Last night I had the privilege of filming the student's first reactions to the beautiful scenery that is Girona. After they toured the city at night for a bit, we headed to 10:30 dinner at a local restaurant. Dinner consisted (for me, anyway) of pesto pasta, which was amazing (I know, I say everything I eat is amazing, but it's true, it is), the same Beef I had for lunch, and a "praline" pudding for dessert. I can't describe that at all. Obviously it was amazing, but it had flavors that have never graced my pallet before, so I really don't have words to describe it.
This morning we awoke and filmed the students on a walking tour of the Girona Cathedral and some Spanish Baths. I'm very glad I'm not here as a student because I found it impossible to listen to the tour guide when we were inside the cathedral. The enormity and magnificence of the cathedral was just too much to take in. Unfortunately, photography and videogrfaphy were not allowed, but trust me when I say it was breathtaking. Though this blog probably proves otherwise, I'm not easily "awestruck." I was inside this cathedral. Vaulted ceilings pointing to heaven with no ornate detail overlooked. The idea that people could build a building of this magnitude in the 14th century baffles me. After the Cathedral tour it was off to a Spanish Bath. The guide talked of how the ancient people were able to control the river flowing through to bring both hot and cold water to different baths, but once again, I didn't pay attention. I was able to film it and it was too much to take in at once. You really realize how young and insignificant (in terms of world history) America really is. Yes, we're a powerful nation, but we have NOTHING in the way of history compared to these European nations.
I am truely blessed to have this experience and while I'm kicking myself for not studying abroad as a student, I think the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of this trip are far more appreciated now that I'm a little older than they would have been when I was a student. The world is much bigger than I thought, and I've only visited 2 countries outside of my own on this trip. Every time i see a local. Climb the steps of a cathedral, eat a new dish, enjoy the beautiful scenery offset by mountains on the horizon, it just keeps driving home one point over and over. God is truly amazing.
Now, as I'm writing this blog and contemplating where to eat lunch, I'm sitting on the steps of the Girona Cathedral, listening to a local instrumentalist playing some sort of hand-hit steel drum (tell me that's not better than sitting in an office somewhere!). I'll make sure to include it as the soundtrack in one of the videos I hope to post today because it sounds really cool. Sort of Jamaican/middle eastern/aAfrican.
I had my "babel" moment today. It usually happens at least once on a trip where I'm around another language. My last one was with a Japanese ACU student in Chicago where she was speaking Japanese and I could understand it fine, and tell others in the group what she was saying, though I couldn't speak it back. Today, right after I closed my computer to return to the hotel, the hand-drum player I spoke of earlier, in my blog, came and sat down by me when he was taking a break from playing. I asked him what the instrument was called and where it's origin is, etc and before long we had a nice conversation. His name is Omar, he's 30 years old and originally from brazil. He bought the drum in Switzerland for 2000€. He said it's a fair price because it takes 2 artisans 2 years to make it. I told him that there were 32 US students from a Christian university studying in England and that they're in Spain for 2 weeks on a trip. He said he's going to the US in August to try to make money playing his drum there. I asked him if he like Brazil or Spain better and he said both for different reasons. Spain is very calm and tranquil, while Brazil is very loud and filled with music and energy. After that I told him I played the cello and he got very excited because usually when he's playing in Spain, its' with a cellist friend of his. Hopefully I'll see the two of them after the trip. When we parted ways, Omar remarked on how good my Spanish was for being an American. It hit me then I didn't notice whether I was speaking English or Spanish that entire conversation. I just communicated. Kinda creepy. Kinda cool. God is amazing.
Here's that video I promised earlier. I really like it, so I hope you do too!
This morning we awoke and filmed the students on a walking tour of the Girona Cathedral and some Spanish Baths. I'm very glad I'm not here as a student because I found it impossible to listen to the tour guide when we were inside the cathedral. The enormity and magnificence of the cathedral was just too much to take in. Unfortunately, photography and videogrfaphy were not allowed, but trust me when I say it was breathtaking. Though this blog probably proves otherwise, I'm not easily "awestruck." I was inside this cathedral. Vaulted ceilings pointing to heaven with no ornate detail overlooked. The idea that people could build a building of this magnitude in the 14th century baffles me. After the Cathedral tour it was off to a Spanish Bath. The guide talked of how the ancient people were able to control the river flowing through to bring both hot and cold water to different baths, but once again, I didn't pay attention. I was able to film it and it was too much to take in at once. You really realize how young and insignificant (in terms of world history) America really is. Yes, we're a powerful nation, but we have NOTHING in the way of history compared to these European nations.
I am truely blessed to have this experience and while I'm kicking myself for not studying abroad as a student, I think the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of this trip are far more appreciated now that I'm a little older than they would have been when I was a student. The world is much bigger than I thought, and I've only visited 2 countries outside of my own on this trip. Every time i see a local. Climb the steps of a cathedral, eat a new dish, enjoy the beautiful scenery offset by mountains on the horizon, it just keeps driving home one point over and over. God is truly amazing.
Now, as I'm writing this blog and contemplating where to eat lunch, I'm sitting on the steps of the Girona Cathedral, listening to a local instrumentalist playing some sort of hand-hit steel drum (tell me that's not better than sitting in an office somewhere!). I'll make sure to include it as the soundtrack in one of the videos I hope to post today because it sounds really cool. Sort of Jamaican/middle eastern/aAfrican.
I had my "babel" moment today. It usually happens at least once on a trip where I'm around another language. My last one was with a Japanese ACU student in Chicago where she was speaking Japanese and I could understand it fine, and tell others in the group what she was saying, though I couldn't speak it back. Today, right after I closed my computer to return to the hotel, the hand-drum player I spoke of earlier, in my blog, came and sat down by me when he was taking a break from playing. I asked him what the instrument was called and where it's origin is, etc and before long we had a nice conversation. His name is Omar, he's 30 years old and originally from brazil. He bought the drum in Switzerland for 2000€. He said it's a fair price because it takes 2 artisans 2 years to make it. I told him that there were 32 US students from a Christian university studying in England and that they're in Spain for 2 weeks on a trip. He said he's going to the US in August to try to make money playing his drum there. I asked him if he like Brazil or Spain better and he said both for different reasons. Spain is very calm and tranquil, while Brazil is very loud and filled with music and energy. After that I told him I played the cello and he got very excited because usually when he's playing in Spain, its' with a cellist friend of his. Hopefully I'll see the two of them after the trip. When we parted ways, Omar remarked on how good my Spanish was for being an American. It hit me then I didn't notice whether I was speaking English or Spanish that entire conversation. I just communicated. Kinda creepy. Kinda cool. God is amazing.
Here's that video I promised earlier. I really like it, so I hope you do too!
It's 7pm now. I decided to take the afternoon off while the students had some free time and get myself lost in Girona. Literally. I made every effort to not pay attention to where I walked and then I rambled around town looking through shops an stores as I made my way back towards the 2 cathedrals on the horizon. So I guess I wasn't too lost after all since my hotel is between 2 very prominent landmarks. The people here are surprisingly friendly, especially in some of the smaller shops only found in remote alleyways. Some of those people seem to barely speak Spanish and moreso Catalon, but all very obliging to answer questions as best they could. Smiles are traded in the street here sometimes. That's a nice change from my last visit to Europe when I went to France and everyone seemed annoyed with the word. While it was refreshing to see the occasional ACU face walking through the streets and markets, it was also nice to "blend in" (though I'm sure I stuck out like a sore thumb to locals). To be forgotten in the crowd. To not know anyone and not be known by anyone. It was a strange sort of loneliness, but a peaceful one I am not used to. Finally I had to make my way back to the hotel. I guess I haven't said on my blog yet, that I didn't bring tennis shoes. I brought Dr. Martins. Bad idea. The blisters on my feet and sore legs are a painful reminder to put more thought into packing!
Currently I'm back at the cathedral becuase the sun is beginning to set and I wanted to shoot a time lapse of the city in the horion. Hopefully it works. I set it to take 1 frame every 10 seconds (24 frames makes 1 second of actual video), so I'll be here awhile but hopefully it pays off. I'll make sure to get that clip uploaded tonight, though it will only be 10 or 20 seconds long.
Until later...
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