My Life

This is where people normally talk about who they are and what they do. I generally have a hard time with that.  Maybe I don't really know who I am yet.

I started this blog in August 2011 before leaving for France. The main purpose of it was to allow my friends and family to keep tabs on me while I'm out of the country.  More than that, though, I made this blog for myself.  I believe that sometimes I think too much, but I've never had anywhere to put my thoughts down.  So far, this blog has really helped me get my thoughts together better.  Writing things down helps me to rationalize them.  Even if I only have a few readers, this blog is completely successful in my eyes.

Most of the people who read this blog probably already know who I am.  Maybe you don't need a formal introduction.  If not, feel free to skip everything I'm about to say.

My name is Angie Beck.  What do I do? Well, not much. When I graduated high school, I wasn't really sure where I wanted my life to go. I'd never really been the kind of person who dreams big.  I was more likely to just think about what I might do tomorrow, or next week, or next month, and leave the long-term planning for later.  That said, when I applied to Boise State University I had no idea what I wanted to study.

Throughout my high school career, I excelled in quite a few things.  The one thing that gave me the most joy, though, was the study of languages. Not just foreign languages, but my own native language as well. I guess you could say I have this kind of obsession with languages and the intricate patterns entwined in them. At a lack for any idea on what to study, I decided to jump in with a focus on languages.

During my orientation at Boise State, I was introduced to the idea of studying abroad.  It had never crossed my mind before. In fact, I'd never had any desire to leave my own country.  The more I thought about this, the more strongly I felt that this was something I really needed to do.  I wanted to grow up, become more independent, and learn a little more about myself. So after much preparation and many nervous nights, I set off to France for a semester abroad.

This is where the blog comes in.  Many of my experiences in France fill the early pages of this blog.  The original intent was to spend a semester in France, a semester in Spain, and then return home to Boise and make a life there. However, my presence is France spurred many changes in my personality and my views on life.  After much thought, I cancelled my semester in Spain and applied for a university in the Netherlands, with a plan to graduate from there in four years.

That is where I'm at right now.  I've overcome a lot in the last several months, and my life has changed dramatically.  My hope is that it will continue to change, and I will continue to grow, as time passes and this blog, this public story of my life, expands.

There is something to be said for learning to adapt and live in a place where your native language is not commonly spoken and your native culture is not widely celebrated.

At this point in my life, I have no regrets.  I plan to keep it that way.  A few years ago I read one of those text pictures that is shared around on facebook about a million times and it really stuck to me.  The short version?

Live life. Regret nothing.