Gratitude

“Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present...” – C.S. Lewis

It’s funny spending a holiday overseas in a place where they do not celebrate, or perhaps even know about, a day that is so important to your own culture. It seems as though this experience makes you realize the truth of the holiday that you deem as important – the truth of the holiday, whether that truth be good or bad. Being abroad, you begin to see things with new eyes. I really think that is much of what traveling and living abroad does for us – not only does it enhance our knowledge and experience of the world in general, but it also transforms our own perspective and the lenses through which we see everything. What was once foreign we may now find more common place, and what was common to us may now be renewed and unique and refreshing. We see the world with a new kind of vision, perhaps a more accurate one. We appreciate things differently. We learn what really matters to us. We become immensely aware of our flaws and problems (which, amazingly, stay with us even when we cross the Atlantic Ocean. Go as far as you wish; you will never escape yourself.) We learn what we value – what we fear – what we love.

And this, this experience and growth and learning, is the joy of life abroad. And this is something I am unbelievably thankful for. And there is a tiny word bursting with immense might: gratitude. Gratitude is what I feel. Gratitude is what I want to give. Gratitude and love – always.

Measuring Up

November in Spain. The days are filled with up to 70 degrees of warmth (typically), and sunshine still graces the skies each day. I think it has rained – really poured and pounded and drenched the earth - a total of two times since I have been in Spain. I love the weather here – I've concluded that I am basically living in the Florida of Spain. :)

I have spent more time in Antilla and at my apartment this month. Part of that has been out of choice, out of a desire to make Antilla feel more like home and to develop a sense of community here, and part of it has been due to my health, or lack thereof (I caught a nasty flu that hung around for about a week, allowing me plenty of bonding time with my piso and my bed here). :)

Antilla is QUIET. It boasts and shouts and abounds in quietness. The weekends are the most populated and popular time here in Antilla, especially if the weather is warmer. I have concluded this about Antilla: people come here for the beach during the summer. People occasionally come here during the off seasons (aka, now) for a weekend beach get away if the weather is nice. And that is about it. I walk along the streets, CERRADO, CERRADO, CERRADO read all of the restaurants. The steel doors are shut, and windows are closed; the stores are not open for business. I look up at the apartment buildings – windows shut, curtains closed, windows shut, curtains closed. I walk back to my apartment – I glance at the fruiteria next door – closed. The cafeteria across the street – closed. Needless to say, it is difficult to build a sense of community when there doesn’t really seem to be one there surrounding you in the first place.

Now please don’t get me wrong, this quietness is not all bad. I am certain that God has me living here for a reason. And despite the quiet and lack of people, I have still found a strong sense of community in my school and the children that I work with (whom I see in the local Mercadona as they scream “TEACHER!” and run down the grocery aisle after me). I still love my apartment – it is beautiful and so peaceful. And I love having the beach as my backyard. Strolling on the beach, people watching, and listening to music are some of my favorite things to do. And being here where it is quiet gives me a lot of time to think. A lot of time to write. Read. Reflect. I am fairly certain that if I lived in Huelva, I would spend a great deal of my time with my American friends, not reading and writing. Some days, I wish I lived in Huelva. But then I also love living by the beach and I enjoy living by myself (98% of the time anyway). I guess it is true, that the grass is always greener on the other side. We always seem to wish for that which we don’t have. We think the other thing would be better. Contentment – perhaps this is another thing God desires for me to learn here. :)

My friends here in Spain are amazing. We are quite a unique mixture, but we all have something in common: we are searching. We are searching and questioning to try to find out what is the next step we want to take in our lives. We are curious. We are adventurous. And we are searching.

Huelva is my second home, and Ashley is one of my Spanish sisters. Ashley is one of my closest friends here in Spain, and she has been an amazing support and loyal friend to me during our time here. Her unending hospitality and kindness mean so much to me, and I feel truly in debt to her. She constantly opens her apartment to me, allowing for me to stay with her anytime I want or need. When I plop my head on Ashley’s red throw pillows after the one hour DAMAS bus ride to Huelva, I feel at home. As we eat French fries seasoned with Old Bay and watch Sex and the City, I feel at home. Ashley and I are two very different people – she views herself as sarcastic and witty, and I view myself as simple and happy. And I would say that all in all, it is amazing how well these differences work in our favor. We balance each other – we support each other – we are there for each other, always. And for this, I am extremely grateful.

Joanna is a second one of my closest friends here in Spain. She too lives in Huelva. She comes from a Catholic, Italian background, and at times you can hear a twinge of this strong thick Jersey accent come out. A Wisconsinite (Ashley), a Jersey girl, and a Southern belle – we are quite the trio. :) Hilarious – best one word summary of Joanna. We definitely have the same sense of humor – we find the same jokes, TV shows, and movies amusing. She has this incredible way of making anything sound funny – my friends and I have concluded that it is her unchanging tone of voice that makes her so hilarious. Jo is so level headed, logical, easy-going – all three things that I often wish I was more of.

Alicia. Red headed with gorgeous green eyes and ALWAYS a huge smile across her face. Alicia and I have gotten to know each other through a few trips – ones that she has made her to Antilla and the Portugal trip. She is so happy. So incredibly happy about life. She is always laughing, giggling, and making a joke about something. She is extremely sweet as well – an absolute sweetheart – when we are together, you can typically find us hugging or with our arms locked as we walk down the street. In Portugal we held hands and walked through the streets together until I awkwardly ran into a guy I had meet the night before (who later told me I should come to London and visit him right away. Maybe I should have told him that Alicia was my girlfriend?). Alicia is amazing, and I look forward to getting to know her even more.

And Julie. Sadly, Julie does not live in the Huelva province. Julie and I met each other in Sevilla because we had the same Spanish class together at CLIC. Julie lives in the province and city of Malaga, about a five hour trip away from Huelva. I have not been to visit her yet, but it is on my list to do very very very soon. :) She and I are like Spanish soul sisters. We just mesh. We enjoy doing the same things, we both try to remain positive and optimistic about everything, and we are always up for a good time. Hopefully we will be reunited soon. :)

So how am I measuring up here in Spain? In the words of Tim Cahill, “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” Perhaps Antilla is a bit quieter and smaller than I expected it to be. But I would honestly and confidently say that I’ve come a very long way on this journey, and I am extremely happy and thankful to be here. And I owe a great deal of my joy to the support and constant love of my friends here -- my friends, who I prefer to call my Spanish family.

Top Fives

So in the spirit of change and variety, I decided to do a bit of a different blog post this time. I know I have not posted in a while, and there is a great deal to catch up on, but for now I'm going to share some of my own "top five" lists from here in Spain. Top five foods, top five phrases, top five things to watch out for....so this entry is a little different, and a little shorter, but I hope you enjoy it! :) I have also created photo albums with Snapfish -- please check them out and comment away! I would love to hear your feedback. :) I love you and miss you tons and I hope that all is going wonderfully with you!!!

http://www5.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=536877028/a=1061076028_1061076028/

Top five most common foods in Spain

1.) Ham (jamon)
2.) Bread (pan)
3.) Cheese
4.) Tapas
5.) Beer (cerveza -- and yes, I think they consider that a food here)

Top five sayings in Spain

1.) Vale! (OK)
2.) Venga! (Come on! or OK!)
3.) Hombre! (Which literally translates as "man" in English, but they often say it here in conversation meaning something kind of like "listen!" or "really!")
4.) Bueno (OK, well)
5.) Dime! (Tell me!)

Top five favorite things about Spain

1.) The beautiful beaches :)
2.) The friendly people!
3.) The laid back culture
4.) The warm weather
5.) Learning Spanish and my AMAZING school!

Top five random differences between the U.S. and Spain

1.) At the grocery store, you always bag your own groceries. Do not stand there waiting for them to bag your groceries (like I did the first time I bought groceries).
2.) If you invite someone to eat with you, you should pay for them.
3.) Handshakes are not used here – dos besos, por favor. :)
4.) Banks close at 2pm everyday – plan accordingly.
5.) When people answer the phone here, they do not say hello or ask how you are doing. They always say "Si" (yes) or "Dime" (tell me). It's a very direct culture!

Top five favorite foods in Spain

1.) Spinach lasagna
2.) Tinto de verano (Red wine with soda)
3.) Shandy (in the picture above, along with Spanish sunscreen and my Spanish cell phone. Shandy is like a lemony-lime drink.)
4.) Café con leche (coffee with milk)
5.) Yogurt azucardo (sweet yogurt)

Top five foods I miss from Los Estados Unidos (hence the very excited picture of me above with a delicious frappe from Starbucks in Sevilla!)

1.) Mexican food (although I finally found Mexican tortillas and yummy chips and guac. in the Mercandona!) :D
2.) Chick-fil-a (Oh how I miss the ease of fast food...)
3.) Chocolate chip cookie dough (I LOVE freshly baked cookies, but they don't have cookie dough here!)
4.) Half & half creamer for coffee
5.) All of my Mom's food :)


Top five things to watch out for in Spain

1.) If you are in a touristy area, beware of the gypsies who will try to sell you weed-looking pieces of grass. If you take one from them, they will expect you to pay for it...and if you don't, they will harass you to no end and possibly place a "curse" on you until you give them money.
2.) When taking the bus, be sure to be there on time, and do not be surprised if there is at least one couple making out on the bus and one really loud and rowdy person who gets in a verbal fight with the bus driver.
3.) If you are going to a cell phone store, come with plenty of patience and plenty of time.
4.) Don’t be timid here! People will often cut in front of you in line or try to be helped before you in stores – stand your own ground!
5.) There is no concept of personal space here, so be prepared to have your personal bubble burst. :)

Top five memories in Spain so far

1.) Halloween at school :)
2.) Swimming in Portugal
3.) Going out in Sevilla
4.) Exploring Plaza de Espana and the Parque de Maria Lusia in Sevilla
5.) Lunches with Oti :)

Five traits I think I’m developing

1.) Independence
2.) Faith
3.) Adventure
4.) Openness
5.) Flexibility

Five things I can work on

1.) Believing in myself more
2.) Taking care of myself more
3.) Practicing my Spanish more, despite any laughs or comments I may receive
4.) Embracing what God is doing for me
5.) Relaxing :)

Five things I believe

1.) That I am right where God wants me to be.
2.) That I am unbelievably blessed.
3.) That my God is a God of faithfulness and abundance.
4.) That we live in a world of adventure and beauty and joy – if only we will seek it.
5.) That change and growth and risk are some of the most challenging and also the greatest gifts in life.

“People don’t take trips – trips take people.” – John Steinbeck

It started with a five hour bus ride and a one hour time change. Five girlfriends of mine and I decided to head to Lagos, Portugal for a long weekend trip – since it was our first trip outside of Spain, we were extremely excited and ready to explore another part of the world. We didn’t quite know what to expect in Lagos. Stories of gorgeous scenery, beautiful boat rides, and fun night-life were mainly what we had heard of Lagos – and all of that combined sounded like a worthwhile weekend get-away. :)

There were six of us who went on the trip (all teachers from the CIEE program) – Ashley, Amanda, Katelyn, Alicia, Joanna, and me. Amanda, Katelyn, Alicia, and Joanna do not have to work on Fridays, so they all took the morning bus on Friday over to Lagos. Ashley and I, having to work on Fridays but not on Mondays, decided to take a later bus on Friday post-work and then stay Sunday night to get in some extra sight-seeing that might have been missed on Friday.

The bus ride was long and exhausting, especially after a day of work, but it was more than worth it in the long run. Lagos is absolutely gorgeous – and that short statement hardly does it justice. I know I write that often in my blogs, talking about how beautiful places are and how limited words are in their capacity to express beauty, but it is just so true. The more parts of the world I see, the more people I meet, the more things I do, the more I realize just how inadequate words are at genuinely and wholly expressing the experiences of life.

Lagos, or at least our experience of it, was quite small. If you met someone one night, you will, undoubtedly, run into them the very next night. The people were extremely friendly and laid-back, and there honestly was no language barrier issue. Everyone we meet in Lagos spoke English. The first night I asked one of the men who worked at our hostel if he spoke Portuguese. He laughed and said “You don’t have to speak Portuguese to live in Lagos. You just have to speak Aussie.” And his statement was unbelievably true. Australians, Brits, and Kiwis (New Zelanders) rule in Lagos. Of course some people (in the restaurants and small stores) spoke Portuguese, but all in all, we got by more than fine with speaking English. :)

We stayed in a hostel named “Stumble Inn.” It was cheap, in a central location, and met our needs. The people who worked there were also extremely friendly and helpful in giving suggestions of good restaurants and places to explore for nightlife. After going out for drinks and dancing on Friday night, we decided to take one of the famous boat rides of Lagos on Saturday. Lagos (and perhaps all of Portugal?) is known for their blue water and stunningly tall rocks that stand along the coast. We had heard that taking a boat ride along the rocks and into the caves was a must-do when in Lagos – so of course, we had to do it. :) And it was amazing! Besides taking an insane number of pictures, my other favorite part of the boat ride was going swimming. Half of the group wanted to go swimming, and the other half did not. Alicia, Joanna, and I decided that you are only in Lagos once, so why not go swimming? We would just jump into the water. Sometimes baby steps and slow progress is not the best way to do things -- sometimes you just have to jump. Donned in our swimsuits, we all stood together on the side of the boat, holding hands, counting and bracing ourselves for the cold water……. 1…2….3…..JUMP!!!! Freezing, freezing, freezing cold was the water. It was as though our bodies suddenly went into some form of shock from the harsh chill of the salty water. But we couldn’t help but laugh and be happy – we were swimming in Portugal! After a few minutes in the water and a little playing around, it started to feel pretty nice in there. Later that day, we went out into the town again and enjoyed a yummy Italian dinner, drinks, and dancing. :)

Sunday was a little more restful -- Ashley, Joanna, and I explored an old fort in Lagos and enjoyed the sun and good conversation while sitting on the roof of the fortress overlooking the blue sea. I believe that Robert Thomas Allen was right in saying that “Most of my treasured memories of travel are recollections of sitting.” :) Later that afternoon Ashley and I (staying our extra day in Portugal) decided to head to Sagres – a town on the southernmost tip of the country. Sagres too was gorgeous – it almost reminded me on a Portuguese version of Antilla. It, like Antilla, is best described as quiet and quaint – a sleepy little town that rests on the coastline. Ashley and I attempted to eat authentic Portuguese food, although the steak we ordered (which was really more like breaded/fried pork or chicken) wasn’t all that tasty (sadly). Maybe during our next visit to Portugal we’ll have better luck? As we finished our dinner, a group of British guys that we had met in Lagos the night before (they were staying in Sagres and had just gone to Lagos a night out) met us at the restaurant. We enjoyed some drinks and light-hearted conversation for the remainder of the night. :)

It was an amazing, and exhausting, trip. Sitting here on my couch and writing about it makes it all seem so unreal. Did I really go to Portugal? Did I really see the things my pictures tell me I saw? Did I truly met surfers from England? World travelers from Australia? And the backpackers from New Zeland? Do I really live in Spain? How unbelievably blessed am I that I can answer yes to every one of those questions….