Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Permanent traveling

I have wanted to live in Europe for most of my life. I dreamed of it when I was little. When I was older I started reading books on France, Italy. I just wanted to experience it so badly. Then I got to go, finally, and instead of making that feeling go away, it made it stronger.

I've also been studying language for 10 + years now. My mom was helping me pay for school, so I took one class at a time (Spanish) for years, until I figured out financial aid, and ever since then I've been working full time and going to school full time trying to finish. I decided to get a degree in Spanish since I loved it so much. French is another language I have always wanted to learn. Last year, as I realized I was reaching the end of my Spanish studies, I decided to start taking French.


A couple weeks ago, I got approved for a study abroad in France. Although I'm still a little broke, I decided, since I'm close to graduating, that I needed to just go for it. And I am so excited. I feel pretty comfortable in Spanish - I can read and write it with relative ease, I can speak it well although it makes me nervous, and I can (although it's scary sometimes) have actual conversations with actual Spanish speaking people. Since I only have a short time left at school, I want to be as fluent as possible in French before leaving and not being able to afford classes anymore. The study abroad will (I hope) allow me do that.

But, I need a little bit of help. So if anyone has $1, $5, $25, anything you can part with to help me get there, it would be so greatly appreciated (here's the funding site)! I'm still working full time and in school full time and hardly sleeping at all trying to make sure I have enough to survive! And I'll be updating here (of course) while I'm living there, and probably sending postcards and trinkets to everyone who gives me a hand. =)

I'm so grateful for everyone who has helped me and encouraged me along the way, and I'll be thinking of all of you while I'm over there, not speaking English! I'll be staying in Pau, which is the south of France, and super close to the Spanish border. It's perfect - I get to learn French while practicing Spanish at the same time!