Tengo Escalofríos (Goosebumps)!

Ok, before I discuss the reason for the title of this blog post I want to clarify that I have yet to have one problem/issue here in Oviedo and Spain in general. I can honestly say that my time here has been a blessing in every possible way. God has repeatedly revealed to me that he is evident in the details of my life instead of just the big picture. 

While Oviedo has been more than I could have imagined, it did hold some surprises... since the beginning of October, the weather has changed from a lovely 70 - 75 degrees to a more frigid 50 - 55 degrees. This change is also known as autumn, for those of you who don't have the pleasure of enjoying 4 seasons like all of us Oregonians (Apologies for the shameless plug...). Now, I consider myself a fairly hearty girl. I am not usually bothered by cold weather or rain (I have lived the majority of my life in one of the rainiest states). Additionally, one of my many nicknames among my friends is "Heater Hands" due to my surprising ability to have warm hands during the freezing winter months. 

But, nothing could prepare me for the shock that was discovering the majority of apartment complexes here in Oviedo, do not turn on the heat until November! This is due to a few reasons: to reduce pollution, to conserve energy, and the most important reason, the manager of the apartment complex controls the heater. What this means is that when I walk in the door after coming home from school, I am greeted with a warm "¡Hola! ¿Qué tal?" from my host mom contrasted with cool air of our frigid 60 degree home. Good news: according to my mother, people burn more calories when they are cold (something about the body having to work harder to stay warm). Not as good news: every day, my host mother and I have to wear every layer of clothing we can possibly fit on our bodies, trying to stay warm (Imagine the little kid in all of his snow clothes from "The Christmas Story"). We are truly a humorous pair and I would take a picture to show all of you, however, I am too cold to get up take the picture. 

Also, I am debating whether or not I will shower until November as the idea of having to take a shower in this freezing house makes me cringe. 

So, beyond the joy of seeing autumn inch closer and closer, I have the additional pleasure of knowing that November marks the beginning of removing at least a few layers of jackets/sweaters as well as taking showers :)

Hasta pronto!

Two New Favorites: Chocolate con Churros y El Cristo

Having now been in Spain for 3 weeks or so, I am in love. With the culture. With the Spanish people. With the sights. And, with the food. My host mom and I regularly discuss all of these topics; however, food is probably our most popular topic. While I had assumed before leaving that I would probably come back a curvier version of myself, my host mom quickly informed during a meal consisting of a huge chunk of bread, fried chicken, a fried egg, and cheese, that she was confident I would not gain weight while I was here in Spain. While the mediterranean diet is known to be a very healthy diet, I had my doubts.

My doubts mainly stemmed from the fact that my favorite section of the food pyramid has always been desserts. So, although fruit or flavored yogurt is usually the dessert of choice here, my friends and I made a delicious discovery on our way home from an orientation: chocolate con churros.

Now, I am guessing the image you have in your head is the cinnamon sugar-covered churros sold at country fairs and the like. While delicious, I am talking about a whole new level of churro. Served freshly out of the oven, the churros are sprinkled with sugar, and paired with melted dark chocolate served in which one can dunk their crunchy sweet treats. Talk about heaven!

With that said, it is not surprising that my other new favorite is "El Cristo", a Christ-like stone statue situated atop a nearby hillside in Oviedo that is reminiscent of "El Cristo" in Brazil (but a much smaller version). With 360 degree views of all of Oviedo and its surrounding areas, including the beach town of Gijón, it is breathtaking. The best part is that in order to observe these incredible views, one must hike a steep hill for an hour: the perfect solution to an indulgence in chocolate con churros. Another bonus is that the hike begins with views of 8th century monuments that have been preserved and are still open for tours.

I am honestly so grateful for how God has already blessed my time here through every aspect of the experience, even though school started today :)

To give you perspective, I have included pictures and video of both of my new favorites. Enjoy!

*Please forgive the poor quality of the audio... there was a lot of wind.

Las chicas and I at La Corte de Pelayo enjoying our new treat!

Angelina and I at the top

Hasta pronto!