Let The Journey Begin

Since I was a little kid I always knew I wanted to study abroad in Madrid during my college years. I’ve always said that I have a calling in Madrid and up until now, I would spend countless hours in class, work, and in reality everywhere else daydreaming about the experience and planning every moment to perfection. But now it all seems so real; this isn’t all fun and hypothetical games anymore (or is it?) as in only a matter of hours I’ll be landing in Madrid to begin my journey abroad. My emotions are all over the place, I’m filled with excitement that my dreams are finally coming to fruition but there is still the apprehension about jumping into the uncertainty of a new country all alone. At home, I leave behind the best friends and family a man could ask for but the support they have given me is truly amazing.

With that being said there is no way I would’ve been able to pack for this trip without the help of my wonderful mother and angel of a grandma. They left me fully prepared with everything I could ever need and they even remembered to pack an electrical converter for the plugs in Europe. For the next four months I’ll be calling Madrid my home, and in order to have a full experience I’m ready to promise myself that I will always be willing to try something new and step outside of my comfort zone. It’s important to me that I immerse myself in the different cultures I encounter to not only learn more about the world, but to also learn about myself.  I’m about as ready as I’ll ever be, so goodbye Chicago and hello Madrid!