Monday, January 26, 2004

mini-mohawk? (emails from abroad)

Well my friends, I can tell it is time for me to send an update, as I am starting to get an influx of messages wondering how life is. So here it is: Life is fantastic. I have much news, and have already had many adventures.

Two weekends ago, our program took a day trip to Toledo, one of the most widely recognized historic cities in Europe. It was a gorgeous day, and as with many Euopean cities, we saw many many churches. Our tour guide, a many with an incredible forest of nose hair protruding from both nostrels, was able to go for hours about many of the sites. This many has such a profundity and breadth of knowledge, that we were all tired by the end of the day, simply from what we had learned. I took many photos, and have to come up with a way to get them online so that everyone can see. But Dorey appeared in many of the photos (we wouldnt want her to forget that she was there after all.

We have been having about 3 hours of orientation classes the last two weeks. They are pretty laid back, and cover culture, language, art, history, and we even had a cooking class. (They taught us how to make a darn good sangria if nothing else). But this last weekend I found that I wanted to get away again, so I joined a student tour to Seville. I took the 7 hour bus trip (on a short bus of all things) with 22 strangers, and came back with some pretty decent friends. Again, this city was simply amazing. The cathedral is the 3rd largest in the world (thanks to some Muslims, who we stole it from).

Anyway, it was in Sevilla that I had an amazing conversion experience. It is one that I will remember for all time, and one that has effected me proofundly. I got a haircut.

Not just any haircut, but a mohawk. Before you freak out (Justine) or get too thrilled (Ben), you must take into context the "moda" (fashion) here. Right now, it is the very in thing to style either a mohawk, or a mullett. Or often both. Now, there is just so far that I am willing to compromise myself for the sake of culture, so the mullett was definitely out of the question. But after going out on Friday night to a club, I saw the perfect Mohawk. I actually took notes so that it could be reproduced later.

That next morning I woke up (WAY too early) and marched into the barbers. Now here is a quick thought: never go to a barber for a stylized haircut... Anyway, I did my best to explain what I wanted, and thought I had succeeded until he grabbed the shving brush. No No No.... Nothing was to be shaved. So I explained again, and ended up using perhaps too many dimunitive words so that he wouldnt overdoo the mohawk itself or shave the hair around it too short (I didnt want to end up looking like G.I. FAG). So in the end I ended up with a semi-mohawk of sorts, which actually looks really good, although it is not quite what I was going for.

So, now I am sure that you are all ready to see what I look like, and unfortunately I can't show you right away. But I am told that if you go to this site XXXXXXXXXXXX and click on Seville in a couple days there will be photos. Now... I havent seen these photos yet, and I didnt misbehave too much (other than getting a mohawk) but just wanted to let you know that you are seeing the uncensored version (the PR guy in me is shuddering right now). Oh, and you are probably going to see photos of us at with a few Pirates. NO, I did not go to Disneyland. Saturday night we stayed out until 4:30 (early night) at a Disco that had a Pirate theme. There was even a sword fight. That was definitely a first for me. (no Pirates were harmed in the making of this email)

Next weekend our program is taking us to Valencia, and the weekend after that I plan to meet up with an old friend from Venezuela in Barcelona. Fun times ahead. Classes will be starting soon, so I guess I may need to buckle down eventually. Yeahh... That'll happen.

Okay... well it is time for me to run off now! Miss you all! I just finished "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and at one point it says, "The only time we waste on this earth is the time we spend thinking we are alone." Thank you all for proving that to me!

Oh, and PS--An article was recently written about the BagBoyz (the program I do in Milwaukee) check it out at http://www.jsonline.com/news/metro/jan04/201960.asp


Yours,Christian
"All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen"--- Ralph Waldo Emerson"Keep your mind on ice & your heart on fire" -J. Campbell

Thursday, January 08, 2004

Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming, Just keep Swimming Swimming, Swimming (emails from abroad)

I have already fallen dreadfully behind in my emailing, so yet again it is time to fill you all in. I was in the Metro today waiting for a train, and just thinking how incredibly blest I have been so far in this journey, and I saw a news spot about Britney Spears marriage (and then annulment) Wow! How did I miss an event like that? I am now living without a television, and without a computer, so you all have to keep me updated on stuff like that. I mean, whats more important than that?!

I am now in Madrid, after an 18 hour train journey from Amsterdam. I was extremely blessed during this journey with wonderful people to talk to and two different guides during a quick spell in Paris and later on my virgen voyage on the metro of Spain. I am staying with a friend from the program until tommorrow, when I am required to join the other incoming students at a hostel. But I have been able to accomplish SO much in just the last two days here.

Yesterday my big accomplishment was to buy a telephone. Incoming calls are free, so if you have some extra money you want to drop (or can figure out how to make international calls from campus phones..hehe) feel free to call me. The number is 34-660-XXX-XXX. I am so proud that I have already memorized the number. (Hard to believe for my friends who have referred to my memory as that of a fish).

My second goal was to find an appointment to stay in more the rest of the semester. Honestly, if there was one thing that I was stressing out about in my voyage here, it was this task. I spent all of yesterday looking at different places, exploring and making appointments. I had to consider how much, what part of town, was it with a family or a shared flat or a seperate apartment... a lot of things to consider on my second day in Madrid. And after looking at more than 10 places and situations, I found one that I consider pretty ideal. It is in an INCREDIBLE part of the city, is very bright, and my friend Julia is very jealous of the balcony overlooking the street. This was SUCH an incredible God send, and I feel so incredible having a pair of keys in my pocket, and a place to call my own.

My third goal was equally important, as my sister well knows, and that was to find a pair of fashionable, euopean-style pin-striped pants. This was no small task in the U.S., but with the help of the Holy Spirit (its okay to invoke Grace in your shopping adventures, isnt it?) I found a Zara that was 5 stories tall. My friends from Venezuela know just how cool that is for me. I love love love this store! And it happens to be about a block away from my apartment. Job opportunity maybe??? Anyway, I found a very cool pair of pants on sale! What more can a boy ask for?

I am also so pleased to be using my Spanish, which seemed to spring right back to where it was in Venezuela after only a couple hours. That feels great.

Okay folks, keep me in your prayers, because it is certainly working so far. I miss you all,

Yours,Christian

Saturday, January 03, 2004

Beginings (emails from abroad)

The journey has begun! I sit now in the heart of Amsterdam's Red Light District at an internet cafe. I am dealing with a little bit of jet lag, but not bad all in all. The flight was FANTASTIC and I am just having a blast so far. I got to the Anne Frank House yesterday, and today I hit the Master's Exhibit seeing some of Rembrandt's more famous works and the Van Gogh museum to be wowed by his incredible collection.

I am slowly adjusting to the fact that I am alone. I went through the adjustment in Venezuela, and have learned that it simply takes the right attitude, and I am getting there, but it feels a little ackward at first not to have anyone to relay thoughts onto.

On Tueday I take the train through Paris into Madrid, where it looks as if I am going to be staying with another one of the Marquette students before our program starts. Very cool!