I firmly believe that everything happens in divine timing, and it’s funny how the divine works. Where did this idea come from? Well, I had an old friend who moved to Barcelona. We didn’t keep in touch, except on social media, and she’d occasionally invite me to visit her, knowing my love for travel. At first, I didn’t take her invitation seriously. But when she mentioned it again, I thought, “You know what, maybe I should.”
We exchanged our new numbers and started catching up like old friends. Coincidentally, she was coming back to Tennessee the same week I was returning from LA. Naturally, we had to meet up at our favorite local pizzeria.
It was surreal—we hadn’t seen each other in over four years, but it felt like no time had passed. She shared her experiences in Spain, and I talked about my life on the West Coast. Her perspective intrigued me, and I wondered how I could get over to Spain. She suggested getting my Master’s abroad, which is what she had done. After our meetup, we kept in touch and I continued to explore my options. She sent me programs, videos, and information, and we eventually found a school in Barcelona, IBEI.
Less than a month after our hangout, I applied to that school. I had my letters of recommendation, written the letter of intent, and paid the application fee—I was determined. My only concerns were about incurring more student loan debt and the fact that the program wasn’t related to my current degree and work experience. But she wholeheartedly convinced me to move to Spain, so I did everything I could to make it happen.
I gathered all the necessary documents once again and applied the day applications opened. I didn’t want to waste any time. Luckily, she helped me with all of my paperwork and acted as my personal translator. I applied in February and was accepted into the program in April. Once I got the acceptance email, that’s when I really started to plan my new life abroad. However, I couldn’t do much planning at first since I didn’t know which region I’d be assigned to yet. I remember waking up around 3-4 AM and seeing that acceptance email. I immediately screenshot it and sent it to Katherine, then fell right back to sleep, thinking, “We did it!”
During this process, I visited Europe and Spain for the first time in April and absolutely loved it. Even after just a week, I felt a positive shift in my energy. I appreciated the laid-back culture and the walkability of the country. It confirmed my love for the idea of moving here. I thought, “Hey, this wouldn’t be so bad after all.”
The timing is impeccable—I couldn’t make this story up. Moving to Spain was never on my radar until Katherine connected with me. It’s a reminder that people come into your life for a reason, and it’s important to take note of that. Now, I just sit back and let life unfold for me. Have you ever met someone who completely changes the trajectory of your life for the better? Be sure to keep those kinds of people around. For me, that friend is Katherine. I went from living across the country to moving out of the country, all within a year. You know what they say—a lot can happen in a year. See you soon, Spain… and shoutout to you, Katherine!
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
