September 24 - September 29

September 24, 10:54pm

Mario and Eileen on the IES balcony before Spanish class.

Today I felt more awake and at peace all day than I have been during all my days here so far, I think.  It could be because I actually didn't wake up coughing last night, or because I had coffee this morning, or just randomly don't feel stressed.  I don't know.  But it was nice.  The morning was pretty relaxed; I returned Angela's bike to her over at the Agenda 21 Granada office once I finally found it and finally picked up the book for my anthropology class at the Fotocopiadora, and just kind of took my time and walked in and out of stores all morning until my class.  I stayed awake my whole siesta, went to IES early before Spanish class to print and scan some stuff, had a good class where I learned some new grammatical stuff... Just a pleasant day, and to top it off the kitty was being super precious when I came home tonight and it was absolutely adorable!

A friend of my dear friend and sister-in-Christ Carli once said that Europe is very dark but with pockets of light brighter than you've ever seen.  I reflect on that and it seems to fit so perfectly with what I've witnessed. I think much of what my own American culture seems to worship and spend time on is repeated here, only I hadn't realized it until I was faced with a different culture to look at and reflect upon and see how similar and different it is to the U.S.  But amid all the selfishness, materialism, and depravity here as well as in the States, there exist pockets of light like Carli's friend said, and in that light is where we start to see hope.

September 26, 12:15am

The highlight of today (uh, yesterday) was the following: After witnessing a protest at Plaza del Carmen on my way to IES to leave from there to my first day of internship, I was smiling like usual, feeling good and just really joyful at heart because of what God is and has been doing, and I saw these two adorable black french bulldogs and their owners walking and the dogs were so cute I just smiled even bigger and one of the owners smiled back at me!  Finally I receive a smile in return on the streets.  :)  Time to find more!

My classroom.

So yeah, my first day at the colegio today was quite the experience.  I help teach fifth cycle primary school students, ages 10-12.  Today I observed.  I'm really not sure what expectation the teachers have of me.  All I know is that half of that class doesn't pay attention, talks all the time, and basically is what I as a 10-through-12-year-old remember having disliked about my classes at that age: having to spend too much time on one topic because the teacher has to repeat things because half the class doesn't listen!  All that being said, I love those kids already, haha.  Too bad their English is seriously unintelligible and I'm supposed to only speak English with them.  Can't wait to see what tomorrow holds!

September 26, 8:50am

I am a little early to my internship today but I like it that way.  It gave me time to enjoy the 45-60min walk, read some pretty awesome stuff from my bible that I decided to bring along just in case since the kids have religion classes today, and yes I did receive a positive reaction when I smiled at a group of people walking the opposite direction today (though unfortunately being all male it wasn't quite the reaction I intended...oh well, you win some and you lose some).

Of course, the day after I procure a fan the weather cools...

Back in the States every now and again I used to play a game where I (and maybe one other person with me) would stick encouraging post-its to things, or "take one" signs with the word "hug" or a smile or some sort of encouragement.  I wonder what would happen if we tried that here... It's definitely something to bring up tonight at the bible study!

1 John 3:18 (and I'm paraphrasing a bit because I have a Spanish bible and so am not sure of the exact NIV translation right now) says we should not love simply with our words and simply by what we say, the external, the superficial, but rather with our actions and in truth.  My desire and my prayer is that today not only would I be humbled moment-to-moment but that I would use each moment to love on others not just by my words but by my actions.

September 27, 1:00am

By the end of today/yesterday I was wiped, but it was quite incredible.  I observed the religion class today at my internship and my heart was so full of joy to see the kids so interested in the topic!  I could hardly contain myself because I just felt like God was saying to me that this is why I didn't get an International Relations internship, and this is why I'm there, and it's a little uncomfortable and I feel a little unsure of myself but it's incredibly blessed even among the hard things.

Then, after my anthropology class today, Carli told Eileen and I about this amazing thing that happened at Hope College, and we both totally got chills, then we ran into Tito and Angel walking to lunch, then we saw Jenny across the street... What a crazy awesome day!  People are such huge blessings!

People selling corn and chestnuts.

Know what else is?  It finally rained!  The weather changed in a matter of days from super hot to super cold; I like it though.  People are selling roasted chestnuts on the streets alongside roasted corn-on-the-cob, I don't have to wear sunglasses, the parched land finally gets a reprieve, and hopefully the river goes back up.

Time to sleep.  I'd say more but I have to be up at 7am to walk to my internship at 8am to be there by 9am for the little fifth-graders.

September 27, 6:09pm

I took a nap today.  I hadn't done that in a week.  I was exhausted.  I sit here in my empty Spanish classroom wondering how one energy-filled day can suddenly turn into a draining one when the morning comes.  It's not a bad day.  I just feel a little worn.

I had my internship 9am-2pm today and got to teach the English portion.  Things I learned: 1) My fifth graders do not want to listen at all, 2) I shouldn't let them work in groups anymore, and 3) I give Pablo a lot of respect for juggling teaching and trying to get a degree.  He's go-go-go from early morning until 9pm with no siesta.  I feel quite inadequate teaching that class as well, like in some way I failed because I really don't know and don't think the kids actually got anything out of the class.  I could hardly get them to be quiet.

Theoretically tonight we're doing what we did last Thursday with the worship after dinner, but we'll see what happens.  I hope it goes well; I pray for it to be blessed.  Tomorrow I hope to help Manuel with AINDESOS and also to have coffee with Ana/Vera/Liliana and the foreign exchange students before the reunión de jóvenes and the free flamenco show!

Temblando estoy de miedo,

Just trying to be artsy with my lifesource. <3

sobrecogido estoy de terror.
Mi corazón clama por reposo,
mis ojos se llenan con temor.
Pero en Ti confío:
Yo sé que tienes Tu propósito.

September 28, 12:35pm

Last night was exactly what I needed after a crazy and draining week.  Sure, I arrived home pretty late, but tapas with Simón, Tito, and Carli and adding in sobremesa (table talk after eating) was a wonderful way to unwind, and then worship and fellowship with Tito, Carli, and Jenny was just once again incredibly blessed and filling.  So many connections between our experiences here in Spain and what Jesus calls His believers to were made.  And then heading home I had a wonderful conversation with Jenny and we also sang together a little without any sort of care for how we were perceived; I love those evening walks back to our houses together!  She is so encouraging and an incredible example to me.

Funny story: So it rained a bit again yesterday and I was soaked coming back from my internship.  Last night it was dry, but praying with Jenny and Tito I prayed for God to make it rain.  I meant with His Spirit over this place.  Today it's literally downpouring rain.  Moral of the story: Be specific with what you pray for and know God will hear your prayers!

September 29, 1:04am

Left to right: Adri, Kassie, Sarah, Aurora, and Alison with
all of the yummy snacks!

This evening (...yesterday...) was wonderfully enjoyable.  Me and many of the girls from church plus Adri got coffee with Liliana, Vera, and Zoraya and talked about spiritual things, and then afterwards upon hearing that they cancelled the flamenco event due to bad weather we all decided to watch a movie at Vera's apartment, so we had tons of supermarket fun choosing snacks and then all the girls plus Tito returned to CFC before we all went to Vera's, ate food and had some beverages, and watched The Vow.  It was good until the very ending, which wasn't the best way to end the film I thought.  In any case I think I can safely say that we all enjoyed it.

Movie night in Vera's apartment.

A lot of stuff for tomorrow got cancelled because of rain, which is super funny because it's like having snow days or something!  It means I have another day of relaxation and rest, it appears, besides homework (which I might actually be all done with!), which isn't a big deal.  It's nice to not have to hurry to classes.  I love it and am so grateful for it.

I am sorely missing someone very special to me right now.  As much as I get involved in things and hang out with people and form new bonds, I just really long for his presence here.  As painful as it is, it's totally worth it.  I wouldn't trade in that person for an easier time at all.

September 29, 10:50pm

Some of the scores going into the fifth round.  Kelsey
epically beat us all by the end, hehe.

I have mixed feelings.  So today in the morning was awesome because i had a great conversation with my host mom about spiritual things, and then the rest of the morning and early afternoon were super relaxed and I even skyped my mom for a few minutes.  I wish I had had more time to talk with her because I do miss her and my dad a lot.  But I had committed to going to Plaza Bibramblas with some friends to leave from there to go to Kinepolis to go bowling (Sarah was super nice and paid for me because originally I didn't want to spend the money to do it; I feel so humbled by her generosity) and then Adri and Kassie and I got tacos after with Jocelyn before we headed back.

Me and Kassie at the taco place.

But I almost didn't even make it to the plaza at all, because I ran into who I think was either a homeless or a gypsy woman, and I felt God telling me to stop and talk to her and to help her.  She asked if I would buy her food to give her kids, like a chicken.  Besides my last 20 euro for the rest of the semester basically, I had a little less than 2 euro in change that I knew of, and I told her I could buy something else with it but not a chicken, and maybe she should just take the euro.  She looked at me incredulously like she couldn't believe me and I explained that as a student with no job currently because I'm originally from the Chicagoland area and don't live in Spain, and no I don't come from a rich family.  She still couldn't believe I only had the 2 euro to part with, because maybe she thought I was lying about not being a "rich American".  I wasn't wearing nice clothes, either.  But she probably didn't grasp that the crisis hit America, too, not just Europe.  I took out the 2 euro without looking or counting and gave it to her and just said, "It's all I have to spare."  She said something about God giving me much luck and I smiled wryly and replied, "I don't believe in luck but I do believe in God and His blessings."  She asked again if it was all I had and as I repeated again, "It's all I have to spare," my eyes filled with tears and I felt my heart break within me for her and for the realization that that is what it feels like to give so much that it hurts, and to give freely.  See, I would have walked by and not stopped for her had God not nudged me to stop.  Whatever I was supposed to do in that moment happened, and for me I was supposed to be taught a lesson I guess.  I couldn't stop the tears from falling though and nearly went home, but forced myself to go to the plaza and meet up with everyone.

As you can see from the first paragraph however, it all ended up being fine.