My last week in Spain was definitely a week to remember. We had a full week of internship. It was rewarding overall, but proved to be challenging. The most difficult part for me is still trying to communicate with the children, especially when they are doing something that they are not supposed to do (such as fighting with each other). However, the children still continue to inspire me each day. Their innocence and happiness spreads to those around them, including me. Being around them, and seeing how genuinely happy they are, makes me that much more happy. Saying goodbye to my teacher and the students was definitely hard. I know that I went to Spain to help them, but they helped me so much more. I gained so much perspective during my time with them. I will forever be grateful for the opportunity that I had to spend five weeks with some amazing people.
Since this week was my last, I tried to spend as much time with my host family as possible. I took this time to learn more about their work as missionaries. Rafaella, Wanessa, and Herika are all from Brazil. They are a part of a missionary group called Shalom, which means "peace." They directly serve the community and pray for not only the community, but for the world. The conversation that I had with them truly touched me. They explained their life before Shalom and how they used to think material possessions lead to happiness. When they found themselves unhappy and unfulfilled with life, they decided to make some changes. They joined Shalom and were then asked to travel to Granada. Now they live a minimalistic lifestyles. Wanessa kept repeating how happy she is after these changes. They do not receive compensation for their work. Instead, all the things that they have are donated to the Church, and then given to them. This includes clothing, food, makeup, soaps, and housing. I think it is amazing that their community provides so much for them as a way to thank them for their service. They explained to me that they could be told that they have to move to another country at any time. This is part of their vows that they took when they joined Shalom. The only time they would be asked if it is okay with them, is if Shalom wants to send them to a dangerous country. I asked Rafaella and Wanessa what they would say if they were ever asked to move to a dangerous country. I expected them to say that they would respectfully decline the offer, but they both said they would say "yes." They said that God is in charge of their lives, and if He wants to send them somewhere dangerous, they trust in Him to keep them safe. I was completely blown away by their responses. I gained so much more respect for them during this conversation. I would like to think that if I was ever in that situation, I would say "yes," but I truly don't know what I would say. I feel so blessed to have met them. I now have a second family and a second home. I will definitely miss the singing and dancing that took place almost every day!
On Friday, we all piled into the van and went to see the Monasterio de la Cartuja. I didn't know that something could be more beautiful than all the other churches and buildings we had seen so far. It was breathtaking. The amount of detail in the monastery was unbelievable. It was definitely my favorite place we visited the entire trip. The tabernacle is indescribable and pictures don't do it justice. Only one monk was allowed in the room that housed the tabernacle, once a year. Now, it is open to the public. It is such a beautiful and sacred room. I wish that churches were like this in America! Everything is so elaborate.
After visiting the Monasterio de la Cartuja, we drove an hour to a beach house in Almuñecar. I stayed in a room with Emma that was connected to Alexi and Frankie's room. The whole weekend in Almuñecar was such a bonding experience for the whole group. Alexi's family joined us, as well, which was very fun! The first night, Father Ildefonso met us for dinner. We all watched one of the soccer games together. I loved seeing Father's reactions during the game... he is definitely not your typical priest! During the day, we spent our time at the beach. It was very hot since the sun was directly on top of us. The water was beautiful... except for the mass amounts of jelly fish. We managed to find areas to cool off in that had very few jelly fish. The meals were a group effort. Some people would take turns cooking and others would clean. At night, we played games, like "The Settlers of Catan." I was not prepared for such an intense board game. Mike and Cassie joked about how it ruins friendships and families... I could totally see that happening! I had so much fun learning the game. Alexi's host mom, Rebecca, gave the girls (as well as Harry and Marshall) henna tattoos on the last night. I was sad to leave on Sunday because I knew it was my last day in Spain.
Sunday evening we had a going away party. All of the families came together for one last night to have food and drinks. It was so fun to meet everyone's host families. We watched a slideshow of pictures and videos from the entire trip (which was bittersweet). Then, my host family did a performance with singing, guitar, and dancing. It was so nice to see everyone come together to dance and to share some last memories.
Overall, my trip to Spain was so much more than I expected. I learned many valuable life lessons, learned to be independent, and learned a new culture and way of life. I will forever hold Granada in my heart and can't wait for the day that I can go back and share such a beautiful city with my family. I am so blessed and grateful to have been given this opportunity. If I was ever given the chance to go back, I would in a heartbeat!
Adiós, Granada!
