On my way.

"Tell everybody I'm on my way
New friends and new places to see
With blue skies ahead yes

I'm on my way

And there's nowhere else

that I'd rather be


Tell everybody I'm on my way

And I'm loving every step I take

With the sun beating down yes

I'm on my way

And I can't keep this smile off my face"

"On My Way" Disney's Brother Bear

A cancelled flight out of Salt Lake City meant lots of things yesterday. (1) I missed my connecting flights to Philadelphia and then Madrid. (2) I went to Houston instead and (3) got to see Sam and the Twins before I left the country. Now I will (4) arrive in Madrid with the bulk of my group and we'll all take a bus to the Plaza where my host family and roommate will pick me up, meaning (5) I don't have to take a taxi!

So here I sit in the Philadelphia Marketplace in the Philadelphia International Airport, in a giant, white rocking chair, looking out the window at the pouring rain, thinking about what I'm going to order for dinner at Earl of Sandwich (a throw back to the one I frequented while at Disney), anticipating my second-ever transatlantic flight, wondering what my host family will be like and how much Spanish I'll be able to get out before my tongue gets tied and begs to speak English, grateful for the good fortune and generosity that has brought me to this moment, excited for the language barriers I'm about to demolish and the fluency I'm just 6 weeks away from claiming, nervous for the cultural leaps I'm making and the ignorance I'm leaving giving up. I pray for peace to calm my nerves and for the strength to speak and make mistakes and learn, to love and learn from all of Heavenly Father's children I meet, and to remember and enjoy every second of this experience for as long as I live.

I look forward to sharing the next 6 weeks with you :) It's going to be fun! Thanks for following. TTFN