Hello World!

Hello everyone! My name is Michelle and I am currently attending the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. I am double-majoring in Physical Therapy and Spanish, and my Spanish major is what brings me to this blog. This summer (2012), I will be studying abroad in the beautiful city of Ávila, Spain! Ávila is located about 68 miles northwest of Madrid and is the highest provincial capital in Spain (1,132 meters). It is the birthplace of Santa Teresa, and has many great sights I can’t wait to see! It is also well known for the intact walls it has surrounding the city. I leave in May and will be studying there for 6 weeks. The program I am using is run through Eastern Michigan University and so I will be going to Spain with a few other students from UND as well as Eastern Michigan. We will be taking classes through the University of Salamanca.

I never imagined myself studying abroad, but now that it is real and actually happening I am extremely excited about it. My plane tickets are booked, I’m registered for classes, and my housing papers have been submitted! It is all happening so quickly! I decided in February I was going to study in Spain this summer and now I am leaving in just 30 short days! ONE MONTH! We had orientation two weeks ago which gave us a ton of information and makes this whole process seem even more real. I am staying with a host-family and will hopefully hear by the end of this week/beginning of next who I will be staying with. I am excited to be immersed in the Spanish culture and enhance my Spanish speaking skills while taking classes and traveling around the country. At this point, I am just working on finishing up some last paperwork and figuring out what/how to pack! We are only allowed to check one bag so I need to discipline myself with what I bring.

I will keep you all updated as my journey gets closer, and can’t wait to give you all an inside perspective on my adventures in Ávila!