HosannaInTheHighest!

Forewarning: This is long due to my lack of blogging. Lo siento. 

Since it has been a while (my b) I'm going to give y'all some highlights of my past week and a half...


- 2 Saturdays ago, a group of us took the tram out to San Juan Beach which was about a 10 minute ride. I really really liked this beach because it was a lot bigger than Alicante’s, the water was waaayy cleaner {you could actually go swimming in it}, and it was a lot less crowded. We were there for most of the day and it was so great! :)


-Then on Sunday, Devin, Shensheen (Devin, Selin & Adriana’s Korean roommate!) and I went to the English speaking church. It's actually a branch off of the church we had gone to the past 2 weeks! I really liked it! There were probably less that 25 people there, so it kind of made it feel more like a bible study. The pastor is 83 and the cutest.thing.ever. I think the thing that I liked most about it was how nice everyone was! After the service was over, they had coffee and coffee cake for everyone and we were able to talk to some of the people there! They were so hospitable and I can't wait to go back! Success!! After church, Devin and I knocked out papers, presentations and more! Oh my! Way to be on top of things and oh so productive.


-Pre Thursday (the day when I was officially done with exams {praisethelord}) I prepared presentations (in total from being in Spain I have done 6 presentations and still have 1 to go. unheard of.) and studied for my exams! That night, once classes were done, a group of us went to this nice little Chinese restraunt for dinner (which was really good) and then Adriana and I went and got coffee and talked in the park for a while! It was the perfect way to celebrate the end of classes!!


-This past Saturday, Adriana, Devin and I went to this little island called Tabarca, off the coast of Alicante. You have to take a boat to get there (takes about an hour), and I have never felt that seasick. {I imagine thats how Joe feels like on a surfboard? haha} I was so thankful to get off! The island is pretty small, but so beautiful!! I felt like I was in a movie! (storyofmylife)

We were there all day, just walking around and exploring. Perfect day. I love exploring. So peaceful and nice. And then the boat ride back (which I was dreading), was FINE!! Thank you Jesus!! :) The day was finished off with Tarintino's pizza, which is ah-may-zing!


-On Sunday, Devin and I were going to go back to the english church, but instead, stayed in the city to see what the hype was all about (there was indeed hype going on). We checked out mass in a beautiful cathedral in the historic district and then a little later followed the music to find the first of many processions. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Semana Santa, or Holy Week, ending with Easter. Processions are held in the street which are usually at night, but begin in the morning of Palm Sunday. People are carrying statues, people with palms, there are mourning women, children handing out candy, klu klux klan outfits, floats with sculptures and models of biblical scenes, and music. It is said that on Easter the processions are very colorful and the church bells are constantly ringing (If you want to know more, google - Semana Santa in Spain). These processions are amazing. I was watching some tonight too. I love watching them! I have some videos which I will put up soon because pictures just don't do it justice. Until then::

-I've also started training for the tri!! Yay! I am now a member of a local pool (kind of like the YMCA) and have begun swimming! I'm biking on campus at the gym when I go for my one class a week (yes, please!) and running the days in between! I'm getting super excited!! Once I swim a few more times (/when the sea gets a little warmer) I'll start practicing in the sea because this race is in the open water. No pool. (Gulp.)




I'm probably forgetting things to tell all of you lovely people, but it is time for me to go to bed. I'll write more soon. I promise. Plus, I have a big trip coming up (I LEAVE EARLY FRIDAY MORNING!! YAY!), so there will be a lot to fill you in on :) ¡Buenas noches!

Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its decent,

the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise

over all the mighty works they had witnessed:

"Blessed is he who comes, 

the king in God's name!

All's well in heaven!

Glory in the high places!"

Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, 

"Teacher, get your disciples under control!"

But he said, 

"If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise."

-Luke19:37-40

{TheMessage}