Mi primera problema

Ok guys,

So I have been doing the best I can to make sure I stay contacted with everyone, yet it still feels like everyone is not getting the attention they deserve. Don't worry...because my family here in Ubeda feels the same way lol. Why does it always feel like a big contest on how you spend you time or why do people get so upset when you do your own thing.....

Let me start by saying I have the greatest mother in the world. Literally, she is so sweet and loving and for her to let me go off to Spain on my own is great. Thanks mom for never hounding me with a million questions or questioning whether I love you or not because I spend time with other people. Like Mom you are seriously the greatest (of course besides Caroline). You AND Dr. P are such wonderful parents. I love spending time with you because you are so youthful and wonderful, and you don't mind when I go and visit my friends. Thank you for never making me feel like it is such a hassle or a necessity that I spend every moment with you. You love me know matter what and I can't thank you enough for just wanting what is best for me and makes me happy. You are so selfless. Both of you (yes, im sobbing while I write this because you have no idea how much I miss your love and amazing parenting skills)

With that being said, I got in trouble again. Haha, like I suck as a Spanish daughter. So last night after what I thought was a great day with my family got a talking to. LOL. It all started when I came home from shopping and a friend's house and asked if I could go bowling. Well this led to a long discussion on how I'm never with my family and how I'm always out. ----Here let me explain that I'm always out with Spanish people lol. I don't just go hang out with my American friends. I'm constantly surrounded by Spanish people and trying to speak Spanish or do Spanish things like Salsa with Sarah's family----- GOD MOMENT (janie) thankfully the Lord opened up my eyes to understand almost every word they were saying so we didn't have to have a long drawn out talk because I already was on the brink of tears. Then I politely said they were right (which to some extent I do totally agree) and thought that was the end. Nope. My Spanish Dad literally made me go bowling after I begged and pleaded to not make me because I just wanted to stay here now. (like is this not exactly the scene of an American high-schooler and their parents) So I went bowling and sucked. (karma)

But..... Today is a new day, and even though I'm doing to do everything possible in Spain because who knows when I will come back, Familia es Primera. I love my family here, they are so sweet, they even told me that were disappointed in me in the sweetest way lol. So I'm going to try my hardest to turn down all the invitations to do other things and spend time with my family. They are great people and they really like me. It's just hard to know how to balance your time and make sure everyone is happy. A problem that I also have in America.

So, this post probably won't interest you at all but it has been the main thing weighing on my mind all night and day, and probably will continue to the rest of my time here. (12 more days in Ubeda, 6 in Spain, and then 14 in Rome, Paris, and London with my amazing sister and awesome roomie Jessica)

Also, I wanted to take the time to say thank you to someone very special for reminding me that I am a witness and an outsource of God's love and mercy. I will def. put up another post about the great diversity in beliefs here, but for now know that I speak to God often (thankfully he speaks English) and I need to continually have my loved one's support and prayers as I try to show the people of Ubeda and Europe that a relationship with God is possible.

Ok. enough for now, 3:00 and time for lunch (yep I said lunch) crazy huh.

If you read this around 10:00 your time pray that I have the ability to tell my Spanish family that my class is required to go to the museum today. haha I hate being a people pleaser.

Amanda