As I take a look back on the last days before leaving for China, I find myself looking at days that seemed endless and dream-like. The whirlwind that comes before leaving for a trip is always the same – always chaotic, with a hint of excitement that consumes your body to a point of confusion. You don’t know what you are feeling… except you do; you are nervous.
This nervousness doesn’t stem from not wanting to go, but rather knowing you don’t know what is waiting for you. What an exciting and absolutely terrifying moment! The idea of doing my study abroad trip to China was once a plan for the future; something I’d do as my time for graduation approached… and it finally arrived.
Leaving home never gets easier: leaving family and friends, the comfort of homemade meals, the endless bickering, and the heartwarming moments you share with the people you love are things you always miss.
I spent my last few days in Costa Rica meeting up with friends and family I wanted to have some time with in order to recharge energies before going to a place completely unknown to me. As I arrived to Miami, for what seemed like a blink of an eye, I also met up with people I cherish and found myself doing far too many errands before I left for my trip.
As I lay turning back and forth on my bed with the anticipation building within me as the minutes go by, I remember the days and meals I shared my family and friends during the last couple of days, and I look forward with as much excitement as I have certainty that this experience will be the one of a lifetime.
I’m eager to share with you all one of my biggest passions: food and the culinary world. I’ll be keeping you all posted with updates as I explore China, particularly the city of Tianjin and all it has to offer. My name is Ana Julia Arguedas Rodriguez, a hospitality major in FIU’s Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, and my semester in China has finally arrived!
