And So It Begins

Reid Larsen
 January 14, 2017
Hey guys, My name is Reid Larsen and I am a sophomore at the University of Michigan studying biomedical engineering with an international minor. I’m originally from Acton Massachusetts, a little suburb about 45 minutes west of Boston. A lot of people at home and at school call me ‘Reido’ or ‘Reido Burrito’ and although this nickname was given to me when I was five days old, I love burritos, especially from Chipotle. I checked online and there is no Chipotle within 250 miles of Madrid so it looks like I’m going to have to ease my Chipotle withdrawal when I visit London. I love the Patriots (as any good New Englander does) and am a diehard Michigan football fan. Camping out and staying awake for 40 hours straight during College Gameday for the Michigan vs. Michigan State game last year was definitely a top ten life experience. Being at home all break, waiting to go on this amazing adventure, has really compounded how bored I am. This whole sleeping to 1:30 business needs to come to an end even though my sleep cycle will undoubtedly be messed up by the six hour time change. Also, I’m starting to feel like I should brush up on my Spanish a little bit. Talking with some of my Spanish friends about this upcoming trip has been a little more difficult than in the past, but I’ll be practicing a lot. Hopefully by May I will have stumbled my way to fluency. As my flight’s departure looms nearer, I’m so happy the time has finally come! It still hasn’t hit me that I’m really leaving, I’m really doing this. It became more real as my school friends started to register for classes for the following semester and I didn’t have to. Then saying good-bye to friends, some seniors that I may never see again, made it even more strange. But it hasn’t really sunk in. Even packing up and fitting five months of Reid Larsen into only a suitcase and duffle bag still hasn’t convinced me. I’m not sure if there will ever be a moment where it all hits me. Maybe when I’m walking through the royal palace or into my first class I’ll realize that I’m really doing this, I’m really a pseudo-Madrileño. It’s hard not to be introspective during these anticipatory days before I leave for Spain. What has been my dream for years, studying abroad in Spain, is finally about to come true. While all that excitement is still there, it’s quite nerve-wracking. Who am I going to become friends with? What places will I get to explore? Will I actually get to see the northern lights? Will I ever dream in Spanish? We’ll see. I’m going to be off in a foreign land for months without seeing hardly anyone I’ve ever seen in my short 20 years of life. Everything is going to be new. The unknown can be scary, and this trip will probably start off a little scary, but I’m so excited, I’m so happy. I’ve never met anyone that wished they hadn’t studied abroad and I’ve met quite a few that wish they had. Getting to meet so many different people and seeing another part of the world is something so many people dream of. I’m so thankful that I am lucky enough to be able to live this dream. Thank you Mom and Dad for making it possible. Let the adventure begin! I’ll report back when I’m across the Atlantic!

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Reid Larsen

<p>There&rsquo;s nothing like late night, deep talks, and solving the world&rsquo;s problems. In Madrid, I&rsquo;m looking to learn as much as I can, get to know as many people as I can, and get outside my comfort zone as much as I can. Come join the adventure.</p>

Program:
Destination:
Home University:
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Major:
Engineering - General
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