i need you

truth

Sharing in your sufferings…
With eyes opened we see past the fabricated barricades past the double glazed shiny masks and see a hurting dark world where people are lost and lonely. NEED YoU.

What we have discovered
That which is being recovered and restored
setting something deep within
back into place…

is HOPE is LIFE

if this is REAL then the TRUTH is terrifying yet beautiful all in one breath
that which we have in our hands
a gift – we claim no credit
is more precious than GOLD
why are we hiding it away in buildings
meetings
10 o’clock Sunday mornings

In places people don’t feel welcome to walk in
Without applying the fake smile and ‘I’m fine thanks’
And where others are creeping out the back door
Crying into the night
Because the good part of the news was obscured from view

The New World

Sir Walter Raleigh to Queen Elizabeth I... quoted in Rob Bell's talk on Resurrection.

“Can you imagine what it is to cross an ocean? For weeks you see nothing but the horizon, perfect and empty.
You live in the grip of fear;
Fear of storms, fear of sickness onboard, fear of the immensity.
So you must drive that fear down deep into your belly
Study your charts
Watch your compass
Pray for a fair wind
And hope
Pure naked fragile hope

At first its no more than a haze on the horizon
So you watch
You watch
And as the smudge, a shadow on the far water
For a day
For another day
The stain slowly spreads along the horizon taking form
Until on the third day
You let yourself believe
You dare to whisper the word
‘land’
Land
Life
Resurrection
The true adventure
Coming out of the vast unknown
Out of the immensity
Into new life

That, your majesty, is the new world"

mas fotos de Feria

feria

i went down to Sevilla last friday, primarily because my family were coming for a holiday, but also because i wanted to check out the infamous Feria, Sevilla's biggest event of the year. To be honest i wasn't expecting much from the weekend... as in i didn't know what to expect so didn't get my hopes up. But i ended up having a really great time!! It made me realise how much i miss unpredictable late nights, love fairground rides, and know some pretty special people in the city of oranges.



Feria is... both a MASSIVE funfair and over a thousand parties going on at once. Just south of Los Remedios, on land specially set aside for this week in April, about 1400 small marquees are set up, side-to-side, lining streets decorated with lights and filled seemingly all the inhabitants of Sevilla and more! The contrast of dodgems, blaring music from every ride, teenagers dressed in mini skirts with horses and carts, Sevillana music and ladies looking beautiful in the traditional dresses was quite surreal, and the whole affair was a lot bigger than i'd expected.



The "casetas", as the marquees are named, are generally owned by families or societies who pay throughout the year for the privilege. They are decorated exquisitely inside and only friends are allowed in. On friday night i somehow managed to enter at least three! Not by any aquaintance of mine, but through the friend of the ex flatmate of a friend... yep one of those! But anyways there i found myself, attempting to dance the traditional dance of Sevillanas (NOT a type of flamenco!) and drinking manzanilla wine. still not worked out what manzanilla is! After eventually gettin over my self-consciousness at being a blatent foreigner and having no clue how to dance, i really enjoyed myself and we were out until 6am!

Over the weekend I ended up going 3 more times! once during the day on saturday when we were nearly run over by all the horses and carts; again on saturday night with lots of friends (when i unexpectedly got to wear one of those beautiful (very flattering!) dresses) and again on sunday for the grand finale of amazing fireworks.

Good times, good times!

the little things

just a 'big up' to those things that happen at just the right time, that brighten up the day...

yesterday my family left for the airport in a rush after 4 days of being their tour guide and translator for 2 parents and 3 sisters (in Sevilla plus a daytrip to Cadiz) and suddenly i felt quite small and alone, how i've often felt in Sevilla. I wondered around a bit a went to top up my phone in the internet cafe opposite the university where i always used to go and the guy who works there (whose name i'm ashamed to say i've forgotten!) remembered my name, asked me how i was and as i was leaving gave me a lollipop. (how do you spell that?!). something so small but it made all the difference. and lifted my eyes again to appreciate the beautiful things in life and be thankful.

contenta

life is good. i've been busy. hence no blogging. which... is better than time to blog and not living much. in my opinion. so the journal is receiving most of my thoughts... and y'all will have to wait.

i never said "y'all" before i came to Spain. what's with that?!

merida and elvas