T minus 2 weeks. . .

My semester in Spain is quickly approaching the end. I can hardly believe it... this one has gone by faster than any semester of my life (and that is saying something). It feels like I have hardly done or learned anything because it has flown by, even though I know that is not true as I have experienced so many new things and learned so much about myself. There are many small things that I will miss: siesta time in the afternoons, my walk to school over the Guadalquivir River everyday, toasted bread with marmalade and black tea each morning, going out for tapas at 10 pm.... And there are also of course big things I will miss: the truly incredible friends I have made while here, my señora's kind hospitality, the opportunity to travel, the wonderful professors and administrators at school I have gotten to know... But at the same time, I am preparing myself to come home. I'm sure going back will be a bigger adjustment than I am expecting, but I am so looking forward to seeing friends and family back home, and getting back to the familiar culture and lifestyle that I know and love, and which I think I will be able to appreciate even more now. I am constantly thanking God for the ways He has blessed me and praising Him for His consistency and never-failing goodness... Even as I am leaving a new home to return to old familiar ones (both Kansas and Wheaton), He is and has been present in each of them always. I can trust Him as I leave this adventure and begin a new one. He is with me wherever I go (Joshua 1:9).

This last week since getting back from Switzerland has been very busy, but full of wonderful things. Kate and I spent all week planning and preparing for a surprise bridal shower for our two engaged friends here: Jana and Amber. We had the surprise Thursday after school in the library and they were both shocked. We had planned some fun games and made cookie cakes, etc. and it was fun to hang out with all the girls, including the staff, from the program. I am so excited for both these wonderful ladies as they get married in June and December, respectively, AND I will get to go to Jana's wedding in Iowa this summer which I am beyond excited about!

Kate and I baking the cookie cakes for the shower at one of the school administrator's houses!

Kate and I with the brides-to-be

The beautiful brides :)

Friday we had our final excursion with the school to Huelva, which is west of Sevilla. There we got to visit the monastery where Christopher Columbus spent time praying and waiting before his voyage to the Americas, and then we saw replicas of his boats very close to where they were constructed. It was a very cool field trip, which then ended with an afternoon at the beach outside Huelva! It was a wonderful day, and night as well back in Sevilla. Some of the girls and I went out for what is literally called a nacho mountain from one of the bars, then got ice cream, and had a movie night on my friends' apartment roof.

The monastery where Columbus lived

A contract signed by Columbus and Queen Isabel

On La Pinta

Beach day with school!

Out for ice cream 

Yesterday a few friends and I took another beach day to Matalascañas. It was a lovely, relaxing day and I am loving the opportunity to take day trips to the beach, which I have never had in my life! This morning I got up early to watch some friends run a 10k in the northern part of Sevilla. It was super fun to watch and support them (since I am not a runner myself) and to experience an event like that in Spain. This week will be my last normal week since our last one is full of final exams. I pray I will truly be able to take it in and begin to prepare my heart to say goodbye to this beautiful city!

Matalascañas 

Beach day with the ladies

Jana and I after her race

La Feria & Switzerland

Last week (April 16- 21) was the week of the biggest party in Andalucia: La Feria. We only had class on Monday and then a bunch of us went to explore the rows and rows of casetas (the fancy tents where people go by invitation during La Feria to eat and dance) as well as Calle Inferno, which had a bunch of carnival rides. At midnight they lit up the portada (front gate), which each year is dedicated to a different monument in Sevilla and this year it was the Plaza de España (my favorite). The fairgrounds are actually in my neighborhood so the next day it was easy for me to go for a little bit and then come home to eat meals and such in between. That day I bought a flower for my hair, we went into a caseta that my friend had been invited to, bought some typical Feria treats, and ended with a ferris wheel ride. It was a very cultural experience: all the women were wearing flamenco dresses, people were dancing and drinking in all the casetas, and it was super hot. I am definitely glad I got to experience it, but one day was enough for me. It was beautiful, colorful, incredibly crowded, and unlike anything I've ever seen.

Looking into a caseta

Jana and I right after the portada lit up

Kate and I in the colorful streets of the fairgrounds

Looking into a super nice caseta

Kelsey and I with flowers in our hair looking at the portada

Becca and I in Calle Inferno

View from the ferris wheel

On Wednesday, my roommate Becca and our friends Kate and Lauren and I took a train to Madrid and then a plane to Geneva, Switzerland! We were slightly worried about getting to our apartment upon arriving in Geneva, because we got in at 9:00 o'clock pm and weren't sure how exactly to get there. However, once we landed we asked someone, found free bus tickets in the airport, and took the bus right to the end of the street where we were staying (the bus driver told us where to get off and where to go). Then we met the nice young couple who owned the apartment and lived right next door who gave us sodas and tea, and then we found chocolate (along with other food) left in our fridge from the people who had stayed there before! It was a very warm welcome to a wonderful stay in Switzerland. The next day we knew was supposed to be our nicest weather-wise so we decided to go ahead and hike that day. We had asked the lady who owned our apartment where to go and she recommended Mount Saleve, which is actually across the border into France. We spent the day hiking up the steep trail with minimal water, but making it to the top was glorious! There was where we filled our water bottles and snacked on bread, jam, and the most amazing fiber cookies that became the staple of our trip. We took naps and had a dance party on top of the mountain before going back down. After getting back to our apartment, we took naps and then prepared to go out for our one meal out in Switzerland (which was not cheap) and made us decide to buy the food for the rest of our meals at the grocery store. Friday we spent the day in Geneva, and although rainy, we still had a great day. Lauren goes to Calvin College in Michigan and since John Calvin lived in Geneva, there is a Calvin College there as well! We explored that campus and then went to a park with giant chess boards and a Reformation Wall memorial, as well as to John Calvin's house. There are also many cute antique shops and neat buildings in the old town. The city is truly very beautiful and interesting and we had a great time exploring. That night we made spaghetti at our apartment and when I went over to chat with the lady about a day trip for the next day, I casually asked where we could rent a movie in English. She said she had tons, and then her husband hooked up his laptop to our t.v. and told us to watch whatever we wanted! We made popcorn and ate chocolate we had bought while watching a chick flick. It was such a blast after having been walking in the rain all day, and we hadn't had any sort of movie night like that all semester because in Spain we can't really go to each other's houses. Although so simple and something we do all the time in the States, it was a treat for us and we had an awesome time with our movie night. Saturday we got up and took the most beautiful train rides I have ever been on, first to the town of Montreaux, and then to Gruyeres. We only stayed in Montreaux for an hour just to see its beautiful lakeside view. It was incredible. Gruyeres is further up into the mountains: a tiny preserved medieval town, without cars and with a castle. We had a lot of fun there and it was absolutely gorgeous. Saturday night we made pizza and hung out, enjoying having our own apartment. Sunday we packed up all our stuff and walked around Geneva again, seeing the famous fountain without fog and rain this time, as we had on Friday. We also saw the famous flower clock and bought a couple small souvenirs before heading to the airport. It was a wonderful trip: super relaxing and beautiful, and just very fun. We didn't worry about school once and just enjoyed being in such a gorgeous and laid back country. I wasn't quite ready to leave Switzerland, as I did love it, and coming back to Sevilla meant the end of my big trips for the semester and the soon approaching final exams and leaving Europe. It will be great to see everyone and be back in the States, but it will also be hard to leave this place that has been my home for the last 4 months. As a ridiculously sentimental person, goodbyes are always hard for me. . . but hello again's are my favorite. Guess that means I will need to come back to Sevilla (and Switzerland) someday!

Crossing the Switzerland/France border

View as we were hiking

Made it to the top!

Lauren and I on top of Mt. Saleve with the Alps in the background

Awesome park in Geneva

The Calvinist with the Reformation Wall

Gorgeous train ride

Beautiful flowers in Montreaux

About to make the climb up to Gruyeres 

Gruyeres

The castle garden

Geneva

The one whom Jesus loves

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me." -Psalm 63:1-8

My roommate from Wheaton, Emily, knows so well how to encourage me, even from so far away. Before I came to Spain she gave me a special homemade envelope that has a Spain map on one side  and the same paper as from the lanterns that hung in our room last semester on the other. Inside the envelope are 17 letters: one to open for each Sunday from the time I left until the time I return home. Every letter has some sort of picture (whether of us, or of our old room, or a beautiful picture she the talented photographer has taken) as well as a Bible verse, artwork she has done, and a sweet note. I look forward so much to Sundays as they are very relaxing here in Spain and I usually am either traveling home to Sevilla or spending time "tranquilamente" with friends, and I get to open my letter from Emily! Psalm 63:1-8 were the verses awaiting me today, and are a wonderful reminder of why I am here and who I am. When my mom was in town, we were able to have some great conversations about the Gospels because she has been in a seminary class about them. We talked about how in the book of John, the writer for who it is named refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved instead of by his name John, not out of arrogance, but rather out of humility and as a result of finding his identity not in anything but in being one who Jesus loves. At Encuentro (our version of weekly chapel here) on Wednesday, we reflected on this same idea of having what defines us being one whom Jesus loves. My roommate here in Spain Becca and I talked about it afterwards: being here, we want to integrate into Spanish culture, and yet we are Americans, and when we return home we know there will be an adjustment getting back to the culture and missing things here. Yet we are not defined by being American or Spanish or anything else, but ones whom Jesus loves. Knowing that I have the steadfast unconditional love of my Creator and that His right hand is upholding me is all I need to be sustained and quenched and filled, wherever I am. Now that is reason to sing for joy!

This week, as one whom Jesus loves, I had the opportunity to experience many different Spanish things. Monday was our flamenco fiesta that we had been practicing for with all of our classes for two months. We stayed after school and had a picnic all together outside before putting on the dresses we had borrowed from school, doing our hair and makeup, and practicing a few last times. The performance was at Hospital de la Caridad, a home for elderly Spanish men. We walked over there in our flamenco dresses with flowers in our hair and were stopped by several people on the street to take pictures with them. We performed for the men at the hospital, as well as some people's señoras who had come (ours was sadly out of town) and some people who work at school. Although we still weren't great Sevillianas dancers, we had a blast and had definitely improved since the beginning! It was just wonderful to had participated in something so important in the Spanish culture and to be with good friends doing it.

Kelsey doing my makeup 

Jana and I after being all made up 

Jenna was my awesome dance partner! 

Random people on the street who wanted pictures with us

Becca and I after performing

The rest of the week consisted of tests and presentations (we have all of our tests at once so those weeks get crazy). To celebrate the end of exams until finals, five friends and I took an early morning train on Saturday to Cadiz just for the day. We walked around the town a little bit, and then spent 5 hours at the beach! The weather was absolutely perfect-- not a cloud was in the sky. I got to once again read Les Miserables (I hadn't had much time to read for fun since holy week in France!) and also just relax, collect seashells, and chat with some wonderful girls I have become close with over the last three months. It was an awesome day!

Cadiz Central Square

Lots of fresh fish in the market... 

Beautiful town

Beach with Becca, Kate, Jana, Amber and Emma!

Chocolate on the beach...A necessity

Our finished smoothies after a great day at the beach

This morning, Amber, Jana, Emma and I went to a showcase at the bullring. There were some Spanish dancers and beautiful horse-drawn carriages with people from all different places. It was very interesting and a great cultural experience! I am trying to take in everything as I know these last few weeks are going to fly by. It has gotten super hot here, and tomorrow starts Feria: the biggest party in Andalucia! I am looking forward to enjoying a couple days of that and then heading off to Switzerland on Wednesday. Thank you Lord for all the blessings of this semester, and keep reminding me of who I am and who my identity is in!

Spanish dancers

The showcase

Me, Jana and Amber outside the bullring

Semana Santa

I am officially at less than a month before I head back to the States. The feelings I am experiencing are very mixed: I will be very excited to see my family and friends and to return to familiarity and "real life", but on the other hand I know I will dearly miss España. I think this bittersweet mix of feelings is the best way I could ever ask to feel-- excited to return to a home and to people I love, but also leaving a piece of my heart in a place I will have spent 4 months of my life. I want to try to slow down and soak in this last month in this beautiful place. The last few weeks have been anything but slow, but they have been wonderful. After our weekend trip to Ronda and Malaga, I returned to Sevilla and had school everyday, but could barely concentrate in most classes for excitement of the arrival of my parents at the end of the week! Monday my roommate Becca and I got to go watch our Señora's granddaughter dance (she is 12, does all different types of dance, and is very talented), and then that night we had a girls' night with her which consisted of watching a movie in Spanish and eating palomitas de colores (colorful popcorn). It was so much fun to spend time with her and experience more of the culture we have been integrated into!

Dancing traditional Spanish dance

We had so much fun playing big sisters!

Girls' night!

A few days and tests later, Friday had finally arrived! The next week I had off of school because of Holy Week, so Mom and Dad came to visit to take me to France (pretty sweet deal!). After school, I went to the train station and took a train to Madrid where my parents had gotten in the day before. That night we went out for tapas and then to the oldest place in the city for chocolate and churros (and it was their first time!). The next morning we took a train to Barcelona. After checking into our hotel and settling in a bit, we walked along the famous "Las Ramblas" road, passed the famous Christopher Columbus monument, and arrived at the Mediterranean! On the way back we went into the cathedral, which was beautiful, and then stopped in the famous market to get some fresh snacks. We were all pretty exhausted so we took advantage of the Spanish tradition of siesta. From my trip to Barcelona a few years ago, I remembered an incredible view of the city from atop a hill so I talked to the concierge and figured out where to go. My parents and I climbed up by the old fort to see the amazing view, and afterwards went to the "Magic Fountain" where there are light shows every Saturday night. We ate dinner in the arena near there with another gorgeous view of the city. We were going to be returning to Barcelona later in the week, so we said a temporary goodbye before renting a car and leaving for France the next morning.

On the roof of the cathedral in Barcelona

Mom and Dad with Barcelona in the background

The Magic Fountain

We arrived at our hotel in Avignon in the evening on Sunday. It was a little rainy, so we went to dinner close by at an incredible restaurant. We immediately knew we were going to like the food of Provence. Our hotel was tiny (11 rooms) and owned by an adorable French couple. The woman helped us decide what to do each day we were there, and we decided for Monday to go East of Avignon. Our first stop was Saint Remy, the town where Van Gogh lived the last year of his life. We went to his home, Saint-Paul asylum (originally a monastery), and saw the gardens, olive groves and vineyards around there. It was really amazing to see where the inspiration for about 150 of his paintings came from. After Saint Remy we went to another nearby town, Les Beaux. This town was upon a hill and had a medieval fort that we went up to. The views were absolutely breathtaking--from the top we could see the lovely French countryside and tons of vineyards. After spending a few hours up there touring the fort, we went down to a special exhibit in a cave. They had created an incredible ambience in the caves as a tribute to French artists. They projected works from the artists all around the walls and floors of the caves. The pictures moved and transitioned in a very neat way, and there was very fitting classical music that filled the space as well. We had fun putting our shadows into the paintings and dancing all around. . . Being the McSparrans that we are. :)

Saint-Paul

Garden of Saint-Paul

Van Gogh's Room

Les Beaux fort

Looking down at Les Beaux from the fort above

Dancing in the caves

View from Les Beaux

The next day we went South of Avignon, to five different towns! They were all beautiful and neat. L'isle de la Sorgue had all kinds of cool paddle wheels, and is also famous for antique shops so of course Mom and I hit those up. Fontaine de Vacluse was for sure one of my favorites: it was up in the  mountains and had gorgeous blue water rushing out of a spring there. We then stopped for lunch in Rouselloine which had yellow-orange-pink cliffs and buildings that were so interesting and beautiful in the sunlight. Gorges was next which was a very quaint little town where we did some more shopping, and then from there we went to the Abbey of Senanque: an incredible abbey in a valley of lavendar fields. All in all it was truly amazing, especially since we didn't think we could have lived up to the day before. For dinner that night we returned to the same adorable cafe we had gone to the night before, which serves tartines (pieces of toasted bread with various yummy things on top). It was very typical French cafe feel and we loved going both Monday and Tuesday night.

Fontaine 

At the bottom of the spring

Cliffs of Rouselloine

Abbaye de Senanque

 The next day we stayed in Avignon and had fun exploring our own little town. It is where the papacy was in the 14th century, so we spent the morning touring the magnificent papal palace there. In the afternoon, we went over to the small town across the bridge, Villeneuve d'Avignon, which was the cutest town. The abbey there is called Saint André and it had the most gorgeous gardens. We then went to the monastery there, Chartreuse, which was also beautiful. None of us could get over the number of gorgeous places we had seen in a short amount of time. We had the best time in Provence!

On the roof of the papal palace

Inside the magnificent chapel

Gardens at Saint André

Chartreuse

The next day was once again rainy (only on our travel days- we were blessed!) and we drove West of Avignon, made a pitstop at the ancient Roman bridge in Pont-du-Gard, and then at the charming town of Uzes for a crepe lunch. We then arrived at our last stop in France, Collioure, which is right on the coast on the border between France and Spain. It's a small beach town, and it is so charming and absolutely gorgeous. We really enjoyed walking around the town and having seafood for dinner there. The next morning we drove along the coast, made a quick pitstop at the France-Spain border for a photo op, then continued onto Barcelona again! We absolutely loved France and had the best time. I was very into the spirit between playing accordion music from my iPod in the car, wearing my yellow maxi dress to be like Belle, and reading Les Miserables.

Pont-du-Gard

Collioure

Looking for seashells

Once we arrived in Barcelona, we went to Parque Güell, the famous park designed by Antonio Gaudi. I love this park and loved that we were able to spend a while just walking around it. Thankfully it was wonderful weather and we had an awesome time. Next we went to the Sagrada Familia, the masterpiece in progress also designed by Gaudi, which I had been outside of before but never inside. It was absolutely breathtaking- one of my favorite cathedrals I have ever been to. We returned to Las Ramblas for a nice dinner (although we did miss French food) and then back to our hotel.

Spain-France border

Park Güell

La Sagrada Familia

The next day (Saturday) we returned by trains to Sevilla! I was so excited to show my parents around the city I've gotten to live in these past few months. They toured the cathedral and explored a bit while I was at school everyday and Wednesday they took a day trip to Ronda. Monday evening they came to watch my flamenco class practice, then they got to have dinner at my house with my host parents. Translating for my chatting señora was super fun, and they loved getting to meet her. They also took my friends out for meals various times, including my intercambio who got to practice her English with them! Tuesday was my most free day, so we went to the famous Alcazar palace, toured the bull ring, got ice cream, and went to my favorite spot in Sevilla, Plaza de España. They loved tapas and it was fun getting to try all kinds of new tapas places with them. I took them to watch flamenco at a bar one night, and to get Arabic tea another! It was so fun to get to show them where I have been and all my favorite places. We had an absolute blast. On Friday we took Josiah, my friend from Wheaton, and left by car for Granada for one last fun adventure together!

On top of the setas!

Outside the Alcazar 

In the Alcazar

The gorgeous Alcazar gardens

In the bull ring

Plaza de España

We arrived in Granada Friday night and went out to dinner and explored a bit, but it was rainy (again, travel day!) Saturday it was great weather. We first went to the amazing cathedral there, and saw the graves of Ferdinand and Isabel! Next we made the climb up to the Alhambra, which was of course incredible. We had gotten tickets ahead of time and spent a few hours in its stunning interior and gardens. I had studied it in art class so getting to be there was wonderful. After a great afternoon, the boys went back to their hostel and apartment to rest, so Mom and I got to shop! We had an awesome time looking in all the cool Arabic shops and made a few solid purchases. That night we had dinner up in St. Nicholas' square with a view of the Alhambra, thanks to my uncle's recommendation. It was absolutely lovely. The next day we walked around the Albaicin, the famous gypsy neighborhood in Granada. There were awesome views from up there as well and we just took it all in. Finally, we drove back to Sevilla and I enjoyed one last evening with my parents which consisted of Plaza de España and tapas. It was so awesome to have them here and we had a wonderful time all together. I am so thankful for all the blessings these last few weeks have reminded me of: my opportunity to be in Europe, to have such awesome parents, to love my school so much that I miss it dearly while away, and the countless many other things. While my parents were here, I accepted an internship with World Relief in Wheaton for this summer. I was so grateful that they were here during that decision process so I could talk through it all with them. I am so very excited and am overwhelmed with God's amazing faithfulness. He has proved to me over and over again that He knows better than me, and He has been continually teaching me (for years now) to trust Him more and more. 

Climbing up to the Alhambra

Alhambra

Patio of the Lions

Granada; family

View from St. Nicholas

In my last month, I have three more trips planned and no more tests until finals (took care of a few more this week). I hope to really take in my time and be very open to what God is teaching me here. I will definitely be ready when the time comes to return, but I am so thankful for this opportunity to not only see a new part of the world, but to experience a new culture, learn a ton, and make some awesome new friends. Psalm 107:1 "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."