March is the month of Spring Break. There's constantly photos being posted and status updates about how truly amazing someones spring break was. But I think that my spring break deserves more than a Facebook post or a tweet. Nothing will ever do the justice of how truly amazing it was.
I went on STLF's Pay It Forward Tour this year. I was on a bus with 39 other incredible personalities for 8 days. It's amazing how close you can get to people in such a short time. We traveled to San Antonio but made 5 stops on the way. In each of those cities we slept on the floor of a church or gym, if we were lucky we got to shower and we went through many boxes of tissues and fruit snacks. Also, in each of those cities we did a service project. The service projects varied. Some were wet, some dirty and some gave us rosie cheeks. But of course each of them were just as satisfying as the last. I've never had just a fulfilling experience. This will always be on my mind and it reflects a bit of who I am today. I'm so thankful for each and every person I met on the trip and so glad they made an impact on my life.
While I was on the trip I got some incredible news about the Study Abroad program I applied for. I WAS ACCEPTED. When I found out, I screamed, jumped a round and was nearly in tears. I don't think I've ever been so excited for an experience in my life. I had a few days left of the PIF but as soon as I got home I ripped open that envelope and starting filling out more paper work. I have a ton of preparation and anticipation to do before I leave next January. I will be seeking advice from anyone who is willing to give it to me and I would like to hear about as many peoples experiences abroad as I can so that I can live mine to the fullest. 6 months in Europe is more than I could ever ask for. One of the best things about being accepted is being able to renew my passport. My last one was taken when I was 14 and let me tell ya, it's a pretty dreaded picture. Although I'm not extremely happy about my new photo that I took last week, it's better than my first one.
While I'm preparing to study abroad at Lincoln University next spring, I hope you're all planning a trip for yourself. I understand that money is a huge factor when it comes to traveling, but the memories and experience out rule any amount of money it took to get there.
