An incoherent collection of thoughts and observations.

I really like Spain. It is such an odd mixture of things familiar and unfamiliar. A combination of contrasting feelings and opposite experiences. From growing up in England and traveling around Europe I have a deep appreciation for the European style of doing things. The tiny towns and narrow streets. The rich culture and history: castles, gardens, fountains, cathedrals. Everything on a mini-scale: washing machines, serving sizes in restaurants. It is completely different from the way we do things in America. Not better or worse, just different. Equally as different is the culture and lifestyle of Central and South America. Four of my five mission experiences have been in this part of the world, so a part of me feels strongly connected to the people and language of Spanish-speaking countries. Spain is a mixture of both. It is a blend of the European and the Spanish. And I kind of like it. It is a very comfortable feeling.

Being in school here is also an interesting experience. Most of the ACA students are in college so it brings a more mature feel to the program (most of the time), but our classes and activities feel very much like high school. This is my first experience living in a dormitory which adds a whole new dimension into the mix. I really love living making new friends , but I also miss my family and the home setting incredibly. I miss cooking in our kitchen and playing the piano whenever I want. I miss driving places with my sisters and having those deep family discissions about everything under the sun.

Six weeks is such a strange amount of time to spend in one place. In a lot of ways it feels like I am on a trip. As much as I love it here, I am having a hard time feeling like I am actually living here, in Spain, for the summer. And yet I go to class every day, eat all of my meals in the cafeteria, change my sheets on Wednesdays, and do all the normal routine things that go along with daily living. Yet somehow it still feels like just a trip.

I absolutely love observing people. I love figuring out what things make them unique and what things they value and appreciate most. I love doing this with cultures as well. The culture here in Spain is much more open than our culture at home. Everyone greets each other by giving two kisses, one on each cheek. This is something that I am familiar with from our church in England, but definitely not used to anymore. There are many things like this. Things that are so different from our cultural norms but are completely acceptable and often expected here in this country. It is like trying to solve a big puzzle. Each new country I visit, I observe. And then I try to put the pieces together to see the bigger picture.

Typical tourists annoy me. Most people go to a country expecting to be catered for. They complain about people not speaking English, the food not meeting their expectations, or any number of other things that happen to be different from what they are used to. They run around from one tourist attraction to another completely oblivious to the daily life happening around them. Sometimes you learn more by being quiet. By not drawing attention to yourself and by keeping your eyes and ears open. Sometimes the true beauty of a place can only be accessed by leaving the well-marked paths and experiencing a little adventure.

The desire to travel is permanently running through my veins. As I was cooling off in the Mediterranean one afternoon last week, I was thinking again about how blessed I am to have been able to live, work, study, serve, and travel in so many parts of the world during my eighteen years of life. This summer has been another adventure to add to the list, but I know that this is not simply a few more words to expand my Spanish vocabulary and another set of photos to keep in an album. The learning and growing that I have done this summer has changed me. It has made me stronger and more prepared for the future. I have no idea what adventures may be just over the horizon, but I am confident in is this: that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. And in the meantime, I am loving every single step of the journey.