A recent blog entry from a beginner student on Semester in Spain who is studying Theology at Trinity Christian College.

So classes started, and for the first few weeks we had a whopping two students in the class, including me. This actually has proved to be a valuable experience, and I can already tell I’m learning a lot more than I would in a bigger class. Recently we received a third student, and this has completely changed the class dynamic. Not really. It’s still a tiny class, and it’s still awesome.

We went on our first school excursion to Cordoba (mentally insert the accent somewhere in there), which was a blast, and made for some awesome photo opportunities which I might post sometime if I feel like it. Maybe. This city is undoubtedly the oldest city I’ve been to (although chances are that will change over the next semester), and it was amazing to see so much history in one place. Like that mosque-cathedral-mosque that’s right on the river, or the ancient (1st century AD) Roman bridge that’s just chilling right across from it. Seriously, this place is old. We toured around, ate some bocadillos (sandwiches our senora made us), took pictures, went to a meuseum featuring the torture instruments of the Spanish Inquisition (I do not neet to return there any time soon), took more pictures, and headed back for a wonderful 2 hour siesta followed by some more evening activities back in good ol’Sevilla. Which, at this point, has weirdly started to feel a bit like home. Woah.

… Otherwise, things here have been pretty great. I’ve been told my language skills are improving rapidly, and I really like being able to understand more and more of what people are saying, especially my professor, and I think by the end of the semester I might even be a decent speaker, which makes me really excited. I think I sometimes weird people out by how excited I get, but whatever.

I’ve been going to a local Spanish church, and even though the services are all 2 hours long, all in Spanish, I still really enjoy them and have been learning a lot. Side note (and maybe I should have expected this considering how much more common alcohol seems to be here, but still); when the communion elements were being passed around, not for one second did I consider, “Hey, maybe this isn’t grape juice, you know, since they drink at any given time in the day and whatnot.” Nope. So I threw back the little cup of [fermented] grape juice. It was quite strong. I do not think I did a very good job of hiding my surprise from the deacon, who gave me a very interesting look as my esophagus tried to recover from this unexpected burning sensation.

Besides 2 hour Spanish sermons and surprisingly strong communion wine, I’ve also begun a new Sunday tradition of going to a local cafe (Las Palomas) and getting something called a “triangulo de chocolate” which is what it sounds like. A chocolate triangle. And it’s absolutely delicious. My new tradition, however, has less to do with these tasty pastries (ooh that rhymed!) and more to do with spending time with friends and relaxing before the start of a new week.

So that (more of less) brings me to today, and I have to say, after a full month of being in Spain I am really looking forward to the next two months and all the amazing things I will see and do and the even more amazing things God will do in and through me here. this has already been an eye-opening experience that has revealed in part the vastness and creativity of His creation, and I can’t wait to see more of His world. This experience thus far has proven to me that serving God wherever He takes me is the best thing I could do, and I look forward to serving here in Spain and back home and wherever else the Lord brings me!

… Hakuna matata
No pasa nada
Peace.