From Spain to Rome in 15 seconds.

Make A Wish

When I came to Italy, I had a list of places that I wanted to see and only two days to see them in. There was the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Trajan's Forum, the Vatican, St. Peter's Square, the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Plaza of the Republic, and Santa Maria Maggiore. That's a pretty lengthy list for someone that doesn't know their way around the city and can't speak Italian, but luckily for me, I have the navigational prowess of Magellan. I completed that list with time to spare.

The Trevi Fountain was one of the first sites that I visited. The legend says to throw three coins over your left shoulder (one at a time) and make a wish for each coin. Being the superstitious gal that I am, I spent days leading up to Rome  trying to decide what my wishes would be. The Trevi is just as beautiful as you could imagine. Despite the large number of people crowding around it, it was relatively easy to make your way down to the water. I read somewhere that about 3,000 euros are thrown into the fountain each day. That's 3,000 wishes from hopeful people from all over the world. 

Though I have more to say about the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon was one of my favorite places in Rome. The famous painter, Raphael, is buried there. If you are familiar with Renaissance art, then maybe you are familiar with the Ninja Turtles. The Pantheon does not get enough credit. It's overshadowed by the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. The building is remarkably preserved for a temple that was built in 126 AD. The Italians have kept it well maintained. I was truly impressed. They also had a book that people could sign and I definitely represented Summersville, Kentucky. I know where I'm from.

Leave the gun, take the cannoli!

Ten points to whoever knows what movie that is from. 

Italy is home of some of the best cuisines in the world, and I don't know of anyone that doesn't occasionally like to treat themselves to some perfectly prepared pasta. Luckily for me, walking across Rome for miles and miles balanced out my calorie counter. Not that I was really counting anyway. Why worry about calories when you have pizza, lasagna, ravioli, spaghetti, ice cream, gnocchi, and cannoli's waiting for you to bite into it? 

I'm sure most of you are wanting to ask me the same question. Some of you even have..

Was the food as good in Italy as it is in the United States?

First of all, I think that whole concept of "is it better" is a myth. The only thing that makes food in Italy taste better than the food in the United States is the fact that you are eating it in Italy. Your tastebuds are blinded by the cultural experience and base the quality of the food on the location that you're eating it in. I hate to ruin so many rose-colored glasses, but the US has done well when it comes to mimicking the Italians. If you sat in a cafe in your hometown, turned on 'That's Amore,' and closed your eyes for a minute with the smell of spaghetti under your nose... You'd practically be in Italy. 

The only thing that I ate in Italy that the United States will never master is gnocchi. I'm obsessed with gnocchi. If you have never ate or heard of this dish, please do yourself a favor and go have a plate. Gnocchi, pronounced no-key, is one of my all time favorites. I tried to make it once in the states and failed miserably. My mother can vividly remember the mess I made out of her kitchen and I'll never forget the sour face that she made as she tried to eat it without making me feel bad. Though my gnocchi was salty enough to kill someone, the authentic Italian version made me want to kiss my waiter.

Have you ever seen The Godfather? If you have, you should have understood the quote in my header and will appreciate the fact that I finally was able to enjoy a Sicilian cannoli. After searching for a place that sold them, I managed to find a pastry shop near the Trevi Fountain. If you've never ate a cannoli, it is a tube shaped pastry filled with ricotta cheese. The taste is absolutely incredible and added to my much needed Italian experience.  I sat along the outer wall overlooking the Trevi Fountain and enjoyed my cannoli while Noah and I contemplated which site we were going to see next.

Are you not Entertained?

The Roman legacy is spread across the city, lying in ruins that looks more like puzzle pieces. You have to put each piece together in order to get a visual of what Rome was truly built to look like before it collapsed. A lot of people will not be as fascinated by the ruins as I was, but people who appreciate history would be enjoy seeing fragments of the past. Trajan's Forum was also a nice site to visit. Trajan was a Roman emperor that was born in modern day Andalusia, which is the state in Spain that I live in. 

Never go to Rome without going to the Vatican. Seeing the Sistine Chapel was one of the many highlights of my trip. Every art class that I have ever taken has mentioned Michelangelo's ceiling at least once, maybe even twice. It is one of the most recognizable paintings in the world and seeing a photo online doesn't hold a candle to seeing the real thing for yourself. I stood and stared at The Creation of Man for what felt like hours, enjoying every second that I could because I know I'll probably never see it again. 

I stood in the center of St. Peter's Square, I signed my name in the Pantheon, and I drank a fair amount of holy water on my two day excursion. There was nothing more rewarding than knowing that I fulfilled my dream of going to Italy. Being only 21 years old, I've been blessed with an incredible life. I've done so many things that most people only dream of doing and there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not thankful for this incredible adventure. This experience is overwhelming and I'm humbled by the amount of support that I get daily from people back home. You have no idea how much your kind words mean to me.

The best advice I will ever give you is to travel. Throw caution in the wind and go see the beautiful world that God created. There is no greater feeling than losing yourself in another culture and becoming consumed by new experiences. Most people take life for granted. They say they'll get around to traveling without ever taking the initiative to go. Now is just as good of a time as any. Take your family, go with some friends, or even go alone if you have to. The purpose is to feast your eyes on something you've never seen before. Spin a globe and pick a place, or search deep into the back of your mind for that one country you've always dreamed of visiting. You are not guaranteed that tomorrow will ever come, so use every waking second to move one step closer to fulfilling your dreams. The world is yours.

I wish you were here. Xoxo

127 Hours

Sierra Nevada

You'll never truly know how beautiful the world is until you take the time to see it for yourself. There is so much culture, so much history that we can't even begin to understand until we travel and take all of these scenes into our own perspective. Where is the last place that you went to? Did it overwhelm you in the way that is should have? Traveling isn't just about going to the beach and sitting in the sand. That is fun for a while, but the real beauty of traveling is going to a place and leaving a part of yourself behind all while taking a part of it away with you.

Hiking in the Sierra Nevada was a fun experience that took me out of my element, but was something that I knew I didn't want to leave Andalusia without doing. After going on my first hike, I can see why people love it so much. Nothing will ever make you feel so close to nature than being completely submerged in it. I had a nice afternoon in Alpujarra and took a lot of great photos. The thing I loved most about hiking was that everywhere I turned there was a beautiful photo opportunity. The mountains were so picturesque, I felt like Rockwell should have painted them. Maybe he did?

I've never been an outdoorsy type of person. I like the confinements of a large city where you can't turn a corner without seeing a taxi. The urban atmosphere has always been my sort of safe haven, but it was a nice change of pace  to stay in the mountains for awhile and to see nature in its purest form.

The Sierra Nevada looks like paint on a canvas. Every time I glanced at the playback of photos on my camera, I kept thinking to myself that none of this could be real. Never in my life had I seen something so overwhelmingly beautiful and unlike anything I had ever seen. The Smokey Mountains look like babies compared to these massive mounds of history. The view from the top was incredible and worth walking for five hours to see.

We trekked through streams, dirt, concrete, wooded areas, open plains... It was incredible how quickly the terrain would change from place to place and how everyone else seemed to be just as lost as I was. Every time we would pass through tiny pueblos, or towns, someone would ask where we were... and not once did anyone know the answer. We were just backpackers, roaming along the Sierra Nevada Mountains in search of something to marvel at.

Have any of you been hiking before? What was your experience like?

The Mediterranean Sea

After our rendezvous in the mountains, I went to the coveted Mediterranean Sea. You know that feeling you get when you're going to the beach, and then the first glimpse that you get of the ocean just takes your breath away? That's how I felt when I saw the Mediterranean. I saw it as this enormous body of water that separated me from Africa, a sea that I had spent my whole life learning about but never actually seeing in person. So much history happened in those waters and so much history is still happening in those waters.

We stayed in a placed called Nerja, a quiet, little beach town that had some very good paella (that I would later be unable to keep in my stomach, I'll explain in a few paragraphs) My friends and I climbed down a few rocks to get to a private area to ourselves. The water was cool but tolerable, and the sun made the waves sparkle like diamonds. I'm sure most of you are reading this with envy, of which you should be. The Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are nice, but they don't hold a candle to the Mediterranean. 

If beautiful people and beautiful beaches are your weakness, by all means come stick your toes in the water. I promise it will be a moment that you'll thank me for later. Half the fun of traveling is finding something so beautiful that you have to share it with the people you care about. That's how I feel when it comes to Spain. I want all of you to find it within you to book your flight to Madrid, to Barcelona, to Malaga... I want all of you to experience this for yourselves rather than living vicariously through me. 

Now, remember when I said the paella was so good, but not kept in my stomach? What's a little travel without a little sickness? I knew at some point I would find something that would break my solid immune system. After puking my guts out while sitting next to our attractive bus driver, I ended my weekend and returned to Granada in one piece.

Overview

I have lived in Spain for over a month now and I've loved every second of it. There have been a few moments where I've wished I could see my family or hug my brother, but for the most part I am perfectly happy where I am. This experience is good for me. I'm learning about myself and how to become the person I have always wanted to be. It is a slow process, but I'm so happy to have all of you along for the ride.

As most of you already know, my birthday was a week or so ago. I am officially legal to drink alcoholic beverages in the United States. None of it seems real at this point because I'm still waiting for my family to tell me in person. I would have given anything to have had had my mother kiss me on the cheek and hug me, even though I am twenty one years old and living independently in Europe. Sometimes you just need your mother. 

She did find a way to reach me from abroad when she sent me a care package of birthday cards and letters signed by a few people that I love and miss back home. She got as many people as she could to sign a short message to wish me a happy birthday, and that was enough to make me melt to mush. Twenty one is a huge deal in American culture, something that the Spaniards don't quite understand. I did however get a few cheek kisses and partial hugs for my birthday from strangers and new friends while we were out celebrating my aging.

Receiving the letters and cards from my family and friends was the best thing I could have received from home. (and from Poland.. Thanks, Nat!) Knowing that I have people across the pond that love me enough to wish me well is one of the greatest feelings I could have. Thanks again to all that were involved in my birthday, both at home and here in Spain. 

As far as my classes are concerned, I'm enjoying them as much as I can. I've noticed that going to class in Europe is still just as hard as going to class in the United States. It is a universal culture norm to want to skip class... No one wants to wake up at 7 am and walk 30 minutes to school, but my week tends to go by faster here than it did in the states. I am only in class Monday to Thursday, so I'm not used to having such a large weekend. It's a nice difference, one that I'm not going to want to give up once I return to UofL.

A few of you have asked how I like living with a host family. It's a lot easier than I had expected. Isa is a lovely lady, even though I wish she would stop feeding us so much soup. I'm practically drowning in chicken broth. Other than my dire need in macaroni and cheese, I can come and go as I please. I have my own house key. She doesn't care if I stay out late and even comments on how if I come home at 3 am... That's too "early." She washes my laundry and always asks me how my day has been. It's nice compared to what it could have been. I like Isa and Juan Maria. They take good care of me.

I'm also happy to announce that I am a temporary resident of Spain with my own "foreigner number" where I can have a job, buy a house, have a bank account, rent a scooter, pay taxes, etc. It's very interesting to be an immigrant. I don't really feel like one anymore though. I've been here long enough to adjust to being Spanish. I'm speaking more and learning more as the days continue. I'm not as advanced as I would like to be and I still have a long way to go, but it is a slow process that I am embracing. 

In the next few weeks, I'm going to be traveling again. Seville, Córdoba, and Ronda are on the list of Spanish cities... and then I'm going to Rome for a weekend in the middle of November. My friends and I are going to the Vatican, see the Colosseum, and flip a coin in the Trevi fountain. I'm excited and ready to go to the one place I've spent my whole life dreaming of. My mother will finally be happy since I had spent most of my childhood talking about going to Rome. Every time we would pitch in ideas for a family vacation, mine was firmly "Italy." It's time I finally cross that off my bucket list.

Then in December, there is talks of Dublin, Ireland. Keep your fingers crossed for me. 

Hasta luego.

I am a Princess.

Sometimes the best adventures happen by accident. They're the beautiful corners you stumble upon, the waterfalls hidden in a forest, the palaces sitting in the mountains. You can't plan moments that wow you, but if you're really lucky... They just sort of happen?

Some of the girls from my study abroad group wanted to go hiking this afternoon. I thought it would be a great opportunity to give you patient people the photos that you've been waiting for. What I didn't consider was the fact that I'm not even the slightest bit athletic. That trait passed me up in the gene pool. I can barely walk through my bedroom without bumping into something. I can't walk down the street without tripping over my own feet. I was crazy to even think that I could hike.

I was in mid-stride as my brain breathlessly began saying "No, no, girlfriend. No." My entire body felt like I had dipped myself in olive oil. That's how gross I felt. Miserable was not how I wanted to spend my day. I'm not a hiker. I'm a wanderer. Gasping for air and praying for water is not a good time. As the rest of the girls hit the hiking trail, I decided to do what I do best... Get lost.

I'm one of those girls that if I get lost, I end up finding some really incredible things. It's fate. You always find what you're not looking for. In life, love, and adventure....When you stop looking and just breathe, something magical will find you. 

Today, I just so happened to walk right into the Alhambra, an old, Muslim fortress turned royal palace. I'm sure I was supposed to buy a ticket or something, but no one stopped me? I just kind of walked in, not really paying attention to where I was going.

The Alhambra was built in the 9th century, according to Google. Most people had nice recorders that explained to them what everything was. I guess if I had payed a couple of Euros, I would know more about the Alhambra. My fellow tourists walked around with their fanny packs, Nikons, and hand-held devices... but I had Siri. She gave me all of the information that I really needed anyway and I didn't have to pay her for it. 

I don't need an in-depth explanation of dates and facts in order to admire how beautiful something is. I can see it with my own eyes. I said in the beginning that I wanted to come to Europe to marvel at something. The Alhambra was definitely worth marveling at. Imagine all of the people that have came and went in the past thousand years. Kings, Sultans, and princesses... They've all stood where I stood and saw what I saw. It's an incredible rush of adventure to know that wandering could lead you inside of something that time has preserved.

I was the stereotypical tourist that draped her camera around her torso and stopped to read maps that said "You are here" without truly knowing where "here" was. It is quite relaxing to just move around from place to place with no agenda, no quick-footed tour guide to tell you to hurry and keep up. I marveled on my own time, lingered longer than I had to, and sat on the ledge of the palace without wondering if I had lost my group.

I even watched a girl get "blessed" by a gypsy. The poor girl wasted her money on a twig of rosemary, but I got a laugh out of it.

It took every bit of my strength to not begin quoting the movie, "Borat." 

Do not fear me, gypsy.

Have you ever just sat and laughed at some of the situations that you get yourself in? Maybe you burnt your finger on a hot plate that you knew not to touch... Or maybe you found money in an old jacket pocket... That is how I felt today. I laughed on the ledge of the Alhambra for a good twenty minutes about how I just seem to end up at the right place at the right time. There were several episodes this afternoon where I would ask Siri where I was... Even she didn't know there for a minute. 

Granada just keeps getting more and more beautiful by the second.. My classes begin tomorrow, so I'll be able to learn a little more Spanish, more history, and have a better understanding of the place that I'm living in. I have felt more alive in the last 2 weeks than I have in my entire 20 years.

There is something exhilarating about living every single day as though it is some grand adventure. I won't know what to do when the day comes that I have to give all of this up. I feel like Cinderella. It's all magical for awhile, but it won't last forever. . . Unless some Spaniard finds my shoe? And asks me to marry him? I don't see that happening, but then again, I never thought I would live in Europe either. Anything can happen, right?

The Prince of Persia

My host mother, Isa, and I had lunch this afternoon. It was just her and me in the kitchen, forcing me to try to understand her without having Juan Maria or Jaylyn help me translate her quick dialect. After a few minutes, she told me in her thick, Andalusian accent that I need to "learn Spanish, find a novio (boyfriend), and live in Spain." I nearly spit out my salad at the idea. Ojalá que sí, Isa. A life in Spain really wouldn't be that bad. Between siesta time and free tapas, Granada is a place that I could definitely see myself living in. Granted, being this far away from my family permanently is not something I could do right now... but I could see myself living here under the right circumstances someday.

I think my tiny, quick-tongued host mother made me realize that what I want in life is attainable. Most of the time I may not know what people are saying, but I like to listen. I love to hear their accents, the way they pronounce things, and how intense their hand gestures can be when they're making a point. Spanish culture is addictive. It's like a finely poured glass of wine that once you have a taste, you want more. 

Last night my friends and I visited the Albaicin, which is an Arabic neighborhood filled with tea houses and hookah bars. It took a moment for me to decide which type of tea that I wanted to try, but I went with Persian since I liked The Prince of Persia so much. (Leave it to me to make life decisions based on my movie preferences. Hey, you can't go wrong with Jake Gyllenhaal.) The tea was kind of bitter, nothing like my grandmother's sweet tea. Jackson had Moroccan tea (marroqui) which tasted minty, like a mojito. I'll have to order that flavor next time. The tea comes in these cute little Arabic tea pots that you pour into small shot glasses. It's very herbal and relaxing. 

After the Albaicin, we managed to find a bar called Poë, ran by Matt Poë and his wife. He is English, from London, and was a former teacher turned bartender. He's had the bar for about 11 years and was quite an interesting guy. We talked with him for hours over beer and free tapas. If any of you come to Granada, stop in and talk to Matt about slavery. He can converse on anything from the Atlantic slave trade to the British Parliament. He even served me a glass of Kentucky Bourbon so I could taste my homeland. It is hard for me to get accustomed to the different drinking age and culture here, but it is fun to be able to have a beer with your friends and talk about why our constitution tells us to pursue happiness without telling us where to find it.

Classes begin on October 1st, which will be the end of my "vacation" and the beginning of the real reason why I am here. I will have courses in English, but my Spanish classes are quite lengthy. I'm scheduled to learn at a fast pace here, which will come in handy at the dinner table when Isa tries to talk to me about which Spanish boy I think is cute.

My friends have left for Malaga for the weekend, which gives me a few days of alone time. This is the part where I wish I had local friends to show me the real side of Granada. I need native friends so that when my study abroad group leaves me in December, I'll still have people to spend time with and practice Spanish with. The locals here are kind of hard to approach, which I'm sure they feel the same towards us. I want to be able to walk right up to someone and start talking, but I get so nervous when I try to speak Spanish... my words jumble and my brain freezes. I'll have to work on my confidence at some point.

Today is much cooler in Granada than it has been. I think I'll go buy a newspaper and find a cafe to practice in. I need to brush up on my reading skills and learn a few key phrases. I hate having to think so hard when it comes to speaking. I focus more on not making mistakes than actually trying to make a sentence... Even if I sound like Mr. Miyagi, I need to talk to people. I've noticed that the people I do talk to in Spanish are very happy just to have me try to speak their language. Maybe soon I'll find a study partner, someone that is also learning English and we can help each other.

Until next time. Keep it classy, USA.

Finding My Balance.

Balance is never letting anyone love you less than you love yourself.

There comes a point in life where you feel like everything is repetitive. Your job. Your school. Your conversations. You wake up at the same time, eat the same foods, listen to the same songs, and drive in the same direction. There is no balance. You have too much of the same routine and not enough time to let caution tip the scale. Sometimes the most important thing you can do for yourself is listen to what your heart is telling you. Mine told me to come to Spain. Leaving was the hardest thing I had ever done, but in doing so... I found my balance.

Traveling to Spain was not easy. My flight in Dallas, TX was delayed. According to the Scottish girl that sat next to me in the airport, there was something wrong with the plane's sensor. By the time we fixed that, traveled across the pond, and landed very poorly at Heathrow airport, I had less than an hour to run all the way to another terminal in order to catch my next flight. I can still hear the British security guard saying, "You betta huh-ree" as I ran across the airport all while knowing there was no possible way for me to make it to my flight. I made it to my terminal with 20 minutes to spare only to have a nice lady kindly let me know that the gate had already closed and the plane was taking off. Desperate and alone, I was able to send out a few emails and inform my family of my misfortune. Little did I know, everyone in my sweet, little hometown was worrying about my whereabouts thanks to a less than informing Facebook status. To clear up any confusion, I was placed on the next available flight free of charge.

Dear Natalie, thanks for joking about me being "the girl that watches her plane leave without being on it." You got me on that one.

Hala Madrid

The best part about seeing Madrid for the second time, is knowing that I got myself here on my own. I worked for this, I earned this, and I would like to think that I deserve this. When you earn something, it means more to you than something that was given. That's why I encourage you to set a goal and reach it on your own. The reward is worth the struggles you will face. I'm living proof. 

Madrid is one of those cities that once you fall in love with it, you're never really able to let it go. It's "the one that got away" every time you have to leave it. My love for Madrid is something that I'll never be able to fully describe no matter how hard I try. There is an unexplainable love for the food, the parks and busy streets, the nightlife, and the sound that it makes through your hotel window when you're trying to sleep. You become lost in the trilled R's, the smooth wine, and the freshly prepared paella. Everything about Madrid makes you never want to leave it. 

Our study abroad group visited two very popular art museums, the Reina Sofia and the Prado. Artists like Goya, El Greco, Picasso, Dalí, and Velazquez grace these world-renowned museums with beautiful paintings that most only see in college textbooks. We study about them, read about them, and learn everything there is to know about them, without ever seeing them face to face. It's incredible how a small-town girl from Summersville, Kentucky can say that she's been able to see something so profound at such a young age. I'm incredibly blessed and a little lucky. People who love art should never hesitate to visit an art museum. Each painting is food for the soul and it's remarkable to see how much detail was put into each canvas.

The best thing about Madrid is that it never sleeps, and the more I travel through Spain, the more I realize that the rest of the country doesn't either. The streets are never empty. There is always someone still moving into the early hours of the morning. I loved leaving my hotel window open just to listen to the street below while I tried to sleep. It was strangely soothing, a sound that I remembered from my first visit two years ago. 

Toledo 

After Madrid, my group of fellow students traveled by bus to a more traditional city in Spain called Toledo. 

Toledo is very different in comparison to Madrid's busy streets. It works at a different pace, the atmosphere much more relaxing and tranquil. The buildings are rustic and have a very fairytale-like quality to them. I feel like if I tried to imagine a world full of knights and princes and maidens... it would resemble Toledo. 

Home Sweet Home

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that I would be living with a little, old Spanish lady in the south of Spain. The idea never crossed my mind, but having someone that doesn't speak English cook for me three times a day is something I'll gladly get used to. Isabel (or Isa) is a mother of four and a grandmother to eleven. She has taken in college students from all over the world and keeps magnets on her refrigerator from the states and countries each student is from. I'm going to be sure to add the Commonwealth to the cluster. Isa stands at an astounding 5 feet tall and speaks as though her voice is on fast-forward. Our household is a never-ending game of charades, but I love every second of it. She tries to call me Jess, but it ends up sounding like "Jeh." My roommate and I tried to teach her how to say "toaster," but it's probably best that we get her to say our names before we get into the more advanced vocabulary. This is going to be a fun year. I truly do love my host mother. She's adorable and tries so hard to be accommodating. I met her husband who doesn't stay here often and he was just as kind. 

I've kissed more cheeks in the last two days than I ever have in my life. At first I wasn't fond of it, but now I think I'm going to start greeting people like this in the United States... Okay, maybe not... But the idea was nice? I don't think my friends would be to fond of me invading their personal space. The thought alone makes me laugh. Jeffrey would probably shove me down a flight of stairs and/or force me to wear his coveted "cheeseburger" shirt. Both are equally painful.

My journey is an interesting one. I do miss my family, but they know I am happier than I have ever been. I try to talk to them daily and keep up with what is happening in Greensburg. It is nice to hear about what's going on and what I am missing. I was able to see Cow Days via FaceTime. It clearly hasn't changed in the last 20 years. Keep it classy, Greensburg. I don't have time to scan through my newsfeed and see how everyone is, but I do read my message daily and I'm so thankful that you all care enough about me to ask how I'm doing. I'm eating new types of food, learning new words, and meeting people that are becoming a very important part of my life.

I feel like Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love. 

When am I going to meet my Javier Bardem?

The Final Countdown

I'm so close I can feel it. Everything I've worked for, every meeting I've sat in, every scholarship I've applied for, every contract I've signed is all about to pay off in a big way. This will be my last full week in the United States and I'm finally starting to realize that this is really about to happen to me.  This is it. This is my dream coming true. The years I spent watching Disney movies, telling me that dreams are a wish your heart makes, finally makes perfect sense.. Dreams are possible if you want them bad enough.


A few days ago, I was finally given my host family. After months of assaulting my email account, I have a name, address, and phone number. They're an older couple named Isabel, 63, and Juan Manuel, 68. I don't know what they look like or how nice they are. All I know is that they are laid-back people with a son named Javier. Isabel is a good cook, according to "my adoption papers," as I tend to call them. I don't know if they speak English or if I'm going to share a room with another international student. I'll find all of that out when I meet them. I'm very excited about moving in with them. They have a terrace and live 15-20 minutes from my new university.

When I leave Louisville on Sept. 18th, I'll fly to Dallas, London, and then land in Madrid on the 19th. I'll get to return to the Prado Museum.. see some of my favorite paintings again.. and go back to Toledo, Spain. I laughed when my program sent the five day itinerary of what we would be doing once we arrived. Everything on the list was something that I had already done before. I'm more mature now then I was went I left. Hopefully I'll see the world through wiser eyes.


Here area few photos from my trip in 2011:

Museo del Prado in Madrid

Toledo, Spain

Toledo is known for its steel. When I visited, I was able to see a man make a sword.  The history of steel in Toledo is quite interesting. You history junkies should Google it.

I made a promise the morning that I left Spain that I would be back and I'm so blessed that this is one promise that I swore I'd keep. There is so much excitement running through me when I think about all the things that I'm going to see, the people I'm going to meet, and the impact on my life that everything is going to have. Spain is a beautiful country full of beautiful people. These people are going to mold me into a better person, share their lives, and help me learn how to speak their language. I feel like Pocahontas, except her hair looks much better than mine in a windstorm.


I want to go away for awhile and just sit and marvel at something. I want to stick my toes in the Mediterranean. I want to see Real Madrid play at the Bernabeu. I want to watch football games and eat tapas with people that are just as happy as I am. I want to watch a bullfight and visit cathedrals, castles, and palaces. All of this is going to happen even if it takes everything I've got.


Despite my excitement, there is a lot of fear inside me.

When I walk away from my family at the airport, it's going to take everything in me to not turn right back around. They mean everything to me. They raised me to be a lady and pushed me to have enough confidence in myself to apply for this opportunity. I wouldn't be who I am or where I am if it hadn't been for them. My mother especially... (Hi, Mom. I know you're reading this... I love you so very much and I'm sorry "your little angel" is flying farther away than you would like, but know that I'll never forget my way home.) Leaving my family and friends is a tough pill to swallow. I know they'll be right here waiting for me to come back, but I will miss so much while I'm gone.

I just have this fear that during this school year, I'll slowly start to disappear. I'll miss out on things that I should be home for. I'll miss my brother's first year of high school. I won't be able to celebrate Thanksgiving, Mother's Day, etc. Everyone's lives will continue without me in it and I'm afraid of becoming insignificant to people that mean the world to me. I don't like that I can't text my best friend when something funny happens. I can't call my mother at 10 in the morning when I miss her. I can't sit on my grandparents front porch and listen to them tell me stories. My absence will really hurt them and I hate that I'm selfishly choosing a life that's so different from theirs. I wish I would have been more like them, happy with staying in one spot.. but God didn't mold me from the same cloth. I want the world and I can't help it.


My journey is 9 days from beginning. It's the final countdown. I'm in the process of seeing people, saying goodbye, eating tons of macaroni and cheese, driving, watching movies, and breathing in that good ol' American freedom. My life is about to change and all I really need is assurance that I'm going to be okay.


Continue to pray for my family and me. The overwhelming support is what keeps me motivated. God bless.

One Month Away

When the opportunity knocked for me to be able to study abroad for 8 months, I didn't hesitate to open the door. I study Spanish language at the University of Louisville and my professors inspired me to apply for scholarships to Study Abroad. I could choose anywhere in the world. I could have went to Peru, Panama, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador... Anywhere within the Spanish speaking population. The world was my oyster. I contemplated what would be best for me, where I would be the happiest, where I could learn about more myself from the people I meet. The choice wasn't as easy as some would think. It would have been much easier for me to choose somewhere in the Americas. Peru would have been nice. Machu Picchu has always been on my bucket list, but at the end of the day, I already knew where I wanted to be. When I was told that I had been given a scholarship, I knew that my decision had been the right one.

Where are you going?

On September 18th, I'm leaving the US for Granada, Andalusia, Spain. The decision to choose Granada rather than Madrid or Barcelona came after I read about it and learned that Granada is one of the most popular college cities in all of Europe. The University of Granada (UGR) has roughly 65,000 students, of which only around 2,000 are international. UGR has a Modern Languages department that is similar to what the University of Louisville has, so I knew that the transition would be somewhat easy. Granada is located in the south of Spain along the Mediterranean Sea. I have the best of both worlds. I will be living in the city next to the Sierra Nevada mountains and will be a short distance to the Mediterranean. After seeing photos of Granada and reading testimonials from other students that had studied there, I was confident that it was the place for me. My adviser had studied in Granada and throughout the long and never-ending process of applying to study in another country, she shared her stories and memories that helped me realize that I was doing the right thing.

Who are you living with?

I'm living with a host family. The idea is both exciting and terrifying. Imagine moving in with a family of strangers that may or may not speak your language. The thought does scare me. I would be lying if I said it didn't, but living within the culture inside a Spanish home is the best thing for me in terms of learning not only the language, but the culture as well. At this point, I still don't know who they are. I'm playing the waiting game, waiting for someone to adopt me. I should know who they are within the next few weeks. I'll update everyone when I know more. The only thing I know about them is that they will be centrally located near the university. 

What are you going to do if you are homesick?

Let me be clear... I'm already homesick and I haven't left yet. I am leaving behind everyone and everything that I have ever known to live my dream. I'm going to miss my family, my friends, my hometown, my home university, and everything about the United States every single second of every day. I already know that. But I'm also going to be living my dream, something that I have worked endlessly to have. This opportunity did not come easy and I struggled for over a year in trying to make it happen.  I'm so excited and ready for what this stage of my life has in store for me. I have waited for this moment for as long as I can remember and despite my love for the United States, I miss Spain. I've always missed Spain. Ask anyone. When someone mentions Spain, I light up like a Christmas tree. I'm going to be so absorbed in my new life that I won't have time to be homesick. I'll be in contact with my family every single day. I will have a cellphone. I'll be able to get on Facebook. I'll still tweet daily. You can write on my wall, send me a tweet. It will mean more to me than I could ever describe. You will remind me of what I'm coming home to. I'll need that optimism and support. It'll keep me emotionally stable to know that there are people  back home rooting for me to succeed.

When are you coming back?

As of right now, I'm scheduled to come home on May 23rd. That's when my semester ends. School in Europe is a little different than in the United States. I begin classes on October 1st and I finish classes at the end of May. I'll come home when classes are finished.

It is possible that I could make a surprise visit on Christmas Eve. Don't start playing "I'll Be Home For Christmas" yet because there is no guarantee. There has been talks of flying me back for the holidays because of my grandfather's health and not being sure of how many more Christmas' that I'm going to have with him. I have no objections to spending Christmas with my family. If I come home, I will be able to stay for a few weeks and then I'll go right back to Granada. 

What are you going to miss?

My family, my friends, my 21st birthday, Thanksgiving, ice, my pets, cold milk, English, Green River Cinema 6, the season premiere of the Vampire Diaries, Taco Bell, standard US plug-ins, bacon, driving around Louisville, driving in general, wide streets, trucks, Geico commercials...

Mostly, I am going to miss my birthday. I'll be turning 21 without the people who helped raise me. However, I have plans already in Spain to celebrate the occasion. Can someone say Real Madrid?

Do you think it is safe to travel by yourself?

Yes, but I'm not alone. God will be with me every step of the way and when I arrive in Spain, I will have guides to meet me at the hotel. I'm not by myself once I get there. The only time I'll be by myself is when I am flying. Airports are so heavily guarded, I don't have any fears of being kidnapped, and I trust our government enough to feel safe en route. I understand traveling. I understand airports. I know what I have to do and the rules that I have to follow. Accidents and tragedies happen, but I'm not afraid of any of that. I am confident that I can travel safely on my own. There is danger everywhere. I can't let fear keep me from pursuing my dream.

What advice would you give to someone that wants to study abroad?

When you believe in something with everything you have, you can find a way to make it happen. If you are interested in studying abroad, attend a study abroad fair in college. They are usually at the beginning of the school year, which is right around the corner. Look at their brochures, talk to program representatives. They can explain any questions you may have. If you already have a place in mind, then focus on that... but still give other options a second look. I originally wanted to study in Barcelona, but in the city of Barcelona... the people speak Catalan. I could have studied there, but it would be more difficult to learn Spanish if the city I live in speaks something different. You have to be reasonable and weigh your options. Don't pick something on a whim. Do your research and understand what you will be getting yourself into. There are short term stays and long term stays. I chose the long term because I will come home fluent in Spanish. I like the idea of perfecting a language that I have grown to love. Short term stays are great for people that don't want to be gone for too long, but still want to have that cultural experience. If you have any questions about studying abroad or college in general, don't hesitate to shoot me a message.

The purpose of a blog...

I have always planned to have a blog while I was gone. I typically keep a diary when I travel and write in it daily about different things that I've done and what I've seen, but I thought it would be fun to keep my hometown updated on what's going on with me. There are more people that care about me than I realized. When I started to let people know that I would be taking a year away from UofL to study abroad, I had so many people send me love and well wishes. My family reads these blogs, my friends read these blogs, and hopefully people that I barely know will read them as well. I want to inspire people and encourage them to see other walks of life from a different perspective. I want to give people who don't have the time or the ability to  travel the opportunity to see what I see. I want to make you laugh, make you think, and make you realize how much the world has to offer. Who knows, maybe my little ol' blog can make you choose a country to study in. 

There is a comment tab below to give me feedback, your thoughts, and any questions that you may have. Or there is always Facebook and Twitter. I'm excited to share Spain with you and I hope you can take something away from each post that I write. Let me know what you think. 


Buenas noches, amigos.