January 6, 2015, marks the day that a young girl of 19 said farewell to the tiny, church-and-bar community of her childhood. The cornfields and snowplows evaporated around her as a massive whirlwind transported her to another world. And even though she didn’t have a tail-wagging Todo as a witness, when the dust settled and the girl opened her eyes, it was obvious she wasn’t in Wisconsin anymore…she was a girl abroad.
Una chica en el extranjero.
This second semester of my college sophomore year continues in the Spanish city of Valladolid. I count this experience as a blessing, for sure, but also as an unspoken challenge to grow and mature within a foreign culture. This blog will function not only as a space for personal reflection, but also as a means to share my discoveries, adventures, and bits of insight with others as well. I pray that this four-and-a-half month journey will lead me to new realizations, stretch my limited perspective, and shape my malleable heart and mind.
And maybe improve my Spanish a tad in the process…
While I continue my climb up the ladder to proficiency, I intend to reach audiences of both my native and second tongues. Because of this, my blog contains content in English as well as Spanish–some entries being unique to a particular language and others present in both pages as translations.
I know it’s true that there’s no place like home…but I’m far more excited to blaze the yellow brick trail and encounter all this Oz has to offer.
La Chica en el Extranjero 