J2911

Sunday, March 4, 2012

My mom's first visit to Europe: Paris & Madrid!

"Write your own story. Live well."

My mom did. She worked hard all her life, and after this trip when she told me, "I'm so thankful for you. You made all this happen. You showed me an incredible world I never thought I'd see."...I could only chuckle, responding, "Please, stop. You have given me EVERYTHING. You and the family are hard working, loving, and I cherish you now more than ever in all kinds of ways." So if I never get around to writing a book about her, here's a little bit...

One of my friends at the coffee shop handed me this note on August 19th, 2011 as I was working at the counter. It said, "Liz, the love of God will follow you wherever you go." Truer words have never been spoken. I am blessed and grateful.

This is my mom, with me in Cadiz on Playa La Caleta, and she is undoubtedly an incredible woman. Of course, we can all say that about our mothers - but I have to stress how great she is. Her strength is what helped me find my own, especially in the past couple of years; her parenting is what got me exactly where I am today. Completely happy.

So this is Paris, along with Madrid at the end. My mom arrived in Chiclana during Carnaval to a chirigota (live performance of traditional Spanish songs on the street by near-professional singers in matching costumes) at midnight, experienced the traveling I do on the weekends (and the HASSLE, but it's worth it!), tried new foods and things with me in France, let me fall asleep on her shoulder during the train rides, giggled with me ALOT, showed me pictures of the family on her digital camera, and lived a Spanish style day on her last one here with siesta & churros con chocolate to top it off haha.

Life in Spain has continued to be just as good as I hope and even better than I could have imagined. I'm always experiencing new things (like a new kind of cured ham last week at school during an impromptu paella in the teacher's lounge) and my mom's visit really solidified my situation. I am about 3 months away from going home back to Texas and the whole concept is still bittersweet. This time is going by fast, and I certainly can't wait to hold my loved ones!

It's interesting, my mom brought my iPhone and I've been able to text again. Along with that, it felt like opening a time capsule. Everything I'd done on that phone was frozen in time since September. My last web pages I'd opened were a Wikipedia page on Chiclana de la Frontera (I've GOT to write a compare and contrast blog on that), lyrics to "Keep it loose, keep it tight" by Amos Lee (so fitting), Pinterest (little did we know how much THAT would blow up and yes I've tried a few recipes here), and the link to Relevant Magazine's "11 Things to Know at 25ish" (which I feel the need to share: http://www.relevantmagazine.com/life/whole-life/features/25956-11-things-to-know-at-25ish).

Spain has overall been the most therapeautic, eye opening, peaceful, situation I could have put myself in with the best timing. Sure there are highs and lows, but why focus on the negative? It was a crazy cold winter, Spanish culture is interesting and special..., and my 5 flights of stairs up to the apartment have not gotten shorter - but I survived it all! I had Emilee's awesome cards with inspiration to look at in the mornings, my best friends' emails, Real Life Fellowship sermons available online, and technlogy that continues to amaze me. THANK YOU SKYPE.

When you get to Paris, you can pretty much just wander up and down the Siene. The river has an eerie path in the middle of the city, which allows you to choose your own path. Either way, you'll see the Eiffel Tower in all its glory. This was our first stop and it led to several exciting finds...

For example, a couple of friends celebrating on the bridge of love locks. I really don't know what to call that area, but it definitely started to glimmer (for lack of a better term) from far away. The closer we got, the more we realized that the shine was coming from what must be THOUSANDS of locks attached to the bridge by couples throughout the years. They each have a story and it's beautiful. There's just a great energy there. It also leads right into the Louvre :)

We saw the tower in all its glory for the first time at night. On the side we were on, your view is blocked by a large building, so that when you do see it...well, the pictures don't do it justice. The rainy evening really set the mood and it shined on even brighter as a result - I like to think :) p.s. my mom waves happily in pictures every time she loves the place, apparently. it's sweet haha

Versailles ended up being a beautiful and long metro ride away (thank you double decker style train that goes over the river and by Paris neighborhoods). The area was peaceful, quiet, and a long walkway in the middle led up to the stunning palace. The gold on gates, just like in London, will never get old. Majestic.

Crepes are alright. Don't get me wrong, they're delicious and I like the variety of choices but I think I just miss tortillas at this point. Yeah, i said it.

Notre Dame! That courtyard was great, it was buzzing with tourists but the weather was fantastic that day and there was just a great mood all around.

Dear "Taken" movie, thank you for scarring my image of France, slightly. This image I got from under the passage that leads to the Arc is a prime example of how I felt about it all sometimes haha.

French breakfast: stamp of approval! Cafe au lait is sooooooooooo creamy there!

We spent an entire afternoon at the Eiffel Tower and the park nearby.

At one point, my mom and I just sat by the carousel. Children laughed all day long, my mom fell asleep on my shoulder for a while, once again the weather was just right and slightly cool, it was just great.

Nobody mentions how BEAUTIFUL the details on the tower are. Well I'm stressing it. Every single inch of that monument is delicate and romantic.

I love how the view from up on the tower actually shows you everything you'd expect. It's not a letdown, it's worth the wait, and there's even a couple having a picnic on a blanket.

The streets on Madrid, at the end of our trip.

I LOVE that smile.

Mmmmm the market in Madrid near Plaza Mayor. It's really tourist-y but you still can't help but stare in awe.

I don't know what happened. I really like olives now. and eggplant. and lots of tea. and quite frankly, i might bleed olive oil by the end of this experience.

Oh stained glass. I'm in love. Especially on a day like this, where it seeps into the building and fills the place with colors that can't be replicated easily.

Perfect quote to follow up that last statement, "because i think it's wrong to make a slave of what God and nature made free" - a sign right outside of El Prado Museum

I missed Cody right here. The Central Park of Madrid, as I like to call it. It's been 11 months together now, and I couldn't be happier to be with such a mature, loving, gentleman of a guy.

The streets filled with quotes :)

I wish I could jot down all the hilarious tutoring & school stories, and I do want to dedicate an entry to that in the future but for now I'll say, Valentine's at my school was adorable with the kids of all ages, I'm working LOTS of hours and I'm grateful for it...and I'm out of words. I've definitely written alot on this blog today...

Surreal: to see this video for the first time, in Paris on the first night we arrived. "No one you love is every truly lost." - Ernest Hemingway

I am in such a great place right now, with my heart and my mind. I'm so glad I chased my dreams, with what led to the the people in my life today.

http://youtu.be/hLQl3WQQoQ0

"Shot in Paris, in the very early hours of the morning, it is little more than Adele wandering the deserted streets of the city, gazing longingly at the Seine, very nearly breaking into tears. Director Jake Nava made the smart decision to shoot it in arty, smudgy black-and-white, which only adds to the clip's desolate, haunted feel. In a lot of ways, as she drifts along, Adele is little more than a ghost, haunting the streets, destined to remain invisible to all, especially the one she wants to notice.

It's a lot like how everyone feels after heartbreak, and that's what makes the "Someone Like You" video so powerful. There are no special effects, no camera tricks or elaborate choreography, because those are quick fixes. Life doesn't operate that way, especially when the bottom falls out and we are all alone. Our days are endless, our hearts black, our skies are gray. And when it gets to that point, all we have is our pain, majestically, beautifully so. Thankfully, we also have Adele, and that sonorous, sorrowful voice of hers." - MTV article online

Monday, February 6, 2012

I am NOT a long distance runner

This past weekend was one of the best experiences I've had in Spain! Four of us, including my roomies, rented a car for the first time and took the 5 hour route to Adra, Almeria. Our destination was on the southeast part of Spain and led us along the coast leading up to the bright blue Meditteranean Sea. We were going to meet up with Tracy, one of the girls I went to Belgium with for Christmas, and run the city's scheduled 9K race. Did I mention I'm NOT a long distance runner?

"YOU DON'T FAIL UNTIL YOU STOP TRYING"

On Friday, my roomies and I walked to our city's salt mines for another classic Spanish lunch around 3 pm. Itincluded red wine, spinach and bechamel cheese croquetas, Iberic ham, fries, fish they were breeding in that very farm (as a donkey walked past us at the window to the herb garden so it could meet up with the cow), and fresh baked wheat bread. We then made last minute plans at the piso (recipe for a great adventure if you have the right people & we def did!) and got Pedro, a friend in Cadiz, to meet us in his city the next morning to pick up our rental.

The car ride started off with American music (thank you Rota military base radio station) and a HEATER blasting! Needless to say, we were off to a great start, especially with a "cold front" going through Andalusia. As we left Cadiz that Saturday morning, "Highway to Hell" by ACDC played on the radio and Jackie led Abbi, our great driver (and the only one that could drive manual *note to self on finally learning) with handwritten directions & a map from the Europcar Co.

The drive was gorgeous, but this trip wouldn't have been complete without a little deviation from the route: JUZCAR. We turned off into a giant mountain, pretty much drove in circles around a few, and stumbled upon our first goal - Smurf City. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/8964129/Spanish-village-painted-blue-for-Smurfs-film-votes-on-keeping-theme.html

Two hours into our trip, we were at a Smurf-blue-themed restaurant and walking through what used to be a Pueblo Blanco with a population of about 250 locals. Now the town has gotten up to 80,000 visitors since the movie premiered last summer. RANDOM :-)

We got back on course, and saw many more Pueblos Blancos, true to their color this time, along the way to Adra (Tracy's city).

SNOW CAPPED MOUNTAINS IN THE SIERRA NEVADA!

after another turn in the road, we made a necessary pit stop at the beach for the playground

Chinese food was on the menu for dinner that night and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Soy sauce! Giant egg rolls! Hot & sour soup! I've now had it twice since I got to Spain haha.

That night, Abbi taught us all how to play Hearts, ummm something about a river, something about clubs...or 4 leaf clovers, and Blackjack. It was nice of her; I really miss Vegas now.

The next morning, we woke up at 8-ish and got ready for the race. We walked out to a crisp cool morning and headed to the site. At this point, I was nervous/confident/excited/anxious all at once - like arriving to Spain again and in complete disbelief. So there I was, decked out in my pretty highlighter pink long sleeve (thank you Cody's mom!) and old pants from an Alpha Gamma Delta camp retreat. There were about 300 participants and I feel like my novice status made me stick out like a sore thumb. That’s the thing though, this experience, with iPod sitting back in Chiclana, gave me a lot to think about. One hour and 4 minutes to be exact. So I thought about life and the way we tend to deal with things:

1. We all get to participate. Every person got their individual number pinned on their shirt for the run. I was #221! Life’s waiting – and ready – for you. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Go on and at least give it a try.

2. Learn to breathe. That’s a song from Switchfoot and it’s close to my heart. In this case, I walked in too all over the place with my emotions. As a result, I lost control of my breathing within the first 20 minutes and had to go with what I knew: intervals. So I should have trained more. Also, I should have trusted in what I was confident in because the latter strategy is what successfully got me to finish the race.

3. Don’t give up. It’s possible. The race wrapped around, from the starting point down to the beach and back up along the main city street. There was red and white tape dividing the track so that at one point you would inevitably pass by the people who were ahead of you. So…when something gets really hard and you’ve certainly given it your all, look at the people who’ve accomplished it. More than likely, they’re cheering you on. One of the girls up ahead who was decked out in professional gear (?!) even cheered me on, clapping, as she confidently galloped by...smiling… all with ease ;-)

4. Accept help. Listen. There were Spanish men, the typical 80 or 130 year old age group cluster with newsboy hats & suspenders out Sunday afternoons, watching that day. Some just called me guapa, others said a few encouraging words, others heartily pointed out that there were still a few people lagging behind me. As I mentioned earlier, some runners ahead even took the part of coaches out there…they were just running to inspire you with kind words from someone who really understood your situation. So if you won’t take the advice, at least listen.

5. Appreciate your friends and the people in your life. Pedro, Tracy, her friend and I ran the race, starting at 11 am. My Chiclana roomies stayed in and would join us later. They happened to stop by to watch the race around the middle marker, just when I needed their smiles and support. I can’t stress how much I didn’t belong there haha. I was so proud to have them there with me and my friends who were running. It made me even more proud of myself for taking on this personal challenge. Right then and there I regained my faith. Half of the 5.6 miles to go…

6. If you fall, because you may just actually fall…Get back up. Seriously, don’t even give it a second thought, get up. Even if it’s shocking, and you do it slowly, with help from many who are willing to (with good intentions! In this case, the runners who had already easily finished it in 20 minutes), your knees and right hand are scraped, and tears are spontaneously bursting out. Yeah, I fell. Tripped over a metal part in the road when I had about 5 minutes left. The last two people ran past me. Adrenaline rushed in as I thanked Spaniards in English and continued.

7. There’s a certain kind of independence. As a result, I got a view of the race from the very back. I observed the last two women who passed me. One had clearly given up from the beginning and kept saying how she wanted to quit. However, the friend who was with her didn’t let her give up. I was already at the end, so I took a picture. She held her hand and encouraged her. She even turned around and asked my name so that she could cheer me on too.

8. There are no excuses. When I finished the race last, no one was going to listen to my story about falling. In that moment, the crowd & runners that had gathered to celebrate our completed goal as a whole, was just focused on living in the moment. In fact, I couldn’t explain myself to the race administrators along the way at several checkpoints. Obviously, I passed them way too “fast” to stop and tell them why I was at the very end. The other racers were caught up in their own success, my friends were just glad I finished it with them and happy for me. It’s that simple.