My Story

The glass windows stretched upward like widening eyes.  They covered the facade of the airport, the sun glinting off their surfaces.  Dad slowed our white Honda Accord to a stop, and he and Mom twisted to look at me in the backseat.    
"Ready?" he asked with raised eyebrows.
  I stared at my sweaty palms in my lap, my stomach churning.  I imagined joining a cluster of faces near the check-in counter--some familiar yet some completely foreign.  Stepping out of the car meant embarking on a trip on my own for the first time with a group of people I barely knew.  Mom and Dad pulled my suitcase out of the trunk while I sat frozen to the backseat.
"Come on, Kate.  You can do it," he said as he opened my door.
For a moment, I contemplated refusing to leave the car and returning home to my own safe bed, but an internal voice reminded me that I joined the newspaper staff just for this trip to the media conference.  I signed up for this adventure, so I must take it.  With a deep breath, I dragged myself out of the car, drifted into the airport, and made my way to New York City.

The trip to the media conference in New York City served as the first major stepping stone in my series of adventures in college.  That summer, I ventured to Seattle, and the following summer, I experienced a school trip to Great Britain, France, and Italy.  I dreamed of traveling and embarking on adventures from the moment I learned to read stories about exotic lands.  I enjoy reading as well as writing; I hope to publish children's books eventually.  I am currently pursuing an early childhood education degree at Henderson State University.  I decided to pursue a career in education when I realized how much I love school and children.  I hope to inspire my students with my passion for learning and for seeing the world.  Travel provides me with the opportunities to learn more about this earth, to hear people's stories, and experience adventures outside of books.  
I lived in the same house in the same town my entire life until moving to college.  My mother is an elementary art teacher, my father owns a local news website, and and they know practically everyone in our growing small town.  I have one older brother, and we recently inherited two cats.  I have spent over four years dating my sweet and hilarious boyfriend.  My faith, my family, and my friends are the most important aspects of my life.   
I am writing this blog as part of an assignment for a travel and study course; a group through the teacher's college at HSU will travel to Scotland and Ireland this July.  My blog posts will consist of reflection assignments about culture and travel and serve as a journal for the trip itself.  I am greatly excited about witnessing the cultures in Scotland and Ireland as well as the sights.  Through this trip, I hope to grow into a more confident and seasoned traveler, challenge myself to try new things, hear some fascinating stories, and learn.  I cannot wait to embark on another grand adventure.