Susie Jenson was lying in bed about to drift away when she started to imagine stars dance all around her room. Big stars, little stars, constellations, if it was a star, she was thinking of it. She wanted to go to bed early because the next day was her first day of high school; clearly this was not going to happen. So Susie continued to imagining dancing stars but another image came to her mind, she started to think about her future. Immediately fear flooded her mind like water crashing against a sandy beach and the dancing stars disappeared. She thought of grades, schedules, colleges, the possibility of not being with her best friend, and more. Overwhelming herself with these discouraging thoughts, Susie tried to think of the stars again but fails to do so. The thoughts came right back consuming her like a hungry person consuming a hamburger after a long day at work. Shutting the thoughts out as much as she could she fell asleep.
     

The following morning her mom came barging through her bedroom door saying, “Wake up, first day of school and breakfast is ready”. Half awake half asleep she crawled out of bed, put on her school uniform on, and went to the kitchen. She ate breakfast and made her lunch not remembering her thoughts from the night before, until her mom said “Are you nervous?” Her face got pale and all the thoughts and fears came back into her mind. Not wanting to talk about what was going through her head, she said “No”. On the car ride to her school, The Rock School, she tried to push the thoughts out and think of positive things like lunch with her friends and fun electives. Even though she was thinking of positive things, she could still feel the fear in the back of her mind trying to consume her mind once again but she would not let it this time. She spent the rest of the car ride in silence.
      

When she arrived at school with her thoughts under control she joined her friends in the back of the auditorium. All the middle and high school students hung out in the auditorium before their first class of the day. When Susie entered the room she could smell the first day jitters all around the room. She found comfort in knowing that others had fear like her. Seeing her friend also made her feel better. She could always tell the new and old students apart. Her friends greeted her normally, until one of the asked, "Are you nervous?" Susie could not hold it in anymore and said, "Yes". Her friends were not surprised because they were nervous also. Being with her friends made her forget all the thoughts about fear and Susie had a great first day of high school.
     

For the next couple of mouths, Susie had been nonstop with school and dance. She takes ballet, jazz, modern, and point every week. She loves to dance as much as she loves food. A Tuesday after school in the month of October she got a letter in the mail. It said,

            “Dear Susie Jenson,

                  My name is Mrs. Hardther and I work for a dance workshop called South American Dancers.  We have watched you dance for many years and were wondering if you would like to be a part of the South American Dancers starting at the beginning of next year. The workshop starts on January 1, 2015 and ends January 1, 2016. This workshop’s goal is to make you a stronger and more confident dancer. If you join us we will travel from state to state dancing with different styles and teachers around South America. We provide the living arrangements and food, so all you have to pay for is the trip here and the trip back to your home. If you have any questions you can contact me on my email dance.workshopSA@gmail.com.  Please respond in the next 30 days. :)

                                                          Sincerely, the South American Dancers."

After she finished reading she could not believe that they wanted her. That night she told her mom and dad all about it. She told them how it was a great opportunity for her to see the world while becoming a better dancer. Her mom said it is a great opportunity but before you make your final decision think about it, you have 30 days. “If this is what you want to do than I am all for it. You just have to pay for the trip there, but I will pay for the trip back”, said her dad. She responded with, “ I want to do it” and “You got it.”
    

Susie spent all of her free time thinking about the dance workshop. The more she thought about it the more she wanted to do it. She didn’t feel any fear or have any doubts; she just wanted to do the workshop. She made her final decision with confidence and told all her friends and family she was going to the workshop. A thought occurred to her one school day two weeks before she was to leave for the workshop that would be her new home for a year. She started to panic when one of her friends comes up to her and says “You better Skype me and text me every day, ok?’ Susie said “Ok” to answer her friend but mainly to assure herself that everything is going to be ok. The rest of the remaining days up to the workshop she spent hanging out with her family and friends and getting more information about it.
    

Susie wakes up on December 29th excited for this new journey she is about to face. When she arrives at the airport she gets checked in, says her goodbyes, and boards the plane. At this moment she doesn’t know what to think. Should she be scared of not being with her family or should she be excited of all the amazing things she is going to learn and see. Her new adventure is about to begin.