"Dime, guapa"

"I've never seen a smiling face that was not beautiful." ~Author Unknown

Guapa\o- adjective- good looking; woman- beautiful, pretty; man- handsome


If I have been reminded of anything since being back in Spain, it's how much the Spanish find beauty in every single person. The word guapo or guapa is an adjective that you hear about 10812038107081 times a day in Spain. Whether you are greeting friends or complete strangers, 9 times out of 10 you are greeted with this word. When ordering food, standing in line at the market, or even greeting my colleagues and students at school, I am always greeted with, "Hola guapa!" Hearing this simple word all the time makes me feel really special, and the Spaniards are really good at making someone feel valued and beautiful.

Being American, my values of beauty are (sadly) strongly influenced by what the media portrays. Myself, and millions of other girls, compare ourselves to models and actresses thinking that only this is what is accepted as beautiful. Being in Spain makes you feel like the most beautiful person in the world. I didn't even realize the need for this kind of affirmation all of the time simply because I'm just not use to hearing it. It may be a cultural thing but it still makes me feel pretty darn special. Can you imagine if everyone in America started to greet by saying, "hello gorgeous!" even if by a complete stranger? Talk about starting someone's day off right.

On the flip side, the malagueños sure know how to dress- everyone in Málaga dresses up all the time! The only time you see someone in sweats is if they are on their way to or from the gym. Girls wear heels or boots throughout the day. When going out, almost all of the girls wear heels and dressy dresses. The boys all wear nice pants, dress shoes, and mostly collared shirts. In order to get into the discotecas here you have to be dressed appropriately, meaning heels for girls and dress shoes for boys. Lets just sum it up by saying malagueños are always put together quite nicely.

While I'm adjusting nicely to being called beautiful all the time, dressing the part is somewhat challenging. Sometimes I don't feel like getting dressed up just to go to the market. Sometimes I just want to wear my gym shorts and tee shirt if I'm only walking down the street. Nonetheless, I am still being challenged and learning every single day.

Missing and thinking of you all. Hasta pronto.

KA

The Malagueño Swag

As each day passes I am falling more in love with gorgeous Málaga. The beach, the perfect weather, the style- I love it all. Although I do miss the little things that I took for granted at home, like a dryer and an oven to name a few...all a part of the adventure :). Still, Málaga feels more like home every day. The "no pasa nada" atmosphere sinks in and people loose all sense of time. Most beach towns cause us to forget about all of our worries and to vaca our life so to speak... Málaga is no different, except this "vacation" really is my life.

There is a certain attitude about this place that is unlike anything you will find in the US. I wake up in the morning with the rest of the town, very rarely having to ever use my alarm clock (my neighbors quite enjoy waking me up each morning :)). I leave my apartment and begin my 30 minute hike to the bus station. I pass people young and old in the streets- some just coming in from last nights party, some beginning their shopping at the local markets, and some walking off to work like me. At two o'clock the city begins to shut down, with the exception of a few cafes and las tiendas de los chinos (the Chinese stores- little cheap stores all over the city). Government offices and schools remain closed after two while other stores will open back up after the famous siesta. This period from 2-6pm is a time for families to gather to eat lunch (their biggest meal of the day), to take a nap, and to relax with family and friends (who wouldn't want that after a whopping 4 hour work day?).

Suddenly at 6pm the streets come alive once again, the stores are open, and the night has begun. People hustle and bustle through the streets and it is the most energetic time of the day, which is so different from the good ol' US with our 9-5 work day, dinner with our family, and typically remaining at home for the rest of the evening. Between 8-11 the Malagueños enjoy a very long cena (dinner) with friends and family usually in the form of tapas and drinks. People sit outside for hours simply enjoying each others company. After la cena the night officially begins. Parties begin and people stay out until the early morning hours. At home this means 2 or MAYBE 3am...here that means rolling in at about 6am (no wonder that siesta is needed). Then the day starts over yet again!

So that's what life is like here for the people of gorgeous Málaga. I must admit I am quite enjoying adapting to this new life. I have a lot of "American" in me- like never wanting to be late, always walking extremely fast, and being ready to leave dinner immediately after I've finished eating. It's a process but I'm adjusting :).

Thinking and missing you all. Until next time!

Besos, Kerianne.

The face of love

Today was my first day at my primary school in Alhaurin de la Torre. Let me tell you it was quite the adventure getting there. Jessica and I started our hike to the bus station at 6:50am, thinking we would be there in plenty of time to catch the 7:25am bus and arrive early to our town so we could find our way around and relax. Well. It didn't exactly happen like that. We trucked all the way to the bus station only to find out that our bus is actually at a different bus station, the bus station that is connected to the train station- a pretty far walk. So we rush to the bus station and make it there at 7:50. I'm a little disheartened by this point because according to the website, the next bus doesn't come until 8:30 and I am thinking we will definitely not make it to work on time. Lucky for me, I forgot what country I am in. I've noticed the websites in Spain are not always (or mainly never) up to date. This actually worked in my favor because we left on a 8am bus. Perfect. :). The bus ride was only like 20 minutes, too, which was different from the 45 minutes to an hour commute the internet told me. Nonetheless, I made it to Alhaurin in plenty of time.

We arrived in Alhaurin and Jessica and I went our separate ways to our schools. Alhaurin is a really beautiful town, it really is like pleasantville. The town has a backdrop of beautiful mountains and the streets are curvy and narrow. There are many fountains, which I found slightly humorous due to Andalucia's shortage of water. All the houses were tan or white. For the most part it is a very quiet, residential town. I continued to walk down one of the curvy streets not really having any sort of clue as to where I was going and I saw a mother walking her daughter to school. I chased after her like a crazy person and asked if she knew where C.E.I.P Issac Perral was. She told me that that's where they were going and that I could walk with them. We enjoyed a good five minute conversation before we arrived. All of the children were waiting in a line outside. I took a deep breath and entered the school.

Everything happened so fast it's like I didn't even have time to be nervous. I walked in and asked the first teacher I saw where the office was. Clearly she heard my accent and knew who I was. She smiled, gave me dos besos, grabbed my hand, and dragged me into the teacher's lounge. There I was greeted by about 20 teachers and staff members, all giving me dos besos and welcoming me. I met the bilingual coordinator, Susanna, and she also greeted me with open arms. Any anxiety and sense of fear immediately vanished because of their warmth and kindness.

After signing some papers, Susanna took me around the school for a tour, stopping at every classroom to introduce me. The children were so adorable!!! I followed Susanna around to some of the younger kids (3 year olds) in the morning and then hung out in the lounge with the teachers for "desayuno" (breakfast, at 11:30am). The teachers were so sweet to me, asking me all sorts of questions and making me feel comfortable and right at home. After the break, I went to a third grade science class and then to a third grade art class. In both classes I showed the students the United States and Spain. They couldn't believe how far it was! In both classes I was asked multiple times how long was the plane ride. They almost fell out of their chairs when I said nearly 7 hours! haha. I asked the students their names and how old they were. My favorite response was a boy who is half Spanish half Italian (kids tend to offer information easily), his response to "what is your name?" was "Jonny Depp." It's going to be a fun year!

I saw the face of love in the teachers and the children at that school. The teachers were so friendly and welcoming to me it was unbelievable. And those beautiful children- their eyes so curious and full of wonder, staring me down from head to toe. There sweet hands, tugging at my shirt every five seconds, "teecchhh urrr, teeecccchhh urrr!" Their little feet following me everywhere as they tried to say anything they could in English (Spanglish).

I feel completely blessed to have this job and to be where I am. I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is where God wants me to be and that's the most comforting thing ever. I look forward to see what the next few months hold. Hasta Luego.

Besitos.
KA

How many horses are in your car?

Learning a new language and being immersed in another culture can be quite the challenge. This past week I felt like I was constantly lost in translation. Most of the time I know what's happening around me and I'm able to understand when people speak to me...but then there are those times when I just feel completely lost... like our lovely experience at the Málaga fútbol game.

We were sitting with our Spanish friends, Juan and Ernesto, when they asked us how many horses are in our cars. Jessica and I looked at each other and asked him to repeat the question. I could not understand why he was asking us how many horses we have in our cars but finally I just decided to take a shot in the dark and answer. I guessed maybe two horses can fit in a [big] car. He and Ernesto looked at each other and started laughing. Obviously this wasn't the right answer in their mind. They then told us "No, 200." Um excuse me, 200?!??!? No way. There had to be a misunderstanding somewhere in the mix because there was no way one could fit 200 horses in a car. Jessica, being the bright one, finally said, "OH! They mean horse power!" We spent next few minutes laughing and laughing.

I look forward to more funny and interesting stories like this. Until next time :).

It's times like these when you learn to live again

What a crazy\busy\amazing week it has been. Jessica and I arrived on Sunday and on Monday night we met the rest of our jet lagged American friends in the program. We had a welcome cocktail which was fun- full of free wine, sangria, and of course tapas. We got to know each other and shared stories of our adventurous journey to Spain. The week that followed was full of orientation meetings where we discussed cultural differences we might encounter, learned about our role as language and cultural assistants in Andalucia, and practiced our Spanish through review sessions. We also were able to take a tour of Sevilla, to see the Alcazar (a royal palace in Sevilla that was originally a Moorish fort), and to see a beautiful flamenco show. The Sevilla night life wasn't too bad either! I think it's safe to say that Sevilla definitely sneaked its way in and stole my heart. But the best part of this week was the friendships that I made. I am very excited to travel around Spain to visit them in their different towns. Until then, I have to start getting my life together here in Málaga.

We arrived in Málaga yesterday by train. My first impressions were that it looks like a bigger version of Alicante; right on the Mediterrian, very modern, very touristy, etc. After wandering around I found things about Málaga that make it so unique. I'm looking forward to settling in and making this place home.

Will update more soon. Missing and loving you all.

Bienvenidos!

Bienvenidos a España! Welcome to Spain! I officially made it! It was quite a journey but now I am sitting in my hotel room with Jessica and our other roommate. I arrived in Madrid at 7:15am yesterday. It was still dark outside and the city was dead. My taxi driver said that Sunday mornings are always really quiet because people party too late on Saturdays. Good ol' Spain. My taxi driver took me to the train station and from there I took a train to Sevilla. I met a sweet Korean girl who was traveling Spain. We spent almost the whole time talking, which was very comforting. When our train arrived in I took another taxi to my hotel, Hotel Hesperia, where we will be staying for all of orientation. Check in was easy and I was in my room by 12pm. I skyped mom and dad and then was knocked out for the next five hours. Jessica arrived around 5pm and we quickly caught up on our traveling experiences and then passed out for another few hours. Jet lag really is brutal.


Around 9pm we met two other people teaching with CIEE, Rachael (from Minnesota) and Andy Parks (from Winston-Salem). We didn't exactly know where we were going but some helpful Spaniards pointed us in the right direction. Well, most of the were helpful. The responses of some were "keep going straight and you'll eventually take a left. When you do that, ask someone what to do from there." We finally ended up at the Puerta de Jerez, a big fountain in the center of Sevilla. From there, we went to eat tapas and have Sangria. Let me tell you...I have missed the taste of Sangria. It was soooooo delicious. I have missed the atmosphere, too. Sitting outside, enjoying conversation, watching the bustling people walking by as their nightlife begins. After tapas we decided to have one more drink before we called it a night. On our way walking to another bar we entered this plaza with about 50+ Spanish guys in a group. We had only been in the plaza for about two minutes when all of a sudden they yelled "Muchachas!" and ran over to us. They circled around us, got on one knee, and began serenading us. It was quite a sight that's for sure. I wish that I had taken video but I was laughing too hard to even think about it. It was a great end to a wonderful evening. Welcome to Spain!

Today has been a good day. We have met a few more people and the CIEE staff seems really helpful and energetic. I've been sick most of the day, but I'm feeling a lot better now which is great because we have our introductory session tonight at 7pm followed by unlimited tapas and drinks!

This week will be filled with info sessions, tours, a flamenco show, great food and drink, and meeting lots of wonderful people. On Friday we depart for Málaga and the real adventure begins! Until next time.

Besitos.
Kerianne

The Road Less Traveled

I had a mini panic attack this morning when I realized that I leave for Spain next Saturday! Where did this summer go?! My mind immediately was filled with all of the things I still have to do before I leave- appointments, shopping, packing, seeing friends and family, etc. Still despite my hectic state I could not stop smiling. After all of the anticipation, it's almost here!

I can't help but feel like my life is in a way similar to Elizabeth Gilbert's story in Eat. Pray. Love. This is one of my favorite books and, in my opinion, the movie was a great representation of the book (some people may beg to differ, but I enjoyed it). The book reflects the life of Elizabeth Gilbert, a middle aged woman who left for a year abroad following a nasty divorce. I know I know, I am neither middle aged nor divorced but our stories have strikingly similar details. She spends a year abroad; four months in Italy learning Italian and seeking pleasure from food, friends and family; four months in India seeking devotion, balance, and prayer; and four months in Indonesia seeking love through meditation, nature, and people. Her story is inspirational to me. She took a hold of her life and through serious reflection she chased after what she believed would bring balance and happiness to her life. I have nothing but respect for her bravery to pick up and leave behind the world that she knows in order to see light from a different angle. My favorite excerpt from the book is a quote about travel. She writes it so eloquently and it's so precise to my heart.

"Still, despite all this, traveling is the great true love of my life. I have always felt, ever since I was sixteen years old and first went to Russia with my saved-up babysitting money, that to travel is worth any cost or sacrifice. I am loyal and constant in my love for travel, as I have not always been loyal and constant in my other loves. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless, newborn baby--I just don't care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it's mine. Because it looks exactly like me."
- Elizabeth Gilbert, "Eat. Pray. Love."

Her story was so different than that of her friends. My life right now looks very different from that of my college friends. Most have settled into 9-5 jobs, some have continued their education into graduate school, some have married, and some are still searching for the next step. Here I am about to spend nine+ months in another country to teach English in a primary school. Am I crazy? Have I lost my mind completely? My brain is always the one that doubts, but my heart never leads me astray. I am following my heart and I know that this year is going to be the most influential year of my life.

I've never been attracted to the "American Dream" style of life. I've always wanted life outside of the box- too curious to live confined by four walls. I am choosing the path less traveled by...and I know that it is going to make all the difference.