Cordoba y Granada

This year's group excursion to Cordoba and Granada lived up to the high expectations I had from last year's trip! We had a blast: lots of crazy sightseeing activities, lots of laughs and misadventures, and lots of good tapas (free with drinks in Granada!).

Leaving early Friday morning, we drove several hours (all asleep) and arrived in Cordoba. We had time to wander around the city before our visita at the mosque in the afternoon, which was exactly the same (tour guide, stories, etc.) as last year.

Random story. When exiting the mezquita (or "mosquito" as one of my friends accidentally called it) after our tour, I glanced across the way and saw a familiar face. I often mistake people, which can cause for embarrassing moments, and therefore didn't think much of it until recognizing that the next group was from the states as well. I asked one student where they were from and she replied saying that they all studied at a small school in Washington D.C. I was shocked and asked if she knew Tamara, a friend of mine from our tiny AFS group in Guayaquil. Sure enough, she called Tamara over who seemed equally shocked to see me. We caught up for a brief moment and this "encuentro" brought back tons of memories from Ecuador. It is one small world, my friends.

Later that day, we drove to Granada and had the evening free. We explored for awhile and I was surprised by how familiar the city still seemed after a year. I kept thinking of Lauren, who studied there this summer, and wishing she was still there.

The next morning, my half of the group loaded the bus for the Alhambra! It was beautiful, though unchanged after the year. We spent the afternoon looking for (and pretty much failing to find) the Alhambra viewpoint. Lots of hiking and laughter ensued. I had soooo much energy after a can of coke. Oh, caffeine.

That night was interesting. I played waitress/bartender for our group at a loud, crowded, smoky bar before we headed to a club located in a cave on the mountainside.

I'm really glad this weekend happened. I had been feeling very blue and anxious for a mix of reasons and came back to Cadiz refreshed and excited for everything to come.

Mi Hermanito, Javi

I could fill multiple posts with anecdotes about my little host brother, Javi. We're great buddies. One of the reasons I requested this host family was for the simple fact that they have two young kids. Kids in host families take the pressure off. They don't care when you say something stupid or that makes no sense. They tell you the most random stories and get excited about the most hilarious things. They just want a playmate (and maybe a little attention).

Here are a few of the aforementioned amusing anecdotes:

• He loves iCarly. Sadly, i'm now familiar with the characters, theme song, etc. So the other evening before dinner, we were watching the show and, at one moment, two girls get into this huge cat fight. I thought it was weird; Javi thought it was awesome. He gets up off the couch and starts yelling: "Let's go, Sam! That's it! That's how it's done! Grab her hair! Win! Win!" I was astonished and couldn't quit laughing.
• The other afternoon, when he came home from school, he was in a particularly good mood. He said to me, "Guess what, Allison. Today I have TWO homeworks. I love mathematics. My teacher today has taught me addition. Ask me what 0 plus 0 equals! And 0 plus 1!" Cutest thing ever.
• I heard him wake up one night, calling for his mom. Later, when I got up, he told me that he'd had a nightmare and could no longer watch Superman. If only you could hear how he says Superman...
• He's been really excited about swimming lessons that he gets to do with his class. He's told me about his new swimsuit and towel and how there are locker rooms for the boys and other ones for the girls. Then, the night before these lessons were to start, he started to panicked at dinner, telling his mother that he was afraid of drowning. She laughed and said, "Don't worry, Javi! The chubby ones float!" This actually made him feel better...
  

Sevilla in Photos

Sevilla: A Blissful Week

Dearest Nicole and Andre (and Max and Alexandra),

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to experience this beautiful city from the comfort of your delightful flat. It has been a week that will bring us very fond memories in the years to come. How lucky we are to celebrate three generations here!

We have enjoyed every minute but particularly loved shopping at the market and making several meals here “at home” in addition to discovering countless adorable tapas bars (including El Rinconcillo…twice!) with their lively atmosphere and good Spanish food.

Just around the corner, there’s a woodworker whom we befriended—and now we’re bringing back a piece to remind us of this lovely neighborhood. We enjoyed wandering through the narrow streets, attending mass where the two of you married, people-watching in the park and seeing the many beautiful sites that Sevilla offers. We saw an amazing flamenco show…and attempted the dance ourselves as well. :)

We have felt so fortunate to experience Sevilla during such a nice time of the year. The days were warm and sunny and the nights cool and comfortable. Last night we took a late stroll and happened upon a choir already practicing songs for la Navidad. They invited us in for a listen and the music nearly brought us to tears.

A special thank you to Pilar who answered all of our questions and greeted us at the front door that very first night—before we had even rung the doorbell.

Thank you again so very much for making this stay in Sevilla possible. We look forward to seeing you again in Burlington, Frankfurt, Sevilla…or wherever our paths may cross next.

With love and appreciation to your family,

Coleen, Carrie, and Allie

(grandmother, mother, daughter)

The Perfect Weekend in Salema, Portugal

I honestly could not have imagined a better weekend than the one I enjoyed with Mama and Mom in Salema, a tiny beach town in the Algarve. Our plan was not originally to stay in Salema. We had looked at hotels in Lagos and Faro and decided to go with the flow; our only time commitment was my grammar class on Monday morning. So we headed off in the most adorable yellow Fiat Panda on Friday afternoon.

After driving through the narrow streets of Lagos, a period of about 15 minutes that might be described as an "epic fail", we got back on the freeway and headed towards Salema, a town that Rick Steves refers to as Portugal's best-kept secret: a "simple fishing village" which "glitters in the sun". Mil gracias to you, Mr. Steves. We found the most picturesque hotel that sat on a hill overlooking the ocean; I quickly decided that it was straight out of Mamma Mia and, from that moment forward, sang the soundtrack on repeat.

Here are some highlights:

• Mom's attempt at getting the yellow Fiat Panda out of the parking lot. She might not agree that this was a "highlight", but I found the experience rather amusing.
• Picking up Mom's suitcase on the way to Portugal. Unfortunately, we had to wait half an hour for the airport to open after the siesta (typical Spanish occurrence). But we finally answered two questions, grabbed the suitcase and ran. I was particularly happy to learn that a 2-pound box of See's candy was patiently awaiting us.
• Our first dinner in Salema. The waiters were hilarious, competing to see who could best fillet our fish. We actually returned here the following evening for caipirinhas.
  
• A day trip to Cape Sagres which, back in the day, was literally thought to be the end of the world. It's also famous for its old navigation school, founded by Prince Henry the Navigator.
• The pottery shops. And the (funny/stressful) decisions that ensued. I absolutely love my new plate :)
• An afternoon on the beach.
• Mama's cataplana.

I could go on and on about how much I loved Salema. But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words:

Best. Weekend. Ever.