la nueva

Anyone who knows me at all, or at least has met me once, knows that I have a little thing for Mexico. I love the culture, the people, the food, todo. But, I'm branching out. Next semester, I'm going to Quito, Ecuador, for a semester to study at la Universidad San Francisco de Quito. If I'm gonna be honest, I'm a little worried. I know it's going to be very different than my experiences in Mexico, and I already love Mexico so much. But at the same time, I'm so excited. I mean, THIS is where I'll be. Who wouldn't be excited? I can't wait to be immersed in Spanish again, and I can't wait to meet people there. It seems like a long way off, but let's be real. September's already almost over. This semester has flown by so far, and it seems like I'll be in Quito before I know it. 

I'm not too witty myself, so I'll share with anyone who actually reads this someone who has actually made me laugh out loud this week. Glozell. She's hilarious, enough said. And she's going to be at UNC-W next week! These are a couple of my favorites:

overflow

"These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." -John 15:11

Back from Mexico. Moved into my first apartment. Worked some 130 hours at the Student Stores. Enrolled in more credit hours than I've ever had. Started MANO tutoring, bringing my Spanish back from its 2-month hiatus. Met 30+ awesome freshman girls in HJ. To say the least, junior year has started off with a bang.

During a summer that was filled with making even more friends in Mexico, teaching English in the most beautiful town in the mountains, and a slight depression that set in when I arrived back in NC, I certainly learned a lot. When August came around, I knew that something had to change if I wanted this fall to be different than the last. Moving off-campus and into my own apartment with some of my best friends was already an improvement from the "sophomore slump" that seemed to hit me hard last fall. But I knew that the change I wanted couldn't happen on my own accord. So I started praying.

God, would you fill me with such joy that it overflows to everyone around me? Joy has always been one of my all-time favorite words, but I don't know if I've ever fully grasped what it means. Joy isn't a feeling of being happy. It's an attitude, a lifestyle. If you let Christ pour his joy and grace and love into you, you have no choice but to let it spill over to everyone around you. In the same way, God shines His light through us. If we take ourselves out of it and let God's glory be revealed, His light can shine that much brighter. Overflow with joy and shine bright with love. What better way to be a vessel of the Gospel than that?

Giant shoutout to Mexico today! 200 years ago today, Mexico won their independence from Spain. Do something fun to celebrate the Bicentenario Mexicano!