giving up what i love most in the world

it's official, i'm giving up what i love most in this world - playing the game of football - and my brothers and family on the team to spend a semester abroad...to my brothers on the team reading this, i want you to know it was without a doubt, the hardest decision i've ever made in my life. i love you guys so much and you are my family. i pray that you don't hate me and think that i'm ditching you because i don't want to be a part of the team anymore. that could not be farther from the truth. this is just something i feel i have to do, something i need to do. if you will have me back i would love to continue being a part of the team my senior year more than anything. the reason i wanted to travel abroad this year is obviously because i didn't want to miss my senior year of football.

my cousins are traveling throughout southeast asia for six months to a year and started a blog to keep in touch with family, and i thought i might do the same...as well as just have a blog for random thoughts and such. my cousins will hopefully be in the same area we will be in the same time I'm out there (assuming their money doesn't run out before then) and i think it would be just amazing to see them out there.

i leave end of august and return end of january. we go to at least eight different countries, hopefully more:

- Switzerland
- France
- Greece
- Egypt
- India
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- China
- South Korea
- Philippines (hopefully)

honestly, i'm scared shitless and have no idea what i've gotten myself into...only time shall tell. as hard as it is to imagine going, it's even harder to imagine not going and truly giving up a chance of a lifetime.

updates to follow :-)