Experience of a Lifetime!

I have wanted to travel for as long as I can remember. I imagined myself learning Spanish in Spain, sitting beach side in Fiji, climbing Mt. Everest.... but that was all. Just imagining. I never actually thought traveling was attainable for someone like me: a responsible adult with school loans to pay, a full time job, and a five year plan. Only people with no responsibilities can take the time to travel. Oh man was I wrong! You really are your biggest obstacle. Once you believe you can realize your dreams, it becomes 100% possible to accomplish them. And it's just a plus at how easy Greenheart made the process for me. My program specialist, Megan, was awesome. I'm sure that in the beginning I was a huge pain with all the questions I had. I was upfront from the beginning and let her know my reservations about the program and how I was hesitant. She was so awesome in reassuring me and taking the time to answer all my questions (and I asked a TON of questions). One of my biggest concerns was that I didn't think I would make the application deadline for the dates I wanted to leave. They need an eight week heads up, but Megan assured me they could sometimes work with a six week notice, and they did. Greenheart took care of everything on their side and connected me with a family very quickly. Everything fell into place so quickly, that all I had to do was take care of things on my side. I saved up enough money to cover my bills and school loans for the 2 months I would be gone, I notified my bank of the trip, got a travel credit card, and quit my job (one of the hardest things I have ever done). It was so hard to walk away from a great job, a job that allowed me to stay on track with the 5 year plan I had in mind. However, I was determined to finally do something HUGE for myself. I wanted to live a dream I have always wanted. AND I HAVE ZERO REGRETS! I absolutely loved my time in Spain. My host family was awesome. They had 4 very bright kids that I spent an hour each with Monday-Thursday. I had three day weekends and traveled all over Spain in the two months I was there. I went to Sevilla, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Malaga, Segovia, and Toledo. When my two months came to an end, I had a hard time coping. I absolutely did not want to leave. If you can financially manage the three month stay, then do it. Two months was barely enough time, and one month is no time at all. I loved every moment of my time in Spain. I learned not only about the Spanish culture and way of life, but I learned about myself. I've only been home for three weeks, and I'm already trying to plan another trip abroad.... to anywhere! If you are a first time traveler, like I was, Greenheart is the perfect program. They offer a lot of support and make the preparation for the trip very easy. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity. I am so grateful for the time I had there and I wish I could do it all over again. Don't hesitate to make this experience happen for yourself!