By the grace of God and definitely not my own.

(these new posts are late, but I wanted to finally get these memories down.)

The weekend before my last week in the schools, Ashley and I took a QUICK trip to Paris, France. We left late Friday, and after a delayed flight arrived in Paris at 11 pm Friday night. When we got there we had no idea where our hotel was or where anything was for that matter... we headed out on this adventure blind. When we arrived at the airport we asked a lady at the information desk to help direct us to our hotel. Well, she didn't know where it was either. She called the hotel and got directions wrote them down and told us we needed to take the metro to the hotel then walk from there, however, she couldn't give us a map of the city nor could she give us a map of the metro, because she only had 1 of each. So we ventured off without. We got on the bus that would take us to the metro, where a French woman (who spoke English) told us if we don't scan the ticket we just bought it is like we are riding for free and could get in trouble... when arrived at the Metro we were not sure how to buy a ticket, seeing as neither of us speak French so we asked the lady for help. She helped us buy our tickets and got us some maps then sent us on our way. Thankfully she was taking the same train and making the same transfer as us or I don't think we would of ever made it. When we made our first transfer there was an accident or train breakdown or something on our line so we had to wait, again thank God for this woman because the warning was in French so we would of been freaking out. We finally made our transfer and she told us to get off at the Torcy exit so we did... we finally made it to our hotel after slight wandering at nearly 1 am. We got to our hotel, found our room and settled in for the night, it was now 1 am and we had to be up at 5. we took showers and slept in the sketchiest hotel ever, with a bathroom barely big enough to turn around in. When we woke up in the morning we went out to Disney Paris, just to see it, this is where I bought the most expensive cup of coffee EVER. My cup of regular coffee cost 4 Euro, about 6 dollars but I needed it real bad... After that we asked the guy at the metro booth to buy a ticket and he told us that if we were buying 1 to town and 1 back we might as well get a day pass, with the student rate it would be cheaper. So we did and then we headed out to the city.

So we get off the metro and walk upstairs turn a corner and there it is, The Eiffel Tower! So we are taking pictures and walking through a park trying to get closer... Ashley asks me to take a picture of her in front of the Eiffel tower. In an attempt to get more than just Ashley's head in the picture I lean back....A little too far and with one step backwards I fall over a little 1 foot garden fence, OUCH!!!!! I didn't realize until several hours later at lunch that I had MASSIVE bruises on the back of my legs. they were UGLY. After falling we went and took more pictures around the Eiffel tower then went and bought tickets for the Botabus, which was a boat tour that made stops at different "must see" places. We traveled around and saw as much as we could in like 12 hours, ending our day with a trip up the tower, We stood in line for 2 hours to buy our tickets and met an awesome Irish couple standing in front of us. The lady tricked one of the con-guys selling illegal Eiffel tower key chains and told him that his friend said 5 for a Euro so he sold her 6 for a Euro. Right after this happened we saw a guy get busted and taken away. Then several others get chased out of the square. So we made it to the top floor where we met 2 other Americans a doctor from NY and a lady from Texas. We talked to them and because a little "Eiffel Tower Family" we made all the way to the top where Ashley was FREAKING out because of the heights. Then when we got back down the Tower was all lit up for the night. Paris at night is scary, guys selling things and yelling at you everywhere, lucky our new Tower Family "dad" walked us to the Metro. Normally I would be totally sketched out by this, but we got to know him and trusted him more than the men in the streets. He walked us to our train and normally by now I would be getting creeped out but he got us to our train and said I am going to walk back to my hotel, I don't want to make you two uncomfortable by getting on the same train. Some how my day metro pass got demagnetized and stopped working, I was running low on money and not about to buy another pass so I decided to jump the metro. We got back to our hotel, two jumped stalls later (if I got caught there is a HUGE fine and I could of gone to jail in Paris). We took showers, packed our bags and checked out within 15 minutes and made it back to catch the last metro of the night back to the airport (I flight left at 6 the next morning) keep in mind my pass still doesn't work so I slide under a turnstile, then when we get off at the bus stop they have the things that open and close rather than a turnstile, so I tell ashley I am going to go right behind her, the thing shuts on my arms, I pull my arms and backpack through and finally no more metros, we are in the home stretch. Well we walk up to bus stop to find out the bus stops running at midnight, not 1 like the website said...she after a small freak out we get a cab and take it to the airport. 35 Euro, or 50 American dollars later we arrive at the LOCKED airport, its closed, 2am and FREEZING! we are standing outside for about a half hour before anyone lets us in. We try to sleep until it is time to go through security. Once we get on the plane I pass out and wake up an hour later to ask Ashley what is taking so long why haven't we taxied off yet...she says Lauren, you passed out right away we've been in the air for an hour.

CRAZIEST 24 hours of my life. This trip was truly protected by our father, he was looking out for us at every turn. This trip was obviously by his grace and seeing as I fell over a fence not by my own!

A day in the life..

It is about 1pm in Spain and I have my free period for the day. The only day I do not have a free period is on Thursdays. On a typical school day, I teach 4 of the 5 class hours and have a 30 minute break with the teachers in the middle of the day, while the kids have recess. I teach anywhere from 3 years old to about 13-14 years old, with the exception of 1 16 year old. I work with 4 different English teachers in 3 different schools. Each teacher brings a different aspect of growth to my experience. I think the biggest struggle for me is I am naturally a fast speaker and when I feel like I am speaking slowly they say I am speaking too fast. Also, the teachers say I am too quiet, I am pretty sure I even whisper loud, but Spanish people are definately louder than I am.
Now that I have hit the midday the teachers aren´t letting my lack of Spanish speaking ability slide anymore and I have to atleast try and speak to them in Spanish because they have no idea what I am talking about unless the English teachers translate.
However, I am not really sure why when I feel like trying to speak in Spanish I don´t seem to have much problem, with words I know or have learned here, however when someone askes me to Speak in Spanish I seem to forget every word I have ever learned in Spanish and I stumble over every sentence. But I am learning and trying and I am definately getting better at Speaking and even better at understanding Spanish.

Midday, already...wow!

Today, Feb 28th, 2011 is officially Midday, it is day 45 of 90, this trip is half way over.

So let me tell you about what has been going on.

Last weekend, my friend Christina came to Segovia, and stayed with my family... we made an American meal and my family took us to the sights.

This past week, I had an entire 10 minute conversation in Spanish, on the car ride home from school last Thursday, I was soooo proud of myself. Nothing was in English, I understood the whole conversation and I spoke, and yes more than si, vale, etc... I asked questions and responded and told Ruben, the music teacher, about my family too! I am learning, I am really learning Spanish. :)

This weekend, I went to Avila Friday night and Saturday Christina and I walked around Avila. Sunday morning we got up early and took the train to Madrid to go to the outdoor flea market thing that opens on Sundays in Madrid. It was a great day. On the way back we had to take separate trains because I was going back to Segovia and she was going back to Avila. My train left about 10 or 15 minutes before hers did and when we were looking to see which of the 20 platforms I was on none of the signs were saying which platform my train was on and so I nearly missed the train as I finally found a sign that didn't just say the train was leaving in 2 minutes. I ran out to the platform jumped on the train and text Christina saying, I made it, I hope this is the right train. It was.

Today, Monday, I brought peanut butter and jelly to school for the teachers to try, and most of them loved it!

Well Happy midday everyone, see you in a Month and a half!

When you are in a foreign country...

When you are in a foreign country you try new food, like cured ham, fish with the head still on it, strange salad without your favorite dressing etc...and you REALLY miss the foods you are a custom to, for example ramen noodles, PB&J, and other such things that can conveniently arrive in a care package

When you are in a foreign country you see new things, like cathedrals, castles, palaces, and other things of the sort...and yet you still miss the sites at home... even though they are not nearly as cool

When you are in a foreign country you meet new people who will probably be a new friend forever and when you leave you will miss them because they were the ones to show you around and talk to you, and even though you were scared to try speaking their language they still try to speak yours to make you comfortable or you stare at them blankly while they talk to you in their language, until you kind of understand what they are trying to say...

When you are in a foreign country you start to learn how to understand what they are saying, but yet, you still can't respond more than yes or no or ok because forming sentences is pretty difficult.

When you are in a foreign country, you have a lot of fun but you miss the customs and ways of life at home

When you are in a foreign country you freak out in depression to your friends and normally they tell you everything is going to be ok, but once in a while they tell you what is up and at first it will really make you cry because you are already depressed in a foreign country but then after a little while and a good talk with that friend you take what they have said for what it is you store it away in your heart and you thank them for loving you so much, that they are willing to not sugar coat it just like everyone else does, even when you tell them that is all you wanted was a sugar coated answer that will numb the depression for about 5 minutes!

I love you all and I miss you...

a reminder from an amazing friend: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." -Nehemiah 8:10

PB&J never tasted so good...

So today I stayed home sick from school, the past two weeks I have had a wicked cold and still have been going to school anyway, it is just a cold. But this morning I just didn't have the energy so I went back to bed and slept until 2:30... when I was woken up by my entire Spain family holding a package...from...AMERICA. My amazing mommy sent me a care package for Valentines day, now it didn't actually arrive on Valentines day but, I am kinda happy it didn't, because it arrived today when I stayed home sick. Inside the package was cold medicine, hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, LOTS of chocolate, poptarts, peanut butter and jelly, a book about the space center, and a card and when I read the card I started to cry, I hadn't eaten lunch because Spanish food just didn't sound appealing so I was going to go without... but when I opened the package I had to have a PB&J sandwich...but first I had to call my mom at work. When she answered the phone at first it didn't sound like her so I said "may I speak to Mary Maxwell, please." sounding a little puzzled she said "speaking" and I responded "momma, you are my hero, and don't worry these are tears of joy, I got my package today and I love you so much.". then after talking to the most wonderful mommy in the world I went to the living room with the boxes of chocolates mom sent for my Spain family and the PB&J... I made my self a sandwich and took a bite, peanut butter and jelly has never tasted so good in my life.

I am so happy my package arrived today and so grateful that I have such an amazing mommy to send me a package from home!

Italian is American, right?

So the past two weeks have been fun and emotionally draining all at the same time.. Every time I step into the classroom I am a little more comfortable and a little more willing to ask the teachers to let me take over...

I got to do valentine's day stuff with the kids and some outside games that helped with the lesson they were learning.. also in one class they are learning about reading a map and directions and I just happened to bring maps of Melbourne and we used those,which they loved because they got to see where I live, and the whole map is in English....

Last weekend my family took me to Pedraza (I think that is how you spell it) and it was this little old town outside of Segovia with only 1 way in and out, really neat with a fort and the old jail house, which we toured. Then on Sunday we went to a womens day festival in the town square where women are in charge of the town for the day...

This weekend I met up with Kim, Ashlee and Krystal in Valladolid...let me tell you Friday was not my day, first the kids asked me if I was pregnant, I was mortified... then at 3:45 the English teacher dropped me off in Carbonero to take the bus to Valladolid, I sat at the bus stop for 2 hours to get LEFT!!!! the bus stopped people got off and he zoomed off before I could get on... so my family picked me up and took me to Valladolid... on Saturday we went to the cathedral and the park, outside the park I was showing the girls how I mimed tripping in class, Friday, and while showing them I actually ate it and landed on the ground. but all in all it was a good weekend with the girls...

We were getting sick of Spanish food so we wanted something familiar to us and one of the girls said "Italian food is American, right??" which after she said it we all laughed and we were like well technically no but we know we will like it...

We ordered "grilled cheese" as an appetizer thinking maybe it was like little grilled cheese sandwiches, it was literally melted matzeralla cheese with bread sticks to eat it with... when we saw it we bust out laughing, because it was nothing like what we expected...but it was tastey.

Oh by the way, those of you who don't know I went to the doctor after Madrid because my foot had been giving me trouble and the doctor said I have a bone spur on the bottom of my foot, it still hurts...Please pray that it gets better soon!! thanks...

Miss you all

street performers and illegal actions

Street performers: The street performers reminded me of NYC, spiderman, mickey and minnie, spongebob, a gold fireman, guys that stand still then jump up and scare you... we have pictures to post later. the street performers, many of them can throw their voices without opening their mouths and so you look around to see where all of these strange noises are coming from...

Illegal actions: on our last day in Madrid we were walking through one of the plazas when all of a sudden we see a group of about 10 men with sacks over their shoulders (like when you take a blanket full of laundry) and they were running past us looking over their shoulders talking in Spanish. I looked at Kim and said it looks like they just did something wrong...a couple of minutes later Belen explained to us that it is illegal to set up a blanket of things to sell in the street (they had DVD's, Calvin Klein underwear, hats, purses, pictures, earmuffs, you name it they had it) so when one of their buddies got busted by a cop they gathered up their stuff and took off running... until they found another street full of people with no cops on it...

We are Madrid Masters!!!

Friday, After our run-in with crafty little pick-pocketers, we wandered around some more a little more aware of our surroundings. We continued on our journey and finally found the Prado Museum, which took us about 2 hours to find and is about a 20 minute walk from our hotel. (we did walk through a park, stopped to take pictures, and ate at VIPS but it still took way longer than it should) once we got to the Prado it was almost time for lunch so we decided we would go after lunch or the next morning. We met with Kim's host families daughter for lunch and then walked around with her, we went to a bunch of different plazas, an indoor market, went to a palace, and then to see the Don Quixote statue, then she took us to Gran Via, which reminds Kim and I of time square and the shopping district of NYC. We walked around there and then went shopping at the Corte Ingles, a 9 story department store... after that we made our way back to the hotel, once we got back we had walked the perimeter of Madrid and dropped off our stuff at the hotel then went back out for dinner at Hard Rock Madrid, where we ate and I got myself a souvenir glass, when we went to hard rock we walked past the National Library, which I really wanted to come back to Saturday to see the inside...

Saturday, We woke up and my foot hurt really bad... Idk what I did but I walked on it all over Madrid again with the pain. This time we went to the Prado and went inside, unfortunately no photos were permitted. The Prado is AMAZING, sculptures and old paintings that look like new, we spent over 2 hours there then walked around some more we went to Starbucks on Friday and Saturday because neither of our main towns have one... we walked all around again went back to the Plaza Mayor and Gran Via then we called it an early night and went back to the hotel around 6 because my ankle was killing me...

Sunday, we got up and again ate churros con chocolate at VIPS then met up with Belen y Remi and walked around. They took us to a typical outdoor market that happens every Sunday in Madrid then we met the rest of the family for dinner and came home..

It was a very eventful weekend and I am glad I went, there are a few other museums I would like to see but I can say been there done that and now I am happily back in Cantimpalos, a small quiet town where it is SNOWING!!! :)

pick-pocketing...a crafty profession!

So Kim and I went to Madrid this weekend and it is like the New York City of Spain. Tall buildings crazy drivers, street performers and pick-pocketers...

Kim and I got up Friday morning and decided to start exploring, our outcome location the Prado Museum...we had probably been walking for about 30 minutes when we saw this really cool big arch in the middle of a round-about, so we took a picture and then crossed the road... when we got across the road we were stopped by three young women who asked us to sign a petition for the blind. We told them we didn't have any money but they said they just needed signatures, so we signed the petitions. After we signed they said they needed to see our ID's to check the signatures, so Kim got her wallet out first, followed by me. Kim showed her ID and they asked her to take it out of the clear pocket, she said no and felt the zipper on her wallet opening, so she got away from the girl quickly. I hadn't realized what had happened and proceeded to get my ID out of my wallet when I noticed the girls finger was on the money pocket, I tried to move the wallet away but by this time I had 3 girls around me talking trying to distract me. When Kim yelled my name the girls looked up and I was able to get away...we quickly walked until we found VIPS our new breakfast restaurant where we re-cooperated and ate churros con chocolate. which is churros with sugar on top, that you dip in the thickest chocolateyist hot chocolate you will ever try.

This became a 3 morning breakfast tradition, they are so good!!!

Later that night on our way back to the hotel after dinner we saw two guys trying to break into a car, and when the door didn't open they went to the next and when that didn't open the next... SCARY!!!

Feel the burn!!!

Today, Sunday Jan 23rd, I hiked 10 miles round trip up and back down a mountain in La Granja, Spain... It was quite intense and I wasn't sure I was going to make it to the top... but I was rather determined and I did it, with help from God as I prayed my way to the top! I may have been the last one up but I finished, and in my defense this group of people do this every 4-6 weeks!!! The views were spectacular and I am so glad I fought until the end... my trip to Spain would not have been complete without a trip to the mountains, I love them!!!

After hiking 10 miles in 12 degrees F weather, we walked around La Granja and went to a palace where the king and queen spent their vacations... I also saw an old factory where glass is made, it was built to make any glass, chandeliers, glasses, vases etc... for castles and palaces.

oh I almost forgot, yesterday we ate dinner at "Fosters Hollywood, an American restaurant" this may sound weird but I walked in and said oh my gosh it smells like home... I ordered a chicken ranch wrap and said oh my gosh it tastes like home!

Well back to school tomorrow, and a long 3 day weekend ahead, I will post again in a couple of days.

I smell like a pig!

I forgot to say, the kids think I speak English funny, which made me laugh because they speak English funny...but their English teacher is Spanish so I guess they are right, I do sound funny.

On Friday after school we went out to eat and then Marta (the English teacher in Cantimpalos) and I went to a pig farm, where I saw baby pigs be born and the BIGGEST pigs I have ever seen in my life!!!! I got to hold baby pigs and Maria (Marta's 2 and a half year old daughter) kept trying to take them from me and kept saying in Spanish I want one I want one... After the pig farm we went to a Jamon factory, where Marta's husband works (it's the family business), when we got there they immediately told us that we smell like a pig. I got to tour the jamon factory and see more jamon than I would ever like to see... it freaks me out that they still have the feet!

After I got back from the outtings on Friday my family and I went for a walk... Angela (my Spain sister) was telling me about her dads work and she said "My dad is a drunk driver in Portugal with ham in his trunk." so I am picturing her dad driving around drunk..and so I say Por que? and she says it is his job... so now I am picturing him getting paid to drink and drive... so I say "mucho cerveza?" and Angela and my Spanish mom both laugh and then I figure out she is trying to say "my dad is a truck driver going to Portugal to deliver ham...

Its been a while...so heres the down low.

Ok so here is the down low!

I live with a family, a mom a dad and 2 kids, in Cantimpalos, Spain. I live about 1 minute from my main school which has 180 kids in it, I go to that school on MT&W. Then on Thursdays I go to Mozoncillo and that school has 80 kids, on Fridays I go to Escarabajosa which has 21 kids in the school...

In school 1 I travel to different classrooms

In school 2 I have an English classroom

In school 3 I have a classroom and the school only has 3 classrooms... a room for 3-5 year olds, a room for 6-12 year olds and an English classroom...

I was super nervous at first and really missed home but I am getting used to being here now and I love seeing all the sites... America doesn't have buildings like Spain.

oh also, school here is from 9:15-2:15 with a with a 30 minute break in the middle... after school everyone goes home for lunch, yes we eat lunch at 2:30-45ish... I can't go that long so I bring a snack. THEN, dinner isn't until around 9:30... the time tables for eating really throw me off, I am used to noonish for lunch (I only eat at 2:30 if I wake up at noon) and 7ish for dinner!!!

They also say I eat very little, I can hardly stuff anymore food in me and they are still eating and eating and eating.

DAY 2!!! Valladolid!!

let me start off my saying I had a PID (pork induced dream)...they are not good, they aren't nightmares they are normally just crazy... my Friend Becca told me about PIDs back in high school and I didn't believe her but now every time I eat pork I have crazy dreams! and OOPS I had pork again tonight, should be interesting dreams!

Ok so Valladolid...last night my roommate and I got in at about 1AM (Spain time) and we went to bed at like 4.... the next group of girls came in at 4 and the last group at 5:15... Spain parties all night long apparently... nothing had really even started when I left to go back to the hotel... My roommate and I were dead tired so we slept most of the day, at 5 we left the hotel to go explore for a little over an hour.. some of the girls told us how to get to this super awesome park where we found an awesome fountain and Euro Landia, which was a Disney themed ride that costed 1 Euro to ride.. in this town in 1 day we found a 2 story carousel and Euro Landia... I want to ride the carousel... in the park we found peacocks and I stepped in dog poop... so when we got back I spent a half an hour scrubbing my boots with a toothbrush... :( no bueno!

After that we came back to the hotel and got ready for dinner... we went to the foundation for orientation where I found out that I was one of the 3 girls who were placed with a family, my family has 2 children! :) I am so very happy!!! We meet our directors (principals) and I meet my family tomorrow!!

After orientation we went to dinner which lasted just over 2 hours (apparently this is short for a Spanish dinner) dinner started at 9ish and we got back to the hotel around 11:30... after dinner a few of us walked around the square and then came back and I have been on my computer ever sense!!! :)

the courses at dinner were as follows:

main meal (so much good food)

dessert (AMAZING!! 5 different things to choose from)

cafe con leche (coffee here is different, and better in Spain...Beka, I know will enjoy this...Sugar packets here are jumbo sized like 2 and a half packets at home)

drinks (they were gross)

I almost forgot!!

SO I had my first epic Spanish speaking fail tonight!

Kim and I decided to leave the group (within walking distance) to go to an ATM to get out some Euros to make paying as a group easier... well when we walked to plaza major we could not find an ATM so we decided, I decided, to ask a nice man, older, not sketchy looking man to help me find an ATM, so when the first nice helpful looking person walks up...

I say: "Pardon"

He says: "Si?"

I say: "Donde es ummm un ATM?"

He says: "No tienes"

I say: "oh, lo siento... buenos noche"

and he walks away, I ask Kim what tienes means because in the moment I cannot think of the meaning and cannot translate fast enough.... she says I don't know, you speak more Spanish than I do...

When we finally stop laughing about what an epic fail our attempt to ask for help in Spanish was we locate an ATM and get out some Euros. :)

update numero uno!!

There are so many things to talk about I don't even know where to begin...

So when we got to ATL our flight was delayed until 7:55, we were suppose to leave at 6:55!

then delayed again until 8:45

then again until 10pm.... so they gave us each a 6 dollar food voucher, which I used to get a coke, small fry and M&M McFlurry! ;) but as I was waiting for my food they made an announcement that our flight was back to 8:45 and we needed to get back to the terminal stat! so we head back and begin to board but apparently 3 people did not hear the announcement and did not come back to the plane...so we had to wait until 9:15 before they would bump them from the flight...then if they were bumped we had to wait another 15-30 minutes for them to locate and remove their bags from the plane....after all this mess we took off from ATL at 9:35 and landed in Madrid at roughly 11am...Madrid time...as soon as we landed we packed our bags (which didn't all fit down below on our bus...so we were awfully crowded...

when we arrived in Madrid we went sight seeing and ate a traditional Spanish lunch... 3 courses! It was deliciouso! In Segovia (which is the main town near my village) we saw an amazing cathedral and the roman aqueduct, we left Segovia at 4 and headed to Valladolid... when we got here we Skyped our families and bought phones then we hung out at the hotel Mozart then went out for a girls night... we stopped at the first place and had tapas y vino y sangria (tapas are like little little appetizers that come with your wine they are different but most of them are really good!

after that we went to a discotech... (a dance club) I only went because they said you have to try this wine and coke, which I thought sounded weird but then they ordered rum and coke... :( I really wanted to try the vino y coka... while I was drinking my rum and coke some guy came up to me and asked if this was my first drink, if it was he would buy me another and one of the girls who speaks Spanish said no that is her third, trying to get him to go away...then he stopped trying to buy me a drink but asked why we wouldn't dance with him... what an awkward experience!!!

After 6 of 18 of us left the discotech we went back to our hotel, Kim and I decided to take a new way home and see if we could beat the other girls, but I kept getting distracted by all the shoe stores, girls boots may be hard to find in Florida but not Spain! So by getting distracted we didn'tnot beat the girls who took the right way back to the hotel...the rest of the girls are out partying it up Spanish style and we are getting ready for bed...

We that was the adventures for the first day!!!

Airport!

So I am sitting in west palm beach with Christina and Kristin waiting for our first flight to leave in an hour for Atlanta then off to Madrid. I don't really know what to say right now other than I am excited and my parents were super goofy at the airport...

Let me tell you, when I went through security my parents waved and called my name and took pictures and video. they are crazy... :) and I love it!

This morning I met my grandparents for breakfast and my auntie came to see me off.

Today is going great and I cannot wait for the experience I am about to have.

updates keep flowing in!!!

ok so I got more news!!

For now when I get news you get news... I am incredibly happy right now!!! I am skipping all over the house trying to drag my dad away from the car project he is working on so I can show him the google map image of my school...but he said to wait :( That's okay though, it just gives me more time to research!!!!

For those of you who are interested:

School Address:

Calle Escuelas, 23

40360 Cantimpalos (Segovia)

Population: 1306 people

Elevation: 905, I am guessing ft above sea level.... or maybe meters... meters doesn't seem right though, that would be really high up, right? Could I really be living nearly 3000 ft above sea level??? crazy... well I am going to say it is 905 FT and when I get there I will let you all know what I find out for real...

anyways, that is all for now!

Destination...Segovia!

Jan 8, 2011...

So today I found out that I was places in Cantimpalos, Segovia. Ever since we found out about the trip we have been told that when we get there we will probably stop in Segovia for lunch on our way to orientation in Valladolid, Spain. I am so excited and relieved to know where I am going and to be able to google map the location. Segovia is beautiful with amazing buildings and I cannot wait for Friday to roll around. This is going to be the experience of a life time and I simply cannot wait...

When I got the news I felt like I was just told I was excepted into the program, I cannot really explain the over bearing joy and excitement. Imagine being super excited about something and then multiple the feeling a few times that is how it felt to know where in Spain I would be.