Full Throttle

Buenos Días,
Like the title says, my life is pedal to the medal - full throttle!  Classes started about three weeks ago and are now going strong.  I am taking a full load of political science and international studies courses that keep me challenged and busy.  On top of that, I am meeting two to three times a week with different native Spanish speakers in order to keep up with the language!  And most importantly, there is Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ).

I felt a little out of the loop the first week since I was not there the week prior during Welcome Week for planning etc.  (I was spending some much needed time with my family!)  Anyways, now I am in full swing.  I am helping lead a freshman Bible study on Tuesday evenings, which is great!  We have had great turnouts the past two weeks and I am very encouraged by the women I have met.  I am so excited to get to know them and live life with them!  Wednesday evenings before our big group meeting I am in an upperclassman Bible study, which is very beneficial.  It is nice to be able to get together with women that I love and respect and be able to talk about how things are going and get into the Word.  As for our big meetings, what a turnout we have had!!  The first week we had over 70 people come!  Less than two years ago, we barely had 20 people each meeting.  We have almost doubled each year!  Needless to say, there have been and are so many things to praise God about!

On the downside, not everything has been a smooth ride, specifically for me personally.  Since I went (almost) directly from Spain to Ocean City Summer Project, I really didn't have time to process and experience "culture shock."  Thus, I am experiencing it now and double-time - Spain and Summer Project.  It is hard to really articulate what I am feeling but it is like a sense of homelessness.  In Spain, I easily became part of the culture, the life, everything.  It was so natural for me and even my host family commented on my "morphing" ability.  Haha.  The only way to describe it was like falling in love - not only with my host family and other Spaniards, not only with the beauty of the country but with the language, the food, the culture - the life.  Spain and this summer really showed me what happiness is to me.  Happiness is simplicity, to say the least.  It is a small apartment in Alicante, Spain.  It is a life centered around Christ.  It is living with just enough and treasuring the small moments and the people in your life.  For me, it isn't about a big house, a fancy car, a high profile career or even the material things I can buy with all the money I am supposed to be working towards in order to legitimize my life.  With that said, it is difficult to be back in school, competing with my classmates for a job and thus, the lifestyle, that I no longer desire.  

After re-reading that paragraph, I realized how depressing I may sound!  That is not my intentions, but I don't dare delete it because it is what is on my heart and it is important for me to share how much the Lord (and the experiences He has blessed me with) has transformed my life.  And now the Lord is teaching me to have patience and peace with where I am at in life.  I know and trust that this will be an amazing and fruitful semester/year.  

Besos,

Sarah

PS I am hoping that people are still reading my blog... occasionally?  I feel like I am writing to cyber space hoping that someone is reading it!  Haha :)