Anticipation

My name is Teresa Bolas and I am a sophomore at Creighton, but currently studying abroad in the Dominican Republic (the DR). I am going to use this blog as a reflective journal while living here. I wrote this first entry while sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to the DR, and I am not changing anything as I am writing it now.

My new year's resolution this year is to be true to myself; to recognize my strengths and weaknesses and learn to live accordingly. I have this image of the person I want to become, so my main goal is to actually become that person rather than simply wishing. I feel that being in a new country, an entirely new culture, will help me in this transformation. There is a great opportunity ahead of me which forces me to evolve. However, the challenge lies in me evolving into the person in which I can be proud. A person who embraces opportunity, enhances genuine relationships, encourages knowledge, strives for understanding. This semester I want to be thankful for each new day. I want to see positive opportunities that exist all around me. I want to learn: about relationships, the world, communication, and myself. However, in order for all of this to occur I must allow myself to change. I must open my eyes, mind, and heart to everything around me and allow it to impact me, but this is also scary. This forces me to be vulnerable to the possibilities of inner conflict and changed relationships. I realize that I must make a full effort, however, or I will not be happy with myself once I leave the DR.

I have been here for one day now and I need to process everything a bit more before I write about my reactions and first impressions, but... stay tuned!