Rhonda y Málaga

Sometimes I have these moments in Spain where I can’t function anymore. I am too tired, too homesick, or too worn out with dealing with “foreign” things and always meeting new people. These sentiments characterized my last week. I was so tired I could not function the entire week, I kept trying to catch up on sleep but to no avail, I was emotionally and physically exhausted. Luckily, however, the weekend was one of the most refreshing weekends I have ever experienced. It began around 9m on Saturday morning when a big group of students from my programs left Granada for the small town of Rhonda. When we arrived we explored the giant gorges and ancient Arabic baths. We had a picnic under a gazebo overlooking the entire countryside, and ice cream. It was like a fairy tale city, and so wonderful see. Afterwards, we bored the bus once more for a trip to Malaga. When I got off the bus in Malaga, at our hotel, my Aunt Sue was waiting for me with one of her friends. I will say it was slightly embarrassing to run and scream and hug her with a crowd of 60 college students watching, but well worth it. After we had checked into our hotel, Aunt Sue and I were able to walk around the city, drink some fabulous coffee, and find one of the best meals that I have eaten since I have been in Spain. (Here I will diverge on a tangent for a moment. Spanish food is wonderful, but after 3 months of the same greasy food, same smells, flavors, and same intense amount of oil, my mouth waters at the thought of healthy grilled meat or Asian food. We stumbled upon Vino Mio, which was an extremely eclectic restaurant with delicious options from all over the world. It was such a treat after the intense grease. It was such a treat to be able to see my aunt, though only for a few hours. It may be strange for some of you to think about, but I haven’t spoken to an American adult in 3 months! She left that night to return to her hotel and I was left in the hands of my wonderful American friends. The next morning our group prepared to go on a tour of the city. A word about tours: they are wonderful! But after 3 months of them, I was exhausted and I really wanted to go to church on Sunday morning. I had been rewarded the previous evening with the best shower I had ever taken and a beautifully clean and restful room. So after a delicious breakfast in the morning I set out alone to discover a Protestant church. For those of you who are unsure, Spain is VERY Catholic. Asking for the location of a protestant church is, equivalent to asking for the best American BBQ restaurant in the city. I asked two hotels, two tour offices, and banged on the door of an Internet café, waiting for it to open, before I was finally given directions to a church in a more residential part of the city. It was refreshing to worship and pray, even though it was in Spanish. He has provided for me, even with in my struggles. It is so good to know that my God is always running beside me, in the midst of all.

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