Mark Twain said it best – Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Study abroad in Uruguay is crossing several firsts off of my bucket list and is pushing me 4,000 miles from my safe harbor.
First time using a passport.
First time flying.
First time in a different country.
Am I excited? Am I looking forward to spending a week immersed in a completely different culture? Am I wigging out because the unknowns outweigh the knowns? You betcha.

In true millennial fashion, I choose one word at the start of every year to reflect on and aspire to embody; this year’s word is opportunity. Opportunity usually comes knocking down our front doors when we invite the unexpected in with open arms and graciously receive a change of pace. That change of pace for me is Uruguay.

Y’all… the fear of dropping out of the air and into the middle of an unforgiving ocean is real. So is the fear of getting lost in the middle of a city I’ve never visited. OR even the laughable fear of hearing the world’s loudest crunch as a rogue cow decides to step on my foot on a farm visit. BUT, fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself – I’ve caught a grip within the last week and have come to terms with most of my travel anxiety. The cow won’t crush my foot. The plane won’t plummet towards the ocean. I’ll have a map and a tour guide when we visit the city.

How do you prepare for a trip to the unknown?
You pack the essentials – faith, trust, and a little bit of pixie dust.

See you soon, Uruguay!