OH MY GOSH I can't believe that a week from today I will be home...that's so crazy! I am ready. It's hard to explain to anyone who hasn't been abroad that you can love the place you are in and still be so ready to leave at the same time. I can't wait to see my family and friends, go to Itty Bitty, go to FPC, watch the Titans beat the Steelers with Todd, eat my dad's delicious breakfast....the list goes on!
Until then....ONE week to finish everything I want to do that I either a) haven't done yet or b) want to make sure I do one more time before I leave. Plus, I have 5 finals in there somewhere. Ahh! Time is going to fly!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
The beauties of Montserrat
Since it is a long weekend in Spain (today is a holiday here), and I had no big travels planned, I decided to take a day trip to Montserrat, which is about an hour train ride outside the city. I had heard from other people that had been that it was worth visiting, and I figured "Why not?" So, I set off on Saturday morning to Placa Espanya, where I bought my all-inclusive ticket to Montserrat (includes transportation, lunch, museum entrances, unlimited funicular access, etc).
I arrived at 11:30 at the train station "Montserrat Aeri", which is the platform where you catch the cable car up to the top of the mountain. It's kind of like the tram in Gatlinburg, although smaller and steeper. However, the view was amazing...it was so sunny and clear that I could see for miles. I could even see Mount Tibidabo (highest point in Barcelona) from the top of Montserrat).
Once I got there, I just could not get over how beautiful it was...I went alone, completely content listening to Jars of Clay and talking with God as I gazed over the "glorious spender of His majesty" (Psalm 145:5). When Conchita found out that I didn't go with anyone she seemed shocked. However, I did not feel alone...instead, I felt God's presence all around me in this holy and beautiful place.
The pictures can only do so much, but here you go! MONTSERRAT
Tell me what you think :)
I arrived at 11:30 at the train station "Montserrat Aeri", which is the platform where you catch the cable car up to the top of the mountain. It's kind of like the tram in Gatlinburg, although smaller and steeper. However, the view was amazing...it was so sunny and clear that I could see for miles. I could even see Mount Tibidabo (highest point in Barcelona) from the top of Montserrat).
Once I got there, I just could not get over how beautiful it was...I went alone, completely content listening to Jars of Clay and talking with God as I gazed over the "glorious spender of His majesty" (Psalm 145:5). When Conchita found out that I didn't go with anyone she seemed shocked. However, I did not feel alone...instead, I felt God's presence all around me in this holy and beautiful place.
The pictures can only do so much, but here you go! MONTSERRAT
Tell me what you think :)
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Fui a Portugal!
This past weekend was my first trip to a completely new country since I arrived in Spain. It was exciting, and at the same time I kind of had forgotten what it was like to arrive in a completely unfamiliar country with a completely unfamiliar language. Lindsay and I had some interesting encounters trying to speak to people, mostly using our Spanish and hoping they could figure out the main ideas of what we were trying to say.
We arrived in Lisbon around 12:30 on Friday, after flying TAP Airlines (they still give you real food!) from Barcelona. We took the bus into Rossio Square, just minutes away from the Living Lounge Hostel. I have stayed in quite a few hostels in the past 2 years, and this one by far surpasses any other. Not only was it clean, comfortable, and nicely decorated, but everyone there really seemed to enjoy community. It was the ideal hostel atmosphere. We ate breakfast and dinner there twice, every time having some wonderful and entertaining conversations with people from Czech Republic, Germany, the Philippines, Holland, Switzerland, and more. I wanted to stay longer just for the hostel!
Our first day, we wandered aimlessly and got terribly lost in Lisbon. In all honesty, this city wasn't the most amazing or unique European city I have ever seen, but we had fun all the same. Saturday, however, we took a 1.70 euro train ride to a small town about 45 minutes away (Sintra). It was gorgeous...lush and green with beautiful old buildings. We spent most of the day hiking in the woods and just enjoying being away from a busy city. That night, we returned to Lisbon to do a little shopping and hang out at our fabulous hostel.
Sunday, we had breakfast (mmm...yummy rolls and coffee) at the hostel, and then we headed out for the day. We stumbled upon a great market nearby and bought jewelry from the sweetest man who was so patient with us. Then, we started walking to Belem. An hour and a half later, we realized that Belem was further that we thought, so we took the tram the rest of the way. We saw the gorgeous monastery and ate the famous pastels de Belem. Then, we hopped on another train to Cascais to see the Atlantic Ocean! It was too short because we had to head back to Lisbon and catch our flight, but definitely worth the trip.
I am sad to see my last real European travel come to an end...I can't believe how fast things have flown by, and in 2 and a half short weeks, I will be back in Tennessee. I am doing my best to surpress my anxiety, both positive and negative, and enjoy my last 17 days in Spain. See you all soon!
PORTUGAL PICTURES
MORE OF BARCELONA
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
No zapatos en Espana
I was doing a little wandering around the Barcelona streets yesterday, when I went into a shoe store. I hate to shop for shoes, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a very cute pair of black flats that were not too expensive. I marched up to the counter to ask for my size.
"Tiene estes en Cuarenta y dos?"- (Do you have these in size forty-two)
"No, no vende cuarenta y dos en Espana...solo cuarenta y uno" (No, we don't sell size forty-two in Spain, only size 41).
Basically, my feet are too big to buy shoes ANYWHERE in Spain...nothing like something like that to make you feel like a freak! :P So to anyone else with big feet, don't come to Spain to buy cute shoes...they don't exist in our size!
"Tiene estes en Cuarenta y dos?"- (Do you have these in size forty-two)
"No, no vende cuarenta y dos en Espana...solo cuarenta y uno" (No, we don't sell size forty-two in Spain, only size 41).
Basically, my feet are too big to buy shoes ANYWHERE in Spain...nothing like something like that to make you feel like a freak! :P So to anyone else with big feet, don't come to Spain to buy cute shoes...they don't exist in our size!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
randomness
It has been brought to my attention that some people actually check this pretty often, and that I should therefore write more often/more exciting stories! Not sure if that means I should write more exciting stories, meaning more in quantity, or that what I write should be more exciting, in quality...but moving on!
I am writing an academic paper on the effects of blogging on self-identity for one of my classes, which has led me to go back through my old blogging entries, starting with my Xanga blog that I started at the beginning of college. It is amazing to go back and see how much I have changed and grown in four years. That is one thing that has encouraged me to keep writing for so long (regularly since the 6th grade!)...I love to go back and read about the person I used to be, and be glad that I have grown since. Can anyone else relate? With that being said, anyone who has journals/diaries and at some point has the urge to destroy them because they are too embarrasing, too hard to read, etc....DON'T DO IT! You will thank yourself later by being able to learn from your past experiences.
This weekend was pretty uneventful overall. I did have to stand up in front of everyone in church, today, which I was not expecting. I had lunch with the pastors this past week to interview them for a religion paper, and from our conversation Pastor Dan discovered that I hated standing up in talking to people. For some reason, this meant that I was the perfect person to volunteer to come up front during worship service today. Luckily, there were 3 other people up there, and it wasn't for too long, but still, my face was a very lovely shade of pink the entire time (no surprise to those of you who know me)!
I am extremely blessed to have found ICB in Spain, though. So much of the positive experiences and growth I have had here so far are due to this church and this wonderful group of people that have become my family. Wednesday night at home group, we are even going to have a dinner together...complete with a turkey, stuffing, and squash casserole! It will be bittersweet, though, because we're also saying goodbye to Tim, who is moving down to the south of Spain...
That's all for now because it's time to watch the Titans become 11-0!!! (If I can get the game streaming...)
Comments, thoughts, updates are always appreciated!
I am writing an academic paper on the effects of blogging on self-identity for one of my classes, which has led me to go back through my old blogging entries, starting with my Xanga blog that I started at the beginning of college. It is amazing to go back and see how much I have changed and grown in four years. That is one thing that has encouraged me to keep writing for so long (regularly since the 6th grade!)...I love to go back and read about the person I used to be, and be glad that I have grown since. Can anyone else relate? With that being said, anyone who has journals/diaries and at some point has the urge to destroy them because they are too embarrasing, too hard to read, etc....DON'T DO IT! You will thank yourself later by being able to learn from your past experiences.
This weekend was pretty uneventful overall. I did have to stand up in front of everyone in church, today, which I was not expecting. I had lunch with the pastors this past week to interview them for a religion paper, and from our conversation Pastor Dan discovered that I hated standing up in talking to people. For some reason, this meant that I was the perfect person to volunteer to come up front during worship service today. Luckily, there were 3 other people up there, and it wasn't for too long, but still, my face was a very lovely shade of pink the entire time (no surprise to those of you who know me)!
I am extremely blessed to have found ICB in Spain, though. So much of the positive experiences and growth I have had here so far are due to this church and this wonderful group of people that have become my family. Wednesday night at home group, we are even going to have a dinner together...complete with a turkey, stuffing, and squash casserole! It will be bittersweet, though, because we're also saying goodbye to Tim, who is moving down to the south of Spain...
That's all for now because it's time to watch the Titans become 11-0!!! (If I can get the game streaming...)
Comments, thoughts, updates are always appreciated!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Weekend trip!
This weekend from Thursday night to Monday morning, my friend Dannie and I traveled to southern Spain to see Granada and Cordoba. I picked Granada because so many people I know that have traveled to Spain before told me how amazing it was...one even said that it was her favorite city in Spain. Cordoba was only a short 2 hour train ride away and has the 2nd largest mosque (next to Mecca) in the world, so we decided we had to see that, too.
The best way that I can possibly describe these cities is "picturesque". Barcelona is many things, but that quality is not one I would use for it. Granada and Cordoba, however, were the perfect representation of what I expected Spain to be like...the small, quaint Spanish city with amazingly friendly people and delicious. It was breath-takingly beautiful in a way that Barcelona could never be. I am so glad that I was able to experience this side of Spain.
Another characteristic of these small, Spanish towns was how hospitable and friendly everyone was that we came into contact with. We never spoke English to anyone, but for some reason I found it easier to understand Spanish there. Maybe it's the lack of the Catalan influence/tension, or maybe it was just that the people just seemed more willing to talk. Whatever it was, we were truly blessed to meet wonderful people throughout the weekend.
After spending a weekend in gorgeous southern Spain, I am relieved to be able to say that I am still glad I am in Barcelona because there is just so much to do here that I haven't done. In Granada and Cordoba, we felt like we covered most of the things to do there in less than 3 days. It was the perfect place to visit for a weekend. Now, I come back to busy Barcelona...so much left to do, and time is running out!
Pictures of Granada
Pictures of Cordoba
The best way that I can possibly describe these cities is "picturesque". Barcelona is many things, but that quality is not one I would use for it. Granada and Cordoba, however, were the perfect representation of what I expected Spain to be like...the small, quaint Spanish city with amazingly friendly people and delicious. It was breath-takingly beautiful in a way that Barcelona could never be. I am so glad that I was able to experience this side of Spain.
Another characteristic of these small, Spanish towns was how hospitable and friendly everyone was that we came into contact with. We never spoke English to anyone, but for some reason I found it easier to understand Spanish there. Maybe it's the lack of the Catalan influence/tension, or maybe it was just that the people just seemed more willing to talk. Whatever it was, we were truly blessed to meet wonderful people throughout the weekend.
After spending a weekend in gorgeous southern Spain, I am relieved to be able to say that I am still glad I am in Barcelona because there is just so much to do here that I haven't done. In Granada and Cordoba, we felt like we covered most of the things to do there in less than 3 days. It was the perfect place to visit for a weekend. Now, I come back to busy Barcelona...so much left to do, and time is running out!
Pictures of Granada
Pictures of Cordoba
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Estoy en amor...
It's happening again....I'm falling in love...
....with Europe...
For so much of the first month I was in Barcelona, I just wanted to be back in Vienna. After coming here, I was so convinced that the constant high I felt there was specific to that particular place with those particular people in that specific point in time. Maybe that's not the case after all.
Don't get me wrong; there are things about home that I am still looking forward to when I return in 6 weeks (real breakfast, American football, etc). However, the longer I am in Barcelona, the less I remember that list and the more I realize what I am going to miss when I leave. What scares me is that this might really be the last time I am in Europe for a very long time. Who knows, it could even be the last. There's no telling where life will take me.
A month ago, I made a list of all the things I missed from home. Now, I am going to make a list of everything I can already tell I will be sad to leave behind in Spain:
*Being able to walk everywhere!
*The endless number of delicious cafes, and with that, delicious coffee and pastries
*Always having something new to explore
*Public transportation (not paying for gas!)
*Meeting people from all over the world and learning about different cultures
*Speaking Spanish as a part of my daily life
*The wonderful weather here (most of the time)
*Menu del Dias...yum
*Lemon Fanta!!
*Conchita
*ICB and the people there
Possibly more will be added in the future! Hasta luego!
....with Europe...
For so much of the first month I was in Barcelona, I just wanted to be back in Vienna. After coming here, I was so convinced that the constant high I felt there was specific to that particular place with those particular people in that specific point in time. Maybe that's not the case after all.
Don't get me wrong; there are things about home that I am still looking forward to when I return in 6 weeks (real breakfast, American football, etc). However, the longer I am in Barcelona, the less I remember that list and the more I realize what I am going to miss when I leave. What scares me is that this might really be the last time I am in Europe for a very long time. Who knows, it could even be the last. There's no telling where life will take me.
A month ago, I made a list of all the things I missed from home. Now, I am going to make a list of everything I can already tell I will be sad to leave behind in Spain:
*Being able to walk everywhere!
*The endless number of delicious cafes, and with that, delicious coffee and pastries
*Always having something new to explore
*Public transportation (not paying for gas!)
*Meeting people from all over the world and learning about different cultures
*Speaking Spanish as a part of my daily life
*The wonderful weather here (most of the time)
*Menu del Dias...yum
*Lemon Fanta!!
*Conchita
*ICB and the people there
Possibly more will be added in the future! Hasta luego!
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