Sevilla and beyond

Wow, it’s been so long since I last posted on here.  Let me update you on the last two months :/ oops…

I have been doing lots of traveling, both on school excursions (Toledo, Ronda) and independently with different groups of friends (Madrid; Málaga; Lisbon, Portugal).  It’s quite a different experience having to plan trips without my parents and having to do everything on my own.  Not only have I been learning practical things related to traveling (i.e. have a map, know how to get to your hostel from wherever you land), but I also found myself having to learn patience and flexibility in interacting with the different groups I have traveled with.  In Madrid, after packing lots of things into one day, walking a lot, and being hungry, I had to learn how to be patient with different people, flexibility and joyfulness, and how to go with the flow and not complain.  I have also been able to learn from different people within my traveling groups.  In Lisbon, after a 6-hour bus ride through the night, our group got off at the wrong bus stop in Lisbon, putting us miles and miles away from our hostel.  We ended up walking probably about 8 miles across the city before we took taxis the rest of the way there.  I was inspired and humbled by simple things that I saw in my friends, such as the selflessness of sharing gloves when we were walking in the cold or sharing food.  And I was especially grateful specifically for one girl in my group who maintained joy and a positive attitude amidst the frustration of walking for so long.  Our weekend in Málaga was full of rainy weather.  After doing some sight-seeing and walking along the wet beach, we planted ourselves in a café for a couple hours to chill, and I really enjoyed just being able to relax like that and chat with my friends.

I recently read Ephesians 4:20-21 which says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  And it’s been cool to see how much God really has been accomplishing IMMEASURABLY MORE than I imagined.  One way I have seen this is with my roommate, Amber.  Not only do we get along and room together well, which is a blessing in itself when it comes to roommate placements, but we are very good friends and we have so much fun together.  We have been able to have great conversations and I have been able to grow and learn from her.  It’s so cool to see how much of a blessing that has been and what God is doing through that friendship.  Another cool way I have seen God doing IMMEASURABLY MORE than what I was necessarily expecting is through GBU.  GBU stands for Grupos Bíblicos Universitarios, or University Bible Groups, and it is basically a Christian campus ministry at the University of Sevilla.  Amber and I got connected with GBU through a girl named Damaris, one of the Spanish friends of our Student Ministries Director (SMC).  At the beginning of the semester when our group went to tapas and on a walking tour of the city with different Spaniards that our SMC knows, Amber and I went with Damaris both times.  Because of that, we were able to hear about GBU and occasionally attend the bible studies at the University, where we met other students from England, Brazil, Germany, and Austria (including one girl who is really nice and cool), all the while being able to communicate with all of them in Spanish. 

We recently had a week off of school for Semana Santa, or Holy Week.  Semana Santa is huge in Sevilla because Spain is very culturally Catholic.  During the week, different churches have processionals and lots of people (both from Sevilla and around the world) come out to the streets to watch them.  The processionals, or pasos, include members of the church wearing outfits that look like the KKK, a band usually, and basically floats that are carried through the streets which bear statues of biblical figures, usually Jesus and/or Mary.  Catholicism is very cultural in Spain, and while the country is considered to be 75% Catholic, not many Spaniards practice it.  Yet, because of the cultural significance, the streets are packed during Semana Santa with people crowding to see the pasos parade by.  Amber and I went to one paso during Madrugada (morning) the night of Holy Thursday/the morning of Good Friday.  Pasos happen basically all night that night.  We waited to see it for about 45 minutes, and it took about 45 minutes to pass, as there were over 2,000 candle bearers that walked in it.  We left our Spanish friends after one paso at about 2:15, and they, along with many others, were staying out for more.  Although it is a cultural practice that we aren’t used to, it was cool to see and experience.  Another cultural difference we observed here is that almost all the celebration in Spain ends on Good Friday.  Easter is not as big of a deal as it is in the States.  Where is the resurrection?  We went to the Cathedral for mass on Easter Sunday, but I was wishing I could be at my church back home.  “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins…But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”  1 Corinthians 15:17, 20

My family also came and visited during Semana Santa.  It was fun to see them, introduce them to my friends, show them around Sevilla, and travel with them to both Barcelona and Granada. 

Although my time here in Sevilla is quickly approaching the end, I still have about a month left to travel, enjoy breakfasts out, take tests, and attend classes.  It’s been such a blessing to be here, and I’m enjoying it so much!  Thanks so much for your prayers!