On Luggage, Love, & Learning

One more week until I depart for Madrid! I think it's hitting me now that I have begun to seriously pack, stock up on essential items, and say goodbye to close friends. After making several trips to REI, Bag'n Baggage, Macy's, and Sports Authority, I have selected the luggage that I will pack my most necessary and essential items.

Today I made a trip to the mall with my friend Sonja to buy a few more things for my trip. From my list of things to buy, I checked off boots, casual tops, a pair of black toms, 2 bare escentual foundations, 3 eyeliners, 3 mascaras, moisturizers, and a giant red suitcase! For a long time, I was sold on the idea of taking either one LARGE rolling duffel bag, or two medium sized rolling duffels. But after purchasing two, and packing one of them, I realized that they don't stand up on their own! I don't want to deal with rolling duffels falling all over the place as I fumble through the Barajas Airport in Madrid... which is why I'm bringing two large red suitcases instead. No, unfortunately they don't have those fancy wheels that let you push your suitcase alongside you while you walk... I will be dragging them behind me as I find my way from the airport to my hotel.

I still have lots to do before I leave... and I love making lists so bear with me.
-Make copies of my passport/visa and ID.
-Fax in a Power of Attorney to the financial aid office at school for my parents.
-Get a mani pedi.
-Download new music for the flight.
-Get my hair cut and colored back to my natural color.
-Buy outlet adapters.
-Make a FB event to get everyone's skype names!
-Eat Grandma Betty's cooking one last time.
-Set up online banking.
-Exchange some green for some euros.
-Figure out my medical coverage.
-Clean my room? Eh, maybe.
-PACK FO REAL.
-Become fluent in Spanish within the next week.
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-These blanks ones are for the things I know I'm forgetting.

This summer has been filled with such highs and lows. I've gotten to go so many places with friends and family. I've been to Orlando, New York City, Las Vegas, Darby (that's in Montana), Santa Barbara, and even Norcal! I've tanned, surfed (tried to), wakeboarded (tried to, ha), hiked, went shooting, fished, cried, laughed, danced, and shopped! I'm going to miss my life here so much. The last month has been extra rough because Michael and I broke up. I knew that going abroad might mean that I'd lose him... I guess I just wasn't prepared. It's been a rollercoaster of emotions, feeling shocked, angry, in denial, rejected, sad...

But I can honestly say that I'm feeling better now. Our lives are leading us in different directions and we are too young to hold on. I have so much to learn about myself and what I want from life. I have to do this on my own. This adventure is for me. I hope to become independently happy, to be captivated by another culture, expand my world perspective, abandon unnecessary inhibitions, try new food, get lost, say yes, and to live by these words: "To have courage for whatever comes in life - Everything lies in that" (Mother Theresa).

PS- I changed my blog name. I'm just a sucker for alliteration!

33 Days

Only a little over a month until I leave for Madrid and say goodbye to a loving boyfriend, apprehensive parents, and two coffee named dogs for 6 months. The summer seemed to have slipped through my fingers like a handful of sand. Where did the time go?

Lately I've been feeling more anxious than excited as I think about leaving behind everything I know. Michael has probably felt the brunt of my anxiety with all the mini-freak outs I've put him through. But c'mon, this whole "I'm-perfectly-happy-with-you-but-we-are-going-on-a-break" deal has really got me shaken up. I get that it's the most mature agreement that we could come to, but it still hurts knowing that two people can love each other but be free to see other people.

However today I woke up really looking forward to my time abroad. It's a fresh start, like coming to college for the first time... but better. I'll be immersed in a different culture with like-minded people; people who have put going abroad first on their list of priorities in college. With all the bureaucratic nonsense it takes to get a student visa, get into the program, etc. no one is going to go abroad unless they REALLY want it. So in that respect, I'm looking forward to a new group of friends who all have that in common.