reunited and it feeeeels so gooood!!

This last Friday, we had an activity to go see the Alhambra in Grenada. If you didn’t know, the Alhambra is a gigantic palace (technically it’s like a collection of palaces. Plural, I know). Grenada was the last Spanish city under Arab influence before King Fernando and Queen Isabella took it over for good. The last Spanish sultan (named Boabdil) basically signed a contract with the King and Queen promising to leave Spain as long as they didn’t destroy the Alhambra. (My old roommate Miranda told me that Boabdil gave up his control easily because he was gay and didn’t have a successor, so therefore he essentially didn’t care too much for what happened to Grenada as long as his pride and joy, the Alhambra, didn’t get destroyed). The Alhambra is ridiculously beautiful. It is very apparent which parts of it were designed by Arab architects and which were designed by Christian ones. The detailing of the Arab designs were insanely intricate and beautifully detailed, but most of their efforts were used to create elaborate looking decorations for the inside of rooms. The Christians, on the other hand, had grander designs on the outsides of buildings and a more simplistic look on the inside. I absolutely loved every part of it. The guide did an amazing job of explaining things to us...but after awhile she just referred to us as “Americanos locos!!!! Vamos!!!” (Crazy Americans! Let’s go!” Every activity we have, we do an amazing job of being tourists. It’s awesome. 

Since we all got a free bus ride to Grenada, everyone in the Córdoba program stayed for the weekend. Instead of staying at a hostel with everyone else, I stayed Miranda’s piso (apartment). My wonderful roommate from last year and her Spanish roommates were so nice as to open up their home for me to stay in for the weekend. Miranda is studying at the University of Grenada for the year, so it was a huge blessing to have her show me around her city. It was really great to catch up with her and share our reflections and observations of ourselves, of our programs, and most of all what God has been teaching us. I knew that my community in Spain would be nothing like what it is in the States, but this last weekend was a time of community that was just enough to refresh me a bit more before going back to Córdoba. Let me tell you, Miranda has an extremely observant, loving, and amazing perspective on life, on Spain, and on people. I am so stoked to have her as a sister in Christ! My other favorite part was probably bar hopping. I know, I know it sounds weird. Janice? Bar hopping? What?! Haha I feel like I would never be one to bar hop...but it isn’t about the drinks...it’s about the tapas. And they are delicious. I LOVE tapas. Because Grenada is such a student filled city, the government subsidizes the tapas, so if you order a drink, the tapas are free. At. Every. Bar. Cool, huh? It’s the best concept I’ve ever heard of. She took me to all her favorite bars and we just kept going until we were full. It’s the best way to get dinner in Spain if you’re going to eat out in my opinion. We also went to the botellón there (it’s basically a place where Spanish students just stand around to talk and drink. Totally not rowdy at all). Not a botellón...THE botellón. In Grenada, the police got tired of having to tell people that they weren’t allowed to drink in public places, so they just built an insanely large parking lot for everyone to gather in to drink. It is massive. I am talking about thousands of students every night of the week. (definitely not the same in Córdoba) The way they party there is a really long process.  A lot of times they start out at someone’s piso, and then go to get tapas together, and then around midnight they head off to the botellón for a few hours, THEN go to the discotecas around 2 or 3 in the morning, and then get home around 6am. I will be the first to say that I absolutely do not have the energy to keep up with Spanish nightlife. I’m good with the tapas. Anyways, Miranda wanted to show me the botellón, which is actually amazing to go to if you want to learn real Spanish. It is a great way to practice. Everyone is friendly and willing to talk. Miranda’s rule is that she has to make a new friend every time she goes, so we made her a new friend and called it a night. We ended my visit the next morning with Churros con Chocolate (of course) and then it was back to Córdoba for me. It was a wonderful getaway weekend for me, but not gonna lie, I did enjoy returning home to my Spanish family. They are certainly lovely to come home to. 

Miranda and I in Albaicin

Everything is prettier at Sunset