My Last First Day of School

Today was my first day of classes, and oh what a glorious day it was!! I have two classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: Business Communication and American Literature.  The former is going to be so practical for me as I am job-searching/applying to graduate school, and the latter will allow me to not only explore an area of literature with which I'm not familiar, but a ton of my friends are in this class with me!  My Business Comm. professor even gave me a hug this morning and says she is looking forward to working with me.  I love it when people are unexpectedly kind!!

Then I got home and went on a walk/run around campus, starting up my exercise routine so that I can become even healthier.  What I love about this plan is that with every run I can just continue to soak up the beauty of my campus while I can!

Here's to a happy, healthy, and productive semester!

And yes...I do have a neon yellow lunchbox.  :)

My Second Home

Hello everyone!

I am back to blogging after a much needed month home in my hometown.  With the GRE under my belt, I am now back at the University of Dayton for my Senior year!!

Oh, to be back at UD!  This university has been such a miracle in my life.  I have the most amazing support system in my friends, and the Campus Ministry just can't be beat.

This was the view from my dorm room window freshman year.  Now, I'm a senior with my very own house! I get to live right across from my church and hear the bells ring every hour.  Telling time by the bells...it's exactly what I did in Oxford via Magdalen Tower.  Hearing those bells is becoming a little daily miracle for me because the sound is so soothing and can not only bring back beautiful memories of England, but can also become a wonderful part of my memories of Dayton. :)

Today I was able to visit my very best friends (besides the ones I live with) and chat for hours.  I love the porch life at UD.  Everyone is outside, listening to music and enjoying each other's company.  It's the miracle of community here that I absolutely love!

So now that I am starting a new year, my goal is to blog every two to three days about the little miracles that I find in my last year of university.  May this year be filled with joy and love. <3

Home

Home is where the heart is.

So incredibly cliche, but for me right now, it is so incredibly true.

My journey home felt like an odyssey of sorts.  Let me explain why.  I had a smooth flight from Madrid to Newark, NJ - we landed early and customs was a breeze.  My luggage even got there safely - first miracle of the day!  I transferred terminals just fine and got through security without a problem.  Then came the hurdles.  My flight back home got cancelled which threw me into momentary panic as I have never in my life had a flight cancelled.  Thankfully, with my father's lessons in sweet-talking and my naturally sweet demeanor (hehe), I was able to be put on a flight home scheduled two hours later, and put into first class for no extra charge!  That was definitely a "Thank you God" moment, the second little miracle of the day. 

But then, of course, that flight got delayed an additional 6 hours.  What was I supposed to do with myself for 6 hours?  How was I supposed to stay AWAKE?!  Well, since 25 other flights were cancelled that day, I decided to interact with my fellow travelers and hear their stories.  One of the most fascinating experiences a human being could ever have, besides feeling like a minority, is to become fully aware of the fact that everyone, every one of the over 6 billion people in this world, has a story.  The airport is the perfect place to discover a mulitude of stories.  I met a family from Knoxville, TN flying home after they went on a relaxing European vacation.  I met a lady from Oxford, OH who has a farm and we exchanged tomato sauce recipes and learned a thing or two from each other.  I met a girl from Northern Ohio about to start her 5th year of college with a fiance and is as busy as ever, but she helped me stay awake in those late hours right before my flight took off (at 12:30 am)!! 

One of my favorites to meet was a worker at the newstand who saw me come through three times as my flight status kept changing.  She put on a blank face with everyone else, but for some reason her face would light up as I came to buy my snack, then my magazine, and then some further hydration as my flight got further delayed.  I think it was because I actually looked her in the eye and talked to her.  She had the most beautiful laugh.  I wish people would stop more and talk to the people helping them out, you know?  That laugh, as well as the kindess in those people I met, were the most lovely miracles in my day.  They helped me through my anxiousness and allowed me to stay awake through it all.  I got home at 2am EST to tired but very happy parents all the same. 

Now I'm home and absolutely relishing in some much-needed me-time.  This is the beginning of harvest time for my family's garden, so the taste of home-grown vegetables is simply divine for me.  Yes, I am about to embark on further responsibilities such as my thesis, taking the GRE and further researching grad schools, but for now spending time with my family is all I really need.

5 Lessons I Learned in Spain

Well, it's about time I updated this blog!! My apologies for being so out of touch - work and the Spanish lifestyle have certainly kept me busy!!

I finished my last day of work today, and I was pleasantly surprised by the editorial staff when they brought us each a free Spanish dictionary from the company and made us delicious brownies.  I felt the love and appreciation today.  That makes me so happy and joyful in my heart, to know that I have done good work for them and that they appreciate it.  I think that being appreciated by someone is one of those little daily miracles that can sometimes be overlooked.  Tell someone you love that you appreciate them - it will be such a miracle in their day!

Spain has taught me so much.  I have gone through many struggles here, but I firmly believe that the lessons I have learned and the successes I have experienced make up for it all.

So. Five lessons. Here we go...

1. There is always going to be someone who is better than you.  Embrace the beauty of who you are.
-- We all compare ourselves to others far too much.  When we meet someone who seems to be smarter, prettier, more accomplished or making more of an impression, it is hard not to completely focus on all our faults, all at once.  This tendency to compare myself to others has been a constant struggle, but now after being here and experiencing this internship, I see that it does not do to think in such a negative manner.  For the reality is that no one can achieve pure perfection.  It's just not possible.  Instead, we should all focus on the beauty that lies within our souls.  Each and every one of us has a story, something that makes us special and unique unlike anyone else on this Earth.  Embrace that beauty!

2. Cherish moments with family.
-- I think the long Spanish dinners and the board games with my host family truly made me see the importance of this lesson.  Americans are too antsy.  We rush through our dinners and plan everything to a T.  Spaniards spend 2 hours eating dinner and having meaningful conversation.  They relish in good food and take the time to play board games with one another.  I have missed my family terribly while I have been gone, and now I know I will cherish every dinner, every board game, every movie marathon...everything. Even more.

3. Being spontaneous is okay.  Sometimes taking risks and not having any plans turns out for the best.
-- My life has been extremely spontaneous here.  Anyone who tried to plan a Skype date with me knows this.  What a difference from my typical "plan everything to a T" routine.  Some of the most fruitful experiences came from making a decision right on the spot.  We would walk into the most fantastic restaurant, or we would wake up one morning and say "Let's go into Madrid" and have the best time.  Obviously, there are some things in life you must plan.  However, I urge you all to try being spontaneous one day if, like me, you like to plan everything all the time.  It takes you out of your comfort zone in the best way possible.

4. Being the minority in any situation is tough.
-- Honestly, this was the first time in my whole life where I have felt like a minority.  Americans living in the parts of Spain I lived were extremely sparse.  I was judged for my American accent when speaking Spanish.  I received strange glances many, many times that really shook my confidence sometimes.  I kept trying though, working through the cultural differences and doing my best to adapt.  I now have increased empathy for international students, immigrants, refugees, any foreigner really.  I know exactly how it feels now, and I want to bestow the kindness and understanding upon them that I wished I received more of here.

5. Globalization is very real.
-- I learn about globalization in university.  All the philosophical theories behind it and the predictions about its effects have been ingrained in my brain, but I have never really seen it come to fruition until now.  What struck me most about Spain was that all the music on the radio is in English.  Yes, I'm serious!  So the Spanish population that doesn't know English therefore does not understand the lyrics of the music they listen to on the radio!  They focus on the beat instead.  Crazy, isn't it?  But this trend also shows me that there is more opportunity for bilingualism here - there is so much more exposure to English here than we have in Spanish for example in the US.

Most of all, I have realized the importance of love while in Spain.  I did not receive a hug for a month and a half, so when I got my first hug from my host family's baby girl, I seriously felt like it was a God-given miracle!!  Among the wonderful publishing experience and beautiful Spanish food, I have developed even more empathy and love for others.  Mission accomplished, I'd say. :)

Happy Days in Aranjuez

Hello beautiful people!
I have extremely busy ever since my most recent move to Aranjuez!  I am now living with an American who works in the company and her family.  What a beautiful family she has - three sons and a precious baby girl.  All of them speak just enough English to be able to practice with us, and we get to have wonderful Spanish practice.  Her husband also cooks the most miraculous dinners - the freshest gazpacho, the most succulent chorizo, the meats are to die for, and we have the freshest fruit for dessert every night.  The family also blesses the table and gives thanks to God before every meal which is so comforting!  On Tuesday I got to go to her sons' music concert that was the most precious thing I have ever seen.  Imagine an elementary school auditorium filled with about 30 children dressed as pirates and the stage decorated like a pirate ship.  Then imagine a play all about a pirate expedition in Spanish complete with songs from the piano, guitar, and a rock band.  It lasted 2 and a half hours, but I loved every minute of it! The rock band even sang songs in English which was SO fascinating.  I'll have more comments about the presence of globalization here soon!

Aranjuez is the safest city in Spain, did you know that?? It is a medium sized city outside of Madrid and it's in the valley so guess what...it's GREEN!!! Yes, lots of trees and grassy parks.  This weekend Kaitlyn and I are going to explore the Royal Palace and its gorgeous gardens.  Oh yes, Aranjuez has a Royal Palace, AND you can see the palace from the house.  The house I am staying in is at the top of the hill so I can see the entire city and the mountains.  I also still get to be with golden retrievers - two of them actually! Luna is 9 years old and Osita is 3 years old.  Osita means "teddy bear" in English!

My job is starting to get really interesting!! I am doing research for the company about their competition in digital innovation, and I also got to translate bible stories from an entire textbook for 4th level Primary and simplify the English.  So, I basically got to do the initial writing of the text - so cool!! I am also translating interactive activities online for secondary level textbooks.  My thesis research is going swimmingly - such a miracle that I got to come here and have so many wonderful, enriching interviews.

Oh! I have to tell you all about a miracle that happened yesterday.  The lady we are living with had to go to a conference for the day yesterday and said she would pick us up around 5pm.  Well 6:30pm rolled around and we still hadn't heard from her, so we decided that we needed to take public transport home.  We walked outside and right as we got to the driveway, she pulled up!! That saved us about 2 hours of time on public transport home.  Miracle?? You better believe it!!

To close out my blog post, I would like to mention the miracle of Spain's VICTORY yesterday!! I love watching the EuroCup here!! Pictures of Aranjuez to come soon as well as my musings on the cultural aspects of Spain!!

Days that Renew your Faith

This post is going to be short and sweet (what?! short and sweet from Kristina?! yes, yes it happens from time to time...)

Today I had a beautiful day, a day that I truly needed after a very, very long week.  I don't wish to elaborate on why this week has been terribly long, but I do long to tell you about why today was especially miraculous!

I have been struggling to see the improvement in my Spanish here, but today I got the opportunity to have an interview completely and successfully conducted in Spanish.  Then at lunch today I saw a woman sitting alone and decided to sit with her.  She ended up being one of the friendliest, most heart-warming women I have ever met, and we spoke in Spanish the entire time - 45 minutes straight!  The Spanish seemed to flow so naturally for the first time.  I knew that there was this barrier between me and the Spanish language that I needed to cross.  A barrier that, once crossed, would allow me to more fully understand the language.  Today I feel like I'm finally beginning to cross that barrier.  Oh joy!

I am moving to Aranjuez this Sunday to live with an American lady I work with and her family for the next three weeks.  I am very much looking forward to seeing the city - it has a Royal Palace and everything!

Here's to sunshine, renewed hope, and little daily miracles. <3

I love the color green.

I never really realized how much I loved the color green until now.  I have gone a full month without seeing green grass, so when I had the chance to travel to Asturias, a northern region of Spain, I just knew I was in for a treat.  Northern Spain is full of green mountains and grassy parks, and I was truly in heaven as my bare feet touched the blades of grass.  This feeling is one of my childhood, running around barefoot in my backyard and smelling that sweet scent of freshly cut grass.

Kaitlyn and I traveled to Oviedo where a professor of mine lives during the summer, and this city was filled with gorgeous European architecture and churches dating back to the 9th century.  Each building was different with every shape and color imaginable lining the streets.

Just a little glimpse at what these streets look like!

We met my professor in one of the town squares and she took us on a tour of the town.  One of my absolute favorite sites in Oviedo was the cathedral.  It looked just like the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin in Oxford only about five times bigger! Let me show you what I mean:

This is the cathedral in Oviedo... 

...and this is St. Mary's in Oxford

Interesting resemblance I think! This cathedral inside was just spectacular with the most beautiful golden and porcelain alter.  We went to a mass here on Sunday morning, my first Spanish mass in Spain, and the songs moved me to tears.  So beautiful!  

After our tour we got to experience some major food culture!  Asturias is famous for their cider, made of green apples and extremely tart yet refreshing.  The bartender takes the cup in his right hand and puts it down by his knee and then takes the bottle with his left hand and reaches to the sky in order to pour the drink from above.  What seems to be theatrics is actually a necessary pouring technique in order for the cider to properly oxidize!  We then met my professor's family and had a typical Spanish lunch that lasted about three hours and we had chorizo soaked in cider, roasted peppers fried and salted, fried garlic chicken, and an entire platter of Asturian pastries! 

With happy tummies, my professor's family drove us to the top of the mountains, what I had been waiting for, and my heart began to sing.

"What are men compared to rocks and mountains?" my favorite author muses in Pride and Prejudice.  Even though I went to the Peak District in England, this is the highest I have ever stood on land, and the breathtaking glory of God's creation stood before me in all its splendor.  I look so small in that photo with the statue of Christ, and finally I feel the deep truth of Austen's words.  What a miracle to behold such beauty!

I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of my time in Oviedo and Gijon (a beach town just 30 minutes away), but alas I had to go back to Madrid and to my job.  This is okay though because I have a new and exciting project!  My thesis is researching how publishing companies are handling the move from producing print to digital texts, and so I started to research the competition of the company I am working for.  When the Global New Media Manager heard I was doing this, she requested that I make an actual document of all my findings so that she can use them to develop the company's digital strategy!! It is so thrilling to think that I will help the company make that move to digital texts in some way.  And my research is utterly fascinating - I am looking at six different companies and seeing how they are digitally innovative.  I have had 4 interviews so far and will have another four interviews this week!

I have a little less than four more weeks here.  I love what I have learned so far and appreciate the struggles that have made me stronger and even more empathetic.  Seeing the silver lining in absolutely everything is the only way to live in my opinion, and I will keep on seeing the beauty in everything I encounter throughout the rest of my stay here.  

Then, it will be time to go home, my beautiful home, where, I now realize, my heart truly resides. <3