Adventures in Africa!

"If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad."
- Jane Austen

Wise words from Jane Austen. And that's exactly what myself and three friends did last weekend. Not only did we travel to another country, but we traveled to a completely different world- a world so different from anything that I have ever known. A world where I felt like (in some ways) I had taken a step back into time. The country of Morocco is 98% Muslim and 2% Jewish and Catholic. Those percentages alone were so completely foreign to me. The weekend was filled with picturesque landscapes, new experiences, unnecessary spending (more like failing to bargain, sigh), couscous and green tea, and loads of laughter. Such a cool experience.

My friends and I traveled to Morocco with a travel organization called "We Love Spain." We began our journey leaving from the dock of Algeciras and taking the ferry to Spanish territory in Africa called Ceuta. Once there we crossed the border into Morocco. We spent the night in a beautiful little fishing village where we enjoyed an awesome dinner and an oceanfront view from our hotel rooms. That's quite a step up from our bunk bed hostels! I roomed with my friend Julie, who is teaching in Cadiz. I haven't seen her since our orientation in September so it was really great to spend the weekend catching up with her.

The next day we ate breakfast at the hotel and departed for Tetuan. We saw the local palace in the Hassan II plaza and we took a walking tour of the Medina (the old city). The walk through the old city was really interesting and a tad uncomfortable. The Medina consisted of fruit and vegetable stands, second hand clothing shops, art shops, abandoned alleys, and animals running a muck. I thought that the "cat calls" and constant staring we receive in Spain would have made me used to it, but boy was I wrong. Men would say things in French or Arabic that I was grateful to not understand. Even the children stared. A lot of the towns people told us not to take pictures, which I suppose I can imagine why. Sometimes the women would walk the opposite direction from us or hide their faces, which broke my heart. It was an experience, that's for sure. I also had the opportunity to dress up as a traditional mountain woman...oh yeah, that was interesting too. You'll have to see the picture to really understand what that means. That's what I get for laughing at the tour guides jokes :). After the Medina tour we made our way to a beautiful carpet shop. The intricate design on these rugs was so unbelievable that, sadly, Megan, Julie, and myself ended up buying one each. I thought that I bargained mine down to a good price, but after seeing some other carpets throughout the weekend I'm thinking that I did not. You win some you lose some. It was quite an unnecessary purchase since 1. I bought a carpet for a house I don't have 2. It's royal blue. Seriously? What's going to match that? Julie suggested that I hang it in my future classroom. Not a bad idea. After feeling a bit of buyers remorse, we headed over to lunch at an Arabic palace that was converted into a restaurant. I sure was fed well this weekend- loads of wonderful veggies, amazing bread, flavorful meat, couscous (um, yum), and "Moroccan whiskey" (also known as green tea since Morocco is a dry country).

After our lunch we hopped back on the bus and headed towards Tangier, a very rich and contemporary city on the coast. Before we went into the city, we stopped at the grotto of Hercules (beautiful caves) and to see the straight (where the Mediterranean and Atlantic ocean mix). After that was the highlight of my trip...the CAMEL ride. Mind you it wasn't exactly riding camels in the Sahara Desert. Remember riding horses at children's birthday parties? It was kind of like that :) but nevermind, I still rode a camel and it was awesome. After our awesome camel ride we made our way into the city where we had free time to wander around. This was interesting as well. The big group was split up and it was only me, Julie, Megan, Kelly, and our two new German friends (all girls). Probably wasn't the smartest idea. We went through the market, which was a lot like the market in Tetuan. It was completely harmless, just a little uncomfortable. BUT we managed to make a few purchases along the way. We then went back to our hotel for dinner and free time.

Our last day, Sunday, we woke up at 6am. Oooff. That was rough but well worth it to see the city of Chefchouen, a tiny mountain village nick named the "blue village." Why is it called the blue village? Well, because everything is blue. Yep, everything. It's absolutely gorgeous and so peaceful. We had a different tour guide for this trip and he was the sweetest little man! He kept telling us that we would see him on TV, haha. Anyways, he took us around the most beautiful parts of town. We also entered the old town, where up until a few years ago only Muslims were allowed to enter. It was a gorgeous neighborhood of, well, blue! The people were friendly, it was quiet and peaceful and was a nice change of pace. We ate lunch at a wonderful restaurant as well. I told you, I was fed well. After lunch we departed back to the port of Ceuta to come back to Spain. The ferry ride back was a little intense- intense meaning EXTREMELY rocky. Almost everyone on the boat got sick, including yours truly. We had to wait an extra hour in the middle of the water waiting for another boat to come out of the dock. We were very thankful to finally reach our buses, though sad that that's where we would say goodbye and head back to our original cities.

This trip was absolutely amazing. I laughed more than I have laughed in a long time and I reflected on many things that have been on my heart. I'm grateful for friends that, no matter what contienent I'm on, are willing to laugh with me and to talk\listen. One of the most precious gifts we are given is that of a true friend- i'm thankful to have friends all over the world.

Next big trip- Ireland in March! I'm sure you'll be hearing from me before you then :). Until next time. Love and miss you all.

KA

If ever there was a place to start over, it's here.

What a blessing the past three weeks have been! At the beginning of my time in Spain I did not think I was going to go home for the holidays...but I am so unbelievably thankful that I was able to! It was just what I needed. The time with my family was so precious and I miss them so much already. I think I needed to go home, not only to see friends and family, but also for myself and for my experience here.

My first week at home was absolutely amazing and at that time I honestly thought it was going to be difficult for me to return to Spain. After awhile I started to really miss Spain and the life that I have established here. I think that I needed to go home to realize that I still have so much more to see and do here, and I have so much more to learn. I'm thankful that, unlike when I went home after my study abroad trip, I actually have a chance to come back and to do the things that I haven't been able to do yet. I get a chance to really explore Andalucia and other parts of Spain. I get another chance to invest in learning Spanish and to invest in the lives of people here. I get more opportunities to travel and see God's beauty through different countries and different cultures. I get a second chance and nothing is more beautiful than a second chance.

I've been back in Málaga for four days now. As much as I love my students, it was definitely hard to return to work after being on "vacation mode" for the past three weeks. Once I arrived at school I was greeted by sweet hugs and kisses from my students. All of the kids said "feliz 2011" or "feliz año nuevo," followed by stories of what Papa Noel (Santa Clause) and Los Tres Reyes Mágos brought them. The holiday season for Spanairds not only includes Christmas and New years, but also Los Tres Reyes Mágos (The three magic kings). On January 6 the three magic kings bring all of the "good" children gifts, even more gifts than papa noel brings. How lucky that they get presents on TWO holidays within a month! Lucky little things. I enjoyed listening to all their stories and their sweet smiles made me feel right at home. I also brought back candy canes from the U.S to give to the kids...they were extremely pleased with this.

The next few months have some exciting things in store. As cliche as it sounds, I'm choosing to leave 2010 in 2010 and to move forward. I thought that I was really "starting over" when I first arrived in Spain in September but looking back I was really just being prepared for my new beginnings in 2011. I'm leaving the past in the past and believing for BIG things this year. I took a long walk on the beach today and sat at one of my favorite places when the sun was setting. I thought to myself, if there was ever a place to start over, it's here...so it goes.

I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes. Love always, KA.




"I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be."

A new year approaching...travel crunch time!

Tomorrow is New Years Eve and the start 2011 is just around the corner. This is the time of year where I sit down and think of everything I want to accomplish. My new years resolution looks a little different this year, but different in an exciting, new way! Mind you there are many goals that I have set for this year, but the one relevant for this blog is to meet my traveling goals before I leave Europe in June. So here they are!

Morocco
Ireland (Dublin, Cork, Galway)
Northern Spain (San Sebastian, Santender)
Areas in Spain- Cadiz, Rota, Alicante
Other areas of Andalucia (Mijas, Nerja, Torremolinos, Ronda)
Portugal (Lisbon, Largos)
Prague
Germany (Munich, Frankfurt)
Belgium (Brussels, Bruges)

20+ destinations, 5 and a quarter months, let the whirlwind BEGIN!

Navidad, Navidad, dul-ceee Navidad!

The Christmas season is alive and thriving in gorgeous Malaga. The streets are filled with people, lights are all around, and portraits of the nativity scene and los tres reyes magicos are everywhere you look. There are stands set up all throughout the city with special Christmas sweets. A Christmas market is open by the beach with tons of unique and cheap gifts. It's wonderful to experience the Christmas season in another country but it also makes me extremely thankful for my own family, friends, and traditions at home.

Words cannot express how excited I am to go home for a few weeks. The thing I am most excited for is to be able to share Christmas with my family. Christmas is my favorite time of year but it just doesn't seem real without them. I prayed so much that somehow God would provide a way for me to get back to them for Christmas...and He provided (not surprised :)). So tonight I embark on this very long journey back home. I will take the 11pm overnight bus to Madrid, arrive at 5:20am tomorrow, and fly out at 10:45am.

Here are a few pictures of life in Malaga during Christmas. I lost my camera about a month ago so these are googled pictures...but they are accurate :). Have a blessed Christmas everyone! Feliz Navidad!!

Love is all around

What a beautiful season we are in! I love everything about the Christmas season- the presents, the food, the joy, the giving, and most importantly, the love. It's hard to be present in this season and not feel the love all around.

Coming to Spain was the best decision for me at this point in my life for many many reasons but one in particular. I'll avoid all of the details but I'll allow myself to be a little vulnerable in this post. Before coming to Spain my heart was broken (shattered, really). Before this happened, my intentions for coming here were to travel, to learn, to experience, and to enjoy this gift that God has given me. Those intentions still remain, but then I found myself seeing Spain as a way of running away. My heartbreak couldn't have happened at a better time (not that there is really ever a good time for heartbreak). So here I am three months later, still running and still healing.

This season is beautiful because we celebrate when love was born. Love that reminds us that we are never alone and that we are unconditionally desired. Love that was born into this world with the purpose of sacrificing himself and dieing for us. My sweet friend, Julie, sent me a special Christmas devotional. I've been reading it each day but the one for today really touched my heart.

Dear God, The moments I spend in prayer with You inspire me to be a living expression of Your love in the world. The deep desire of my heart is to express Your love in all my thoughts and interactions. I pray that Your love within me will be an invitation for others to grow in the awareness of Your love within themselves. Wherever I look, I see Your love being expressed through welcoming wreaths hung on doors, colorful packages carefully wrapped for friends and loved ones, Christmas carols sung by smiling choirs, and friends and family gathering to celebrate this season of love. Thank You for the assurance that I am never alone, that Your love is always available, always within me, always supportive, always comforting, always reassuring. Thank You, God, for Your love.

I am a firm believer that sometimes God brings you to different places to teach you something you may not have learned where you were. God knew what He was doing bringing me here long before I knew. I am thankful to be learning and healing in a new and beautiful environment. I am also grateful for the reminder that I am never alone and I am so loved. The night before I left for Spain I was talking on the phone with one of my best friends, Mary Hannah. She is one of the wisest people I have ever met in my life. She very boldly told me, "Kerianne, this is going to be the year that God shows you just how beautiful you are." I'm holding on to those words and, with an open heart, seeking His wisdom.

Take a moment this Christmas season to reflect on the things in life that really matter. I promise to do the same. Always know that no matter what, you are truly never alone and you are so loved. Praying and loving each of you.

A Different Kind of Thanksgiving

My friends and I decided to celebrate Thanksgiving a different way this year. The last time I was away for Thanksgiving was two years ago when I was studying abroad in Alicante. CIEE and the wonderful professors put on a gorgeous Thanksgiving dinner for all of the American’s in the program to celebrate together. It was a really great gesture, but it made me miss home terribly. This time around, I decided that the best way for me to cope with not being home would be to distract myself by traveling somewhere new….Scotland! The “trip” part of it was absolutely amazing but getting stranded in Scotland for an extra week due to snow was absolutely miserable. More on that later. I won’t reminisce too much on that because I want to remember the amazing times I had in Scotland.

Thanksgiving Day I did my last two Thanksgiving lessons, skyped with my family, and then packed for the exciting weekend ahead! Kelly, Jessica, and I left that night, so excited we could hardly contain ourselves. We arrived at Royal Mile Backpackers Hostel, which I would highly recommend to anyone. It was your typical, fun, colorful, loud youth hostel; people running in and out with backpacks; bright colored bunk beds and painted walls; and even a cozy fireplace in the lounge. We met two really cool Canadian girls who were staying in our room and hung out with them our last night. My favorite part about hostels is meeting people from around the world!

The weekend was filled with pub crawls, palaces, Christmas markets (my favorite was the German...mmm), fish and chips, sausages (how i LOVE the sausages), dancing, stag parties, new friends, whiskey tours (we were in barrels, by the way :)), gorgeous landscapes, and of course, snow. Scotland is unlike any place I have ever seen. I know that I say that about every place I go (Rome, Ireland, Capri, etc) but it's really true. There is so much history in Edinburgh it's incredible. One minute you are in a somewhat modern part of town and the next minute there is a gorgeous, gothic, probably about 1080280218 years old, building.

It didn't start snowing until our last night in Edinburgh and we were actually quite excited. As much as I love Virginia, we don't see a ton of snow in the winter time, especially not at Christmas. It was wonderful to walk around the German Christmas market with hot cocco and snow flurries. It was even fun on our pub crawl when it started to blizzard and we had snow ball flights on the way to each new pub. However, we had no idea that this beautiful snow would delay us from getting home until a week later. Short on money and with limited means of transportation, we ended up staying most of the time in airport constantly thinking that the next day we would be able to leave. It definitely was an adventure but I'm ok with never being stranded again :). Lets just say I was very THANKFUL to finally return to beautiful Costa del Sol.

I'll leave you with a few good memories :). Missing each of you!

El Dia de Accion de Gracias

Thanksgiving is in the air and what a wonderful week it has been. I have been a little sad about the fact that I won't be home for Thanksgiving this year- no turkey, no honey ham, no mashed potatoes, no apple pie, none of grandma's famous cranberry fluff, etc. However, I have been "celebrating" Thanksgiving all week long by teaching my students about this awesome holiday. Part of my job is not only to teach the English language but also to teach the American culture. I had an amazing time doing crafts with the kids, teaching the history, and sharing a little piece of home with them. The below pictures are some of the crafts that I did with the first and second graders. The first graders colored pictures of turkeys and the second graders painted "turkey hands" (we all remember doing that in school). For the older kids, I put together a power point explaining the history of Thanksgiving and pictures of different things we eat and different things we do (including watching American football...they loved this). It made me happy that the kids were so interested and enthusiast.

Tomorrow we are off to Scotland for the weekend!! :) I'll be sure to post pictures. Miss you all and I'm thankful for you!

Love, KA