Hello world 🙂
   I don’t even know where to begin with this, so I guess I’ll start at the beginning..
   My name is Alaina, and I am a senior Communication and Spanish double major at Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa.
   I am an Erie native, but I love to travel and see the world.
   I am writing this blog because although a happy life can sometimes seem like a boring life, it can be and is indeed an inspiring life (and world) nonetheless, and my hope is that this blog, no matter when it is read or by whom, will always put a smile on the reader’s face and gives them an uplifting moment.
  I have so much to say, and will be posting often! I have many plans for this blog, but for the moment, let me start off by saying a little about myself.
  I am in love with life. I think that is a most apt description.
  I love words, languages, blue skies, rainy days, contradictions, ironies…and on and on. Each post I write will most likely be about something I love, because life is too short to focus on anything that doesn’t make you happy.
  I try to be as positive as I can be–beauty is everywhere you look, you just have to appreciate it! For every negative thought that enters my mind, I try to think of two positive ones. For every negative emotion that enters my body, I think about something that fills me with happiness and joy. It may sound corny, but try it first!
   I love to read, write, exercise, eat healthy, learn, listen to country music, go to the beach, and many other things.
  The summer before my junior year of college, I took a two-week tour of central Europe, including Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and France.
   I also spent four months of my junior year in Barcelona, Spain, practicing Spanish and seeing the world. It was the best experience of my life, and I hope to repeat it somewhere in South or Latin America for a year after I graduate in May. I was also able to travel around Europe, seeing Madrid, Seville, Toledo, León and Burgos in Spain; Venice, Italy; Athens and Aegina, Greece; and Brussels, Belgium.
   Don’t think I only love traveling to foreign places, though! I have been to many cities and seen many things in the U.S., including L.A., New York City, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Disney World, Fort Lauderdale, Scranton, and numerous others, and I hope to add to that list soon.
  I am thankful for all of the blessings I have been given so far in this life.
   The main message that I hope shines throughout this blog is that life is beautiful and good overall, and that the focus should be on helping other people see that and appreciate that.
   Thank you for reading, and ¡hasta la próxima vez!