From the Spanish Cafe

Greetings from Espana!

Thought I’d post an update from Spain! We ported in Spain 4 days ago... it's been an amazing trip! I have encountered so much... I can hardly image what else I will see in the remaining 10 countries we have yet to visit!

The first day we were in Spain, we went to a bull fight/ flamenco show. The bull fight was bloodless (thank goodness!), so we were able to watch and enjoy. The dancing was absolutely stunning! Flamenco is a very harsh style of dancing, but the dancer becomes a part of the music through stomping. It's similar to tap, but much harder, in my opinion. The dancers we saw were fantastic! They could move their feet faster than I can drum my fingers! At the dance show, we also got to sample many different types of Spanish cuisine. They had queso manchego (Spanish cheese), jamon (sweet ham), and tortillas de papas (a tortilla made out of eggs with potatoes and onions in it). All of it was SO GOOD!

We also got to see a lot of Cadiz, the city where we ported. It dates back to the 10th century, and it chocked full of Spanish style buildings and cathedrals. We've enjoyed meandering down the narrow, cobblestone streets and eating at the small cafes. One of our favorite Spanish dishes is churros con chocolate. Spanish churros are 100X better than the ones we have in the U.S... They make them fresh here, and they don't put sugar and cinnamon on them. Instead, they serve them with a small cup of melted, dark chocolate. You take the churro and you dip it into the chocolate. Seriously, it's one of God's many gifts to man... =)

The following day, we rode the train to Seville. In Seville, we walked about 2 miles to and from one of the largest cathedrals in Spain. It was tiring, but well worth it! The cathedral covers AT LEAST 1 city block. It was massive. It is called the Catedral de Sevilla or Seville Cathedral. I knew it was going to be big, but I was STUNNED. The stonework is incredibly intricate... and, get this: we got to see Christopher Columbus's grave! After that, we climbed the cathedral's bell tower for an aerial view of Seville. It was 36 floors high... quite a hike, but once again, well worth it!

Seville also has a large number of orange groves. While exploring, we ran across an older district of the city, and meandered through a park chocked full of orange trees and cherry blossoms. I could have stayed there all day and drawn, read... or just taken in the scenery!

The third day, we stayed in Cadiz and had a traditional Spanish lunch. Lunch is their largest meal of the day... so we made it good! We got some paella... which is Spanish rice with all kinds of meats in it. REALLY GOOD. After that, we went to the beach and put our feet in the ocean, so we could say we've stood on both sides of the Atlantic.

Our final day in Spain, we had churros con chocolate once more, and we took a trip to the super market to get some snacks for the trip. I picked up some coffee to take home to my family. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it when I make some café con leche for them. We leave for Morocco this evening at 8:00 PM. It will be a sad departure… I’ve really enjoyed Espana!

We will be in Morocco in 2 days. Abby and I have done some research, and we want to stay the night in a hostel in Marrakech. We plan on travelling with two other girls, Nicole and Maggie. Marrakech is known for its Arabian market, snake charmers, fire breathers... the whole nine yards! We're so excited! Hopefully we will get the reservations made soon!

Hasta Luego… until next time!

Leap!

I feel as though I'm standing on the brink. The Fall 2008 semester at PLNU has just ended. I leave for the journey of a lifetime in a month. In fact, I leave a month from today. It's a strange sensation... realizing I will be leaving Point Loma for a semester. I've learned to call this place home. I'm leaving home to become a nomad.

While in Mexico, I observed one of coastal resident’s most exhilarating pastimes: cliff diving. Prospective divers climb to the top of the jagged coastal cliffs, muster up a great deal of courage, and leap off of the edge of the rocks into the swirling ocean currents nearly 50 feet below. More experienced divers jump from higher cliffs. Cliff diving takes a great deal of skill; if not skill, then dumb luck. If the divers hit the surface of the water wrong, they can potentially break a leg or an arm. They must fight the waves and the pull of the tide. Rocks, debris, and the side of the cliff also pose a threat to the divers.

As the divers ascend to the peak of the cliffs, they pass a monument of Mary. The monument stands as a symbol of protection. Passersby can pause to pray before the statue as they make their way to the edge of the rocks. The little monument gives courage to the divers as they leap into uncertainty.

I feel like an inexperienced diver heading towards the edge of the rocky cliffs for the first time. As I jog upward, my senses are invigorated; the wind tussling my hair, and the salt spray of the ocean sending chills down my spine. I want to learn how to cliff dive, but I’m simply inexperienced. I’ve never jumped into uncertainty quite like this. What will happen? Will I break the surface of the water without hurting myself? Will the currents be too strong? What if I strike a rock when I land in the water? Questions are swirling around in my mind.

I’m not a cliff diver; simply a student of the world. A nomad whose purpose is to learn what she can from other cultures, races, religions, and individuals. Every life is different. Every culture is beautiful and diverse. What will I see? What will I experience? Who will I meet? The question is not WILL I be changed, but HOW will I be changed.

Before applying to Semester at Sea, I prayed (not to Mary, though). Not everyone reading this may believe in the power of prayer. I do; more so now than ever. I felt lead to take a leap into the unknown and apply to study abroad. I'm sure that Semester at Sea does not seem like a leap taken in faith to most people. After all, what's so difficult about travelling the world, right? Who wouldn't want to take a cruise to exotic places? I can assure you that the process of preparing to leave has been anything but easy. I stand amazed as I think of all the doors that have been opened; doors that I previously thought were closed. When I decided to apply, the blessings just kept coming.

Tuition was the hard part, but most people forget to consider all of the responsibilities of travelling. Passport, visas, flights, hotels, luggage, international calling cards... on top of my responsibilities as a traveler, I also need to fulfill my responsibilities as a student. I'm not embarking on a luxury cruise. I'm going to school. Buying and transporting books, filling out forms, registering for appropriate classes... it may not seem like a lot, but it's tough to balance sometimes. Even when the process seemed overwhelming, things fell into place. So many things could have kept me from going, but everything started to fit together like an intricate puzzle.

One month from now, I’ll be standing on the edge of the cliffs staring down at the raging tide. Initially, I may be unsure of myself. I may balk at the sight of the ruthless, white-capped ocean waters, but I’ll still take a step out into the unknown. It may feel like I’m falling at first; the waves might catch me off guard, but I will emerge from the water and swim to the shore. Wiser. Experienced. Changed. Now, all that’s left for me to do is leap!