Last Weeks of October

End of October: Noche de Chicas #2, Fun with Friends, Mom’s Visit, and Halloween

The second to last week in October we had another “Noche de Chicas” on a Friday evening, which was really a combined activity night for guys and girls. We all gathered in the library at the school and watched the movie You, Me, and Dupree. I thought it was a pretty good movie. The school ordered pizza for us, and a bunch of girls did their nails while we just relaxed and enjoyed a fun night together.

The next day I hung out with my intercambio Fernando. We went to this amazing Tavern, called La Taberna Los Coloniales, for tapas. It was DELICIOUS. We walked around and talked and got some ice cream before saying goodbye for the week. On my walk back home, there was a modern art exhibition going on. The city was having a contest for thirty artists to paint the glass recycling containers that can be found on nearly every corner. They were all gathered right outside the school, painting, drawing, stenciling. It was amazing. Since then, the containers have been judged and exhibited throughout the city, with one container going into each of the neighborhoods.

The next day I was SO excited for my mom to come. Despite the difficulties with her flight, she arrived the next day, Sunday night. Lisa and I had taken the bus to the airport and were anxiously awaiting her in the receiving area. I even made a sign with her name on it, just in case she didn’t remember what I looked like. Haha The three of us took a taxi to her hotel in Triana and then walked across the river to grab some dinner at Pan’s and Company, which is liked a Subway meets McDonald’s type of restaurant. The next morning, I surprised her bright and early with breakfast before I headed to school: cañas de chocolate, apples, and orange juice. The cañas are my favorite breakfast treat here. Once every two or three weeks I will go to OpenCor and treat myself to one from the bakery there. MMMMmmmm. They are like a croissant shaped like a log, with chocolate filling, and chocolate sprinkles on top. Sometimes I get lucky and I buy them on the day that they are also glazed in chocolate over the top. Oh, man, now I really want to go buy one. Haha Anyways, I had a great time while mom was here. I got to show her some of my favorite places around the city, and while I was in classes in the morning she got to go exploring some of the touristy things. Wednesday night Lisa and I went with her to a flamenco show in the Jewish barrio of Santa Cruz. It was INCREDIBLE. I don’t understand how they can move that way! Thursday Mom got to come to our house and have lunch with my host family. We had paella, and I think it was mom’s favorite thing she had while she was here.

Friday we celebrated Halloween at the school with a little costume contest. I was a “Nudist on Strike” or “Nudista que está de huelga”. Basically, I just wore my normal clothes and then taped a sign on my shirt. Haha That night we all headed to the airport and said our goodbyes, Mom heading to her flight to Madrid and then back home, and me heading to Barcelona with Lisa and our friend Sarah for a week of vacation.

Sevilla Cathedral Visit

October 20: Sevilla Cathedral Visit

My art class was learning about Gothic architecture, so we met up one afternoon to have a tour of the cathedral here in Sevilla. It was downpouring, so we did get wet while we were waiting, but it was worth it. The cathedral is gorgeous inside, with tall vaulted ceilings and big stone columns. The main altar is covered from floor to ceiling in gold. The cathedral here is also one of the final resting places for Christopher Columbus’ remains. I say that it is only one of the final resting places because the poor man’s remains have been divided and so he now rests in some four or five different sites around the world. Also in the cathedral we saw a group of local miners on strike. They had been on strike for over 200 days, and were living in the cathedral as a manner of protecting themselves from the government. At the end of our visit we climbed La Giralda, the tower that rises high above all the other buildings in the city. Thirty-five steep ramps and a pair of throbbing calves later, I made it to the top, and was greeted with some amazing views. I then walked back to the school to do a few things before Solidarios that night and proceeded to get soaking wet, despite my umbrella. When it was warmer earlier in the semester and it rained, I just wore my Chacos. It was the easiest thing, and the most logical in my mind, since I didn’t have rain boots. My Spanish friends, however, thought I was completely nuts. They just couldn’t wrap their minds around the concept of wearing “chanclas” when it was raining. hahaha

The Scoop on Toledo and my Time with the Musser Family

Wow….sorry it took me almost forever to catch up on updates.

To begin: Toledo and my visit to the Musser family, October 15-18.

Our art class took a trip to Toledo to visit the cathedral there and to look at some famous paintings we were studying at the time. When we first arrived the first thing we noticed is that it was a whole lot colder than in Sevilla, and I immediately decided that I hadn’t brought enough warm clothes. Hahaha That afternoon we explored a little bit. I got pooped on by a pidgeon while I was eating my lunch, but thankfully we had napkins and hand sanitizer on hand! Haha After our explorations we met up with the art class to look at El Entierro del Señor de Orgaz in a small church and then when to a monastery to look at Romanic architecture. That night we went shopping and had lots of fun just walking around the city, even though we were freezing.

The next day we woke up and ate a delicious breakfast at the hotel and packed our stuff. We went as a group to the cathedral and after the tour we had free time for the rest of the weekend. We had the option of either returning to Sevilla with the school or doing or own thing. I had made plans to go visit the Musser family outside of Madrid for the weekend, so I caught a taxi to the train station. I learned that the taxi system in Toledo is far different than that of Sevilla. By that, I mean that I think there are two taxis in the entire city. We went to the tourism office to ask where the best place to get a taxi was, and they pointed us across the street, saying that that was the main taxi point in the city. So we went and we waited and waited and waited. Twenty minutes later, we saw a taxi and attempted to flag it down, but the driver shook his head and kept driving. There was another American couple behind me in line for a taxi, and they didn’t speak any Spanish, so I was trying to help them out, and while I was helping them I missed a taxi. So then I went back to the tourism office and had them call a taxi for me. The taxi picked me up and took me down to the train station. Where I found out that the next two trains were sold out, so I had to sit at the train station and do homework for a few hours while I waited. I finally got into Madrid Atocha station, figured out where my next train was, and wedged myself onto a packed commuter train with my huge backpack and my stuffed messenger bag. I got lots of dirty looks. Haha

The Mussers drove out to meet me in Alcala, where I got off the train, and drove me back to their house and fed me an INCREDIBLE American meal. It was so good! Haha Mrs. Musser gave me a tour of their house and I showed her some photos of my time here in Spain, and then I went to bed. The next day we got up bright and early to head out to a camp in the mountains in Guadalajara. It was an English retreat run by local missionaries, so I got to help out by speaking English with the different people. There were a few people there my age, and I made friends with Dani, who was my partner in the baking workshop session. We returned home that night, and went pretty much straight to bed. The next morning was church at the Evangelical Christian Academy across the street. It was so much fun, and there was a potluck after the service, so that was a nice treat. I caught the AVE high speed train to Sevilla in Madrid that night, and made it back home in less than 3 hours. :-)

A great weekend all in all! Sorry it took me forever to update!

Toledo and Madrid

I'm currently at a hostel in Girona on my way back from my week of vacations, and I don't have much time left on the internet. However, I assure you that I fully intend to update about the Toledo/Madrid trip and do another update immediately afterwards on my amazing week in Barcelona and Ireland! I apologize for the delay...I know many of you have been asking my mom why I haven't updated. And the answer is simply that I've been very busy with group projects and exams.

But once again, fear not, for I shall update soon. :-)

Another week comes to an end. One month already???

Well, it’s Sunday. The start of another week. Last week was a good week overall. I’m starting to make Spanish friends, which is very exciting! Tuesday night I started working with my service project, called Solidarios. They are an NGO that, among many other things, serves homeless people here in Sevilla. We go out onto the streets at night with coffee and cookies and look for the homeless, and our mission is to give them acknowledgement and company in a city where society scorns them, ignores them, and treats them as if they didn’t exist. This week it rained, so there weren’t many homeless actually out on the streets, but we did find a few. One of the men was drunk, and he talked to us for an hour and a half straight about Jesus. I was really excited when he started talking because for once, someone was talking about something I’m familiar with. haha But he spoke the language of the streets and was so drunk that I really couldn’t understand him. It’s also interesting serving with an organizationthat has no ties to the church and, more accurately, scorns the church. I did meet some new friends this week, and I am excited to get to know them better as the semester goes on. You can pray for them. Their names are Javi, Marta, Chano, Maria, Cora, Clara, and Andres.

Thursday I painted a fan for charity at my school. :-) It took me 5 hours, but it was so worth it. I bought two more fans, but haven’t had time to paint those yet.

Friday I got to meet and hang out with my intercambio (kind of like an “assigned friend” who helps you with your Spanish and you help them with English) Fernando for the first time. He’s so nice! We went to lunch and took a couple nice walks, and we got BEN AND JERRY’S!!!!!!!! I needed that. haha Fernando had never had peanut butter before, so we stopped at Corte Ingles so I could buy a jar and he could try some. He said he liked it, but it was very strong. I think I probably should have given him some bread to have it on. haha Oh, well. We spent the afternoon switching back and forth between English and Spanish, helping each other figure out how to say certain things. We had a really good discussion on faith on our way to his bus stop, and I hope we are able to keep talking about it sometime before I leave. Prayers for Fernando and I are appreciated as well.

Saturday I decided not to go to Huelva with the school trip because I was so tired when I woke up. I went to the park to read my Bible and my devotional book for siesta, but left when this creepy Spanish guy wanted to take pictures of my feet. Ew. So I went as far away from the park as I knew how to get, which is the mall on the other side of the city. I got there and thought I’d walk around a little. And then I decided to go see a movie, so I went upstairs to the cinema and saw Disney’s Up in Spanish. It was so funny, and also reassuring that I could purchase movie tickets without help and understand an entire movie without much difficulty. :-) Did you know that movie theaters here have assigned seats?

Lisa ran in a 5k race this morning, and I intended to go to church alone, but I slept in too long. Today has been a lazy day, just sitting around doing homework, watching a Spanish version of “America’s Got Talent” whose title translates to “Yes, You’re Worth It,” and napping. Now I think Lisa and I are going to go get ice cream. Yum!

Blessings!

I went to Portugal. Let me tell you the story.

PHOTOS: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028343&id=152001486&l=183c48c6c4

This past weekend I went to Portugal with Lisa through a travel agency’s group trip. It was so fun!

It all started when we went out for a quick lunch Friday afternoon between the end of classes and when we were supposed to meet the bus. So we’re in this really nice sandwich shop and we finished our meal, and I decided to go to the bathroom really quick since we’d be on the bus for a few hours. I went into the bathroom, which was a one-person one, and proceeded to do my business. It was a nice bathroom, but someone had peed all over the floor and the music was blaring so loud. I washed my hands and went to leave and the door wouldn’t open. I pushed. I pulled. I turned the handle every way I could. Nothing. There was a key in the lock, so I tried turning it in every combination with pushing, pulling, and turning the handle. Nothing. At this point I gave up on trying to get myself out and started pounding on the door and yelling, “Ayudame!!!!!!” which means, “Help me!!!!!!” I looked at my watch and we only had about 15 minutes before we were supposed to meet the bus. I kept pounding and yelling, and eventually Lisa, who was wondering why on earth it was taking me so long, came to check on me. The music was so loud I could barely hear her, but she did her best to go get help from one of the employees and keep a straight face. Kudos to Lisa for communicating that I was locked in the bathroom. Eventually they got me out after a couple minutes, and we went to the bus and we were on our way.

Friday afternoon was spent at the beach on Tavira Island, and it was the BEST beach I’ve ever been to. The waves were huge, the water was crystal clear (albeit freezing), and the atmosphere on the beach was just very nice. Once we left the beach, we stopped at a grocery store and bought salami, bread, and cheese to make sandwiches for the weekend to cut our costs. Let me tell you, I will not want another salami sandwich for a VERY long time. I had eight salami sandwiches in the span of two days. After Tavira Island we drove to Albufeira and stayed in an apartment-hotel that was very nice. People from the group (which isn’t associated with my study abroad program) went out to the bars and clubs in Albufeira and didn’t get in until 6 am, but we stayed in and did homework and watched a Japanese game show in Portuguese. The next day when we met everyone at the bus, we were pretty much the only three people (me, Lisa, and our friend Amy) that were awake and not hung-over. It rained Saturday, so we drove into town for lunch and then headed out to Lagos early instead of spending the afternoon at Albufeira’s beach.

When we checked in to the apartment-hotel in Lagos, we decided that we wanted to go out that night, but we didn’t want to go with the rest of the group. So we decided to go down to the beach and then walk into town for the evening. We walked to the beach, via a VERY long detour, and then to walk back into town we decided to walk along the shore instead of along the road. It took us about an hour to walk back to town along the beach, and then when we got to town we realized that we couldn’t get there because there was a giant canal separating the beach and the rest of the city. So then we had to take another VERY long detour around the shipyard, followed half the way by stray cats. After walking for a good two hours straight, we ended up in town and decided to look for a good place to eat.

Gilbert’s Restaurant seemed the perfect location to satisfy our hunger. When I saw lasagna on the menu, I knew right away that’s what I wanted. Lisa and Amy, however, decided to be more adventurous. Lisa ordered salmon, and Amy got garlic pan-fried squid. I’m very glad I decided not to be adventurous. I tried both Lisa’s salmon and Amy’s squid, and neither of them were good experiences. After dinner, we walked into the town square and decided we wanted to explore town a bit before heading back to our hotel. In the town square we stopped to buy our souvenirs, and I bought a really adorable handmade pottery figure. We took a taxi back to the apartment and pretty much went right to bed.

Sunday morning we met up with the group, checked out of the hotel, and headed to the Doña Ana cove beach in Lagos. It is the most gorgeous beach I have ever been to, although it smelled disgusting, a bit like sour fish and farts all mixed together. At the end of the day, Lisa and I wanted to change out of our swimsuits before the bus ride home, so we decided to go behind this big rock ledge to change after the beach was nearly deserted. We were trying to change quickly, but little did we know that some Portuguese man was also thinking that our secluded changing spot would also be a good spot to pee. He walked around the corner just as we were in the middle of changing. That was awkward. Then when we went back to gather our things, a group of women dressed like Paris Hilton and women with big cameras and makeup bags and cans of hairspray came over to our side of the beach. We were intrigued and wanted to watch the photo shoot a little, until the women started taking their clothes off, at which point we were much more interested in getting the heck out of there. That was also awkward.

We arrived in Sevilla very tired Sunday night, faced with a good few hours of studying for the exams that we would have the next two days. Now that exams are over, I am more relaxed, and I think I did pretty well on them. :-)

Hand Sanitizer for Gripe A!!!

1. Spaniards are preoccupied with the swine flu, which they call "Gripe A".
2. Spaniards don't use hand sanitizer, nor do they really have any idea what it is.

So our school ordered these giant bottles of hand sanitizer for us to use to help prevent the spread of Gripe A, and they delivered them to each class the other day. My professor, José, took one look at the bottle, and asked us, "How are you supposed to use it without water?" We explained to him that it wasn't soap, and that you just put it on your hands and rub them together until it dries. So he takes an evaluative look at the bottle, shrugs his shoulders and pumps out FIVE full pumps of hand sanitizer into his palm. Our jaws just dropped, and I don't think anyone could find the words to tell him that was way too much. So we just sat there giggling watching him try to rub it into his hands for about 30 seconds. Then he looks up with a quizzical look on his face and says, "My hands are so STICKY!" and clapped his hands together to show us. We all just bust a gut laughing for several minutes before we managed to tell him that you only use a little bit.

That is my funny story of the day. :-)

Bingo, Cadiz, and Fun with the Girls!

Well, first off, I have lots to update in only 20 minutes. So I am going to give a brief overview of the events of the past week, and then later, when I'm able to post pictures, I will do a more detailed blog of each thing if necessary.

Last Thursday (and these pictures are already up on Facebook, by the way: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2028090&id=152001486&l=215c5ba19b) we went and played bingo with the old men at the senior center/nursing home. It was so much fun! There was this one old man who reminded me a lot of my dad, and another who wouldn't stop kissing my cheeks and grabbing my face and telling me how pretty and funny I was. I can't wait to go back again next month!

Friday was a special day in Sevilla: La Noche Larga (The Long Night) which happens once a year. All the museums are open for free until 3 AM and have tons of concerts and special performances. A group of us went to the Museo de Carruajes (Carriage Museum) near our house and watched a performance of belly dancing. It was very.....um....festive. :-) Afterwards we decided to go out to a cafe before heading home. (Side note: night life in Sevilla is crazy. People are out walking their babies in strollers until like 2 AM. It's like they're all nocturnal here! haha) As I was standing there in the cafe, I heard the most awful attempt at Spanish and looked over to see this American guy about our age attempting to communicate with an old Spanish guy. I couldn't help but let out a little chuckle, which the guy heard, and after he finished with the old man proceeded to come over to our group. He was quite drunk, but his story was very interesting. I don't really have any experience entertaining drunk college students, nor do I see myself having a future in it, but while I was talking with him for the next couple hours, I felt quite peaceful, and it was like Jesus was assuring me that this is what He would have done. I made it home in one piece by 1:30 AM, and got a little sleep before waking early on Saturday.

Saturday we went to the beach in Cadiz via train. It was a gorgeous beach with big waves and people surfing and sand like flour. It was an absolutely beautiful day, and I will post pictures the next time I get a chance.

Sunday and Monday were uneventful. Yesterday I went shopping at the mall on the othe side of the city and bought a cute scarf. I'm excited for it to get colder so I can wear it!

Today Lisa and I are going to visit a friend of our friends Aaron and Lynette Musser who lives in a little town outside of Sevilla. I'm sure stories and pictures will follow.

This weekend is the Portugal trip. Beaches in Portugal all weekend long, and lots of studying because the two days right after we get back are our first exams. :-/

Time for class now, but I'm glad I could give you some sort of update. :-)

Blessings,
Katie

A great weekend!

NEW PHOTOS: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027965&id=152001486&l=fe48a0da67

Friday we went to Córdoba on a class field trip. We went to an archaeological dig site at an ancient city call Madinat al-Zahra, named after one of the Arabic ruler’s favorite concubines. A legend at the city says that the woman wanted more than anything to see the ground covered with snow. However, Córdoba never EVER gets snow. So the ruler planted thousands of almond trees all over the city and in the surrounding countryside. When the trees bloomed and the flowers fell to the ground, the layer of white petals was as close to the gift of snow that he could give her.

After exploring the ruins for about an hour, we went back into the city of Córdoba to the mosque. This mosque is unique for several reasons. First, its beauty and architecture are world-renown. Second, it has a Catholic cathedral built smack dab in the middle of it thanks to Spain’s history of Muslim and Catholic conquest. Third, it is the only mosque in the entire world that is not oriented towards Mecca. Our professors acted as our tour guides, and since they weren’t allowed to talk loudly, everyone wore these earpiece radio things and our professors talked softly into microphones as we walked around. The mosque is definitely one of the most visually stunning buildings I’ve ever been in.

Friday night we returned from Córdoba. Lisa and I had tickets for a concert in the gardens at the Real Alcázar, the royal palace. First we went out for dinner at a “bar” near the gardens. I say “bar” because a bar in Spain is not like a bar in the U.S. Here, a bar is simply like a little café eatery with outdoor seating and a bar counter inside. Anyways, we ended up talking with our waiter a little bit, and he was very nice. He invited us to come back to the restaurant anytime we wanted. Lisa and I think perhaps he was flirting with us, but I am not versed in such matters, and as such I have absolutely no idea whether he actually was flirting. After dinner we went to the gardens and walked around for about an hour. The gardens are huge and beautiful, and it was really cool to be there at night because normally it’s only open during the day. Then we went and found our seats for the concert and sat down. We were the very last two seats in the very last row…perfect for sneaking out of the concert a little early to head home, which we ended up doing. The concert was good: Irish folk music with Spanish lyrics, and every song was about the Virgin Mary. Odd. Very odd, but a good concert nonetheless.

On our way home, we decided we didn’t really know how to get home from the gardens, but we did know how to get home from the Plaza de España, which is nearby. So we walked to the Plaza, and ran into a ginormous botellón. A botellón is what young people do at night on the weekends here. They buy whiskey and Coca-Cola and plastic cups and congregate in numbers that range anywhere from a small circle of close friends to (in this case) what seems like half the young people in the city. As we walked by, it was getting kind of rowdy, so we hurried past, but much to our dismay, a couple blocks down we ran into another botellón in full swing, and it was even sketchier than the first one! So rather than walk through this one (in the dark, mind you), we took an exit off the street into the park, which I thought I knew where we were then. Apparently I did not. When we came out of the park on the other side, I had absolutely no clue where we were. I have spent some time in the past couple weeks studying my map so that if I get lost and don’t have my map with me I could at least hopefully have some idea where in the city I was. However, none of these street names looked familiar. (Come to find out later, the reason I didn’t recognize the streets is because we had walked so far we were off my map!) Lisa and I found a sign for our neighborhood, so we turned the corner and followed that. This street also happened to be a street full of discotecas and nightclubs. So here we are, dressed in our wholesome “let’s go tour Córdoba” clothes, walking with our school bags against the flow of what seemed like a hundred scantily-clad Spaniards heading in to party the night away. We definitely looked out of place. Eventually, the road started looking familiar and we found our way home. I’m glad I had Lisa with me, and I’m also glad to have gained a little more self-confidence through the experience.

Saturday we woke up bright and early and headed for the bus station at Plaza de Armas to meet a group of friends. We were planning on taking a bus to the beach at Matalascañas, on the Atlantic coast. We bought our tickets and headed downstairs to wait in line for our bus. When it pulled up, we expected to get on quickly, as we were only maybe 15 people back in the line or so. Case in point: when you are in another culture, never expect things to be done a certain way. Your presuppositions often make you look like a fool. Another case in point: Spanish bus stations sell tickets, not seats. So just because you have a ticket, doesn’t mean you have a seat. When the bus pulled up, rather than staying in our orderly line, the people rushed forward, pushing and shoving to get on the bus. What had been a group of civilized adults five seconds before turned into a madhouse. Lisa and another girl from our group made it on the bus, but the rest of us didn’t, along with about thirty others. Luckily, about three minutes later, the company had arranged another bus to bring the rest of us to the beach. Matalascañas was gorgeous, and I forgot my camera, but I did manage to steal some of Lisa’s photos. It was so relaxing: the sand was like flour, and the water was the perfect temperature. Something cool about the beach at Matalascañas is that a portion of an old tower fell down into the water, and it sits smack dab in the middle of the beach, about twenty meters into the water at low tide. We all got on the bus back home just fine.

Sunday morning we went to Iglesia Prosperidad again. I like it there, but I found it hard to understand the man who gave this week’s message. It didn’t help that he spoke really fast, or that the main verb that seemed to be in every one of his points is one that I didn’t know, or that he talked in a type of past tense that I rarely use or hear, so it was hard to follow. But it was good nonetheless, and Sunday afternoon was spent doing homework at the house.

Oh, and it’s cooling off here! By cooling off, I mean it’s like 80 degrees, which now feels like sweatshirt weather to me. That’s hard for me to believe!

Anyways, this has been a majorly long post, but it feels good to have it done. J

Blessings,
Katie

What I want to say, I can't say. And what I don't need to say, I know perfectly well how to say it.

The glitter is starting to fade…I still love it here, but eventually the new-ness and wonder of it all has to wear off. And for me that happened today.

My grammar class is really making me question my abilities. I understand pretty much everything she says, but I am quickly realizing that my grammar and vocabulary are nowhere near what they should be for someone who has spoken the language for so long. The professor says I need to talk to Spaniards, and that is the point of difficulty for me right now. I live with an American roommate, my señora and her “companion” cleaning lady don’t really talk that much, and I don’t really enjoy talking with my señora that much because all she wants to talk about is either how good and nutritious the food is for you or how much she loves Obama or how the whole world needs to model itself after Spain. Haha I anticipate getting connected with Spaniards in the next few weeks in my service learning class and with an “intercambio” which is like an “assigned friend” that wants to learn English, and you help each other with your prospective languages. I also might get involved in a Bible study every once in a while through the Universidad de Sevilla, and that’s something I REALLY want to do, but I don’t know if I’ll have enough time and I don’t want to overload myself. Until all those things happen though, I have to talk to Spaniards elsewhere, like in stores or restaurants, which requires me to be very outgoing (here in Spain, you don’t just go up to people you don’t know….that’s a cultural no-no). I am praying for a spirit of adventure and boldness so I can better my Spanish, and I ask you to pray for that as well.

Now that I’ve been here for a week and am required to speak Spanish pretty much all the time when I’m with the other students, I’m getting frustrated. I’m trying to make friends and be myself. However, I have the vocabulary of roughly a 6 year old child. I am an intelligent, funny human being that has a lot to offer. I just can’t express any of it in Spanish. I think that is the most frustrating thing of all. I’m trying to be myself, but so much of who I am is intricately tied to the language I speak, and when I’m speaking another language I can’t really be the real me yet.

Just got done with dinner. Lisa and I more or less succeeded tonight with avoiding them making us eat so much. We just said “no” and stuck to our guns, and tonight they weren’t able to shove food down our throats like they did at lunch. So perhaps we’ll exercise this tactic more often. Oh, and we went out for ice cream tonight. Thinking I wanted it in a cup and not a cone, I asked for it in a “copa” which seems to be the word in this region for cup. I received a giant goblet full of ice cream, and while it was delectable, I was absolutely stuffed by the time I left, having still been full from our enormous lunch. After ice cream, we went to our first “Encuentro” which is the worship gathering the school puts on every Wednesday.

Yesterday night was girls’ night out…aka Noche de Chicas, a program the school hosted. We met up at the school and ate chocolate and talked about feelings and all the things girls do. Then we went paddleboating on the river. It was so much fun! I didn’t take my camera, but Lisa did, so I stole her photos. haha

Well, I’m getting ready for bed now, but I wanted to post an update. I tried to upload photos of Noche de Chicas and the ice cream, but the uploader for the blog isn't working right now. But I did post them to the facebook album, so just use the link I posted in earlier entries or go to my facebook page to see them. They're like the last 6 photos or so in the album. :-)

Goodnight!

Mi Horario Diario

I'm falling into my rhythm and routine here. It feels like I've been here forever, not just a week (a week exactly from today, actually). My daily schedule looks a lot different than in the US, mostly thanks to Spanish mealtimes, but that's ok...I kinda like it.

7:00 am - Wake up and stumble to the bathroom to take a shower and wash off all the sweat that I can't seem to escape for even a moment here.

8-8:30 am - Begin walking to school. It's about a 30 minute walk, and it's fun to see the same people on a regular basis. It helps this huge city feel more like home. We are now "regulars" with the guy who hands out the free newspapers on the corner by our school every morning. :-)

9:00 am - Classes start for most students, but I have a break during the first time slot, when I usually check my email and update my blog...this is actually when I'm writing this right now. haha

10:00-1:30 pm - Classes with a break between my second and third class. I'm taking Spanish Art and Architecture, History of Spain's Religious Cultures, and Advanced Communication/Grammar.

1:30-2:00 pm - Classes are done and Lisa and I walk home.

2:30 pm - Lunch with Angeles and Basilia at home.

3:30-5:30 pm - SIESTA!!! and homework time

6:00-9:00 pm - Sometime we have an evening activity, and sometimes we just stay home. It depends on the day. Yesterday we went to the "papeleria" and bought notebooks and folders for school and then to the "heladeria" on the corner near our house for some DELICIOUS ice cream. I'm not kidding...this place rivals the Custard Cup.

10 or 10:30 pm - Dinner and then we watch TV for awhile after we finish eating.

11:00-11:30 pm - Finish any homework and read my book while Lisa showers.

11:30-midnight - Go to bed and toss and turn for a half hour while I sweat to death in our oven of a bedroom. :-)

Bullfight

Bullfight photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027809&id=152001486&l=29c1f9fe48

Well, last night was certainly interesting. I can't say that I necessarily enjoyed it, but it was a good experience to have under my belt as a future Spanish teacher. Just for the record, if any of my future students ever read this, I did this for you and not for me. :-)

It was pretty gory. I don't especially want to go into detail, but basically there are three "toreros" or matadors and each of them get to kill 2 bulls. They don't just kill the bull, though. They weaken it by stabbing it a bunch of times and making it run around. Needless to say, it was a horrifying spectacle to watch, but I made myself watch one entire fight and then I let myself read the program for the rest of the fights. Lisa and I met another American

student who was sitting next to us, and she was telling us some different things about the bullfights. She said the meat from the bulls goes to poor families in the city, but our senora said that was not true and the meat goes to butcher shops and sells for a lot because it's highly coveted. Once the bull is killed, one of the men working to weaken the bull will judge whether or not the torero did well. If the torero did well, they cut off one of the bulls ears for him. If he did really well, he gets both ears. And if the torero did a superb job, he gets both ears and the tail. What morbid prizes!

Today is the first day of classes, and I'm writing this during my little break before my first class. Wish me luck! :-)

Soy una guiri!

NEW PHOTOS: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027733&id=152001486&l=d5a417896a

That’s right! A “guiri” is the Spaniard’s way of saying “foreigner”. Today we had a Culture 101 class that helped point out some of the ways we can seem less “foreign” in Sevilla and become more like locals during our time here. The following is a list of things I’ve learned or experienced since arriving that accurately describe a facet of the Spanish culture:

1. Spaniards don’t smile or say hello unless they know you, which for me means no one. I’m starting to be able to spot Americans from a distance because they always have a goofy grin on their face. The Spanish mentality is that if I don’t know you, why should I waste the energy on acknowledging you.

2. “Piropos” are compliments that men yell to you on the street. They say things like “Hola guapa!” (Hey there, beautiful!) or “Ay, rubia!” (Oh, blonde!). It sometimes seems strange and a little rude or vulgar, but here it is the way men express their appreciation of your beauty. I’m learning to just smile to myself and keep walking. J And it is kinda nice to hear that you look nice. American men should adopt this custom…hahaha

3. “Dressed up” in America is, like, notches below the Spanish “casual”. The women here dress VERY fashionably and wear thin sandals with no support or spiky high heels on the uneven cobblestone streets. I definitely stick out a little in my Chaco sandals, but at least I don’t have sprained ankles! J The Spanish women have a phrase, “Para presumir, hay que sufrir.” Which translates to “If you want to look good you have to suffer.”

4. Spanish women also dress with the mentality of “If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And even if you don’t got it, still flaunt it.” Short short dresses, revealing tops…all accepted as natural. Overweight women still wear tight clothes and show it all off. I’m still getting used to not categorizing some women in the “slutty dresser” category and realizing it’s totally normal here.

5. Television is a huge part of the culture. Mealtimes are oriented around the TV. Our senora has the TV on during every meal and we talk a little during the meal, but we watch TV for about a half hour or so afterwards. Oh, and they LOVE soap operas. The cheesier and more melodramatic, the better.

6. Public nudity is not illegal here as long as no one under 18 sees you. Nor are graphic public displays of affection that unusual. I speak from experience on this one. L

7. Alcohol is available pretty much whenever and wherever, even if you don’t want it. For example, today I went to a “bar” or little café, and ordered a fanta, or orange soda, and received an orange soda wine cooler. Not what I ordered, but delicious nonetheless. J

Exploring the City

In Spain, the biggest meal is lunch, which is in the late afternoon. Yesterday we had salad and spaghetti. Lisa and I think she made spaghetti because the day before we both said we really like pasta dishes. :-) haha And for dinner we had a homemade soup that was very similar to Mrs. Grass chicken noodle and cheese cubes (Gouda cheese with sesame seeds and herbs in it...it wasn't bad) and chorizo which is like a chunky sausage that I guess you could compare to a more flavorful bratwurst. So far the food has all been very good. Lisa and I are finding out that Spaniards don't really save most leftovers, and they hate to throw food away, so she and I are trying explain to Angeles every time we eat that we are full, and she keeps telling us to eat more so it doesn't go to waste. haha It's kinda funny and Lisa and I just look at each other and smile.

I'm walking a lot here. The school is about a 30 minute walk, and the other days I've been here we've gone exploring. So the first day I walked about 3 hours and yesterday about 4 and a half hours, and today another 3 hours or so. So that's good. My legs are really tired at the end of the day, but I'm not all-out exhausted yet. :-) We registered for classes today and met with our professors one-on-one, and I made it into the advanced classes. Yay! I’ll be taking History of Spanish Art, Spain of Three Cultures (A history of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim influences in the country), and Advanced Communication. J Also, I’m doing a community service class, which I don’t know yet where I’ll be assigned. Hopefully, I’m also doing flamenco dancing classes, a Bible study, and meeting with a language exchange partner, called an “intercambio”.

I think this weekend Lisa and I are going to go over our calendar and figure out where we might want to go and when this semester. We also might go to a bullfight on Sunday. They are really bloody and gory and they kill the bull at the end, and I don't really want to see that part. But the bullfight is at the center of Sevillan culture, and I definitely want to experience it, especially to relate the experience to my students.

I took some more pictures last night on our guided tour, especially when we went back to that governmental headquarters place, which I found out is called La Plaza Espanola. It is gorgeous there. Our tour guide, Martin, is a student at the University of Seville, and he said that when people get married, they all go to this plaza to take their wedding pictures, and every Saturday and Sunday afternoon you can go there and see at least five or six different newlyweds at any given time doing their pictures.

Tonight we went to a park about a block away from our apartment with the rest of the students and had pizza and just chatted for a while. It was a lot of fun, and Lisa and I made a new friend! Her name is Raquel, and she lives about 5 minutes away, so tomorrow we are walking to the school together to go to the photo scavenger hunt they have set up for us. I’m starting to really get my bearings in our neighborhood and in the area around the school, and it’s nice to sort of feel like I belong here, even though I still stick out. J

I'm in Spain, Safe and Sound!!

FOR PHOTOS: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027733&id=152001486&l=d5a417896a

I made it here safely and uneventfully! I'm getting all settled in with my sen~ora. Her name is Angeles, and she seems nice but kind of distant right now. I hope that improves throughout the semester. Lisa and I share a cozy bedroom with two pink twin beds, two closet/armoir type things, a desk with workspace for both of us, a dresser, and shelves. Everything fits nicely into our room. :-)

If I could pick two words to describe Sevilla, they would be "enchanting" and "sweating". It is so STINKING HOT here. I'm talking like, "four miles from the surface of the Sun" kind of hot. Since landing in Spain I have not stopped sweating. Our room has a window, which is open 24/7 (no worries, as we're on the 9th floor) and a fan, but there are no working outlets in our room, so the fan is kind of pointless as of yet. I also choose the word enchanting, because I am quickly falling in love with the city. It is so inspiring to be walking along the river under the palm trees and gaze up at bright blue skies, the ancient Torre del Oro, and the sunlight glistening off the river. My experience so far in walking around exploring with Lisa have given me the impression that the part of the city I will pretty much spend all my time in is clean and safe, which is reassuring, as it is a huge transition to live in a major city.

Lisa and I did our first walk to our school today, and we clocked it at almost a half hour exactly, which is one of the longest walks out of all the students as far as I've heard, but it is a nice walk along shop-lined streets and across a beautiful bridge to get to the other side of the river. We met some of our fellow SIS students at the McDonalds right by the school this afternoon and decided to walk around and explore the area immediately around the school, as it has many beautiful old buildings. We walked through the open halls of the stately Universidad de Sevilla and ended up in the governmental palace courtyard kind of by accident, but it was an amazing place to stumble upon.

Jet lag is getting the best of me right now, and I think I shall go relax with Lisa a bit before supper. Meal times are different here in Spain, so lunch is around 2:00 in the afternoon, and dinner comes anywhere between 8:00 and 11:00. Crazy! Lisa and I were discussing how it would be nice to not have to wait up for dinner tonight, because the only thing that's keeping us from going to bed right now (approximately 8:30) is the fact that we're waiting to eat dinner. :-)

Tomorrow is orientation and a city tour (which I really hope is by bus, as my feet are very tired already). I'll hopefully be able to post tomorrow night about the events of the day.

Much love and many blessings,

Katie

All Packed Up!

Wow....yesterday was kinda frustrating. I think I packed and unpacked and smushed and folded and repacked and unpacked and packed again more times than I can count! Phew! Alas, I had to give in to my mother's wisdom and admit that my Space Bags were taking up more room than just packing my clothes the regular way. So there you have it, mom. In writing: you were right. :-)

I ended up with two big suitcases, but the biggest one is not too full, and once I use some of the stuff I brought, I should be able to bring stuff back without being over the weight limit. My only concern is that my backpack, which I hope to use as my carry-on, is about 6 inches too big in total, so I'm hoping they don't make me check it! Not only do I not want my stuff in the cargo area for 8+ hours, but I also don't want to pay $100 for an extra checked bag! :-( So prayers for that would be appreciated, even though it is somewhat minor in the grand scheme of things. haha

Today is last minute errands, including a final stop at The Custard Cup to say goodbye to my bosses and savor one last treat of Creamy Caramel Custard. Mmmmmm! Then it's off to Chicago via Coldwater, MI, so dad can drop off his pickup at his workplace so he's ready to work on Wednesday. I think we're staying in the Sheraton near the airport tonight, and then my flight is tomorrow afternoon. For those who are interested, my flight info is:

Iberia Airlines, Flight 6274
Chicago O'Hare to Madrid
Depart: 4:40 PM local time
Arrive: 7:40 AM local time

Iberia Airlines, Flight 116
Madrid to Seville
Depart: 8:45 AM local time
Arrive: 9:45 AM local time

I would very much appreciate your prayers for safe and uneventful travels. :-) I'll post an update when I arrive in Spain. Until then....

Blessings,
Katie

The Countdown Commences!

Today is packing day for me. Despite my love of traveling and the frequency with which I pack my bags for a variety of excursions, I am a horrible packer. I pack too much of one thing, and not enough of another. I almost always forget something essential. My afternoon will consist of laying out the piles of stuff on my packing list and entering an hours-long internal debate as to which things I can leave behind. Wish me luck!

Grrr....

I realized that it only published half of my post. I'll finish the second half later. Grrr.....

Home Stretch

I am back from an awesome week in Tennessee! It was definitely not what I expected, but the Lord still used the week to speak to our group in different ways. I don't have any photos yet, but if I have time when I get some I may add them here.



Our group was working for a family just over the Kentucky/Tennessee border. The first day we arrived and were given our project list: build a back porch with a roof and replace a broken window with a door to access the new porch; replace two wide windows and reframe them for narrower windows; cut, frame, and install two new windows in an exterior wall; and mud and paint a living room. It seemed like a lot, especially in the ever-present, oily mud that covered their backyard, but we trusted God that we would accomplish exactly what He wanted us to. It became very evident that first day that our entire team could not focus on the projects at one time, as the family of 8 included two young children that were constantly getting into our workspace, taking our tools and getting mud on all our stuff. So it then became necessary for one to four people to babysit, and most of us rotated shifts to deal with 8 year old ADHD Zeb and 5 year old attention-starved Kayla. I do not mean to sound pessimistic or hateful towards the children, for they were definitely a product of their environment, but "deal with" is probably the best phrase to describe the experience...yes, it was that taxing. Day 1 concluded with us having built the deck of the porch and finished the mudding in the living room.



Day 2 started off bright and early (too early for most of our team's liking...hahaha). The girls (minus one) spent the day inside painting the living room a very pretty teal-ish green color, while the menfolk and the remaining girl continued work outside by installing a railing and getting the new door ready. I was asked by Julie (the house's matronly figure) to help with an additional project, which I agreed to, although I was a bit skeptical. (We found throughout the week that the family kind of exploited our presence, adding tasks for us that weren't on our project list that they easily could have done themselves.) So I spent the morning of Day 2 painting polka dots on the lower half of LeeAnn's bedroom. LeeAnn was Julie's 13 year old granddaughter, and she was completely capable of doing the painting project herself, but she spent the majority of that morning in her bedroom with me, sending and receiving text messages on her BlackBerry. Yes, that's right...a 13 year old in an "impoverished" household....with a BlackBerry. And we thought this family was poor!



Day 3 was our day off from the worksite and we went whitewater rafting in Kentucky on the Cumberland River. It was INCREDIBLE!!! I was scared the whole morning but once we got on the river it was so fun.

Life has been infinitely sweeter this week than any time that I can recently remember. I feel a peace in my soul that the Lord is good, and the Lord is with me. My circumstances are no different than they were before camp. It is my attitude that has changed.

As I prepare to leave for another week, I pray that I can keep this peace with me. I will be serving as a chaperone for a group from my church going to White Oak, Tennessee. I pray the Lord gives me strength to sustain me and help me finish some homework while I'm there, too.

For now, I'm tired. More updates to come later.

Much love and many blessings,
Katie

Life is Precious. Life is Sweet.

I desperately wish that I had time to sit and write all that I have learned in the past week. However, that is not possible at the moment seeing as I have to leave for work shortly. For now, I leave you with a poem that one of my fellow Huddle Leaders wrote about the week. Her thoughts sum it up perfectly.


This Week (July 11th-18th)

This Week
I learned that I am an eagle
and I need to stop living with the chickens,
spread my wings, and fly.
I learned that it is possible
to throw up for God.
I learned that Christianity IS a crutch,
because I AM crippled without Jesus,
and I need Him to support me.
I learned that I'm not worthy of myself
and that I am so precious to God
that only He is worthy to hold my life
in His hands.
I learned that prayer is the most powerful
weapon, stress reliever, compliment, praise.
I learned that being in community
is one of the greatest gifts to ever be given
and that feeling safe is a part of being a family.
I learned that choosing between two things is difficult
but that when you choose the right one
even when you think it will hurt someone
you do not feel defeat.
I learned that being a united front
is essential to being a parent.
I learned that being a role model
may be a tough job but reaps great rewards.
I learned that having a role model
means showing respect and being able
to admit your weaknesses and doubts.
I learned that I am not the only one who feels dry
and wants to be filled up.
I learned that swaying to a worship song
will always be more powerful when standing
next to your best friends.
I learned that dealing with difficult situations
is impossible to do on my own,
and shouldn't be done on my own.
I learned that when the girls start laughing
it is useless to try and not join in.
I learned that I did not deserve what Jesus did for me
when He gave His life on the cross
but that being unworthy would never stop Him
from saving those He loves.
I learned that being called Christian
means standing up and declaring
"I Am A Disciple Of Jesus"
and feeling your own voice resound in your heart.
I learned that Summer Games has saved my life
one more time.
I learned that God will never
ever
give up
on me.


Thanks Karleigh! This is my favorite poem, and I have a feeling it will always have a dear place in my heart.

Blessings,
Katie

A Wonderful Realization

As I prepare my heart for a week of camp counseling next week, I am so excited.  Working with high school youth will be a different counseling experience than what I'm used to.  However, I'm excited to be able to share with these campers on a more mature level and hopefully dig into some real deep faith issues.

Thinking about my years as a sr. high camper has made me realize just how much I've changed since then.  I've always been a passionate person, loving to talk and express my feelings on a variety of subjects.  The most striking change I realized was that just four years ago, I knew Jesus but I didn't know him intimately.  What would get me most fired up when I talked to people was politics and history and what was going on in the world.  As I would talk about those things I would grow angrier and more frustrated.  Today, after all that has happened in the past four years the thing that I'm most passionate about is the Lord.  I don't like to talk about politics anymore because of the fact that it makes me angry.  I would much rather talk about my Lord and feel my face light up with love as I speak.  Praise be to God for the changes He has made in my life in the past four years. :-)  May I make a loving impact for His glory in the lives of my campers next week.

W. O. W.

Ok...so let's see. In the past month I've completed exams, moved home, missed my friends' graduation, began coursework for my summer classes, and started two jobs. Whew!

I started subbing in the high school and middle school here in Houghton Lake. It has been an awesome experience...very uplifting. Not only has it confirmed to me that I am right where God wants me in my career choice, but it has also been really affirming. I was scared that I wouldn't have any authority in the classroom, but my time as a sub has given me the opportunity to practice my classroom management skills. It's been an incredible blessing! Since I've subbed for several teachers in the high school now, I'm starting to get to know some students that I've had a few times. I've been able to build a respectful relationship with my students, showing them that I've been right where they are and that I am on their side. I think this approach has gone over much better than the strict, disciplinarian approach. I have also become known as the "candy sub" since I always have my little bag of mini candy bars at the ready for when students are doing well and we can play games at the end of the hour. Not sure how I feel about being known primarily by my rewards system, but hey, at least they are well-behaved for me for the short-term. :-)

I'm also working at the Custard Cup again...I've decided that I really like working there a lot. And even though it's been more than a year since I worked there, everything came right back to me.

Getting ready to send in my visa materials to the Spanish consulate in Chicago. I'm also trying to apply for several scholarships right now, which is difficult to do when I come home from work exhausted every night. But oh, well. :-)

Yep....life is fairly uneventful here at home. My best friend from home is in Germany, away from any form of contact. My best friend from school graduated and is now home in Connecticut. There is almost no one back home in HL for the summer, but I've been working so much that at least I don't have time to get too bored. :-) Speaking of getting bored...I've decided to plant a vegetable garden this summer to stave off boredom and to keep my hands busy, as well as get me outside often to get a bit of a tan! :-)

I suppose that's it for now...as for me: it's bedtime!

Praise the Lord...I'm rich(er)!!!

I received this email today from a scholarship committee I applied to in March!
Praise the Lord, for He is providing for my study abroad a little at a time!!

"Dear Ms Wiggins,

The Scholarship Committee of Phi Sigma Iota has met and reviewed thescholarship applications we received this year. I am pleased to tell youthat we were impressed by your application, by your proposal, and by yourletters of recommendation. We are happy to award you the Dr. Cleon CapsusScholarship in the sum of $1,000.

We wish you well in the work that you will undertake with this scholarshipmoney and ask that upon your return to the United States, you write us abrief report telling us the effects that your stay abroad have had on you,both personally and professionally. We also ask you to bear in mind thatPhi Sigma Iota has helped you in your career, and that you in turn promotethe interests of the Society, so that others may have the same opportunityyou are now enjoying.

Sincerely yours,
Phillip Wolfe, Second Vice-President
Phi Sigma Iota
For the scholarship committee"

Walking on Water

A couple weeks ago, a speaker in chapel prayed and talked about how it's so easy during this time of year to start looking around at the wind and waves, and we begin to sink. It's only when we lock eyes with our Lord and focus on his gaze that we can keep going. And it only takes a little thing, and we're back frantically looking around and floundering once again.

I'm really good at this whole "get distracted, sink and flounder" routine. I'm a planner: where am I going, what will I be doing, who will I be with, what will it be like.... It's so easy to rely on my plans, and to embrace the security they seem to offer. Then, when things don't work out at all as I planned, I realize my repeat offense and my eyes snap up to meet the gaze of my master. And how marvelous and wonderful it is that those eyes are always filled with love, care, and concern, never shaming.

This weekend I watched Fireproof again, and one of the lines struck me a little differently than it has in the past. "How can I show love over and over to someone who constantly rejects me?" My wandering heart....oh, my wandering heart. I have rejected God, and flaunted that rejection back in his face. Now that I am running hard after him again, I can't believe that he would embrace me after the hurt I've caused him. It amazes me beyond the slightest comprehension that he still calls me his beloved.

Is that kind of love even possible? I look at my brother and his wife, and it gives me hope. But I really wonder if I could ever be loved in a Christ-honoring relationship. I can imagine it in my mind, but my heart doesn't believe it, though I desperately want to believe it. I don't know how to start believing it, but the best solution I can think of is to keep my eyes locked into his, into that incomprehensible, encompassing love. If only I can keep my selfish, wandering heart centered on him...

:-)

Summer is coming. I am elated. That is all. :-)

The Lord is Faithful!

God is so faithful!

After my relationship with Scott ended a little over a year ago, it was a difficult few months for me. I finally got over it and was getting back on my feet when he called me over Christmas break and again over spring break and expressed that he thought he may still have feelings for me. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, and my mixed feelings taunted me. On one hand, the woman in me enjoyed the prospect of being pursued once again. However, the larger part of me knew that he was not the man I wanted in my life, and I struggled between my selfish desire to be romanced and the greater calling that the Lord had placed on my heart.

The situation had kind of fizzled over the past month, which confirmed all the more in my heart that I needed to tell Scott that I didn't want to pursue anything. The Lord provided me with the courage when my brother called me Sunday night and flat-out asked me my feelings about him. I stated my case for not wanting to go any further with Scott, with the biggest reason being that I know I want a strong man of Christ in my life who matches my personality better than he did. Well, God knew I needed this prodding and this outlet to process my feelings verbally in preparation for the work he was about to do. The next day Scott called me, explaining that he is pursuing another woman and they are dating. I started crying, but not out of sadness. These were tears of joy, of the realization that the Lord is so faithful to answer our prayers! I have been begging the Lord for closure in this relationship, and he has given it to me and given me the grace to be joyful about it.

Praise Him for this door closed and another opened. The door has been opened to a life without this weight upon me. I am so excited for this next stage in my life, in the story that God is writing for me. Who knows, perhaps another relationship is around the corner and I'm completely clueless? Or perhaps this is a time when God has other plans for me. Regardless, I am already enjoying this new stage. Let's do this, Lord!

Squeaky clean

Hello one and all!

Well, let's see...a lot has been going on. Besides classes and whatnot, I am in the process of organizing a t-shirt order for YES. My visit from my mom was a great time this past week. :-)

I just took a seat on my couch, still wrapped up in my towel from my recent shower. I'm home alone this weekend as all my roommates have gone home for Easter break. It's been an interesting time. Let me just say this: I don't do well when I'm alone.

I know beyond a doubt that God has created me as a tremendous extrovert. I have realized over the past year that my desire, dare I say need, to be with others almost constantly is not immature, nor is it a sign of lack of faith. Two years ago, I was led to believe that this was the case by a certain someone in my life, and that the loneliness I felt when I was not with other people was very unhealthy. My extroversion is a gift. Fellowship with other believers is a gift. When I am without people, I can't concentrate and I get anxious. My difficulties in being alone point out to me all the more how much my personal need for community is tied into how I relate best with God.

In light of this realization, I am a little worried. Yes, I know I shouldn't worry or be anxious in anything. But I am a sinner, and that is that. So anyway, I am a little worried about my housing situation when I return from Spain. None of my friends will be on campus, and a good number of them will be married. It is hard to find a living situation off-campus mid-year. I could live on campus, but that comes with a few complications as well. It would likely be difficult to get into the apartments in January, unless I find someone who will be leaving or who will have an extra spot available. I could fairly easily get into the dorms, but I would really only want to live in Pickitt, and I don't really want to live there that badly. And living on campus is more expensive than living off campus, but if I live off campus I would need to make sure I had a reliable car, plus I would have to pay for more gas and more groceries than if I live on-campus. Oh, Mylanta, this is complicated!! I think I will probably just live on campus when I return from Spain, but where or with who I don't know, and that bothers me. The end.

I think I will go get dressed now! Adios!

Mer.

I need to update. But I'm exhausted. I will do it soon. I promise. Maybe.

Ugh...I hate being sick!

I have a cold. I am mildly dissatisfied with this fact. For the past two days, I have been guzzling water like nobody's business, taking Airborne twice a day, and taking Zicam every 3 hours as directed. Tonight I had to take Sudafed, which means that my cold is not getting better, but worse. Stupid germs. I don't want to be sick for my birthday, because that's just stupid. I suppose if I am, oh well, life goes on. But still...I've been looking forward to my birthday for awhile now. It's actually the only thing I've been looking forward to this semester. What a bummer if I won't be feeling well. :-( So pray for me, and I will continue to do everything in my power to get better ASAP.

Last night when I got back to my apartment, my roommates had decorated everything with streamers and balloons and had made me a cake! I knew about it, but it was still a wonderful surprise and I felt very loved. They even gave me a gift: PEEPS!!!! (they're my guilty pleasure) and a canvas with some more paints. The canvas is for me to paint this weekend and to bring to my birthday extravaganza. Nancy will be in charge of it, and all my friends will get the chance to write well-wishes and messages on it! I have a feeling that this is going to be a treasured keepsake. :-)

And it's finally FRIDAY!!!!!

Sleepy and procrastinating

Just as the title might suggest, I am very sleepy at the moment. I would love to take a nap, but I realize that I will get nothing done for the rest of the day if I do. So I'm forcing myself to stay awake, even though I've kinda set myself up for failure, as I changed into a comfy pair of shorts and snuggled up on our cushy couch with my cozy comforter. And so I procrastinate by updating my blog. A lot has happened in the past couple weeks. I shall start at the beginning:

Saturday, March 14
My friend Scott and his friend Pilgrim went on a road-biking extravaganza all around SW Michigan. They stopped in GR Saturday to spend the night. The day got off to an early start with me moving back down to my apartment in the morning. I found that I had quite a bit of time on my hands before the gents were scheduled to arrive, so after I unpacked everything I decided to go to Panera for lunch and then stop and go through the car wash on my way back to campus. For those of you who don't know me that well let me preface this story by saying that I don't particularly enjoy new experiences when I'm by myself. So it was a big step for me to go through the automatic car wash for the first time all by myself without any friends back at school yet to offer me moral support. :-) So I got in line for the car wash and waited for the five or six people in front of me to go through. The lady in front of me finally went into the wash and I waited until it stopped to put my money in. I started making my selection when I realized that the lady in front of me was still in the car wash. She rolled down her window and said, "It just stopped working! I don't know what to do!" She couldn't drive forward because the bar had stopped dead center in front of her car and the door on the other side was still down. So I got out and went to the man behind me, explaining the situation, and he backed out of the line, and I slowly backed out as well, proceeding to go up over the curb and ruin some landscaping. Oh, well. It wasn't as bad as the poor woman who had been stuck in front of me. It took her a good five minutes to back out of the wash, hitting just about everything she could before she finally turned around and drove away, her car still sudsy. I went inside and asked the gas station attendant to fix the car wash, and I was able to go through unhindered. I emerged freshly washed and waxed, triumphant, and proud of myself for gracefully handling a near-catastrophic (not really) first time car wash experience.

So then, Scott called me, and he and Pilgrim were out near Alto, fighting a really strong headwind. They had biked all the way from Lansing, and were trying to make it into GR by mid-afternoon to visit a friend in the hospital before dinner. I went out to Alto and picked them up, and somehow we managed to fit both of their large road bikes in my little station wagon and drove back to campus. We unloaded the bikes, went to the hospital, enjoyed a delicious dinner of Jimmy John's downtown, and came back to campus so they could shower. After cleaning up, we ended up going to this ridiculously amazing concert at Calvin College. The guy's name was Victor Wooten and he is a PHENOMENAL bass player. The concert was incredible, and we headed back to campus afterwards to get a restful night's sleep. Special thanks to the men's leadership house for letting Scott and Pilgrim crash on the couches.

The next morning we woke up early and I sent Scott and Pilgrim on their way to Benton Harbor. I went to church, Meijer, and came back to my apartment. And I worked on homework. ALL. DAY. :-(

First week of classes after break
Not too much exciting happened. Just scholarship applications and a few random assignments. One day at a time.

Saturday, March 21
Abby took me to see The Producers at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater. It was amazing! Thanks for the birthday gift, Abby!

So...my life in the past week and a half. Blessings to you!

Beggar

As of late, I feel like a beggar. Not only because I've submitted so many scholarship applications in the past three months that it's possible I've paid more in postage than what I will likely get in financial aid, and I am begging for money. Not only because I'm often in need of far more hours than I have available, and I am begging for time. But also because my thoughts are muddled and I'm presented with SO many options, and I feel like I'm begging God for clarity. There are a lot of big decisions to be made in the next couple of years. I guess the only thing I can do for immediate relief is pray that God will bring his plans for me to fruition with the decisions I make. Wow...what a big prayer.