my journey to Costa Rica.

I should start by saying that it is absolutely without a doubt the power of God that has brought me to Costa Rica.

Until approximately 4 weeks ago, I had planned to spend fall semester in Puebla, Mexico. All the paperwork was done, except for a big part of the semester abroad: the internship. My major, Spanish & International Health, requires the completion of a health-related internship in a Spanish country to graduate. Universities around the world work with students to help them choose classes they can take to receive credit at their home universities without a problem. I'm leaving out a lot of details here, but after sending in information that I wasn't given until it was too late, I was told that I would not be able to go to Mexico because they could not work out an internship for me.

When I heard those words said to me over the phone, I think I nearly hyperventilated and just began to sob. I had been planning for a long time to do this, and then right before I am preparing to leave, I find out that I can't do it. I was livid.

My advisor and I thought about arranging a trip through a completely different program, but my parents would have lost a LOT of money due to cancellation fees for the flight and for the program. USAC, the study abroad company I am traveling with now, did everything they could to help me find another place to go. They suggested I look into the Costa Rica programs and get back to them ASAP. After talking to a missionary in Costa Rica, I then decided which of the 3 cities I wanted to go to. But then, it turned out that there were no health internships available in that city. I was so upset. I didn't want to go spend time in a city that I really didn't want to go to.

All of this happened within a matter of 48 hours, the day before my final exam for my summer class that would determine whether or not I made an A or a B in the class. I felt like my world was falling apart around me. I had never felt so discouraged in my life. I didn't know what to do. Should I just suck it up and go somewhere I really didn't want to go? Should I cancel and just go with another program and cost my parents even more money?

I was clueless. I prayed so much those few days, and so did my parents. I spoke with my advisor at USAC and she suggested I strongly consider San Ramon. She said they would be able to work out an internship. And then, after talking with my advisor, I found out that I would be able to take classes that I actually needed, which I wouldn't have been able to do in Mexico.

The next interesting piece of the puzzle involves one of my favorite professors I have had at Clemson. She was scheduled to teach a summer class in Mexico, but due to swine flu issues, she was relocated to, guess where, San Ramon! I e-mailed her to ask about it, and she had so many great things to say about it. I felt better after hearing from her. I also spent some time talking to one of my old roommates, who was encouraging through it all, who let me know that I would love the people I was with no matter where I was, and that they would love me too. After that conversation, I felt much better, and realized that maybe this was the right thing to do. I talked to my parents about it, and we decided that San Ramon, Costa Rica would be my new destination.

I have never felt so relieved after making a decision in my life. I started to think about it more and more, and realized how happy I was that I was not going to Mexico. All along, I had not been at peace about going there. I had accepted it as something that God wanted me to do, and just told him, Lord, if you want me to go there, even if I don't want to go, I will do it. When I chose Costa Rica, I immediately felt at peace, like I never have before. I got excited about going, and started to really look forward to it, feelings I had never had about my Mexico trip.

I know that all along, the Lord has been carrying me through this. As daddy says so often now, God has no plan B, his plan A always works and is always the right one! I know that the Lord must really have something incredible waiting for me here, to have faced so much opposition. I think that when we have to fight the hardest, we have the greatest opportunity for growth and positive change. I have no idea what God is going to do with me down here. I am just here, following his will, waiting to see what He does with me and to me.

Please pray for me, that the Lord will continue to protect me and carry me through this semester. Today has been tough, saying goodbye to family, leaving friends (and football season) behind, but I know that I must do what the Lord has asked me to do, and that is to be here in Costa Rica!