A Time to Give Thanks

On November 14^th, we took our last trip as a group to Sevilla, traveling in our big purple and yellow, shiny bus. In less than two days we visited a castle, were toured around the city, visited “Hospital de la Caridad” (a church in which we were able to see some works of art we’d learned about in our art history class), rode/raced bicycle carts through “Parque de Maria Luisa,” grocery shopped, made dinner in the hotel, ate while listening to Christmas music, slept, woke up, ate, visited “Monasterio de la cartuja” (where I picked and ate an orange), then we visited ancient Roman ruins and stood in an amphitheater where two thousand years ago, gladiators fought wild animals from all over the world. We also were able to visit the Cathedral in Sevilla and walk up the very large bell tower to enjoy a beautiful view overlooking the city.  Wowzers, it’s a lot to even write! It was a jam-packed 1 ½ days, but really enjoyable and a great way to celebrate midterms and the DELE exam being over.  My favorite part of all had to be the dinner that we made in our hotel rooms.  We cooked in 3 different rooms, but all enjoyed our food around a small coffee table in Kailey’s and my room.  We ate salad, pasta, bread, and cheese.. a very simple, but delicious meal.  It was really neat having the freedom to cook, and eat what we wanted (although, I do love the food my host mom makes us).

(Roman Ruins)

Last Thursday, a group of us were invited for dinner at my friend Chris’ parents’ piso (apartment) in Granada, as they were visiting for the week.  We met in Plaza Nueva and hiked a little ways up into the Albaicin (neighborhood of Granada).  Immediately upon entering we were warmly greeted by his parents and after looking around their neat, cabin-like place, dinner was ready! Baked potatoes topped with bacon, corn, cheese, butter.. whatever your heart desired.. or stomach that is J Garlic bread, warmed brie cheese, fruit salad, veggie salad, carrots, and tomatoes.  Wow, I haven’t eaten food with such flavor in a long time! It was so delicious and comforting to be sharing a meal in a small setting with my close friends, great people.  After dinner we found our way up to the terrace overlooking buildings with a view of the Alhambra Palace.  Chris’ mom Cathy brought us tea and had warmed up the cake/brownie that Annie and I had brought for dessert.  Delicious! We laughed, shared stories, and of course took “un monton de” photos.  When we headed back down, we were greeted by an sweet aroma and the sound of running water.  Cathy with a huge smile on her face invited us to soak our feet in the large Arabic bath they had in one of the rooms.  No way were we going to turn her down.  We rolled up our pants and all got in, sitting around the edges of the bath, and just relaxed.  I think that was the first time my feet have gotten “pruny” in months.. due to the rapid-speed-shower-taking that I’ve been used to here. To say the least, it was an amazing night and we were all so blessed to have been invited to share dinner together. 

(Delicious meal)

The following day, Friday, a group of us took a walk to “Parque de las Ciencias” (Science Park) here in Granada.  We spent 6 hours, exploring all the exhibits.  It was a mix between OMSI and the Oregon zoo and a pretty enjoyable way to spend our afternoon. That night Annie and I checked out “Picaro” a bar that has live music every weekend. We got 2 free drinks with our ticket to get in. I had “chocolate caliente” (hot chocolate, which was more like hot chocolate pudding, but was so delicious!) and some mint tea! Yumm. The music was great too. Jazz quintet: trumpet, sax, bass, drums, and piano.  After a long day of walking around, it was really nice to just sit and relax, and enjoy the music!

(Nursing students and their love for Anatomy)

(Heart of a Fin Whale, so large)

The next day, Saturday, Annie and I woke up early and went out to Café Futbol for some chocolate and churros.  Probably something no one should be ingesting at 9 o’clock in the morning, but it’s pretty popular thing for breakfast here in Spain, so we thought we’d give it a try. After that we rode to the bus station to purchase our tickets to Madrid for when we leave Granada and head up North toward the airport! Holding those tickets in our hands, it was still hard to believe that soon it will be time to leave, but day by day it’s becoming more of a reality.  Annie and I spent the rest of the morning walking around Granada, looking in the shops, taking pictures, taking it all in.  It was a beautiful morning. 

On Sunday after church and lunch, Annie, a friend of mine that I met at church, Kimberly, and I walked around the Albaicin, the same area that Chris’ parents’ had their piso.  We roamed for about 2 hours, got lost at one point but after realizing that all the winding streets leading up and all the winding streets leading down will pretty much take you to the same place, we were able to find our way! It was perfect fall weather, crisp and dry, with the smell of leaves in the air.  The sun on the white buildings and the colorful trees was stunning.  We went to the look out “San Nicolas” to watch the sunset, many others had the same idea, but the view was gorgeous.  We visited there once as a large group, I believe in September, wow, I can’t believe that long ago.  It was neat to see how all the trees on the hills had changed colors, green to orange, red, yellow.  It has been reaffirmed to me that indeed, my favorite season is fall! Thanksgiving is coming up soon, and I am certainly thankful to God for the beautiful seasons that He has created.  Such diversity and beauty found in even the simple things… a fallen leaf, a crisp, cool breeze, parents walking their bundled little ones to school, hot tea..

November is coming to a close, December will begin.. and I will be flying back home.  I love it here in Granada, but am anxious to see my family, receive gobs and gobs of hugs and spend time sharing smiles and laughter. 

Thank you Lord for this time that I have been away, experiencing a new way of life, living with an amazing host mom, seeing your extraordinary creations. Thank you for my family and friends and for their constant love and support and for the reassurance that their love will be there when I return home. Thank you Lord for this next month, full of adventures, hot tea, fallen leaves, and cobble stone streets. And thank you that through and within it all, you are there.

Crunchy leaves and sipping chocolate

A week ago, October 29^th- November 2^nd, our group of 42 students took a trip to Madrid (capital of Spain), led by our amazing director.  Each day was planned out for us, with visits to La Reina Sofia Museum the first day, the Prado Museum and a tour around the historic areas of the city the next, followed by a visit to the Escorial (a huge palace in which the kings of the past lived), and the Valley of the Fallen (a huge monument built by Franco in honor of those who died in the civil war) the third day.  Whew. That was a lot!

My favorite parts of those 3 days would have to be our visit to the Prado where we were able to see works of Francisco de Goya, Salvador Dalí, and El Greco.  There was no way we had time to look at everything in the museum in 3 hours, so we spent our time finding the works of artists we had learned about in class.  I also enjoyed our time spent at the Escorial; there were beautiful gardens that you could see from the windows of the ancient rooms, a library filled with books read by the kings, rooms with the original furniture from long ago, and a marble cellar in which almost all of the kings of Spain and their families were buried (okay, it was a bit creepy, but the room was shimmering with gold and marble, sort of ironic however that we were there on Halloween). 

(Picasso)

(Near the Escorial)

(Valle de los Caidos)

The second to last day we took a bus to Segovia where we were guided on a 2-hour tour and then given time to roam the city ourselves.  After seeing the famous aqueduct and visiting the castle (that inspired Walt Disney’s castle in Snow White), Kailey and I decided we’d like to take a walk down through the city to a church and monastery.  Sadly, we found them closed during the hours that we would be there, but that didn’t stop us from having an amazing time.  We found a beautiful place covered in trees and leaves where we spent a good 20 minutes getting out our desire to stomp on the crunchy ones.  We then found a glistening stream with ducks and just stood there enjoying it’s tranquility (something we can’t find in the city of Granada).  Walking a little more we found a wide-open field of grass with the most picturesque view of the castle.  I’ve probably written pages already about grass, trees, water, landscape, etc. but I just can’t help it.  The castles are beautiful, the monuments are fascinating, but there is something about a sunny and crisp fall day in a quaint Spanish town.  After roaming, Kailey and I ate delicious bagel sandwiches and sipping chocolate yum yum. By far, I believe this has been one of my favorite places in Spain. 

(Aqueduct)

(Beautiful field and Castle in Segovia)

                                               

(LEAVES)

(Oregon!... psyche, Segovia!)

The last day we took the bus to Toledo where we were giving free time the entire day to wander.  We visited the cathedral, a monastery and a church in which we were able to see the famous painting of El Greco “El Entierro del Conde de Orgaz.” Are you starting to see a theme in my Spanish Adventures, church, monument, castle, church, monastery, statue and church?  We visited some tiny shops around the town and sat ourselves down to eat at a little pizzeria.  I would never have guessed that I would be eating the best pizza of my life (thus far) in a small town in Spain.  Roquefort cheese, mushrooms, oregano, and tomato sauce.  So simple, but YUM! My stomach’s grumbling thinking about it! hehe. Shortly after our meal, we headed back on the bus… destination, Granada.   

(Toledo)

This past week we had a pretty big test for our culture and civilization class, I’m glad to have that out of the way.  This coming Thursday I’ve got a test in my Spanish art history class and Friday is the Dele exam.  A test, which if I’m able to pass, will certify me as an intermediate Spanish speaker.  No pressure, right? 

Amidst all the “schtuff” I’m learning to relax more, easier said then done though.  I’m learning to give more than I receive, I’m learning patience, I’m finding that the small, beautiful things in life make my heart lighter, and I’m learning to be thankful for all the I am given.

I’m thinking of home a lot, friends and family, but I know that time will fly just as quickly as it already has.  Annie has already started a countdown until we go home, but I’m trying not to think about the days remaining and just take one at a time.

Thank you for your prayers, I feel them from all the way over here..

Libby