5 days.
It has started to hit me that this is about to be my reality. Today was my first goodbye--the first of many. (I think people feel as though I'm not coming back.)
I have started packing... Alright, so, not really "packing." I have started laying clothes out. Removing it, putting it back, folding up, then changing my mind... this has to be very precise; I get one 51-lb bag and two carry-on bags for my four month stay. (My room is a disaster!)
Tuesday, January 3, 2012 is the day! I will wake up at 5:00a, get in the car with my mom and best friend (Haley), and make that two hour drive to Nashville, TN. My flight leaves at 11:00a and lands in Chicago, IL at 12:50p. Then, a long layover. At 4:45p, my flight takes off headed for Madrid, Spain! I am expected to land at 7:40a (12:40a: Central Time).
Tengo solo una vida. Y tengo la intención de vivir al máximo. No sé qué esperar, pero estoy listo.
Saludos,
Jay
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Saturday, December 17, 2011
¡Vámonos!
It's just about that time. 18 days. The little post-it notes on my wall with the days are slowly coming down! When there are no longer any post-it notes, I will be boarding my FIRST transatlantic flight for Barcelona, Spain!
Everything is finalized: administrative approval, program acceptance, every document has been completed, signed, and submitted, and, of course, the parental approval. I have my passport, my visa, and my plane tickets. Within the past week, my e-mail has been flooded with all of the last minute details. I now know: my family, my apartment, my roommate, and classes. I will be taking Spanish Language, Spanish: Technique of Oral Expression, and Spanish Art and Artists at the Universtat Pompeu Fabra.
So, here is a breakdown of my four months. On January 3, I say "Adiós" to the States and on January 4, I say "Hola" to Madrid, Spain. My intense semester begins in (what I have been told) one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Then, from here, I take my second excursion to Toledo for one day. After Toledo, I will wake up on January 7, board a train, and be off to Barcelona! Throughout the semester, I will take excursions through my program to Girona, Valencia, and Sitges! Also, on top of these, I have three places that are on my "MUST VISIT" list: Paris (um, duh), London, and Italy (too many to list!)!
So, according to my "travel" credit syllabus, I have a few objectives while there:
For those of you that don't know, I will end my college career in Barcelona. I will get back from this amazing and life-changing adventure on April 18th. I will have a couple of weeks to catch up on sleep, see my family, see my friends, and did I mention sleep... Afterwards, I will join that procession and walk across that graduation stage and embark into the big, bad, and scary world. My goal in doing this blog is to allow my family and friends to take this journey with me. To take them everywhere I go. To let them feel everything I feel. Well, here we go... el viaje comienza.
Saludos,
Jay
Everything is finalized: administrative approval, program acceptance, every document has been completed, signed, and submitted, and, of course, the parental approval. I have my passport, my visa, and my plane tickets. Within the past week, my e-mail has been flooded with all of the last minute details. I now know: my family, my apartment, my roommate, and classes. I will be taking Spanish Language, Spanish: Technique of Oral Expression, and Spanish Art and Artists at the Universtat Pompeu Fabra.
So, here is a breakdown of my four months. On January 3, I say "Adiós" to the States and on January 4, I say "Hola" to Madrid, Spain. My intense semester begins in (what I have been told) one of the most beautiful cities in the world! Then, from here, I take my second excursion to Toledo for one day. After Toledo, I will wake up on January 7, board a train, and be off to Barcelona! Throughout the semester, I will take excursions through my program to Girona, Valencia, and Sitges! Also, on top of these, I have three places that are on my "MUST VISIT" list: Paris (um, duh), London, and Italy (too many to list!)!
So, according to my "travel" credit syllabus, I have a few objectives while there:
- Demonstrate a deepening knowledge of Spanish culture and society
- Refine my linguistic skills in Spanish
- Provide a living laboratory experience in Spain
- Gain knowledge of Spanish artistic expression
For those of you that don't know, I will end my college career in Barcelona. I will get back from this amazing and life-changing adventure on April 18th. I will have a couple of weeks to catch up on sleep, see my family, see my friends, and did I mention sleep... Afterwards, I will join that procession and walk across that graduation stage and embark into the big, bad, and scary world. My goal in doing this blog is to allow my family and friends to take this journey with me. To take them everywhere I go. To let them feel everything I feel. Well, here we go... el viaje comienza.
Saludos,
Jay
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)