To Absolutely No One's Surprise...

Looking to the Future in Ireland, June '25

Welcome Back! I admittedly dropped the ball on wrapping things up in Menorca...but at the time, I felt like the last thing I needed to do was sit on my laptop and miss out on my precious final days in paradise. If you see me in person, I'd be more than happy to talk your ear off about Ava's visit, Maó + Flors, The Great Going Away, and much more.

So yes, today's post is not about Spain; rather, a new adventure that starts today. Since I've been back in the States, many people have asked me the same question: what's next? If you know me, you know this is one of my favorite questions to answer. A long time ago (freshman year of college), a very wise person (old professor) told their disciples (first-semester filmmakers) that don't worry about knowing what you want to do when you grow up; you only need to know what you want to do next. And in the way that a single sentence can sometimes redefine how you look at yourself, I took that advice and ran with it.

The What's Next? mentality is incredibly adaptable, since 'next' is different for everyone. As a freshman, 'next' was four months away, finding a summer internship and a Footlite show. While I was backpacking, 'next' was a few days away, searching for my next country/bus ticket/hostel to breeze into. Senior year, 'next' meant post-graduation, when I found myself back at summer camp and stumbling into my Menorcan Adventure. For a Type A person, this mindset has helped me to be here now, as opposed to living for a future that may not look the way I think it will. It's a bit of organized spontaneity ;)

All of this is to say, I do have an answer to all those asking 'What's Next?' for me. For a while, I assumed I'd be staying on my favorite island for another school year. I was (still am) so incredibly content with the life I'd built in Mahón. How lucky was I to find such an amazing community of coworkers, students, and Mahomies that I miss so very dearly now. However, the powers that be (the Ministry of Education or the Universe, take your pick) set the pieces for a different outcome. Instead of packing my bags for another year as an Auxiliar, I'm preparing myself to reenter school on the other side of the desk: starting mid-September, I'll be in the 2025-26 cohort of the University of Edinburgh's newest MSc Creative Writing program. Surprise!

in Edinburgh, March 2022

Obviously, I am beyond excited about this opportunity. Scotland has been one of (if not the one) my favorite countries for years, and I've been very fortunate to visit it both as a student for a JMHC Study Away and as a tourist during my backpacking era. Furthermore, Edinburgh is a UNESCO World Literature City - it's literally the perfect place to go in pursuit of furthering my passion for storytelling. I cannot wait to begin building my home there and exploring a whole new side of this place I already love so dearly. It's everything 11 year-old Natalie dreamed of

when she gave her parents a PowerPoint Presentation about why they should send her to Scottish boarding school.

And, as I mentioned, this adventure starts today! I'm quite literally sitting in an airport, counting down the minutes of an inhumanely-long layover, inexplicably excited about the massive amounts of reading and writing I have ahead of me. While I'll be understandably busier this year (my Menorcan workload spoiled me), I do plan to keep updating this blog while living abroad. And since the future seems to hold less beaches than last year, I strongly suspect an escape to the Balearics will be needed, if only so I can feel the sun on my face in November...Thanks for following along and supporting me as I continue my international education!