Melissa's Travels

Today marks the one week countdown until I'm heading back to Spain. Now that the trip is almost here I feel nothing but excitement and gratitude. The time for stressing about money or prepping to be the best TA on record has passed. Although I'm still crossing my fingers in hopes of becoming independently wealthy within the next week, I've decided that relying on my parent's wealth and a book by the travel master Rick Steves is going to have to suffice. Since I've begun telling people about this adventure I'm about to embark on, the overwhelming response has been "how can I do that??" I wish I had a simple answer for everyone. Yes, I feel like I could guide someone in planning a backpacking tour around Europe (even though I've never actually toted a "backpack" myself), or studying, working or volunteering abroad. But securing the opportunity to travel around three European countries as a teaching assistant...I am lost? Because I don't even know how I was lucky enough to stumble across it? And "stumble" isn't even the appropriate verb because it was basically thrust upon me after returning from Spain and thankfully I had the wisdom to respond with an enthusiastic "count me in!!" And here I am, 8 months later, still in disbelief that this whole thing actually worked out and in one week I will be reliving the European adventure I went on back in 2005 with SPU. Only this time I'll be the seasoned traveler, helping coordinate excursions and within city adventures. In charge of mass museum ticket purchases, assembling a group journal and escorting students to the doctor if need be. Of course, amidst my TA responsibilities, I also plan to find time to enjoy the cities myself. Drinking sangria in Madrid, enjoying Flamenco in Sevilla, spending an afternoon drinking tea in one of the hillside tea shops lining the winding hills up to the Albycin in Granada and finally making it to the Picasso Museum in Barcelona (after 2 failed attempts in my life). I'm planning a picnic in Paris on their labor day, renting a bike in Strasbourg, soaking up the history of Berlin and exploring the never before seen (by my eyes) sights of the other cities I'll be visiting in Germany. And despite my lack of funds I am going ahead with the three week journey I'd hoped for post-European Quarter. I'll be reuniting with friends I'd traveled with back on my inagural Eurotrip back in '05 for a week in Croatia. Then I've managed to convince my parents and sister that there is no better graduation gift than a plane ticket for her to Europe so she'll be heading over for her first European adventure, with her BFF in tow and I'll once again have the chance to be tour guide through Italy and Spain. I spent Saturday and Sunday evening hanging out with one of my teachers from Spain, who just happened to be visiting Seattle for the weekend as part of 10 day spring break trip. It brought back so many memories of my time in Spain last spring and bumbling through Spanish with him and his friends (also from Spain), my anxiety finally melted into the jazzed attitude I've been hoping for. I have my doubts and every morning I wake up thinking "how can I be this lucky??" But next Tuesday I'm heading for Madrid. There's no denying that. And there is no denying the fact that my heart is swooning in anticipation for finally being reunited with this city that's kept half my heart hostage for the past 9 months.