Europeans have more fun.

I’m going to use the example of my Sunday tram ride this morning to explain to you one of the reasons why I love Europe.

Sunday mornings are usually quite tranquil here in Spain. Being Spanish, if you are not walking to your morning mass, you are usually still sleeping off the late night you had. So this morning when I boarded the tram to go to church, the mass of people onboard was a little surprising. After overhearing a few words and noticing their light complexions I soon came to realize they were a group of Germans (a very large group of Germans, at that) most likely visiting in an attempt to get away from the sting of the impending winter, as many do. My strolls on the board walk always (and I mean ALWAYS) involve the presence of at least three different languages, the most common being: Spanish, English, and German.

Nothing seemed unusual to me this morning at the site of such a group. That was, until the sound of an accordion started playing from behind me. The tram quickly filled with jolly Germans singing traditional songs about who knows what, but boy were they happy! The singing turned to dancing and flag waving, and with the change of melody to an old Spanish victory song the whole tram turned into an impromptu choir singing with such pride, “Viva España!”

Europeans know how to have fun, to unabashedly enjoy themselves. No one will judge you for all of sudden bursting out in joyful song because the majority of the time the rest of the train will join you, and no one will leave muttering under their breath: “what a lunatic.”

I only wish I had taken a picture of this glorious event, but instead I will leave you with this beauty taken on an early morning from the boardwalk:

"hoy fiesta."

Today is a holiday, Dia de Los Santos, to be exact. Loosely translated as "Spanish Slacker Day" (you know, like those "teacher work days" in high school). No really, I'm too harsh, and maybe a little irritated when everything closes mid-week pushing my to-do list later in the week. But in all seriousness I should not be complaining, mostly because I'm writing this while laying on the beach, and did I mention it's November 1st?

I would usually be in a cold school listening to little children just too excited to be quiet, much like my day yesterday- also known as Halloween. We had a party for the kids at school and Christina (the other language assistant) and I wrote a skit. The video I took will not load, so you will have to wait to see it in person...but for now, here are some pictures of Alcaucin, I got the chance to walk around a bit yesterday.


(the gym at school ready for the halloween party!)

Rain.

(the clothespin that was.)


Rain in Spain is a very serious matter.

Supermarkets will close unannounced. Cafes will empty. The city will become desolate, eerie, in fact.

You have to watch the news closely to see just exactly when it will rain in order to have time to wash and hang dry your clothes so that you do not end up smelling like mildew for the next week (or whenever it stops raining so you can laundry again).

If you don’t have boots you can expect a miserable attempt at walking through the streets because they become filled with water relatively quickly and can be quite treacherous at times (watch out for those silly tile-filled plazas or you’ll end up on your culo).

Today I prepared for rain; groceries- check, water- check, enough clean clothes- check. And then I realized I come from Seattle where it rains all the time and felt foolish.

Spain: Round 2

I'm sitting 30 feet from the Mediterranean Sea, on a beach that all the German and English snowbirds flock to for winter breaks. I can feel salt water mist my face from the biggest waves I've seen here so far (about 3 foot breaks- sorry to disappoint you Dad...). A fishing boat is heading out to sea for the night's catch, and soon those who sailed out this morning will be returning back to port in the single file line they always form; you can tell from the hundreds of birds exactly where all the boats anchor for the day. This is where I live; Torre del Mar, Spain.

With each passing day I become more appreciative. More appreciative of this experience, of the beautiful landscape, of the opportunity to better my knowledge of the language I fell in love with years back, more appreciative of this time alone.
I have learned a couple of important lessons after a mere 3 weeks of having returned to Spain; one of which is this: Loneliness can make a person mad or it can heal one's soul- the choice (and it is one) if up to the beholder. (I've also never wanted a puppy so bad in my life.) You can chose to wallow in self-pity every time you miss someone you love and realize you won't be able to feel their embrace for months (or even years) at a time, or you can celebrate in the fact that your time alone gives you a period of undistracted seeking, reading, and praying that will fill you up with so much love and kindness to give them in your next joyful reunion.

After wallowing in the first choice for a while and becoming so sick of my own apathy for myself- I made a choice- to rejoice, to celebrate, to be filled up with wisdom, love and kindness from God and to do my best to pour out that which I receive.

So here's a "cheers" to enjoying Spain the second time around! (not to be misinterpreted that the first time in Spain was not lovely- because was it ever!)

Seattle, here I come!

12 more hours until I leave for the bus station. A very weird feeling after being here for 5 months. Can you believe, ME, out of anyone you know, ME, the girl who couldn't even spend the night at her best friends house 10 minutes away, and who never went to a church retreat until she was 17 because she was too homesick just spent 5 months in a foreign country? me neither.

my advice- you should do it too (and maybe I'll go with you.)

my only hope for the next couple days traveling is that the zipper on my suitcase doesn't split, because at this point it's a definate possibility.

see you SOON!

the countdown continues.

It's obvious I suck at blogging.

7 more days until HOME.

Thursday I leave for the London area and Monday I leave for home!

Something I'm not going to miss: being hissed at walking down the streets and dirty public bathrooms.

domingo.

Best reaction I've ever gotten in my life:

Me: "I'm from the United States..."
Spanish girl I just met: (jaw drops and stays open for at least 15 seconds) "HOW COOL!"
Me: (trying to not laugh) "yeah..."
Spanish girl: "what part of the US?"
Me: "Seattle...Washington..."
Spanish and her friend: (looking at each other, squealing with excitement) "THAT'S SO COOL!"

unforgettable.