Wrapping up

It´s with mixed emotions that I think about the past month. I´m ready to go home, no question, but I really do love this city and these people! If I could have my family here with me, I think I would be content to stay indefinitely. I do miss the dark green of the cornfields at this time of year, and the sweet smell of the heavy air (though I don´t miss the humidity). I miss being able to see forever-or at least it feels that way-as the mountains, though they are beautiful, and the city give me a bit of a claustrophic feeling sometimes. I love being able to walk everywhere I need to go. I don´t miss having my own car at all (probably because Carla is so good about taking me whenever I need wheels). I do miss the quiet of the country-the neighborhood here is so noisy (as previously mentioned). I miss being in total control of my own schedule. Mostly, I miss my husband, my best friend, but I can´t think about that and keep myself together!

This week we finished up English camp for adults and we finished working on Charlie´s house. With the work done, the team met at Mark and Carla´s to do some baking for the final program and to have pizza and swimming at the home of British friends, but Susanna and I skipped out and went to the coastal city of Alicante. Now that´s a beautiful city! Perfect weather, the Mediterranean Sea and a medieval castle! We spent a good part of the day assembling a camp care package to send to Emily. I wanted to make sure all the goodies in it were typical Spanish. Then it ended up weighing too much-the overage of 35 grams was going to double the postage, so we opted to tear it open and remove a couple of pieces of candy instead! We couldn´t find any packing tape, and I´m really hoping the scotch tape we resealed it with will do the job. If not, well, Ems, know that I tried.

The castle at Alicante - view from the beach

We went to the beach but they were flying a red flag, meaning there was a rip tide warning, so people aren´t supposed to get in. People did anyway, but we just waded. We wanted to go to the castle, but in order to catch our return bus and get home for the English class program, we didn´t have time. In fact, we ended up practically running to get back to the bus in time!

Today the American team rode the train to the city of Valencia, another coastal city. Riding the train was fun, but I think we overwhelmed the Spaniards around us with our loud English. First we did a little shopping in the city and visited an old church. Then we visited the Lladró factory, where they make porcelain figures by hand. Very interesting, but I don´t think I would pay their prices. The process is quite detailed and performed by artists who train for years. We ate lunch at an American restaurant called Foster´s Hollywood, and the big deal that we were looking forward to all morning is that they give FREE refills--a big deal here! But I was disappointed because when we got there, they had Pepsi, not Coke! So I had water instead.  :(

Flowers on the plaza-a long row of vendors, just like in the movies

More shopping after dinner, and I think all our souvenirs have been purchased. The train ride home was interesting because we were trying to hop a 4:30 train, but turned out it was the arriving train, not the departing one, so we ended up inside the turnstiles where people board the trains a good 20 minutes before our time. Once you´re in, they won´t let you back out without paying again (although Elizabeth found out that if you go to security and explain that you really have to go to the bathroom because they rushed you to catch a train that wasn´t yours, they will allow for that!), so we just sat down on the floor to rest. By then we were sweaty from hurrying and exhausted from walking all over the city. Adding dirt from the train station floor just didn´t seem to matter.

Part of our team locked inside the boarding area, waiting patiently

At this point, we´re kind of in a holding pattern. Our work is done and we just have two days left in Alcoy. Some families are going to the beach tomorrow, but Susanna and I have planned a relaxing day in Alcoy. We plan for a late breakfast out, then a leisurely walk around town, maybe a bit of shopping, and a long nap in the afternoon. That sounds like a perfect last day to rest up before spending Sunday packing, weighing my suitcase, and repacking (most likely), then 16 hours of travel with the sun never setting on us until we are at home in our own beds!

Thank you for praying for us this month. Please continue to pray us home, and pray that the Lord will continue the good work He is doing in Alcoy, Spain. Phil. 1:6 Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.