October 1, 2013

Now, what? Spanish Edition

"Pick us up. I am going to get some throwed rolls if it's the last thing I do."

As we sat at the mechanic, Dianne called the only other sister who was around. Her car had started acting up on our way to lunch and there was no way we were leaving the 251 until we ate at Lambert's Cafe. This past June, my big and I took a road trip to Gulf Shores to see another member of our sorority family. Dianne created a list of all the things we "just had to" do on our beach trip, including going to get some "throwed rolls." If anyone tried to divert from the plan, she shut them down.

When we went to the beach, my big was scared of missing out on what she believed to be a "beach experience." 

Last night, I got my official acceptance letter to ISA's Spanish Language program at the Universidad de Granada in Spain for the spring 2014 semester. In less than four months, I will be living in Europe. In less than four months, I'll be living out my dream of having the "study abroad experience."





I close my eyes and I imagine myself walking between columns on churches that are centuries old. I imagine what it would be like to scurry through halls that home paintings of artists I've only read about. I see myself sitting in the stands at a bull fight or cheering on La Furia Roja during a futbol game. My mouth waters as I remember my brother's stories of Spanish cuisine and fantasize about the meals my host mother will prepare. I picture myself pondering cobblestone streets seeking out attractive locals as I struggle to understand their think accents. I think of weekend trips to France and Portugal and if anything in my wardrobe would suffice. 

However, it doesn't take me long to wake up from my daze. 

I think of how I'm going to miss Dianne's wedding. I think about how some of my very best friends will be graduating and I won't be there to see them walk. I think of the trip my sorority sisters are going to be taking around Mardi Gras to New Orleans. I think of the spring break trip to PCB with all my closest friends. I think of how everyone around me will be having the "college experience." Without me.

Don't get me wrong--I get that this is the opportunity of a lifetime. If there's one thing I've learned as an adult, it is sad every time you say yes to something, you say no to something else. I'm skipping out on the ordinary to seek out the extraordinary and it is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made.

This past weekend, a guy friend told me I was selfish. At first I was a little offended, but now I think I'm okay with that. I'm okay with taking this season of my life to live my dreams, regardless of who or what I leave behind. I look at all the people I know settling down, getting engaged, and preparing to start their life with someone. I look at people who go home every weekend and consider their parents their best friends. And me? I am, though, moving to a foreign country by myself for four months. 

...but not for another three months. That being said, I'm going to make the most out of this year whether I'm in Birmingham or Barcelona. I'm committing this semester to experiencing all I can in Birmingham. I'm going to go for late night runs at Railroad Park, hit up Taco Tuesdays, go to even the silliest of mixers, to attend all of our home games, embrace the chapters that run long, stay up all night talking about love and life and my dreams and know that next semester, these things will be only a memory.

So, here we go. If I learned anything while trying to find a ride to Lambert's on that hot June afternoon, it's that all we have is now and right now these moments are ours. Let's live it up.








*We ended up getting to go to Lambert's and we all got matching mugs.