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
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