Out of Control and Loving It

Ok, so maybe I’m not loving it so much, but I’m pretty sure one of the first lessons God is teaching me in Spain is to let go, and REALLY trust. One of my good friends recently recommended a book called “Out of Control and Loving It.” Perhaps I should’ve borrowed it from him to bring with me. :)

To begin, let me tell you that the original journal entry I typed was 4 pages in word. I condensed it for you. :)

I think I experienced culture shock to some degree when I went to Thailand and Brazil, but I felt it in a more extreme way as I sat on my bed the first night and reazlied I’d be in this completely foreign place for thirty days. Where do I start? My brain feels overwhelemed so if my thoughts are a bit fuzzy, forgive me. :)

Here is the basic run-down:

The “out of control” moments:
-When I got safely to Seville but my suitcase did not.
-When the taxi driver stopped and asked for directions to my apartment three times before dropping me off in front of a locked gated apartment complex, basically saying to me “good luck.”
-When I could barely understand anything anyone was saying so quickly to me in Spanish.
-When my suitcase arrived the first evening, and I discovered that it was in fact, not mine, but my friend’s that I travelled with.
-When I discovered I left my battery charger for my camera at home. SHOOT!

The apartment: cute, but small. There are four of us girls staying here—I and one other girl have our own rooms, and two share one. There is a very small kitchen, living room and dining room. I think it is fairly big for a Spanish apartment, especially for a single woman.

My room: I definitely got the pick of the draw of the students staying in this house. It’s a little bigger than my dorm room, only square. There is a large closet, a desk, and an armchair. The bed is hard, similar to the one I slept on in Thailand. Boo! :) My favorite part though, is the huge window that streams in lots of natural sunlight.

My host mother: True to the description I got about Maria, she is very friendly and energetic! She speaks no English, but is very understanding and patient with our broken Spanish. She is extremely hospitable and motherly. She loves to cook for us! I would guess she is about 55 or 60 and has a grown daughter. Her love of painting is reflected throughout the house with the many decorations on the walls.

My roommates: I live with three fun girls from Conneciticut! They speak limited Spanish so I help them communicate with Maria Jose. I think it’s gonna be a good fit. :)

My Spanish: not so great. I really should have practiced more before I came. Last night I watched the Spanish news and a talk show with Maria to practice. :)

My school: fun! It’s pretty small, all in one building. It’s just a little commnity college for Americans who come to study abroad. They’re taking us on several excursions and field trips, which is awesome! One of my professors from U of I lives at Jerez, where we’re going for a field trip, so we’ll meet up with him there.

The city: I don’t feel I’ve explored enough to give you an adequate description yet. The streets are busy and full of little cars and people. There are little shops (tiendas), supermarkets, banks, cafes, and bars EVERYWHERE but the hours are tricky. Most places are open from 8-2, and then reopen from 5:30-8:00. The town pretty much goes to sleep in the middle of the afternoon. The city is fairly clean and has very nice parks. We visited one today that was absolutely gorgeous! We hear sirens going off all the time, and small children below our windows in the evening. Streets are very poorly marked so it can be hard to get around.

The food: Delicious! We have toast and tea/coffee for breakfast, a big lunch around 2 or 3, and a light dinner around 9. Desserts are rare, but vegetables and meat are not! Everything is a lot fresher, and not breaded or coated with grease. The meat is very salty, with a rich flavor.

My feelings: every emotion you can think of. J When I boarded the plane from Indy I absolutely lit up—I was so excited. My independent streak was shining through like crazy! Yesterday I felt a lot of fear from all the unknown. Today I feel anticipation and excitement for what’s to come. After one full day I already feel so much more comfortable with the language, the city, and my housemother.

I feel I’ve experienced a month’s worth of things in the past two days. This is gonna be an amazing trip. Internet access is a lot more limited than I thought it would be, so I have to be smart with the time I have. The only place I have Internet right now is at school for a half hour before classes start and a half hour after classes end. The first night we were here, I got wifi for about an hour, but then lost it. I might get it again (I’ll keep trying :)), but it’s definitely not reliable.

I miss you all and have much more to say, but I gotta draw the line somewhere. J I hope you are all wonderful!