Estoy Aqui!

I made it! I left Tuesday afternoon from Chicago, but my flight was an hour late. I was nervous that I was going to miss my flight in Miami, but I was safe because that flight was late as well. I was then getting nervous about missing my flight from Madrid to Bilbao, but I made it. Madrid airport was slightly stressful because it was big, in another language, and I had to ride trains to get to where I 'thought' I had to go. Luckily I did some good reasoning and arrived in Bilbao as scheduled. There was one slight problem... my two main suitcases with all of my clothes got lost. Hopefully those will arrive tomorrow. On the flight from Miami to Madrid, all of the flight attendants and people around me were speaking Spanish, and my first thought was, "What did I get myself into?!?" This has been a reoccurring thought. While I was waiting to board my flight to Bilbao, I was standing in line and handed the man my boarding pass. He was speaking Spanish to everyone in front of me, but then started speaking English to me... maybe I looked kind of out of place? haha

I met Ana, my host mom, outside at the airport, and it was nice to finally be somewhat "here" and not be on the move anymore. The family lives just about five or ten minutes from the airport. Their house is wonderful! It has a gate outside for anyone to enter or exit if that tells you anything about what it may be like. She gave me a quick tour of the home (the salon, the kid's play room, the bedrooms, the dining room, the upstairs, my room, and the kitchen). The house is big and nice. When we finally got to the kitchen, Ana had prepared food for me. It was jamon (ham- I didn't care for it too much but think I will have to get used to it), tortilla patata (eggs and potatoes), tomato salad, and arroz con leche (a sweet dessert of rice and milk). I wasn't very hungry, but felt that I needed to eat. They are such a hospitable family!

The room I am staying in is Gabi's old room. She has been sharing a room with Jon for the past few months, so it was sitting empty, but it is filled with High School Musical, Strawberry Shortcake, and Patito Feo (I'm guessing this is the Disney/Spanish version of Ugly Betty) posters and stickers. There is a double bed, dresser, and two wardrobes. There is even a tv/dvd in the room. There is also a desk in the room that overlooks their pool/garden area and the mountainside filled with homes. It is beautiful. I was so grateful because Ana had prepared the desk for me with some supplies. There are highlighters, pencils, notebooks, paperclips, and even a printer. I am truly blessed.

After eating I did a little unpacking of the few things I had, and then I took a short nap. When I woke up the kids were home from school. I was very nervous to go downstairs and meet them, but I said a quick prayer and went for it. They were all excited to meet me, and immediately the two littlest boys grabbed my hand and began showing me all of their things. I felt welcomed immediately. Guillermo will be celebrating his third birthday on Sunday. He seems to be quite a handful and threw a few tantrums today, but he is just adorable! Gonzalo is four, and cute as a button, too! He was constantly saying, "Miss Jessie, Miss Jessie, look, look." He showed me everything around his room. The two young boys don't speak English yet because they are still young in school and are just starting to learn it, and it is hard for me to understand their Spanish. Gabriella (Gabi) is in second grade, and she is your typical second grader. We have colored, looked at Hannah Montana and Patito Feo magazines, and just chatted a bit. Jon is nine and in fourth grade. He is adorable and fun to be around. Gabi, Jon, and I sat around the kitchen table for about an hour this afternoon and played hangman. Jon (the dad) came home from work later, and I was nervous about meeting him, but he is so nice. He pulled out his iPhone right away and showed me that he had been looking at Indianapolis weather earlier. He is very talkative and kind. He offered to make me dinner, so we got to chat over ham sandwiches, pistachios, and a chorizo (something made from the blood of a pig... not too sure about it but it didn't taste too bad).

After dinner, we went to the salon and chatted for a bit, watched some TV. It was weird to watch CSI Miami in Spain, in Spanish, but the mouths are speaking English. It was getting late, so we all decided to turn in, but then I got my computer set up and connected to wireless. I decided I would give an update and let you all know that I made it safely.

I would be lying if I said that I hadn't cried many times already. I think it is a combination of fears, nerves, uncertainty, and the newness of it all. This experience is totally out of my comfort zone. I can already tell it will be stretching. As the plane was taking off in Miami to go to Madrid, I said a prayer and asked God to be with me on this experience. God is going to be my only "familiar face" for the next two months, and I asked him to help me draw near to him through all of this. I am definitely going to need him. Then, on the train in the Madrid airport, I found a card that my dad wrote to me. The first thing I saw was, "Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 That just brought me to tears once again, but was a sure sign that God is with me, and will be with me through this entire experience. I am truly blessed.

At the airport... International!

My desk with all the supplies Ana prepared for me

The wardrobe Ana stocked for me, and my bed in the corner

The view outside my window as I sit at my desk