One Week

I cannot believe that I'm leaving everyone in one week. Next Friday I get on a plane to go to a place I've never been before.... Alone..... It's going to be quite an experience... Mark helped me pack all my stuff last night... It was a fun time... I'm taking lots of clothes...as expected... Mark helped me put all the clothes in space saver bags...I took up seven of them... It's pretty amazing how much stuff they can fit in them! Where have these been all my life? haha*

Studying abroad was something I've wanted to do since I was a child. My Grandma Crowley remembers when I was about eight years old and told her how I wanted to study WWII and wanted to visit the concentration camps. I also talked about how I wanted to study abroad. That was when I was EIGHT....

Last March I traveled to Taiwan and Hong Kong for a little over a week with an international business class at Indiana State. I remember talking to my Grandma before I left and telling her I was going to count that trip as the study abroad experience that I had talked about for so long. She was so proud of me.

After I got home from that trip I realized that the only thing it did for me was increase my hunger for seeing the world. My world became so much smaller that week. Everything in the world is merely a flight away... It might be a long flight, but it is only a flight... :)

I cannot believe that in a week, I am going to LIVE in Europe for three and a half months! I cannot imagine the experiences I am going to have! What an opportunity!

I thank God EVERY DAY for those people in my life! I have a great (very close) family who is scared for me to make this trip, but they couldn't be prouder. I have the best friends a girl could ask for. Although they couldn't make this journey with me, they know that, once I have something in my head, I am not going to stop until I get it. I have some great co-workers from Medical Records at Union Hospital who hate to see me go, but are so proud of the woman I've become. I have come a long way since the first day I started in Medical Records and I attribute a large part of my maturity level and success to all my 'Moms' in the department. And let's certainly not forget my wonderful fiance, Mark. I couldn't ask for a more beautiful person to be with for the rest of my life. Thank you, Mark for never being anything but happy for me. You have never stopped me from anything I have put my mind to. I love you so much and cannot wait to marry you. You are my best friend!

I am going to miss everyone so much! I will keep in touch and update this blog as much as possible! :) Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers as I travel. I will remember each of you every day! Please make sure you email me at tifftheaccountant@yahoo.com to update me on your lives! I love you all very much! Thank you for being such important parts of my life!

XOXO

Tiff