thoughts before i go
2018, I am looking at you!
In the comfort of my childhood home anticipation flooded my mind as my eyes anxiously glazed over the housing information for my semester in Spain.
The next four months promise change: I will be living in Barcelona with a lady in her early sixties who only speaks Spanish. As I processed this new information a stir of emotions surfaced within me.
First, a laughter fueled by excitement overcame me. Next, without warning, the upcoming changes culminated and hit me in the gut, leaving me feeling completely overwhelmed. The comforts of home and my support system of close friends would be an ocean away.
Anxious thoughts infiltrated my mind until the voice of reason raised her voice, introducing the question, “Julia, isn’t this what you wanted? Here lies the opportunity to improve your language skills, to embrace a new culture, to learn how to be more independent and self sufficient. Here lies the opportunity to feel invigorated by a completely new and unique experience that will take you outside your comfort zone.
Breathe.
Yes, this is uncomfortable, but that means you should do it.
An intrinsic wanderlust fuels my curiosity about the world, and I understand that the only way to make the most of this experience is to live with an open mind. So, may 2018 teach me how to open my mind and my heart and live vivaciously.
Adios, 2017
