Big.

Being from Texas, I know the meaning of the word “big” (the phrase “everything’s bigger in Texas” is generally true). But despite my experiences with big football pride and big family reunions, the past couple years have expanded my understanding of the word big beyond anything I knew before. Stanford, my home away from home for the past 2+ years, has found a place in my heart rivaling that of my hometown where I spent 18 years of my life. Everything about this campus has redefined the word “big” - the people, the classes, the scenery, and more recently, our football team. As much as it pains me to see my beloved team lose the Fiesta Bowl, the flood of Facebook posts boasting our everlasting Cardinal pride reminds me of the overwhelming blessings I have been granted in just attending a school like Stanford.

I am, in fact, about to experience one of the biggest blessings I have received so far – traveling to Spain to live and study in Madrid for 6 months. The past few months have been a flurry of emotions; from the excitement of obtaining the visa that will allow me to stay in Europe for my entire stay to the stress that came from studying for finals and moving out at the same time, I don’t think a day has gone by over the past 4 months that I have not thought about my upcoming trip. It seems surreal to think that this is really happening and I am just immensely grateful to everyone who has made it possible. First and foremost, I want to thank my family for all the encouraging words and loving thoughts they have shared with me. They have provided monetary support to make this trip a reality and have provided emotional support to ensure I can fully appreciate this experience. I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart. I am also incredibly grateful to my school and the Bing abroad program for making a trip like this accessible to students. I know that otherwise I would not have the means to experience Europe in such an intimate manner.

So here I am – less than 3 days away from the biggest trip I have made in my life. I will attempt to update the blog as often as possible because I know there are many people who want to know what my life in Spain will be like. I will provide contact information as soon as I get addresses and numbers squared away, so until then send me an email or a message on Facebook!