Hola me llamo Cate la GENIAL

      Well, today marks the one week mark! Wow time has FLOWN by! In case you were wondering what estoy genial means, it happens to be my new favorite saying... My name is Cate the GREAT! lol When people ask what I can say in spanish its usually the first thing I say haha. Well, when I got into Barcelona I had to catch a flight into Valladolid... MOST DISCOURAGING PART OF THE TRIP EVER. Imagine this... every things is written in spanish, everyone ONLY speaks spanish, and I found out all to soon that other countries are not the biggest fans of Americans. I almost gave up and found the letters USA and got on that flight. But then I Skyped a friend and he gave me some encouraging words and I went on the search again for my flight. I figured out that I was in the right terminal (C) but there were over 80 gates and my flight left in 40 minutes. So, I closed my eyes, said a little prayer and started walking. The NEXT exit I looked up and saw VALLADOLID..... THANK THE LORD! I sat down and did a little happy dance on the inside. As the planes were arriving I was thinking to myself, shesh these planes seem small..... haha much to my surprise there were REALLY small. Not only did you have to walk to the plane like from the run way and climb up the stairs but there was one flight attendant who also served as the co-pilot and the pilot. There was one seat on one side and two on the other and 13 people on my flight. Good new, I got a row (two seat side) to myself.

     Once I got into the Valladolid airport it really sunk in that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing or how to even ask someone else what I'm doing. (PS they hand delivered my bags because the only bags on the plane were mine and one other persons) I had all my baggage and really needed to use the restroom. I asked a couple to watch my stuff while I was gone... and by asked I mean point to my eyes, point to my luggage, and point to them and said please. Then when I came out the women asked "where you from" (thank goodness they can speak english). We talked a little in my BROKEN spanish and their broken english. There was no place to convert money so they gave me money for the bus, took the bus with me, showed me where to get off, invited me to their house in Barcelona some weekend of my choice, told me I could stay there for the weekend and they would cook for me, AND gave me more money in euros just in case I had an emergency..... can you say G.O.D.! He was really watching over me that day. Once I got to my stop my mentor/angle (Maria) meet up with me. She showed me to my flat and then around the city to get a few things done. I got a few things to eat and got a phone and thats all I could really handle. I was so sleepy, a little homesick, and in disbelief that I was in a foreign country.

      Once Maria took me back to my flat it all hit me. I don't speak spanish, I don't know anyone, it's hot and in Spain they don't have AC (WHAT!?!?!?!??! I miss that more then ranch.....bold statement I know), I wont see any family or friends for a year, AND I DONT SPEAK SPANISH. I then made the stupid decision to re-read my letter my mom wrote me, DUMB. I was so upset and got on my computer to get on facebook and talk to anyone that was on that was from America (at this time is was around 7pm Spain time). I woke up at 3am with the computer on my lap and my hands on my key board. I was STARVING, sweating, and had to use the restroom. I got up to try and open my window and couldn't figure it out, for about 15 minutes I tried. After I failed miserable, I was even hotter. After that I went to the kitchen to eat something, anything... I found my bread peanut butter and jelly... perfect, reminds me of home! I took out my bread put on the peanut butter and the.....I couldn't stinking open the jelly. I tried for what seemed like an hour. I was sweating crying and shaking the jelly. I then remembered that my mom sometimes hits the lid to open it but I didn't want to wake my roommates so I went outside my apartment (4th floor) to try to hit it on something. I decided the railing would be best. After like 3 hits I still couldn't get it and by this time I was ready to swim home. So I took one more try and started BEATING it on the railing.... and what do you know my lid came off and the neighbor came out! The spanish women started YELLING at me in spanish (I'm sure I can guess what about) and I kept saying I'm sorry I don't speak spanish. Finally, defeated, I just turned around and shut the door. Next I ate my well worked for peanut butter and JELLY but I still had to use the restroom. *****before reading this part scroll down and look at the bathroom picture***** So I stumbled my way into the bathroom. In our bathroom there is a little toilet that girls used to clean themselves with in the old days (no idea what its called and its way super AWKWARD). Well I didn't know it was there and I couldn't find the light switch so i just walked in. Well... I RAMED my shins into the "whatever that thing in called" fell over and YELLED "THAT STUPID BABY BATH I HATE SPAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" and then just started laughing on the floor. Needless to say it was the worst/most ridiculous day of my life!

     Since then there have been some ups and downs but DEFIANTLY more ups then downs. I have meet some incredible people here and have made some great friends. Maria my mentor has helped me out so much and has been there for me every day! She is now one of my very good friends. My roommate Barbara who is from Belgium is great. She is so nice and very helpful in teaching me spanish. She and her friend from home, Liesbeth, are probably my closest friends here. We have such a great time together and love to go explore the city/ get completely lost! My other really good friend is Jess. She is from England and in a few of my classes. She's great! My classes are ok, I mean what do you expect they are classes in spanish. I sit there and smile and think about anything, then when we get out I ask someone who can speak english if we did anything important. I now know what it must be like for all the Oriental students at UCO, diff-i-cult!!!! But other then that I'm loving it! Its beautiful here! Everything is so old and rich with history. On orientation day we had a morning full of spanish speakers which was AWESOME (heavy sarcasm) especially since  had NO idea what any of them were saying! Then in the afternoon we went to a welcoming party for all the exchange students with more spanish speakers, wonderful, and then, of course (again sarcasm), the Valladolid University choir came and sang three songs for us. The first song was great and the last song was beautiful but the one in the middle.... lets just say a lot of students, myself included, had to hold back the laughter. When we got home that evening we did a remake of the song included bellow. (cant get it to work... I will try later. Its worth the wait... super funny)

     The city is so much fun to explore and I always seem to see something new (usually because i get lost somewhere different every time but... o well). Like today I was walking and this old man was like oooo muy guapa muy guapa.... and I just pretended like I knew what he was saying and said oo si si (Like every other minute of my time here) and then he just laughed a little. Well a few seconds later after he past my friend looked at me and said, "you know he just said ooo very pretty you are very pretty".... Nope suuuuure didn't. haha Learning spanish is tough but I'm so excited I'm here and can already see an improvement. A few days ago I ordered my own water and food and then at orientation I understood my first whole sentence. Small accomplishments but huge for me! I also meet a girl here and had an amazing talk about religion and what she believed and really felt like I was able to plant a seed :)! There are so many new experiences and adventurers that are already making my time here unforgettable! I miss you all very much and cant wait to hear from you soon! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

                                      

First Day!!!

   Well, today was the start of my journey to Spain! Whew, I'm already exhausted. I packed last night until 3am and it was still a disaster at baggage check. If you know me you know how I pack (HUGE overpacker) I packed an extra bag inside of one of my bags just in case. Well good thing I did that because ONE of my bags was 88lbs. Mind you, the limit is 50lbs and the wont even accept it if its over 70. My other back was 65 :0 So, because I NEEDED all my stuff I was trying to get both my bags at 70lbs and bellow. I don't know if you can do the math, but at 7 this morning I couldn't and i didn't realize until all my belongings were unpacked all around me in about a 7 foot radius that it was impossible to get the bags to both be under 70lbs. I then used my extra bag I packed, thank goodness, and took some weight out. Lots of money and 1 break down later I got all my bags checked. After my bags were checked I had to do the part I was dreading... saying goodbye to my parents. It wasn't to bad, actually kinda funny towards the end. I had told my parents that I was going to say goodbye and then I needed them to leave and not watch me go through security because it was just to hard for me. Well I'm getting in line for security after saying goodbye and watching my parents leave in opposite directions and who do I see hiding around the corner, MY MOM! I started dying laughing because she ducked back real quick when we made eye contact. She then came up and gave me another hug and shook her butt for the whole airport (inside joke). My mom was pretty upset but you couldn't tell from the night before. Last night I got out my flip camera and asked her to say good bye to me and I would record it and well I put the video on here so you can see why we were crying last night but not because we were sad but because of laughter. After I got through security everything went smoothly. I got on my flight and made friends with the guy next to me, Jose, who gave me some great places to go in Spain and all over Europe! We are, of course, now friends on facebook! I am now in the JFK airport in New York waiting on my flight to Spain. Keep me in your prayers and I cant wait to hear from all of you!
PS. if you have skype add me catelittle12

Summer 11'

Hey everyone! 

    Well this is my first post so bear with me :) I created this blog to have a way to share my future travel experiences with my family and friends without spending 400 dollars on a phone call! haha But first, let me tell you a little about the past 3 months. This summer was AMAZING! My mom took me on a month long trip to Australia for my graduation present and it was literally the trip of a life time... INCREDIBLE! We swam in the Great Barrier Reef, climbed the Sydney Harbor Bridge, held a Koala, hung out with the Aboriginals, and so much more! When I got back I went on a trip with my nanny family for 2 weeks to Rehoboth Beach Delaware. It was such a fun trip and I am going to miss those kids so much this next year. Once I got back from that trip I then unpacked just to repack that same week to go to Kanakuk for 1 month. This month at Kanakuk was the most heart and life changing year of my 11 years there. Jesus taught me so much and I am so thankful for the people who were/are involved Christian walk. This summer has been a whirlwind of adventures, new experiences, and growth. Defiantly one of the best summers of my life. I am now trying to get ready for my next adventure, SPAIN!!!!! In 3 days I will be getting on a plane to Spain for the next year. I am going to be taking spanish classes at the University of Valladolid and traveling all over Europe! I am so excited to see what God has in store for me this year and what He is going to put in my path. I hope this blog will give you a way to keep in contact with me over the next year because I will miss you so much! I also hope this gives you the opportunity to share my experiences with me :) If you are reading this THANK YOU! Thank you for being a part of my life, praying for me, supporting me, caring about me, and loving me for who I am!