Hello everyone,
I have officially been away from home for three weeks, and I have come to the conclusion that when abroad in Spain, you have nothing to lose (...but your phone and a whole lot of euros). I know my first blog post is a little late, but I've spent a lot of time enjoying all that this country has to offer.
I know it is cliché to have these "when I studied abroad" epiphanies, but you really do learn a lot about life and yourself when you are in a new environment. Things are exciting, frightening, and enticing all at once. When I first arrived in Barcelona, I wanted to jump straight into a routine similar to the one I had back in the United States. But back home I had grown tired of: driving an hour and a half to and from work Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; having classes from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays; and going to the same place every Friday and Saturday night. Just because something is comfortable, doesn’t mean we should cling to it.
As I have mentioned in the bio on my page, I am currently studying at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, CA. This past November, 12 individuals were killed in a shooting at a bar no more than 10 minutes away from my school. Schoolmates and friends were there—lost loved ones, one of them being a Cal Lu alumni named Justin Meek. This senseless act of violence shook my community and forever changed all of our lives.
I had fallen victim to routine before the shooting happened. I would always say that I want to do this and do that but never do them out of lack of time, fear of rejection, and self-preservation. And let me tell you: living life solely in your comfort zone is lame.
I have said "yes" to so many opportunities since getting here. I decided this year that I would live outside of my head. I would tell people how I feel. I would do all the things that I say I want to do. Life is too short and unpredictable to hold back… so I’m not.
I’m ready for whatever these next few months may bring.
Thank you for joining me on my journey.
Ceryna Baens
<p>My name is Ceryna Baens and I am a Communication major with an emphasis in TV and Film at California Lutheran University. When I was 12 years old, I made a Twitter account to meet popstar Justin Bieber. Three years of hard work later, I was serenaded by him onstage in front of 17,000 people. This is the unconventional story of a fan girl turned college woman in pursuit of her wildest of dreams.</p>
