Some of you may have heard I'm going to Italy....

Fail. Yep, I set out for weekly blogging and have failed. Actually, it's just been over 2 weeks this time, but I will give no guarantees on when to expect the next one! I am leaving for Rome, Italy in just a few hours. I am afraid that when I get back, I'll forget all the cool stuff I did in the 2 weeks before I went to Rome. SO, I'm going to jot down a quick top 10 (off the top of my head, not necessarily the best!) and then finish packing for my trip! (Yes, I have mastered the art of procrastination.)

Let's start at....um...
1. Oranges are in full bloom over here. Which means, we are eating lots of oranges and mandarines picked straight from Gma and Gpa's garden. Yum!

2. It's getting a little bit colder over here. Not to the point of turning the heater on during the day. But, Grandpa is starting to use the fireplace and the heater in our house kicked in for the first time at 5:00 this morning.

3. Still meeting new friends and drinking plenty of wine and coffee :)

4. I made pumpkin pie. Not one, but 2!!! Yep. The first one was a square. The second was in a proper 28" aluminum pie pan. I figured the hardest thing to find for would be canned pumpkin, but it turns out people here don't make "american pies". (seriously no pun intended.?.)

5. I visited this adorable little coffee shop with a friend and it reminded me that when I grow up I want to have my own coffee shop. When I told my two most regular baristas my plan, they said they wanted to join me. So look out, America, as soon as I get my business plan figured out, Spanish coffee comin' your way! (they still need to speak English...)

6. I posted a picture of our "jamon" the other day. But, I went shopping with Inma the other day and encountered this rack of typical pig legs here. Very typical. Very tasty. But, not something I would have bought myself in America ;)

7. I gave you a preview with my last post..But, I celebrated 2 thanksgivings here last week. I really loved sharing traditional Thanksgiving day foods with my friends and they all were really excited to try everything.

8. I found the equivalent of Towne West Square here....not exactly the equivalent, but ya know. And, it could be a dangerous place for me. I may contribute more money to the Spanish economy than originally planned!

9. I booked a last minute trip to Italy which has turned out to be quite a pain. I had to purchase all 4 necessary flights separately and as luck would have it, I messed one of them up. I had to purchase a new flight and am hoping that RyanAir will give me a refund for the other (although I'm not expecting it, as I've heard they don't have the best customer service. I can't tell you all my plans yet, which may or may not mean that I don't have any. But, either way, I'm headed to ROME! And I KNOW I will love it!

10. In case you are wondering.....Hablo espanol ahora. Pero, lo hablo muy poco. Todo lo mundo aqui estan diciendo a mi, "Poco a poco..". Si hablas espanol, sabes he hecho muchos errors en este frase. Pero, lo he probado!

Congrats if you read this whole post....as it was quick and not too exciting. But, it's my life and I'm loving it right now! :)

Some may think history is boring....

Some of you may think history is boring. Make me read a chapter in a social studies book and I will likely fall asleep. But, I feel like I had a mini history lesson this past week and I will now argue that history is cool! I wanted to write everything I learned down so I could remember it all. But, after further evaluation, I've realized I don't have all my facts straight. Therefore, I do plan to purchase a history of Spain book in the near future. NEVER thought I would ever purchase a history book of my own accord! Why? you may ask....Well, I took a short (1 hour) road trip to Cartagena this past week with Inma, Jose, and Brother Gaspar. Cartagena is right on the south east coast of Spain and has tons of history. I hated history class when I was younger. Hate is a strong word....But, I'm a visual learner. You can try to teach me by talking, but I am much more intrigued when I can actually see something. I'm sure at some point in my schooling I learned about the history of the Romans and Cartagenesis and the beginning of the Spanish empire. (sounds exciting, right....) But, today it all came to life. And it really was exciting!

I also have a new found respect and love for tour guides. I have encountered several here. They are some of the most passionate people for history. I'm sure they're not paid a lot for what they do, but it's evident they love their jobs and their enthusiasm is contagious. And now, I'm eager to learn more Spanish history.

I wish I had researched Spain more before I came here. But, I honestly don't think I would have known where to start. In addition to wanting to learn history, I want to learn the Spanish language already. So, I'm torn between how to spend my time. Yes, I have all my mornings free and I don't technically have a job. But, you would be amazed at how fast time flies for me over here! My goals: enjoy coffee with friends often, learn Spanish and study Spanish history. (In that order)
Anyway, enough of that....

A short recap on my day in Cartagena:

Woke up with the children at 8am. Dropped kids off at school at 9 and picked up Hermano Gaspar. Drove in the rough and tough Land Rover "Defender" to the province of Cartagena. (someday I'll post a picture of the Land Rover...I feel like I'm riding in the back of a hummer off to war in this beast) We toured a castle called the Castle of the Conception and caught some pretty cool views of the city from the top of the it. Whilst doing this, we walked outside a lot and it rained the entire time. Rain with wind, I might add. It was impossible to stay dry. After my socks and shoes were soaked and my jeans wet a good 8 inches up, we headed to the Roman Theater in Cartagena. My first experience in Roman ruins and I thought this part was very interesting. Back in the day, the Romans lived in Spain. From what I understand, Spain was in fact more Roman than any province beyond the limits of Italy sometime around the 1st century. Some of the best specimens of Roman architecture and some of the finest Roman coins have been discovered in the cities of Spain. And I actually stood amongst some of these ruins!

After the theater, we found this little dive called La Catedral. We arrived around 1:30pm, early for comida around here, and the place was completely empty minus the staff. We enjoyed "picotear" which is when you order several "entrees" but just put them in the middle of the table and everyone shares. The food was amazing, the staff excellent (granted, we were the only customers), and everyone spoke a little English-which made me feel very welcome! If I had a car or didn't live an hour away, I would plan another trip to Cartagena just to visit this little restaurant. It's also a pub at night, and I'm thinking it would be a chill place to hang out. Maybe some day.....

Anyway, we left La Catedral with very full bellies and a slight buzz from finishing 2 bottles of wine! Straight back to Murcia, just in time to pick up the kids at 5:00 from school. Ran home, prepared a birthday piano/guitar duet with Jose for grandpa's birthday. And had American pizza for dinner with the family plus grandparents. All in all, a great day. Learned a lot. Enjoyed great company. Was one of those days that makes me really happy I'm here in Spain. Grateful for everything I'm experiencing :)

And...I am taking suggestions on good Spanish history books out there. Who else is a little nerdy at heart??

Now...prepare yourself.....PHOTOS! And LOTS of them!!!
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The downside of the day (as evidenced by this photo's quality)...Rain, rain, and rain. I'm sure this view of the port, sea, and mountains is more impressive on a sunny day.

The old bullring (Plaza de Toros) from atop the castle. It's currently under construction and clearly hasn't been used for a while.

The Roman theater. And in the left hand corner of this photo you can see the new Roman style theater in Cartagena.

Me. Very wet. Cold. But, proof I was there...in the OLD Roman theater!

Inma and I ready to go inside after a long, cold day!

Course #1: I ate this. Really. Fish eggs. Calimari? I actually liked it.

Course #2: Salad with a balsamic dressing...very tasty.

Somewhere around here I'm quite certain the wine got to me and I skipped a couple entrees. I remember they were very good. But, the names? Photos? Nada. Use your imagination...

Moving on..

Course #__: My favorite: "Secreto" Secret? Really? Yep, that's how it was listed in the menu. But, I still don't know what kind of meat it was.

Tiramisu for dessert..

And, of course, a coffee when we were all finished. This one might beat my previously mentioned favorite "Bombon"...This sweetie is named "Belmonte", likes alcohol and has a little sweetened condensed milk and coffee.

Again, explaining how to take a non-blurry photo on an iphone is just too difficult. But, this photo serves its purpose. Me, Hermano Gaspar, Jose, and Inma. My travel buddies for the day!

And a shot of one of the streets in Cartagena...Spain is cool.

Some may say that Spaniards drink too much coffee....

As I sat down for my 3rd coffee of the day a few days back, the thought crossed my mind that I am drinking too much coffee. In the United States, I was a registered Starbucks card holder. (don’t judge please) My point is that I thought I drank a lot of coffee back home. I had a Starbuck’s in the same hospital I worked in. I worked with people who made sure there was always a fresh pot of coffee available in the break room. I had weekly coffee dates scheduled with Jena and Erin on Tuesdays and Laura on Sunday afternoons. And I won’t drone on about all my other coffee sources. My point: I think coffee is great. Great for the feeling of energy I get from it and also for the fact that it is always a great reason to get together with friends.

In Kansas, if I took 3 coffee breaks...like sit down with friends in a coffee shop 3 separate times throughout the day....well, I wouldn’t do that. Coffees in Kansas (at a coffee shop) are going to cost you a minimum of $2 just for a coffee. My drink of choice in KS was usually a latte. A shot of espresso and like 6 oz. of milk. Or maybe a few shots of espresso and 10 or so oz. of milk. Regardless, there was quite a difference in the proportion of milk to coffee, ahem, espresso. I generally paid a little over $3 for my cherished latte. But, on most days, I just had a cup of coffee. Always a little artificial flavored cream and usually a little sugar. Free for me straight from the breakroom at work. I’d get my fix in the morning and usually (unless I got really bored) didn’t drink any more coffee throughout the day. (unless I had a coffee date planned;))

In Spain, Madre mia! If I have to wake up before 8am, you can be assured I will make my own coffee here at the house. Most every Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I meet with a friend for a morning coffee around 10am. After lunch, I will often take a coffee with Inma and her friends. Sometimes, I’ll drink a coffee at the house and then I will get an invite for a coffee with someone. I know I don’t need the extra caffeine, but I can’t pass up the company. And I’ve got to learn this language somehow! So, in recap, my normal coffee hours: 10am and 3pm and whenever I get an invite in between. I know it doesn’t sound like much, but on those days when I take 3 or 4 coffee breaks, I worry that I’m drinking too much coffee!

Oh and the coffee over here....the important part. In America, espresso is strong. But, your normal coffee is a couple scoops of coffee grinds place in a filter. Hot water leisurely soaks through the grinds to make what most Spaniards would consider a weak cup o joe! Here, their everyday coffee, to me, is more like espresso. Coffee grinds packed into a metal filter with tiny pin holes in the bottom for the coffee to soak through. The water is then forced through the grinds to make a very small but powerful cup of coffee. Some people drink this stuff plain. I can. But, I prefer a little milk and a little sugar. Or my new found favorite, a Bombon! Coffee and a shot of sweetened condensed milk. (this will not be a regular choice for me, but YUM!) In comparison, the coffee here is much stronger but the size of the coffee is significantly smaller. Oh, and the price! 1 euro...equivalent of $1.30 more or less. They think it's incredible that we will easily spend $3 on a latte in the states. Oh and you don’t see people walking down the street with their TO-GO coffee around here. You sit down, drink your coffee, and go.

The dangerous, but oh so delicious, "Bombon"! (that's a little sugar packet on the side....i think you're crazy if you add that to this concoction!) Isn't is pretty?

This all leads to my biggest fear (in the coffee realm of things).....will I become addicted to coffee in the short time I am here in Spain?! I know many many people deal with this addiction daily and it is very manageable. But, I think that an addiction would totally take the fun out of coffee! It’s fun when it’s optional. Make it necessary and it’s not fun anymore. I feel like drinking coffee is like a part of the culture over here. Plus, look at all these fun coffee date photos I have! And these are just from this past week! I wanted you to see that I really am making friends over her. I really am taking a lot of coffee breaks. And, minus the healthy fish and fruit and daily walking.....I’m still the same ;)

Coffee with Brittany (From Indiana), Inma and one of their classmates:

My friend, Anna! She studied English in England for a while but doesn't have many friends to practice with here. So, she and I meet weekly for "Intercambio". And she lets me hang out with her Spanish friends on the weekends for more practice for me :)

Coffee after Sunday Mass with Lourdes. She introduced me to Donas Kaffe. It is the Spanish copy of Dunkin' Donuts. Like I needed to find the donut shop in Spain!

Inma, Pilar, y Ana. I will be spending one Thanksgiving dinner with Pilar and Ana and their family. They are some of the sweetest people I have met over here. But, that's really not fair because I have met a lot of amazing people! (forgive the photo quality-it is difficult for me to explain how to take a photo with an iphone in spanish :-/ )

In other news....
1. I went to Beauty and the Beast in Spanish this week. I love musicals!
2. I caught my first bug this week and ended up losing my voice this weekend. And I had to miss the “American” Halloween party here. I hate getting sick.
3. I made my first glass of fresh squeezed orange juice from the oranges from grandma and grandpa’s garden and it made me very happy.
4. I went to a basketball game today. Real Madrid vs. Murcia.....professional teams. It felt much like a college basketball game. A lot of people, but much less than you would see at an NBA game. Fun fact: I met Joe Ragland (the former WSU player)....he’s playing for Murcia’s team. Maybe he and I can take a coffee? ;) (For the record, meeting him after his game was not my idea, and I was totally embarrassed. But, the kids were so excited for me that I had to play along!)

5. I have been invited to 2 different Thanksgiving Day dinners! I want to make pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Now, to look like I know what I’m doing....Mom!! Can you fly over for a few days?!
6. My Spanish....November 5 is 2 months here. I’m understanding more and more. But, I have so much to learn. And I feel like an idiot when I speak. I have a whole new respect for people who learn a second language. It’s not easy!
7. Grandma and Grandpa closed their pool in La Huerta this week. I’ve got to hang around till April I think to see it re-opened.
8. I retired my Chaco’s this week. (If you know what these are, you know me well) I am quite sure I was the only person sporting them in Spain for the past 2 months. But, the people here are now only sporting boots, and the Chaco’s just stuck out a little too much. I will miss them.
9. I found out my baby brother is moving to San Diego this week. I don’t know why or for how long. But, I am a little jealous...maybe I’ll move there next!
10. Cousin Shea, I stole this idea from you but don’t know if I can continue it....10 things a week. It was pretty tough there around number 7!

And in conclusion, I still think Spaniards drink too much coffee!

Some may say I'm crazy....

Some may say I'm crazy, and for now, I will not claim that to be totally false or true. But, I will say, on a good day, it would only be a short trip there!

For nearly 2 months, I have been living the life of an au pair in Murcia, Spain. I feel like I have eased into my new life without problems. Every once in a while I sit down and remember where I am. Spain?! When and how did I decide to move here?

It was just over a year ago that I began looking into different Spanish courses offered in Wichita, KS. I knew I wanted to learn the language but didn't know where to start. I decided in September of 2011 that the easiest and quickest way to learn Spanish would be to immerse myself in the language. Great idea, eh? Great idea minus the fact that I have a mortgage payment due monthly and it's not likely that work will keep my position open for me upon my return to KS. So, selling my house, quitting my job and moving to Mexico or Spain is the best plan I've got. But, the 'crazy' part of this idea freaked me out a little and I didn't do any further research on my decision, until...May 31, 2012.

A Facebook status by my friend Kat tells me of an opportunity to move to Spain. I didn't hesitate for even a minute to message Kat that this opportunity had my name all over it! In April, I had put my home on the market. I had been in desperate need of a change and I was waiting for a contract on my house and a job offer somewhere other than Kansas. I had been praying that I would be easily led down the right path. Looking back, I don't think my answer could have been any more clear. May 31st: message on Facebook. June 1st: contract on my house!

Every part of the moving/selling process went almost too smoothly (except for the fact that moving is a major pain!). On July 16, I moved out of my KS home. Shortly thereafter, I gave my 2 weeks notice at my job, and on August 3rd, I went to work as a nurse for the last time until only God knows when :) I enjoyed the month of August so much. I didn't have to do anything. I spent a lot of time hanging out with family and friends. (seemed like I never had time before) I boarded my plane for Spain on a Tuesday morning (September 5). My goal: learn Spanish. My return date: 100% undetermined. They always say to dream big. I did, but never in my wildest dreams thought I'd actually be here in Spain, living my dream! I don't take a single day for granted.

Cathedral square in downtown Murcia:

Yes, there is much fruit in Spain! These here are "higos"-one of my favorites!

It's common for families here to have a home in the city and one on the beach. Murcia gets very hot in the summer, and families frequently live in their beach house for the entire summer. I arrived in September, but have still been able to enjoy much fun in the sun! This beach is Mazarron (the view is from the top of the local church)