Welcome.

Welcome to "Brave Goes Abroad"! Besides writing for a class, I would consider this to be my first shot at the blogger life… so go easy on me. If you are a close friend or family member of mine, you’ve probably been hearing about the idea behind BGA for a while (yes, I will be referring to this page as BGA). For those of you who have simply stumbled upon BGA, allow me to explain “Brave”.

In August of 2014, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was only a few months before this that my family had raised champagne flutes to an important milestone in my mom’s life – ten years in remission after beating ovarian cancer, which followed her first face-off with breast cancer. Well, since my mom’s recent diagnosis, breast cancer has entered my life in a new way. Today, I see breast cancer clearly, not with the veil of innocence I wore as a child.

I spent my first semester at TCU this year thinking about breast cancer day in and day out and how I, in a world of millions, could make a significant impact on the fight for the cure. My contribution came in the form of an internship, offered to me by TCU superwoman Ann Louden, a member of the Chancellor’s staff and all around go-getter. Around the time of my mom’s ovarian cancer, ten years ago, Ann founded Frogs for the Cure at TCU, a group that has since affiliated with Susan G. Komen. Little did Ann know, I would cherish my position as social media marketing intern as one of the biggest blessings I have had thus far in my life. Frogs for the Cure not only gave me a voice, it also gave me a loving support system when I most needed one and least felt like admitting it.

Back in 2010, I fell hard and fast for Spain, its culture, and its people. I traveled to Cádiz on an immersion program for high school students and knew after a month-long program that I had to return. That return trip, in my head, would be my junior year in college when, so it seemed, everyone went abroad. However, the wait time was too long and so I returned in 2011 and then again in 2013.

Today, it is finally 2015, I'm a junior in college and yep, you guessed it, I'm here in Barcelona. I have an awesome apartment with four other girls and I'm here to stay until April or May. Mission accomplished. Now, to tell Barcelona and the other cities I will travel to about being brave. I want people to know my story, I want people to tell me theirs, and I want them to join me in the fight for the cure. So that, my friends, equals BGA. Check back soon for tales of my first few days in beautiful Barcelona.