No Excuses

I can hardly believe that it has been three years since I lived in Spain. I could have never known how much I would grow from the experience and how much my perspective on life would change since then. I have very few regrets. One of which is not regularly updating this blog. I enjoyed sharing tales of foreign adventures and wish that I had the drive to continue writing after my return from Europe. I can recount the stories that I neglected to tell, but I know that part of the sentiment is now lost in time.  Nevertheless, I may do just that...but not now.  Now, I will introduce myself. The current, most up-to-date, version of myself. And I'll be brief, so as not to bore you.

My Life Since Spain (A Brief Abstract):

I returned from Spain just before Christmas in 2010. I continued my undergraduate studies at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. I was a Resident Advisor while there. This was a challenging, but very rewarding experience, which taught me a great deal about people. I graduated in May 2012 with a Bachelor's Degree in Spanish Education and Sociology.     

The Epiphany.

It was 8AM. It was Monday. It was Spanish class. There I sat, front and slightly off-center, entirely consumed by the story before my eyes. We were watching Los diarios de motocicleta, the story of a young Ernesto "Che" Guevara, played by Gael García Bernal (undoubtedly one of the reasons why I fell in love with the character). Something about this film struck a chord with me on that cool November morning. I was awe-inspired. I had that "There's got to be more to life than this!" moment and that "How can I contribute to this world?" moment. It was then, on the third floor of Bradley Hall, that I realized I wanted to pursue Spanish after graduation. And I needed to travel to South America.

The Dream.

Just months before graduating, surrounded by peers with conflicting emotions about graduating and entering into "the real world," I reminded myself of my epiphany the previous semester. I was smacked in the face with the simple reality I already knew. Life is short. I am young. Now is the time to do what I love. 

With nothing holding me back, I decided to pursue my dream of teaching English in a Spanish-speaking country. And thus began my relentless pursuit. I spent late night student security shifts researching programs and countries. When I discovered the opportunity of my dreams, I was determined to take advantage. Turning down full-time teaching positions, I committed myself to the cause, before I was even accepted. I knew what I wanted and I was going to get it (of course I had back-up plans just in case it didn't go smoothly). 

After graduating, I moved back home and balanced three jobs, saving money to fund my future adventures. Now I am a substitute teacher by day and delicatessen clerk by night, but in 6 days I board a flight to officially begin my next journey. To make my dream a reality.           

The Resolution.

I spent this past New Year's in Wisconsin with a couple close friends. Here, I had yet another defining moment in my life. I decided that this was the time to change. This was the time to put my words into practice. No excuses. You can talk yourself out of anything, but what would that ever accomplish? 

Since May, I've adopted Nike's motto: "Just do it." I believe that where there's a will, there's a way. If you want something bad enough, you will work hard enough to get it. There will be opposition and obstacles to overcome, but you can do it. Don't give up before you begin. 

It's amazing what one can do, when they set their mind to it. If we push ourselves to grow, we can thrive.