what we've all been waiting for...

(and when I say we all, I really just mean me!)

First of all, I've been waiting all summer to start this blog! I love reading other people's blogs and I love writing/journaling, so I figured blogging would be something great to get into. I just didn't know what to blog about! Which brings me to the second thing we've (I've) been waiting for..

...i leave for SPAIN in less than 48 hours!

At 6:30 on Wednesday night, Maggie and I will get on a plane to Madrid (by way of London) to begin our 7-week study abroad trip (and, who are we kidding, vacation of a lifetime!). We fly into Madrid, and then after a 2-day tour of the city venture to Barcelona where we'll be taking a class and living in a homestay right in the city.

I've wanted to go to Spain for a loooong time. In fact, my cousin Reghan and I used to plan trips to Spain - always putting it off until a summer came when we'd be older, have more money, etc... (which, by the way, is another reason I'm so excited for this trip - Regz will be in Spain this summer too! She'll be in a different city, but we'll get to meet up with her at the end of our trip, which I can't wait for! I never thought we'd actually make it to Spain together =] )

I credit Spanish class in school (from 3rd grade all the way through Spanish 5 my senior year of high school) with giving me the desire to go so badly. Let's hope all of those years of Spanish come back to me once I step off the plane in Madrid!

I've spent the last two nights packing - not an easy job for someone with a lot of clothes and a bad case of indecisiveness. Thankfully, I picked up a pack of (in my opinion) the greatest things ever invented...space saver bags! Check these out...

Cool, right? There are five bags there...and 4 pairs of jeans, and a whole bunch of dresses, shirts, shorts, pajamas, t-shirts, etc... which alllll fit into this suitcase!

...along with toiletries, accessories, and shoes of course. And, the part that I'm proudest of is that it weighs in at 49.2 lbs! Exactly 0.6 lbs under the baggage weight limit for British Airways.

The packed suitcase has made me realize that this is actually happening...though I'm still having trouble believing it. I've been planning, talking about, and getting ready for this trip for so long - it's so hard to believe that June 23rd is just about here! I can't wait to keep this blog updated so that everyone at home can keep up with me this summer and so that I'll always have a way to remember everything that happens. I hope you'll follow me!

xoxo,

lauren