A Full Week in Spain

Wow! How time flies! I can't believe I've already been here for a week! It's amazing.

(overlooking Granada)

(church near our school)

(Fountain in Plaza Nueva)

(Street near Plaza Nueva)

(Annie and I at the Plaza closest to our house)

I've been getting a better hang of this whole "Spanish Thing." There are less awkward silences at meal times, and somewhat fewer confused stares. The food here is delicious.. that is the food that our host mom makes us. We have yet to go out to any restaurants, yah I know.. sad! But we will! Very soon hopefully.

Last saturday we took a trip with our class to Ronda, a city about 3 hours west of Granada. It was beautiful! We got to go into La Plaza del Toros where they hold bullfights. Incredible!

(En La Plaza del Toros)

We also were given a small tour around the city.  During our free time, a group of newly-made friends and I decided to go to La Casa del rey moro (house of a moorish king).  The gardens and fountains were so very beautiful. We walked down in a mine.. which led to a quiet water source. There were many many stairs and it was almost 100 degrees out.. but vale la pena.... worth the pain.

(View of old buildings in Ronda)

(Culture in Ronda)

Two nights ago, Annie and I went out at 11:30pm (the night was just getting started for many) and walked to the plaza near our house- there was live music and dancing! Sadly it only lasted about 15 minutes after we got there, but we enjoyed it while we could! Then, we got ice cream! Yesterday morning we woke up and had the idea to read out on our balcony and do the homework that was due today.. it seemed like a crazy idea to our host mom (studying outside, because it would get hot).. But she sweetly set up a place for us to sit and for about 3 hours we just relaxed, read, listened to the street below us, and to the music coming from various houses. Not a wild adventure, I know, but very enjoyable all the same.
School is good so far. We don't start real classes until October. But tomorrow we take a test that will decide which "intensivo" class will best suit us.  Intensivo will consist of 4 hours each day of grammar mostly, I believe. Which, I know sounds boring, but it will be so helpful! Also, for this next month we are taking a culture class from the husband and wife who coordinate this program. They are precious people.
I should probably go, Annie and I are going to head home. It's almost time to have "almuerzo" (lunch) with our host Momma!
More to come...

I´m here. I´m safe. Granada is my new home.

HOLA de GRANADA!
I´m here sitting at the computers at CLM (Centro de Lenguas Modernas). Class starts in 30 minutes and at the moment I am finding it a little difficult to type in english because I´ve been trying my hardest to speak only in spanish. AHH! A little confusing at times. haha.
Let´s see.
Annie and I have been so blessed to be placed in the home that we were. We live with only one woman, but she is amazing and very very motherly. We share a bedroom, Annie and me, that is very simple, but very beautiful and cozy. Our hostmom has been preparing every meal for us.. and all of them are delicious. Chicken, vegetables, different soups, and lots and lots of bread! Every meal we eat bread.. and I am not going to complain. At mealtimes, there is occasional silence amongst us.. in my head I´m trying to formulate questions to ask and unfortunately it still takes me a little while. haha. However, once we ask a question, our host mom will answer it thoroughly.  She loves to tell us about her life and about Spain. About food. About their way of life. Annie and I are like sponges.. trying our best to soak it all up.  Our host mom is so kind and loving and after I told her that I was a little nervous to start school and meet all the other students, she said I have no reason to worry.. that it is doesn´t the color of our skin, if we´re pretty or ugly, where we are from.. we are all children of God. Increible! Yes, this is something I believe and that I think about often, but hearing it from her and in Spanish, a somewhat unfamiliar language... made it seem so much greater. There have been countless times where she teaches us things, things we may already know, but in new ways...

The city of Granada is beautiful. The buildings are so ancient and intricate. The cobblestone streets are narrow and make wandering the city for a long period of time so enjoyable. I can´t wait to explore more.. and of course, post pictures. I promise they are coming. Hopefully this upcoming week, once I am able to use wifi here at school.

I hope you are all doing well. I am excited to share more with you!
For now.. off to class I go to immerse myself in the very beautiful language of Español..
Hasta luego.

Libby

¡Hola mi familia y mis amigos! We made it to Spain! (Annie, Kailey, Kathryn and I)

(Annie, Kathryn, and Kailey)

Traveling here didn’t go as well as I had hoped, but I am so very thankful that we all made it hear safely! We flew into Cleveland, Ohio before entering Newark, NJ due to thunderstorms.  There, our plane refueled, we grabbed a bite to eat, and before we knew it, they had us once again, boarding the plane! We were off! ... to NJ that is.  My ears did great on the take off, thanks to some Sudafed, “Ear Plane” ear plugs, and large amounts of chewing gum.  However, when we would descend, I had a really difficult time handling the change in pressure.  I tried all I knew to do to pop my ears, but nothing really worked.  Annie (who I’m going to be rooming with in Granada) was so sweet on all the flights, asking me how I was doing and if she could get me anything.  I tried to stay upbeat and sociable on the planes, but between my ears hurting, being extremely tired from traveling and my sudden onset of nausea (that started from the flight from Cleveland to Newark, and continued on the next flight), I simply couldn’t.  I slept most the time on our 7-hour flight from Newark to Spain, and kept my eyes closed while I was awake to keep myself from feeling too sick.  Dinner and breakfast came around and thankfully Annie was hungry and felt good enough to eat it! I went ahead and took the food, just in case, but was only able to eat a few bites.  As we were descending into Madrid (about 10 minutes before landing), I felt really nauseous, but was trying all I could to breathe deep and not let anything gross and disgusting happen, haha.  I failed.  I grabbed the small, blue doggy bag inside the seat in front of me.. and yep, you guessed it! I know that’s probably a little too much information to be sharing, but what a great “Welcome to Spain, Libby” event! haha. Annie was awesome and made sure I was going to be okay, and together, her and the man next to me got me some napkins.  After I calmed down and closed the bag of grossness I felt a lot better. I was still kind of shaky, but turned to Annie and to the Spaniard next to her and said, “Lo siento” (I’m sorry).  They said I had nothing to apologize for… but I felt like I did.  Before I knew it was time to get off the plane.  I tossed the doggy bag and we headed toward customs. 

The four of us tried speaking in Spanish while we were in the airport and we did a pretty good job of it… until we couldn’t find our luggage on la cinta (belt).  We waited… and waited. “It’ll come around!” But it didn’t. We went to the lost and found and Kailey told the lady, in Spanish (so cool) our situation.  She replied in English (not cool).  We learned that our luggage would be coming with the next flight from Newark.  After hanging out in the airport and people watching for 2 hours, we finally found our luggage! We were so happy! Immediately we walked our disgustingly heavy equipaje (luggage) outside to get dos taxis.  Within ten minutes we made it to our hostel in Madrid! HOME! Well, for the next two nights anyways.  Lugging our stuff up 2 ½ flights of stairs was not an easy trip but after an ice cold shower (no mas agua caliente) and a change of clothes, it was well beyond worth it! We walked downtown, in the heart of Madrid and ate at a place Kathryn had been before.  We had these small sandwiches that look like miniature loaves of bread. I had un pollo, un chorizo that were muy delicioso and one salmon one that I didn’t eat because it was raw. I’m a “good eater” as my Nonie would put it, and hardly ever leave anything on my plate. But after one bite, I couldn’t finish it.  You have to be careful when you’re ordering food in another language! I need to figure out the word for “raw” haha.

We were so exhausted and didn’t have any energy to walk into any of the neat shops along the street, so we headed back to our hostel.  

(Calle en Madrid)

After making it back and spending some time checking email, we all hit the hay.  Sleeping for 12 hours felt great! And now our plan is to get ready and head out for some desyuno (breakfast).  It’s supposed to be in the high 90’s today! We’ll be staying here in Madrid again tonight but tomorrow we’re taking a bus to Granada that leaves at 11:30 am.  Despite the fact that we haven’t had too many exciting and extravagant adventures, we’re here, we’re safe and we’re working on reminding ourselves, “that yes, we ARE in Spain!”  It’s a surreal feeling for all of us, but what else did we expect? We’re on our own in a foreign country. 

I want to thank all of you for your love and support and especially your prayers! I can’t wait to share with you more about our adventures in Spain.

More to come.

Love, Libby