3 bags, 2 flights, 1 country. Tomorrow, I will be on the way to Edinburgh! An adventure awaits, and I am now ready. Ready for Scottish accents, kilts, and haggis. Ready for castles, double-decker buses, and flats. Ready for learning, laughing, and living.

Bright colors, bags, and boots for my adventure overseas.

I've wanted to study abroad since my first semester at Furman, and I can't believe it is finally here. My previous trips to Italy and Ireland were amazing, and I know that I have a great opportunity to grow and change in a great Scottish city. Moving to another country for four months is daunting, but I keep myself grounded because it is another experience to add to the list. Edinburgh is a chance for me to see what the real world of arts administration entails, what an international university is like, and what being independent means in another place.

I will spend a good part of 2016 abroad, and I intend to work on my New Year's resolution of creativity, adventures, and connections. This is a continuation of previous goals for myself, and I put words to it to encourage my determination. I am a word-centric person, and I find comfort in motivational quotes and combinations of words that become mantras for my life.

In my Alexander Technique class this past semester, we each picked a word that we wanted to repeat when we needed to go into a state of calm. My word was "connect" because I seek connections in every aspect of my life. I am ready to make connections with the people and the place of Edinburgh.

My goals for this blog are simple: write, photograph, and chronicle. I want to write because I love it and want to share my story. I want to photograph because I like to capture the moments. I want to chronicle because I want to look back and remember my experience with words and pictures.

3 bags, 2 flights, 1 country. Let's go.

Lucky Strike of the Day: I went to Starbucks with my best friend and roommate from this past semester, and it was great to see her before I leave tomorrow.