Let's Hoedown Throwdown

When we arrived in Granada, we met Shawn, the missionary in Spain we were helping to start up a ministry similar to Chi Alpha in Granada and the University of Granada. He took us to our hostel, and it was REALLY nice. I have never been to a hostel before, but the image in my head was just the bare minimum really plain bunk beds or cots or something.

Well, if my original idea was right, this was not your typical hostel. I roomed with 2 other girls and our room was HUGE-I basically had a little room and a double bed entirely to myself. Hotels/hostels are different in Spain than in America though - Spain is older, hence, the hostels are olders, and while the rooms are not as luxurious as the American hotels we are used to, they are still comfortable. And hey, I had hot water, so I was happy.

Shawn was telling us why we were staying in that particular hostel - he said that everything in Spain is relational and familial - a common theme I would see played out the entire week. Therefore, we were staying there because he knew the family, and because he knew them, they were willing to give us a lower rate. And their relative happens to be one of the best Alhambra tour guides in all of Granada that gave us a tour later in the week! So I guess who you know really pays off in Spain - literally.

We had the afternoon to ourselves to relax, take a nap, and walk around the city which I was really grateful for. I have been on numerous trips where you hit the ground running the minute you get there, and I was so thankful for the chance to catch my breath and just take in the fact that I AM IN SPAIN!!! for a few hours.

One of the girls on my team, Jocelyn and I decided to go to the cathedral then got attacked by gypsies.

No just kidding. Well kind of, not really.

Spain has a gypsy population, and some of them stand outside of the cathedral peddling rosemary. If you take the rosemary, then they will try to read your palm and charge you an arm and a leg for it. They tell you that if you take the rosemary a man will fall in love with you, "they can sense it." DON'T DO IT. They will rip you off. And it may be unnerving at first, because they follow you around and are very persistent, but just ignore them. Word to the wise.

Anyway, Jocelyn and I walked around the cathedral and the city some, then of course, we had to have ice cream! It is a lot different in Spain and basically pure awesomeness. It's lighter and not as rich so you don't feel bad eating it every day! Which I totally did when I was in Spain last summer - you NEED to eat it every day to cool down, man.

We actually ran into Shawn and he took us for coffee and I had my first cafe con leche and I can now say that I am ADDICTED. I am not a big coffee drinker back home, but there's something about the coffee here with a TON of milk and wayyy too much sugar that has me hooked. Ok, obviously the "something" is caffeine and sugar, so it's not that magical/mysterious, but who cares, it's great and was very much needed that week with all of the work and little sleep we got.

Shawn started to tell us about the immigration problem in Spain. He said that the Spanish are very intolerant of the illegal Morroccan immigrants that cross the border looking for work. They do not want them here, yet the Spanish are not willing to take the jobs that the Morroccans will.

Hmmm sounds familiar...

The problem of immigration, diversity, and general lack of tolerance was an aspect of Spain I would see played out during my week there.

That evening, we went to a welcome reception where we met the Spanish college and high school students who were members of the church. I was nervous about using my spanish, but it actually went pretty well! I was so excited I could understand what they were saying and be able to talk to them. There were times that the spanish just rolled off of my tongue and I didn't even have to think about it - those moments are so encouraging and gave me confidence for the week ahead.

I met two of the pastor's daughters, Carolina and Nuria, 14 and 15, and really had a fun time talking with them. They asked me if I watched Hannah Montana and knew the Hoedown Throwdown and were so excited when I said yes. Apparently, the stereotype of Americans is we are all cowboys/cowgirls and dance to country music and that is why we love Hannah Montana.

Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.