Decisions, decisions.

If you know anything about me, then you probably know that I LOVE learning the Spanish language.  More than that, though, I love my Lord and Savior.  Last Summer God called me on a mission trip to Monterrey, Mexico, where I was able to use my knowledge of the Spanish language to share God's love with orphans.  Last summer changed my life.  I came back to the United States with a whole new perspective on life.  My faith had been strengthened immensely, and I had been humbled by everything that I had experienced.  The first thing I did after returning to the fall semester of school was begin the process of joining the church I had been attending for the past two years.  I then proceeded to co-lead a small group.  Just because I wasn't in Mexico didn't mean that I should stop sharing God's abounding love.  As I mentioned, this trip to Mexico was extremely humbling.  I showed up with my perfectly straightened hair and my matching Vera Bradley Yellow Bird carry-on bag and back-pack.  As the only person on the trip from Florida, the others were probably making their judgements about snobby Floridians.  But you see, I soon came to learn that I am anything, but that.  We were only allowed to take 3 minute showers while in Mexico, and couldn't use any electrical "appliances."  (ie: my blow dryer and straightener had been left back in Florida)  What's a girl to do?  I soon came to realize that none of what I thought was so important before mattered.  I had meticulously planned my outfits for each day in Mexico, and I'm proud to say that I ended up being an "outfit repeater"--yes I wore my clothes more than once, and no, I did not wash them.  With out my blow-dryer and straightener, God allowed me to embrace my naturally wavy hair.  A year has now passed since I went to Mexico, and more days than not, I wear my hair naturally.  Those are just some small things I learned in Mexico.  I could go on and on for days.  After returning to the United States, I vowed to myself that I would return to Mexico the following summer (this summer) because I felt that God had more work for me to do there.  Unfortunately, this would conflict with something I had been hoping to do since my Freshman year at Flagler: study abroad.  I could not return to Mexico and study abroad because I simply could not be in two places at once.  I was in turmoil.  I had promised myself I would return to Mexico, and I hate it when promises are broken, so how could I break my own promise?  On the other hand, studying abroad would allow me to finish both my Spanish major and my Latin American Studies minor which would lighten my course load as I finished out my Elementary Education major.  I prayed and I waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Then out of the blue, I received a scholarship from Flagler to study abroad.  The funny thing is, I hadn't even applied for this scholarship!  What a blessing!  I may be wrong, but I took the scholarship as God leading me towards studying abroad and confirming that it was okay if I broke my promise to return to Mexico.  So I made the commitment this past November to study abroad for five weeks in Costa Rica.