A month in Spain

The other day we decided to find the temple in Madrid. We have been learning about the history of the Mormons in Spain in our religion class and it was interesting to see how far the church has come from the first mission that was set up in 1853. It was a smaller temple, it was right on the road but the grounds were pretty and it was right next to the Missionary Training Center. It was really nice just to be on the grounds and look at the temple, every day we are around so much that doesn't always make you feel so great. We literally inhale smoke every time we walk outside, the street gets a little scarier at night time and you worry about creepy guys who drive by and slow down the car to stare. Honestly to just be by the temple made me feel so much more peaceful than I do on a daily basis. Thats not to say that Spain is a bad place, its amazing. But they definitely have a culture of their own. While I am embracing a lot about the culture and accepting certain things as standard, I appreciate the life that I normally live back home a little bit more now that I have experienced something so opposite. Today I saw a rainbow walking to the bus stop. It was only a little one, barely a sliver of all the colors, but I thought of Hawaii and how much I love it. I got a little homesick thinking about it, but then I went through a list of all the things I love about Spain so I could remember why I am having such a good time. Here are a few of my favorite things:

1. The old people, they are some of the most fashionable people on the streets with their vests and ties, fur coats and hats, they walk around the plaza in big groups, freezing or not, and just go around in circles all day. 

2. Siesta, I love that the entire country takes a few hours everyday to just relax and enjoy the day. They eat, walk around, spend time with family. Everything doesn't have to be so fast paced all the time

3. Bus drivers, they can maneuver through the tiniest streets filled with cars and just when you think a disaster is about to happen they manage to not hit anything

4. Being able to understand what the person next to me on the train says when trying to make small talk

5. The fact that no one even thinks about going to bed before 12

6. There is a pastry shop on every corner, not exactly good for someone who can't eat wheat but for anyone else, they are delicious

7. The chocolate bars with almonds that I have fallen in love with

8. Seeing castles and cathedrals that have so much history

9. The buildings themselves, nothing is boring

10. Everyone always looks good, no one leaves the house in sweats and a t-shirt, its all about the boots and the tights and the jacket and everything to make an outfit perfect

11. Being brave about eating, I have eaten ham off a pig leg, fish that still look like fish, shrimp eyes, cauliflower with oil and vinegar, some kind of fat that they like to put on bread and many more things I never would have thought about eating.

12. At restaurants you can stay for hours, no one pressures you to leave or pay the check, everyone just eats and talks and stays as long as you want

13. How concerned everyone is about appearance, we watch a tv show about celebrity news with our family and they critique everyone so harshly, they will also critique you very bluntly..."Oh kiley your wearing make-up today, you look much prettier" (First time our host mom saw me when I first got ready)

The list will only get longer....