Feeling Young & Alive in Spain (Prompt 16)

Prompt:

Wholly Strange and New by Bridget Pilloud

When good is near your, when you have life in yourself, it is not by any known or accustomed way; you shall not discern the foot-prints of any other; you shall not see the face of man; you shall not hear any name; - the way, the thought, the good, shall be wholly strange and new. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Can you remember a moment in your life when you had life in yourself and it was wholly strange and new? Can you remember the moment when you stopped walking down a path of someone else, and started cutting your own?

Write about that moment. And if you haven't experienced it yet, let the miracle play out in your mind's eye and write about that moment in your future.

My Response:

I could barely finish reading this prompt before my mind got started with this solitary thought: SPAIN!!!!!

I traveled by myself for the first time. Felt more young and alive than ever before. Took a huge risk, got on a plane and studied abroad in a country where I didn't know a soul, still felt terrified to speak the language, and with a group of people I didn't know a thing about.

I missed my friends and family back home, but honestly there wasn't one day that went by that was anything short of amazing. I met amazing-still-keep-in-touch-with-soulmate-type friends, studied a culture that fascinated me more everyday, traveled around the country (and to Paris!), and reveled in the thought that this was my adventure.

Looking back that summer of 2007 feels like a six week dream that was over before it even started, but I know now that is where I can trace back my love of travel, culture, Spanish language, Spanish cuisine, Spanish wine, and the mentality that I am willing to try anything at least once.

I felt uncontrollably happy. Alive with energy and a positive outlook on where my life was headed. Young in the sense that I still viewed the world around me as a place full of adults running around the day-to-day while I went to class from 10 AM-1 PM, sat on the beach, traveled on the weekends, and met friends for drinks every night. I felt lucky and grateful.

Lisa and I spent this whole day on the beach just talking and enjoying the gorgeous coastal town of San Sebastian, Spain on the weekend of my 20th birthday.

My roommate Cassie and I at our favorite place to go meet all our friends for drinks.

A weekend trip to Paris :)