Inspiración

Many of you know my love of quotes - my walls, bulletin boards, and desks have been adorned with them for as long as I can remember. Lately my obsession has been page-a-day calendars (I have five).

I decided to bring one of them with me to Spain, and it was as if the calendar knew I'd need an extra pick-me-up once I got here. Call it what you want (I say it was a God-thing), but this is what my calendar said on Friday, March 25 (the day I arrived in Santander):

"Bloom where you are planted."

- Nancy Reader Campion

By the way - I tried to take pictures of these and post them so it would be more believable and dramatic, but I couldn't figure out why it wasn't posting the photos rotated like they are in my iPhoto, plus my stolen internet is being rather poky this morning, so me typing them out will have to do!

The next day, I was still in my "I need to go home right now" stage, and this was the quote I was faced with:

"I have always believed that God never gives us a cross to bear larger than we can carry. No matter what, He wants us to be happy, not sad. Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn't we?"

- Rose Kennedy

Not that studying in Spain is really a huge burden or cross to bear...but when you first get to a new place, far from everything you know and love? Yes, it's quite a burden.

A few days later, this was the quote of the day:

"Above all, challenge yourself. You may well surprise yourself at what strengths you may have, what you can accomplish."

- Cecile M. Springer

So whether you believe these to be a freaky coincidence or God telling me to give myself a chance here in this new city, these quotes have been helpful to me. They remind me to take everything a day at a time and to challenge myself while I'm here. I won't be gone forever, and when I arrive home I want to know that I took advantage of every opportunity on this trip, pushing myself to get the most out of it that I could.

I think that's enough cheesiness for the day, don't you?

It's been a lazy Sunday morning and afternoon here...I still haven't found a church (not for a lack of churches - they're more common than grocery stores here, I swear! - but for a lack of signs saying which type of church it is. Odds are that I'd walk into a Catholic one, but given that it's me and I'm confused, I could walk into a different denomination by mistake) so today I changed my sheets, cleaned up my room, and sent some e-mails.

This is probably how the day is going to go. Later this afternoon I might venture out, but it's supposed to be rather rainy this afternoon so it might be a day to study and read in my room. I'll keep you posted!

♥ abigail