Wrapping up in Spain

Wow, how time flys! It has been almost an entire month since I posted something, and that indicates how busy and time-crunched I have been! Let me give you a quick recap of my travels so far.

After my classes finished on July 31, my friend and I headed for Segovia, where we saw the Roman Aqueducts and the Alcazar. Then onto Madrid. We spent a week there, taking in the metropolitan atmosphere. We eat on the Plaza Mayor, made friends with a local artist, shopped in the Puerta del Sol, saw Picasso's Guernica, Dalis, Mirós and other artisits. We went to a musical on GranVia(similar to our Broadway) and spent plenty of time taking in la vida madrileña (the lifestyle of Madrid)!

Then we took a nine day bus tour that gave us a quick over view of the entire Iberian Peninsula! We left from Madrid, and visited Ávila, Salamanca, and Cuidad Rodrigo. Then we entered Portugal, where we went to Coimbra, Fatima, Obidos, Lisbon, Cascais, Estoril and Sintra. Then it was back to Spain, entering through Rosal de la Frontera, then onto Sevilla, and Cordoba, then back to Madrid.

After the bus tour ended, Gabe and I headed back to Toledo, where it happens to be the thrid most important festival of the year! It is Patron Saint week, there are people everywhere, and singing and music and everything! There was a huge mass this morning that was presided over by the Archbishop of Spain, one of the contenders in this last papal contendancy! I also got to see my host family again and they took me to a very traditional ceremony inToledo, that most tourist miss out on.

Tonight, to avoid having to pay for a hotel, we are taking a night bus to Barcelona, which will be the last major stop on our trip. After Barcelona, we will return to Madrid for a couple of days to relax before heading home!

I am sad to think that in a week, I have to leave Spain. I am anxious to see family and friends, as they have been some of the few things that I have missed about the States. However, I am sad to leave behind the culture that I have started to feel comfortable in and have started to be confident in! This trip has made me realize that I can live in a foreign country, and I can express myself ina foreign language. This confidence is something that will help me adjust more quickly to Panama, now that I know I can do it!

Well, more insights later. There is only so much philisophical waxing one can do in an internet cafe! I look forward to sharing my stories with you in person!
Blessings,
Chris

I am a College Grad!!!

Hello everyone! It has been a long time since I have posted anything, and I know that you are all just dying to know what is going on in my life! I have been in Spain for about a month and am just finishing up my classes. The big news today is that I am officialy finished with college course work. As of this morning, I graduated from the Español en Toledo Program (with an A+ grade point average) and that means that I officialy have a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. It might take a while to actually get my diploma becuase paperwork gets backed up at Concordia like three chili dogs and indigestion, but its the feeling that counts! I AM DONE AND AN OFFICIAL COLLEGE GRAD!!!!!

Other than that big news, there are plenty of good things happening here in Spain. My friend Gabe arrive a couple days ago and tommorow we are starting our month long adventure throughout all of Spain and Portugal. We are going to hit Santiago de Compestela, Granada, Madrid, Avila, Salamanca, Cuidad Rodriguez, Coimbra and Lisboa (both in Portugal), Sevilla, Cordoba, Barcelona, Figures and Montesserat. It is going to be a busy and eventful month, adn I am not sure how much I will be able to post, but I will definately try to get some info up on the blog! I hope that everyone is doing well! You will be in my prayers and in my thoughts and I ask the same from all of you!

Spain is Awesome!

¡Hola!

I hope that everyone is fine, I am doing great! Spain is awesome! I have been here for about a week, and havent had much time to blog. This will be a quick run down of some the things I have done. I have gone to a block party and met my neighbors, been in the Toledano Newspaper, visited the famous windmills of Don Quixote, swam in a refreshing lagoon, gone to a movie outside at midnight, seen fireworks, gotten lost in the medeval street plan of Toledo, suffered through a day of 114º weather, eaten tons of Spanish food, gone to classes, treid to learn the vosotros form that we never learn in the US, treid to speak with the Castillain accent (or lisp, whatever you want to call it), gone to the market, explored the city and gone to a cool church that has been converted into a dance club. These are just a few of the things that have been keeping me occupied and I wish I had more time to explain the new things I have done, seen and particpated in. Being here is Spain, although it has only been for a week, has given me the confidence that I can communicate with others in Spanish, I can live in a foreign country, and I can make friends who have a completly different background. I know that culture shock hasnt really sunk in yet, and not sure when it will, I walk with the confidence that God is with me and he has given me the gifts to be able to survive in a compltely different world.

Adios,
Chris

Chapter, the...um Spain one...

Chapter, the...um Spain one...

So I am here in Spain and made it safely to Toledo. Just a quick note to let you all know whats up. I am safe and enjoying the heat...It was 103 degrees yesterday. Today we had placement tests, party tonight and then classes start tommorow. My host family is great, and they are very welcoming. Thats it for now. It is time to cool off in the local pool! Man, I love siestas. Yeah for Spain!

Have a great Forth of July!

Chapter, the first...

Chapter, the first...
Well, tommorow starts my journey to Spain to finish up my degree, so I am taking a break from packing and checking papers to let everyone know what I am up to. Tommorow, I will travel to Omaha, Nebraska, where on Saturday, I will fly to Cinncinati, Paris and then finally arrive in Madrid on Sunday. I am going to stay with a host, Carmen Rodriguez, and take classes at the University of Castilla-La Mancha. I am SO excited. I hope to hear from you all, whether through this blog or email, and hopefully I will be able to update this a few times while I am in Spain! Look for pictures to come....

Blessings and keep me in your Prayers!

Hello everyone!

Hello everyone! Welcome to my BLOG (weB-LOG)! This will serve as my online journal for the coming months while I am in Panama doing missions with LCMS World Mission. I will be teaching English as a Foreign Language in various cities throughout Panama, but will be living in Panama City. I will try to update this BLOG as much as I can with information about my experiences, and feel free to make any comments about what you read! I hope to interact with you through this BLOG and let you know what God is doing in Panama through the work to which he has called me!

This is me!