Texas is hot. :)

New seasons in life may call for new blog posts, so I've extended this blog to include the current season of my life in Austin, Texas. First, I want to apologize to those of you who have waited to hear from me since I moved here recently. I've done a poor job of making contact, hence the resurrection of the Adventures Abroad blog. I hope to post as regularly as would seem feasible and meaningful for both readers and myself. Many of you have played a very significant role in my successful transition; you need to hear testimonies of the fruit God brings as a result of your prayers and faithful encouragement!

Soooooo, I'm all moved in! My parents and I pulled into Austin on Wednesday afternoon, May 26th in my new '94 white Buick Regal, given to me by my grandparents. The journey to Texas was tolerated pleasantly by all, including the car. We got a kick out of Natural Bridge, VA. Apparently, the rock forms a "natural bridge" across a creek/river/stream/waterway of some kind. I might not go so far as to call it majestic, but it's beautiful to be sure...not so beautiful, however, to necessitate the large hotel, gift shop/cafeteria/info center/wax museum, and required entrance fee. Nothing against Virginia, but it all seemed a bit over-the-top. :) On a less critical note, having used the complex as a rest stop, we certainly pulled out of the parking lot feeling refreshed.

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/3060528-NATURAL_BRIDGE_VIRGINIA-Natural_Bridge.jpg

Austin may not be home to natural bridges, but it's a hub for hundreds of other wonders--natural and otherwise. Bats, hippies, tacos, live music, coffee houses, highway ramps, marathoners, avocados, university students, frozen yogurt, Spanish, barbeque, artists, and the Colorado River...I could go on and on. The city exudes a youthful vibe, enhanced by the artsy and forward-thinking flavor of the population at large. "Green" reigns supreme, regardless of whether you're a corporate office, a light bulb, a person, or a palm tree. Yet I get the sense that many people think deeply about more than just their compost. Austin fosters a community of pseudo-philosophers who often hold definite opinions on life, the world, and civilization. What a wealth of fascinating individuals!

I get to live right in the heart of this vibrant city. Here I've included a few photos of my house, a small 1920's bungalow, the majority of which were taken by Caryn, one of my housemates:

Welcome home!

The front entryway.
(You can see all five rooms in the house from this view. Three of my housemates live in the room through the door on the far right. My room is through the doorway in the back right corner. The bathroom is next to my room. The living room is through the door on the far left, and you can just see the kitchen if you look through it.)

Our kitchen, which has a door leading to the back porch and yard.
My corner of the bedroom my roommate, Mary and I share.

God has blessed me with such a wonderful house full of girls who love Him and love each other. What a gift to live here! I'll only stay here until the end of July, however, when I'll move out to make room for other girls who have already requested to move in for the coming year. I know the Lord has plans for my August living arrangements, but I would appreciate your prayers for the fulfillment of His purposes in that area.

Ok, I need to balance my checkbook and do some other work before bed. Work starts early! With almost a week under my belt so far, I can honestly say I truly enjoy my job and the company community. Similar to my time in Granada last year, I have moments throughout the day when I realize I'm actually an employee of Academic Programs International (API) and I'm full of joy and awe all over again! I'll hopefully post a segment about my first week of training over the weekend so you'll get a sense of what I do.

Bless you, bless you. Thank you for praying for me, for supporting me, for calling and emailing and texting to ask how I'm doing here. Gratitude fills my heart when I consider how God has used each of you to guide and encourage me. You have loved me so faithfully, and so has He.

We'll be in touch,

Brittany

A Day in the Life...

Ha, I suppose it's a little late for this post, huh? Still, after over three months of living in Granada, I thought you might like to see how I spend a "typical" day (if one exists).

Let's go with a Wednesday:

My mobil phone buzzes me awake between 08:00 and 09:00, and I roll off my bed and wander down the hall to breakfast with Ana and the other students. Breakfast quickly became my favorite meal here--I love sitting with Ana and chatting about anything and everything over cups of English tea, two pieces of white toast with freshly grated tomato and olive oil!

Ana and I at the breakfast table

After breakfast, it's off to my room to spend some quiet time reading and praying before I suit up to go for a run along the river in the sunshine... ("It's the hard-knock life", I know.)

El Rio Genil

After running, I shower up before lunch, and then around 14:00 I sit down to a feast! Ana amazes me...

Ana and Lisa laughing at lunchtime

(that day we had delicious lentil soup, Spanish tortilla--fried egg and potatos--and salad)


Following lunch, I usually book it to the Modern Language Center (my school) to check my email and skype with Mom :) before my classes. I have two on Wednesdays (same two I have on Mondays)--Spanish Civilization and Culture (at 17:00) and the History of Spanish Cinema (at 18:30)--both very interesting. The former, taught by a very amiable elderly Spanish anthropologist, has deepened my perception of life and culture here in Spain, letting me peek into things like Flamenco, Corridas de Toros (bull runs), the Catholic Church in Spain, and other topics. The latter has proved to be a very eye-opening experience, giving me a new understanding of the modern Spanish mindset and values.

El Centro de Lenguas Modernas


Classes wrap up around 20:00, and then I whip out my bocadillo loving prepared by Ana earlier in the afternoon to eat while I walk to church. (A bocadillo is a baguette-style sandwich of either cheese and tomato or tuna, lettuce, and tomato--the choice is mine!) A short 15 minute walk from my school, the Christian Family Center (el Centro Familiar Cristiano--CFC) quickly became very dear to me. On Wednesday nights, starting around 20:30, the community joyfully dives into a worship service with singing and then a short sermon. Afterward, we all split into groups--men, women, guys, girls--for a Bible study called la Gavilla. This time blesses me soooo much! The Lord has taught me and deepened me immesly through this community! The pastor's wife leads our group of girls--the photo below shows almost all of us--and they are wonderful!!!

My Bible study leader (far right) and fabulous friends!!!

La Gavilla finishes around 23:30, and then I wander home to hit the hay before Thursday--a day which begins a bit earlier, making some good sleep very helpful (class starts at 08:30).
Yes, what a blessing Wednesdays are...and the other days of the week too! :)

Thank you all for your prayers! I'll be home within the month and can't wait to see you all again!

Bless you,

Brittany

Marruecos

Well, believe it or not, I spent last weekend in Morocco. In spite of all the warnings and concerned looks I got from family and friends who thought I'd be better off in Europe, I just had to see North Africa for myself :). And oh my goodness, am I glad I did!


I think I'll just add a few photos and let the images do the talking this time:

Can you see the mineret on the hilltop to the right?

More where these came from...but you'll have to wait till I get home to see the rest :).

Cordoba and Seville

Well, today I break the silence. Though my blog has been quiet, my life has not! Since Rome, I visited two other cities in Spain, Córdoba and Seville—both of which I thoroughly enjoyed. The former seems smaller than Granada, and the latter much larger. Both cities boast marvelous architectural wonders with mind-boggling historical significance! Still, I must admit, I prefer to live in Granada. True, it lacks the lavish amount of palm trees and tropical magnolias that speckle Seville, and it doesn’t have the same quaint and quiet sweetness as Córdoba…but here there exist equally spectacular historical monuments, here I enjoy all the benefits of city excitement as well as peaceful getaways into the hill towns, and here the Lord builds a community around me. And now, only two months left to dig in deeper still…

I recently submitted an article for the Collegian (Grove City College campus newspaper) regarding my study abroad experience so far, and I’ve more or less tacked it onto this blog—just a handful of stories from the past few weeks you may enjoy!

“Here I live with Ana, a beautiful and bubbly older woman who keeps herself busy housing international students in her apartment. A wonder in the kitchen, Ana’s creativity constantly spreads itself across the dining room table, making mouths water. Meals always go hand in hand with cheerful conversation, which usually bounces around the table in at least three languages. I’ll never forget the week when two boys from London came to stay with Ana. Clearly, my roommate and I (both from the United States) and these newcomers all shared the English language, but we made a point to use mainly Spanish in the home. One night during dinner, shortly after the boys’ arrival, the four of us began to chat and get acquainted. Ana interrupted at one point to ask them a few questions, and I helped by translating the unfamiliar words into English. At one point, one of the boys turned to me and commented, “Wow, your English is really good!” Thank you, but I’m not from Spain.

Besides building relationships with Ana and the students living in her home, I’ve also gotten involved in a local church. What a blessing! The congregation welcomed me with tons of kisses, and the youth invited me to spend time with them outside of church functions. One evening, we climbed up to the Mirador de San Nicolás, a beautiful overlook high above the city with a spectacular view of the ancient fortress of the Alhambra. Camarón, one of the musicians in the group, brought his guitar, delighting us with traditional flamenco, accompanied his friend Ana, a singer on the church worship team. I stood there hardly able to believe it, taking in the sights and sounds of the moment: the moon shining above, the Alhambra glowing in the distance, the masterful musicianship… Truly, I thought, I live a dream.

Though I thoroughly enjoy my daily life here in Granada, I also love to travel. A few weekends ago, a group of friends and I decided to visit Córdoba, another Spanish city northwest of Granada. Córdoba is known for its ancient Mesquita, a large mosque built over a period of two centuries, and later converted into a Catholic church. Saturday morning we awoke early to visit the Mesquita during mass—a more intense experience than we anticipated. Upon entering, our ears met the eerie song of the choir, echoing through the seemingly endless rows of dimly lit Arab arches. Our souls became contorted as we each took in the atmosphere—four of us Protestant, one Catholic, and one Muslim. Thinking back even now, I marvel at the complexity of that moment.” I didn’t have enough space to add more comments about this experience for the article, but I will add here that the Lord challenged me greatly that day. While each of us thought long and hard about the Mosque-now-Catholic-church, my Muslim friend mentioned that it made her think more about God than some of the other places she visited, stirring her spirit quite a bit.

Shortly afterward, we walked through the streets of the Judía (the old Jewish village in Córdoba), where beggars dotted the roadsides, cupping their hands for coins. (I must interject that I don’t intend my comments here to be judgments, but rather observations for the purpose of a challenge.) Myself, my three Protestant friends, and my Catholic friend continued past a particular woman, begging with her two small children climbing around her. As I walked on, struck by the genuineness of her need, I noticed my Muslim friend slow to a stop. I watched her take some money from her purse, turn and walk quickly back to the woman to give her the gift before hurrying on… I thought of the story of the Good Samaritan. I thought of other things Jesus taught. Talk about conviction.

Oh, God teaches me so much here all the time! He convicts me of so many things! But for all the conviction, He has provided a waterfall of grace over me here to receive His instruction without giving way to condemnation. Through the local church body, I learn about the Father’s heart, deep and wide, full of love. Right now I endeavor to open my heart to receive His love, that He may widen my heart with love for others. Please pray that I will choose to abide daily in Him, in His love.

The Father’s big heart of love for you too,

Brittany

Roma...

Ah, Roma...I remember now why I love Italy so much! Its atmosphere, its beautiful people, its food, its ancient ruins, its cathedrals, its language--incredible!

Yes, I enjoyed a fabulous weekend--no, not frolicking, but hard-core trekking--through the streets of Rome (I think I left the soles of my feet there). I don't want to give away all the juicy details, but to share a few of the things I did over the four days I spent there:

1. Visited a bevi of beautiful churches;
   
2. Wandered starry-eyed through the Vatican museum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica;
   
3. Stood before the Pope among a throng of people to receive his blessing on Sunday morning in the heart of the Vatican;
   
4. Indulged four times in four delicious helpings of gelati (though I'd about had it after the fourth :) ); and...
   
5. Snapped almost 200 photos of it all! Here's a taste of my album...
   

St. Peter's Basilica

I'm on the right :)

My friend Claudette and I trying to wrap our arms

around one of the columns of the Pantheon.

Pope Benedict XVI blessing the crowds

from his office window.

A worshipper beholding the altar
deep in the heart of the Church of Saint Mary Major.

Praise the Lord for such good weather and wonderful traveling companions as well! This weekend I hope for the same, as I am headed to Cordoba, another city in southern Spain about an hour and half to the west of Granada. More to report when I return!

Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers on my behalf...truly, I am grateful.

May the Lord pass on to each of you the blessings He has poured on me recently!

Brittany

On A Personal Note...

As many of you know, I've never done a blog before. Thus far, I've treated it much like a travel journal, attempting to keep you all up-to-date on my activities here in Spain. I hope it has been a joy for you!

I am so grateful for all who are faithfully praying for me...seriously, I feel soooo covered here, it's incredible. To all of you, I say thank you with the greatest amount of sincerity I can muster!!

Perhaps this will sound cliche, but I mean it: God is sooooooo faithful, oh so faithful! I just love how all of us who know Jesus end up proclaiming the same things whenever we experience a new encounter...He's so good, so faithful, so holy, so loving, so lovable...He really doesn't change, then, does He? Nor does He only pertain to one place..."Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me," (Ps. 139:7-10 ESV). Haha!

Yes, He is here in Spain too. Be excited! May I testify that you all have brothers and sisters who love to worhsip Jesus in Granada, lifting the city to Him, desiring to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness...". They are wonderful, so welcoming and kind and enthusiastic! Please pray for them, as well, especially as they are by far the minority here it seems. These days are tough for all of us, no less for the people of Andalucia. I wonder if this economic crisis is not an open door to reach the hearts of Spaniards with the Gospel? So many big, beautiful, ancient churches...I think they could use a little Holy Spirit wind :).

I am truly seeking to be on God's page these days. He wasn't kidding when He said the Holy Spirit is our teacher...ha, no one can convict and teach and reveal like He does! For those of you seeking to know how to pray for me, may I suggest three things?

1. Do ask the Holy Spirit! Haha! Truly, I feel like a splat of paint on a canvass, needing Jesus to made some artwork out of all my confusion and emotion and action. He knows what I need and what is best at all times. I trust Him to tell you what to pray for ;).
2. Native spanish-speaking friends! I desire so strongly to improve in my speaking skills, wanting Spanish to become second nature to me! I've dreamed of this. If Jesus has other plans for this trip, then I will be open. I've asked Him to change my desires if they are not in line with His.
3. That I will "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," something the Lord has impressed very strongly on me recently. I've become aware of a spirit of slavery that attempts to bind me to a self-centeredness that drives my desires and actions. I've felt much like Paul in Romans 7, but I realize Jesus' blood has cleaned me and His Spirit makes a way for me to walk in His love for those around me, with a desire to look to their needs before my own. Please pray that I will grow in this kind of love.

Thank you so much!!! Please don't hesitate to post a comment or facebook me or email me with any questions or thoughts or prayer requests! I do have down time here, though it may not seem like it :).

"The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever." (Ps. 138:8 ESV)

Much love and thanks and blessing,

Brittany

Vamos a dar un paseo...

The Lord enchanted me this weekend with His flair for fun and beauty. Two of my house mates and I spent a lovely afternoon on Sunday in el Parque Garcia Lorca near our apartment, having a blast with our cameras among the fountains, palm trees, grassy lawns, flowers, and "fitness playground equipment" we found there :).

Monday afternoon, I had the opportunity to visit the Alhambra at last...(sigh). Unfortunately, I'm unable to post photos at the moment, but may I say that I have already decided pretty definitively to return to the Alhambra in a month or so, as they tell me it bursts into bloom with the arrival of spring...making it even more glorious than it apppeared yesterday. I didn't realize this, but our guide mentioned that it is the most visited monument in all of Europe, taking first place over even the Louvre in France!

Another fact I learned is that the Alhambra isn't just a castle or a palace--it's a city! Bonafide, for sure, with lovely little cobblestone-like streets and big stone walls, etc. The castle part is the oldest, dating back to the 11th century! It once housed the army, and I got to see the places where the soldiers lived, including a peak down into an old dungeon! The palace part dates to the 16th or 17th century, and was the home of the king and queen and their court--gorgeous! The final part is a beautiful stretch of gardens where the royal family would find repose in the summertime...oh, the air there smells so fresh and clean! The abundance of cyprus trees constantly reminds me of all the Potter's customers who would instantly drop a bundle of money to have them growing in their yards :). (Sorry, only Arborvitae and Sky Pencils in PA!) Like the wine and olive oil and oranges around here, they come with the territory, practically free of charge!

Well, that's all for now--I have more to do before lunch at 2pm, which I wouldn't miss for the world! Today, I believe it's Ana's homemade rice and artichoke soup with homemade tuna and tomato pizza! Sooo delicious!

Padre, por favor, bendiles a mis amigos y dales la bendicion de tu presencia en todos los aspectos de sus vidas! Gracias, Senor, por este dia magnifico y por tu gracia y redencion que nos siguen cada dia. Te bendecimos Senor.