9/30/2013

The last week here in Granada has been a rollercoaster. Our group has had its highs and lows. But what’s important is that we are all growing; academically and spiritually.

This past Saturday we were blessed with a day trip to the beautiful city of Seville. Unfortunately, Carol, our fearless leader, and Amanda were not able to go on the trip with us, as Amanda was hospitalized for appendicitis. Carol has been with her every moment at the hospital and helping to translate the completely Spanish speaking environment. The other 19 students on the trip have been visiting her in waves to help her through this difficult time. Hopefully the laughter and smiles will help her recover faster. Doctors are working on getting Mandy up on her feet and project her return possibly tomorrow! We all wish that she would make it through her recovery swiftly and painlessly. All of us are glad that she is doing alright, and we ask for prayers from those back home who wish Amanda a smooth recovery.

Our visit to Seville went without a hitch. We got to see many fascinating places, such as the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, the royal palace, the gardens, and the Plaza España. Many pictures were taken and the rain cleared up just in time for the start of our trip. It turned out to be quite a beautiful day.

We are wrapping up our month-long intensive Spanish class here at the University of Granada. We all seemed to have made it through our final exams and are awaiting scores. Wednesday we start our second round of Spanish classes but only for two weeks. We will also be working on our Spanish Culture and Civilization class presentations this week.

We hope life back in the States is as exciting as it is here, and we look forward to the next two weeks here in Spain. Morocco is coming fast, and the adventures have just begun.

-Joshua Sauder & Amanda Vega