About a year later.....

Wow this has been a busy year. I forgot about my blog until just recently. But, since I found it again, I might as well do a review of the past year and my thoughts of the events that have occurred. This may be a long post but I hope you will enjoy hearing my thoughts after so long. =P

This has been quite an eventful year. First, I had my internship last summer at Rutgers University, which was a wonderful experience. Working in a research lab gave me some valuable experience that I would have not been able to learn from a textbook. I learned the techniques behind conducting an experiment. Of course, the techniques I learned had to do with culturing bacteria...not something everyone is as excited to do. I also learned that in science, most of the time, things won't go the way you want them to and you will spend a good amount of time brainstorming away around the issues. Another benefit of this internship was meeting some wonderful people and going with some of them to local restaurants and even to New York City!! It may not have been the most relaxing summer, but it was still a fun one!

Of course with the end of summer comes the beginning of a new school year. I began my Junior year of college in the fall. Can you believe that?!?! It seems like just yesterday I was in high school eating lunch in the cafeteria with my friends and thinking college was a long way off. But anyways, like any school year so far, my class schedule was a bit tough and filled with science classes. Since my Spanish minor was finished, it was time to get back to the biology and chemistry classes (which aren't always my favorite.). I also started working part-time during the year as well, adding another responsibility to my busy schedule. I don't mind being busy though. It makes it difficult sometimes, but I have made some new friends at work so it is all worth it in the end. =) But this year really flew by and I just can't believe it. I am now about to be a Senior in college.

But I think the biggest thing that has happened in the past year would have been returning from my study abroad experience in Ecuador. Before going, I could have not imagined the impact that this would have had on my life. Returning was not easy. When it came time to leave, I just wanted to stay there and never leave. I definitely had reverse culture when I came back. The things I noticed the most were I spoke to people in the airport in Spanish accidentally, ordering food in English didn't seem natural, and going to church in English just wasn't the same. Over time, these things became natural again. But the experience in Ecuador has forever changed my life. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't think about my adventures and wish I could go back. I plan to go back sometime soon, because I feel Ecuador has become a part of me, almost like my second home.

With all that has happened in just this past year, I look forward to what lies ahead of me and the adventures that are still in store. Sorry that this ended up being so long, but I shall try to blog more often about the exciting things that are going on in my life.