Pics of my trip to the Coast

The Mediterranean Sea, and the southest point in Europe. The other side is the Atlantic ocean.

Streets of Tarifa! I love the white buildings and brick streets of Spain.
Sifra and I at the top of the fort.
The bottom of the Fort and evidence Spring is coming. Isn't it beautiful!
The grand finale, the Atlantic ocean. This is where all the "wanna-be" surfers surf in the summer.

Ode to Bucket showers

Well, tonight we have returned to cold showers again. Boo to the limited hot water supply that comes from Butane canisters. It is 2am and I am currently boiling water. Isn't it fun! haha No, its ok, there are worse things in life than having to take bucket showers. I just think I am lucky. At least, I have a stove to heat the water!

Well, that was not the intention of this post but as I am sure you all know what happens in my immediate world gets blogged. I can't help it, but also, it keeps the blog updates coming because I love blogs. I love being able to check them and see whats going on in the world outside of my own. It allows me to get a little perspective so for those of you who don't write. You are truly depriving the world of a new fresh perspective. Just think about that tonight as you lay down to sleep!

What I really wanted to write about was my amazing weekend in Algeciras. I went home with my roommate Sifra, whose parents are American Missionaries here in Spain. They were in North Africa for a while, and now they are in Southern Spain. They have been missionaries for 20 years. I loved my time with them, and especially, my time with Sifra's mom.

She shared so much of her wisdom with me. Let me vent, and share my story of how I arrived in Spain. She examined my life experiences and pointed out key things that God is doing in my life. It was a weekend of introspection and blessings. To be able to be surrounded by family, this is one of my favorite things in the world. To meet Sifra's younger brother and see their interaction, it made me feel so at home. Saturday night, I opted to stay at home with Sifra's family instead of going out with Sifra. It was just something that I had been missing and didn't realize I missed it until I was there. Things like orders to help with dinner, eating their usual Saturday night pizza as they watched tv, and cracked jokes.

It was a great time. It was also a time of encouragement. Here was a family completely devoted to the calling of the Lord, following him everywhere. Her parents speak 4 languages while each child speaks two languages perfectly while learning others. I was fascinated at the gifts God had given them. I was also blessed by the hugs and hospitality.

It made me think a lot about what I want for my future and God willing, my family. I want my kids to know a world outside of America. I want them to learn another culture and language fluently. I want them to be comfortable outside of America, and to realize their is more to life than video games and junk food. (That is not a jab at American kids, I just know for me Junk food is one of my favorite things and for my brother video games were the end all!)

Its just interesting to see the transition taking place inside of me. I never knew there was all this desire to GO. I never knew there was this comfort in living outside of the box I had constructed for myself just a few years back. My plan was completely different than the current plan, and I realize how much more fulfilling God's plan is and has been for me over the years.

How lucky am I that he chose me! He brought me to Spain while teaching me another language and culture while teaching me how to live for someone other than myself. Its pretty amazing! He makes me less selfish in my desires, and as a result I can't figure out what is me and what is Him, which is exactly where I would want to be. I want His voice to be louder than mine. I want to decrease.

With all this proclamation comes the fear, I am afraid of falling back on my word to follow Him anywhere. I am afraid of being far from my family who I care for so deeply. I am afraid that after learning the Spanish culture I will find it difficult to want anything other than this life too.

Basically, it all comes down to fear of the transition. I am afraid of transitioning back to American life. Plus, I am afraid of not being able to transition and being stuck there as this socially awkward person. Only God can tell how I will respond, and I am confident I will not be alone, but there is so much to say how hearts surprisingly change as God opens more and more doors. After seeing the world, the options just get bigger and tougher to make, but with His voice and direction I am faithful in each step.

PS I meant to post pics but I will have to wait because I still need to download them from Sifra's computer so...Pics to come!

Good Combination!

Quick note here my friends: Apparently a mixture of little sleep the night before and Strawberry Soda are the key ingredients to getting all your online work done. I rocked out all my emails from today and yesterday, and I still have time to UPDATE my blog while studying Subjunctive forms of verbs in Spanish. I am telling you forget Red Bull. Strawberry soda is where its at. (Make sure it is made with 6% Juice. Wantcha to get the real thing my friends!)

PS I apologize for all my typos and words spelled in spanish by accident *Limon* in my previous posts! Yeah, I graduated with a degree in Jornalism but I didnt get a degree in editing, Jordan!

Seriously!

People update your blog! You all know who you are!

Overseas Living

Today after my wonderful 3 hour class, I decided I was gonna stop by the market and pick up some tortillas for the chili I had at home, and while browsing through the pastry/cookie aisle I encountered these cookies that looked just like those great Limon cookies in the states. You know, the ones that are big and round and have a whole in the middle. For some reason, I expected these cookies to taste as lemony with the texture of a Vanilla Wafer. [The vanilla wafer texture came in because I crumbled one to make sure my still brace face self could chew them] Well, I get home and eat my wonderful chili with bits of tortilla and cheese melted. Then, it was time for the cookies. I open them up, Taste them, and they have the sugar content of a saltine cracker. How disappointing!

¡Que Impactante!

It is 2am and I have just returned from seeing an incredible movie. For me, it was so touching. There are so many more words to describe the emotions this movie evoked, but if I say them, I might give it all away. I will refrain because their is a huge part of me that wants you to go see this movie. Pan's Labyrinth, or the original title El Laberinto del Fauno. This movie was made by a Latin man about the Spanish Civil war. [DISCLAIMER: It is a war movie people, there are things that are quite hard to watch! So don't take kids to see it K!]For those of you who don't know, I have been reading For Whom the Bell Tolls by Hemingway, which is about the same topic. I am fascinated by this war, or I should say fascinated by this history/story- in spanish they use the same word...Story-historia & History-historia.

Imagine a war where fascism versus a republic. In our minds as Americans, of course we assume the republic wins! The optimism we have for overthrows of corrupt governments goes without further discussion because we base our entire militaries existence on it. We fight to protect the republics of people who desire Freedom!

You see in Europe's history during the time of Hitler, there was a Fascist movement all over Europe. In Italy was Mousolini, Germany-Hitler, and Spain - Franco. Of course, we all know the history. America joined forces with the Allies and put an end to Fascism in Germany. Soon Italy's fell too. However, in this small mediterranean country, Fascism WON! Hard to believe huh! Franco the dictator of Spain ruled this country with oppression and mass graves of people who supported the republic. He ruled until he died of old age in his bed in the 1970's. This shocks me! I mean, I know this is still apparent in the world, but this is a "westernized" country. Its in Europe for goodness sakes!

As I was reading in another book called Ghosts of Spain, to this day, many people still have family barried in mass graves, but NO ONE has gone to find them. In the book, Tremlett explains that there is a -'pacto de olvidado'-pact of forgetting here. They choose to act like their past never happened! To this day, people still celebrate Franco.

Saturday, I was walking the streets of Spain with my friends Sam and Jaime. We passed through the center of town, where someone flew the flag of Franco proudly outside their window. To this day, people are still devoted to such a mindset.

It fascinates me! To be in a country, in a time when the oppression of people is not tolerated because we all feel a certain duty to speak our mind. However, they devote themselves to such intolerance and oppression. When on the other hand, they will tolerate you to believe whatever you want about religion, marriage, family, education, finances, etc. etc.

I truly don't understand. This is generations of people who never knew where their grandparents, aunts, and uncles were barried. Generations of people who allowed such brutality to lead them.

It is scary, but enlightening for one who has spent so much time trying to understand this culture. I try everyday to undestand why they choose to fight for some things and leave others under the rug. I want to understand why because I am a woman sometimes they will just write me off like I don't exist, but let me push a baby carriage, and cars will stop miles back just to let me pass.

This movie it has touched me just like Hemingway's book and Tremlett's book to understand more of the people of Spain. I want to know why in the end of their history the bad guy won, and upon his death, no one truly celebrated because of the fear they had upon the news of his death. Seriously, as many of us felt the world was ending when bad things happened to the US. The day Franco died, Spaniards thought it was the end. From where did this fear come? and How was one man so powerful to be able to sustain it to the point that people let him do the things he did?

I guess for me, I know where I stand. I stand on the winning side because I fight for Christ, but I wonder what is this fear that people have for allowing such bad to win in their lives? I guess this is the question God must ask himself everyday. I know when I face Him, I will have to ask him why we let fear prevent us from seeing the truth.

Big things in January!

My niece Mia was born.
I saw Africa across the Mediterranean Sea.
We celebrated Migue's birthday by eating Brazilian food.

I saw the southern tip of Spain called Andalucia from Gibraltar an English province.
The Rock of Gibraltar.
I played with monkeys on the Rock of Gibraltar!
I went to Nerja for our Mid-year Conference.
I met the rest of the Salerno team and learned how to play BANG!-an italian card game.

Not pictured: When I went to the English province of Gibraltar I found DR PEPPER. I bought 18 cans!