España

(Pictures are coming soon!) 

Saturday May 17^th

I AM IN SPAIN!!! Look at my life! I am so incredibly blessed! I know that some people are wondering why in the world I would want to go to Iraq and now what I am doing in Spain.

Well I have told you about Iraq!

So now for Spain:

#1- Two of my very best friends in the whole world are in Spain!

Adam and Antonio! They were 2 of my first friends in NYC and they mean the world to me! They moved to Spain 3 years ago and when the car pulled away as they left me behind in Harlem I said to my friend who was standing there with me: “I feel like ½ of me just drove away.” His response was, “Well actually that would be 2/3^rds “ And  I said, “Ugh! That’s MORE than ½!) Needless to say they are a very important part of me! And I have been wanting to come and see them for years now.

My initial idea was to come after I graduated for a few months and learn Spanish…but I realized that I had no money, so I couldn’t make it happenyet.

Not that I really have money now… haha. But that is something that I have learned about life and traveling – there is never enough time and never enough money! If I had waited for the “right time” and “enough money” to come along I would  never had been able to go anywhere and would probably still be in Provo Utah.

Don’t get me wrong- I LOVE Utah! I am just grateful that I have taken some crazy leaps of faith and gone head on to get what I wanted/want.

I get these ideas in my head. Of a place I want to go- or something that I want to do. And then I start talking about it as if it is a reality. Even though I have no idea how I will make it into a reality – I say. “I am going here… and doing this!” I believe that there is GREAT power to our mind set, our attitude and the words that we speak! This applied to many areas of life!

So- I try to make a point of leaving the US once a year… it had been 2 years since I have been able to travel – so it was time! So I got to go to Iraq and now here I am in Spain! I am very thankful that I have an AMAZING job health coaching – that I can do from anywhere – such a blessing! I love my clients and I love my job!

So I would like to share some of my personal goals for Spain... without a lot of detail.

-Learn Spanish (this scares me… but I’m going to do it!)

-Work on Myself

  mind

  body (exercise, keep practicing healthy habits)

  spirit

-Continue to work and support my clients

I may go into more detail about these later on- or give updates on them – but there they are for now.

Today the Marruecos family took me into Granada to walk around downtown. Such a beautiful town! We had a lot of fun!

Sunday May 18^th

Antonio and I went to church today.  It is nice to be “home” no matter where I am in the world I have my church family! Of course I didn’t understand much of the talks in Sacrament meeting because it was all in Spanish. But I understand how the meetings run – because it is exactly the same as everywhere else in the world!

Antonio kept me in the loop and would tell me what the speakers were talking about.

I can pick up a few words here and there – but I really need to expand my Spanish vocabulary! Luckily as far as church goes I can get the gist of it – because I already know the doctrine of the gospel.

Sunday school was fun. I was able to follow along a little better. Antonio was the rock star of gospel principles! He knew all of the answers and participated a lot. There were a few people there that realized in class that he is not a member and they were very surprised cause he knew all of the answers! Haha

After Church Anto and I took a walk in a really beautiful park and then we had a picnic lunch that we had packed. We then took a walk through another part of Granada down an avenue that has a lot of statues of people who are important in Granada and Spanish History. Writers, scientists, historians, and even a gypsy.

We took a bus back to Antonios parents and his mom had made dinner, we ate with Mom, Dad and Grandma was there too. We laughed so hard together! I love that even thought I don’t know the language I can still understand things. Plus Anotnio translates a lot for me!

It was a great Sunday!

Monday May 19^th

After 2 weeks of traveling I decided it is time to start to put myself into some sort of routine. I have not been exercising – so today was the day to begin again! I did yoga in my room and then went running. Now the trick is to keep it up!

Antonio had school today – I stayed home and caught up on some work and then went to meet up with him in Granada after he was finished with his class.

Adam is in Florida for the next 5 weeks and so there are certain things that I am not allowed to go do and see while he is gone. One of which is going to Alhambra, which is a city with a castle up on the hills of Granada. (The name Alhambra is Arabic for “The Red” because the city is red. Antonio is teaching me all sorts of things about Spanish History. There are a LOT of Arabic influences here. Spain was Roman and then the Arabic took over, then the Queen of England came along….etc. etc.)

So I can see this city/castle walking about in Granada bu we can’t go yet. Yesterday Antonio said, “well we cant go here… or there… but I am going to show you…” So today he took me up to see the Albaizin.  It is a neighborhood of white houses called Carmenes, that are up on the hill and there is an amazing view of the city! It was SO AMAZING! The neighborhood was incredible and I loved it!

There was a young man up there who was selling hand made jewelry that he had made himself.  I talked with him (through Antonio) and he even showed me how he makes his jewelry. He made me a little flower.  So sweet!  He was very nice. I only have American dollars because I have not had the opportunity to exchange my money yet, so I couldn’t get anything from him. But we want to go back and find him again!

We went back to Armilla (which is the town right next to Granada that we live in) and over to Antonio’s parents house for dinner. Mom made really yummy Spanish Tortillas’ which is like a think pancake made from eggs and potatoes.

Antonio’s mom is the epitome of a Spanish mother. Her cooking is amazing and she is sure to know that you have had your fill to eat… plus some! I really love her! Well… I love the WHOLE Marruecos family! They are so great! I am thinking that maybe I can marry Antonio’s little brother Jesus so I can be permanently attached to them all! He is a cuttie! Maaaaaaybe a little young for me though…  is 10 years difference too much? I have heard of crazier things! Haha!