On the road again...

Some people ask me, “So, Michelle, when’s your next adventure?” Well, folks, it’s coming up. In four days (Tuesday Jan 11) I am leaving for Costa Rica for my semester abroad. Though my time in Costa Rica will probably be quite the adventure, I prefer to refer to these experiences as part of the journey the Lord is taking me on. Adventure sounds much more like thrill-seeking and carefree. Though the journey thus far has been very exciting, there have been many challenges along the way. To be honest, I have many more fears for this next step of the journey than any other before. Quite frankly, I much rather go back to Ecuador. I miss it so much. However, I know the Lord is bringing me to Costa Rica for a reason. I don’t want to have a bad attitude and offend or disrespect anyone. It’s really scary that this is my last semester. I am thankful that while my friends at Northwestern will be waist-deep in snow I’ll be soaking up the sun, but I will miss them dearly. Before I go on, I want to share a few highlights from this past semester.

After I got back from Ecuador, here’s some of what happened:

Summer Charge – I was a counselor at the Campus Life summer camp for a week in Northern Wisconsin

Kids Camp – For a weekend I was a counselor with kids from Chicago & Milwaukee at Gibbsville Church

Spanish House – I lived in a house where we are supposed to speak Spanish all the time. It was fun! “Nos amo!”

Amistad Cristiana – I had the privilege of doing an internship at the Spanish church in Sioux Center.

Black Hills Retreat – Every year NWC has a spiritual retreat. This is the second time I went.

Minneapolis Family Vacation –A couple years ago my closest friends and I formed a “family” so we could regularly spend quality time and we took a road trip to MN. “We do what we want.” VB for life!

Joshua Gross – He’s my boyfriend. He’s really great . We got to spend a lot of time together, which was wonderful. I wish he could come with me!

Thanksgiving & Christmas Break – good times with family and friends!

It was a good semester, but I was also stressed from figuring out things for Costa Rica, this summer and beyond (…which I’m still not sure what I’m doing after graduation). I’m working on applying for seminary, which is something I always wanted to do, but we’ll see.

When I am in Costa Rica, I really want to focus on being there and investing in the people I meet and really taking in all the amazing experiences that will be presented before me. I’ll be taking Spanish and Culture classes just like any other semester but I’ll be living with a family, take weekend trips, have a 3-week internship, take a trip to Nicaragua and another to either Cuba or Panama.

Please PRAY for save travels and that God would prepare my heart for what I am about to experience.

Pura Vida, (Costa Rican saying for “life’s good”)
Michelle Roethel