The Home Stretch

Well, it's official...I have nothing to do. I just turned in my final assignment and all that is left to do is go to class. We're struggling to find things to do because most of the other students have a lot of work left to do. So we've resolved to watch the tv show House with our friend Danielle. It's very refreshing to be done with all of my work, but I still feel like I should be doing something haha. I've really been trying to soak up the last few days here with my friends, which is probably what's most important to me (that and sleep). It's very bittersweet that the semester is...

Oh wow. i just have to insert a comment here because I'm in the library and a girl that I'm sitting next to just applied her spray deodorant...in public. That's all. I guess I'd rather her wear deodorant than not though...

So as I was saying...It's very bittersweet that the semester is over. I've so fully enjoyed my time here and don't want to leave this new and different experience that I feel like I've just begun, but I am so eager to get home to my family and everything that awaits me there. With Christmas just around the corner, 9 days...but who's counting :), I'm trying to keep my mind constantly turned to the gift of Jesus, and redemption through him. It really is such a fascinating thought, that the Son of God coming down, humbly but also mightily, to bring us life to its fullest. I know that my words will never do justice to the greatness and gloriousness that Christ brings and offers to us, but in a single phrase, it captivates my heart and always will. Although it's the holiday season in England as well, it just doesn't feel like Christmas to me, which is why I'm so excited to go home. I know that wherever I am, I will always be filled with inexpressible joy at Christmastime, but I believe that joy is expressed so much more when I'm surrounded by those who share in it with me. 

With all that said, for the next few days I will be enjoying my last few days in the UK with my friends, but I can't wait to see all of you soon and am so excited to share joy with you this holiday season!

¡Viva España!

¡Hola! It is with ease and great pleasure that I proclaim that Spain was officially one of my favorite times of this entire trip. Other than the obvious reason (my love for the Spanish language), everything about Spain, minus the throngs of people, was captivating. The weather was around 50 or 60 which is so much nicer than the 30 or 40 we are used to here in Ormskirk. We arrived around supper time on Friday, which we desperately needed. We met our friend Mark at the hostel and headed to go find a place for dinner. There was a nice tapas bar across the street that we settled on and I proceeded to have one of the greatest meals I've had in a long time. Wanting to be authentically Spanish, I went for the vegetable paella and some sangria...I was a VERY happy camper. The paella rivaled some of the best meals I've ever eaten, and the sangria was a perfect mixture of fruit and wine. I definitely want to find a recipe of each when I get home. We walked around for a bit and got some time to catch up with Mark before heading off to bed. Saturday we woke up extremely earlier than everyone else (no one's awake at 10?) apparently because no one was out as we walked around. We headed to La Rambla which is a famous pedestrian street in Barcelona known for it's markets, performers, and (cheap!) shopping. It's also well known for pickpocketing, but all of us managed to come out with all that we went in with. La Rambla was definitely a highlight, and we spent most of the rest of the day walking around and managed to get some very tasty gelato that night :).

Mark left us the next morning, and after a very tasty Starbucks we headed to Casa Batlló, a house designed by Antoni Guadí to look like an underwater castle. It was gorgeous! I might easily get a little nauseous living there, but it was beautiful none-the-less. We then headed to see a Cathedral designed by Gaudí called La Sagrada Familia. Guadí's designs are insane, so this church isn't scheduled to be completed until 2026! I'll be 40! Wow. After seeing the church we decided to get lunch and then some more gelato and after one final visit to La Rambla, we headed back to the hostel to rest and get ready for dinner. We ate at the same restaurant from the first night, had our last toast with sangria and our last scoops of gelato before heading to bed. Monday we headed towards the Arc de Triomf, the Spanish version, to take some pictures and walk through the park behind it on our way to the bus station. 

All in all our trip seemed pretty perfect (minus the delayed flight home). I feel as though Spain was the perfect way to end our travels here. With less than 2 weeks left, we all needed some good time to relax and laugh with each other and Spain facilitated that beautifully...gotta love it. Also, as some of you know, I turned 22 last week! I thank you all so much for your birthday wishes and am so blessed to have had another year to be joyful about! The night before, my friends here (we call ourselves the festive friends) decorated my room and we had a little party full of cake and balloons and the movie "The Holiday." We also went out for a superb dinner in town the night of my birthday and I had a glorious glass of red wine with my pasta. I could not ask for a better way to celebrate my 22nd year! Click on the link below for pictures of España!

¡Viva España!