My Heart Breaks: Ebola

A few months ago I read BBC, like I do almost everyday, and continued on my way.  I read an article about the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone.  It caught my eye because Sierra Leone is next to a country of my heart, Liberia.  This blog was created long after my trip there, so don't go searching the archives for best tips of visiting a third world country.  {Although there are many things to think about}  The reason I passed over the article, and the reason I didn't see it's impact, is because I know there is no cure to a virus.  Viruses are adaptable, they change, they morph.  I know this from my time in biology and human anatomy and physiology.  I also know how ill equipped this part of the world is for disease.  Diseases that run rampant there, are little known words to us in more "developed countries" {And what developed does or doesn't mean is a whole other topic}.

What I didn't realize is that this virus would become a part of my world and a part of my every waking moment thoughts.  If you don't know what I'm talking about I suggest you read this article about the actual disease/virus.* 

ELWA, one of the places where Ebola patients are being treated.  

There are rumored reports that the rest of the ELWA hospital has shut down.

Personal photo. Please do not use this photo without permission

Before you get to freaked out, take a deep breath and remember what kind of society you live in.  When you get sick, what do you do?  You stay home, you go to the doctor, you talk to all of your friends, and you agonize over all of the possibilities it could be.  Consequently, you would be treated immediately which includes being quarantined.

Getting this virus is not hard, but but it's not like other viruses that are airborne {Please, don't freak out!  Remember you live in a developed country where we have routine vaccines for many of them.}  Ebola is transferred through human fluids (blood, saliva, human waste), but that also means that it can be transferred by sweaty palms.  In a world where washing your hands is not a basic hygene function this is a problem.  In a country that is near the equator, and thus people sweat all the time, this is a problem.  In a country where relationships are the core of life, this is a problem.  It is tearing this Liberia apart.

My hope is not that you would obsess and become anxious over this, but rather that you would Pray.  

Pray hard.

Liberia has a culture that is deeply rooted in tradition.  It is weary of the government and outside forces.  It is much more comfortable with the witch doctors and home remedies.  There are reports of medical aid workers being met with resistance and protestors.  This is how this people feels it can protect itself.  This is their defense mechanism.  Unfortunately, their unbelief is allowing the disease to infect and spread.  There are two wars going on; one against Ebola and one against information education that counters the culture.

I read the articles and search for the news that brings any announcement from West Africa.  But the news can't tell me about the people I care about.  It can't tell me where Precious is, and whether she is alive.  It can't tell me if Elizabeth knew what was happening when she was hit with the virus.  The news doesn't know whether Jessie tried to run lab tests on his own blood to figure out the disease that was ravaging his body.  The news can't tell me any of the the things I desperately want to know.  

So I pray.  

I pray for those fighting disease, those watching others fight it, for health workers.  I pray for protection on the children whose faces I've seen and the people that have been caring for them, teachers, parents, aid workers.  

Above all I hope.  

*Disclaimer:  This is an overview of the disease, not a medical professional or medical journal.  

*All of the names included are of national Liberian healthcare workers I had the privilege of knowing.  Elizabeth and Jesse have passed away, Precious has contracted the virus and her whereabouts are unknown. There are a few additional people that work with orphaned or poverty level children that are currently at risk. 

Famous People

Source

 

I’ve been thinking about famous people lately.  As a little girl I was a big fan of Shirley Temple.  And yes I own a large number of her movies as a young star.  I perfected the impression of “Oh my word” from the end of “Curly Top”.  I practiced with my sister, as she tapped her way through “Animal Crackers”.  I even went as far as to dress up for Shirley Temple for Halloween one year.  Good, clean, adorable fun. 

                When I was a freshman in high school I did a report on Shirley Temple and learned new and exciting things about her life.  It was the first time I heard of the diplomat side of her, and I was in awe.  During that time I was beginning to love other countries and different cultures.   

                For my high school graduation I received a beautiful gift of a blue pitcher, collector’s item that had a picture of miss Shirley herself and her signature.  I had admired it at my Grandma’s house and love that I may now call it my own.  “Bright Eyes” you and your smile will be missed!

In other famous people news…

Source

 

Yesterday was and will be an important day in my life because it’s Abraham Lincoln’s birthday.  Ok, that’s not the whole truth.  It’s my Dad’s birthday and also happens to be the famous president’s day of birth as well.  We enjoy the many similarities that the two hold.  Yesterday I found some fun facts about Lincoln and shared them at the dinner table For example, Lincoln is the only president to hold a patent {my dad also has his name on a patent}.  We then had some “fun facts” about my dad.  And then I broke the news…Lincoln seems to have really liked cats.  My dad on the other hand, he does not like cats.  So although there are some similarities between the two, {height and birthday and patent} they are both different men.  I am so glad that my dad is who he is. 

Happy {belated} birthday!

 

 

Those things called the Olympics

via

A couple of weeks ago I disclosed that I don’t really watch much TV.  Yeah…when the Olympics are on that changes.  

I remember as a little girl being allowed to stay up late to watch the women’s gymnastics team.  Somehow in my little mind, I could someday be on that team.  Being the realistic adult that I now am, I know that that would never happen.  Again, I admit that I can’t do a cartwheel.  Many years of failed attempts and I have finally accepted that I won’t be a gymnast.  I’m impressed and awed by the stunts that they can do.  I think my favorite is the floor routine… {subject to change}

Then there is swimming.  Yes, for some reason, I the child who had trouble keeping my face in the water during swim lessons, decided I might be able to contend against the fastest swimmers in the world.  I love childhood dreams.  I have developed a love for swimming, but I am very humble in the fact that I do it for exercise {and the fact that one year of swim team made it so I don’t know how to do anything but swim laps in a pool} and for  the pure enjoyment of gliding through the water.

The Olympics are something that unites people and I love that!  I love that this year I discovered sports I’ve never heard of, or sports that I forget are a part of the games.  I love that cultures collide and people meet others from around the world. 

There are things that I don’t like and would love to change {or sometimes just want to smack the commentator or news anchor on the side of the head}.  But overall, that’s not what makes the Olympics exciting. 

I will say that sitting watching people makes me feel like a lazy bum.  And I will say that I would love to travel and see the people from all over the world meet in a spot for a common goal.  Isn’t that what makes the Olympics motivating the athletics and the travel?

What is your favorite summer Olympic sport?  And what team did you hope to be on {real or in your childhood dreams}?

Changing Your Perspective By Being Gone

There’s a lot of directions I could go with that title, but we are going to go with what a friend emailed with today. 

"As I continue to let the fact that I am halfway across the world sink into my system, I am coming to realize how much this opportunity...will change my life forever, including my views on culture, luxuries / necessities, food, and life in general."   

And it made me smile because this is what I try to tell people whenever they ask about my time abroad.  What do you want me to tell you?  That it was amazing, wonderful, and hard.   That I learned.  That I’m different.  I’m changed.   

These changes just happen.  Just like the way that you change as you grow up and maybe the way you were in second grade with your best friend is not going to be the way that you are when you are 45 with your best friend.  Let’s hope not! There is something valuable about being gone.  About placing yourself outside a situation and outside what is going on in this country, in this city, at this time, at this specific place.  I think that's why we have imaginations.  And I think that's why God created our imaginations to be a tool.  They can help us to be able to adapt to that place.  He gave us imaginations and other tools so that he could change us.  That might be a round-about way of saying that...let me know if I need to connect the dots better. Everything we do, every situation that we are placed into changes us. 

While writing this I even found some of my own perspectives changing.  I’m not a fantasy person, I love The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, but that's as far as I go.  I like things to be logical.  And let me tell you the imagination is not logical, but my imagination is a tool.  It allows me to empathize with others and envision what life might be like say...in Torino, Italy…right now.

Shell Shocked

So Rome day 2 is coming. With the lovely epic Christmas Eve service story. But this is just to tell you that I am still here. I am thinking in blogging terms as I go through my day.
This week I have been going to classes, making a new schedule and seeing old friends. My first day of school I think I had every emotion. But in a way it didn’t even matter. It was a good day. I’m still settling in and having some culture shock.
The cars are bigger, the houses and buildings shorter and everyone speaks English. I know it’s crazy that people would generally speak English!
Those are just a few of the things I think of when I ride the bus or walk down the street.

I made my first homemade cappuccino today. There were multiples. They were a hit with the roomies.

Exploring History {Saluzzo}

As a child you are taught to learn from your mistakes. I love the Anne of Green Gables quote where Anne tells Marilla “the great thing about me is I never make the same mistake twice”. The point of learning history in school is to pass the traditions and knowledge of what has been done in the past to make the future better. But there is the common phrase of “history repeats itself.” As Europe is struggling I am praying that they are learning from their past. I pray that they use the things that have divided them throughout history and use them for the further integration and unification of Europe.
I am a lover of history. You’ve heard me talk about my love of too many things and ‘history’ makes the list. Growing up I was a reader and my favorite genre was historical fiction. This weekend I got to live a history class. It was the ultimate field trip.
I visited the Santa Maria Abbey {built in 1154… wow!} and learned that this covering right here {in the picture above} is rumored to be the spot where the Italian bank San Pablo was started. It was started back when monks were living in and running the abbey. We didn’t go through the abbey, but just seeing the outside was enough. Abbeys were built along the pilgrimage routes, so I was on the path of religious history. What is even more impressive is that this was a way to spread ideas along these routes. Monks that lived in the Abbeys are what we can attribute the studies of Socrates, Aristotle, and others to. Their job was to copy the books to be passed on. They not only copied the Bible {remember this is by hand} but the works of philosophers and thinkers.

The buildings in the area that are authentic have a certain style and are made with brick. {It makes my heart happy to see the rustic history} The house that I stayed in was also made of brick and had an outdoor oven and a chapel on the property. Yes, this little farm had a chapel where services used to be held hundreds of years ago. The oven would have been a meeting place for the whole community to come and back their bread. It is rumored that a religious community probably lived on the property hundreds of years ago. This place of hospitality for me had also been a place of community in the past. {Again, makes my heart happy}

inside the chapel When we walked around Saluzzo we saw the old town that still has the walls and gates. We went to the castle and church on the hill. My hosts got married in the church and they showed us how the place has changed from when it was built in the dark ages to now being a hotel. It has been a converted to a hotel because that is the only way that the church will have upkeep. Since the church staff has become smaller and the attached quarters are no longer used the nuns and priests are not up keeping the building. The church still has original fresco paintings from when it was built.

the gate
the church lit at night
the ceiling in an attched building being restoredagain, orginals being restoredThe castle nearby was a jail for awhile. It was just closed in the 1970s when all the fancy technology came out. Before the location of the jail was moved, it was known to be one of the tightest on security. It is almost within the city, but apparently the citizens preferred being able to converse with the inmates. {Italian Style}


up by the jail, it's authentic. can you tell?!?The town of Revello that I saw on Monday morning, while dropping the kids off at school, was originally the retirement city of the queen and her court from Saluzzo. How crazy that a court would be so big to create a new town! From this town if you look up at the mountains there are the ruins of a castle that was also a fort. The French chancellor had it demolished {I don’t know how, but there may have been different country boundary lines then?} because it could see the entire valley and was on the trade line. This meant they not only had the military advantage, but could tax the trading. Big problems for the French!

oh yeah, I was there too...All this history not only backed up my historical fiction readings, but also brought back of everything I learned and memories from Mrs. Richardson’s and Mr. Burrell’s classes on European history. I did learn {and remember} some things, I promise!
See history can be fun, especially if you get to experience it!

Weekend Recap {Saluzzo}

This weekend consisted of: history lessons, discussions, trying to understand Italian, eating Piedmonte style, amazing views, flexibility, churches, and staying with a very lovable family

I actually did quite the little tour of the area around Saluzzo, a little town situated at the base of the Alps. I went on a train to Saluzzo and then drove to a farm in Revello. On Saturday afternoon I drove through Pra Piglerio and then on Sunday I spent a few hours in Cuneo. The farmhouse I stayed at has been renovated in the last 10 years and is lived in by one of my professors and his family. A few generations ago his family bought the property with a farmhouse built in the 1700s and rented the land out for farming. And then a few years ago he started converting the stables attached to the house into livable rooms. There is a rock quarry that his father runs right next to the farm. The first morning I woke up hearing little voices downstairs and then a rooster. This family has a rooster! It was so nice to be in the country and I feel like I experienced true Italian culture. We ate Piedmonte style, which means good meat and cheese. It’s a northern thing. And I had raw meat…again.

In typical Italian fashion I was asked to stay until Monday {today} instead of figuring out logistics for coming back Sunday. I feel like I am still processing the whole weekend, so hopefully in the next few days I can organize my thoughts. Bear with me?

Adventures in the City

I am doing a whole lot better, and Sunday was the first day I got out of the apartment. It ended up being an adventurous day. Here is what happened…

I decided to go to church and to get there decided to get a ticket by taking the metro. Tabacchi {tobacco} stores are closed Sundays and they along with the metro are the only ones who sell bus tickets. So after taking the metro I walked to the bus and finally got church a few minutes late. This week I didn’t have anyone translating for me, but I got most of it. At least I hope!

I got to see so many of my new friends again and they all have such different backgrounds and stories. One is an American, but she is fluent in Italian. It is amazing to watch her in action. Then there is mother and daughter originally from Romania. The daughter is in high school and is leanring English so she practices on me. Then there is the young man who gave the message. He is originally from Albania and is also trying to learn English. He asked if he could converse with me and he did so well. He knows more English than I know Italian, but I was happy I got to say “in Italiano.” {That means I was going to translate it into English to help him!} My American friend, Albanian friend, Peruvian friend, and I decided to go for a walk downtown after hanging out at church and fellowshipping with everyone. After walking to the center of downtown, we were at Piazza Castello. I brought my parents here when they visited and I’ve been in all the buildings around it for my Interior design class. They have a huge advent calendar set up and a display of a nativity scene. It is interesting to say the least.

Notice the missing baby Jesus...

While I was soaking up the Italian chatter of my friends, one remarked that it looked like they were filming something. This is a very famous square and there seems to be something going on there all the time. I looked closer just to try and guess and saw this pretty picture…

Yep that’s right, The Amazing Race is coming to Torino!
I don’t know what season they are filming or anything. I don’t know what this means or what else they will have to do. All I know is that the Piazza is the “pit stop for this leg of the race.” Yes I heard the words come out of mouth of Phil Keoghran. And that guy is good, but he still did at least 2 takes while we were standing there. He was also helping the crew with lighting and such. Multi talented! I was surprised by how little equipment they had all together.

The funny part was trying to explain this television show to my friends. In Italian. Oh boy! It’s a race…yes it’s a course…no, not an actual course… * I think they got the gist of it, but I’m sure they think I’m crazy. I tried to tell them that it’s one of the few programs* that I watch. If you know me you know I don’t watch much TV.
They were obviously not as enthusiastic as I was...so we walked to the Christmas market.
The Christmas market is put on for most of the month of December and it is quite the little festive area. They had fresh funnel cake/donuts. If my stomach hadn’t been so tied up still I would have gotten one. I did however have bites of my first farina tanti cotta a legna. It’s made of chickpea flour and olive oil {and they added some spice that I can’t think of right now}. They bake it in wood oven fires. It felt like winter and Christmas just being there.

After all the excitement I had to come back and do homework. But I think the outing was worth it! What did you do that was adventurous this weekend?

They have been decorating while I've been sleeping!

*course= race
programma= plan/schedule/TV show

Mammoni

via

There is this phenomenon in Italy. And every {young} person not from Italy seems to think it will be a problem. Before I came to Italy I got the usual jokes of how I would come back with an Italian boyfriend, “oh the guys are just so cute,” and “you aren’t ever going to want to leave. A boy would be a good reason to stay”. Well I must correct ‘you’ on that; a man would be a good reason to stay. A man that does not still live with his mother for that matter.
There is a word here “Mammoni” and it means ‘mama’s boy’. In America we have a negative connotation, and there is one here too but the men and their mama’s don’t seem to be embarrassed by it. These mama’s boys still live at home, and we are talking they are in their 30’s, 40’s and yes sometimes even 50’s. Sometimes the only reason that they move out is that death did them part.
To watch it, it is almost like a pact that the mom won’t ask her son to leave she likes having him there. And the son isn’t going to break off because life is just too sweet with mama. He lives like he is at a hotel; clothes are left wherever, bed is left unmade, laundry appears magically done and folded, every meal is homemade and can be ordered to room service style. The best part? No rent. Yep that’s right they don’t pay rent to their parents and they don’t pay for the meals. Sometimes they chip in I’m sure but there is not an expectation.
The kicker is that these are men that are financial stable. They have jobs, they even have other houses. They have girlfriends and yet they still choose to live at home. The Italian mamas seem to almost imagine that it would be bad for their healthy for their baby {or grown son} to move out.
When I arrived in Italy I learned that most children live at home until they get married and this was the explanation we got when we asked why there was so much PDA. Who wants to bring their boyfriend or girlfriend home if mom and dad are just going to be waiting? {And this fits with why Italians don’t have a word for privacy…}There is an Italian way of life that leads them to stay in one place. People hesitate to move and will often pass up a job opportunity in a different city, so children if they go to University go to the school in the city they live in. The Italian income is low so it doesn’t make sense and is often not a financial option to go away to school or live somewhere else just because. Italians look at you like you’re crazy when you tell them you live with your friends and that you go to school far from your parent’s house.
So in the aspect of financial options living with your parents makes sense, but these men well that isn’t their problem. They openly say that they probably won’t live at the home that they own, sometimes even in the instance of marriage. And some even still come to their mom for certain things after they are married. I guess I believe in the verse from the Bible saying “This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” {Genesis 2.24}

What do you think? Is this natural or unhealthy from your viewpoint? Would love to hear your thoughts!

Don’t worry there isn’t a man {or a boy} to stay for. I’ll let you know if things change but…let’s just say I’m a little weary and have my guard up.

TFF {Torino Film Festival}

I feel like a broken record when I talk about Torino, cars, movies…oh and coffee. Yep, that is what this city seems to be built on. Well I guess that’s not true as it was built on Roman ruins, but you know what I mean, right?
So this week is the Torino film festival. I spent Sunday watching 4 films. In a row. Yeah, it was kind of a lot. I am a saver, so I wanted to get my money’s worth and the best way to do that was to get a day pass and watch a lot of films in one day.
The first was an American film but one that I probably wouldn’t watch at home and it was entertaining. It also helped that it was 9 am and I didn’t have to read subtitles. Sorry Italian viewers {otherwise known as everyone else in the audience}. So after watching Win Win, I was one for 4.
The next film was the one that I planned my day around. It was intriguing to me. It is called 17 girls (17 filles) and is about the pact that a group of girls made in 2008 to get pregnant at the same time. I spent a whole school year doing a report in 2007 on unplanned pregnancy and I have a huge heart for adoption, single moms and most of all babies. There is a lot of controversy surrounding these events that took place, and there was some strong opinions voiced when the French film makers announced their project. The film did a good job of telling the story and showing the different viewpoints of the people involved without saying if there was a correct path or view point. I was now 2 for 4. {I did a little bit of research and found some news articles about the actual events. Authorities could not actually state that there was an official “pact”, as was portrayed in the movie.}
After this we {I went with my friend Megan, who had to go to the festival for class} watched two short films that were paired together. The first, I’m going to be honest was not my favorite. It was a documentary that seemed to stray from a plot or storyline. It seemed like the director didn’t have enough material so the scenes were long. From an artistic standpoint it was done beautifully. From an entertainment standpoint there are many things that they could have done better. The inspiration behind the film was from the stories that the producer heard from his Italian grandfather. The grandson wanted to preserve these memories and lives in NY {which I could tell from how he spoke Italian}. The director and the producer were both in the audience which was neat. I would have to say I was 2 for 4 still.
The director was also in the audience for the last film which was a documentary. It was done in an interesting way, but told the story well. The plot and the end goal of the movie were not apparent until the middle of the film. It was the story of the immigrants to Italy from Libya. This is a story that does not get told often, and it was fascinating. There was every view represented, the compassionate, the hardened hearted, the people caught between wanting to help and not being able to and the immigrants themselves. It stirred my passion for people. 3 for 4.

That seems like a good record to me, for not knowing what I was getting myself into! It made me want to be lazy for the rest of the day, but I was good and got some work done.
The festival goes the rest of this week until next Sunday. School has picked up, so I don’t think I will be able to go to another showing. Have you seen any good ‘films’ lately?

Barcelona {2}

Day 2 we got up and had the typical European hotel breakfast and then it was time to conquer Barcelona. We started out with heading to Montjuic Park not too far away. Just happens to be huge and had many of the buildings used when Barcelona hosted the Olympics. We did not venture to the stadium, because what do you see at a stadium once it’s not used. We kept laughing because there are escalators in the park.
After tromping around and seeing the fountains, the modern art museum and some other random statues and fountains throughout the park we headed into the town a little looking for a snack to take back to the park. We didn’t find anything but kept walking and found another park. From there you could see the bull ring and the kindergartners having a park day. I wish that we didn’t have so many liability issues so that American kids could have more park days in school. I think they are educational and healthy.
By this time it was afternoon and although we were enjoying the park we decided to go walking and look for the churro and hot chocolate place that we passed the day before. Usually we can’t find a place twice, but we were determined. The lady working the shop was so sweet and wanted to make sure that we enjoyed it. I could have sat there all day! She reminded us that we needed to watch our purses and cameras, which made us feel uneasy, but I appreciated the concern. {We got told a total of 3 times that we needed to watch our stuff…and most of the time there was no one around.} Churros and chocolate is a thing here, and from what I hear is most commonly eaten for breakfast. The churros were cold, but by dipping them in hot chocolate they get warmed right up {we did as we were instructed by the shop lady.}

After this we walked around the cathedral which was more like a village and then out to the port. We enjoyed the people passing by and the crisp air. We walked along the sea to the Columbus monument and then headed back to the hotel for a few minutes of rest.

This guy was making bubbles outside the cathedralWe changed are plans multiple time because we kept finding out new information. There is this light and fountain show that is supposed to be “magical” looking. We of course wanted to go see it, but the times are confusing because it is off season. We got there at the correct time, but the fountains were under construction and being cleaned. I was so disappointed! {especially because we had arranged plans around this site}. It was off to the Casa Batllo, and at this point I was just hoping the lights would be on. They were, but it didn’t look how I thought it would. That was ok, because it’s a weird structure in itself. Gaudi was a deranged man. Although he was brilliant in his designs, I’m glad I didn’t commission him to design anything for me…

At least they had some fun lights on at the non working fountains

We passed some more fountains on our jaunt down Las Ramblas so we of course took some pictures. As we continued on our way we looked for tapas and paies. The two local specialties that we wanted to try before we left. We accomplished both. I have to say that tapas were not what I was expecting, but all the food was good. After our meal we rambled and found some dessert. I split the Catalan cream with a friend. So delicious and not what we were expecting! It is lemony and similar to crème brulee.

It was perfect way to end our time in Barcelona.
The next day we went back to the Arc de Triumf while we waited for our bus back to the airport. And then we were on our way to Torino. We did so many things in Barcelona, but really tried to enjoy the time there and relax a bit. {There are lots of projects these next few weeks.}

Barcelona Update

Real juice!

This city blew me away by the fact that there is a uniform vibe that flows through the city. Just look at the architecture and you will know what I mean. Just by the buildings style you can tell what city this is. I’ve said it before and I will again, that you can tell when you are in a European city, but every city has its own unique style.
We arrived mid day Thursday after our Wednesday night thanksgiving meal {more on that later}. We had to take a bus into the city from the airport because I am a college student and I fly cheap flights. The reason that I went to Barcelona is because in total I spent $20 on my flight. Yeah Barcelona!

The first thing we noticed when getting off the plane was that it was somewhat warm, our usual California winters! After arriving we wandered to see the “Arc de Triumf” and then it was off to the famous open air market. Have you seen fresh squeezed juice in November? It was delicious and I contemplated going back every day that we were there. I rounded my experience off with an empanada. We checked into our hotel that was on the same street as little India in Barcelona {I had no idea it existed…}. Then it was off to the Sagrada Familia building by Gaudi. My, oh my, could you put any more decorations on a building?
Yes, those would be snailsWe hit up a grocery store for some snacks/dinner and did our own little walking tour. That day we seemed to have trouble reading maps. We went to the park in the city that boasts a mammoth, don’t worry it’s just a statue. But who sees a mammoth on a regular basis? We also were surprised by the beautiful fountain and we passed a library owned by the university. It took a lot of strength and convincing for me to give up on finding the entrance. I miss the library.

This a public park fountian...amazing!

We ended up eating our snacks by the fountain and then doing a little more of a walking tour. We passed some shops that we marked to go back to {mainly they involved food and our tummies couldn’t handle more food}. Then we walked Las Ramblas until it was time…

Time for a Flamenco show! It was Thanksgiving and we splurged. It was worth it. If I couldn’t spend the day with my family I might as well make a memory. After watching the amazing dancing and sipping on some famous sangria we walked home and it was time for bed.

Because I don’t want to overload you on details {as I have already overloaded on pics} we will save day 2 in Barcelona for tomorrow. I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and got to spend time with your families!