This is the post that I'm sure all of you have been waiting for....after being out of the US for 4 months and staying as far away as the average American as possible....you're probably thinking...what on earth does Sarah think of us now??? :P
Now that I'm back to being surrounded by them all day and everyday, of course my patience is being tested. I love this country, but the time away from its values, society and people were refreshing to me. But I have to adjust and accept [some] things once again and pick up where my life left off here.
Take a look at a few of my first observations about American culture.
First of all, let me say that when I was walking off the plane in Newark, NJ with my newly made Spanish friends who were visiting New Orleans [which is another story :P], the two men I had sat next to on the plane and I were going to take a picture before we parted. We should've taken one by the gate or before we reached the escalators cause once we got down there we were near the ropes where citizens and non citizens separate. I told my one friend what about the foto we were going to take...and he called his other friend over and we were getting things in order to take one when this stupid lady "directly traffic" near the two lines heard the word "foto." Blast Spanish and its cognates sometimes!!! She was like "Photos? This is the United States Customs there will be no photos or cameras out at this time. Please move forward and on your way." The customs area was so lame anyways but I had to respect their wishes. I was NOT a terrorist people. I did think to myself, "Welcome to America," and I think I said it under my breath too. What a warm welcome it was. haha No, it made me mad and I was already wishing I could go back to Madrid.
So unfortunately I said goodbye to my friends in Spanish and proceeded through the citizen's line--which was like empty. In fact all of customs was super empty for a Sat. afternoon. So dumb.
Well, that was my welcome that I had to share. But here are the observations you have all been waiting for:
1. I can't understand people from the South. I saw the movie, "Facing the Giants," in English at a friend's apartment in April and literally COULD NOT understand what the director's wife was saying. Granted it's not the greatest acting it in, but I could not say before that I couldn't understand movies in English before.
2. People are always, ALWAYS on their phones here...texting, emailing, surfing the net, calling people--it's so ridiculous! In Spain only the businessmen would be on theirs a lot, but most of the people would be walking, talking or meeting with friends and then spending time in person with them. America is very impersonal at times.
3.People dress sloppily and too informally at times. Oh, and apparently anything goes these days! Yuckkk.
4. Motorcyclists who don't wear helmets, jackets or boots are IDIOTS here. And after seeing everyone who rode a motor bike in Spain wear a helmet and smart clothes all the time in Spain, seeing people who aren't aware of the importance of those things and the dangers of riding a motor bike REALLY annoy me. I nearly flipped out the first time I saw people without helmets back in late May. lol
5. People get waited on and served even if they don't have a shirt on!!!! What is this??? Could it just be Southwestern Ohio or do you see those people in your neighborhood too??
6. The North is still abrupt and as inconsiderate as always. Although more people have been smiling at me in Dayton than ever before either. Must be my foreigner vibe though....
7. Americans expect people to accept them or make an exception for them because they only speak English or are American...as if they "don't" know any better.
8. Americans automatically think they deserve peoples' respect....um, it must be earned cause we have quite the mess to clean up over in Europe.
9. Ohio drivers are terrible! There is no aggressive driving in Ohio like there is in NY, FL and the European Union. (This was actually just a reminder for me as I have lived in this state most of my life.)
10. Guys will hit on you like it's going out of style if you dress like a everyday Spaniard [everything looks fashionable and matches-haha].
11. I've noticed that with the Mexicans here it's perfectly okay to ask if you have a boyfriend and if not, are you going to get one. Or even suggest that at their restaurant oh, for sure you will find one here! Whaaaat?! lol
12. Everything has to be done quickly, but not necessarily enjoyed.
13. People whine and complain about the tiniest little things; especially the second things don't go right for them.
14. It seems like only the real serious couples kiss and hold hands in public....not much chivalry here. I really miss that about Spain! Seeing PDAs here doesn't really phase me at all since I saw it all the time in Spain. I think it's sweet [within reason-haha] and necessary.
Well, that's it for now! I've spent most of this evening writing these blog posts........now I need to recover and go listen to some Spanish music! :P
Un saludo y muchos abrazos fuertes a todos!
Sarah
Monday, July 5, 2010
Saying See-you-later
Well, I meant to write this post a long while ago but I've sort of been laying low here in Ohio slowly easing myself back into American culture....cause honestly, after being in Spain so long and loving it there, I didn't want to leave!
And of course avoiding annoying Americans and hanging out with the cool Spaniards and "Spanish" Americans really made my stay pretty awesome.
But alas, I am back at home here in Ohio and I must say that when I walked into my house and brought in all my luggage I felt relieved. I wasn't going somewhere else next week or having to go through another week of school in Sevilla and didn't have to pack again. For the first time in about 4 months I was able to just set down my bags and not go anywhere......it was quite a refreshing feeling. Granted, I was super tired too because it was almost 3 in the morning for me when I returned home, but that relief was very sweet and made me glad to be home. Although my heart and body were aching to be back in Sevilla.
On the bus ride from Sevilla to Madrid the morning of May 21st, I hadn't cried that hard for a long time. I didn't let anyone see the tears streaming down my face cause I had had THE WALL up [my sunglasses on], but you could see the sadness in my body language. I was in a state of disbelief in the taxi on the way to the bus station, but when the bus was pulling out of Sevilla and onto the freeway, I couldn't hold it together. The tears came because I started thinking about all of the people I had met and would miss once I left Sevilla and Spain. As I cried, my heart cried out to God to save the wonderful and caring non-believing Spaniards I had met and to provide a way for me to come back and visit this wonderful country and city.
Though the tears have been wiped away, the memories remain and will not be wiped away.
But I want to share a really cool story about my journey back to where I started in January...the Madrid Barajas International Airport. Well, from 6pm to about 9:30pm I tool the Cercanias train to Aranjuez, since I decided with all my luggage [all though I put it in storage in the Mendez Alvaro South bus station] and all the hills in Toledo it just wouldn't be smart to go anywhere farther than 45 mins away [which was where Aranjuez and the royal palace were]. The palace was closed but the outside and the gardens and lakes were just gorgeous! And I got a feel for another small town in Spain where they only speak Spanish....and a lot of stares and little whistles since I was the only giri [American] around. Oh, well....it was a very cute and beautiful town.
So after I left there I made it back to the Madrid Atocha Train Station and walked out to Calle Atocha. I asked a lady at a small stand a little ways away if there was a McDonald's near by and she said was in front of this street [on the corner]. I only had less than hr to access the Internet in Spain one last time and I didn't know how much battery power I had. I think I had 20 something percent but that was just enough time to check just a couple things and send out an email to my family and then a msg to my friends via my group, "Send Sarah to Spain." I also had enough time to come up with a catchy status that would last me until Sunday afternoon or so. Time was really of the essence cause I had to get back to the bus station to grab my stored luggage by 11pm before they closed and I would've had to wait until 6am to get it. I left McDonald's [the last time I would be in a full and extremely loud one for awhile--yay!] around 22:40 and I was about 6 metro stops away there on Calle Atocha.
But the good news is that they didn't close until 23:30! [either I read the sign wrong or they had changed it after I left cause I could've sworn it said 23:00 when I looked it a couple times earlier] I got my luggage okay and only had to pay the one day's rate however, I didn't realize they wouldn't treat you like a customer until you pulled out your receipt. :P
From there I decided to head up the floor with the cafeteria to get some dinner around 23:30 at night! It was quite the task maneuvering two check-in rolling bags and three carry-ons (two bags and then a purse) plus my blasted wool coat that I don't like anymore. haha
But I was able to have a tortilla de patatas bocadilla, hot tea [although Idk why I ordered it cause I was SO freaking hot with lugging all my stuff around and the heat] and a bottle of water. It was a nice last Spanish meal but it still can't compare to the most delicious tortelini mixed with Parmesan cheese and melted butter that I had had the night before in Sevilla.......ahhhhh, my mouth is watering as I write and remember. It is SO good!
WELL. Anyways, I hung out in the surprisingly busy cafeteria until midnight or so and then I summoned up all my traveling stamina again and headed down to the metro to begin the journey back.
It took me about an hr to get from the bus station to my gate in the Madrid airport [where I'd be spending the night]. Before I left the McDonalds, I sent out a msg to my group members to pray for smooth travel in the metro [since Madrid's metro and I have some issues--haha] and for me to find friends along the way to help me with my luggage. If you're reading this and you prayed for my safety and for me to find friends....THANK YOU! I got help with them almost immediately when I went down to the metro floor in the bus station. A nice Spanish girl named Lorena who is working on her Master's in Journalism here in Madrid saw me struggling to get my big suitcase through a super small metro gate [I totally did NOT see the large one for handicapped people-hahaha] and motioned for me to come over to the bigger one. She said to me in English, "Do you need help?" Which made me feel stupid so I responded in Spanish to save face. :P
She helped me up until the stop Nuevos Ministerios [which was on the gray line but from there I had to switch from there to get to the pink line to get to the airport]. The path Lorena showed me to get to the airport was SO much shorter than the one I had mapped out before I left...UGH....well, I can't go back! haha
From there I was on my own to make it the rest of the way. I thought I was supposed to go down because I was following the signs for the pink line transfer but I was going the wrong way. I had all my crap with me when I went down the escalator and as soon as I got on my big bag tumbled down in front of me and almost made me fall. People were watching. I felt embarrassed...but me da igual because I had embarrassed myself so much in this country at times that there wasn't much else I could do that I haven't already done. hehe
When I got down to the bottom and realized I had to go back up again, I ran into these two older but nice gentlemen who could clearly see that I was turned around just looking at my face. One guy said, "Guapa! Necesitas ayuda?" Pretty girl, do you need help??
Um, yeah....I have 5 bags on me and just want to get to the airport! haha They and another lady, Leonor, who just happened to be passing by and saw us helped me take three of my five bags. The two men [I don't think I got their names] helped us until we found the right entrance for the pink line and said goodbye to me...the normal Spain way with dos besos. :) Leonor and I went off to go up another escalator and talked a little bit about where she's been, where I've been and what I was doing in Spain this year. She was at her metro stop [which was also her neighborhood] so she needed to go, but she didn't leave until she made sure I was okay to make it the rest of the way to the airport. I said that I knew the way from there and said that I would be fine. I asked her where she's from and where she lives and she said that she is from Madrid and is actually from the barrio Nuevo Ministerios. She loves traveling she said but she loves her neighborhood a whole lot. And she definitely recommends a visit to Nuevo Ministerios....so I guess I will have to come back to Madrid! :)
After that, I had help from another couple in their 30s early 40s with getting my luggage onto the metro and making sure things didn't fall, get moved around or fall on me. haha
I had to pay an extra euro just to get to the airport because it's so far away from the center that they have to charge a supplement......not that they need to get any more money out of me. [I didn't pay it like I was supposed to when I came from the airport....hehe] Then after taking the acensor [elevator] this time, I made it up to the top and saw the familiar Madrid at night mural hanging above the escalators when I exited.
I had officially come full circle. I was back where I started this incredible journey. But I had a ways to go yet before I could sleep. I took several moving conveyor belts before I reached the first set of gates. It was a lot of work to get there with all the crap I had and the fact that I piled my small rolling suitcase onto to my bigger one and was balancing two bags on each shoulder and my H&M purse too. It was A LOT of work and my whole body was weary. But was I going to be able to sleep in a nice bed that night? Nope.
When I got to a screen that actually had my flight up, I had to walk to gate 158 or something like that. I was like that can't be too bad....there are probably only like 200 gates here. Boy, was I wrong! There are like 350 in the Madrid airport! And I was starting from the 300s and had to walk ALLLL the way down to one 153. Now, that was a trek!
I think that all I remember doing before I went to sleep was go to the bathroom [with all of my stuff], get my stuff situated, decide that I was going to prop my head up against my big purple suitcase, take my contacts out and then drape my winter coat over my eyes so I could sleep......cause those emergency room style lights that were everywhere NOT gonna be turned off any time soon. Ugh. I fell asleep around 1:15am I think which was around 7:15pm for you guys on Eastern time. And I think I slept about 3 and half hours. Around 4 or 5 this homeless or mentally handicapped old guy came wandering down by my gate with his walker and was babbling incoherently and VERY loudly. It scared THE crap out of me! I was like oh, great now I'm gonna get mugged [cause at first I couldn't really see or realize what kind of person was near me] so I "played dead" by not moving and hoping this guy would just go away. I watched a security guy come over and helped him where he needed to go [AWAY from me] and then I fell back to sleep. Everything hurt and I all I could think of was how much I wanted to be in my nice Serta bed at home. My neck was aching sleeping at that angle!
But once 5:30 rolled around and a few people were joining my spot to sleep themselves I decided to get up even though I felt like a train wreck. I still had to organize my suitcases [moving some stuff from my bags to the suitcases], clean out one of my bags and get rid of the food and liquids I had on me.
That took almost an hr and a half cause I was running on little sleep and my bags were pretty messy. Then I focused on getting ready, changing shirts, putting on makeup--to belie how I felt--and enjoy the last few sounds of Spanish in that airport.
Little did I know what the plane ride home held for me.......
And of course avoiding annoying Americans and hanging out with the cool Spaniards and "Spanish" Americans really made my stay pretty awesome.
But alas, I am back at home here in Ohio and I must say that when I walked into my house and brought in all my luggage I felt relieved. I wasn't going somewhere else next week or having to go through another week of school in Sevilla and didn't have to pack again. For the first time in about 4 months I was able to just set down my bags and not go anywhere......it was quite a refreshing feeling. Granted, I was super tired too because it was almost 3 in the morning for me when I returned home, but that relief was very sweet and made me glad to be home. Although my heart and body were aching to be back in Sevilla.
On the bus ride from Sevilla to Madrid the morning of May 21st, I hadn't cried that hard for a long time. I didn't let anyone see the tears streaming down my face cause I had had THE WALL up [my sunglasses on], but you could see the sadness in my body language. I was in a state of disbelief in the taxi on the way to the bus station, but when the bus was pulling out of Sevilla and onto the freeway, I couldn't hold it together. The tears came because I started thinking about all of the people I had met and would miss once I left Sevilla and Spain. As I cried, my heart cried out to God to save the wonderful and caring non-believing Spaniards I had met and to provide a way for me to come back and visit this wonderful country and city.
Though the tears have been wiped away, the memories remain and will not be wiped away.
But I want to share a really cool story about my journey back to where I started in January...the Madrid Barajas International Airport. Well, from 6pm to about 9:30pm I tool the Cercanias train to Aranjuez, since I decided with all my luggage [all though I put it in storage in the Mendez Alvaro South bus station] and all the hills in Toledo it just wouldn't be smart to go anywhere farther than 45 mins away [which was where Aranjuez and the royal palace were]. The palace was closed but the outside and the gardens and lakes were just gorgeous! And I got a feel for another small town in Spain where they only speak Spanish....and a lot of stares and little whistles since I was the only giri [American] around. Oh, well....it was a very cute and beautiful town.
So after I left there I made it back to the Madrid Atocha Train Station and walked out to Calle Atocha. I asked a lady at a small stand a little ways away if there was a McDonald's near by and she said was in front of this street [on the corner]. I only had less than hr to access the Internet in Spain one last time and I didn't know how much battery power I had. I think I had 20 something percent but that was just enough time to check just a couple things and send out an email to my family and then a msg to my friends via my group, "Send Sarah to Spain." I also had enough time to come up with a catchy status that would last me until Sunday afternoon or so. Time was really of the essence cause I had to get back to the bus station to grab my stored luggage by 11pm before they closed and I would've had to wait until 6am to get it. I left McDonald's [the last time I would be in a full and extremely loud one for awhile--yay!] around 22:40 and I was about 6 metro stops away there on Calle Atocha.
But the good news is that they didn't close until 23:30! [either I read the sign wrong or they had changed it after I left cause I could've sworn it said 23:00 when I looked it a couple times earlier] I got my luggage okay and only had to pay the one day's rate however, I didn't realize they wouldn't treat you like a customer until you pulled out your receipt. :P
From there I decided to head up the floor with the cafeteria to get some dinner around 23:30 at night! It was quite the task maneuvering two check-in rolling bags and three carry-ons (two bags and then a purse) plus my blasted wool coat that I don't like anymore. haha
But I was able to have a tortilla de patatas bocadilla, hot tea [although Idk why I ordered it cause I was SO freaking hot with lugging all my stuff around and the heat] and a bottle of water. It was a nice last Spanish meal but it still can't compare to the most delicious tortelini mixed with Parmesan cheese and melted butter that I had had the night before in Sevilla.......ahhhhh, my mouth is watering as I write and remember. It is SO good!
WELL. Anyways, I hung out in the surprisingly busy cafeteria until midnight or so and then I summoned up all my traveling stamina again and headed down to the metro to begin the journey back.
It took me about an hr to get from the bus station to my gate in the Madrid airport [where I'd be spending the night]. Before I left the McDonalds, I sent out a msg to my group members to pray for smooth travel in the metro [since Madrid's metro and I have some issues--haha] and for me to find friends along the way to help me with my luggage. If you're reading this and you prayed for my safety and for me to find friends....THANK YOU! I got help with them almost immediately when I went down to the metro floor in the bus station. A nice Spanish girl named Lorena who is working on her Master's in Journalism here in Madrid saw me struggling to get my big suitcase through a super small metro gate [I totally did NOT see the large one for handicapped people-hahaha] and motioned for me to come over to the bigger one. She said to me in English, "Do you need help?" Which made me feel stupid so I responded in Spanish to save face. :P
She helped me up until the stop Nuevos Ministerios [which was on the gray line but from there I had to switch from there to get to the pink line to get to the airport]. The path Lorena showed me to get to the airport was SO much shorter than the one I had mapped out before I left...UGH....well, I can't go back! haha
From there I was on my own to make it the rest of the way. I thought I was supposed to go down because I was following the signs for the pink line transfer but I was going the wrong way. I had all my crap with me when I went down the escalator and as soon as I got on my big bag tumbled down in front of me and almost made me fall. People were watching. I felt embarrassed...but me da igual because I had embarrassed myself so much in this country at times that there wasn't much else I could do that I haven't already done. hehe
When I got down to the bottom and realized I had to go back up again, I ran into these two older but nice gentlemen who could clearly see that I was turned around just looking at my face. One guy said, "Guapa! Necesitas ayuda?" Pretty girl, do you need help??
Um, yeah....I have 5 bags on me and just want to get to the airport! haha They and another lady, Leonor, who just happened to be passing by and saw us helped me take three of my five bags. The two men [I don't think I got their names] helped us until we found the right entrance for the pink line and said goodbye to me...the normal Spain way with dos besos. :) Leonor and I went off to go up another escalator and talked a little bit about where she's been, where I've been and what I was doing in Spain this year. She was at her metro stop [which was also her neighborhood] so she needed to go, but she didn't leave until she made sure I was okay to make it the rest of the way to the airport. I said that I knew the way from there and said that I would be fine. I asked her where she's from and where she lives and she said that she is from Madrid and is actually from the barrio Nuevo Ministerios. She loves traveling she said but she loves her neighborhood a whole lot. And she definitely recommends a visit to Nuevo Ministerios....so I guess I will have to come back to Madrid! :)
After that, I had help from another couple in their 30s early 40s with getting my luggage onto the metro and making sure things didn't fall, get moved around or fall on me. haha
I had to pay an extra euro just to get to the airport because it's so far away from the center that they have to charge a supplement......not that they need to get any more money out of me. [I didn't pay it like I was supposed to when I came from the airport....hehe] Then after taking the acensor [elevator] this time, I made it up to the top and saw the familiar Madrid at night mural hanging above the escalators when I exited.
I had officially come full circle. I was back where I started this incredible journey. But I had a ways to go yet before I could sleep. I took several moving conveyor belts before I reached the first set of gates. It was a lot of work to get there with all the crap I had and the fact that I piled my small rolling suitcase onto to my bigger one and was balancing two bags on each shoulder and my H&M purse too. It was A LOT of work and my whole body was weary. But was I going to be able to sleep in a nice bed that night? Nope.
When I got to a screen that actually had my flight up, I had to walk to gate 158 or something like that. I was like that can't be too bad....there are probably only like 200 gates here. Boy, was I wrong! There are like 350 in the Madrid airport! And I was starting from the 300s and had to walk ALLLL the way down to one 153. Now, that was a trek!
I think that all I remember doing before I went to sleep was go to the bathroom [with all of my stuff], get my stuff situated, decide that I was going to prop my head up against my big purple suitcase, take my contacts out and then drape my winter coat over my eyes so I could sleep......cause those emergency room style lights that were everywhere NOT gonna be turned off any time soon. Ugh. I fell asleep around 1:15am I think which was around 7:15pm for you guys on Eastern time. And I think I slept about 3 and half hours. Around 4 or 5 this homeless or mentally handicapped old guy came wandering down by my gate with his walker and was babbling incoherently and VERY loudly. It scared THE crap out of me! I was like oh, great now I'm gonna get mugged [cause at first I couldn't really see or realize what kind of person was near me] so I "played dead" by not moving and hoping this guy would just go away. I watched a security guy come over and helped him where he needed to go [AWAY from me] and then I fell back to sleep. Everything hurt and I all I could think of was how much I wanted to be in my nice Serta bed at home. My neck was aching sleeping at that angle!
But once 5:30 rolled around and a few people were joining my spot to sleep themselves I decided to get up even though I felt like a train wreck. I still had to organize my suitcases [moving some stuff from my bags to the suitcases], clean out one of my bags and get rid of the food and liquids I had on me.
That took almost an hr and a half cause I was running on little sleep and my bags were pretty messy. Then I focused on getting ready, changing shirts, putting on makeup--to belie how I felt--and enjoy the last few sounds of Spanish in that airport.
Little did I know what the plane ride home held for me.......
Thursday, May 20, 2010
One last day
Well, this is it. This is my final day in Sevilla. I head up to Madrid tomorrow morning early to go visit Toledo (Spain's old capital) for half a day and then back to Madrid to go the airport. It feels so weird to be writing this, saying that this is my last day. I can't believe it. It feels a bit more real this morning since I helped one of my roommates move out. I wasn't home when they all moved in so I offered to help the one who was leaving, Christina, this morning cause it was the least I could do.
She was not crying at all and was upbeat about everything...she didn't even cry when she said goodbye to our senora! But it's better for everyone that you don't cry and she and Manoli were talking about how she wasn't going to cry so I think that's why.
I have SOOOOOO much to do right now but I am trying to take this all in. Last night, amidst all the crazy Sevilla fans going nuts about their win, I strolled alongside the river and took pictures and admired the couples sitting or standing by it. It was a glorious night weather-wise too which just made it wonderful. I did a lot of reflecting on my time here and on someone I wish could've experienced this all with me. It's bittersweet to say goodbye now cause with all the friends I've made here (locally) I could easily stay for awhile. But I know the time has come. I'm starting to see the city with different eyes now that I'm leaving. Sevilla has been the perfect place to live and study abroad. I couldn't have picked a better place...but now it's almost time to say goodbye.
But I feel like this is all just a see-you-later instead of goodbye. I don't know when, but I will definitely be coming back here. Spain has not seen the last of Sarah! She will return and this time with her brother, Nathan, so that they both can experience the mother country together....and have a wild, crazy and awesome time!
'Ta luego, mis amigos!!
She was not crying at all and was upbeat about everything...she didn't even cry when she said goodbye to our senora! But it's better for everyone that you don't cry and she and Manoli were talking about how she wasn't going to cry so I think that's why.
I have SOOOOOO much to do right now but I am trying to take this all in. Last night, amidst all the crazy Sevilla fans going nuts about their win, I strolled alongside the river and took pictures and admired the couples sitting or standing by it. It was a glorious night weather-wise too which just made it wonderful. I did a lot of reflecting on my time here and on someone I wish could've experienced this all with me. It's bittersweet to say goodbye now cause with all the friends I've made here (locally) I could easily stay for awhile. But I know the time has come. I'm starting to see the city with different eyes now that I'm leaving. Sevilla has been the perfect place to live and study abroad. I couldn't have picked a better place...but now it's almost time to say goodbye.
But I feel like this is all just a see-you-later instead of goodbye. I don't know when, but I will definitely be coming back here. Spain has not seen the last of Sarah! She will return and this time with her brother, Nathan, so that they both can experience the mother country together....and have a wild, crazy and awesome time!
'Ta luego, mis amigos!!
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
What to expect?
I went to the last group Bible study called Cambio here in Sevilla yesterday and this girl shared a really neat verse that got me thinking. I am a bit apprehensive to come back to the US a completely different person with a lot more life experiences than I started with.
18 "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:18-19
I am coming back to the States with a greater appreciation of things in my life than I ever did before. I wasn't able to talk to my family as much as I usually do, eat the things I was used to eating, coming and going when I pleased or having the same Christian encouragement I usually have through friends back in Jacksonville. However, God provided a lot of those things for me...some things I didn't even know I needed (friends who were like family, opportunities to eat for free and good, healthy grocery store finds, and Spanish Christians who want to seek God as much as I do).
But at the same time I am coming back to the States with some unresolved issues. I mean I will be giving up one freedom to gain another (being in my home country with my family) but I will have to "get used to" the things about my family again that annoy me. Also, I will have to slowly get readjusted to living in America and parting with the wonderful Spanish culture I've grown accustomed to...and dealing with America's new issues. Like public healthcare.....what?!
Honestly, I am just trying to savor the last days here. I am down to one last full day in Sevilla...and I want to make it very, very memorable. I know that it will be hard to adjust back to my life back in America and its problems, but I will just take it one day at a time. God has brought me this far and He can definitely do more neat things this summer! [Which I am excited to see what He will do after Spain.]
The goodbyes all seem surreal right now cause they feel like "see-you-laters" and that's good.
I will come back here one day....I don't know when or where or with whom, but one day I will return to this beautiful country. Spain, I will miss you so much!
Hasta la proxima vez...un beso!
Sarah
P.S. A Sevilla futbol game is going on live on TV right now....my host dad just screamed goal a few mins ago. As did the rest of this part of my neighborhood (no joke)! Ohhhh, Sevilla. :)
18 "Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:18-19
I am coming back to the States with a greater appreciation of things in my life than I ever did before. I wasn't able to talk to my family as much as I usually do, eat the things I was used to eating, coming and going when I pleased or having the same Christian encouragement I usually have through friends back in Jacksonville. However, God provided a lot of those things for me...some things I didn't even know I needed (friends who were like family, opportunities to eat for free and good, healthy grocery store finds, and Spanish Christians who want to seek God as much as I do).
But at the same time I am coming back to the States with some unresolved issues. I mean I will be giving up one freedom to gain another (being in my home country with my family) but I will have to "get used to" the things about my family again that annoy me. Also, I will have to slowly get readjusted to living in America and parting with the wonderful Spanish culture I've grown accustomed to...and dealing with America's new issues. Like public healthcare.....what?!
Honestly, I am just trying to savor the last days here. I am down to one last full day in Sevilla...and I want to make it very, very memorable. I know that it will be hard to adjust back to my life back in America and its problems, but I will just take it one day at a time. God has brought me this far and He can definitely do more neat things this summer! [Which I am excited to see what He will do after Spain.]
The goodbyes all seem surreal right now cause they feel like "see-you-laters" and that's good.
I will come back here one day....I don't know when or where or with whom, but one day I will return to this beautiful country. Spain, I will miss you so much!
Hasta la proxima vez...un beso!
Sarah
P.S. A Sevilla futbol game is going on live on TV right now....my host dad just screamed goal a few mins ago. As did the rest of this part of my neighborhood (no joke)! Ohhhh, Sevilla. :)
Saturday, May 15, 2010
But there were lessons learned...
Briefly, here are the most important things I've learned this semester:
*Don't worry about things you can't change or control...although you have to do your part in using the time and resources God gives you wisely, God has your best interests in heart and controls everything. Worry is just a waste of time.
*Nothing and I mean NOTHING will ever be perfect, go perfectly or be the way you want it to be exactly...so get over it! And accept changes in schedule, plans and expectations. If you are reading this and know me, this is a hard thing for me to let go! haha
[Side note: I'm listening to my Zune right now and the song, "Let it Go" by Tenth Avenue North just came on. Okay, God, I hear what you're saying. :]
Anyways, I was put in a home where all the other girls are virtually perfect and pleasant and never upset our host mom but I am messy, keep odd times coming and going (cause my plans often change!) and seem to spend the least time in the house. I used to think why, oh why did you put me in the diva house, God??? But now I see His logic in it (or at least I think). I now have a greater appreciation when things go right for me....it used to be I would get really, really upset and angry when things didn't work out and pity myself and complain, but now I have found a hidden blessing in all of this...and a lesson that I really needed to learn.
I just came to that revelation a few days ago and realized that it's a blessing this morning, so it's very fresh in my mind.
I also saw this quote on someone's profile a little while ago: "Things go wrong, so that we can appreciate them when they go right."
*I AM A VERY SELFISH PERSON. And just how much makes me sick when I actually thought about it. Everything this semester seems to have been about me...what places I'll go to, the friends I'll make (both Spanish and American), what I'll buy, learn, experience, what can I tell people back home...that I completely forgot about witnessing to the Spanish people here or letting my life be a witness to the people around me. I feel really ashamed of how I've acted at times this semester and how I've turned a little bit into a snob-just like the Europeans here. I make sure I look good and stylish and constantly check myself out in mirrors, windows, etc. I've never done it before, but they are pretty much everywhere (windows at least) and so it makes it easy to be vain here. I can only hope that people see something different about me and see that my friendship is genuine and that God can use that and my prayers to bring them to Him. I am doing my best to leave a mark on my Spanish friends...so that one day we can be brothers and sisters in Christ.
*BE CONTENT. Every time I tried to go on big trips internationally God threw a monkey wrench into my plans. It was NOT in His plans for me to travel extensively and extravagantly here and I found that out the hard way. Not only did I not have the money to do it, but I had a purpose to fulfill here. I am thankful for the trips I've gone on and the memories made, but I am really happy that most of my time has been spent here in Sevilla. The friendships, life experiences and hands-on practice with the language have been invaluable for me. My love for Spanish is even deeper now!
I could not ask for a better experience abroad...and it is what I came here for--to get to know the people on a personal level and be so accustomed to speaking Spanish that I forget English, and that's exactly what I've gotten! God just had to break me and my pride down to where I could finally see that and really appreciate the gift that He gave me to be here....cause it is a miracle that things worked out for me to come!
Well, this brief snapshot of what I've learned this semester turned into a usual lengthy post for me. If you had the ganas [literally, guts] to read both posts congrats!
Now I'm off to continue packing (a week ahead) and finish up a paper before I head out to dinner and salsa dancing! Helloooo no sleep tonight! :)
Un beso!
Sarah
*Don't worry about things you can't change or control...although you have to do your part in using the time and resources God gives you wisely, God has your best interests in heart and controls everything. Worry is just a waste of time.
*Nothing and I mean NOTHING will ever be perfect, go perfectly or be the way you want it to be exactly...so get over it! And accept changes in schedule, plans and expectations. If you are reading this and know me, this is a hard thing for me to let go! haha
[Side note: I'm listening to my Zune right now and the song, "Let it Go" by Tenth Avenue North just came on. Okay, God, I hear what you're saying. :]
Anyways, I was put in a home where all the other girls are virtually perfect and pleasant and never upset our host mom but I am messy, keep odd times coming and going (cause my plans often change!) and seem to spend the least time in the house. I used to think why, oh why did you put me in the diva house, God??? But now I see His logic in it (or at least I think). I now have a greater appreciation when things go right for me....it used to be I would get really, really upset and angry when things didn't work out and pity myself and complain, but now I have found a hidden blessing in all of this...and a lesson that I really needed to learn.
I just came to that revelation a few days ago and realized that it's a blessing this morning, so it's very fresh in my mind.
I also saw this quote on someone's profile a little while ago: "Things go wrong, so that we can appreciate them when they go right."
*I AM A VERY SELFISH PERSON. And just how much makes me sick when I actually thought about it. Everything this semester seems to have been about me...what places I'll go to, the friends I'll make (both Spanish and American), what I'll buy, learn, experience, what can I tell people back home...that I completely forgot about witnessing to the Spanish people here or letting my life be a witness to the people around me. I feel really ashamed of how I've acted at times this semester and how I've turned a little bit into a snob-just like the Europeans here. I make sure I look good and stylish and constantly check myself out in mirrors, windows, etc. I've never done it before, but they are pretty much everywhere (windows at least) and so it makes it easy to be vain here. I can only hope that people see something different about me and see that my friendship is genuine and that God can use that and my prayers to bring them to Him. I am doing my best to leave a mark on my Spanish friends...so that one day we can be brothers and sisters in Christ.
*BE CONTENT. Every time I tried to go on big trips internationally God threw a monkey wrench into my plans. It was NOT in His plans for me to travel extensively and extravagantly here and I found that out the hard way. Not only did I not have the money to do it, but I had a purpose to fulfill here. I am thankful for the trips I've gone on and the memories made, but I am really happy that most of my time has been spent here in Sevilla. The friendships, life experiences and hands-on practice with the language have been invaluable for me. My love for Spanish is even deeper now!
I could not ask for a better experience abroad...and it is what I came here for--to get to know the people on a personal level and be so accustomed to speaking Spanish that I forget English, and that's exactly what I've gotten! God just had to break me and my pride down to where I could finally see that and really appreciate the gift that He gave me to be here....cause it is a miracle that things worked out for me to come!
Well, this brief snapshot of what I've learned this semester turned into a usual lengthy post for me. If you had the ganas [literally, guts] to read both posts congrats!
Now I'm off to continue packing (a week ahead) and finish up a paper before I head out to dinner and salsa dancing! Helloooo no sleep tonight! :)
Un beso!
Sarah
This is ending?
So a week from day I will leave one of the most wonderful countries that I have ever known and have called home for the past four months. With final exams and papers nagging at me to finish them, I can't help but let the memories of this semester distract me. :)
Last Tuesday I went to a Bible study that's been going on this whole term but haven't been able to go to due to a class that meets at that time. However, last Tuesday it was canceled so I was able to go. It's an English-speaking Bible study full of Americans, but it was so great to see a lot of them. It's called "Cambio" and it's led by a guy named Jake who has been here the whole school year!!! Which is just awesome....and I'm a little jealous that he's spent 5 more months here than I have. haha
The theme for this week was to share what we've learned or what God has taught us this semester here in Sevilla. A lot of people had some great stories and lessons learned....some painful to learn but beneficial nonetheless. A couple people in particular learned just how faithful God is and how He provided things they were concerned about or didn't even know they wanted and God provided.
One guy in particular did a Bible study on his own the whole semester and pretty much kept it up this entire time. He set a goal to read the whole NT in one semester and has almost completed it....He started reading Acts to Revelations and then went back to read the the Gospels separately. I think he's in either Luke or Mark right now. Something that he said really struck me. He said that he didn't realize what happens with your relationship with God when you really get into the Word. It changes it so much, but in a very good way. He found that the times when he didn't read or when he was traveling were the times he felt the most distant from God...and the most conscious of sin in his life.
What a lesson to learn during your semester abroad! I must say I'm envious that he found that closeness with God this semester....but I admire this guy for his endurance and faith. I wish I could say that this semester I grew the closest to God, but I can't.
I can't go into too much detail right now, but I am one of those people who learned some harsh realities about myself and hard lessons here in Spain. I have greater appreciation for some things in my life now though so I need to learn these, or at least God wanted to make sure I learn them.
Last Tuesday I went to a Bible study that's been going on this whole term but haven't been able to go to due to a class that meets at that time. However, last Tuesday it was canceled so I was able to go. It's an English-speaking Bible study full of Americans, but it was so great to see a lot of them. It's called "Cambio" and it's led by a guy named Jake who has been here the whole school year!!! Which is just awesome....and I'm a little jealous that he's spent 5 more months here than I have. haha
The theme for this week was to share what we've learned or what God has taught us this semester here in Sevilla. A lot of people had some great stories and lessons learned....some painful to learn but beneficial nonetheless. A couple people in particular learned just how faithful God is and how He provided things they were concerned about or didn't even know they wanted and God provided.
One guy in particular did a Bible study on his own the whole semester and pretty much kept it up this entire time. He set a goal to read the whole NT in one semester and has almost completed it....He started reading Acts to Revelations and then went back to read the the Gospels separately. I think he's in either Luke or Mark right now. Something that he said really struck me. He said that he didn't realize what happens with your relationship with God when you really get into the Word. It changes it so much, but in a very good way. He found that the times when he didn't read or when he was traveling were the times he felt the most distant from God...and the most conscious of sin in his life.
What a lesson to learn during your semester abroad! I must say I'm envious that he found that closeness with God this semester....but I admire this guy for his endurance and faith. I wish I could say that this semester I grew the closest to God, but I can't.
I can't go into too much detail right now, but I am one of those people who learned some harsh realities about myself and hard lessons here in Spain. I have greater appreciation for some things in my life now though so I need to learn these, or at least God wanted to make sure I learn them.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
A Day in the Life of "Spanish" Sarah
I know that it's probably pointless to tell you about a normal day for me here in Spain, but you guys need to know this before I leave. I need to know this too in a way so that I can remember my daily life here too.
A normal Monday or Wednesday for me usually goes something like this:
I get up around 6:30 or 7 a.m. (that's 12:30 or 1 a.m for Americans on Eastern time) to read my Bible, pray, check messages from the day before, do homework and chat with the occasional friend I might find still online. Breakfast is usually at 9 a.m. for me on Mondays and 7:45 a.m. on Weds.--since I work at an elementary school around 9-9:30 a.m.). My señora wakes us up each morning for breakfast by knocking on our doors and saying, "Desayuno." [breakfast]!!
You will not find many (or any) señoras who do this. Although mine's pretty strict, we are so spoiled here.
In the beginning I did sleep til 8:30 or 9 a.m. and she did in fact wake me from my slumber, but now, with weeks of having lots and lots of homework, I get up earlier....and if you know me, you know that I like to get ahead and I enjoy mornings and being productive first thing, so that's why I get up early. Spanish people think I'm absolutely crazy. haha
Breakfast consists of hot tea, water, hard toast [tostada] or cookies [galletas] with Nutella or marmelade and fruit--oranges, bananas, kiwis. In the beginning, I had cookies with Nutella and then tostada with Nutella but after a few breakouts and realizing how terrible it is for you, I stopped.
If you eat the sweets the Spanish eat normally, you could easily become diabetic. That became super clear to me after I read the ingredients of the Nutella. It's basically a heart-attack in a jar!
Although I try to get dressed and ready before breakfast, I usually am getting ready for the day, putting on my make-up [yes, you read this right] and gathering all the stuff I need fore the day in my bag after I get up from the table and thank my señora for preparing breakfast [which all she does is heat up the water for tea for us, but still that's work in itself].
As I leave the house I tell her, "Hasta luego," and head out the door with my packed lunch in hand and go down the three sets of stairs t the main door of the apartment building and then cross the patio and go down three more sets of stairs til I finally get to the street. From there I turn the corner and am out in all the action for the day. There's a supermarket just around the corner from me and people are always coming out of there or taking their kids to school or walking to work. It's a busy little street at times.
If I'm not running errands or meeting someone in the mornings, I usually head straight to the metro to go to school or to the public library after leaving the house on Mondays. Wednesday mornings I walk over to the school and work on the blog I'm making for the International Relations Dept. It's not a long walk at all and after I finish there I walk just a little ways down the street and down some side streets and take the metro to school for my 1:30 p.m. Sociology class.
Usually, before class starts I'm able to eat my packed lunch (which consists of a sandwich--bocadillo--, fruit and an orange juice juicebox. The sandwiches are usually good, but the bread is kinda salty and the cheese melts and looks like mayonnaise some times. And it gets. everywhere. Ugh. haha
During Sociology I try to be active and participate in the discussion but most of the time I'm fighting off sleep cause the topics are kinda boring and we take little to no notes every day.
On both Mondays and Wednesdays I have an hour in between my Sociology class and Global Economy class (at 4 p.m). so I either surf the web on my netbook and write messages, read for my next class [which is what I am most likely doing] or just sit and soak up the sun and listen to music....or meet new Spanish people around me. :)
Between 4 and 5:20 p.m my ears rejoice at the sound of my British Econ professor's voice, but my brain gets a little mushy as I make the transition back to English and learning about the complex problems other countries are facing and economic models. I try my hardest to participate in his class, but for the life of me I just can't get my thoughts out fast enough...and they are usually too basic. But now I feel that I have learned enough about Global Economics that I am just as competent as the next person in my class to discuss topics and issues.
After class, I talk to friends and we all trek back to the metro stop [which is like 10-15 mins away from this building I'm in...Building 24--grrr]. Usually the metro is about to arrive by the time we get there or it has just left by the time we make it there and have to wait for another one. The metro ride itself takes about 20 mins and then the walk back to my house is like 15 mins from my stop at Plaza de Cuba. Sometimes I go straight home after class to check things on the internet or talk to someone, but lately I have been going to the river to sit and tan or go run other errands or do some browsing/shopping. It just depends on what I need to do that day.
I like to shower on Monday, Wed, Friday and with 4 girls sharing one bathroom it's hard to get in sometimes. On Mondays especially I shower before dinner so that the other [diva] girls can have the bathroom and use it as much as they need to.
Dinner is always at 9 p.m on the dot my time and my señora likes us to be prompt. Sometimes she will serve it earlier if we are all in the house at the same time and it's ready. I've had a few run-ins with dinnertime since no other señora keeps such a strict time schedule as mine does. It usually lasts anywhere between 30-45 mins depending upon what we talk about or what's on the news. I still don't like the fact that it's sooo late in the day, but my body has adjusted to it.
After dinner I go back to working on homework, reading my ridiculously long literature books, surfing the web, cleaning my room, preparing for the next day or Skyping with my family and the occasional friend.
My goal is to go to bed at 11:30 p.m. or earlier but I usually end up getting there around midnight or 12:30 a.m....which means I get little sleep each night. I can function alright for the most part, but I really wish I got more sleep here.
And then I basically repeat this for Tuesday and Thursday, but an abbreviated version of those days will be coming soon!
If you made it all the way to the end of this post, you must have a ton of time on your hands...or are just very curious to see how I spend my days here in Spain! Either way, thanks for reading!
Mucha cariña,
Sarah
A normal Monday or Wednesday for me usually goes something like this:
I get up around 6:30 or 7 a.m. (that's 12:30 or 1 a.m for Americans on Eastern time) to read my Bible, pray, check messages from the day before, do homework and chat with the occasional friend I might find still online. Breakfast is usually at 9 a.m. for me on Mondays and 7:45 a.m. on Weds.--since I work at an elementary school around 9-9:30 a.m.). My señora wakes us up each morning for breakfast by knocking on our doors and saying, "Desayuno." [breakfast]!!
You will not find many (or any) señoras who do this. Although mine's pretty strict, we are so spoiled here.
In the beginning I did sleep til 8:30 or 9 a.m. and she did in fact wake me from my slumber, but now, with weeks of having lots and lots of homework, I get up earlier....and if you know me, you know that I like to get ahead and I enjoy mornings and being productive first thing, so that's why I get up early. Spanish people think I'm absolutely crazy. haha
Breakfast consists of hot tea, water, hard toast [tostada] or cookies [galletas] with Nutella or marmelade and fruit--oranges, bananas, kiwis. In the beginning, I had cookies with Nutella and then tostada with Nutella but after a few breakouts and realizing how terrible it is for you, I stopped.
If you eat the sweets the Spanish eat normally, you could easily become diabetic. That became super clear to me after I read the ingredients of the Nutella. It's basically a heart-attack in a jar!
Although I try to get dressed and ready before breakfast, I usually am getting ready for the day, putting on my make-up [yes, you read this right] and gathering all the stuff I need fore the day in my bag after I get up from the table and thank my señora for preparing breakfast [which all she does is heat up the water for tea for us, but still that's work in itself].
As I leave the house I tell her, "Hasta luego," and head out the door with my packed lunch in hand and go down the three sets of stairs t the main door of the apartment building and then cross the patio and go down three more sets of stairs til I finally get to the street. From there I turn the corner and am out in all the action for the day. There's a supermarket just around the corner from me and people are always coming out of there or taking their kids to school or walking to work. It's a busy little street at times.
If I'm not running errands or meeting someone in the mornings, I usually head straight to the metro to go to school or to the public library after leaving the house on Mondays. Wednesday mornings I walk over to the school and work on the blog I'm making for the International Relations Dept. It's not a long walk at all and after I finish there I walk just a little ways down the street and down some side streets and take the metro to school for my 1:30 p.m. Sociology class.
Usually, before class starts I'm able to eat my packed lunch (which consists of a sandwich--bocadillo--, fruit and an orange juice juicebox. The sandwiches are usually good, but the bread is kinda salty and the cheese melts and looks like mayonnaise some times. And it gets. everywhere. Ugh. haha
During Sociology I try to be active and participate in the discussion but most of the time I'm fighting off sleep cause the topics are kinda boring and we take little to no notes every day.
On both Mondays and Wednesdays I have an hour in between my Sociology class and Global Economy class (at 4 p.m). so I either surf the web on my netbook and write messages, read for my next class [which is what I am most likely doing] or just sit and soak up the sun and listen to music....or meet new Spanish people around me. :)
Between 4 and 5:20 p.m my ears rejoice at the sound of my British Econ professor's voice, but my brain gets a little mushy as I make the transition back to English and learning about the complex problems other countries are facing and economic models. I try my hardest to participate in his class, but for the life of me I just can't get my thoughts out fast enough...and they are usually too basic. But now I feel that I have learned enough about Global Economics that I am just as competent as the next person in my class to discuss topics and issues.
After class, I talk to friends and we all trek back to the metro stop [which is like 10-15 mins away from this building I'm in...Building 24--grrr]. Usually the metro is about to arrive by the time we get there or it has just left by the time we make it there and have to wait for another one. The metro ride itself takes about 20 mins and then the walk back to my house is like 15 mins from my stop at Plaza de Cuba. Sometimes I go straight home after class to check things on the internet or talk to someone, but lately I have been going to the river to sit and tan or go run other errands or do some browsing/shopping. It just depends on what I need to do that day.
I like to shower on Monday, Wed, Friday and with 4 girls sharing one bathroom it's hard to get in sometimes. On Mondays especially I shower before dinner so that the other [diva] girls can have the bathroom and use it as much as they need to.
Dinner is always at 9 p.m on the dot my time and my señora likes us to be prompt. Sometimes she will serve it earlier if we are all in the house at the same time and it's ready. I've had a few run-ins with dinnertime since no other señora keeps such a strict time schedule as mine does. It usually lasts anywhere between 30-45 mins depending upon what we talk about or what's on the news. I still don't like the fact that it's sooo late in the day, but my body has adjusted to it.
After dinner I go back to working on homework, reading my ridiculously long literature books, surfing the web, cleaning my room, preparing for the next day or Skyping with my family and the occasional friend.
My goal is to go to bed at 11:30 p.m. or earlier but I usually end up getting there around midnight or 12:30 a.m....which means I get little sleep each night. I can function alright for the most part, but I really wish I got more sleep here.
And then I basically repeat this for Tuesday and Thursday, but an abbreviated version of those days will be coming soon!
If you made it all the way to the end of this post, you must have a ton of time on your hands...or are just very curious to see how I spend my days here in Spain! Either way, thanks for reading!
Mucha cariña,
Sarah
Monday, April 26, 2010
Taking back the joy
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Some things have happened in the past few days that have really made me question the experience I have had this semester abroad. While I can't go into detail what those things are, I will say this: I have discovered my purpose for being here in Spain.
It's not to go to as many countries or cities as I can, spend as much money as I can or see how many stupid things I can do while drunk. My purpose here has been to get to know the PEOPLE of Sevilla...and let me tell you, it has been invaluable. Money cannot buy some of the experiences I have had here with people...and not just regular Americans, but Spaniards! They are the most generous and fun-loving people I have ever met. And without certain friends in my life here, my experience would just be one big selfish and extravagant semester abroad. I don't mean to sound like I'm condemning anyone for traveling as much as possible with the money they've earned to spend here in Europe cause that is awesome to do....it's just that is not how my semester is being spent.
And honestly, while I can't help but feel a little disappointed, I am content. I have felt, especially in the last few days, that the devil is trying to steal the joy that I have to be here and the joy I've found in friendships. It's not fair cause I have worked hard to get here so I am praying fiercely every day that God will provide me with his armor to fight off the devil and his wicked schemes...and it all starts with reading His Word.
My semester abroad will not be measured in how many countries I've been to, souvenirs I've bought, or how many drinks I've tried, but rather by how many Spanish friends I have made, how many times I laughed til I cried and how much love I have shown. :)
What an experience this has been. I can only hope that through all the mistakes I've made and hiccups in this trip that God's love and grace can still be seen through me and can bring people to Him.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Africa for the weekend
Here's a special entry that I wrote during my Morocco trip: (from 4-10-10)
Bienvenidos a Africa!
Well, I'm officially in Africa...a whole nother continent for me! After an unpleasant and long fairy ride, spending the night in a 4-star hotel and lots of delicious Moroccan food, I am now on my way to Tangier, Morocco where we will be riding camels and doing some more shopping!
This trip has been great so far. Everyone except a couple from Argentina and an American boy is a girl so that has made it so much easier to make friends. I think everyone one of these girls who is studying here goes to the Univ. of Sevilla [or so I thought] so I may not see them again, but that's okay. It was definitely a good choice for me to go on this trip with We Love Spain. Everything is included, planned and fun. The Moroccan people are so nice too--the tour guide, Mohammad and all the shop-keepers. I was very surprised by just how friendly they are for some reason. I definitely thought that some of them would be unbearably pushy, but they aren't. Ideally they want you to buy things from them, but they are not offended if you just want to look. That was just what I experienced in the first marketplace that we visited...the more open ones may have pushier people.
However, as we made our way to the restaurant where we had lunch, these two guys followed us all of the way there. They were rather annoying, but a couple girls got some good deals off them. The food we had at the restaurant was top-notch. A spice-filled soup with bread was the first course; rice with tuna, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions, carrots and potato salad were 2nd and the main course was couscous with beef and steamed vegetables on top. For dessert, we had these hard cookie/muffin things with sesame seeds on top and tea that reminded me of the apple tea that Nathan had at the Pasha Grill. It was so good! It all had no salt, too!
I can't believe that bland things now make me happy. haha [to an extent, of course] Well, that's all I can write for now. We just made it to Tangier and are going to ride the camels! After that, we'll be going to the place where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and then the Caves of Hercules--whatever those might be. And at the end of the day, we will be at our 2nd hotel (which I've heard is not that great---but the people who told me that were wrong!). I really need to charge my camera, but I'm just going to have to make do...and hopefully learn from now on to charge it each day (before and after) when I go on trips like this. As far as I know, I may not be back here again. I'm definitely going to remember Morocco, but people at home want to see some sweet pics (and so do I) so I have to get some. We'll see what Tangier holds though.
Ciao for now!
Sarah
Bienvenidos a Africa!
Well, I'm officially in Africa...a whole nother continent for me! After an unpleasant and long fairy ride, spending the night in a 4-star hotel and lots of delicious Moroccan food, I am now on my way to Tangier, Morocco where we will be riding camels and doing some more shopping!
This trip has been great so far. Everyone except a couple from Argentina and an American boy is a girl so that has made it so much easier to make friends. I think everyone one of these girls who is studying here goes to the Univ. of Sevilla [or so I thought] so I may not see them again, but that's okay. It was definitely a good choice for me to go on this trip with We Love Spain. Everything is included, planned and fun. The Moroccan people are so nice too--the tour guide, Mohammad and all the shop-keepers. I was very surprised by just how friendly they are for some reason. I definitely thought that some of them would be unbearably pushy, but they aren't. Ideally they want you to buy things from them, but they are not offended if you just want to look. That was just what I experienced in the first marketplace that we visited...the more open ones may have pushier people.
However, as we made our way to the restaurant where we had lunch, these two guys followed us all of the way there. They were rather annoying, but a couple girls got some good deals off them. The food we had at the restaurant was top-notch. A spice-filled soup with bread was the first course; rice with tuna, cucumbers, tomatoes and onions, carrots and potato salad were 2nd and the main course was couscous with beef and steamed vegetables on top. For dessert, we had these hard cookie/muffin things with sesame seeds on top and tea that reminded me of the apple tea that Nathan had at the Pasha Grill. It was so good! It all had no salt, too!
I can't believe that bland things now make me happy. haha [to an extent, of course] Well, that's all I can write for now. We just made it to Tangier and are going to ride the camels! After that, we'll be going to the place where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean and then the Caves of Hercules--whatever those might be. And at the end of the day, we will be at our 2nd hotel (which I've heard is not that great---but the people who told me that were wrong!). I really need to charge my camera, but I'm just going to have to make do...and hopefully learn from now on to charge it each day (before and after) when I go on trips like this. As far as I know, I may not be back here again. I'm definitely going to remember Morocco, but people at home want to see some sweet pics (and so do I) so I have to get some. We'll see what Tangier holds though.
Ciao for now!
Sarah
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Tienes suerte si....
You're extremely lucky if you are reading this and can do any (or all) of the following things:
*Get out of your bed, get dressed and WALK to your classes
*Have a bowl of cereal with milk in it!
*Can print things from your own room/house instead of having to go a store or the school copy center!!!
*Pay for things in dollars and not have to take money out of ATMs
*Not have to watch the exchange rate for the Euro constantly
*See your family on the weekends or call them up from your own cell phone
*Have the OPTION of putting salt on or in your food
*Breathe air that's free and clear of smoke!!
*Have access to a kitchen and can bake or cook things for yourself whenever you want
*Making money every week instead of just spending but not earning any
I'm not home sick or anything but I have been comparing life in Spain vs. America lately cause I've had a few bad days off and on. Today was actually one of those frustrating days cause there is just so much to do and not enough time!
But I'm lucky, too cause in Spain I am able to:
*Hear Spanish and lots of other different languages in the streets all the time
*Try new and exciting foods almost every week and not have to spend money
*Meet people from all over the world
*Go to different countries on the weekends and on vacations
*Go to a Spanish church and praise God in another language
*See sunsets and sunrises that blow my mind almost every day
*Slowly become more fluent in a language that I love
*Learn things I never thought I'd be learning
*Fly to other countries for super cheap
*Have memories that money cannot buy but time will make even sweeter (you know, the little things :)
*Attempt to be as sophisticated and stylish as a European
*Learn how to party like the Spaniards
*Bring all of this knowledge, style and information back to the United States of America!
I'll be doing some updates soon, but I just wanted to write what has been on my mind for a little bit. So in the next posts....you will be reading about what my daily routine is like, Cadiz and MOROCCO!
*Get out of your bed, get dressed and WALK to your classes
*Have a bowl of cereal with milk in it!
*Can print things from your own room/house instead of having to go a store or the school copy center!!!
*Pay for things in dollars and not have to take money out of ATMs
*Not have to watch the exchange rate for the Euro constantly
*See your family on the weekends or call them up from your own cell phone
*Have the OPTION of putting salt on or in your food
*Breathe air that's free and clear of smoke!!
*Have access to a kitchen and can bake or cook things for yourself whenever you want
*Making money every week instead of just spending but not earning any
I'm not home sick or anything but I have been comparing life in Spain vs. America lately cause I've had a few bad days off and on. Today was actually one of those frustrating days cause there is just so much to do and not enough time!
But I'm lucky, too cause in Spain I am able to:
*Hear Spanish and lots of other different languages in the streets all the time
*Try new and exciting foods almost every week and not have to spend money
*Meet people from all over the world
*Go to different countries on the weekends and on vacations
*Go to a Spanish church and praise God in another language
*See sunsets and sunrises that blow my mind almost every day
*Slowly become more fluent in a language that I love
*Learn things I never thought I'd be learning
*Fly to other countries for super cheap
*Have memories that money cannot buy but time will make even sweeter (you know, the little things :)
*Attempt to be as sophisticated and stylish as a European
*Learn how to party like the Spaniards
*Bring all of this knowledge, style and information back to the United States of America!
I'll be doing some updates soon, but I just wanted to write what has been on my mind for a little bit. So in the next posts....you will be reading about what my daily routine is like, Cadiz and MOROCCO!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Spring is here and love is in the air!
For the past couple weeks it has been warm and very pleasant here in Sevilla. Today will be our first day in the 80s in fact and I know that it´s gonna be WARM. The constant rain from February is just an awful, but distant memory for us Americans and the Sevillanos....all that´s predicted now and until the end of the semester are warmer tempertures and lots of sun! ¡Por fin!
Spring is in full swing here in Sevilla as the mornings are getting warmer, the sun is rising earlier and the aromas of orange blossoms are filling the air of almost every street. OH, what a heavenly smell that is...
Flowers are blooming and more restaurants are setting up outdoor seating...but what´s even more is that the city is coming alive in new ways both socially and romantically. More couples are taking strolls along the riverbank or spending hours in the afternoons and weekends sitting by it with the one they love. It´s quite cute and sometimes adorable to see the couples by the river or in the streets interact but it, albeit not meant to be on purpose mind you, just reminds me of how much I want that.
And it´s especially hard to be in Spain seeing all these super hot guys (which is almost every guy I see-haha) in April when I know I´m not going to be here much longer. I´ve seen some pretty good-looking guys here, but for some reason these past couple weeks, the drop-dead gorgeous guys have been coming out of the woodwork lately! Granted it was Semana Santa last week and all of these hip and savvy Spaniards visited Sevilla (and thousands of other tourists too) so that changed the make-up of the city for about a week, but it kinds seems like some are sticking around...and I´m perfectly okay with that, but I´m having a little trouble focusing on not getting a Spanish boyfriend. Let me explain how love crazy or Spaniard crazy I´ve been lately. haha
Semana Santa: Last Tuesday I went out at night to see a couple more passos not far from my house near Puerta Jerez. As I walked across the Puente del San Telmo to get there, I passed by some nazarenos (people who wore the KKK attire) dressd in white and black. I saw some pretty good-looking men dressed as those but for some reason I decided to see which ones were wearing shoes and which ones weren´t. I caught some peeks at Spanish men´s feet....and let´s just say I liked what I saw. I started laughing to myself after I realized another thing that I like about Spanish men. I said to myself, ¨Oh, my gosh, even their feet are hot!!! Ahhhh...I´ve got it bad!¨
I blushed after I said that but I agree. I have full-fledged Spanish fever now and it´s raging apparently. haha
What´s even more is I´m just like attracted to every guy I see. Even the ugly ones too cause they still dress nice and wear the MOST amazing colognes (like Armani Mani, Nathan!!). Plus, I´ve seen older, middle-aged men who I think look hot too....and I just berate myself for staring at them when I do. But I can´t help it cause Spain just has too many fine-looking men to offer! And for someone who loves tall, dark and handsome men (but is still an absolute sucker for blue eyes!), this country is lethal for me to be in. Just like the incredible desserts I see in the windows of las confiterias but can´t have cause they´re horrible for my skin!
My friend Krystol made a perfect statement about Spanish men a couple weeks ago and I´ll leave you with that for now. She said, while trying to figure out why all the guys everywhere look so good, ¨You´re hot, but you´re picking up trash!¨
And that concludes my digresion of Spanish men and how I am in love with every single one I see. haha :)
Spring is in full swing here in Sevilla as the mornings are getting warmer, the sun is rising earlier and the aromas of orange blossoms are filling the air of almost every street. OH, what a heavenly smell that is...
Flowers are blooming and more restaurants are setting up outdoor seating...but what´s even more is that the city is coming alive in new ways both socially and romantically. More couples are taking strolls along the riverbank or spending hours in the afternoons and weekends sitting by it with the one they love. It´s quite cute and sometimes adorable to see the couples by the river or in the streets interact but it, albeit not meant to be on purpose mind you, just reminds me of how much I want that.
And it´s especially hard to be in Spain seeing all these super hot guys (which is almost every guy I see-haha) in April when I know I´m not going to be here much longer. I´ve seen some pretty good-looking guys here, but for some reason these past couple weeks, the drop-dead gorgeous guys have been coming out of the woodwork lately! Granted it was Semana Santa last week and all of these hip and savvy Spaniards visited Sevilla (and thousands of other tourists too) so that changed the make-up of the city for about a week, but it kinds seems like some are sticking around...and I´m perfectly okay with that, but I´m having a little trouble focusing on not getting a Spanish boyfriend. Let me explain how love crazy or Spaniard crazy I´ve been lately. haha
Semana Santa: Last Tuesday I went out at night to see a couple more passos not far from my house near Puerta Jerez. As I walked across the Puente del San Telmo to get there, I passed by some nazarenos (people who wore the KKK attire) dressd in white and black. I saw some pretty good-looking men dressed as those but for some reason I decided to see which ones were wearing shoes and which ones weren´t. I caught some peeks at Spanish men´s feet....and let´s just say I liked what I saw. I started laughing to myself after I realized another thing that I like about Spanish men. I said to myself, ¨Oh, my gosh, even their feet are hot!!! Ahhhh...I´ve got it bad!¨
I blushed after I said that but I agree. I have full-fledged Spanish fever now and it´s raging apparently. haha
What´s even more is I´m just like attracted to every guy I see. Even the ugly ones too cause they still dress nice and wear the MOST amazing colognes (like Armani Mani, Nathan!!). Plus, I´ve seen older, middle-aged men who I think look hot too....and I just berate myself for staring at them when I do. But I can´t help it cause Spain just has too many fine-looking men to offer! And for someone who loves tall, dark and handsome men (but is still an absolute sucker for blue eyes!), this country is lethal for me to be in. Just like the incredible desserts I see in the windows of las confiterias but can´t have cause they´re horrible for my skin!
My friend Krystol made a perfect statement about Spanish men a couple weeks ago and I´ll leave you with that for now. She said, while trying to figure out why all the guys everywhere look so good, ¨You´re hot, but you´re picking up trash!¨
And that concludes my digresion of Spanish men and how I am in love with every single one I see. haha :)
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Too much of a good thing...
So raise your hand if saw the sunrise in Spain yesterday morning but didn't go to sleep the night before?! Haha...um, [raises hand]. That would be me!
Early Friday morning my American and Sevillian friends and I all met up (around 1 a.m) and watched the processions of the infamous Madruga (early morning/dawn) until the sun rose, well, and then some.
What is so special about jueves santo [holy Thursday] and viernes santo [holy Friday], you are probably wondering? Well, most people know that Jesus was said to be crucified on a Friday so naturally for Catholics this calls for a time of great reflection and remembrance. One of my friends explained to me that the reason why she thinks there are so many pasos during the week and only one paso for el domingo de resureccion is because Jesus suffered many, many times but only rose again once, so why make such a big deal about Easter and not the rest? When I think about it makes sense, but the fact that MY Savior died and rose again makes me want to celebrate and praise Him for all he's done all day!
Anyways, back to the Madrugada on Friday. I left my house at 12:30 a.m to walk over to the Plaza Nueva (one of the usual places where I go to meet up with friends). The streets were swarming with people and there was a different feeling in the air. It was something mixed with excitement and reverence....kind of like New Year's, minus the reverent attitude. I nearly got swallowed up in the hoards of people on my favorite bridge, the Triana bridge, as there were tons of people lined up on the sides sitting in chairs, laying down or standing up...or standing in the middle of the bridge carrying on conversations like typical Spaniards. haha What was even crazier was that when I paused to take a couple pictures of the crowds, I noticed that the bridge was bouncing! It felt like it was literally bouncing up and down as I stood on it! It kind of makes me wonder how much weight this bridge can handle before anything happens to it [which I don't want to know until after I leave though-haha]
I met up with my two friends from Ohio (we met for the first time in Spain of all places :) right at 1 a.m...but the rest of the group was nowhere to be found. After we walked around and checked parts of the Plaza Nueva, we figured the rest of the Americans were just late because they were with the Spaniards. BUT... a Spanish friend of my friend Abby called her and asked where she was and it turns out that she got the places mixed up and we were meeting at Puerta Jerez instead--which is all the way on the other side of the city center! But as the saying goes in Spain, no pasa nada, and after cutting through several side streets together to avoid the massive crowds in the center we made it to Puerta Jerez and weren't late at all [by Spanish standards]. I saw the same people I had met at a picnic the other day and greeted some new friends with dos besos (on the cheeks).
One of the sevillanos, Abraham, still had to meet and bring another friend to our meeting place, so we had at least 30 minutes before we even started off for the first paso. It was about 2 a.m. at that point and my friends and I began to wonder how we would make it through this night awake.
Surprisingly, the night passed quicker than I thought it would. I wasn't planning on staying out and awake until 9 freaking A.M, but I did and I had a good time. Around 3 a.m we saw the "El silencio" float, about 5 a.m was "El Gran Poder" and the one that took us the longest to see was "La Macarena." We got to the street that it was supposed to be on and waited an hr before we got to see the Cruz (float with a scene from Jesus' final days on Earth--this one had the trial before Pilate) and then we waited another hour before we could see the big thing (La virgen de la Macarena)...so that was the only thing that made the night drag on. We were all exhausted and cold that for about 15 mins we all sat down in the street and huddled up and tried "to sleep." We really just tried to stay warm because it's chilly on the narrow streets of Spain after dusk. My friend Melody didn't dress as warmly as she should have for the night so Abby and I took turns warming her up [mostly in the form of a Melody sandwich :] A few people took pictures [both friends and strangers] of our group sleeping in the middle of the street...it was pretty hilarious actually.
After we saw the much anticipated Macarena, we all walked back towards the center around 8 a.m and went in search of churros and chocolate. I honestly didn't feel like eating anything, especially after the sinfully sweet pieces of chocolate I had had earlier that night...but I tagged along anyway cause I had no clue where we were at. Melody and I chose not to have churros while the rest of the group did and they all shared them and the chocolate. One of the Spaniards, Abraham, saw that Melody and I were not eating anything so he had someone had us a churro to share and said, "Chicas. Come! Este es una experiencia." [Girls, eat....this [churros are] is an experience]. I've had churros y chocolate before and they're good, but I just wasn't hungry for anything. I ate the one he passed over to us just to appease him though. Another guy tried to get us to eat some of his (an American) but I just had to tell him that I wasn't hungry.
I'm glad I turned the churros down, but that did not save my body from getting thrown off track. I walked back with another girl who lives in Triana and by the time I got home it was just a few minutes before 9 a.m! I felt like a rebel as I walked into my house but my senora already expected us to stay out late, so it didn't really matter. I got ready for bed, drew my curtains closed and went to sleep a little after 9 a.m. I slept kind of restlessly and woke up before my alarm (set for 2 p.m) which meant I barely got 5 hours of sleep. Mistake number 1.
Secondly, after I woke up and reoriented myself for the day, I basically woke up for lunch--which I never do!--and that consisted of leftovers from the day before (an Arabic dish that consisted of pork, peppers and onions eaten on top of bread). Mistake number 2.
Just think for a second what spicy foods do to your stomach when it's still at the delicate stage of the day. Yeah...lunch did not catch up with me until dinner time, when we had another puree (yuck) and fried calamari.
Not the greatest thing for a stomach that had missed breakfast once again. I didn't eat too much of the puree (which I'm pretty sure is a zucchini puree) nor did I eat too many pieces of fried calamari but like an hour after dinner something just did not sit right with my stomach. I was going to go out to a flamenco bar, but decided against it once my stomach started churning. I tried to relax and rub my stomach and that worked up until I went to bed....but it didn't help me get through the night. Around 2 a.m I woke up and was not only burning up but my stomach was aching. I thought it was going to be something else, but to make this part of the story short, I threw up around 2:30ish a couple times. I've thrown up several different things in my life but let me tell you, throwing up anything with peppers in it is absolutely disgusting. I still had an after taste of it no matter how much I rinsed my mouth out. Sickkkk. Afterward, I went back to my room, was still feeling hot but cold at the same time so I grabbed a sweater and got into my bed. I got the chills after that which was horrible but was able to fall back to sleep even though I slept poorly. :-/
I woke up again around 7 a.m, stomach still hurting, but thought I just needed to use the bathroom again but guess what? I threw up again....thankfully only once that time, but it was still pretty bad cause I threw up more peppers and crap. I also kept dreaming about being nauseous and all the things that make me nauseous so that wasn't fun either. I did decide to stay up after that last time I threw up and it only proved to be a little productive for me. I checked a few things online but really should have been doing my quiet time or listening to some encouraging music on my Zune.
But I didn't and I think that's one of the lessons I'm learning from this 24 hr. sickness thing. I had a wonderful night with friends the night before, friends who are all believers and want to get to know me and share in my struggles...and the devil doesn't want that. God wants me to continue to have genuine fellowship with other believers over here and in order for me to avoid the attacks of Satan I must be armed with the Word of God each and everyday. I've been falling behind on my readings each morning because I've been a little too busy, but I'm taking a stand now and making it a point to read the Bible every morning and strive to read a passage at night too.
I feel like there's a lot of opposition against me here and I know that there is. If you are reading this, you have probably prayed for me at some point during this semester as many, many others have too. And the more I am strengthened by your prayers, my prayers, and what God is doing through my life, the more the devil wants to tear me down and discourage me.
I refuse to let him take a foothold because we serve a great and powerful God! He is more than able to do things beyond what we think or see on this earth. And we serve a risen God too! I hope that tomorrow morning you will reflect on that and praise Him for all that He has done for you in your life. Since it's official in Spain, Happy Easter everyone!
**And if you have made it to the end of this post, I commend you! I was just rambling really, but if you've read down to the end of this post...I hope you didn't get bored at any part. :) **
Hasta la proxima,
Sarah
Early Friday morning my American and Sevillian friends and I all met up (around 1 a.m) and watched the processions of the infamous Madruga (early morning/dawn) until the sun rose, well, and then some.
What is so special about jueves santo [holy Thursday] and viernes santo [holy Friday], you are probably wondering? Well, most people know that Jesus was said to be crucified on a Friday so naturally for Catholics this calls for a time of great reflection and remembrance. One of my friends explained to me that the reason why she thinks there are so many pasos during the week and only one paso for el domingo de resureccion is because Jesus suffered many, many times but only rose again once, so why make such a big deal about Easter and not the rest? When I think about it makes sense, but the fact that MY Savior died and rose again makes me want to celebrate and praise Him for all he's done all day!
Anyways, back to the Madrugada on Friday. I left my house at 12:30 a.m to walk over to the Plaza Nueva (one of the usual places where I go to meet up with friends). The streets were swarming with people and there was a different feeling in the air. It was something mixed with excitement and reverence....kind of like New Year's, minus the reverent attitude. I nearly got swallowed up in the hoards of people on my favorite bridge, the Triana bridge, as there were tons of people lined up on the sides sitting in chairs, laying down or standing up...or standing in the middle of the bridge carrying on conversations like typical Spaniards. haha What was even crazier was that when I paused to take a couple pictures of the crowds, I noticed that the bridge was bouncing! It felt like it was literally bouncing up and down as I stood on it! It kind of makes me wonder how much weight this bridge can handle before anything happens to it [which I don't want to know until after I leave though-haha]
I met up with my two friends from Ohio (we met for the first time in Spain of all places :) right at 1 a.m...but the rest of the group was nowhere to be found. After we walked around and checked parts of the Plaza Nueva, we figured the rest of the Americans were just late because they were with the Spaniards. BUT... a Spanish friend of my friend Abby called her and asked where she was and it turns out that she got the places mixed up and we were meeting at Puerta Jerez instead--which is all the way on the other side of the city center! But as the saying goes in Spain, no pasa nada, and after cutting through several side streets together to avoid the massive crowds in the center we made it to Puerta Jerez and weren't late at all [by Spanish standards]. I saw the same people I had met at a picnic the other day and greeted some new friends with dos besos (on the cheeks).
One of the sevillanos, Abraham, still had to meet and bring another friend to our meeting place, so we had at least 30 minutes before we even started off for the first paso. It was about 2 a.m. at that point and my friends and I began to wonder how we would make it through this night awake.
Surprisingly, the night passed quicker than I thought it would. I wasn't planning on staying out and awake until 9 freaking A.M, but I did and I had a good time. Around 3 a.m we saw the "El silencio" float, about 5 a.m was "El Gran Poder" and the one that took us the longest to see was "La Macarena." We got to the street that it was supposed to be on and waited an hr before we got to see the Cruz (float with a scene from Jesus' final days on Earth--this one had the trial before Pilate) and then we waited another hour before we could see the big thing (La virgen de la Macarena)...so that was the only thing that made the night drag on. We were all exhausted and cold that for about 15 mins we all sat down in the street and huddled up and tried "to sleep." We really just tried to stay warm because it's chilly on the narrow streets of Spain after dusk. My friend Melody didn't dress as warmly as she should have for the night so Abby and I took turns warming her up [mostly in the form of a Melody sandwich :] A few people took pictures [both friends and strangers] of our group sleeping in the middle of the street...it was pretty hilarious actually.
After we saw the much anticipated Macarena, we all walked back towards the center around 8 a.m and went in search of churros and chocolate. I honestly didn't feel like eating anything, especially after the sinfully sweet pieces of chocolate I had had earlier that night...but I tagged along anyway cause I had no clue where we were at. Melody and I chose not to have churros while the rest of the group did and they all shared them and the chocolate. One of the Spaniards, Abraham, saw that Melody and I were not eating anything so he had someone had us a churro to share and said, "Chicas. Come! Este es una experiencia." [Girls, eat....this [churros are] is an experience]. I've had churros y chocolate before and they're good, but I just wasn't hungry for anything. I ate the one he passed over to us just to appease him though. Another guy tried to get us to eat some of his (an American) but I just had to tell him that I wasn't hungry.
I'm glad I turned the churros down, but that did not save my body from getting thrown off track. I walked back with another girl who lives in Triana and by the time I got home it was just a few minutes before 9 a.m! I felt like a rebel as I walked into my house but my senora already expected us to stay out late, so it didn't really matter. I got ready for bed, drew my curtains closed and went to sleep a little after 9 a.m. I slept kind of restlessly and woke up before my alarm (set for 2 p.m) which meant I barely got 5 hours of sleep. Mistake number 1.
Secondly, after I woke up and reoriented myself for the day, I basically woke up for lunch--which I never do!--and that consisted of leftovers from the day before (an Arabic dish that consisted of pork, peppers and onions eaten on top of bread). Mistake number 2.
Just think for a second what spicy foods do to your stomach when it's still at the delicate stage of the day. Yeah...lunch did not catch up with me until dinner time, when we had another puree (yuck) and fried calamari.
Not the greatest thing for a stomach that had missed breakfast once again. I didn't eat too much of the puree (which I'm pretty sure is a zucchini puree) nor did I eat too many pieces of fried calamari but like an hour after dinner something just did not sit right with my stomach. I was going to go out to a flamenco bar, but decided against it once my stomach started churning. I tried to relax and rub my stomach and that worked up until I went to bed....but it didn't help me get through the night. Around 2 a.m I woke up and was not only burning up but my stomach was aching. I thought it was going to be something else, but to make this part of the story short, I threw up around 2:30ish a couple times. I've thrown up several different things in my life but let me tell you, throwing up anything with peppers in it is absolutely disgusting. I still had an after taste of it no matter how much I rinsed my mouth out. Sickkkk. Afterward, I went back to my room, was still feeling hot but cold at the same time so I grabbed a sweater and got into my bed. I got the chills after that which was horrible but was able to fall back to sleep even though I slept poorly. :-/
I woke up again around 7 a.m, stomach still hurting, but thought I just needed to use the bathroom again but guess what? I threw up again....thankfully only once that time, but it was still pretty bad cause I threw up more peppers and crap. I also kept dreaming about being nauseous and all the things that make me nauseous so that wasn't fun either. I did decide to stay up after that last time I threw up and it only proved to be a little productive for me. I checked a few things online but really should have been doing my quiet time or listening to some encouraging music on my Zune.
But I didn't and I think that's one of the lessons I'm learning from this 24 hr. sickness thing. I had a wonderful night with friends the night before, friends who are all believers and want to get to know me and share in my struggles...and the devil doesn't want that. God wants me to continue to have genuine fellowship with other believers over here and in order for me to avoid the attacks of Satan I must be armed with the Word of God each and everyday. I've been falling behind on my readings each morning because I've been a little too busy, but I'm taking a stand now and making it a point to read the Bible every morning and strive to read a passage at night too.
I feel like there's a lot of opposition against me here and I know that there is. If you are reading this, you have probably prayed for me at some point during this semester as many, many others have too. And the more I am strengthened by your prayers, my prayers, and what God is doing through my life, the more the devil wants to tear me down and discourage me.
I refuse to let him take a foothold because we serve a great and powerful God! He is more than able to do things beyond what we think or see on this earth. And we serve a risen God too! I hope that tomorrow morning you will reflect on that and praise Him for all that He has done for you in your life. Since it's official in Spain, Happy Easter everyone!
**And if you have made it to the end of this post, I commend you! I was just rambling really, but if you've read down to the end of this post...I hope you didn't get bored at any part. :) **
Hasta la proxima,
Sarah
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Semana Santa...que es esto?
Bienvenidos a todos a Semana Santa!
I know it's mid-way into "Holy Week," but an update about it now is better than never right? I've been out enjoying the festivities and hanging with my friends (both American and Sevillian) so that's why I didn't start writing about it in the beginning of the week. And besides, who wants to sit inside all day doing homework or blogging when there is fantastic weather to enjoy and orange blossoms to be breathed in...and did I mention the festivities of Semana Santa, oh, yeah, I did. haha But what are they and what exactly is Semana Santa? Keep reading and I will explain it.
This week though is my first of two spring breaks but it's most commonly known as Holy Week for Spain. The week before Easter is really important to Catholics but in Spain they celebrate it religiously. Every church has a float that they carry on their backs through the streets and back to the respective church were it belongs. Each float tells the story of Jesus' last week on Earth as it leads up to His Resurrection. The floats weigh like a ton too! For me as a foreigner and a born-again believer it's neat to see these processions--even though I don't agree with a lot of things in Catholicism or see the need to be so focused on rituals like these.
Tomorrow morning is supposed to be the most important part of Semana Santa because it's the day before Good Friday and these processions will tell the trial and betrayal of Christ. All of these floats are like worshiped here (esp. the ones of the Virgin) and I don't like that, but it's still neat to be a part of it.
My adopted city, Sevilla, has the best floats in the country so people from around the world come here to see them. I'm so thankful that I live here and I'm not a traveler!
I will post pictures and videos on Facebook if you keep up with me on there, but the picture below is a picture of "los nazarinos" or members of the KKK as we Americans may think they are. But trust me, they are not--they're just Sevillanos! They are actually just members from each individual church (both men and women) who march in front of their float (la cofradia) with candles. It's like a pilgrimage for them because they lead their float all throughout the city and some do not wear shoes (as a part of penance) because participating in the processions is a very personal journey for them.
The second one is a picture of one of the most elaborate floats I have seen so far. The church in which it comes from is also just a few mins from my apartment! It was incredible!!
Hope you enjoy the pics and that the nazarinos don't startle you! :)
I know it's mid-way into "Holy Week," but an update about it now is better than never right? I've been out enjoying the festivities and hanging with my friends (both American and Sevillian) so that's why I didn't start writing about it in the beginning of the week. And besides, who wants to sit inside all day doing homework or blogging when there is fantastic weather to enjoy and orange blossoms to be breathed in...and did I mention the festivities of Semana Santa, oh, yeah, I did. haha But what are they and what exactly is Semana Santa? Keep reading and I will explain it.
This week though is my first of two spring breaks but it's most commonly known as Holy Week for Spain. The week before Easter is really important to Catholics but in Spain they celebrate it religiously. Every church has a float that they carry on their backs through the streets and back to the respective church were it belongs. Each float tells the story of Jesus' last week on Earth as it leads up to His Resurrection. The floats weigh like a ton too! For me as a foreigner and a born-again believer it's neat to see these processions--even though I don't agree with a lot of things in Catholicism or see the need to be so focused on rituals like these.
Tomorrow morning is supposed to be the most important part of Semana Santa because it's the day before Good Friday and these processions will tell the trial and betrayal of Christ. All of these floats are like worshiped here (esp. the ones of the Virgin) and I don't like that, but it's still neat to be a part of it.
My adopted city, Sevilla, has the best floats in the country so people from around the world come here to see them. I'm so thankful that I live here and I'm not a traveler!
I will post pictures and videos on Facebook if you keep up with me on there, but the picture below is a picture of "los nazarinos" or members of the KKK as we Americans may think they are. But trust me, they are not--they're just Sevillanos! They are actually just members from each individual church (both men and women) who march in front of their float (la cofradia) with candles. It's like a pilgrimage for them because they lead their float all throughout the city and some do not wear shoes (as a part of penance) because participating in the processions is a very personal journey for them.
The second one is a picture of one of the most elaborate floats I have seen so far. The church in which it comes from is also just a few mins from my apartment! It was incredible!!
Hope you enjoy the pics and that the nazarinos don't startle you! :)
Monday, March 29, 2010
Time is flying!
So I've been in Spain for nearly 9 weeks now. Just writing that out blows my mind...I have never been in a foreign country for this long. It's absolutely crazy! But I'm loving every day here and just trying to make the time last....even though with Daylight Saving Time in effect as of yesterday, it seems to be slipping through my hands.
But what's been going on with me since the last time I wrote? I'm sure that's what's on your mind right now. Well, I made it through some of my toughest midterms in my college career and now I'm at spring break numero uno--Semana Santa (Spain's Holy Week). This is a huge time for the country of Spain as a whole as they get ready for Easter, but it's an even bigger deal for Sevilla because they boast the best processions and floats in the country. I was a little bummed that I decided to stay here for the first break (after I thought about my study abroad budget realistically) but now I'm really pumped! I'm so blessed to be in a city as culturally-rich and beautiful as Sevilla that I'm glad to be here for this week. People come from all over the world to Sevilla just to see its Semana Santa processions and I get to live here and see the sights as I please? I'll take that!
I'll explain what Semana Santa is exactly in the coming posts (or you can research it online!) but I just wanted to tell you all where I'm at right now in this study abroad journey.
I was looking at my pictures from New York and other places around Spain and already I see myself from a different perspective. I mean I just tackled New York City a little more than two months ago all by myself, but as I looked at my pics I thought, "Man, I look so young...and innocent."
Normally this is something you say when you're looking at pics from your teen years and you're in your late twenties--not two months after you started living abroad! But what's even more shocking is the farther I go back (like just last semester), the younger I look to myself! It's crazy, but it just goes to show you how much living abroad can change your perspective. I know so many more things now and am exposed to many different things everyday that I just can't go back to how I thought in the past. I'm gonna have one heck of a time readjusting to the United States, let me tell you!
Well, it is after midnight for me now and I have a busy week ahead of me. It's time to get some rest so I can see more of the processions tomorrow and...maybe do some homework?! Yep, such is my life in Spain.
There's always something I should be reading or working on!
'Ta luego y buenas noches! :)
--Sarah
P.S. I saw the funniest thing today: A carriage horse was snacking on the seat of someone's Vespa parked near the famous Alfonso XII hotel. He only scuffed it up though. I've never seen that happen in daily life so I had a good laugh as I passed by. The owner nor the carriage driver was around to reprimand the horse, so that just made it even funnier!
But what's been going on with me since the last time I wrote? I'm sure that's what's on your mind right now. Well, I made it through some of my toughest midterms in my college career and now I'm at spring break numero uno--Semana Santa (Spain's Holy Week). This is a huge time for the country of Spain as a whole as they get ready for Easter, but it's an even bigger deal for Sevilla because they boast the best processions and floats in the country. I was a little bummed that I decided to stay here for the first break (after I thought about my study abroad budget realistically) but now I'm really pumped! I'm so blessed to be in a city as culturally-rich and beautiful as Sevilla that I'm glad to be here for this week. People come from all over the world to Sevilla just to see its Semana Santa processions and I get to live here and see the sights as I please? I'll take that!
I'll explain what Semana Santa is exactly in the coming posts (or you can research it online!) but I just wanted to tell you all where I'm at right now in this study abroad journey.
I was looking at my pictures from New York and other places around Spain and already I see myself from a different perspective. I mean I just tackled New York City a little more than two months ago all by myself, but as I looked at my pics I thought, "Man, I look so young...and innocent."
Normally this is something you say when you're looking at pics from your teen years and you're in your late twenties--not two months after you started living abroad! But what's even more shocking is the farther I go back (like just last semester), the younger I look to myself! It's crazy, but it just goes to show you how much living abroad can change your perspective. I know so many more things now and am exposed to many different things everyday that I just can't go back to how I thought in the past. I'm gonna have one heck of a time readjusting to the United States, let me tell you!
Well, it is after midnight for me now and I have a busy week ahead of me. It's time to get some rest so I can see more of the processions tomorrow and...maybe do some homework?! Yep, such is my life in Spain.
There's always something I should be reading or working on!
'Ta luego y buenas noches! :)
--Sarah
P.S. I saw the funniest thing today: A carriage horse was snacking on the seat of someone's Vespa parked near the famous Alfonso XII hotel. He only scuffed it up though. I've never seen that happen in daily life so I had a good laugh as I passed by. The owner nor the carriage driver was around to reprimand the horse, so that just made it even funnier!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Spanish paradoxes
Here are some rather confusing, yet hilarious paradoxes I have come up against here in Spain:
***There are tons of commercials for these special digestive cookies that Spanish people supposedly eat all the time that are good for you (supposedly). But here's the thing they contain wheat gluten and all these other kinds of preservatives (and salt) that are horrible for you...guess what I got the whole time I was eating them? Diarrhea. Yeah, just an ironic little side effect for something that's supposed to regulate your body.
***Bathrooms in Spain almost always have soap in them, but what can you never find? Hot water! How are you supposed to kill the germs and why aren't Spanish people getting sick all the time??
***Choose wisely which kind of tissues you should buy. Ironically I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to the ones I was using when I had allergy symptoms a few days ago. Once again it defeats the purpose!
***All the fruit juices and yogurt drinks that are supposed to be extremely good for you have so much sugar in them! Which once again defeats the purpose of drinking them to get more natural sugars or calcium for that matter!
And my absolute favorite:
***No two clocks in Spain are set to the same time. Everyone's movil has a different time, the city runs on a much faster time, my senora's clock is ten minutes faster than my phone the metro is a couple minutes slower than my senora's clock and the world clock on my computer is off too! What is with you and time, Spain??? Ahhh, stop confusing me!
All that matters is that my watch is set 10 minutes faster than my phone so that I can make it back in time for lunch and dinner. The most important things in one's life, you know! ;)
***There are tons of commercials for these special digestive cookies that Spanish people supposedly eat all the time that are good for you (supposedly). But here's the thing they contain wheat gluten and all these other kinds of preservatives (and salt) that are horrible for you...guess what I got the whole time I was eating them? Diarrhea. Yeah, just an ironic little side effect for something that's supposed to regulate your body.
***Bathrooms in Spain almost always have soap in them, but what can you never find? Hot water! How are you supposed to kill the germs and why aren't Spanish people getting sick all the time??
***Choose wisely which kind of tissues you should buy. Ironically I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to the ones I was using when I had allergy symptoms a few days ago. Once again it defeats the purpose!
***All the fruit juices and yogurt drinks that are supposed to be extremely good for you have so much sugar in them! Which once again defeats the purpose of drinking them to get more natural sugars or calcium for that matter!
And my absolute favorite:
***No two clocks in Spain are set to the same time. Everyone's movil has a different time, the city runs on a much faster time, my senora's clock is ten minutes faster than my phone the metro is a couple minutes slower than my senora's clock and the world clock on my computer is off too! What is with you and time, Spain??? Ahhh, stop confusing me!
All that matters is that my watch is set 10 minutes faster than my phone so that I can make it back in time for lunch and dinner. The most important things in one's life, you know! ;)
Monday, March 8, 2010
God is truly amazing!
So yesterday I rediscovered that God does indeed have a sense of humor. I was on my way to my Spanish church last night but couldn't remember what the name of the street was or how far away it was from my house, so needless to say I was a little lost. Thank goodness, though, it was just a little side street off one of the main streets here in Sevilla...but finding that side street? Now, that was the struggle. However, I had a little help...
As I wandered around these smaller streets (where I thought the church was), I prayed, "God, if you want me at church to tonight, please get me there." Just your simple to-the-point prayer with a little bit of doubt mixed in there, but boy, did God answer it! Once I got back to the main street, I decided to just give up and go somewhere to sit and study, but then I kept thinking the church was farther than where I was, so I turned around. It's a good thing I did because I would've missed one of God's most beautiful reminders to us as believers:
And the street that this rainbow was over was the EXACT street Encounter Church was on! I took a few pictures of course and just started laughing.
GOD IS AWESOME!!!!!!! I hope you don't forget that (I hope I don't) as you go about your daily lives. We serve an awesome God who has an incredible sense of humor. :)
As I wandered around these smaller streets (where I thought the church was), I prayed, "God, if you want me at church to tonight, please get me there." Just your simple to-the-point prayer with a little bit of doubt mixed in there, but boy, did God answer it! Once I got back to the main street, I decided to just give up and go somewhere to sit and study, but then I kept thinking the church was farther than where I was, so I turned around. It's a good thing I did because I would've missed one of God's most beautiful reminders to us as believers:
And the street that this rainbow was over was the EXACT street Encounter Church was on! I took a few pictures of course and just started laughing.
GOD IS AWESOME!!!!!!! I hope you don't forget that (I hope I don't) as you go about your daily lives. We serve an awesome God who has an incredible sense of humor. :)
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Only in Spain...
I haven't really shared any stories or memories on here yet, so here goes...hope you enjoy!
Nearly a month ago (wow!!!) I went to los Carnavales en Cadiz (Ka-deeth) with some friends and Discover Sevilla, a tourist agency here that works with and plans trips for college students and tourists in Sevilla. The closest thing that I can relate it to is a big huge college Halloween party in the streets where everyone is dressed up in ridiculously good or bad costumes getting shwasted--and yet, still continuing to drink. Except not everyone who's there was young, in fact at times I saw more older people than young ones. My friends and I unfortunately got sucked into the center of the city where all the drunken mayhem was going on and didn't have the greatest time that night. Little did all of us know that just like 1/4 of a mile down the main street were plays and spoofs of political and historical figures/events being put on. I heard that there were people dressed up as Obama, Hitler and the Chinese president (whose name I don't know) and that would've been fun to see, especially since everything was satirical and politically incorrect! haha
But our schedule for the night turned into visiting the different people who dressed in groups and getting pictures taken with them. My favorites were the cavemen, penguins, ducks, crazy rocker guys from Barcelona who wore plain white tees so that American girls could write their numbers on them...and Aladdin and Jasmine. Jasmine was really drunk and gave each of my friends a page that she tore out of paperback book--which was hilarious and I kept the page! haha
My most memorable and vivid memory of the night was when I was talking to this really nice college-aged guy from Brazil. He is in his last year at the University of Salamanca and if you can believe it or not, he's studying Economics! In just the few minutes I talked with him--in English in the beginning--we had a lot in common...and he was the first decent guy I had met at Carnaval and didn't seem to be drunk. However, just a few feet away from me my friends were getting harassed by a group of cows or something and they wanted to get away from them as fast as possible...but I didn't want to leave cause I was having a nice time talking with this guy. Unfortunately I had to tell him goodbye, but he still wanted to keep talking to me! Two of my friends then proceeded to drag me away from him and I remember him asking me in Spanish, "Pero, quieres hablar sobre la economia?" [Don't you want to talk about the economy?]. No, but you're cute, I thought. I responded with, "My friends want to go so I can't. Sorry!"
I will never forget yelling that out to this guy as he watched me be physically dragged away by my friends. It all happened in slow motion too so that made it even harder to break away, but it made for an awesome memory. I didn't see him again that night and probably won't ever see him again. If I'm meant to run into him again I will, but if not, then God's got something else in store.
Time is flying by here in Spain, but I am enjoying every second I can. I hope to have so many more of these "Only in Spain" moments and be able pull them out whenever I am missing Sevilla.
Nearly a month ago (wow!!!) I went to los Carnavales en Cadiz (Ka-deeth) with some friends and Discover Sevilla, a tourist agency here that works with and plans trips for college students and tourists in Sevilla. The closest thing that I can relate it to is a big huge college Halloween party in the streets where everyone is dressed up in ridiculously good or bad costumes getting shwasted--and yet, still continuing to drink. Except not everyone who's there was young, in fact at times I saw more older people than young ones. My friends and I unfortunately got sucked into the center of the city where all the drunken mayhem was going on and didn't have the greatest time that night. Little did all of us know that just like 1/4 of a mile down the main street were plays and spoofs of political and historical figures/events being put on. I heard that there were people dressed up as Obama, Hitler and the Chinese president (whose name I don't know) and that would've been fun to see, especially since everything was satirical and politically incorrect! haha
But our schedule for the night turned into visiting the different people who dressed in groups and getting pictures taken with them. My favorites were the cavemen, penguins, ducks, crazy rocker guys from Barcelona who wore plain white tees so that American girls could write their numbers on them...and Aladdin and Jasmine. Jasmine was really drunk and gave each of my friends a page that she tore out of paperback book--which was hilarious and I kept the page! haha
My most memorable and vivid memory of the night was when I was talking to this really nice college-aged guy from Brazil. He is in his last year at the University of Salamanca and if you can believe it or not, he's studying Economics! In just the few minutes I talked with him--in English in the beginning--we had a lot in common...and he was the first decent guy I had met at Carnaval and didn't seem to be drunk. However, just a few feet away from me my friends were getting harassed by a group of cows or something and they wanted to get away from them as fast as possible...but I didn't want to leave cause I was having a nice time talking with this guy. Unfortunately I had to tell him goodbye, but he still wanted to keep talking to me! Two of my friends then proceeded to drag me away from him and I remember him asking me in Spanish, "Pero, quieres hablar sobre la economia?" [Don't you want to talk about the economy?]. No, but you're cute, I thought. I responded with, "My friends want to go so I can't. Sorry!"
I will never forget yelling that out to this guy as he watched me be physically dragged away by my friends. It all happened in slow motion too so that made it even harder to break away, but it made for an awesome memory. I didn't see him again that night and probably won't ever see him again. If I'm meant to run into him again I will, but if not, then God's got something else in store.
Time is flying by here in Spain, but I am enjoying every second I can. I hope to have so many more of these "Only in Spain" moments and be able pull them out whenever I am missing Sevilla.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Longing for familiar things...
Things I miss:
MILK!!!!!!! (both skim and CHOCOLATE)
Eggs and Sausage
BAGELS!!!!!!!!!!!
Mexican food (as in Chipotle...)
My buckwheat husk pillow that is amazingly wonderful to sleep on!
Dinner at a decent time in the afternoon/evening
A smaller school and one that actually looks nice
Stores staying open past 9pm.
Walking to class/living close to your classes
PEANUT BUTTER (a small jar is like $4-5 here!)
Morning classes (I know I'm crazy to say that...haha)
Hanging out with friends in public places/apts instead of at bars!
FRESH, CLEAN AIR most places I go
Taking American money out of ATMs
My friends and family of course!!!!! :)
Peace and quiet
UNSALTED FOOD! :(
Driving a car/carpooling with people!
Things I DON'T MISS:
Whiny closed-minded Americans :P
Speaking English everywhere I go
Being informed everyday of how much the gov't is screwing things up yet again
Staying in touch with American pop culture--aka what the celebs are doing
Life before Nutella with breakfast
TV (except for one certain show in particular)
Dressing informally (Dressing up is fun and makes you feel more confident during the day!)
Living at school and eating on campus :)
Getting hit on by creepy guys and black guys during the day (it only happens to me occasionally at night here)
...well, that's all I can think of right now. There's probably one thing I'm missing on both lists...but you tell me. :)
MILK!!!!!!! (both skim and CHOCOLATE)
Eggs and Sausage
BAGELS!!!!!!!!!!!
Mexican food (as in Chipotle...)
My buckwheat husk pillow that is amazingly wonderful to sleep on!
Dinner at a decent time in the afternoon/evening
A smaller school and one that actually looks nice
Stores staying open past 9pm.
Walking to class/living close to your classes
PEANUT BUTTER (a small jar is like $4-5 here!)
Morning classes (I know I'm crazy to say that...haha)
Hanging out with friends in public places/apts instead of at bars!
FRESH, CLEAN AIR most places I go
Taking American money out of ATMs
My friends and family of course!!!!! :)
Peace and quiet
UNSALTED FOOD! :(
Driving a car/carpooling with people!
Things I DON'T MISS:
Whiny closed-minded Americans :P
Speaking English everywhere I go
Being informed everyday of how much the gov't is screwing things up yet again
Staying in touch with American pop culture--aka what the celebs are doing
Life before Nutella with breakfast
TV (except for one certain show in particular)
Dressing informally (Dressing up is fun and makes you feel more confident during the day!)
Living at school and eating on campus :)
Getting hit on by creepy guys and black guys during the day (it only happens to me occasionally at night here)
...well, that's all I can think of right now. There's probably one thing I'm missing on both lists...but you tell me. :)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Daily reminders
Well, it's hard for me to believe that I have been in Spain for almost 6 weeks now! It still feels like I'm new to the culture but in reality I'm not. I can for sure say that I have fully adjusted because I am hungry at meal times and I feel sleepy when it gets late here. I also was just thinking about my upcoming 3 day week (today was a holiday too :) and mentally preparing for classes and my schedule...and I was able to visualize how the week would go mostly. So yes, I have adjusted but I'm still learning new things about the people, the culture and myself everyday. I could even say that I'm getting comfortable but I DON'T want to feel that way. Because, once you get comfortable in a geographical region or a place in your life, you begin to get desensitized and I want to see, feel, hear and do everything possible here, not just in Spain, but all over Europe too! This is an experience of a lifetime and I have to keep reminding myself of that.
Here are a few things I tell myself everyday when I'm feeling overwhelmed or discouraged:
*I did not come here to fail...I came here to succeed above and beyond my expectations.
*I did not come here to speak English...I came here to improve my Spanish and get to know the locals and become a part of this culture!
*No one here knows who I am or was...so why not seize the opportunity to let my personality shine and make a fresh start?
*I did not come here to be the same person I usually am...I came here to find out who I really am, what I'm capable of and--if it's in God's will--to find someone to love.
Verses that have been encouraging me:
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
***Psalm 27:4-6***
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ***Psalm 73:25-26***
Please pray for me as I am working hard at reading the Bible every morning before I get ready. I feel like there is a strong opposition against me when I do read and pray before I start the day and those days are actually pretty bad and chaotic...so I know that the devil is working against me. Spiritual warfare and the workings of Satan are very real but I keep reminding myself that if God is for me, who can be against me? I am under His umbrella of protection and am strengthened by your prayers as well as mine. He has a purpose for me here that goes beyond studying and traveling and I hope to discover it and possibly fulfill it while I'm here.
Pues, buenas noches a todos! :)
Here are a few things I tell myself everyday when I'm feeling overwhelmed or discouraged:
*I did not come here to fail...I came here to succeed above and beyond my expectations.
*I did not come here to speak English...I came here to improve my Spanish and get to know the locals and become a part of this culture!
*No one here knows who I am or was...so why not seize the opportunity to let my personality shine and make a fresh start?
*I did not come here to be the same person I usually am...I came here to find out who I really am, what I'm capable of and--if it's in God's will--to find someone to love.
Verses that have been encouraging me:
One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.
***Psalm 27:4-6***
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ***Psalm 73:25-26***
Please pray for me as I am working hard at reading the Bible every morning before I get ready. I feel like there is a strong opposition against me when I do read and pray before I start the day and those days are actually pretty bad and chaotic...so I know that the devil is working against me. Spiritual warfare and the workings of Satan are very real but I keep reminding myself that if God is for me, who can be against me? I am under His umbrella of protection and am strengthened by your prayers as well as mine. He has a purpose for me here that goes beyond studying and traveling and I hope to discover it and possibly fulfill it while I'm here.
Pues, buenas noches a todos! :)
Monday, February 22, 2010
Spanish norms
Here's a list of commonly practiced customs, habits and Spanish sayings:
1. The siesta is observed religiously....places will shut down between 2 and 2:30 every day and sometimes not open back up until 5pm (1700)! Also kids get let out from school early to go home for lunch and the siesta. Aren't they lucky!
2. Spanish people know where they are going and don't like to be cut in front of or slowed down--so that means pick the side of the street, hallway, classroom, etc. you'll be on and stick to it! My first full day being here I was walking down the street and didn't know which side I should choose to pass this one guy and I hesitated so much that he said, "Quieres baliar?" "You wanna dance?" hahaha :)
3. There is no hot water in any sink in the entire country of Spain (at least I'm convinced of this)! Maybe the palace where the royal family lives, but not anywhere else I've been.
4. It's perfectly okay to be OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD in the hallways when classes are going on or when someone's clearly studying on a bench inside. I mean, Spain's all about socializing...right?
5. Food is the most important thing in your life and chocolate is better than sex--according to my very wise señora!!!
6. Your shoes, coat, bag and scarf all MUST match or you have to wear an outfit with matching colors...next to food, fashion is the other most important thing in the lives of Spaniards.
7. How you use utilities (water and electricity) and time reflect your character. There is no such thing as a long shower here and lights must always be turned off when not in use. This thing in particular has really opened my eyes to how wasteful and forgetful Americans are (myself included)...Time has definitely been a big issue for me since I am trying to get a routine down but still stay in touch with people and the culture at the same time. And if you're wondering....yes, I've been late to dinner two times and have gotten yelled at for it! NEVER AGAIN is the advice I have taken to heart.
8. Comparable sayings:
Hasta luego ('ta luego) = adiós
Hasta mañana = buenas noches
Fijate! = Lit. : You see! (in some contexts: Don't miss this!)
Hombre = Uh, huh or Duh...especially when used with claro, i.e. : Hombre, claro!
Vale = Okay (used A LOT...sometimes after every word)
9. Olive oil actually comes from Spain, but is manufactured and shipped in Italy cause it's cheaper...talk about a falso amigo there! I had NO IDEA either! haha But olives and olive oil are HUGE here and aceite de oliva is used in nearly everything...my friend Ashely even told me she saw the Spanish food group pyramid and they have a little section just for olive oil. All you need is at least one serving a day! haha :)
10. You can drink beer at 10 in the morning and not be judged for doing it!
11. Spain (and possibly Europe) is IN LOVE with purple....I see it everywhere and wish I could have everything I see! It's my absolute favorite color...teal is a very close second though. ;)
12. Spanish men have lots of confidence in themselves and their abilities to woo women...you either get asked to "spend the night" at their house or you get proposed to! There's also no, "We should go out some time in the future" kind of thing. It's more like, "Okay, I'll call you tonight and we'll go to [this tapas bar] at 10pm and then to [this club] at 12:30 for awhile and then I'll walk you home and we'll talk about tomorrow's plans." In other words, they move FAST! All you American guys out there: TAKE NOTE OF THIS! Girls actually don't mind you being a little more proactive but please know where you should draw the line. :)
Pues, estoy muy cansada...entonces mas costumbres por la mañana. 'Ta luego, mis amigos! :)
**Mas**
13. Aluminum foil is the new plastic wrap! All of my sandwiches are wrapped in it but they basically use it for everything!!
14. If you whip out a laptop anywhere at my school or at any place that has free Wifi (Weefee), you get stared at by everyone and then they whisper about you after they walk by...how inconsiderate right? I do bring my netbook to school sometimes because I have things I need to work on, but I'm so glad I have Internet at home now--so I don't get stared in public places anymore!
15. Greet everyone you meet or know with two fake kisses on the cheeks. Be warned that you may get real ones by certain people if you're lucky! ;)
16. Birthdays are a big deal here. People will still sing to you in the halls or classrooms even in college! And if you're lucky enough to celebrate your birthday in Spain, your señora will make a special tort or flan just for you!
17. Spanish women are in love with Pierce Brosnan. Yeah, I thought his popularity phase was gone too. haha
1. The siesta is observed religiously....places will shut down between 2 and 2:30 every day and sometimes not open back up until 5pm (1700)! Also kids get let out from school early to go home for lunch and the siesta. Aren't they lucky!
2. Spanish people know where they are going and don't like to be cut in front of or slowed down--so that means pick the side of the street, hallway, classroom, etc. you'll be on and stick to it! My first full day being here I was walking down the street and didn't know which side I should choose to pass this one guy and I hesitated so much that he said, "Quieres baliar?" "You wanna dance?" hahaha :)
3. There is no hot water in any sink in the entire country of Spain (at least I'm convinced of this)! Maybe the palace where the royal family lives, but not anywhere else I've been.
4. It's perfectly okay to be OBNOXIOUSLY LOUD in the hallways when classes are going on or when someone's clearly studying on a bench inside. I mean, Spain's all about socializing...right?
5. Food is the most important thing in your life and chocolate is better than sex--according to my very wise señora!!!
6. Your shoes, coat, bag and scarf all MUST match or you have to wear an outfit with matching colors...next to food, fashion is the other most important thing in the lives of Spaniards.
7. How you use utilities (water and electricity) and time reflect your character. There is no such thing as a long shower here and lights must always be turned off when not in use. This thing in particular has really opened my eyes to how wasteful and forgetful Americans are (myself included)...Time has definitely been a big issue for me since I am trying to get a routine down but still stay in touch with people and the culture at the same time. And if you're wondering....yes, I've been late to dinner two times and have gotten yelled at for it! NEVER AGAIN is the advice I have taken to heart.
8. Comparable sayings:
Hasta luego ('ta luego) = adiós
Hasta mañana = buenas noches
Fijate! = Lit. : You see! (in some contexts: Don't miss this!)
Hombre = Uh, huh or Duh...especially when used with claro, i.e. : Hombre, claro!
Vale = Okay (used A LOT...sometimes after every word)
9. Olive oil actually comes from Spain, but is manufactured and shipped in Italy cause it's cheaper...talk about a falso amigo there! I had NO IDEA either! haha But olives and olive oil are HUGE here and aceite de oliva is used in nearly everything...my friend Ashely even told me she saw the Spanish food group pyramid and they have a little section just for olive oil. All you need is at least one serving a day! haha :)
10. You can drink beer at 10 in the morning and not be judged for doing it!
11. Spain (and possibly Europe) is IN LOVE with purple....I see it everywhere and wish I could have everything I see! It's my absolute favorite color...teal is a very close second though. ;)
12. Spanish men have lots of confidence in themselves and their abilities to woo women...you either get asked to "spend the night" at their house or you get proposed to! There's also no, "We should go out some time in the future" kind of thing. It's more like, "Okay, I'll call you tonight and we'll go to [this tapas bar] at 10pm and then to [this club] at 12:30 for awhile and then I'll walk you home and we'll talk about tomorrow's plans." In other words, they move FAST! All you American guys out there: TAKE NOTE OF THIS! Girls actually don't mind you being a little more proactive but please know where you should draw the line. :)
Pues, estoy muy cansada...entonces mas costumbres por la mañana. 'Ta luego, mis amigos! :)
**Mas**
13. Aluminum foil is the new plastic wrap! All of my sandwiches are wrapped in it but they basically use it for everything!!
14. If you whip out a laptop anywhere at my school or at any place that has free Wifi (Weefee), you get stared at by everyone and then they whisper about you after they walk by...how inconsiderate right? I do bring my netbook to school sometimes because I have things I need to work on, but I'm so glad I have Internet at home now--so I don't get stared in public places anymore!
15. Greet everyone you meet or know with two fake kisses on the cheeks. Be warned that you may get real ones by certain people if you're lucky! ;)
16. Birthdays are a big deal here. People will still sing to you in the halls or classrooms even in college! And if you're lucky enough to celebrate your birthday in Spain, your señora will make a special tort or flan just for you!
17. Spanish women are in love with Pierce Brosnan. Yeah, I thought his popularity phase was gone too. haha
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Christians are everywhere!
So tonight my friend Colleen invited me to this contemporary Spanish church called "Encounter" that she went to last week. It was way far away from the neighborhood I live in but I can't tell you how worth the trek and the time I spent at the service was!!! Going to this church service was just what I needed today. I have been desperate for fellowship and God's presence lately. It's good that I can listen to the podcasts from my church back in Florida on Sunday mornings but actually being with other believers physically makes a big difference! I felt really welcome and comfortable almost right away.
For one thing, this church could have been my church, "MissionWay" in Ponte Vedra, Florida...except just in a different building, at night, different people and, well, in Spanish. :) The similarities? A very laid-back, casual atmosphere, compelling worship, Hillsong songs (popular ones we sing in the U.S. just in Spanish), a pretty cool violinist and a church that has a heart for missions. And a missionary who lives in Cordoba (a well-known city about an 1 hr. southeast of Sevilla) but does mission work in Morocco spoke tonight. I had no idea that there was such a need for missionaries and volunteers in Morocco, so it was cool to hear what God is doing there and what they are believing He will do in the future. How did I get so lucky that the first church I visited seems like a good fit? That was definitely a God-thing I stumbled upon today. :)
I hope to go back next Sunday and talk to more of the members as I wasn't able to stay that long after the service.
The coolest thing was that I met other students like me who are studying here and looking for a church too. I actually saw half of the people I met tonight on the different buses I took to Ronda yesterday...but little did I know that they were believers! That was so encouraging to me. It just goes to show you that there are Christians everywhere you go, no matter what part of the world you're in! I hope that this will be the start of some fun and possibly lifetime friendships. :)
Oh, and I have officially been here for a month as of 6 p.m. (approx) Spain time today! Here's to many more wonderful days in this gorgeous country!
For one thing, this church could have been my church, "MissionWay" in Ponte Vedra, Florida...except just in a different building, at night, different people and, well, in Spanish. :) The similarities? A very laid-back, casual atmosphere, compelling worship, Hillsong songs (popular ones we sing in the U.S. just in Spanish), a pretty cool violinist and a church that has a heart for missions. And a missionary who lives in Cordoba (a well-known city about an 1 hr. southeast of Sevilla) but does mission work in Morocco spoke tonight. I had no idea that there was such a need for missionaries and volunteers in Morocco, so it was cool to hear what God is doing there and what they are believing He will do in the future. How did I get so lucky that the first church I visited seems like a good fit? That was definitely a God-thing I stumbled upon today. :)
I hope to go back next Sunday and talk to more of the members as I wasn't able to stay that long after the service.
The coolest thing was that I met other students like me who are studying here and looking for a church too. I actually saw half of the people I met tonight on the different buses I took to Ronda yesterday...but little did I know that they were believers! That was so encouraging to me. It just goes to show you that there are Christians everywhere you go, no matter what part of the world you're in! I hope that this will be the start of some fun and possibly lifetime friendships. :)
Oh, and I have officially been here for a month as of 6 p.m. (approx) Spain time today! Here's to many more wonderful days in this gorgeous country!
Friday, February 19, 2010
New York....where it all began!
A few of you knew that before I left for Spain I had this crazy long layover in Newark, NJ/New York. But what you don't know is how my trip into NYC went...so let me share what I saw and thought of the city!
First of all, let me back up and explain just how big of a deal visiting New York City is for me. Pretty much the only person who understands what New York means to me is my mom because we have talked about it a lot when I was a teen. I first heard about how big and famous it was when I was 8 or 9 and since then I have been learning all that I could about NYC. In 8th grade, I went through this New York phase and was even planning on going to college somewhere in the city. I would read guidebooks, web pages on the Internet and even write stories about living there and meeting people. I even had dreams that, I swear, were so real that it was like I was physically there. And, without fail, every time I saw the skyline, I could barely breathe because just looking at its magnificent skyline captivated me. I can't exactly explain what is was in particular, but just that it did something to me.
My family was never able to take a trip to the city due to how expensive it is and our schedules and interests. And besides, my dad doesn't like big cities anymore so he would have never suggested we visit it all together anyway. But I still kept hope alive that one day I would get to visit it. I even said that I wanted to see it alone because it meant so much to me...and what do you know I did! I def want to go back and have my mom or friends see the sights through my eyes, though. :)
However, I knew my time was coming when instead of buying a 365 Kitten-a-day calendar for 2009 I bought a New York calendar. Month after month I got to see one gorgeous sight after another and I just became even more obsessed with going to the city. I even had a dream over the summer that still sticks in my mind about traveling to NYC. My brother and I were hiking up this weird hilly mountain in robes and towels (lol) and we were so exhausted and just wanted to reach the top. When we finally did, we were rewarded with an out-of-this-world view of the island of Manhattan and it was awesome. I remember thinking, "Yes, the wait WAS worth it!"
And you know what? It really was. Not only was I on my way to Spain a month ago tomorrow, but I was on my way to New York City too! Thinking back on just this past month, I can't believe that I safely navigated my way around not one but TWO of the most famous cities in the world--NYC and Madrid. Crazyyy!
So how did I make it to the city? Well, I did more research over my long Christmas break and decided that the best and quickest way into the city was through Air Train via the NJ Transit. It was 15 dollars each way but it was definitely the best $30 I've ever spent on transportation. I was able to get to Penn Station in NY from the Newark Int'l Airport in approx 33 mins! (since there is a rail that connects the airport to the city--which was only 10 miles away!) The train itself was a little scary, but it was the most efficient way to get in and out of the city. And it was also my first time on a train so that was exciting!
I can't tell you how much I loved being in the city. Even though this sounds cliche, it was seriously everything I thought it would be and more! And the funny thing is I felt like I fit in...I don't know why that was. I think me and big cities just click and it just further proves that I really am a city girl. :)
New York brought me a lot of joy and it actually helped me recapture some of my childhood wonder from long, long ago. For example, when we were making our descent into the NJ/New York City area, I saw the city and all of its sky scrapers in the distance and honestly, I just started crying a little. I mean I had waited 12 years and finally, finally I was seeing the city of my dreams. But after a couple mins, I noticed a tiny little Statue of Liberty in front of the island and I was like, "Holy crap, it's real!!" I mean of course I'd seen pics of it, but to see it with my own two eyes...well, that was a whole 'nother story!
Oh, and that same mentality continued throughout the first--no, like the whole time I was in NYC--because I had another one of those moments when I exited the train station...and into the city itself. I was a little turned around in Penn Station after I bought a map but I found my way out and exited through the Madison Square Garden and 7th Avenue exit. And then...I was free to walk up the steps and into the city. I was such a tourist at that point. Map in hand and carry-ons on my shoulders I knew that this was a big moment. I even asked myself, "So like, wait...you can just walk out right into the city?!" It was all so foreign to me and I was definitely still in major disbelief that I was even there.
Oh, what a wonderful 5 hours I spent in the city that day. I didn't get to see everything on my list, but what I saw was enough. I can't wait to go back in the summer or some time this year and experience more of it.
And yes, those big lights (and sights) did inspire me. :)
First of all, let me back up and explain just how big of a deal visiting New York City is for me. Pretty much the only person who understands what New York means to me is my mom because we have talked about it a lot when I was a teen. I first heard about how big and famous it was when I was 8 or 9 and since then I have been learning all that I could about NYC. In 8th grade, I went through this New York phase and was even planning on going to college somewhere in the city. I would read guidebooks, web pages on the Internet and even write stories about living there and meeting people. I even had dreams that, I swear, were so real that it was like I was physically there. And, without fail, every time I saw the skyline, I could barely breathe because just looking at its magnificent skyline captivated me. I can't exactly explain what is was in particular, but just that it did something to me.
My family was never able to take a trip to the city due to how expensive it is and our schedules and interests. And besides, my dad doesn't like big cities anymore so he would have never suggested we visit it all together anyway. But I still kept hope alive that one day I would get to visit it. I even said that I wanted to see it alone because it meant so much to me...and what do you know I did! I def want to go back and have my mom or friends see the sights through my eyes, though. :)
However, I knew my time was coming when instead of buying a 365 Kitten-a-day calendar for 2009 I bought a New York calendar. Month after month I got to see one gorgeous sight after another and I just became even more obsessed with going to the city. I even had a dream over the summer that still sticks in my mind about traveling to NYC. My brother and I were hiking up this weird hilly mountain in robes and towels (lol) and we were so exhausted and just wanted to reach the top. When we finally did, we were rewarded with an out-of-this-world view of the island of Manhattan and it was awesome. I remember thinking, "Yes, the wait WAS worth it!"
And you know what? It really was. Not only was I on my way to Spain a month ago tomorrow, but I was on my way to New York City too! Thinking back on just this past month, I can't believe that I safely navigated my way around not one but TWO of the most famous cities in the world--NYC and Madrid. Crazyyy!
So how did I make it to the city? Well, I did more research over my long Christmas break and decided that the best and quickest way into the city was through Air Train via the NJ Transit. It was 15 dollars each way but it was definitely the best $30 I've ever spent on transportation. I was able to get to Penn Station in NY from the Newark Int'l Airport in approx 33 mins! (since there is a rail that connects the airport to the city--which was only 10 miles away!) The train itself was a little scary, but it was the most efficient way to get in and out of the city. And it was also my first time on a train so that was exciting!
I can't tell you how much I loved being in the city. Even though this sounds cliche, it was seriously everything I thought it would be and more! And the funny thing is I felt like I fit in...I don't know why that was. I think me and big cities just click and it just further proves that I really am a city girl. :)
New York brought me a lot of joy and it actually helped me recapture some of my childhood wonder from long, long ago. For example, when we were making our descent into the NJ/New York City area, I saw the city and all of its sky scrapers in the distance and honestly, I just started crying a little. I mean I had waited 12 years and finally, finally I was seeing the city of my dreams. But after a couple mins, I noticed a tiny little Statue of Liberty in front of the island and I was like, "Holy crap, it's real!!" I mean of course I'd seen pics of it, but to see it with my own two eyes...well, that was a whole 'nother story!
Oh, and that same mentality continued throughout the first--no, like the whole time I was in NYC--because I had another one of those moments when I exited the train station...and into the city itself. I was a little turned around in Penn Station after I bought a map but I found my way out and exited through the Madison Square Garden and 7th Avenue exit. And then...I was free to walk up the steps and into the city. I was such a tourist at that point. Map in hand and carry-ons on my shoulders I knew that this was a big moment. I even asked myself, "So like, wait...you can just walk out right into the city?!" It was all so foreign to me and I was definitely still in major disbelief that I was even there.
Oh, what a wonderful 5 hours I spent in the city that day. I didn't get to see everything on my list, but what I saw was enough. I can't wait to go back in the summer or some time this year and experience more of it.
And yes, those big lights (and sights) did inspire me. :)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Wait...what?!
I don't know if you've seen my list of observations about Spanish culture on Facebook, but I've been pretty observant here in Spain. I almost always see something that I didn't see the day before, I've been taking note of what's socially acceptable and what's not (don't speak English loudly while on the metro--haha). But at the same time there are just some things that I don't understand here...and some of those things end up being pretty easy in general, but I somehow miss them. And if you know me really well, you know that I either get something right away or I miss it completely (like song lyrics). Here's a short list of things I didn't understand or missed entirely these first four weeks:
1. It took me nearly two and half weeks to realize that the kitchen window in our apartment is right across from mine! The apartment itself kind of wraps around and takes up half of a side of the third floor, but that just didn't click in my mind for some reason. I didn't understand the layout of the other apartments so I just figured I could see into our neighbor's kitchen...even though it looked strangely familiar (haha). It's not something I'm proud to admit, but it's just something to laugh about to myself whenever I look over at the kitchen window from my room.
2. All the specialty stores here in Spain are named after what they sell. For example, if you need to buy a book, you go to the bookstore (la liberia). Need a watch? Just stop by the relojeria and see what's there and etc, etc. Well, there's this one store name that used to fool me every time I walked by one--la peluqueria. The hair salon. I knew full well what it was and what service they offered--I mean I saw them cutting people's hair and doing their nails done for crying out loud--but I still got the name confused!
The Spanish word for stuffed animal is 'peluche' and at first glance several times I thought a 'peluqueria' was a stuffed animal store! Even after I saw that it was a hair salon, I still asked myself, "Where are all the stuffed animals?!" I'm cracking up as I write this cause it's just too funny. I embarrass myself sometimes. haha
3. Lastly, but probably the most absurd thing I can't believe I misunderstood is the drink machines at my university. I saw people drinking from these little white cups in between classes and wondered where they got them. I came to the conclusion that their senoras made them a little drink to take along with them on their way to UPO (the nickname for my university). Yes, they took a 4 oz. cup of coffee from their apartment, to their metro stop, rode the metro, got off, and walked to their class with the cup still in hand! Uh, hello...or they just bought it from a drink machine here at the school! Doi! I can't believe I actually thought that to be true....but then again I have been getting information/cultural overload lately. :P
Anyways, I feel really dumb for sharing that with you, but can I really help it? I am an American living in a foreign country after all. :)
But yeah, there are these sweet little coffee, hot chocolate and tea machines here. I am enthralled with the way they serve your drink to you! You put your money in, select what you want and a cup is then dropped into the bottom of it, your drink is a dispensed and to top it off a little stirrer is dropped into your cup for complete customer satisfaction. :)
A video of this awesome process will be coming soon!
I have more things on my unobservant list but I just wanted to share with you the big ones...and I hope you got a kick out of them!
Hasta la proxmia vez... o mañana! :)
1. It took me nearly two and half weeks to realize that the kitchen window in our apartment is right across from mine! The apartment itself kind of wraps around and takes up half of a side of the third floor, but that just didn't click in my mind for some reason. I didn't understand the layout of the other apartments so I just figured I could see into our neighbor's kitchen...even though it looked strangely familiar (haha). It's not something I'm proud to admit, but it's just something to laugh about to myself whenever I look over at the kitchen window from my room.
2. All the specialty stores here in Spain are named after what they sell. For example, if you need to buy a book, you go to the bookstore (la liberia). Need a watch? Just stop by the relojeria and see what's there and etc, etc. Well, there's this one store name that used to fool me every time I walked by one--la peluqueria. The hair salon. I knew full well what it was and what service they offered--I mean I saw them cutting people's hair and doing their nails done for crying out loud--but I still got the name confused!
The Spanish word for stuffed animal is 'peluche' and at first glance several times I thought a 'peluqueria' was a stuffed animal store! Even after I saw that it was a hair salon, I still asked myself, "Where are all the stuffed animals?!" I'm cracking up as I write this cause it's just too funny. I embarrass myself sometimes. haha
3. Lastly, but probably the most absurd thing I can't believe I misunderstood is the drink machines at my university. I saw people drinking from these little white cups in between classes and wondered where they got them. I came to the conclusion that their senoras made them a little drink to take along with them on their way to UPO (the nickname for my university). Yes, they took a 4 oz. cup of coffee from their apartment, to their metro stop, rode the metro, got off, and walked to their class with the cup still in hand! Uh, hello...or they just bought it from a drink machine here at the school! Doi! I can't believe I actually thought that to be true....but then again I have been getting information/cultural overload lately. :P
Anyways, I feel really dumb for sharing that with you, but can I really help it? I am an American living in a foreign country after all. :)
But yeah, there are these sweet little coffee, hot chocolate and tea machines here. I am enthralled with the way they serve your drink to you! You put your money in, select what you want and a cup is then dropped into the bottom of it, your drink is a dispensed and to top it off a little stirrer is dropped into your cup for complete customer satisfaction. :)
A video of this awesome process will be coming soon!
I have more things on my unobservant list but I just wanted to share with you the big ones...and I hope you got a kick out of them!
Hasta la proxmia vez... o mañana! :)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Europe is the CONTINENT of love!
I was just looking through some entries I had on my computer and thought you might like to read about what I think about the PDA and Spanish couples here...some of it's eye-opening, but then again some of it's not. Hope you get a good laugh out of this. :)
Well, this is officially my first time writing in Spain! And boy, do I have a lot on my mind. For one thing, I am forgetting to speak and write in English. It's a good thing, though, because that means I am making the adjustment--and I am adjusting well after not having a Spanish class for almost 9 months! Pero, que puedo decir, esta en mi sangre y corazon!
Anyway, I will get to writing about my experiences specifically, but I just wanted to write about something that has been on my mind since I left: will I meet someone here or is love back in Jacksonville? I have decided that even though Paris is called the city of love, Europe is the continent of love! People who are in relationships really love to show affection here in public--and lots of it! You can tell when a guy and a girl are dating because they hold hands or an older couple is married because the lady holds onto her husband's arm. It's nice to see men be affectionate with their significant others and it changes my opinion of American guys. After seeing how Europeans (Spaniards) act with their girlfriends I think all the guys I know in America are jerks! But I'm kidding though... It's really just nice to know that chivalry is still alive. :)
However I don't know what I want. My heart feels like there is someone for me in Jacksonville, but it might be good for me to have a Spanish boyfriend... After how I've seen them act, I would love to be loved and cared for by a Spaniard. And did I mention that they are HOT?! Well, they are! :D And they are very stylish and fashion conscious...and you know me, I love a well-dressed man. Some of them look gay, but I have not seen them walking with other men...but who knows. At least most of them look that way or else I would just peg the stylish ones as gay. haha It's kinda funny though and makes me really aware of how poorly American guys dress.
The funniest thing I have seen people do in Sevilla er, Spain in general, is make-out--anywhere and everywhere! For example, as I was waiting to cross the street to get to our meeting place (el Cajasol) for orientation, I saw this guy lean over in the car and start making out with his girlfriend AS HE WAS MAKING A TURN! Like seriously, dude?! He made the turn perfectly --probably because he is a pro at doing that now--but did he really need to do that then and at 10:30 in the morning?! It was definitely an experience just watching that play out though. :)
That was just the beginning (and what I saw today definitely won't be the end) of those make-out sessions! I also saw people on the streets doing that and as I came down the steps outside my apt building tonight (Sat. 1-23, I think) there was a young guy and his girl practically laying all over the steps and kissing. Hopefully they got a room or something because they were not there when I got back, but in this love-crazy city who knows. haha
After some thought and talking to my roommate about things these past few weeks, I'm not really that open to getting a Spanish boyfriend right now. Yes, they're caring and sweet, but a lot of them don't have any money, they SMOKE (which I loathe) and have loose morals. BUT, if I can find a guy with a bright future, doesn't smoke and is a Christian....well, it was nice knowing you, my American friends! ;) I don't really know what will happen in these next three months...
I could tell you story upon story of all the gross PDAs I've seen here but that would take awhile. This is pretty much the gist of what I see on a daily basis...so be a LITTLE glad you're not here!
Well, this is officially my first time writing in Spain! And boy, do I have a lot on my mind. For one thing, I am forgetting to speak and write in English. It's a good thing, though, because that means I am making the adjustment--and I am adjusting well after not having a Spanish class for almost 9 months! Pero, que puedo decir, esta en mi sangre y corazon!
Anyway, I will get to writing about my experiences specifically, but I just wanted to write about something that has been on my mind since I left: will I meet someone here or is love back in Jacksonville? I have decided that even though Paris is called the city of love, Europe is the continent of love! People who are in relationships really love to show affection here in public--and lots of it! You can tell when a guy and a girl are dating because they hold hands or an older couple is married because the lady holds onto her husband's arm. It's nice to see men be affectionate with their significant others and it changes my opinion of American guys. After seeing how Europeans (Spaniards) act with their girlfriends I think all the guys I know in America are jerks! But I'm kidding though... It's really just nice to know that chivalry is still alive. :)
However I don't know what I want. My heart feels like there is someone for me in Jacksonville, but it might be good for me to have a Spanish boyfriend... After how I've seen them act, I would love to be loved and cared for by a Spaniard. And did I mention that they are HOT?! Well, they are! :D And they are very stylish and fashion conscious...and you know me, I love a well-dressed man. Some of them look gay, but I have not seen them walking with other men...but who knows. At least most of them look that way or else I would just peg the stylish ones as gay. haha It's kinda funny though and makes me really aware of how poorly American guys dress.
The funniest thing I have seen people do in Sevilla er, Spain in general, is make-out--anywhere and everywhere! For example, as I was waiting to cross the street to get to our meeting place (el Cajasol) for orientation, I saw this guy lean over in the car and start making out with his girlfriend AS HE WAS MAKING A TURN! Like seriously, dude?! He made the turn perfectly --probably because he is a pro at doing that now--but did he really need to do that then and at 10:30 in the morning?! It was definitely an experience just watching that play out though. :)
That was just the beginning (and what I saw today definitely won't be the end) of those make-out sessions! I also saw people on the streets doing that and as I came down the steps outside my apt building tonight (Sat. 1-23, I think) there was a young guy and his girl practically laying all over the steps and kissing. Hopefully they got a room or something because they were not there when I got back, but in this love-crazy city who knows. haha
After some thought and talking to my roommate about things these past few weeks, I'm not really that open to getting a Spanish boyfriend right now. Yes, they're caring and sweet, but a lot of them don't have any money, they SMOKE (which I loathe) and have loose morals. BUT, if I can find a guy with a bright future, doesn't smoke and is a Christian....well, it was nice knowing you, my American friends! ;) I don't really know what will happen in these next three months...
I could tell you story upon story of all the gross PDAs I've seen here but that would take awhile. This is pretty much the gist of what I see on a daily basis...so be a LITTLE glad you're not here!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Hola desde España!
It's still weird for me to think that I am here and all of you are way across that little pond I like to call the Atlantic Ocean! :) I'm still in a little disbelief of where I actually am every morning I walk outside my apartment. Each day is a brand new one and I have no idea what will happen or who I will encounter...it's quite a rush if you ask me. Most days I keep this at the forefront of my mind, but with school and the pressure to fit in here I tend to lose sight of that very quickly.
My adjustment to living in Spain has been a tough one. I knew before I even came that I would be the only one from my school going to this particular city, but it doesn't really sink in until you step off the plane. Granted I have grown and changed a lot since high school, but whenever I go off to a new place I do what I usually do--become very quiet and reserved and extremely independent. Even though back at school I am more outgoing, I think that that is just how I adjust to new places. I don't mind spending time by myself, but I don't like to be alone 24/7....and that's how my first few days here in Spain were like--minus time spent with my homestay parents. :)
If I did anything or went anywhere outside of the house I went by myself. And to be honest, it was pretty depressing. Yes, the city is gorgeous and it's fun to look at all the stylish Spanish people, but to see the sights all by yourself? It's just not that fun.
Thank goodness after 4 days of being in Sevilla by myself my roommates from Texas Christian University moved in and we have been getting along well. As for doing things with them or going out, I still feel like an outsider because they all know each other from their program but they don't know me and I don't know them. I am getting sick of having to ask if I can do things with them cause they don't invite me and I don't have anyone who lives near me. But, I tell myself every day that they don't know what I'm like or what I used to be like so the possibilities are endless. It's challenging but I'm doing the best I can. Some days have been tougher than others like yesterday but I'm trying to stay positive. It's still early in the semester and I don't want my time to fly so quickly.
Yesterday was almost a really bad day for me--my knee hurt, it rained all morning, became super windy in the afternoon, I wasn't prepared to give a presentation in my literature class and overall I just felt like I was doing everything wrong. After my literature class, though, I talked with a girl from my program about our crazy night on Saturday and ate lunch with her. We went to Carnaval en Cadiz and it didn't turn out as we had thought it would--if you don't want to drink yourself into a drunken stupor, I would suggest not going to it. Yeah, it was fun to see all the costumes and meet some new Spanish people but all they really wanted was our phone numbers and kisses.
Anyway, she was telling me how the past two weeks have gone for her and I could relate on all levels practically. We both feel like we're swamped all the time, always do things alone, can't do anything right, etc. That was very encouraging for me to hear cause it just reminds me that I'm not alone. She does have it a little better than I do cause she and her family have been talking a lot and I have barely talked to mine (due to the time change and our schedules it's difficult to get ahold of each other). I think the lack of communication with back home is what's affecting me and every other part of my life here in Spain. I can handle being apart from my family for awhile now but I mean I went from seeing them every day over my break to not talking to them hardly at all...that's bound to affect anyone no matter which way you look at it. But that will all change soon as we are working out schedules and calling times cause we have to stay in touch.
Despite all the challenging and frustrating things that have been happening, I don't want to say that I hate Spain (although my hair does) because it has been my dream for so long to come and live here. I don't want to wish my time away either cause it's already starting to fly. I'm just taking it one day at a time and keeping an open mind. I have a really nice intercambio (a Sevillano who is helping me practice my Spanish and I'm helping him with his English) named Santiago and I met more Spanish people (guys and girls) at an intercambio meet and greet yesterday at my school. I even met an older guy who has his own plane and offered to take me and some other girls flying some time!!!!! I'm pretty excited about that! :)
I will try to post more often and catch you guys up on all that I've been experiencing so far. I'm keeping a list of interesting things that happen to me daily so I might post a few of those every now and then...but I will leave you short list of some new things about me:
1. I'm eating sliced tomatoes!!! The tomatoes grown in Spain are very sweet and flavorful...and I like them! My senora told me that the girls in her house must always try something first and see if they like it and they usually do. The key thing I've learned in Spain is to keep an open mind. :)
2. After almost a month of being here, I am reaching fluidity in my spoken Spanish! If I told you before that I was fluent in Spanish I meant I was fluent in understanding not speaking. I speak Spanish with my senora, my roommates, professors, hear it on TV, on the streets, on the metro, etc. so it's becoming second nature to me. I can probably tell you how many hours of English I hear and speak per week. :) But at this rate, who knows where I'll be come May!
3. I'm afraid of bikers, bike paths and European drivers....they all drive really crazy here but bikers are the worst! And every time I cross one of the bike paths I practically get hit.
4. I have a crush on my British Economics teacher and every other Spanish guy that I see.
5. I want to have just as much, if not more, fun as Lola had when she was in Sevilla! :)
My adjustment to living in Spain has been a tough one. I knew before I even came that I would be the only one from my school going to this particular city, but it doesn't really sink in until you step off the plane. Granted I have grown and changed a lot since high school, but whenever I go off to a new place I do what I usually do--become very quiet and reserved and extremely independent. Even though back at school I am more outgoing, I think that that is just how I adjust to new places. I don't mind spending time by myself, but I don't like to be alone 24/7....and that's how my first few days here in Spain were like--minus time spent with my homestay parents. :)
If I did anything or went anywhere outside of the house I went by myself. And to be honest, it was pretty depressing. Yes, the city is gorgeous and it's fun to look at all the stylish Spanish people, but to see the sights all by yourself? It's just not that fun.
Thank goodness after 4 days of being in Sevilla by myself my roommates from Texas Christian University moved in and we have been getting along well. As for doing things with them or going out, I still feel like an outsider because they all know each other from their program but they don't know me and I don't know them. I am getting sick of having to ask if I can do things with them cause they don't invite me and I don't have anyone who lives near me. But, I tell myself every day that they don't know what I'm like or what I used to be like so the possibilities are endless. It's challenging but I'm doing the best I can. Some days have been tougher than others like yesterday but I'm trying to stay positive. It's still early in the semester and I don't want my time to fly so quickly.
Yesterday was almost a really bad day for me--my knee hurt, it rained all morning, became super windy in the afternoon, I wasn't prepared to give a presentation in my literature class and overall I just felt like I was doing everything wrong. After my literature class, though, I talked with a girl from my program about our crazy night on Saturday and ate lunch with her. We went to Carnaval en Cadiz and it didn't turn out as we had thought it would--if you don't want to drink yourself into a drunken stupor, I would suggest not going to it. Yeah, it was fun to see all the costumes and meet some new Spanish people but all they really wanted was our phone numbers and kisses.
Anyway, she was telling me how the past two weeks have gone for her and I could relate on all levels practically. We both feel like we're swamped all the time, always do things alone, can't do anything right, etc. That was very encouraging for me to hear cause it just reminds me that I'm not alone. She does have it a little better than I do cause she and her family have been talking a lot and I have barely talked to mine (due to the time change and our schedules it's difficult to get ahold of each other). I think the lack of communication with back home is what's affecting me and every other part of my life here in Spain. I can handle being apart from my family for awhile now but I mean I went from seeing them every day over my break to not talking to them hardly at all...that's bound to affect anyone no matter which way you look at it. But that will all change soon as we are working out schedules and calling times cause we have to stay in touch.
Despite all the challenging and frustrating things that have been happening, I don't want to say that I hate Spain (although my hair does) because it has been my dream for so long to come and live here. I don't want to wish my time away either cause it's already starting to fly. I'm just taking it one day at a time and keeping an open mind. I have a really nice intercambio (a Sevillano who is helping me practice my Spanish and I'm helping him with his English) named Santiago and I met more Spanish people (guys and girls) at an intercambio meet and greet yesterday at my school. I even met an older guy who has his own plane and offered to take me and some other girls flying some time!!!!! I'm pretty excited about that! :)
I will try to post more often and catch you guys up on all that I've been experiencing so far. I'm keeping a list of interesting things that happen to me daily so I might post a few of those every now and then...but I will leave you short list of some new things about me:
1. I'm eating sliced tomatoes!!! The tomatoes grown in Spain are very sweet and flavorful...and I like them! My senora told me that the girls in her house must always try something first and see if they like it and they usually do. The key thing I've learned in Spain is to keep an open mind. :)
2. After almost a month of being here, I am reaching fluidity in my spoken Spanish! If I told you before that I was fluent in Spanish I meant I was fluent in understanding not speaking. I speak Spanish with my senora, my roommates, professors, hear it on TV, on the streets, on the metro, etc. so it's becoming second nature to me. I can probably tell you how many hours of English I hear and speak per week. :) But at this rate, who knows where I'll be come May!
3. I'm afraid of bikers, bike paths and European drivers....they all drive really crazy here but bikers are the worst! And every time I cross one of the bike paths I practically get hit.
4. I have a crush on my British Economics teacher and every other Spanish guy that I see.
5. I want to have just as much, if not more, fun as Lola had when she was in Sevilla! :)
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