After I got back from Toledo I'm assuming that I just spent the time around the city anxiously awaiting the arrival of my family... which thanks to the lovely Midwestern weather happened a day later than it was supposed to. Finding out that they were coming a day late, & potentially that they might not make it at all was a tough pill for me to swallow But, after a small bit of freaking out on my part they arrived a day late and all was well.
They arrived on Thursday. I was able to use public transportation for the first time and meet my family at the airport. I was so excited to see them!! And yes, of course I cried. We took a taxi back to the hotel, got some lunch, and then they took a nap because they were exhausted from all of their traveling. After their nap we headed to the city to shop a little bit but little did I know it was some sort of holiday so most of the shops were closed. So we went to Starbucks and then we headed to a restaurant where we could eat dinner and watch flamenco. They really enjoyed it so I'm glad I got to take them. We didn't get home until about 11 and then headed to bed.
Friday morning we slept in, and by slept in I mean that grandma slept until 1 PM, safe to say traveling got the best of her and the rest of the family. I treated them to a local restaurant for lunch and then we did some shopping, I think, my days are starting to run together. We shopped for a bit, and then headed to the Setas (the waffle buildings) to look at the city. We then headed to dinner and then got some ice cream on the way home.
Saturday we got out of bed and had some dunkin dounuts and then took a bus tour around the city. I really liked the tour because it was a nice way for the fam to see the city without having to walk everywhere. After that we got a little snack and then I'm not sure what we did. We ended up going to a Mexican restaurant for dinner just because I knew where is was and what to order.
Sunday we toured the city some more and then went to look at the cathedral. (The largest GOTHIC cathedral in the world, 3rd largest cathedral in the world). I had already been through once but it was fun to go through again with my family. For supper I had the pleasure of taking my family to eat at Isabel's. And boy did she roll out the red carpet for us. She cooked, and baked, and had everything laid out all nicely. She is always so gracious and kind and I'm thankful that most of my family got to meet her. If I end up half as compassionate as Isabel, I'd say I'd be just fine.
Monday I got up and went to school & then the family met me after. We went to lunch and then rested after, we were all starting to feel our busy weekend. We then headed back into the city to do some last minute shopping & then they got to watch my flamenco class. After that we went for some pizza and then headed back to the hotel to pack up.
To this point in my blog I feel like it was boring and just the details of what we had done. Here's where it gets a little more heart felt. After we got the packing done, I was going to head to bed and my mom sister & I just chatted it up. I missed them ALL so much it was so nice to just spend time with them. It didn't matter what we were doing I was just so happy to have them here.
Tuesday morning we got up EARLY and headed to the airport. Poor sissy woke up sick to her stomach and I was really worried about it & also there was a huge snow storm coming. But thankfully they all made it home safe & mostly healthy & on time.
I think the main reasons I was so happy to see them, besides the fact that they are my family, it was just SO nice to see people I knew who spoke my language who I could just be myself around. A lot of the time I have these really deep thoughts that I'm like oh I'm so gonna blog about that but then I never do, but I'll leave it at this... It's a lot harder being so far away from my friends and family. I feel like it's taken a toll on my relationships, and by toll I mean that it has stretched them & added another level of difficulty to them. My mom shared with me this thought this past weekend... People's lives at home are still going on just the same where mine is drastically different. I'm the one who is treading water just as fast as I can, where as life is going on completely normal. It's been hard to figure out the balance and relax and just accept life as it comes to me.
I'm half way done with my time here is Sevilla. Two months from RIGHT now I'll be on my way home. On one hand I think it will fly by, but then on the other, heavier hand, it feels like it's going to take 6 more years. I have some pretty exciting trips coming up so I think that those will help the time pass. Two weeks from today I'll be in Italy for a week and then in a little over 4 weeks I head to Paris for a few days. Hopefully after that I'll be able to make a trip or two to the beach as well. My skin is just a little tooo pasty for my liking haha.
One of the students in my group has asked me a few times why I'm here. At first it kinda bothered me, I mean I'm here learning Spanish just like every one else was my initial thought.. but in all honesty I'm still trying to figure out why the heck I'm here. I think my best answer at this point is this: I've felt a tug on my heart for a while to get out of Huntington, and I don't think it was by mistake that everything fell into place for me to be here: how the class schedule fell where I only needed one class for my major this semester, losing my passport- not once but twice, a last minute loan scare. I really didn't put much thought into leaving as the days leading up to me leading got closer. I just knew it was all going to be taken care of and that I was in more than good hands. Obviously I'm alluding to God in all of this, but what's funny is that I didn't even realize it until about a week into being here that this was all part of His plan. Silly, silly me. So on days when I'm really resisting being here, wondering why the heck I'm here, and missing everyone and everything at home, I can and continue to rest assured that it's all part of a plan much greater and more magnificent than I could every imagine. Some days it's easier to convince myself of that than others, but I'm getting there.
I think it was my sophomore year of high school, the ever famous Kent Yost MADE ME memorize this verse (I mean the nerve of some people really... hehe :) "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6. Maybe this isn't the right context for this verse, I'm not a bible major after all, but how comforting to know God's got it. Now it's time to just sit back, try my hardest to let go of the control (thanks Cathy haha), and enjoy the ride.
I have a test this week followed by a trip to a neighboring city. Thanks again for your continued support and kind words! They mean more than you know!
Miss you all!
Audrey
I'm half way done with my time here is Sevilla. Two months from RIGHT now I'll be on my way home. On one hand I think it will fly by, but then on the other, heavier hand, it feels like it's going to take 6 more years. I have some pretty exciting trips coming up so I think that those will help the time pass. Two weeks from today I'll be in Italy for a week and then in a little over 4 weeks I head to Paris for a few days. Hopefully after that I'll be able to make a trip or two to the beach as well. My skin is just a little tooo pasty for my liking haha.
One of the students in my group has asked me a few times why I'm here. At first it kinda bothered me, I mean I'm here learning Spanish just like every one else was my initial thought.. but in all honesty I'm still trying to figure out why the heck I'm here. I think my best answer at this point is this: I've felt a tug on my heart for a while to get out of Huntington, and I don't think it was by mistake that everything fell into place for me to be here: how the class schedule fell where I only needed one class for my major this semester, losing my passport- not once but twice, a last minute loan scare. I really didn't put much thought into leaving as the days leading up to me leading got closer. I just knew it was all going to be taken care of and that I was in more than good hands. Obviously I'm alluding to God in all of this, but what's funny is that I didn't even realize it until about a week into being here that this was all part of His plan. Silly, silly me. So on days when I'm really resisting being here, wondering why the heck I'm here, and missing everyone and everything at home, I can and continue to rest assured that it's all part of a plan much greater and more magnificent than I could every imagine. Some days it's easier to convince myself of that than others, but I'm getting there.
I think it was my sophomore year of high school, the ever famous Kent Yost MADE ME memorize this verse (I mean the nerve of some people really... hehe :) "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6. Maybe this isn't the right context for this verse, I'm not a bible major after all, but how comforting to know God's got it. Now it's time to just sit back, try my hardest to let go of the control (thanks Cathy haha), and enjoy the ride.
I have a test this week followed by a trip to a neighboring city. Thanks again for your continued support and kind words! They mean more than you know!
Miss you all!
Audrey
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