December 31, 2013

In less than 10 days, I will be headed to Logan Airport in Boston for the start of my journey to northern Africa. I will spend the semester studying abroad at University of New England's campus in Tangier, Morocco. For those of you who don't know, I am a sophomore medical biology (pre-med) student at UNE on the coast of southern Maine. I have a minor in Art Therapy and am very involved at school.

I am what you could consider a very spontaneous and impulsive person. I make decisions within a few seconds without thinking them through. Sure, you can blame that on my underdeveloped prefrontal cortex- in other words my "teenage mind". But for me, I think it's more than just that. I do what I want, because why not? While I understand that it's good to know what you're getting yourself into, you have to remember life is too short to waste time considering all the negatives. Mistakes are the best way to learn, and new experiences are half the fun. If you really want something, I think you should go for it. That's exactly how I decided to apply to spend Spring of 2014 in Morocco.

Growing up I have always been told that I can accomplish any goal I set my heart on. I'm a go-getter and I don't believe in something being too far out of reach. I believe in the power of one. My personal goal is to travel the world. I am 19 years old and have traveled to Ireland, England, France, Wales, Bermuda, the Bahamas and Canada. In ten days I will be able to add Morocco and, shortly after, Spain to that list. I think for a 19 year old college student I'm doing pretty well for myself.

"I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do."