I have never been one to bemoan Fate, but now seems a good time to start. Of course, a blizzard just decided to wreak havoc upon my destination: New York City. From there, I am driving to the lovely state of Vermont, home of Ben & Jerry’s, Creemees, Magic Hat and a home-grown eugenics movement. Well, I will go there if I ever make it to JFK. Should I board the plane sometime in the next 24 hours, I will thank the snow gods for a reprieve, despite my seat in 36F, the very back corner of a completely full flight. I will bow to TSA for its expert manipulation of timetables, despite surrounding children, scrappy dogs, and stench of lox emanating from nearby passengers. I will even call my parents for literally the 7th time in the past two hours to thank them for waking me up at 5 am and driving me an hour away to catch this incredibly delayed flight.
This seems like a lot of trouble and travel time, I am sure. But, should I make it to New York and later Vermont, I get to have a 6-day “last hurrah” with some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Pretty sappy for an introductory post on a study abroad blog. Yet, studying abroad has not, at least for me, been all cheer. It’s been a somewhat last-minute decision to go, and while I am most definitely thrilled to be going to Sevilla this spring, or really, in less than a month, there are aspects and comforts in my life I will undoubtedly miss. The thought of studying abroad is actually quite terrifying—imagine being stuck in an airport in a foreign country, not being able to phone anyone to pass the time or to come pick you up if need be. Imagine not having a destination in mind with people you know waiting for you.
At this point in time, Sevilla is an unknown. The people there are unknown. And the mastery of the Spanish language, probably to my mother and former professors’ despair, is woefully unknown. But Fate has, through a series of twists and turns, brought me to the point where Sevilla is my destination. I’m an honest person, and frankly, I am terrified. Between the 3 health insurance cards I have been issued and the email from CIEE telling me I would find out my housing situation only once I have arrived, I worry I will be homeless or in the hospital 4 out of the 5 months in Spain. And classes, which every other Georgetown student chose months ago? Oh, I will choose them when I arrive. I have always found comfort in knowing The Plan, knowing the elements, knowing the players involved. But this is where I think studying abroad will be the formative experience Georgetown advertises during campus tours. I can forever live off what is comfortable, have a plan, play it safe. But I’m fairly certain that if Fate and I were to duke it out, despite my fabulous natural athletic abilities, I would come out the loser. So, here I am, still sitting and waiting. New York is the first step of what should be an incredible journey, regardless of my fear, which is tinged with excitement to be doing something different. So…. Here I go. TSA-willing.
