La Guernica and other odds and ends

Yes! I have finally seen it up close...Guernica. Last time I was in Spain I went to the Prado (art museum) and unfortunately arrived just as the special exhibit was closing, which happened to be showing Picasso. Now seeing the famous Velazquez painting was of course cool, but seeing a Picasso has been a goal of mine. My roomate and I honestly stood before this massive mural for about 10 minutes. I could barely speak from the awe of it all. The grotesque distortion of figures, the symbolism, the pain that you could almost tangibly feel emanating from this piece of work. It's still more than I can describe.

This week has been an eventful one! I now have 5 tutoring jobs to keep me busy during the week. Most of them are having conversations with Spaniards, in groups of about two or three. I'm even going to meet with one of the teachers from my school! I am very excited about this, although not being the most talkative person in the world, I have no idea what to talk about! I also have started attending an "intercambio" that takes place here in Alcala. An intercambio is where you speak part of the time in one language (spanish) the rest in another (this case English). I met many interesting people. One guy was from France, and we did fine in the Spanish hour, but when we got to the English hour he really struggled and we actually had to clarify with each other in Spanish, since it was our only common language! That was quite the experience. I even met a man here who apparently is obsessed with the NBA and NFL. When I told him I was from Sacramento, he said, "Oh! Sacramento Kings!" That was quite exciting. I mean, they aren't doing so well and all, so that someone from Spain actually knows them is amazing to me! We shook hands and declared each other friends. :)

Teaching has also been proving interesting. The children are still very talkative, but I am quickly learning their names and they are starting to respond to me very positively. Also, in two classes I take out small groups, which is more fun because I can get to know them better. I can't wait until I can start playing games and reading to them. My favorite! I am also loving my science classes. One teacher is very outgoing and you never know what she's going to do next. She wears super trendy crazy colored clothes and rides to school in a bright red Vespa. She pretends to pick her nose and wipe it on kids. She can definitely hold their attention, something that is desperately needed here. One day we were talking about smells that were bad, and students needed help knowing how to say things in English. One kid metioned a word that I didn't know, and the teacher turned to me and asked "How do you say to pass the gas by.." and made a motion towards her rear. I tried very hard not to laugh and said, "Fart." The children were held in rapt attention. In the states they would have been rolling on the floor! Then of course we move on to burp (with demonstrations, of course), pee, and poop. Now this teacher has visited the U.S. and when we got to "poop" she turned to me and said, "S***, right?" AUGH! I politely but firmly said No, that was not a word to use and told her it was Poop. Oh man, what an interesting day!

I have also decided that I do not want to eat hamburgers here anymore. At the intercambio I decided to have a hamburger, since I didn't know many of the other things on the menu. The next morning I woke up feeling horribly sick and barely left my bed the entire day. You can use your imagination for what happened in between. But I think I am safe in saying that I will not eat another until I am safe in an In-N-Out, unless it is offered to me and I can't politely refuse. *shivers* I miss American burgers.

The highlight of my week was meeting at a book study group that some women my age at my church started. There were just three of us this week and we will start a new book on Prayer next week. But it was something I sorely needed. I have missed small group very much (Remant I miss you!) as well as my accoountability group back home. And I didn't realize how much I have missed fellowship until the end when they asked for prayer requests. It took me a minute to think of something. I can't explain why, but sending requests to friends back home is easy, but here it took me by surprise. And while we were praying I just started crying. I truly am becoming part of what is going on here. Participating in corporate prayer is so important, how could I have forgotten I need it while I'm here?

Since then I have been feeling more and more like Alcala is my home. I found out I can put up pictures on my wall, something that has always been important to me. Also, when I come home by train and begin to see the familiar hills that overlook Alcala I feel welcomed. God has told me that He is using this time so that I can come to know Him more and more, and that later in life I will look back on this experience as a special time I had just with Him. He has removed me from everyone I love and all that is familiar to me so that I can rely more and more on Him. And He reveals Himself to me daily. It is amazing to me how while I initally came here thinking that my goal was to show Jesus to people here by the way I live my life, I am instead finding out more of who He is. I am growing to love Spain more and more and am learning to see these people through His eyes as a result of learning more about Him. He will use me as He chooses and it will always be to His glory, but first and foremost my eyes are set on Him.

I love you all very much and miss you, but I would not trade this experience for the world.

Me in Madrid in front of Hotel Mediodia. Riveting, I know.

Spainiards think highly of there metro syestem (which is quite good). This ad cracks me up! There's others that depcit other countries wanting one, too, but the look on Lady Liberty's face...priceless!