Hindsight, My Study Abroad Experience 2013

The Back Story  ... My Study Abroad Experience 2013 - Germany, Italy, Vatican City and Greece 

"No matter where I am, ALL things are still working together for my good, because …."  Romans 8:28 

"I'm sorry, honey I'm so sorry." Name that tune. Oh, I just did. OK, who sang that tune? I dunno either. I think it was Natalie Cole, anyhews I am so sorry it took me so long to get this party going again. You really have no idea how crazy life has been since we last spoke, but stay tuned, cause I'm gonna tell you all about it. 

Hallelujah!!! I did it! 

 So, here I am, in the comfort of my home here in the United States of America, after having studied abroad for the first time in my 47 years of living, and needless to say I am pretty excited about the opportunity to prepare this blog/report in "hindsight, "albeit, that was NOT my first choice. As you may have heard by now, during my travels I experienced much opposition in the way of technical difficulties that spanned way beyond my control, BUT God. Just when I was almost ready to "throw the towel in" God showed up with a bucket of peace that put my soul at rest enough for me to continue with joy the journey He had set before me. So, as the young people would say,  "I'm good."  

Entertaining some Deaf & Hearing  friends in my home. 

I want to share the backdrop of my story with you, as to how I even became aware of this study abroad trip to Italy and Greece through Valencia College where I have been attending for 4 semesters now. You see after I completed high school I went on to earn an A.S degree in Business Management  and Marketing from Southern College. From there I went to work and soon thereafter started my own business and became a full time entrepreneur, a wife, a mother and caretaker to other family members. I've always wanted to go back to school and complete my formal education, but for me that would not even be an option until after my kids were grown and gone. So, when I reached that milestone in my life, becoming an empty nester that is, I decided to move forward with my plans to go back to school and finish what I had started. 

I wonder what's on the other side of "that" mountian ??? 

To make a very long story short,  I was shocked to find out that there was a problem with certain schools accepting my credits because of the difference in schools being regionally and/or nationally accredited. Now mind you, at that time I had 88 college credits on my official transcripts, and that was worth nothing I was told. Needless to say I was crushed with the thought of starting over again, but I eventually made up my mind to "bite the bullet" and do what I needed to do. But who knew? I mean seriously, how is one to know the difference in school accreditations, I don't recall ever being taught there was such a thing.How about you? 

Biting that bullet made my butt grow. Too much sitting down . LOL  

 Anyhews, after three very successful full time semesters at Valencia College, I fell up on some information that allowed me to discover that my credits were transferable to some other institutions, and as I further investigated these findings and applied to several other universities, I am pleased to tell you that I was accepted to all four that I inquired with. But that's when God allowed me to see that he had me to go through that horrific experience at Valencia to prove to myself that I had "stick-to-it" and because I stuck with it, excelled academically He allowed me to also discover that there were study abroad opportunities available to even non traditional students like myself. So, I prayed, I applied and I prayed some more about the outcome, as only 12 students would be chosen from a pool of many. Well, the rest is now history, that's why I boldly proclaim that  "No matter where I am, ALL things still work together for my good, because …. "  Romans 8:28.  

I was there yall. This photo was taken in Greece, I think. LOL