Spain, you've been good to us.

Well, this is it.

Our bags are nearly packed.

The bedroom is all cleaned out.

The To-Do in Sevilla checklists are complete.

We’ve done the hard part—said most of our goodbyes.

Can’t believe this is the end of our time in Spain. I have been a little stressed and headache-y this week just with all the emotions I have about leaving. These last 16 weeks have been more than a “trip to Spain.” It has been our life. And while I am SO pee-my-pants excited to go home for Christmas, the fact that we are leaving is not an easy thing to come to terms with. …But, come to terms I must, because a new thing is waiting just around the corner. “Look, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19) Our lives are crazy right now, but He is working within us all the time, making us new, shaping us and molding us whether we are home or abroad, in the wilderness or in the desert. So in this promise we wait for what He will show us in the adventures to come, meanwhile trying to process what we’ve learned and how we’ve grown in Spain.

I wanted to wrap up my Spain entries with a special tribute to those who have touched our lives the most while we were living in their country:

Zach and I mean it when we say we had the best host family experience ever. Sandra and Juan Lu have blessed us more than they will ever know. So many conversations, so many laughs, some tears even, so many mouth-watering meals, so many ‘Buenos Diases’ when we wake up in the mornings and ‘Buenas Nocheses ‘ before we go to bed at night. So much of what we’ve learned about Spanish culture has been learned through them alone. We have been loved and cared for so well, and sharing their home with them these last 4 months has been thee absolute best part about living in Spain.

 This guy is something else. John is from Nigeria but moved to Sevilla with his wife and baby son one year ago. He stands at the end of the bridge on our way to school every day of the week selling Kleenex packets for 1.50. Every day he does that—for like 8 hours. And honestly he gets turned down most of the time. With the crisis in Spain, nobody wants to spend change on Kleenex—especially when you can buy it for half the price at a store. How discouraging. Yet, John is always smiling. We have had many conversations on that bridge, and although he admits often that “It is not easy [life],” he always concludes with something hopeful. “Today is very good. But tomorrow will be even better.”

Rafa is the one I’ve shadowed and assisted at the Hospital de La Caridad, a giant old building that serves as a nursing home-like place for old men. I can’t believe I got so lucky—Rafa has all the qualities of the ideal doctor (he’s actually more like a nurse practictioner) that a student would want to shadow and learn from in school. He was always in a good mood, he didn’t just show me how to do things but actually let me help, and he always took the time to explain things more slowly in Spanish when I didn’t understand. There is something inspiring about watching a person who loves their job, do their job. Rafa knows every anciano in La Caridad—he knows them by name and the little details about their lives and how to joke around with them. I want to be that kind of nurse.

The two families I tutored for this semester were an incredible blessing to my life! Did not expect to have so much fun in their homes, chatting away with the children, making a few Euro per week. I would always be excitedly greeted at the door and offered tea and cookies while I sat and talked with the kids in English. Am beyond thankful that our paths crossed—will always thank God for letting that happen to me. Was so touched by their kindness and the way they welcomed me into their homes. Perhaps my favorite part was talking to the two oldest girls every week. As we got to know each other better, we become more comfortable talking about our lives. We were raised in completely different cultures and upbringings, but they are girls just like me, with the same dreams and hopes for the future, questions about life and love, stuff like that. We really connected, so this made it harder to say goodbye.

Marcos Antonio is a missionary from Cuba and is the youth pastor at the church we attended this semester. He and his wife are a super genuine couple with a passion for teaching others about Jesus and the life they can have in Him. Zach and I took to Marcos right away because he speaks such clear Spanish! Woohoo! He’d always take the time to talk to us after Sunday school every week, asking about our lives and how we were enjoying Spain. Thank you, Marcos, for showing Christ’s love to us foreigners trying to fit in in a new place! 

 

Well, friends, this is the end of our blog posts from Spain. For whoever you are that read my ramblings, I really want to thank you for taking the time to do that, and for your prayers. We are so grateful for friends like you! After Christmas, I'll resume writing when Husband and I arrive at our next destination: Guatemala!! Merry Christmas and Happy 2013! I love you all!!

Kristen & Zachary