The beginning...

According to my desktop countdown, my adventures in Spain start 53 days 22 hours and 55 minutes from now.  I feel like I should say I'm nervous or totally unprepared or something similar, but honestly- I'm just so looking forward to this trip that I don't have room for any sort of negative feelings.  Don't get me wrong, there are definitely things and people I am going to miss terribly.  Even though I go to school in Pittsburgh, I've never been away from home for this long at once (86 days to be exact.)

But for now, instead of focusing on the one sad part of the trip, here are some pictures I've been collecting of my new city, as well as the reasons why I chose Malaga.  

Although I've never physically been there before, I really feel like Malaga is the best city for me.  I did soooooo much research in preparation for this trip, and one of the main things I did was find out everything I could about quite a few cities in Spain.  I finally settled on Malaga (my favorite all along) for multiple reasons.

1. The beach.  If you could choose to live anywhere for 3 months, why would you not choose a beach city?!  It's got constantly gorgeous weather, plenty of beaches to relax and play on, and tons of activities to take part in! As an added bonus, I won't be there during tourist season, so I will hopefully get to experience the city as the locals do.
2. The size.   I knew I didn't want a giant city like Madrid or Barcelona, but I also knew I didn't want a tiny city either.  Malaga is the sweet spot for me- big enough to have tons of things to do and see without being too modern.  
3. The history.  Although I'm not a history buff, I know this city's rich history will be incredible to experience.  There's even a castle/fort there.  How cool is that??
4. The Spanish feel.  From what I understand, most people in Malaga speak Spanish, and enjoy traditional spanish culture.  Really immersing myself in the language and culture is very important for me, so I'm excited to get started!
5. The fun stuff.  Shopping, eating, activities.  All found in Malaga.  Goodness the shopping.  I can't wait. 

Well those are just a few of the reasons I picked Malaga.  Hopefully I stay this positive throughout the trip :)