el guerra civíl

At least, that's what my history profesor called it. But really...that's what fútbol does to people here. Yesterday night was that HUGE game between Madrid and Barcelona. Angela and I were really Spanish and went to a bar to watch it with a few of our friends from church. I know, I know...I'm still fully aware that I know nothing about soccer (other than the fact that you're supposed to kick the ball into the goal), but it was way too fun of an event to miss out on. Walking down the streets, every single bar is packed with people watching the game together. You have a bar that is filled with Madrid fans, the next is filled with Barcelona fans, and then the one next to that is divided down the middle. Antonio, our professor, told us that on game days, it's like people are willing to kill their own brother for a win!...just kidding. He is a huuuge Madrid fan, so you can only imagine his reaction after that game (sorry for the spoiler but Madrid lost to Barcelona 5-0). I decided that I was going to root for Barcelona...but I kept that to myself in class. Oh and our friends were Real Madrid fans too. One of them, Danny, just finished telling me that Madrid's goalie was the best in the world...and then Barcelona scored. It was awesome. 


The bar we went to was divided. After each goal, half the people would jump up screaming, and the other half would have their heads in their hands..also screaming..but in frustration. The bar kind of sounded like this: "Venga....venga, venga, venga!!! Eh!!! Que asco! Eres tonto!?!? Terible! Espera!...venga.....venga, venga, venga...GOALLLLLLLLLLL!!!" 


Not gonna lie, I laughed a LOT. Good thing the Spaniards couldn't hear/understand my commentary...I might have been punched in the face. (I mayyyy have said something along the lines about how I wonder if Messi is really messy and also that I think it's funny that it looks like they have no legs when the cameras zoom out...but really it is!)


I don't think I'll ever fully get into fútbol...nor will I ever have a desire to play it (ewww running), but I will say that going to watch a game in a Spanish bar is a pretty good time. 

el día de acción de gracias

This one isn't going to be long because I have class in about five minutes...but that's alright.


So maybe we missed Thanksgiving from home because we were here...but our program threw us a Thanksgiving dinner so we could celebrate in Spain together. I am so glad we didn't have to miss out too badly on this tradition! 


Just so you know...I missed all of you at home dearly.


But...I really do have so much to be thankful for here.

Art class...with our Professor in the middle 

They had turkey too!

you mean...I get to speak in English!?

The day finally came. I travelled to a different country...and completely understood everyone and everything around me. PTL for England. Seriously. This was the last trip that I got to have in Europe with my great friends Kevin and Spencer. They are both studying in Canterbury, England....so guess where my first stop was! That’s right, you guessed it. My friend Lisa and I flew into London on Thursday night and after a FREEZING cold 5 hour wait (I will never complain about the cold weather in Southern Spain again...well...I’ll try not to), we caught the bus (or coach) to Canterbury to spend a day there with the boys. If you don’t know them, Kevin and Spencer are the best hosts EVER. This trip, I didn’t have to research like a mad person how to get from place to place. Kevin met us at the bus station and took us back to the University of Kent where they study and brought us to the kitchen where Spencer was waiting with a few of their English friends and plates loaded up with hashbrowns and pancakes. Now THAT’S what I’m talkin’ about!!! What a wonderful welcome. After a hot shower and a bit of rest, the boys took Lisa and I into town to see the sights of the city. By the way, Canterbury is now officially one of my top five favorite cities in the world. I love it even more than I love Paris. That’s a LOT. Think stereotypical green English countryside, English accents, and a quaint little English town and you have Canterbury. To say that it is beautiful is the biggest understatement ever. Honestly, if I hadn’t wanted to learn another language, I’m sure I would have chosen to study there too. We explored the town and saw the old Cathedral, got Kevin a raccoon hat, ate some fish and chips, watched the sky turn dark at like 4:30pm (waaaaay too early), saw the King’s school (which is the oldest school in the world that still is running today), and then headed back to their place for my MUCH anticipated homemade macaroni and cheese and a giant pizookie for dessert. Did I mention that I LOVE my friends?! 

Beautiful Canterbury

The Cathedral

Lisa and I!

FISH AND CHIPS!

King's School

The next day we all got up early and took a bus back to London to spend the rest of the weekend there. One of Kevin and Spencer’s English friends came with us too. His name is Doug. And he’s awesome too. We had a fun group, that’s for sure. After buying tube passes, we went all over the place. See?

British Museum

Big Ben. Of course. 

Westminster Abbey

Winter Wonderland

Sunday morning marked our last day, and we were all leaving at different times. Lisa had to leave first :(. But afterwards, the boys and I still had time to go to church. Oh. But not just any church. HILLSONG LONDON. For reals. I know, right!? Thank you JESUS. And it was absolutely amazing. We were all beyond stoked to go, and after the service it really reminded me how much I love being in the family of Christ. This time here in Europe, Jesus has really been teaching me about isolation. I’ve learned what it means to be conscious of the fact that my relationship with Him is solely dependent on how intimate I want it to be. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have begun to understand the beauty of silence, and also how to grow as a Christian in that environment. However, community is also a wonderful, wonderful thing, and it was a pleasure to get to take part of that one in London. It was so encouraging to be there and it also made me really really excited to come back and see my own community in California. After the service, it was time to say goodbye to English, to London, and to the boys and return to Spain. 

HILLSONG. YES.

It was such a fun and joy filled weekend, to say the least. It amazes me each day that God has blessed me with such opportunities, and more importantly, with such friends. They may be in the same program together, but it’s so clear to me that God is teaching both Spencer and Kevin their own unique lessons. They are each getting their own story, just as I am getting one. Everytime I see or talk to them, I get so excited to hear about what God is teaching them. How He is growing them. How He is providing for them. And how He is proving to them how great and mighty He is more and mroe. These are my favorite kinds of stories. Just so you know. 

felíz cumpleaños a mi hermanita preciosa!

Today is my little host-sister Lorena's birthday. She turns 6 years old today! Que grande. This past Saturday, her parents threw her an awesome birthday party at the park. It was 7 hours long. 7 HOURS. I know. To say that we were exhausted afterwards is an understatement. But it was a perfectly warm and sunny day (soooooo great because it is FREEZING here now), and the park was massive. The family reserved some tables so we decorated the area like crazy with the color pink and loads of balloons. The birthday party was pretty much the same as what an American kid's birthday would have been. Presents, food, and cake. That's the good stuff. It was such a blessing to be a part of this special day. We got many besitos (kisses) from the birthday girl...so I think she had a pretty good time.

My wonderful, beautiful host-mom and I

Lorena didn't want to get into the picture

Quique, my host-dad AND the best professor I have 

Valle, my host-mom

Multiply this by about 287 and then you have the park

Lorena the birthday girl!

Spanish kids are JUST as loud as American kids

I just LOVE my host-brother

It's not a birthday without cake.

My favorite picture. Of. All. Time.

to know Him by name

I have been thinking. A lot. Not having an insane school load kiiind of gives you that time. I know I usually share about my travels...but since that’s not the only purpose as to why I’m here, I'm going to share something that I'm learning, but please, don't feel obligated to read it. It's about Jesus again, and I'll understand if you're not interested. (But for the record, He is amazing.)

Growing up in a Christian environment, you automatically obtain certain perceptions of God. Certain perceptions of who or what God is supposed to be. As each day passes, especially here in Spain, I'm quickly finding out that God is much much much bigger than all of those perceptions. 

If you know me well, you will know that one of my biggest pet peeves about Christians is when we try to put God in a box and limit Him. 

Why? 

1. It’s easy for me to see because I do it all the time. 

2. And I'm always wrong when I do.

3. There are SO many things you'll miss out on by placing limitations on Him.

4. God's going to bust out of that box anyways. 

One of the things I'm realizing here is that God truly truly has an infinite amount of creativity. Not only in designing and creating people. Not only in how He plans things out. Not only in the beauty of His creations. But also in the way that He reaches people. 

For example, talking to many people here, I've come to find that I can relate to some people on a spiritual level much better than others. Here's the thing. Some of those people don't call themselves Christians. What?! I know. Strange. But listen, you have one person who claims to follow the same God of the universe that I do...and yet I still disagree with their views on life; they exhibit characteristics of impatience, conditional love, and materialism. Nothing remotely close to the God I know. On the other hand, you have another person who understands the beauty of silence and of community, who understands that there is a supernatural power that is very real, who understands what it means to live for something greater than herself and can experience the same kind of peace that only God can give...yet, they do not claim the name of Jesus Christ. To me, it seems as if the second person knows the Lord much better than the first. Can that even happen??

So where is that line? In these cases, how can you tell the difference between knowing the one true God and realism? Is it really possible that this person can know the God that I know under a different name? If you had asked me just even last month, I would have probably said, "Obviously not. Obviously." Now, I'm not so sure. But even in that bit of confusion, what I found was, I don’t really think I have to have that answer. And that’s perfectly fine. 

This morning I read a bit of the Bible, and here is what I got:

Acts 10:9-15 - "Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. Then a voice told him, 'Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.'

'Surely not, Lord!' Peter replied. 'I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.' The voice spoke to him a second time, 'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.'"

Dang. I don’t know what that says to you, but to me...God is breaking apart Peter’s conception of who is welcome in the kingdom of God. Now, not only are Jews considered God’s people...but Gentiles are too. His intention was to save everyone. Right? 

So. My conclusion? I don't get to be the judge. No matter how bizarre I think your view is, I don’t get to tell you if you truly know Christ or not. I can only do that for myself.

Maybe God can reach people through a different name. He is certainly capable of that. He is the only one who sees people's hearts for what they truly are. Not me. And I am quickly finding out that nit picking over dumb details is an enormous waste of time. The fact of the matter is...the God of the Heavens and the Earth has, does, and will always love you, and if you so choose to accept that, and believe that Jesus did come to save you, then you are most welcome into the family. 

But now for me. What does this mean for me? Do I drop everything I’ve ever come to know? Am I going to try to learn what all of these ‘possible’ names for God are? Nope. While God is beginning to grow my understanding and showing me where I tend to limit Him, and while I am continuing to learn what it means for God to look at someone’s heart, and while He is changing/molding my perspectives, I know that there is one thing certain. I don’t just want to serve a deity. I don’t just want to understand that there is a higher power. I don’t want to just know that there is someone or something out there that created this world. I don’t just want to have an idea of who or what a god can be. 

A very dear friend of mine told me the other day, “Janice, you know God, and God knows you. Don’t forget that.” What a simple, yet wonderful reminder. That’s right though. I do know God. And He sure knows me. Through Him alone I know truth. Through his Son I am saved. Through the Holy Spirit I can have wisdom and peace. Through Him I am loved. This is what I want. The knowledge that there is someone in existence that is concrete. Someone that is truth. You may know God by whatever name you call Him, and He probably does respond to that. And He definitely loves you. But I know for a fact that there is real power under the name of Jesus Christ. For me, it is under this name only. He is the one I live to glorify. And for the rest of my days, this is who I will serve. It is personal. Because I know Him, and He knows me. This is where I have the right to choose. And so, I’m going to choose Him. 

And now you. Did you know that you get to choose too? In case you were wondering, you totally do. Pretty sweet, huh?

it's an underrated country

It still blows my mind, that I'm in a different country almost every weekend. Travelling is exhausting, but SO SO SO worth it. This time, Angela and I took another trip together, along with our friend Meghan. We took an overnight bus to Lisbon, Portugal. To be honest...before thet trip, I knew absolutely nothing about Portugal. Other than the fact that they speak Portuguese...and maybe a few facts here and there from history class. It was the first trip where I had absolutely no idea what to expect. But I was definitely excited. Everyone that had come back from Lisbon before said that it was a beautiful city that was a MUST see.


After a dramatic bus ride (some girl left her purse with her passport and money at a rest stop and then proceeded to flip out on the driver, and THEN the woman sitting behind me threw up), we FINALLY get to Lisbon and check into our hostel (which, by the way, was the best hostel I've stayed in so far). Let me tell you, the city was even more wonderful than what was described to us. First we went to a beautiful park near the Basilica.

My beautiful friend Meghan and I

See the Basilica??

We decided to just explore Lisbon for the day, so we bought a metro pass and went all over the place. Lisbon is built upon 7 hills, so there are lots of lookout points with amazing views.

Then the next day, we took a quick train trip up to Sintra. Sintra is a little city outside of Lisbon that has a ton of castles everywheree...and they are ALL beautiful! I really wish we had more time there.

Palacio de Pena

This country is SO gorgeous. It just reminded me of how wonderfully creative God is, and what a blessing it is to see something so natural and untainted. GO VISIT IF YOU CAN!

Joyeux Anniversaire

So this weekend, my friend Kevin got to pick a place to go to. Why? It was his 21st birthday!! So what did we do? We went to Paris, France to celebrate with food, wine, chocolate, architecture, museums, and all that comes with that gorgeous city. It was a pretty legit 21st birthday, if I do say so myself. I am so glad that I got to celebrate with him this year! My housemate Angela and I left Madrid on Friday morning to meet with Kevin and Spencer to begin all the festivities. Can I just say that Paris is one of my all time favorite cities?! It is absolutely beautiful, the air is crisp and clean, and the trees were changing colors. Can't really get any better than that....OH WAIT. Yes it can. Wanna know why? Because the food is SO GOOD. (Notice a pattern in this blog? I love food. In case that wasn't clear. But it's not just me! We all do!) We're going to do this blog picture style again. I'll add some commentary along the way. Cappish? 

We just had crepes. And I actually made a normal face. What the heck!

Kevin and Spencer are taking Greek mythology classes in England, and they also had an Egyptian art class at UCSD. So, we were all excited to explore the Lourve. Then we found out that we got to go in for free!!! Gotta love being a student in Europe.

Then we went to this AMAZING French restaurant. It was only the beginning of the gazillion things that Spencer could blog about. There is a lot of weird food in France. But what's even weirder is that it's ALL good. Kevin had rabbit. Spencer had duck. I had scallops. And Angela had steak. But let's be honest, since we were in Paris, Kevin's birthday celebration was kiiiiind of extended to the whole weekend. And you can't go to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. Add in some chocolate and wine, and you've got yourself a classy birthday.

Diamond lights come on every hour!

The next morning, we woke up and went to Montemarte. Hands down my favorite area in the city. 

Then we went to a huge flea market, and I finally got my piece of artwork that I have been wanting to get since the last time I was in France! I got an old antique photo. Then we got lunch. Best falafel of my LIFE. And then we saw the Notre Dame. Angela pretended to have a hunchback. Best thing ever.

Then gelato. Of course. But it was the prettiest gelato I have ever had!!

Flower Powerrrrrrrr.

Yum. 

Arc de Triomf. Another classic. We awkwardly stood in the middle of traffic to take some of these pictures. We're going to work that tourist card for all it's worth!

We then tried Escargot. I really really like it! Don't judge me. 

Happy Birthday Kevin!!!

It was so much fun getting to hang out with Angela, Kevin, and Spencer this weekend. Each one of them has been such an unbelievable blessing to me.   Having such wonderful friends is proof of Jesus's love for me! I am so proud of each of them. We are all learning how to listen to God better. We are all learning what it means to be interrupted by Him. We are all learning what it means to love others because of Him. What a glorious blessing it is to go through this season of life together. 

PS: as much as I absolutely LOVE traveling, I also love getting to come home to this: 

He can (kinda) say my name now! He calls me "Aneeeece"