A few weeks ago another exchange student from the U.S. arrived in Dénia. Her name is Emma, and we immediately got along from the first moment that we met on a lunch date. Since then we've spent time together at the beach, walking through the city, hiking through mountains, and freaking out because the strong taste of olive oil almost ruined our brownie recipe. We've laughed to the point of tears over our awful spanish, and we've spoken honestly about our homesickness and personal lives to each other. They say, "Those who exchange together, stick together." and the familiar words certainly ring true in the friendship that Emma and I have so rapidly constructed.
Last Wednesday, all five of us RYE (Rotary Youth Exchange) students, in Dénia, went with two Rotarians to the city of Alicante to apply for extensions on our visa. After hours of filling out paper work and standing in line, we finally made our way into the office where officials were seated behind computers and examined our paperwork. Emma's papers were the only ones to be accepted, while the rest of us nervously listened to our Rotarians argue with the officials. None of us could keep up with the speed or volume at which these people spoke until we left the office and circumstances were explained. Our paperwork was not accepted. The woman in charge that day said, "These three- they go back to the United States!"...
We were left clueless for the next few days. On thursday, my host family brought me with them to Valencia to watch tennis at the Valencia Open 500. I was overjoyed to be out of school, but more importantly to be sitting to close to the court as David Ferrer (Ranked #5 in the world) crushed his opponent. My host parents paid for my entrance ticket, and I am further assured that there is nothing I can do to repay this family for the amount of kindness and generosity that they have shown me.
Friday meant back to school, but the short day quickly turned into the weekend. On Saturday morning I rode my bike to my little host sister's basketball game. Although this was easily a 3mile ride each way, and a very windy day, I knew I had to go. The previous night I had told Elena I would be there and I want to be the best big sister that I can be while I have this opportunity here... Now that I'm older, I also realize the kind of impact it had on me as a child when people did/didn't show up to things to support me. Something in my gut tells me that I will be at everyone of those basketball games for her this year- just waiting to see her eyes search for me in the balcony and breaking into a smile when she finds me watching...
On Saturday night Emma and I went to a youth group here in Dénia. It was not at all what we had expected though.
All of the kids were fifteen or younger and the activity for that night was a scavenger hunt through the city. After a while of running around Emma and I left the group to find something to eat and then met back up with everyone at the church at 7:30. The catholic mass was exactly how I remembered it- every blessing, prayer, and response that was given after the priest spoke. After nearly two months of being away from church and YoungLife back at home, I was anxious to find a church here. Instead of finding myself at peace or in any form of comfort, a battle raged within me throughout the entire mass.
I was raised in a Russian Orthodox church and then attended another Catholic church for many years after I moved to Pitman. During all that time though, I was so spiritually dead, and every Sunday morning was a fight for my mother to drag me to church. Even years later, after developing such a strong relationship with Christ and growing depths in my faith, I struggled to sit through that mass on Saturday and find God in the midst. "We all worship Him." I told myself. "No matter where I am in the world, He is still the same One."
With wide eyes I took in the ornate pantings, icons, and statues that are displayed throughout the small church. Lowering my eyes onto the congregation I saw infants, elderly, and everyone in between. "How many of them don't know you, Lord?" I asked with a heavy heart. "How many of them have yet to experience a relationship with their own creator?" I wondered to myself- remembering what it was like to feel so alone- and wanting so desperately for these people to know that they weren't. Later I was told "People don't read the Bible at home. We don't even read the bible at church!" Every cell of my body wanted to explode and cry "The Bible is our manual to LIFE!! It's the stories and teachings of The One who made you!!" My anger was not at all directed towards these people- but rather at this world. Only sadness could be felt for this person who spoke about the Bible as if it were an absurdity to own such a book in their home. It had been a long day though, and my emotions were running ramped.
That night, I slept over Emma's house, and in the morning her host parents took us to a trail where we hiked ten miles, in five hours, through the mountains. Emma's host mother had warned us that the temperature would be ten degrees colder on Sunday,but neither of us thought it important. That being said, we were seriously underdressed for the 40 some degree wind that chilled our bones on the top of the mountain. It hadn't occurred to Emma or I that a 10 degree CELSIUS change meant a nearly 20 degree Fahrenheit change. Our stupidity was severely punished that morning until we started moving and the sun found it's way to our chilled bodies. The hike was long and challenging at times. (side note: my camera broke again- 2nd time in one year. And it will take weeks for me to send it back to Canon for repair...) (Also, while trying to take a picture with a goat on the mountain, my hand fell onto a bush of thorns.. I still have 14 splinters in my hand that were too small to remove)
Emma snapped this shot just as the goat turned around and I retracted my left hand from the thorns. My smile was a pathetic attempt to hide the pain and I'm even more angry that the goat had to be so difficult! haha
Monday morning was another trip to Alicante where our applications for a visa extension were finally accepted. Apparently the woman that wanted to send us home on wednesday was new to the job- and clearly out of her mind if you ask me.
This blog is EXTREMELY long.. so I will post again later tonight with everything else that I wish to share. Thanks for reading!
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