'Missing You'

and then it was time for a SURPRISE. I went home; and re-energized my batteries.

Lake Geneva

Somehow, we made the next morning to the airport: to catch an early morning flight to Switzerland. And once we were there, we SLEPT! With INCREDIBLY little sleep, a lot of hunger, and a sufficient amount of pain from carrying packs we did the wisest thing to avoid conflict: sleep. I can definitely say that the two of us have seen (and experienced) each other at our worst (hahaha) and at least now, I can laugh about it. Anyways, we walked throughout the city; saw the flick THE FOUNTAIN; played cards; and caught up on reading.

Separating in Barcelona:
Returning to Barcelona was great. Munson and I met up with friends from his study abroad program and walked through parts of the city I had never seen: Parque Guia and La Casa de Gaudi. Our time together ended with a trip to a famous monastery called Montserrat…

Barcelona: ‘pack my bags and head to Barcelona because this city is a drag…’

The first 3 hours of the 9 did not seem bad, but after that point Munson and I felt like we were being tortured: we couldn’t sleep! Once we made it to our hostel in Barcelona the fun began: walked through out the city, toured Sagrada Familia, talked life-love-faith, and watched a live acoustic flamenco band in an AWESOME jazz venue! 

Tunisia

‘in Selah’
On our way to Tunis, Emily re-informed me of the family we were staying with for the next 10 days. Apparently the key facts ‘German diplomats’ slipped my mind! I had the time of my life in Tunisia. Highlights include walking in the streets, dining in Hammamet, driving through the mountains, touring the Carthage ruins, dining with the German ambassador, shopping in the marketplace, riding a camel on the beach, watching the slaughter of a sheep, listening to the family’s stories, talking with Emily and Maren about life goals, eating all kinds of different food, hearing the Islamic call to prayer (5 times a day), listening to the Christmas story in Latin, pillow talk with Emily, eating in a 400 year-old and list goes on and on and on...
Michael and Monika were wonderful hosts; they provided and gave so much. Monika cooked a variety of homemade meals I had never had (or heard of); and on our last night there, Michael cooked a five-course Chinese meal-it took me the longest to eat my food because I was HORRIBLE with chop-sticks.
Overall, that time in Tunis changed me: new ambitions and greater perspective of the world…I am truly blessed to have met the Freudenbergs…
Back in Madrid:
After the New Year, Emily and I returned to Madrid to meet her sister and our friend Munson. With less than 24 hours in Madrid, the four of us quickly caught up on Christmas stories, toured the Prado Museum, and walked through a few botanical gardens. Then once the clock struck 10 P.M, Munson and I hopped a train to…

Tunisia no.2

 

Tunisa no.1

 

Madrid: taking a stroll

A night and afternoon alone in Madrid was relaxing. First of all, the hostel was a renovated palace; secondly, there was a pretty chill café/bar attached to it! My night solo consisted of listening to Spanish side of Ireland, we also decided that a bus tour would be the best way to hit up all the hot spots in the Galway-Cliffs of Mohr region. And, we were right! Our bus tour guide was AMAZING-not only incredibly knowledgeable but quite entertaining. He brought us to great historical spots; told us all kinds of stories; and taught us all kinds of things about the Irish culture. Everyone was always laughing and the restaurant he brought us had the best seafood chowder I have EVER had. (He definitely entertained all 15 of us on the tour.) Once the tour was over, the five of us made the long track back to Dublin (by train). And since it was our final night there, we hit up an Irish pub to listen to some folk music and drink some more Guinness. When my final day came, only Munson, Kelly, and I made it to St. Patrick’s Cathedral…then they wished me well and I was off to Madrid for a night…
music and reading. The next day I had all kinds of time to kill before I needed to head to the airport to meet Emily, so I took a stroll in the city: checked out a few historical sites. First I went to the Palacio Real near the city central. Huge gardens with spacious walkways and monuments surrounded the palace. And of course there was a random acoustic musician playing in the middle of the garden. Afterwards, I went to the Basilica in Madrid (forgot the full name) and fortunately toured the inside for free! It was definitely a more modern Basilica but the ceiling was incredible-gold trim, stain glass windows, and soft colors…
Eventually, I made my way to the airport and met Emily. We were like kids in a candy store- just so dang giddy because we hadn’t seen each other since mid-summer…

Dublin: 'Oh my Guinness!'

Immediately after the fall semester, two of my friends from the program and I met two of my Chi Alpha friends in Dublin. The five of us had a blast walking the streets, touring different attractions, traveling to the West coast, and -most of all- cooking in the hostel! One the first day, we went to Trinity College and learned about The Book of Kells. Afterwards we decided to walk through a famous part of town (Temple Square) and watch a Christmas choir at Christ’s Church-Cathedral. The choir sang Christmas carols in Latin-absolutely beautiful! That night we made our first feast at the hostel: huge pasta dinner. The others staying at the hostel couldn’t figure out our generosity (offering our extras)…but by the third night they had it down (won’t hesitate to accept-hehehe).
The next day we toured the National Museum; and once our brains were fried from looking at art, we decided to hike to the other side of the city and tour the Guinness brewery! (Yes, I know the perfect antidote for a fried brain: beer…totally, joking!) Our day ended with another feast at the hostel.
Morning came so soon on the third day; the previous night the five of us decided to book train tickets to the West coast of Ireland. Since none of us had seen the country side of Ireland, we also decided that a bus tour would be the best way to hit up all the hot spots in the Galway-Cliffs of Mohr region. And, we were right! Our bus tour guide was AMAZING-not only incredibly knowledgeable but quite entertaining. He brought us to great historical spots; told us all kinds of stories; and taught us all kinds of things about the Irish culture. Everyone was always laughing and the restaurant he brought us had the best seafood chowder I have EVER had. (He definitely entertained all 15 of us on the tour.) Once the tour was over, the five of us made the long track back to Dublin (by train). And since it was our final night there, we hit up an Irish pub to listen to some folk music and drink some more Guinness. When my final day came, only Munson, Kelly, and I made it to St. Patrick’s Cathedral…then they wished me well and I was off to Madrid for a night…