adiós y buena suerte

Throughout the past year I've lived in Utah, New York and Denver. I've traveled to 22 states, Canada, and Costa Rica.  Every day has brought a new adventure. Thinking back on these experiences every one them has turned out to be incredible.  There's been difficult times, but those are all just learning experiences.  On to the future and great times ahead.  Since I was 7 years old I've said I wanted to study abroad for one year, first in a Spanish speaking country. Today that dream and goal becomes a reality as I leave to study in Viña del Mar, Chile.  I'll live with a host family, take classes with 80 other international students, run along the beach, hike Machu Picchu, attend church, ski in the Andes, and make friends for a lifetime. The most common regret I've heard from adults is they wish they would have studied abroad when they were younger. This will not be a regret of mine. I can't wait to see what God has planned.  There's a mixture of excitement and nervousness, but why be nervous? Every other time I've boarded a plane and gone somewhere where I didn't know anyone it's turned out to be one of the best times in my life. Yesterday on the bus my bus driver from Kenya said "I'm so glad you are going to study somewhere else. I appreciate people like that. To learn and grow with the culture and the people. You can't learn by just staying in one place.  Well here we go!!!!