The Sweetness of Life

I am spoiled.

There are some days that are just pure perfection.

The other day, some of my lovely friends and I decided to watch the sunset in the fields by where I live. We bought sweet spanish wine, gouda cheese, luscious fruit, and wayyy too much bread for a picnic.

But we forgot the bottle opener.



Good thing we had a pocket knife and a rock.




God is good. He paints the most beautiful sunsets every night and is present in the laughter of friends. His voice speaks through the awed silence of his great masterpieces.

Like I said, I am spoiled.

CAMPEONES DEL MUNDO

YO SOY ESPAÑOL ESPAÑOL ESPAÑOL!!!!!

Spain made it to the FINALS of the World Cup.
The game was against The Netherlands.
We headed to Madrid, because something of this magnitude needed to be celebrated in an equally epic way.

I have never seen so many people in my entire life. The streets were completely filled with red and yellow as far as you could see.

The game was intense.
No one scored until the final minutes of the game.
At last, the moment everyone was waiting for:



And the city exploded! The eruption from the crowd was insane!
Everywhere in Spain.... the entire country was on its feet!
In Segovia, in Madrid, in every province, town, plaza, house, and bar.
SPAIN WON!
Spain hasn't been in the finals of a world cup in over 65 years.
They have never won.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
Dancing in the streets, fireworks, getting showered in champagne, running with flags, every car in the city honking horns, people hanging out of windows, climbing statues, jumping in fountains!!!!
We jumped up on the statue in the center of the Plaza de Colon and joined the crowd in a rousing chorus of:

OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ, OLÉ, OLÉ!!!!! OLÉ! OLÉ,OLÉ,OLÉ!!!!!! OLÉ!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not sleep that night. No one in Spain slept that night. Class the next morning? Who cares? No buses til 6:30am? SO WHAT?!!!!

I am still recovering, utterly exhausted even after 2 days, but Spain winning the World Cup is definitely one of the greatest memories. It was absolutely incredible, so much fun, and something I may never get to experience ever again. The whole country is still celebrating. Everywhere we go people still cheer, still dance, and are going to be talking about that night for a very long time.

This entire trip is such an incredible adventure. Getting to come while the World Cup was happening was one thing, but to be a part of the country that won? ... There are no words. But I feel like I understand what it means to be a Spaniard so much more now. There is a connection you have to your country; you are proud of them when something like this happens. I am becoming attached to this place. We read a poem about Salamanca in my lit class the other day, where the author was talking about how he felt when he came home. This has become my home, my family, my neighborhood, my futbol team, my cobblestone streets. I will treasure these memories forever.

Ganadores, Ganadores, OLE OLE OLE!!!!!!!!!

Futbol

Today was Spain vs. Germany!
Around 8:00pm we walk down the street, everyone is decked out in spanish jerseys, flags, and facepaint.
Kids run around the plaza playing their own futbol game and waving flags. Everyone is packed into whatever bar or cafe has a TV. The streets are practically empty, but you can hear a hundred commentaries blaring from houses and restaurants. As one, they gasp, sigh, shout, sing, and stand as the game is unfolded.
The funniest thing is watching the elderly people. They jump up and down and yell at the screen, looking 30 years younger than they are.
When the time runs out, everyone in Segovia is on their feet cheering like crazy!
Skipping and dancing through the streets, the entire city is outside. Everyone is singing and shouting the glorious victory! The streets turn into a giant parade, cars come from nowhere blaring their horns and flowing Spanish flags out the windows. A constant stream of them jet down the street as people all around shout ESPAÑA!!! People are running down the hill with flags tied on as capes, faces painted red and gold. Everyone is excited, one day closer to the finals!


In America, we have football and baseball, but NOTHING compares to the excitement of this game. What it means for Spain, what means internationally... is something we don't comprehend in America except maybe when the Olympics come around. The Spanish passion for the game is unlike anything I've ever seen.

Next game is Spain vs. Netherlands

Home Sweet Home Away From Home

I have been in Segovia Spain for about 2 weeks now. Everyday I walk about twenty five minutes along cobblestone streets through a "not-so-shortcut" to get to class. Along the way I enjoy the quietness. Typical Spaniards don't emerge until past 10am usually, and I must leave our home around 8:15, which usually turns into 8:30 before I am actually out the front door. I pass a few of the exceptions, a pair of elderly men trudging down the street for a morning stroll, and begin my way uphill. It's a strange phenomena here in Segovia, You walk uphill both directions to and from pretty much everywhere. I haven't figured out how that's entirely possible, but it is what it is.

Classes are in Colegio Claret. It's a high school near the aqueduct, but is empty for the summer with the exception of 30-something college kids from good ole' Georgia using the building. Because there is not class in the summer, there is no air conditioning. I am convinced that we are extremely spoiled in that regard back in America. We have air conditioning in our houses, walk out to our air conditioned cars, and then there is air conditioning wherever we go. Nuts I tell ya...

So we are in a classroom on the second floor of the school. It looks and feels pretty much the same as highschool felt in America. It even has the same smell.

At 9am Spanish time...meaning more like 9:30, our first professor walks in the class. Edu is his name, short for Eduardo. He is very tall and has curly hair. I think he kind of looks like a bat, which can be pretty amusing at times. He teaches culture...which is really a class of geography, history, religion, art, war, politics, and about a hundred other random things combined. I love it. It's still a little early, so the room isn't terribly hot yet, but it is a bit stuffy this morning. Towards the end of the class I begin to drift off into my own thoughts, somehow combining the lecture on wars in Iberia with a mental image of Edu the Bat.

After culture we have literature class. Paco is our professor and he is a cute little old man who rocks a fedora and italian leather shoes. He is as typical Spaniard as it gets. His voice is scruffy and he can be a bit of a firecracker. He has a love for Spanish poetry, and is introducing us to all the Greats from Spain. I'm a closet poetry lover, so I have truly loved each lesson. Most people here don't share my affinity for poetry and take this class as a mini siesta. I must admit to doing the same, but at 11am in a room with 30 people and no A/C, listening to poetry that has the same effect and beauty as a lullaby, I am powerless in the battle against my eyelids.

I enjoy each class, but i must say that grammar is my favorite. Yes. It is. I promise. No really. Our profesora is Emi, and she is the most bubbly, energetic person ever. She comes into class with a colorful outfit every single day and a huge smile on her face. She is absolutely sweet. When she arrives, she takes the time to ask each and every person how our day or weekend has been. We have discovered that if we each have a story, she will listen and enjoy it with utmost interest. We have successfully shared stories through the first hour of each class we have had so far, leaving about 25 minutes for the actual grammar lesson which, in my opinion, is perfect.

The walk home (uphill again...seriously it's ridiculous) is always interesting. Segovia is finally awake and people are everywhere. Along the way, my roommate and I take note of new parts of town we want to visit, new stores to go in, new cafeterias to try out, all while joyfully complaining about the hill and our aching leg muscles, yet remaining simultaneously ecstatic that we actually have muscles that can ache now.

After some of the best food and conversation with our host family, along with a 2 hour siesta, I am refreshed and ready to explore the beautiful city. I have fallen in love with Segovia. It's so beautiful. People like Hemingway knew what they were doing when they came to Segovia to write. The very air gives you inspiration. The city is old world meets the 21st century. It's big enough where there is always somewhere new to go, yet small enough that you can walk everywhere. It has the big-city clubs and the small town coffee shops. You know everybody, yet meet new people every day. There are gardens and remnants of a more ancient city, founded in Roman times, and new buildings being constructed all around.

settled about the edges of the city are mountains. A few steps down and you find a river, over around the corner you see nothing but farmland and valleys filled with wild flowers. It really doesn't get any better than this. It's almost surreal. We've visited some other cities: Salamanca, Madrid, Avila.. but none of them compare to this place. It's been an incredible time so far. More adventures to come!

SPAIN!!

I just arrived in Segovia, Spain for part DOS of my summer adventures! After an 8 hour flight from Atlanta to Frankfurt, another 2 hour flight to Madrid, and an hour bus ride, I am finally settled in my new home, with my new familia and roommate Nicole!

Our madre's name is Maria, and our Padre is Leute. (I'll get a picture with him soon!)

We flew on Lufthansa Airlines, and it was the most comfortable flight I have ever been on. We had leg room, fluffy pillows, real blankets, individual tvs with an awesome movie selection, and airplane food that wasn't all that terrible.

We arrived safely and are being submerged headfirst into the language, the city, and the people.

There is a quiet elegance here; the city holds 3000 years of history and culture. It brings you back to a time and place where everything is simple, streets are cobblestone and people take time to enjoy life.

There are little streets and parks everywhere, all around the most famous part of Segovia, the aqueduct. Stone arches as tall as buildings, held together by sheer force and physics, as old as Jesus, and still standing strong...it's incredible!

I am already finished with my first day of school and cannot WAIT for the adventure to unfold!

Hasta luego :)

Adios!

This trip has been one of the greatest experiences of my life so far. I've been turned upside-down, flipped over, spun around, and then put back rightside-up again. I have been challenged in so many ways, and I have grown so, so much.

One day, I stood on top of the Pyramid of the Sun in Teotihuacan. Looking out at the fantastic view, I had a revelation.

If you want to study spanish, or really any foreign language for that matter, you are actually choosing to study life.

You have to fall in love with everything that the language represents, or you miss out on the point entirely.

And when you discover that passion, Spanish is suddenly much more than a college major.

It is learning how to say hello and goodbye.
It's Salsa, Cumbia, and Merengue.
It's gaining an appreciation for a little spice.
And a little tolerance for the unexpected.
It is laughter.
It is celebration.
It's dancing along to a mariachi band.
And watching little kids play futbol.
It is hundreds and hundreds of years of rich culture and history.
All summed up in one Diego Rivera painting.
It is the smell of fresh bread being made on our way to school everyday.
And a watching Quincineara begin a few doors down.
It is making new friends.
And saying hola to every stranger.
It's loving a little chaos.
And going with flow.


Looking back, I think my favorite thing about Mexico is that everywhere you look there are people smiling and laughing. In America, not many people grasp the idea of living in the moment, letting the day take you where it wants to go. The people here understand that happiness is something important. They treat every day like it is a beautiful gift, ready to be opened and enjoyed. I have learned so, so much from being here.

Today is my last day. It's bittersweet knowing the next incredible chapter of the summer is about to begin, while at the same time, already missing this place.

I've climbed mountains and pyramids, braved the bus system, eaten the best food I have ever experienced, cheered on the Mexican futbol team in the World Cup, talked and talked and talked over anything and everything, made new friends, watched the sun set behind gorgeous mountains, relaxed on a beach in Acapulco, danced in the middle of the city, experienced a meat market, and learned more about myself than anything. This trip has been....perfect. It was hard, but so worth every moment.

And now.........................................SPAIN!!

Menu Por Favor?

The food here is absolutely fantastic! Everyone keeps
taking pictures of it all so I thought I would give you guys
a run-down of what I have been enjoying lately!




Salsa. Self explanatory.



TORTILLAS. These come with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
But there is a specific way to roll it. If you do not properly roll your
tortilla, it is a dead giveaway that you are a Gringo. (Not that
we aren't already dead giveaways by pretty much everything else we
do around here anyway haha)



Quesadillas. When you order a quesadilla in Mexico,
you must always remember to ask specifically for the queso.
Otherwise you just get ...well.... a dilla.



MEXICAN REFRIED BEANS


AMERICAN REFRIED BEANS

NOT THE SAME THING.

AUTHENTIC refried beans are the STAPLE of Mexican cooking.
Mexicans use refried beans like Paula Deen uses butter.
And trust me, you'll never go back to the can after the real deal.



Cevinche - Yummy soup with a quail egg that nobody touched



Chile con Carne y Arroz. Surprisingly NOT spicy.



Enchiladas con Mole. Mole (pronounced Moley) is
frankly the most interesting thing I have ever tasted.
There are several varieties.. green, red, and black are the most common.
It is basically a sauce that tastes a bit like curry. It's hard to describe,
but can either be really tasty or really nasty.



Enchiladas Habaneras: HOT.



This soup... I forget the name but it has cactus in it,
and cactus tastes like a mix between a pickle and a green bean!



Chocolate. That is all you need to know.



Sangria Preparada (Sweet spanish wine!)


For the Brave souls in our group who somehow managed to think
that a hamburger in Mexico would be any good...Not
sure what they were thinking at the time. They found out
quickly that it was not so good.
(Disclaimer: I promise, this is not my plate.)


Hasta Luego!

Colors

Today a few of us walked around the neighborhood. One of my favorite things about Mexico is that every house is so unique, inside and out. Each one has the most incredible details and color! These are a few of my favorites!

Climbing Mountains

When in the midst of an adventure, one loses the concern for time. Days blend together in a beautiful swirl of colors, music, and fragrance. As our senses bloom with the sweet aroma of adventure, we begin to understand that the dusty road along the way is just as satisfying to the soul as the triumphant entry into the actual destination. I've found that when we become too fixed on the end,that we can miss out on the beauty of the journey, even though the road is long and dangerous, with many trials and tribulations.

Yesterday I climbed a mountain from base to peak in Tepotzlan, Mexico. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. There were thousands of steps of ancient rock through the jungle to the very top cliffs. Every time it seemed we were close, the next corner would unveil yet another long trek to climb.

But around every corner something new would also peak through the trees. A white butterfly as big as a magnolia blossom, a tree with roots twisting every which way, quietly ascending year upon year in quiet splendor, a breathtaking view of a cave, secretly tucked away in the mountain, or a laugh between friends that coaxed the birds into song.

In climbing mountains, there is suffering, laboring, and moments where it seems easier to give up, but it is in those moments that we must look around and see the glory. The road is hard, but it is beautiful. And when we finally reach the top of the mountain, we celebrate in joyful triumph, the end being so sweetly satisfying because of the perseverance and hardships that it took to make it there. Then all that remains is to rest in the moment, letting it carry you away as you melt into that pure peace.

And when you are standing on top of the world, firmly on that mountain, nothing can take away the truth you know of victory. Nothing can take back the moment when you first looked out on the horizon and saw freedom. It is yours to treasure forever.

Behoove is a word. In english? Yes. WHAT?

There are some things you learn in a classroom...but that little room has limitations. True learning happens when you experience something...not just hear about it, but actually live it out.

So I shall impart to you some things I have learned in Cuernavaca from justing being, just living, just experiencing...

1. What it means to be a girl in Mexico
- Fathers are protective. Boys do NOT talk to girls in front of the fathers unless the boy is asking the Father for permission to talk to the girl AFTER being grilled by the Father beforehand. (Some girls in our group experienced this the first day. Their padre got SO MAD.)
- You will be kissed. In the culture, greeting everybody, stranger/family, old/young, ugly (jk...NOBODY is ugly....except a Mexican Hairless dog...looks like a chinese crested only bigger)
But you greet everyone with one kiss on the left cheek.
- If every seat is taken on the bus and you get on, YOU WILL get a seat. Men are EXPECTED to give up their seat on buses, at full dinner tables, on park benches, etc.

2. What I have taken for granted in America
- AIR CONDITIONING.
- Public trashcans on the streets. It seems minor, but when you have the need to throw something away when you are out and about, it is very frustrating.
- Flushing toilet paper.... They use trashcans for that here instead because the pipes are too small. It's .....different......

On that note I apologize in advance if this is gross but it's something to know for your travels.
Google Moctezuma's Revenge.
If you know what it is, I will only say this: It is not a matter of who it will happen to, but a matter of when it will happen.




Moving on......


3. The word NO

In english when one uses the word no, it simply means no. In this culture, it means "Try Harder." It's almost considered rude to not question the "no" several times. It implies sincerity.
For example:

When eating comida, the senora comes and asks if we want more. We say no. She says, ok, what do you want? We say no thankyou. She says how about some more potatoes? We say no thats ok. Chicken? No. Beans? No. How about fruit? No thank you. Are you sure? Yes. Here. I'll get you some more tortillas. No thank you we're full. (and it goes on for a bit until you are walking away from the table while she is still questioning you.) This is only an exagerration. Our madre is actually very good at knowing when we have had enough. Others...not so much ha

So those are some tidbits from the week.
Also, I climbed up a mountain today. A LEGIT mountain.
It was VERY high up. Ouch.
But SO worth the loooooooong climb :)

My Not-So-Typical Days in Cuernavaca

School Schedule

6:30am We gracefully awaken. It's not hot yet, so we are happy :)

7:07am Mama Irene comes upstairs and says that breakfast is ready

7:10am We enjoy a spanish breakfast. We have had pancakes, omeletes with potatoes, french toast, and cereal (FRUIT LOOPS!!!!!!) and other days quesadillas with fruit and JUGO DE NARANJA. You guys think our orange juice is good? The stuff we drink is freshly squeezed every morning and absolutely wonderful!

7:45am We start walking to the school. It's a good 15 minute walk. On the way, we are surrounded by a wave of kindergartners running to their schools. For my current/future special ed teachers....there is a little boy who has down syndrome and is SUPER CUTE that we always pass by. This morning he said Hola, Como estas? to me and it was precious.

8:00am...ish School starts.
We have grammer class from 8 until 10 with our professor, Cesar. He is HILLARIOUS. We have 3 people in our class.....which is great...except you can't hide....which is not so fun, but you get to pinpoint your problems.... the many grammer problems that everybody has, but generally ignores.... We did pronouns for 2 hours and then por/para (two different words meaning for) for another hour and we got 78 sentences to practice it. It's intense, but it is SO worth it. I discovered how much I didn't know, but also how much I DO know and how much I have learned in just 5 days.

After grammer we have a break and then conversation class. It's an hour of just speaking the language and listening to Cesar's funny stories. Our class is 70% comedy sketch, and 30% .... other? ha but we have the best conversations!

Then after a short break we have either a workshop or a lecture to go to.

2:20pm - We walk 15 minutes back home and have COMIDA!!!!!!!
Comida is our equivalent of dinner. It is the main meal of the day and SOOOO yummy. Our Mama spends all morning cooking. We have had REAL enchiladas, chiles rellenos, tostadas, spaghetti (spanish style of course), different kinds of chicken, fresh veggies, rice, rice, and more rice, and salsa that's basically straight up jalepenos. We spend about an hour or two eating and talking with the family. It's always good conversation, and then after a short siesta (and its HOT by now...no A/C. We are very spoiled in America), we head back to the school.

At 4:30 we have either a dance class and afterwards a conversation hour with the students studying english, or a spanish movie.

Then we either go out to the Plaza for fun, over to someone's house to swim and study, or home to our families. They don't really have supper here. Cenar is a light supper or snack around 8. Tonight I had a banana and a tortilla!

On Saturdays we have excursions and this weekend we are going to Tepoztlan I do believe (climbing a mountain and seeing some pyramids)

We have something incredible planned every Saturday and optional ones every sunday.


And then if there is time... we sleep.

I am having so much fun here! I'll put up more pictures as soon as I can!

Consider Yourself Llamar'd.

Hola!

The past 24 hours have been a whirlwind. I am staying in Cuernavaca, which is about 35 miles south of Mexico City. It is in the mountains and is absolutely gorgeous! The first thing I noticed about Mexico is that everything is colorful! Walls, cars, houses, street signs...todos. There is spanish tile everywhere, and flowers and fruit trees of every color line the streets. Wherever you go it feels like everybody is celebrating!

Our house is about 10 minutes walking distance from our school,
Cuauhanahuac Instituto (If it sounds like you have marshmallows in your mouth and you get the first and last "c" then you're probably saying it right!)

We are staying with a 60 year old retired elementary school teacher "Mama" Irene. She is absolutely wonderful and very hospitable. She refuses to let me help her with ANYTHING but it's such a blessing to be treated so well! I also have a roommate, Mary Lucy, and it's been so good getting to know her!

Today we had our orientation and exams......placement exams that is, and oral interviews. It was a HUGE written test, but the interview was fairly informal, they just want to know where we are.

Now upon going into the interview I do believe the professora and I spent a good 5 minutes trying to pronounce my name in Spanish. I am very seriously considering changing it to something comprhensible because they only really pronounce one letter in my entire name. So Heidi.....sounds like....... eeithey... If you have any suggestions let me know! haha

The school itself is beautiful and the professors are very helpful. They've created an atmosphere of learning that makes me so excited to learn!

Later on we saw a few of eachothers host families and then toured a bit of the Plaza. (main part of the city)

We saw the Palacio de Cortez....he actually did live there and there is a museum! Lots of swords...ha and a really beautiful cathedral.

Then we walked around the black market (SKETCH) and THEN IT STARTED TO RAIN.
We got on the bus and headed back...but our host home is about 15 minutes from the bus stop. So while we had the cover of some trees, our group decided to wait....unfortunately we picked the wrong spot to wait because part of the street was flooding and, no joke, a bus came by and threw a tidal wave of water on us. It was HILLARIOUS but that water was nasty. Then it happened again.

After a glorious shower we had cena (dinner) with la Senora. She made us PANCAKES! It felt like home :)

and now it is time for bed because classes start muy temprano (a las 8)

Buenas noches

DOS!

I leave the country in 2 days and I wanted to be able to share my adventures, thoughts, and everything that God teaches me this summer!

Learning this amazing language has been such a beautiful gift from the Lord. Spanish is more than a major or classes, and much more than just words.

Awhile ago, I heard God whisper, "I have given you the keys. Unlock the doors." Three days later I had the means and opportunity to study abroad in two different countries to learn Spanish. God has given me tiny glimpses of his plans for me, little assurances that He is in control and that I can rest and trust in the life He has given me to live.

I am truly delighted to bask in every single moment, and taste what God has prepared. This summer is just a few pages of HIS story for me, and I happily share it and invite you along for the journey!