Spain Adventures 08

Looking Back

2009-01-30T14:03:00.000-08:00

It's been way too long since I've posted on this blog. I didn't intend to stop with the previous one but somehow I never found time to post more until now. I'm forcing myself to write this, if only because I want some visual closure on my blog that signifies the end of my trip. I love looking back and thinking about all the different experiences I had in Spain, but it's so hard to think about summing it all up in words. I've had over a month to think about it and I still don't know where to begin! It still blows my mind that all of this even happened.

I looked back at my Spain journal to try and figure out where to begin with this post. Honestly, I don't know if I could write any better about what it feels like coming home than I did in my journal. I still feel the same way as I did then about everything I experienced. Here's a bit of what I wrote:

"I've been home now for a few days and none of this seems real. That I was just in Spain for 4 months, that I've been away from Columbus for that amount of time, that I've changed so much while I've been gone and that life here has continued on as usual without me. Right now it's only a little bit hard. Reality has not yet sunk in, I think. I think back on my trip and I still can't believe all that just happened, how many places I got to see, things I got to do, people I got to meet. I feel this deep satisfaction about my time there...But I also feel this deep sadness now. There is a pain in my heart that knows that now that time is over and I must continue on with my "normal" life here in Columbus, not knowing how or when or for how long I will ever be able to go back to Spain..."

I still think back on Spain and I miss so much about it. My family was amazing and I grew so close to our little twin sisters and had so much good conversation with our host mom. And there's just so much to see in other parts of the world.

But not everything about the trip was good. I say it was the best time of my life but it was also the hardest. It's really hard to be out of community for that amount of time. I was with friends while I was there and there were plenty of other Americans I could (and did) hang out with if I ever needed a break from Spanish and some time to just relax. I even found a great Evangelical church close to my house where I met a lot of awesome Spaniards and Americans alike. I was lucky to be able to go there and be spiritually refreshed in a place that's so spiritually dry! Even with all of these different sources of support and encouragement around me it was a huge struggle. Obviously, there was a continuous language barrier. Although my Spanish has greatly improved I'm still not fluent and no matter how much time I spent with my family there were still communication gaps. I also wasn't around all my close friends all the time who know me and are a part of my daily life. It was hard knowing that my friends were continuing to live their lives and I was missing out on part of it, while at the same time I was living a completely different life in another country that no one who wasn't there would really understand. Also, like I said before, Spain is really spiritually dry. Religion is thought of a lot differently there, and in general, people don't like it. It's seen as a source of manipulation for the purpose of gaining power rather than a loving relationship with the living God. So, even though I know God and I know what He's really like, it's hard to live every day being reminded of the absurdity of faith and all the objections people have against God and Christianity in general.

The challenges were good, though, and because of them I grew in a way I never could have before. I grew in my relationship with God because I dared to face all the objections and doubts that came my way instead of ignoring them. I grew in my own knowledge and awareness of people, other cultures, and my own culture. I learned a lot more Spanish as well! Most of all I learned a lot about myself--things that I like and don't like. It was all a very revealing time.

Anyway, I'm glad to be back in Ohio and I'm finally feeling adjusted to "normal" life again! It's true when they say that it's harder to come back home than it is to leave. But now I'm so glad to be back and I don't plan on leaving for an extended period of time again soon!

I have some more general thoughts on traveling, and another excerpt from my journal that I like and want to share as well:

"...On the last day of my POE class my professor gave each of us copies of the poem 'Ithaca' in English and in Spanish, which he and another student read aloud in class. Reading it now I couldn't help but cry, remembering the journey I've gone on and knowing that there are many more journeys to come. I know that whatever journey I embark on in life I want to enjoy it to the fullest, to soak in everything, to learn all I can. One can't help but learn from traveling. Through it one develops a grater love of life and all it offers. I hope that this thirst to experience more and to learn more is always growing within me. I hope that every journey I make is satisfying, but that it also leaves me wanting more."

Here is a copy of the poem that we read in class that day:

When you start on your journey to Ithaca,
then pray that the road is long,
full of adventure, full of knowledge.
Do not fear the Lestrygonians
and the Cyclopes and the angry Poseidon.
You will never meet such as these on your path,
if your thoughts remain lofty, if a fine
emotion touches your body and your spirit.
You will never meet the Lestrygonians,
the Cyclopes and the fierce Poseidon,
if you do not carry them within your soul,
if your soul does not raise them up before you.

Then pray that the road is long.
That the summer mornings are many,
that you will enter ports seen for the first time
with such pleasure, with such joy!
Stop at Phoenician markets,
and purchase fine merchandise,
mother-of-pearl and corals, amber and ebony,
and pleasurable perfumes of all kinds,
buy as many pleasurable perfumes as you can;
visit hosts of Egyptian cities,
to learn and learn from those who have knowledge.

Always keep Ithaca fixed in your mind.
To arrive there is your ultimate goal.
But do not hurry the voyage at all.
It is better to let it last for long years;
and even to anchor at the isle when you are old,
rich with all that you have gained on the way,
not expecting that Ithaca will offer you riches.
Ithaca has given you the beautiful voyage.
Without her you would never have taken the road.
But she has nothing more to give you.

And if you find her poor, Ithaca has not defrauded you.
With the great wisdom you have gained, with so much experience,
you must surely have understood by then what Ithacas mean.

I love this poem because it has meaning to me now that it never did before. I know the value of traveling as a form of gaining new knowledge, insight and wisdom. But I read this poem with more than just a specific traveling experience in mind. I read it and reflect on all of life as a journey. A journey that is full of pleasure and without fear. I love that this poem reminds me of the importance of enjoying the life I'm living. Also, that it reminds me that I need not fear what's ahead because I will only encounter the Cyclopes and Lestrygonians if I allow myself to raise them up before me. How true this is! I will always have troubles in life, but my problems will always only be as big as I make them. Life is an exciting journey and it has so much to offer if we will only take advantage of it.

Now I continue on with life in Columbus, on the next stage of my journey that never ends!

¡Adiós España! Te quiero.

The best and worst of Spain

2008-12-19T16:15:00.000-08:00

My friend from the U.S. who is also studying in Granada came up with the idea of making a list of likes/dislikes of Spain to remember small things she might otherwise forget. I decided it was a great idea and set out to make my own. Over the past few days I’ve been accumulating lists in my notebook and I wanted to share. So in no particular order, here they are…

I will miss…

my host family!
churros con chocolate
tons of dogs with sweaters (even some with hoods!)
outward display of affection (touchiness, closeness)
3 words: guapa, tía, hombre
pastelarías (pastry shops)
siestas!
narrow streets (easy to get lost in)
hippies everywhere, especially Plaza Nueva
expressiveness in speech
flamenco music
public transportation (bus, metro, train)
free tapas (only in Granada)
Morrocon shops (Granada)
teterias (tea shops in Granada)
los italianos (the best ice cream and gelato shop)
boots (everyone owns boots)
fresh-squeezed orange juice (they don’t serve it any other way)
plazas and fountains
live street music
architecture with character
long daily walks to class
lively night atmosphere
old people out walking everywhere, even at night
dos besos (greeting with 2 kisses)
friends/family members walking arm-in-arm
King Kebab (the best shawarma)
hanging ham legs
sharing opinions openly (saying it how it is)
table heat lamps (very warm red light under the table in the family room in our house)
roasted chestnuts on every street corner
scarves
stealing internet
watching “el duque” with the kids
cheap movie tickets
salsa dancing
green man walking, crosswalk sign
hippies making huge bubbles
dogs waiting for their owners outside mercadona
spending hours in a restaurant
tinto de verano (wine with fanta)
Zara
shoe stores
the history behind everything
the family’s hairdryer on for hours in our house (to warm up the bathroom!)
Maria and Elena riding around the house with their rollerblades
Maria’s impersonations
conversations with Manolo senior (our Spanish padre)
helping the twins with English homework
making home movies
church with the youth
lunch at the campus cafeteria with Spanish friends
relaxed way of life, openness of schedule
nativity scenes of all sizes
mullets (because they’re funny!)
Christmas lights everywhere
botiques
mountains
the lady painted silver who moved
no personal space
Christmas sweets (from the convents)
European fashion
markets/fairs (Christmas, artisan, food, books…)
toasted bread with tomato and olive oil
olive oil on everything!
coffee shops without coffee to go
being surrounded by Spanish
sangria
drinking age=18
clothes hanging out to dry
dried peppers hanging on the side of houses
balconies with flower pots
papa noel hanging from balconies

I won’t miss…

dog poop everywhere! (seriously)
cat-calls from guys on the street
paper-thin walls in the apartments (hearing everything next door…)
cigarette smoke (everyone smokes)
witnessing people making out in public (on street benches…)
small stores with excessive pushing and no “excuse me”
slow costumer service
not having separate checks
payment—stores not having change or credit card services
getting attacked by gypsies with pine leaves
not having a reliable study place open
ham in every type of food
lack of lines (to order or buy something)
sharing opinions openly
limited internet availability
crazy driving (mopeds on sidewalks!)
cold, marble floors in the house
no/limited heat in the house
small shower=lake in the bathroom the floods into the hallway
bad Spanish TV (telanovelas)
the smell of the river (that only exists half the year)
small, dysfunctional elevators (and the awkward silence…)
slippery sidewalks
lack of street signs
construction everywhere (Granada)
endless amounts of tours (with our program—although many were interesting)
unpredictable weather (Granada)
David talking for 5 hours over the bus speaker
evil looks from Spaniards for speaking English
looks for wearing gym/house clothes outside
pressure to always look guapa (pretty).
mullets (because they’re ugly!)
girls with baggy pants and underwear showing (Granada)
lights going out at home because of too much electrical use
no grass (Granada)
stepping in a wet spot and not knowing what it is (water, dog pee…)
water from buildings dripping on your head
beggars/homeless people everywhere
no personal space
almost getting run over by scooters
no free bread in restaurants
solicitors in restaurants
no dryers (for clothes)

And I will be adding to both of these lists as more come to mind. Most of it is more cultural or Spain-specific things, but some have to do with our family too, since they’re such a big part of my time here!

Blogs still to come…
Untold (entertaining) stories.
Reflections at the end of my trip.
differences and similarities between europeans and americans.

A Spanish Thanksgiving.

2008-12-04T04:13:00.000-08:00

It’s been almost a week now since Thanksgiving day. All the families got together in the U.S. to celebrate together, giving thanks for each other and all the delicious food they were able to stuff themselves with that day. Here in Granada it was just another day. Apparently they haven’t heard of Thanksgiving in Spain, I can’t imagine why not. Last Thursday morning my friend turned to me in class and said, “Well this is the first time in our lives we’ve been in class on Thanksgiving,” and it made me sad to realize again that I was so far away from my family on the best American holiday invented. We found our own way to celebrate here in Granada, though.

My program put on a Thanksgiving dinner, but I opted out of that to share dinner with some American missionaries who live right outside of Granada. They lived in Costa Rica 15 years and now they’ve been here for 6 years. I had never met them before, but we have a mutual fried, so they invited me and my roommates over for dinner! Angela and I went, as well as some other people from the church, one girl our age and two other married couples. The dinner was not one bit disappointing and the company made the night the most enjoyable Thanksgiving I think I could have here in Spain. There was an interesting mix of personalities gathered around the table, including a middle-aged Spaniard named Paco, our wine expert and jokester of the night. We passed the time well and enjoyed feasting on authentic American Thanksgiving food, even better than I had hoped for! There were even 4 different types of pies to finish off our dinner: pumpkin (hallelujah!), maple pumpkin, cherry and one other that I can’t remember now. Let’s just say I ate enough food to last me the entire week.

Once we finally got to the point that we couldn’t stuff anymore food down our throats we all moved to the couches in the living room to enjoy each other’s company around a very realistic-looking, crackling fire on the TV screen. A very nice homey touch to a house without a fireplace! It made us warmer just to sit around it, imagining that there was a real fire heating the house up.

I was very sad to leave that night and I realized it had been one of the best nights I had had in Granada. It was a little piece of home in a Spanish setting with some of the most interesting people I’ve met since I’ve been here. It could never be the same as being with my family for Thanksgiving, but I don’t think my Spanish Thanksgiving could have been any better.

me with Peter and Debbie.

Sevilla, 3 cups of Starbucks

2008-12-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving weekend I went on another trip with my program, this time to Sevilla. It was a longer trip; we stayed 2 nights instead of only one like usual, and it was completely worth it! Sevilla is a very charming city, very authentically “Spanish”. Upon arrival I felt like I had entered into a different Spain than the one I was living in in Granada—one more modern but more traditional at the same time. How do I explain that? Well, one day I walked by a group of people carrying around a float practicing for the Christmas parade and the next day I counted a total of 4 Starbucks on a short bike-ride through the city.

Sevilla is the capital of Andalucía (southern Spain) and a city of great historical importance. The great, wide river Guadalquivir balanced out the narrowness of the winding streets which the city was built around. It was a nice change from Granada’s river, which is dried up most of the year! The architecture of all different decades, with styles from the Renaissance to Mudejar (English?), gives the city a romantic, dream-like atmosphere. It was like a dream just to be there, completely magical and beautiful full of history and life. (I would have to say, it has a better night-life than Granada!)

The first night we were there we didn't have time to do much but walk around the city and explore for a bit. However, once we found out there was a Starbucks in Sevilla, we couldn't resist the lure of that familiar smell even one night. I went there with a few friends as soon as we could manage to make it there, and we were satisfied with a fulfilling cup of our favorite American coffee drinks. :-)

excited about Starbucks!

Our first full day was filled with tours until mid-afternoon. What’s a weekend trip with ISA without at least 3 tours, right? They were really enjoyable, although very long. We toured the Cathedral (the 3rd largest in the world, and where Christopher Columbus is buried), the Alcázar (palace-fortress) and the Jewish quarter. We learned so much, but I probably don’t remember even half of it!

After the tours I went to an authentic Cuban restaurant with Angela and Jenna from my program. We were so excited since there are no ethnic restaurants of this type in Granada. And we were not disappointed one bit. The restaurant was full with people waiting to get in the whole time we were there, and we were the only Americans probably in the entire area around the restaurant. All of us ordered several different dishes for us all to share…bread with goat’s cheese and marmalade, fried yucca, fried plantains, and chicken masala (with cous cous). All of it was amazing and we left very full.

After lunch we took a stroll around the city, walked through the market full of hand-made nativity scenes (huge in Spain), did some shopping (H&M!) and then stopped at Starbucks! I know we’re in Spain and we should try to stay away from American things, take advantage of what Spain has to offer while we can…but nothing hits the spot in quite the same way as a good cup of Starbucks coffee. This one was, unfortunately, not as charming as the one I found in Barcelona. It seemed almost like it was out of place there, even though it was full of people. It was good, anyway.

That night we went to a free flamenco show in a hidden but packed bar in the heart of Sevilla. The bar was crowded with Spaniards and tourists alike; but in spite of the tourists, it felt authentically Spanish, which made the show more enjoyable.

We were at the show pretty late, but the next morning Jenna and I got up early to take a bike ride around the city on Sevilla's wonderful rent-a-bikes. We rented bikes from a kiosk stand and then were able to unlock one of our choice from the posts nearby. It took us about a half an hour just to find a ride-able bike! But after trying out several with the chain hanging half-way off, or with a flat tire, or with a broken tire, we were finally successful! We rode along the river until we got to the edge of town, turned around and went the other way up the river and then around through the city. This was one of my favorite things we did while in Sevilla--a nice way to relax while exploring the city at the same time. I wished I could have had more time there!

Jenna and I stopped at the skate park to take some pictures

on our bike ride.

Throughout the rest of the day we went on some more tours which aren't worth mentioning, until we made our final stop at a very unique Spanish restaurant, 100 motaditos. Motaditos are small sandwhiches with a variety of practially any type of Spanish food you could ever want (chorizo, ham, cheese, tortilla, tuna...). They even serve desert motaditos, small bread rolls with pieces of chocolate! We called it the "Spanish s'more" and it was almost just as good as an American s'more (but a baguette just isn't the same as a graham cracker!). It was a typical Spanish place, first of all, because there are no lines to order. Everyone crowds around the counter and kind of buts their way up to the front to put their order in in no particular order. (I've mastered the art of this Spanish system without lines.) Secondly, there are few tables in the restaurant, so most people are standing around eating, with their plates on a small counter on the wall. This seemed so very strange at first, but it's become something I'm used to now, and rather like.

Inside cien motaditos, the people crowded around the counter.

We ended our trip to Sevilla the same way we started it--with a trip to Starbucks! That made it our 3rd trip, and it was just as satisfying as the others. We're proud to be Americans...

Barcelona and a train ride.

2008-11-24T06:01:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was one of the most adventurous and fun weekends I’ve had since I’ve been in Spain. I left for a long-awaited trip to Barcelona Thursday afternoon after a long week of exams. I considered it a sort of celebration after having completed my first week of exams in Spain!

Andrea and I went without agenda, our only purpose to meet up with some of her friends there and enjoy the city together. I did have a few things in mind that I wanted to see, but mostly I wanted to relax and soak everything in. I expected a lot since I had heard so many great things about Barcelona, but my expectations were fully met, even exceeded!

The first thing we did when we arrived Thursday night was meet up with Andrea’s friends, a young married couple from her church back home. We shared a hostel with them while we there, the best place I’ve stayed in throughout all my travels, nice and cozy, set up just like a small apartment. That night we walked around the city a bit before getting dinner and then going to bed to wake up early the next day to explore.

We set out Friday morning without any plans, just walking around to see what Barcelona had to offer. It made me happy just to walk around, experiencing the grandiosity of the city which reminded me of walking around Paris or Madrid—so big that it would be impossible to explore the entire city even in a week. We went to the center of the city where the streets were lined with the most fashionable clothing stores and small, expensive boutiques. It was fun to see it walk around, only window shopping, of course, because I couldn’t afford any of it! As we continued walking we stumbled upon a Dalí museum in the middle of all the shops and I was more than pleased! We looked around there for a while, and then continued shopping throughout the city.

Another exciting discovery, almost at the same level as the Dalí museum, was Starbucks! That day I finally was able to satisfy my craving for a good cup of Starbuck’s chai latte, which I hadn’t had since I came to Spain. It was my first cup of Starbucks in over 3 months, and I was so excited I couldn’t leave without getting a picture! It felt like home just to walk in and smell the familiar smell of bitter coffee grinds and sweet pastries—that smell that sticks to your clothes after leaving the store, the lingering reminder of time well-spent in good conversation with close friends. It made me a bit homesick and really excited to catch up with all my friends when I come home. I noticed in this Starbucks that they served most of the coffee drinks in mugs instead of only paper cups. I think the culture allows for this here more than in America. Spaniards go to a coffee shop expecting to spend a lot of time there without any other agenda. In fact, it’s almost impossible to find a place that serves coffee or other food to go in Spain. I’ve found one, a more Americanized place coffee shop in Granada, that does. But it’s the only one. At first I found this rather inconvenient, but I’ve grown fond of the relaxed way of life here. I think Americans could learn a lot from it.

Starbucks! mi amor.

Anyway, as we continued walking around we encountered bands of almost every style of music in almost every plaza throughout the city. We would stop and listen for a while, watching the old men who danced to the songs that really set their feet a tappin’. The guy in this picture was having lots of fun with the music!

We eventually found our way to La Rambla, the most famous street in Barcelona, which led us to the port at the edge of the city. It was nice to see water, and I wished we could have spent some time on the beach! We walked along the water for a while before making our way back to the center of the city, where we made our final stop at the Cathedral of Barcelona. We walked through and admired one of the prettiest cathedrals I’ve seen in since I’ve been in Spain. (And I’ve been in far too many!)

The port at Barcelona me, Brandon, Regina, Andrea outside of a cathedral

That night we went to a Spanish guitar show in a cathedral and watched an apartently well-known Spanish guitarist play a set of his own version of songs written by others. We went back and forth between staring with our mouths gaping in awe and trying to keep our heads from nodding backward in sleep. It was amazing music, but a little too relaxing!

The next day I got up by myself to see a few more sights while the others slept in. I went to the Sagrada Familia (a cathedral designed by Dahlí which is still being built) and then the Picasso Museum. These were my favorite things to see while we stayed in Barcelona and well worth the lost sleep. :-)

the Sagrada Familia

I met up with the others a little bit later for lunch at a restaurant that took way longer than we expected, and made us anxious with fear of missing our plane back to Granada! We got out of there as soon as we could, ran to our hostel to grab our things, then to the metro, and transfered to the train which finally took us to the airport. We arrived only to find out that our terminal was on the farthest end of the airport and took off running as fast as we could, dragging our luggage and dogging the crowds the entire way. We finally arrived, huffing and puffing like we had just ran a 6-minute mile, only to find out we were 10 minutes too late to recieve our boarding passes (even though our plane was still there), and no amount of convincing would get them into our hands! After we stood around frustrated for a while, contemplating all of our options (maybe we could take off for Paris for a day...?) we finally decided on an overnight, 12-hour train ride back to Granada. Ironically, this turned out to be one of the most fun experiences of the trip!

Since the train was overnight, we decided to get our own room with four beds so we would be able to sleep. We saw this as a new and exciting experience for all of us, taking an optomistic view on our misfortune with the plane. It turned out to be even more fun than we expected! We bought snacks to take with us to make it through the night, watched a movie on Brandon's iMac and finally decided to make a movie of our own! We made it a horror movie and turned Brandon into a creepy conductor and us 3 girls into the ditzes of the typical horror film. I adopted a British accent to add something a little different to the video. It turned out to be a pretty profesional-looking film after Brandon edited it on his computer and we all enjoyed it (even though I tragically died in the end of the film). We finally decided to go to bed at about 5 a.m. before arriving in Granada at 8! If you have facebook, you can view the video online, but I'll try and figure out how I can get it on here too...

on the train!
The entire trip was certainly an adventure we will never forget! I know for sure that whenever I come back to Spain I will definitely take another trip up to Barcelona. It now ranks as one of the top favorite cities I've ever visited. :-)

look at more pictures: www.picasaweb.google.com/kyla.snow

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2008-11-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to catch some of the Christmas spirit in Granada. The weather is finally cold (relatively speaking--Ohio is much colder right now). Christmas candies are beginning to be displayed in grocery stores, snowflakes are hanging from the ceiling in El Corte Ingés, Christmas lights are slowly going up around every tree in Granada, and roasted chestnuts are for sale on almost every street corner. It reminds me of home and makes me very, very happy. :-) I'm excited to see what Christmas really looks like here and the day slowly approaches. Apparently Papa Noel (Santa Claus) isn't very famous in Spain, although he's becoming somewhat popular...I haven't seen one house with a chimney, so I'm not sure how the tradition would work here. Instead, they decorate with nativity scenes and images of the Three Kings. Our family said there would be both of these in our house around Christmas time. In fact, instead of dressing up like Papa Noel people dress up like the Three Kings! I'm really interested to see that. I've heard rumors of a Christmas festival beginning in a couple weeks in a famous plaza in Granada, where they will sell everything Christmas--food, ornatments, nativity scenes--for the whole month of December. I'm so excited for everything going on here as Christmas slowly approaches! I haven't heard any Christmas music yet, but I'm really curious to know what that sounds like in Spanish.

It was nice to come back to Granada and feel a little bit of the Christmas season after a nice Fall weekend in the mountains. I spent this weekend with the ISA group in a region of the Sierra Nevada mountains called Las Alpujarras. The Alpujarras is made up of several small towns high up in the Sierra Nevadas, and many tourists visit all the time to hike through the mountain terrain surrounding the towns. The bulidings in the towns were all white, so walking through them felt a bit like walking through Greece, or what I think walking through Greece would feel like since I haven't actually been there. We stayed in one of the towns for 2 days and walked through two others which are close by, and the trip consisted mainly of a couple 3-4 hour guided hikes through the mountains with ample time to relax and enjoy the scenery. The mountains were absolutely beautiful and I felt satisfied finally getting to experience a little bit of the fall season, which I'm so sad to be missing in Ohio. All the leaves were turning and glowed orange, red and yellow against the bright green grass of the mountainside, and the little towns were like globs of white paint splattered in the middle of the grenery. The mornings were cold but the afternoons were warm, and we all were unexpectedly hot during our hikes. The weather was even warmer than Granada, which is strange for how close we were to the snow-capped mountains! It was a trip filled with good conversation, beautiful scenery and lots of relaxation--definitely on of my favorite trips with the group (although now my legs are feeling those hikes)!

Now I'm back in Granada and finally starting midterm exams for my classes. They kind of caught me off gaurd and reminded me that I'm actually taking classes here...I thought this was just vacation! I've been kind of stressed out about them, not knowing what to expect on an exam in another country and just really nervous about trying to remember all that I'm learning. I've said before that my classes are pretty easy here, which is true as far as work-load goes, but at the same time I'm learning a ton of information! I realized that this weekend when I had to start studying for my exams...

Well I need to get ready for my next class. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of Las Alpujarras because I forgot my camera! But hopefully I'll get some from other people and be able to post them for everyone to see what it looked like. I do have other pictures up of other places in Spain, though. They're all on www.picasaweb.google.com/kyla.snow.

Hasta Luego.

Loving Spain and Missing Ohio

2008-11-04T15:14:00.000-08:00

I'm writing this blog now without knowing what I really want to write about. I don't know why I'm still up when I have class tomorrow, but I just don't feel like going to bed. I'm really sad for some reason, really missing everyone and everything back home. I'm loving my time here, but I still get random "waves" of homesickness, like right now, when all I want is to be at home with a really close friend talking and sipping a cup of coffee (in Starbucks!). I just want to be with someone who knows me well in a familiar place where I can feel completely comfortable.

In spite of homesickness, the past week has been really awesome and I've made some good connections with a lot of people here. The past weekend I want on a retreat in the mountains of Malaga with some of the youth from the church I've been going to here. There were probably about 50 of us there, so I got to know a lot of people I didn't before. The weekend was filled with less teachings and more time to relax and hang out, to get to know each other--typical Spanish style, right? They really know how to have fun with each other just hanging out, doing nothing in particular. It's nice not to have a strict schedule all the time like I'm used to back home. Time seems to go slower here because of that, and it reminds me that the most important thing is not what I'm doing, but the relationships I'm forming. The theme for the weekend was "Atrevete" which means "dare yourself" or "challenge yourself," and the teachings were focused on living your life to the fullest, being who Christ made you to be. It was good, and I think fitting for me, considering all the ways I've changed just since I've been in Granada. I guess that's what this whole trip has been about--changing to be more like the person God made me to be. Of course this is always hard but worth it! Overall, the weekend was really fun and refreshing, and like any retreat, complete with a talent show! A 3-hour long talent show at that. After that we had a dance party till about 4 in the morning. I don't know how they always stay up so late here. It was definitely a fun night though! I'm in the mountains there in the picture to the left.

So, what else have I been doing....Hanging out in Granada a lot, getting to know the city better, exploring places I haven't seen before and revisiting favorite spots. My favorite thing is just to walk around because there are so many hidden, interesting places in Granada. I always find something new! A few days ago as I was walking around shopping I walked by a store filled with Christmas decorations and it made me really happy but really sad I wasn't in Ohio experiencing the holidays there! Last weekend I was on the retreat over Halloween--not that they really celebrate it much here anyway--and I won't be traveling with my family to Missouri like usual for Thanksgiving. Our program is hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for us since we'll all be missing our families and the plates full of food so much! I think Angela, Andrea and I are going to attempt to cook some good American Thanksgiving food for our family, which I'm really excited about! We'll see how our cooking turns out...haha.

Speaking of cooking, we're planning on making homemade American brownies this weekend with our Senora, which I'm stoked about. :-) I really can't believe how close I'm becoming with this family, especially our madre and hermanita Elena. She calls herself my shadow or "mini-kyla" and she makes my heart melt! I'm not as close with her twin sister Maria, but she cracks me up! She loves imitating people, especially her teachers, which is always great entertainment for us. Earlier tonight she put on an "espectacular" for us, imitating a famous singer here and her music teacher from school. It makes me smile just to think of her with her mom's glasses on the end of her nose, her arms spread wide as if conducting a choir, singing out of key "Mariiiiiia es...la madre de Jesus y mía también...." We couldn't get enough of it, and our laughter only spurred her on more. I love our family! haha. There's a picture of her to the right, doing her imitations.

I should get going since I have class tomorrow morning! Noooo! I guess tomorrow morning I'll also know the results of the election...some friends are going to a place in Granada to watch the results live until the morning, but I don't think I would be able to take it. I'm really nervous just thinking about it! This reminds me of another topic I need to post a blog about later--the difference between Americans and Europeans and how they view America and so on. That will be a really long blog, so I'll do that in a few days.

Hasta luego. Os quiero todos! Os echo de menos mucho.

Just another day in Granada

2008-10-29T07:29:00.000-07:00

After weeks of travels all over Europe and beyond, we're finally getting settled back into daily life in Granada. Traveling was fun, but it feels good to be back "home" for a while. The weather is (finally!) cooling down and leaves are turning so that I feel like I’m not all that far from my home during my favorite time of year in Ohio.

This is the fourth week of our semester classes and I’m learning a lot. I’m starting to actually get homework, which I have mostly avoided up until this point! Helping the kids with their English homework is more fun for me than doing my own. :-) Still, I hardly have homework compared to what I have in Ohio. I like my classes for the most part. I'm currently taking Spanish Art History: Baroque to the present, Islamic culture and civilization, Spanish 20th century lit, Latin American Lit and a speaking/writing required class. They're going well, but it's definitely a challenge to sit through 2 hours of a lecture class in Spanish writing notes the entire time! I guess it's good practice...

Really, the best part about taking classes here is getting to SEE all that I'm learning, right in front of me. Last weekend we took a trip to Córdoba, another city in Andalucía, and visited one of the most famous mosques in Spain. I absolutely loved this visit because I got to see the reality of everything I'm learning in my Islamic culture and my art history classes in one. It makes the hours of note-writing in class worth it!

I'm still amazed at everything that I've been able to see while I've been here. However, even though I've been able to see and do so much, I think when I look back on this trip my best memories will be the simple conversations I enjoy with my madre at the kitchen table. I learn so much from her every time we talk and she has been an amazing blessing to me since I’ve been here, in ways I don’t think she’ll ever know. We talk about anything from what’s going on in our lives to current events going on in the world, from what food she made that day for lunch to love and faith. And she’s so full of never-ending hugs, kisses, and “hola guapas” that you always feel better just to be around her. Especially when homesickness comes around. I’m surprised it still comes and goes—I thought I certainly wouldn’t be homesick by now! Being around my family and the friends I’ve made here helps...

I want to write a brief summary of everything I’m learning, but I can’t. I don’t know how to sum it all up. I learn so much every day through my family, my classes, my friends, my trips and so on. All I can really say that my view of the world and my life has completely changed, but I'm not sure I can explain how, because I'm not sure I really know yet! I feel like a completely different person already, and I'm excited for all that I still have left to learn and grow during the two months I have left here.

I did have a dream last night that I returned home to my house on campus and I was sad! Not the reaction I would have expected to have, because right now I feel like I'll be so excited to return. But that must be a good sign that I'm really making Granada my home. I talked to one of my ISA advisers today and told me that it's usually harder to return home than it is to leave!

Anyway, nothing too excited has happened here lately. It's just normal life in Granada. The most exciting things I've been up to lately:

Last Friday night I went to a Discoteca, called Mae West, for the first time. A discoteca is a dance club where all the Spaniards go to hang out on the weekends, most people arriving around 2 or 3 and staying until 6 in the morning! It's a crazy life they live here, and I cannot keep up with it! I had fun, but I was really to leave much earlier than 6.

Earlier that day I got my hair cut (yay!) It was a challenge explaining how I wanted my hair cut in Spanish, but I practice on my madre before I went, to make sure I had the vocab down. It went well!

Something to look forward to this weekend is the campamento (retreat) I’m going on with the group of jóvenes (the youth) from the church. We’re taking a bus to the mountains right outside of Málaga, about 45 minutes away from Granada, where we will stay for 2 nights and two days doing who knows what…All the people I’ve met at the church are so fun so I’m excited to get to know them better through this. We shall see what happens!

Well, I'm off to do some homework now! Hasta luego...

More Pictures

2008-10-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

some more pictures!
I'm working on loading the rest still, but check there again from time to time to see the rest.

The boy without a smile.

2008-10-21T12:51:00.000-07:00

I separated this story from the rest of my Morocco blog because that was already getting too long. But I wanted to post this for anyone who was interested in reading about one of the most profound experiences I had on the trip and how it affected me. If you haven’t read about the Morocco trip yet, read the blog below first.

We knew that on the way back from the desert we would be stopping to give food and clothes to poor people in the area, so we all had something prepared to give. Eventually we stopped along the side of the road where some people had built their own houses out of branches and some blankets. Here we all walked off the buses to give to them whatever we had to give. I remember as I walked off the bus at this stop the first thing I saw was a 6-year old boy standing there with a blank look on his face, staring at all the students walking off the bus. I attempted a smile, but then stopped because I couldn’t. I couldn’t smile at him because it felt wrong in that moment. I realized I could never understand his life and he could never understand mine. I would never understand what it would be like to live with so little and he would never understand living with so much. It hurt my heart to see him standing there so helpless and so hopeless, knowing that I could do nothing for him but offer a few juice boxes and some bread. I couldn’t stand to look at him, and looked away to add my small offering to the growing pile of gifts for the people.

That moment reminded me of the many blessings I have, and although it’s not wrong to enjoy my blessings, I should be more thankful for them than I am. What is it that separates me from that boy and the rest of the people who live there? Why was I born into a family of wealth while he was born into a family with nothing? There’s nothing special I did to have the things I have and I’m not any better than him for having more. Some are born with a lot and some are born with nothing, and such is life. It hurt me that I could really do nothing for him, that he would drink the juice and eat the bread and go on living again with nothing. What hurt me the most, though, was the hopeless look on his face. I wanted him to know that there’s something more. That even if he has nothing in this life, he does have something. That even if he did have things, they would all fade away, but the one thing that wouldn’t is Jesus. I wish I would have done something to communicate that to him now, but I was shocked in that moment. I didn’t know how to respond. But I know that anything is bearable in this life with Jesus, and I wanted him to have that hope.

Anyway, if nothing else, I walked away from this experience more thankful for my blessings than before. Although I think it’s unfair that he was born with so little and I with so much, I have to go on living my life and allow myself to enjoy the things that I have. But I hope I never forget this encounter and the way it made me feel, so that I can always remember it when I begin to take things for granted.

It’s raining in the Sahara

2008-10-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

Not just raining, storming. At least it was when I was there, camped out in the middle of the sand dunes of Morocco. It was an adventure unlike any other in a country unlike any other.

I was in Morocco 6 days last week, from Friday to Wednesday, with about 90 other students from my study abroad program. The 90 students were not only from Granada, but also from Madrid and Salamanca, so I knew less than half the people going on the trip with me. All the Granada people, still half asleep, crammed on a bus at 4 a.m. Friday morning and headed for the ferry at the Straight of Gibraltar where we would meet the other students and cross over to Morocco. This is where the first adventure began.

As we pulled up to the ferry station our director warned us over the bus intercom that the ferry ride might be a little rougher than usual since it was raining. What we had once thought would be a relaxing ride across the straight turned out to be a life-threatening experience reminiscent of the Titanic. Do I exaggerate? Maybe. But all I remember from that ride is the sound of glass clanking together, dishes crashing, and the many requests over the intercom to “please remain seated for safety reasons” as the boat bounced and crashed against the turbulent waves and I sat clutching my seat, staring out the window and high off Dramamine. Needless to say, we were all relieved to get off that ferry! We found out afterward that our boat was the last to cross that day before it shut down due to bad weather. We considered ourselves fortunate that we made it alive to Morocco.

Once we made it across the straight we had to sit in the bus for a couple hours while we waited to cross the border. When we finally got across (hallelujah!) we had another 8-hour bus ride ahead of us to the city of Fez. We got there that night, slept soundly, then woke up early the next day to tour the city.

Fez is a city unlike any other I’ve seen. The Moroccan streets in the Albayzin of Granada are somewhat resemble the look of Fez, but certainly not the atmosphere. We split up into 3 groups of about 30 people and walked around the narrow and chaotic streets of Fez on a guided tour. It was almost impossible to hear anything the tour guide said. The streets are very narrow and busy. Everywhere you walk there is someone selling someone to you and about every 5 minutes you have to move out of the way for a man walking a donkey or pushing a barrel through the streets. The smell is one thing I won’t forget. From every place came a different smell—from the donkeys, the shops, the trash on the streets…Morocco is a place of many smells, for better or for worse. The smell I will remember the most came from the tannery.

The tannery was my favorite place we visited in Fez, but probably the smelliest place I’ve ever been. To get to the tannery we entered a leather shop, grabbed some mint leaves and climbed up some windy stairs where we could observe the tannery from the roof. Immediately we were struck by the smell. I started gagging and pushed the mint leaves as close to my nose as possible and tried to pay attention to the tour guide telling us about the method of making leather. Although it was smelly, it was interesting and I loved to watch the people down below, working with the animal skins, curing them in the giant holes in the ground. We finally went back down and escaped the smell and looked around the leather store, then left to see more interesting sights.

Other interesting places we visited that day were a an old house converted into a carpet store, a pharmacy full of natural products for any purpose you would desire, and a hand-made pottery shop. It was a full day and it was nice to return to the hotel to rest for a bit before going out again that night.

After dinner in the hotel all 90 of us ventured out again to a music and dance show in Fez. It was a fun but very touristy spot. The music was fun and the belly dancers were fun to watch, and it allowed a time for all of us to loosen up a bit and get to know each other better.

The next day in Morocco was another long bus ride to the southern part of the country where we would camp out in the desert two nights. This was definitely my favorite part of the trip. We rode the bus all day and arrived at a hotel around 5 p.m., where we then took split up into small groups to ride jeeps into the sand dunes of the Sahara.

When we finally go there that night we were in for a surprise. We couldn’t see what it looked like at the time because it was dark out. We walked out on the dunes anyway, after settling into our smelly camel-skin tents, to enjoy the fresh air and chat with the Berbers who live there. I was sitting on a dune with 2 other girls talking when suddenly the wind picked up and created a sand storm! We turned our backs to shield ourselves, thinking it would pass in a moment, but we soon had to battle it out and run to our tent when we realized it was turning into a thunderstorm! By the time we got to the ten everything was wet because, of course, the tents weren’t made to handle rainstorms in the middle of the desert. But we bundled up and finally fell asleep that night under the rain, embracing the moment as an opportunity to build character.

The next day was my favorite of the trip. We woke up to the sun shining, only partially wet, and ready to ride our camels! We all wrapped our turbans around our heads and hoped on our camels which we road about a mile through the dunes. I rode on one with another girl named Sabina, and we were accompanied by a young Berber boy, walking alongside us and making small talk in Spanish. Even though they’ve never been to school a day of their lives, all the Berbers know at least 3 languages, simply from talking with tourists! After we road our camels for a while we got off by a humongous sand dune, which we climbed up to enjoy the view and then sled down. I managed a successful ride down the hill, without taking a sand dive! After a little time there we got back on the camels and rode to a nearby village in the middle of the desert.

In the village we walked around talking to the kids there before we visited another typical Moroccon shop. The kids there were timid as we passed out candy to them, but they followed us around the entire day after that. It was mostly boys walking around with us because the women are to stay in the house all day where their work is done. In fact, we hardly saw any women the entire trip, even in the cities. I only saw one woman in the desert, and a couple of small girls.

We visited this town and one other and ended our day with a dance party in the food tent, the Berbers playing music for us and teaching us their crazy dances. It was a blast. That night it rained again, but we were prepared this time. Even though we didn’t get to see the amazing starry sky of the desert, we had our own unique experience battling the rainstorms at night. It was definitely an adventure I will never forget.

The next day we took the jeeps through the flooded streets back to the hotel, where we hopped on the bus yet again for another long ride up north to Meknes. I was disappointed that we arrived in Meknes so late, because we didn’t actually get to see much of the city. By the time we arrived there I was too tired to walk around much, so I didn’t really see it at all.

The next day was our trip back home, and we were all very relieved that for this ferry ride it was not raining! I was so happy to arrive back at my home sweet home in Granada, where I had more than a hole in the ground for a toilet and I could eat endless amounts of fruits and vegetables without getting sick. Although I loved the Morocco trip, it was one that made me appreciate what I have so much more.

Backpacking through Europe and beyond.

2008-10-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

I know I haven’t updated this in a while, but no need to worry, I am still alive and breathing in Spain! I have been on many adventures in the past couple weeks and I haven’t had much access to a computer while I’ve been away. From September 26th to October 6th I backpacked around Europe with some friends since we had a break from classes in Spain. Then, I came back, started my first 2 days of my semester classes, then left again for Morocco on a trip with my program from October 10th through the 15th. All of my trips have been so amazing, and I’ve had so many experiences that I never expected to have at all in my life. I feel so fortunate for everything I’ve been able to do, and I’ve learned so much through everything I’ve seen! Here’s a short summary of everything I did in all the places I went.

Paris, September 26-29
I traveled through Europe with 3 other girls—Andrea, Angela, and Amen—and our first stop was the beautiful city of Paris. Paris was one of my favorite places we visited. The city was absolutely amazing. It was beautiful, grand, fashionable and everything else you would imagine Paris being. The first night there we took a guided 4-hour bike tour through the city where we saw some of the main attractions, ate the best ice cream in Paris, and ended with an hour boat ride through the city of lights. The rest of our time there we crammed in all the sightseeing we could. We toured the Notre Dame cathedral, Saint Chapelle, and the Louvre. We walked the beautiful and famous street Champ de Elysees from the Louvre to the Arc de Triumphe, hung out at Trocadero Square, went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and even did a little bit of shopping. How could you not in Paris? I absolutely loved it and I can’t wait to return, hopefully sometime soon!

Switerland, September 30-October 2
Our next stop was Switzerland where we met up with another friend of ours from ISA, Elizabeth. We flew into Geneva, and just finding our way to the hostel that night was an adventure in itself, but we got there safely and were able to check in that night, even though I had accidentally made reservations for another night! The next day we walked around the city, which was very relaxed and quiet, quiet a change of pace from Paris. There’s not too much to see in Geneva, but we saw the major spots, including the tallest fountain in the world, the famous flower clock and the wall of reformation. Quiet an exciting day! My favorite thing in Geneva was the park around the wall of reformation with giant chess and checker boards painted on the ground. The chess pieces are so big they almost reach up to your waist. All the old men were out for some intense games of chess, and we enjoyed our very intense game of checkers as well. That night we took a train to my favorite city in Switzerland, Interlaken.
Interlaken is, without a doubt, the most beautiful place in the world that I have visited. It’s a city in-between and right next to the Alps. I can’t even begin to describe the beauty and tranquility of the Alps. The grandeur is something that has to be experienced to be understood. I’m almost certain I will make another trip out there during my life. Sadly, we really only had a day there, but it was my favorite day of our entire trip through Europe. We almost attempted riding scooters up to a hiking trail in the Alps, but then when we tested them out at the rental place, and the lady started talking to us about insurance, and we realized we would probably die if we rode them up there, we chose to take the bus instead. So, we took a bus to the train station, a train up to the alps, then a trolley up higher, and then hiked back down. Unfortunately, we didn’t time our trip well and ended up finishing our hike, walking down a steep mountain for at least a half hour in pitch darkness! Thankfully, we all made it alive, and it is definitely an experience we will never forget!

Rome, October 2-5
Our next stop was the amazingly historic and amazingly dirty city of Rome. I have mixed feelings about Rome. I loved it and hated it at the same time. Maybe hate is too strong of a word. I just found it somewhat depressing. I loved all the history we encountered in the city. Rome is a place I have always wanted to visit simply because of it's history. I was so odd that everywhere we walked around we saw remains of what the city once was. It felt to me like Rome wasn't really much more than a memory, that the city that exists now is something the people don't care about that much. At least that's how it seems with the trash lining every street and the scribbled grafitti on literally every building. It was quiet a shock from clean and pristine Switzerland. Despite all of this, I loved seeing what I saw in Rome. It was so amazing that after all this time, pieces of the old city remain, and we actually got to see it! Two places that I've wanted to see my entire life, the sisteen chapel and the colosseum, I saw. We toured these two places as well as St. Peter's Basilica, the Roman Forum, and Pantheon Hill. We also took our own walking tour of the city and got to see many other historic sights, including Trevi Fountain, probably the most beautiful and most touristy spot in Rome. The only two things I regret not being able to see are the Pantheon and the Spanish steps. But we did a lot for only 2 full days in Rome! We took one of the nights to enjoy ourselves at an Italian restaurant and a busy square. the food was good, but I have to admit I was a little disappointed after hearing as many excellent things about it that I did. It just didn't meet my expectations. All in all, our time in Rome was very fun and I wouldn't change a thing.

Venice, October 5-6
Venice was the perfect place to end our backpacking trip. By the time we made it there, all the clothes we brought along with us in our tiny backpacks were getting a little smelly, and most of us were more than ready to return to Spain. But Venice was amazing, and so unlike any other city we visited on our trip. I guess no city was like the next, though, so that doesn't really say a lot. Venice, like every other city, was beautiful, and a very relaxing way to end our trip. I think our hostel was part of the reason it was so great. It used to be the living residence of one of the overseers of the city, so it had an antique feel to it. It was beautifully decorated, and very peaceful, like a haven from the rest of the world. We didn't realize it was an all-girls hostel until we got there, and this was a nice change from our co-ed room in our hostel in Rome. Meals were served with everyone together in the dining room siting at one long table, and during these times we met so many other interesting travelers. It was so homey feeling! We explored the city for a day, walking to so many small shops that were everywhere in Venice. We ate lunch out during the day and at night visited San Marco's square and rode a water taxi around Venice. After that, it was kind of sad to leave Venice, but I was ready to return to Spain.

I loved that when I returned to Spain it felt like I was returning home. I guess that means Granada is actually becoming another home for me. It feels good to be settled here.
I tried posting pictures today so that you could see them as you read about my trip, but yet again, they weren't working!! I'm so frustrated. But, I will try again tomorrow so you can see them as soon as possible. I'm retiring from writing for today, but tomorrow when I post my pictures, I'll post another blog about my trip to Morocco!
I hope all is well and I miss you all so much! I only have about 2 months left to go, so I'll be seeing you all again soon!

Church in Spain

2008-09-24T10:06:00.000-07:00

Iglesia.

This Saturday night Angela, Andrea and I went back to the church we went to the week before. Saturday night is the service for the youth, so we were able to meet a lot of young people around our age. The service was amazing and I was so proud of myself that I understood almost every single thing the preacher said. Really understood it. I love that feeling! Afterward we all went out for pizza and ice cream. Everyone there was so nice and it was such a fun night. I met so many awesome people and got to practice a lot of Spanish! I think this week we’re going to help them out with some cleaning around the church to prepare for some classes they have this weekend.

God in another country.

Even though I’ve only been to the church here a couple times, it has been such a blessing to me already. I love experiencing Jesus in places other than America. I think it's really something you have to experience for yourself to understand. When there are so many things that divide two cultures, there is always one thing that unites all, and that's Jesus. Meeting so many Christians here has made me feel even more united with other believers around the world, and it has strengthened my faith so much. Even though we're so different we know the same God; the same spirit lives in each of us. It’s easy to think about this and know this is true when I’m at home in Ohio, but being here in Spain makes that true to me in a different way. But it’s just so apparent by the way my friends at church talk, think, and live their lives that we truly are all friends with, and have been changed by, the same God.

Buenos amigos.

Attending this church and meeting all these people makes me so sad to think that my time here has just begun, but in reality it’s a quarter of the way completed! I wish I could stay here longer to perfect my Spanish even more, and to get to know the people even more. Getting to know people, and being involved in more organizations that are actually a part of Granada, makes this place seem even more like a home. I’m so thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had and for all the wonderful people God has placed in my life while I’ve been here!

To read more updates, check out the blog below that I just posted yesterday, too!

caca de perros and so on.

2008-09-23T10:15:00.001-07:00

If I wasn’t before, I am now so much in love with Granada, that I wish I could stay here forever! Well, maybe not forever, but at least a year. Already, one month is over and I only have 3 left to go! So much has happened, but I'll spare you from every detail. Here are a few highlights/thoughts about my time here this past week:

Intercambios or speed dating?

Last Tuesday we finally got to meet with our intercambios (language partners)! The point was to meet some Spaniards who we could regularly meet with and practice speaking Spanish and English with each other throughout the week. The entire ISA group (about 36 students) met together on Tuesday night at Plaza Nueva in Granada. As we waited to meet with the group of Spaniards, rumors circulated that this meeting would be more like speed-dating than anything, us moving from table to table and making small talk until we found the right match; and this appeared to be true, as more and more Spanish chicos showed up! Apparently we were all to go to a local tea shop and mix and mingle with everyone there. Eventually, our large group of nervous students wandered to the tea place and filled every seat in the basement. I was happy that I ended up seated in between two girls, which is exactly what I wanted. I was more interested in making friends than trying to hook up with a random Spanish guy (some of which are un poco creepy--as in just wanting to hang out with the american girls)! The evening went well, and it turned out not to be anything like speed dating (to my relief), and I ended up making a wonderful new friend, who I’m meeting again tomorrow for lunch! J

Caca de perros.

On a side note, one thing that I don’t like about Granada is the caca de perros (dog poop) lining every street! I guess owners don’t clean up after their dogs here. It’s interesting that dogs are so well-behaved here. I’ve seen many waiting for their owners outside grocery stores, never tied up. I’ve only seen a few dogs on leashes here, and many wander around on their own without much guidance from their owners. It’s interesting. They're more like people than pets, and it seems like they have their own interesting lives that doesn’t actually revolve around their owners!

Also, everyone here smokes. I feel like I should, too, to be a true Spaniard. In fact, some girls from another program did start smoking so they could fit in a little more with the culture. haha. I don't think I would go that far to be Spanish! I think I'll just settle for the second-hand smoke that drifts into my room every night when I sleep.

Gazpacho and paella.

I finally tried gazpacho a few days ago, and I’m not so sure what I think about it. I had never tried it in the states, so I have nothing to compare it to. It was homemade by my señora, the amazing cook. It was a cold, thick vegetable drink, very rich in flavor. I mostly tasted the tomatoes, but there were many types of vegetables in it. I could only drink a little bit because I feel like my taste-buds aren’t accustomed to that type of flavor. Andrea commented that it would be really good salad dressing. J

Also, my señora finally made the paella that she had been talking about since the first day we arrived. I was dying to try it! And it did not disappoint. It’s an amazing rice and seafood dish typical of Spain and I think I could eat it every day. Check out the picture.

Trips to come.
I only have a few more days left in the intensive month class--thank goodness! It is pretty boring, although I really am learning a lot. I take a final exam Friday morning and then leave late that night for a 10-day trips to various cities in Europe (!) with Andrea and Angela, and 1 or 2 other girls from our program. Our travels will take us first to Paris, then Geneva and Interlaken in Switzerland, and then Rome and Venice in Italy. It's a lot of cities, but we have all 10 days roughly planned out to make the most of our time in each city. When we return we have one free day to recoup, the first two days of semester classes, and then I leave again for a trip to Morocco with other ISA students! I'm unbelievably excited for this trip--especially our journey to the desert on camels where we will spend two nights in tents! I really cannot believe I get to do all these things while I'm here. I just hope I can make the most of every opportunity, and every day I have in Spain and elsewhere.

I know this update is so long, but at the same time it is so short! I feel like I could go on forever about my trip and all we've done, but I'll stop here. Until next time...

interesting weekend

2008-09-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

This weekend was very unexpectedly fun. I had nothing planned, but plans made themselves.

Friday night I went with some friends to a big music festival held in Granada anually. What an event! Upon first entering the festival, it appeared more like a fair than a music concert. There was cotton candy, churros and chocolate, and bumper cars. It seemed almost like I was at a fair in the U.S. but much smaller. In another section, accross a parking lot, was the music stage with a huge crowed of people gathered around it. It was crazy! Apparently this isn't the kind of festival you go to sober. This became apparent as I walked to the stage, through a parking lot full of small groups of people getting so drunk and high they didn't know what was going on. Needless to say, it was an interesting experience. I pushed through the crowd to get somewhat close to the stage, but feared getting beer spilled on me if I went too far into the crowed. Angela and I only stayed there for about 10 minutes and decided maybe we should come back when we're drunk (which means never). In spite of this, I'm really glad I got to experience the biggest music festival in Granada. The music sounded awesome, so I wish I would have been able to enjoy it more.

The next day we slept in late and then made random plans with some Spaniards Andrea had met at a kareoke (sp?) bar a few nights before. Angela, Andrea and I got coffee with them so we could practice spanish with them and help them with their english. They invited us to play soccer in the Sierra Nevadas afterward so we couldn't pass this up! We were the only girls, and all of us were horrible at soccer but it was a fun adventure! The mountains were beautiful and we stayed up there until sunset. It was a fun day and a great opportunity to practice Spanish and learn more colloquial language. My name that day was 'Karla,' because 'Kyla' is too hard for Spaniards to pronounce!

That night ee planned on going to a bar to watch the OSU football game at 2 am, but after everything we were too tired! So I still don't know who won...

This morning the 3 of us went to an evangelical church close to our house. We had no idea what it would be like, but we had happened to see it the first week we came and decided to check it out. I'm glad we did because we had an amazing time there! Everyone was so nice and so welcoming. It was a very small and intimate atmosphere, with a congregation of about 150 people. Worship was lively and fun, and we sang some familiar songs from church at home (which were fun to hear in Spanish), and some that I had never heard of. After worship all the guests had to stand up and introduce themselves to the whole congregation! It wasn't too intimidating since there were about 10 other new people. We met a few students from the U.S. and some other Spaniards our age who go there. After today, I already feel like this church is a home to me. It was so easy to talk to the people and we hung out with them for a while after the service. Every Sunday a lot of the youth have lunch together, so I'm looking forward to getting to know people better through that. I feel so blessed to make my home there and I'm praying that all three of us will be able to become active and contributing members of the church while we're here.

This is all I have time to write not, but I could really go on forever. My time here has been amazing so far and I'm looking forward to everything that is to come.

day to day life

2008-09-10T07:15:00.000-07:00

Well, now I've been away from home for a little over two weeks. It feels like so much longer! Homesickness comes and goes, but overall I'm enjoying my time here. I suppose the first few weeks are the hardest as we're getting accustomed to the way of life here. It's similar in a lot of ways, but obviously very different. My uncle e-mailed me a couple days ago and asked if it's difficult to be immersed in another culture, and I answered yes, without any hesitation, it is very difficult! Sometimes I think about the fact that I still have 4 more months ahead of me, and I can't imagine being away from home that much longer! It's mostly simple things that I miss. For instance, convinience stores, driving a car, and a shower bigger than a 2x2 box and with almost unlimited supplies of hot water. Also, living 5 minutes away from campus (it's a 30 minute walk to school every day here!) It's also very frustrating not being able to express all that I want to say in Spanish. I can't wait until it comes easily and I don't have to think so hard about everything I'm saying. But every day it gets easier and that gives me hope that finally at the end of my trip this will pay off!

Most of all, I miss my friends and family. Yesterday's lunchtime became a little emotional when our madre, Torcua, started talking to us about the heart of a mother, and how wonderful our mothers are to us. We couldn't help but get teary-eyed, thinking of our own mothers at home, and us here without them. I miss you, mom! Torcua is so wonderful and understanding and wants to make sure we feel as comfortable as possible while we're here and away from our family. She insists that, while she can't replace our mothers at home, she is our mother while we are here. She's told us several times that if we're sick, she'll bring us food in bed, and if we need a shoulder to cry on, her's is available. She says every time students leave she cries and cries because she becomes so attached to them as if they were her own children! Honestly, I don't think we could have been placed with a better family, and I'm so thankful for the blessing they are to us, especially while we're away from the comfort of our own homes.

Despite the fact that I just explained all the reasons this trip is hard, I really am enjoying it! There are so many things I'm looking forward to in the next month. After the intensive month ends I'm travelling with some friends to Paris, Geneva, Rome and Venice. Then we come back we start our semester classes and two days later I leave for Morocco for 5 more days! After that, who knows? The possibilities are endless...

Right now I'm just getting used to day-to-day life in Spain. Wake up, go to class, go home, eat lunch, siesta time, free afternoon of anything, eat dinner, and then sleep. It's pretty normal life. Sometimes so normal that I foget I'm living in Spain! Anyway, I miss all of you at home and can't wait to see you again!
I miss you and love you mom, dad, and kate!

Hasta luego.

New Pictures here

2008-09-09T10:10:00.001-07:00

New Pictures!

Pictures!

2008-09-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

I posted some pictures on flickr.com. I've never used this before, but this was the only way I could get them to work. So, I hope you can see them! Check them out here:
http://flickr.com/photos/30162835@N02/sets/
I also have the link under my picture on in the sidebar on the right.

Life in Granada

2008-09-04T04:32:00.000-07:00

After being in Granada for a few more days, we're beginning to grow accustomed to the way of life here. Classes have begun, and everyday we rise early to walk 30 minutes to the school for our four-hour Spanish class. September is called the "intensive month" of class because we have the same class everyday from 9 am to 1 pm, which focuses on grammar and speaking and writing Spanish. Four hours! ¡Qué Lastima! (that's for you, Lauren)

Class just ended for me today and soon I'll be going home to eat some of the wonderful home-cooking of our Señora, Torcua. The food here is amazing! But, it's really hard for me to get used to the eating schedule. Breakfasts are coffee and a pastry early in the morning and lunch isn't until 2:30! Lunch is followed by a siesta, which involves a short nap. This, of course, is my favorite part of the day. :-) Dinner is at 9 pm or later, and everyone stays up until at least midnight. No wonder the siesta is so important! Why don't we do them in the U.S.?

The way of life is a lot different but I love it. Everyone is so relaxed, and there isn't the same type of hurried busyness here as in the U.S. Schools even give less homework here. Mid-day siestas and no homework...I can get used to this.

Since we've been in Granada we've been on a couple tours of the city, and just like every city I've seen in Spain so far, there is so much history. I love that. It seems like there's a story behind every building, and just walking around the city is a daily reminder of it's history. A couple nights ago the ISA group walked througha traditional barrio in Granada and learned about how the people live there. We walked far and high, and stopped at a beautiful and lively spot where all the Gypsies gather to relax, play music and sell items to the tourists who come through. Items can include hand-made necklaces, "lucky" branches, or drugs. And apparently coins are bad luck, as Angela found out when she was offered a good luck branch and the lady demanded she pay with a bill. Coincidentally the smallest bill is 5 euros (about 7 dollars)... Needless to say this was an interesting stop, and it also provided a beautful view of the Alhambra. I'm really trying to post pictures but the internet is so slow. I promise they will be up soon!

After that we walked up to another mystical place, and in my opinion, this is the most interesting and excited thing we've done so far. At this stop we all gathered into a cave-like building to watch the beautiful flamenco dancers. This was amazing! We were in awe of these dancers as we sat side by side in the cave listening to the beats of the music, the guitar, the clapping and dancing. I wish I could justly describe this, but it's something you have to see.

I'm running out of time now, so I'll have to update more later. It's almost time for our lunch and then siesta!

¡Adiós!

Hola! from Granada

2008-09-01T02:23:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I´ve been in Spain for almost a week now and this is the first time I´ve had access to a computer! So, sorry I haven´t posted anything yet...I have so much to tell, I don´t even know where to begin!

The first few days in Spain I travelled around a lot before finally settling in with my host family yeterday. I´m here through a program called ISA (International Studies Abroad) and we all travelled together, first staying a few days in Madrid and then a few more in Toledo. While we were in these cities we went on many tours and learned so much about the history of the cities and spain as a whole. We went to El Museo del Prado (an art museum) and then El Palacio Real (the Royal Palace) in Madrid, where tour guides explained the significance of what we were looking at. (And, yes, it was all in Spanish!) Then, in Toledo we saw historical churches and sinagogues and learned so much about the history of the city and the religions it was founded upon. What a beautiful and historic city Toledo is! I loved the narrow streets and the beautiful buildings. I have lots of pictures but I can´t post them now since I´m not on my own computer. I will post them in the next few days. On Sunday we finally arrived in Granada, where we´re staying with our host families! All the touring around was fun, but I´m glad to finally be settled in a home.

I´ve hardly seen Granada so far, but I feel like I am going to fall in love with the city. My host family is so much better than I ever could have imagined and I feel completely at home with them! Angela, Andrea and I are sharing a room in the apartment, and we even have our own bathroom for the 3 of us to use! Surprisingly, we have more than enough space. We weren´t sure what to expect, moving in with a family with 4 kids! The mother, Torcua is so wonderful and she insists on treating us as if we were her own children. She constantly is kissing us and telling us how wonderful and beautiful we are. The father, Manuel is very kind and he walked us to the school today so we would know how to get there. I felt bad when he picked us up with all our luggage in Granada, because it hardly fit in his car! There is a 22-year-old daughter who is so nice and I hope she can show us all the best places to go in Granada. There is also a 17-year-old boy who we don´t really see much of. He´s probably overwhelmed by all the girls in his house. Finally, there are the two younger 11-year-old twin girls who are so great! We played lots of games with them last night and they are so fun! They love having other girls there and they call us hermanas (sisters).

There has hardly been time to relax since I´ve been here. Even this morning, after our first night in Granada, we woke up early to take placement tests at the university. I was so nervous about the test, because if I didn´t test into a certain level my classes would count for nothing! But I am so releived now that they´re over and I know that I´m at the level I need to be. Our month of intensive classes starts tomorrow! I can´t wait to start classes and get into a routine. I still can´t beleive I´m here! The reality hasn´t sunk in yet that I´m just at the beginning of my trip and I still have 4 months to go. I´m going to post pictures, and hopefully a little video of the city and my family in the next few day, so keep checking the blog!

I miss you all so much!

One week and counting...

2008-08-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am, with only a week left before I depart for Spain! It's really unbelievable to me that it's so close. It's almost unbelievable that I'm going at all. I am about to embark on a four-month adventure that will change my life forever.

Here is a brief summary of what this trip is all about:
I'm staying in Spain from August 26-December 22 to study Spanish at Universidad de Granada with students from OSU and other schools around the U.S. Spanish is my major at OSU and I desperately want to become fluent by immersing myself in the culture and language. I'm taking classes full-time at the university, but on the weekends and days off I am able to travel around other parts of Spain and Europe as I please. I will live with a host family in Granada who provides me with 3 meals a day and laundry services. I share a room in their home with Angela and Andrea, two wonderful girls from church who I am so excited to travel with!

Now this trip is only a week away and I am so excited to get to Spain, see the sights, meet my family, start taking classes... At the same time, I'm so sad to leave my community here in Ohio for 4 months! (I'll miss you, Giving Tree!) I feel so blessed that I'm going with two friends who will be a strong support and provide me with good Christian community while I'm there. I know that God has been preparing me for this trip for a while, and I’m looking forward to all that I will learn through my studies and travels while I’m there.

I set up this blog to keep in touch with everyone at home and to share with you my experiences while I'm away. Check this as often as you would like, leave comments, look at my pictures.

I will miss all of you while I'm away! See you in 4 months!