Danka!

LOOK WHO IS FINALLY HERE!!!!! 

That's right folks, Heather McGill made it safe and sound and has been conquering Europe for the last week and a half. Mackenzie, Lindsay, and I all met up with Heather in Berlin, Germany last Tuesday. We spent the week exploring the city and some smaller towns around the area, eating bratwurst and potatoes, and tasting all kinds of different beers. For some reason, I had really no expectations going into our Germany trip. Germany has always been somewhere I have wanted to see, but we ended up picking Berlin because we had a free apartment to stay in for the week. But now, it has become one of my favorite cities. The weather could not have been more perfect for our sweet reunion with Heather and we all felt like we packed as much in as possible while still taking advantage of the fact that we had an apartment to come home to. (Side note: I never realized how much I would miss having my own house until I lived in Spain. The awesome freedom that comes with having an apartment is something I will never take for granted again). 

One of my favorite things we did while in Berlin was go on a free walking tour through "New Europe Tours"....when in doubt, CHOOSE THEM! It was incredible to see the different famous landmarks in Berlin; the city is so rich with history. We got to see the place where Hitler died, Checkpoint Charlie, The Brandenburg Gate, The Reichstag, Museum Island, The Berlin Wall, Sachsenhausen (a Concentration camp just outside Berlin city limits), and so many Holocaust memorials. At the risk of sounding cliche, I'm just going to say that it was so cool to go to places that I have read about for so many years and see history come alive. You can totally still feel the difference between East and West Berlin from when the Berlin wall was built. Different parts of town have been architecturally influenced by communism or socialism, so every area really had a different vibe. We decided to cook one night at our apartment and made a yummy meal of pasta, parmesan cheese with bread and crackers, and a various assortment of beer. Having the apartment was really such a blessing and it was so fun to be able to cook and all eat together and just hang out and watch a movie. (Remember the Titans....duh). We had such good intentions of running a half marathon the next morning that we have been semi training for all semester, but at 6 in the morning, everything sounds like a bad idea, and it ended up being too complicated to find the city that was hosting the race (think 5 hour train/bus ride with several stops with zero transfer time.) With our luck, we decided it was probably going to end up being a wild goose chase. 

We took two days trips while we were there. One to Potsdam, a quaint little town with red brick buildings and a castle overlooking the city. And the other to Oranieburg to see the concentration camp memorial of Sachsenhausen. As soon as we arrived in Oranieburg, there was an instant change in mood. The whole town seemed to have an almost eery vibe. (I think this also had to do with the fact that it was good Friday and literally everything was closed.) The camp still has some of the original structures and the rest has been renovated and recreated to look just as it did during WWII. We got an audio tour and somberly made our way through the different barracks, crematoriums, burial grounds, SS training grounds, the site of the gallows, and the execution trenches. Throughout our time in Berlin, we obviously talked and heard alot about Hitler and WWII and everything that happened in the Holocaust. But this was so different. It was deeply disturbing to be standing in the same place where thousands of people were killed. (Over 200,000 people were passed through this camp and over 30,000 died inside its walls). We had many conversations about how Christianity fits into the Holocaust and how the ideas of Hitler could catch on like they did. I still have been thinking alot about everything I saw there and want to continue to look into what the Christian movement was like at the time. 

On Sunday, we went to an English speaking church that Mackenzie's friends work with. We sang "Up from the Grave He Arose" and it made me miss my Dad so much, as that is his favorite Easter song....or really anytime song....he loves it and I had been singing it all morning. It was a very unique way to celebrate Easter...to be in Berlin in a small church plant with people from all over the world. I have to say, I missed home alot on that day. We made our way back to Sevilla on Monday and have been showing Heather around for the last few days. We even made it to a bull fight....which is something that I feel everyone should do while in Spain, but I can't say I would do it again. It was definitely an unfair fight for the bull, poor guy doesn't stand a chance. But I really do see now why they call it a "dance" and an art form. Those torreros (matadors) are so talented! And they are my age! Tonight, Heather, Mackenzie, and I leave for Madrid on the 12:15am bus and will spend one night there and then it is off to Prague (where we are SKYDIVING!!) 

The time with Heather has been so special and sweet and I love being able to share Spain with her and continue to grow in our friendship. We have been literally all over the world together, and what an undeserved blessing that she was able to come and visit Mackenzie and I in one of our favorite cities in the world. Prague, HERE WE COME!! 

Heather, Mackenzie, Me, and Lindsay in front of the Brandenburg Gate on our first night in Berlin

Part of the Holocaust Memorial by the Brandenburg Gate

Simon (our awesome tour guide) looking pensive in front of the Berlin Wall. 

Berlin Wall

"New Museum" 

Holocaust Memorial

Palace in Potsdam

Yes, that is the famous TV tower made out of chocolate. 

The original entry gates of Sachsenhausen. 

Part of the extensive security system of the camp

Execution Trench

The original guard towers.

Yeah....Dan likes to scream (Lagos, Portugal)

This weekend was a major success on so many levels. Early Friday morning, we (Mackenzie, Betsy, Lindsay, and I) rolled out of bed and made it on time to our 7:30am 6 hour bus ride to Lagos, Portugal. We spent two nights in such a great hostel (Golden Coast), and three days enjoying all that a small beach town has to offer. We became fast friends with the other people staying in our hostel, seeing as there were only 7 of us, and spent our days lounging on the beach, exploring the cliffs, and eating delicious food. We made some hilarious memories on this trip that may or may not have included witnessing our new British friends surprise us with a headbanging screamo song after we performed to "I love the way you lie". You tell me. 

Photo Cred: Mackenzie Lechlitner 

True laughter. A stranger offered to take our picture and it quickly turned into a photoshoot. Someone was a little camera happy

Ate every bite

Trying frantically to move our bags from being washed away by the waves. 

This family was too happy to not photograph 

Good thing we had Ryan with us to help take our group shots

Ryan wit daaa ladiez

Our meal night two: actual burritos. Long awaited since January 18th. 

 

Weekend of Bliss

It is amazing how much the weather can have an effect on my mood. This last week it was above 80 degrees every day and I can not tell you how much I enjoyed it. I have recently been realizing that I don't have that much time left in Sevilla. That is scary. It was just January 18th. I will be doing alot of traveling in the next month (Lagos, Germany, Prague, and Austria) and this was my last "real" weekend here in Sevilla. I will be here one weekend in May but it is during "Feria de Abril" which is a huge festival here and apparently everyone from around Europe flocks to Sevilla and so it will be overrun by tourists. (Note: I am no longer a tourist...I live here.) So all that to say, this was my last real weekend here, and it was one of my favorites yet. 

It started on Wednesday night (yes, my weekends start on Wednesdays because that is my last day of class for the week) with a heart to heart with Mackenzie by the Puente de Triana. This is one of the most famous bridges in Sevilla, and at night, it really is magical. 

(Confession. This picture is from Google.)

Mackenzie and I have been processing alot of what we have learned since being here, how we are feeling about going back, how we can make the most of our last 4 weeks etc. It has been so encouraging having her here with me to experience every step of this crazy study abroad process together. I have been so blessed with her, and many other like minded friends who love the Lord and want to walk with Him during our time in Spain. 

Thursday morning I met up with the "breakfast club" for our weekly time in the Word and together, one of my favorite days of the week. Afterwards, we spent the day shopping (Betsy, Mackenzie, and I may or may not have all bought matching high waisted black shorts from H&M) and sitting by the Rio. That night Betsy, Mackenzie, Lindsay, Liz, and I all went for Tapas at Los Coloniales and split yummy almond chicken, crackers with roquefort cheese and jam, stuffed eggplant, and a bottle of the Vino Rosada. We all went for gelato after tapas and sat by the Rio. I am seriously overwhelmed by what a blessing these girls have been to me during my time here. 

On Friday I went to a Barbacoa (barbecue) with ISA, which is one of the most random things I have done so far. We went to the middle of nowhere in the country side and had a huge grill with hamburgers, chicken skewers, and chorizo hot dogs. Perfect and hilarious example of when Spanish people try and be American. But it was so relaxing and fun to get out of the city and be around grass and trees. Tom, Emily, and I all had a playground photoshoot. Really we were just trying to kill time until lunch, but it felt so great to play outside. That night I went with Emily and Gabe and got gelato (yes, more gelato) at the BEST heladeria in Sevilla. Frescura in Alameda. If you are ever in Sevilla, go. 

Saturday we took a bus about an hour away and went to Matalascañas for a beach day. The weather could not have been more perfect. 78 with a breeze. It was so relaxing to lay out, sip tinto de verano, listen to good music, and talk with Emily and Betsy. That night Betsy and I went to the world fair market that is happening right now by the Puente de Triana. It is this market where each booth is a different country with it's own kinds of food and drink. So last night we went to Mexico for a Corona with lime. The performers for the night were teaching everyone how to line dance to the song "Achey Breaky Heart" in Spanish. Hilarious. They also played cotton eye joe and Betsy and I felt our southern roots coming out. 

Today we went to our church in Sevilla Este which has also become a favorite weekly tradition. It was Betsy's last week, so we took pictures with our favorite waiter at our favorite cafe. Mackenzie was in Madrid this whole weekend, but now she is home....yes home.....and we are all blogging and emailing at another one of our favorite cafe's, drinking ice tea with lemon, and looking out at the river. 

Sevilla, you were great to me this weekend. I don't want to leave you. 

Cordoba and Granada

Last weekend we went to Cordoba and Granada with ISA....another one of those "free" excursions. We only went for one night, so we saw alot in a short period of time. Granada quickly became one of my favorite cities in Spain what with the Alhambra, the mountains as the backdrop, the hills with spectacular views, and fun "tetorias" (tea rooms) on every corner. Don't worry, my loyalty still lies with Sevilla. But I think if I had to study in another city, I would have picked Granada. Cordoba was great too, just alot smaller and we didn't have much time there. Both of them have a big Moorish influence, so all the buildings had really distinct Muslim architecture. Definitely must see's when traveling through Spain!

Me, Denise, Emily, and Mary (what's new) inside the Mezquita of Cordoba...famous for it's red arches.

View from the outside of the Mezquita 

An alley in the Jewish quarter right by the Mosque 

Welcome to Granada...namely the Alhambra 

Inside the Alhambra 

Can't wait to be with this chica in College Station!