Malaga, Ner-JA, Gibraltar, Irish Annie's

Where to begin? It has been awhile since I blogged about current life since the previous posts were all about my Europe trip. Yesterday I just returned from Spain for our midyear CRU conference, where all the STINTers and International Campus staff that are long term meet in Nerja, Spain to get refreshed and just get “coached”. I traveled last Thursday with the rest of the Berlin STINT team to Malaga, Spain a couple days early because of flight scheduling. There were about 14 of us that went, so it was quite the large group for traveling. We stayed at a hostel in Malaga for two nights and did some different tourist things on Friday. We went and say the Roman Theatre and the castle there, which were both really cool. Malaga is right on the Mediterranean Sea and it was an incredible view. It was interesting traveling with such a large group because I am not use to being around so many people. I do many things alone in life, so waiting for a large group to make decisions definitely was a patience tester at times. There were tons of cute shops and coffee shops that we went to in Malaga and just relaxed. I hurt my knee in soccer training last Tuesday and the team physio said I strained my LCL, so I was supposed to take it easy, which is hard to do when you are walking everywhere. I think one of the BEST parts of Malaga was that there was Taco Bell, so we ate there twice. It was SOOOO good. One of the girls that we were with shrieked so loud when she saw it because it is her favorite. They even had a one Euro menu. Boom baby!

It was so hard to remember to not speak in German. I kept saying Danke or responding with German numbers. Then I would said the wrong Spanish words because all I really know is "Como tse de tse?" or whatever that is, but then I realized that just means, "how do you say?" So it didn't help me much. Pretty much every waiter or waitress looked at me as if I was crazy.

Flat Stanley and I in Malaga

Steffi at TBell!

On Saturday, we had to meet at the Malaga airport to get bussed to Nerja (pronounced with a silent “j” even though I liked to call it NER-JA) for the conference. When we arrived at the airport it was super overwhelming, and seriously it was a few too many Americans at one time. I mean when you haven’t spent time with a lot of Americans and then you are thrown into a room with 150 of them, it is a bit much. It was weird being around only English. We loaded up on the busses though and 90 minutes later arrived in Nerja. After registration, we went to our rooms and if only you could have seen the sight from the balcony of our hotel. It was breathtaking. I got to room with my college teammate who does ministry in Paris, so that was so MUCH fun. Someone that really knows you and just being able to talk about life and not have to give all the background details.

The view from our Hotel balcony (and Flat Stanley)

The whole week was just so refreshing, but at the same time hard because the Lord really revealed a lot to me (which will be in my next blog post). I met so many cool people that are serving all over Europe and even in the Middle East. It was neat seeing how many people are experiencing the same things in a sense and just being able to relate to them. One highlight was the English worship music. I guess the little things in life. My coach (the person that comes from the states and spends time with you to see how you are doing, etc.) brought me Oreos and Reese’s. Boo yah! It is funny how much we all just crave the same things. There were only 4 AIA STINTers there so at times the lessons didn’t relate to us because we aren’t on a campus launching a movement or anything. It is funny how many people don’t even know that AIA exists or exactly what we do. The rules are different for us and I guess a lot more flexible because there are less of us, so it was humorous having people be like, “So, wait you do what? You play soccer in Germany? and you have been there since March?” The typical STINT year is Sept to June and then you go home to raise support in the summer for your second year if you want to come back. After two years you have to decide if you want to join staff.

All of us at Irish Annie's

Every night after our evening session, we would go to this pub called Irish Annie’s. I think our CRU conference is what keeps them in business for the rest of the year. Not really, but maybe. Anyways, we would just all hang out, drink beer (or Sangria because we were in Spain) and talk. Or play categories. I think that is what I love about Europe and serving overseas is that drinking a beer or two isn’t a big deal. Whereas most likely when you put 200 CRU people in the states together, they wouldn’t sit around a drink beer together over good conversation. The context of drinking and being a Christian is just so culturally different I guess.

One night we were hanging out at the hotel and we heard Spanish music so we went to check it out and it was this dance party. I think the style of dance is called Flamenco, pretty much you twist your wrists and wiggle your hips. Both of I clearly suck at. I walked in and all of a sudden these people put a cowboy hat on me, a lei, and a boa, and a hula skirt. It was like "Hawaiian Gone Western" and these old Spanish men would come up and dance with us. It was hilarious and seriously one of the weirdest things I have ever participated in, but it was hilarious and fun.

"Hawaiian Gone Western" dance night

I went swimming in the Mediterranean Sea one day. It was FREEZING, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. Seriously after all the oceans or seas I have swum in you would think I would learn to close my mouth when diving in, but clearly I haven’t learned. I always end up getting a mouthful of salt water. Gross. We had to wear our onesies at the conference since it was a CRU event. I always laugh to myself because many Europeans probably know we are Americans by the fact that we are wearing one pieces since lots of people hang out nude on the beach.  One day we could choose between going to Gibraltar and Sevilla. I decided to go to Gibraltar because I wanted monkeys to climb on me. J Plus people spoke English and from the Rock you could see Africa, Spain and be in the United Kingdom. I finally got a monkey to jump on my head. It kind of pulled my hair, but it was worth it. This kid Sage I met, he got bit because he was trying to high five the monkey and then the monkey decided he didn’t want to high five anymore. Haha. It was definitely refreshing being able to use sarcasm for the week though and just joke around.

The Rock at Gibraltar (and Flat Stanley)

Monkey on my head.

The lessons and talks were really good. I will blog later and write more about what I learned and what God has been teaching me. He definitely rocked my world in certain aspects and put things in perspective. I came back feeling somewhat refreshed even though I didn’t get much sleep there, but refreshed with knowing this is where the Lord wants me and He is using me to further His Kingdom. But more to come next time.