Time really has a tendency of flying here, it was not until I sat down to write this that I realized that we have been here for 11 days already. It honestly feels like we have only been here for a maybe 3 days at most and in part I think that is because when we get so caught up in a new place we have attendance to forget about the clock and than days start to just blend together. I gotta say that’s not a bad thing in Granada. Week two marked the start of our internships, for myself that meant starting work atParroquia de Jesus Parish more on the outskirts of Granada’s central district. Going in I was not really sure what to expect with the language barrier being what it was and only having a vague idea of what I was going to be capable of doing. It has however turned out to be a fantastic experience, the children that we work with on a daily basis teach me as much as I try to teach them. The language seems easier to grasp when you are both trying to learn the others as is the case with most of the children. I did unfortunately miss a day because I was sick, something that seemed to happen to almost everyone when we first arrived. Of course being in a new place is going to shock your body a little so I was expecting to get sick at some point, better to get it out of the way early and hopefully be good for the rest of the trip than be hit with it later. Besides work and being sick for a day there this week was a chance to get to know my host family a little better, they are amazing people who would seem to do anything to make my stay here as accommodating as possible, that and the food they make for dinner is indescribable it is so good! It’s going to be hard to top, with that being said however I will say nothing beats a perfect steak that’s one of the only things I am craving from home more than anything!
Now for a slightly different tone, this week I was reminded of how much of a tourist I am. Now Granada is an absolutely amazing place with a very rich culture and history and coming to visit and be here for an extended amount of time has been an experience I with never forget but I cannot help but feel that sometimes I am intruding on another person's space. Having been to “tourist spots” around the city where the architecture and the views of the alhambra are best, yes it is amazing but the longer I am here the more I realize that right next to each of these spots is someone’s home or school or place of work, a place where a lot of us would consider private. I think is something that more people need to remember and be considerate of when traveling. Obviously it happens everywhere but for the people who really live in these places being consider goes a long way. Primarily for those that live here but also for us, the ones traveling to see these things. I tend to notice that the more respectful you are of the place and the people the more you get in return. The more locals are willing to help you and make connections with you, after all what is more valuable than the connections you have with other people. Reiterating what I said in my first blog, I think out of all of this if I can get one thing it is those connections with people because those are what last long past the time you spend in a place. That is what I believe more people should value when traveling, even if it is only for a brief moment those connections can be what affect us the most.
Looking forward to this upcoming week I am looking forward to getting back to work as well as continuing to search out new parts of Granada I have yet to discover. I am blessed to have the chance to be here so I plan on taking full advantage of every second I have to make those connections with people here. Also I am on a mission to find the best tapas in Granada because let’s be honest who does not love delicious free food! So for the time being I will leave it at this. See you next week with more!
