So… while I know Mercury is no longer retrograde, there is certainly something in the universe that did not want my last few days at home to be easy breezy.

It all started a few weeks ago when my laptop died and I sent it away to be fixed. First, the company sent the shipping box to the wrong address and then once we got that squared away, I found out this morning that the part needed is on back order and my laptop will not be returned to me until the begining weeks of September (if the part even arrives from Japan). This was not easy news to receive as I leave in about 48 hours. Luckily after we did some negotiating, we decided that I will take my dad’s computer for now and then my parents will ship me mine once it returns. All in all, a small bump in the road, but it was a relatively easy problem to solve.

Then comes the podiatrist. My toe had been bothering me for a few days and we thought the little cut on the side of it would heal on it’s own. When this was not the case we decided to go to Urgent Care to get it looked at. This short visit turned into a 2 hour waiting session and ended with minor surgery. When I finally saw a doctor, she decided that I had an ingrown toenail (thanks 16 years of dance for that one) and that I needed to have it removed and I needed antibiotics. She claimed it was easy and that I just need to contact a podiatrist in the next few days. Well I think she was taken back by the complete look of panic in my eyes because she quickly asked if that was a problem. I told her that I was leaving for Copenhagen on Friday and wasn’t returning until December. She then ever so nicely called an office down the street who kindly agreed to stay past office hours and help me as I was pretty desperate. So now I sit here writing this post, toe completely numb, but fixed, thinking to myself, oh my goodness how am I ever going to survive this semster if this day alone has left me mentally and physically exhausted.

Thankfully life goes on and my friends describe the challenges I face as a bunch of tiny fires that eventually get estinguished so these few obstacles were just a few fires that needed to be taken care of. It is important to approach each obstacle both here and abroad with positivity, creative thinking, and gratitude. I am thankful for the doctor who was willing to really help a girl out, my family for thier desire to never give up on me, and for brain and it’s ability see how no matter what, things always happen for a reason and you can learn from anything. I am certainly a little anxious to be jetting of to Europe in two days, but I am excited to see what lies ahead. I know I will run into bumps over the next few months, however after just facing these few problems I am confident in my ability to work though tough situtations all while remebering to smile and laugh.

I will be sure to update you all on these little bumps as I navigate my many journeys!