the spanish fair and "tapa-ing"

So last week I was really sick. After we got back from Morocco I spent 4 days at home in bed from stomach issues. I went to the doctor and she told me it was probably from the food or water in Morocco. It's hard to be away from home when you're sick. But during this week I saw how much God has provided for me even down to the details. I was so well-taken care of this past week and saw (even more) how much of a gift this apartment and my roomates are (they are in the 2nd picture up from the bottom). It is like God opened up his hand and gave me something that he knew would fit me more than I anything I could've ever imagined or designed for myself! They cooked foods that their moms make for them when they are sick. They always came in and checked on me before they'd go to class and take my tempurature. haha I opened my mouth for the themometer and they put it under my armpit. I was like oh ok, or there. Jamie came over one day and brought me soup and 7up, which was so sweet! My sickness was awful but in it I saw God's gifts in even bigger ways...plus I spent a lot of time making flash cards to increase my spanish vocabulary!

Last saturday I got to experience a typical Spanish graduation! My roommate Flora invited me to come watch her graduate. It was really cool to be there and even kind of symbolic as it was this time last year I was walking across the stage and thinking "hmm I don't really have any plans for the rest of my life!... I wonder where I will go or what I will do?" and now living in the answer to those questions. Afterwards I went with her and her family to Loja (the home town of all my roommtes). I am learning that summer time here means fairs. I got to experience my first Spanish fair in Loja Sat night. It basically runs all day and all night. We went from about midnight to 6 am. The next day her family threw a huge party to celebrate her graduation, it was fun to meet her family... all 40 of them! My favorite part was when they gave her a small gift to open in front of everyone, it was a wallet with a key inside and as she was pulling out the key the garage door behind her was opening!! yes! she got a brand new car wrapped in a bow! It was such a happy moment and I was laughing so hard because EVERYONE was crying! haha. We ate literally from 2:30 til 6:30, a huge celebration. If there is anything Spaniards are awesome at, it is celebrating anything and everything!

"To tapa". Yesterday I learned that there is actually a verb for getting tapas: tapear. Tapas is when you order a drink and a small portion of food comes with it, sometimes you get a choice other time they just bring whatever. Yesterday afternoon I went to get tapas with my roommate and literally 20 of her friends. This group of friends has a hard time finding a place" to tapa" because they always are in a mass group. Anyways it was very fun, they even invited me to go to London with them this summer! Occasionally (when they don't "have shame" as the say) they will practice a little of their English with me. Of course I always say, "there is no way you can have 'shame' speaking with me, because look at my Spanish, I say things wrong all the time and don't have shame." And when they speak it, it is sooooooo cute! I just love foreign people! haha well I guess I am the foreign one :) But still I adore their effort and accent! (that is us tapa-ing in the 3rd picture down)

Last night I went to the fair in Granada and experienced my second Spanish fair! (the picture with all the lights) It was sooooo packed out, I was thinking, "every young person in Spain must be here right now." I could barely move in the crowds of people. There were so many tents just filled with people dancing in them. My favorite part was when I was dancing and looked to my left and saw my favorite teacher, Cristina! (she is in the bottom photo, in the front) At our school they switch out our teachers each week or two, but I had Cristina for 4 or 5 weeks straight and really enjoyed her teaching style. She is so fun and would always joke and laugh with us. Well now it has been 3 weeks since I have seen her (because she has been on vacation and I was in morocco and sick) and I just so happend to be dancing right next to her last night! In class I always talked about my roommates and at home I would tell my roommates about her! So they all got to meet eachother last night, that was a cool moment! Over all my fair experiences have been fun and way different than any fair I've been to in the US.