30 Days of Thankfulness: Travel

I have been thinking about all the places I've been to, recently.  I have been very blessed to have had he opportunity to travel a lot with my family, but also study abroad three times while I was in college.  I truly believe that traveling opens a persons mind in a manner that can be done no other way and learning about history, a culture, or a language is best done in the environment in which they occur.

My first trip was to England.  I spent one week in London and two in Oxford.

This was my first view of England from the plane.  It had been my dream all through high school to visit England.  It was a stellar trip and I could not be more grateful to have had that experience and I am anxious to return.

My second trip was to Puebla, Mexico.  While I was there I studied Spanish, naturally.  I lived with a Mexican family for four weeks and studied at a local university.  By the time I left, I could understand and speak so well... I am sad that I didn't speak more Spanish when I got home so that I could have retained that level of fluency.

This was my favorite place in Puebla.  It is called the Barrio del Artista, or the neighborhood of artists.  This picture doesn't give an accurate description of the barrio, but it is basically a court yard in the middle of probably 30-40 artist studios.  In the corner above is a gallery.  It is properly named - it is a neighborhood of artists.  This little place really touched me.  I loved being there.

My third trip was to Italy and it was with two of my favorite professors, Barbara Crawford and Doug Himes.  It was truly a memorable trip and I learned so much.  We traveled to many cities, but Florence was my favorite.

This is a picture of me with my head out of our hotel room.  That's how close we were to the duomo of Santa Maria del Fiore and the Baptistery of San Giovanni!  It was incredible!

The trip would not have been what it was without Professors Himes and Crawford, though.  I didn't socialize much with the students on this trip... I preferred to be right behind the sources of inspiration... I would go so far as to say that we were best friends.  This trip is the jewel in the crown of my college experience.  I would re-do it all in a second and I wouldn't change a single thing.

Travel has seriously been one of my greatest blessings.  And I hope I'm not done!

xoxMegan

Currently Listening to:  Lovely Cup by Grouplove