Ah, sweet introversion.
This weekend, all of my amigos went to the beach in Portugal but someone had to feed the fish and let the dog out, so I took on the responsibility to stay behind. [I also didn’t have the euro amount required to go.]
After 3 weeks of having a variety of friends at hand, a weekend to unbutton my collar in solitude sounded killer. I will not lie, I had really high expectations for this weekend… which usually leads to a let down but I think the high expectation let down usually involves people letting you down. And there was no people in my expectations… there was anti-people. And I was not let down.
Friday night, after waving bon voyage to my traveling friends, I walked myself down to Leonardo’s (a fast food-ish sandwich place) and got a ham, cheese and tomato baguette. Unsure of what to do and where to eat, I peeled of the wrapper and ate my baguette like a push-pop as I walked to the cathedral. Now, I have walked past this cathedral almost everyday since I have been in Salamanca, somehow managing to overlook a huge park right beside it. In my defense, the Cathedral is a really big attention hog with its towering towers and ringing bells. Shocked and intrigued by this new [to me] park I propped myself up against a tree and enjoyed my humble dinner and pulled out The Sun Also Rises. About half way through my sandwich, I couldn’t eat anymore so I gave it to man who was walking around begging. He said something that I’m assuming was “Thank you” in what was definitely not Spanish and then tore the baguette in half, giving the bigger half to his dog, which made me laugh. That is my kind of homeless man. With one eye on Hemingway and the other on the picnics, music and dogs, I passed the first half of the night in the silent company of my fellow townsmen.
At about ten, the warm breeze turned cool and I couldn’t stop thinking about hot chocolate, so Ernest and I relocated to the Plaza where I ordered a cup. What I received from my… how shall I say, friendly waiter, had more than just milk and chocolate in it. Unable to finish anything in it’s entirety that night, I drank only half before becoming fearful of not being able to find my way home alone if I finished the whole cup. More reading and people watching here… then I walked back, praying every step that I wouldn’t be abducted. And I was not, Praise the LORD.
Saturday consisted of similar activities in similar locations, plus shopping. In Spain, there is a chain clothes store called Zara with Anthropologie-esque clothes on H&M prices. Dangerous! …but fun! So, la di da.. more exploring, reading, people watching, music listening, pistachio ice cream eating, flower picking, hymn humming, picture taking, Argentinean meeting, bridge crossing and LORD praising. The perfect ending to a perfect day was a long skype date with Meg and Blair, sigh. I love my friends.
This morning I had big plans of sleeping until 10 or so and then going to what I know to be the only protestant church in Salamanca at noon. Against my will, I woke up at 8:30 and couldn’t fall back asleep. So, grumbling, I got out of bed, took a shower, and left, thinking I would take my time wandering over to the church in case I had a hard time finding it. I didn’t have a hard time finding it but I was surprised to read on the door that the service would be beginning at 11 for the summer. I look at my watch and it’s 10:45. I confessed my grumbling, thanked God for waking me up and walked inside. I was greeted by an old man at the door who introduced himself to me as Juan. I introduced myself as Holly, told him I was studying in Salamanca for 4 weeks and that I was really excited to be with them this morning as he walked me inside and sat me on the very front row. In-tim-i-dating. I took a quick look around the sanctuary, noticing the words “Soy El Camino, La Verdad y La Vida” [I am The Way, The Truth and The Life] engraved in the wood above the stage, and then I pulled out my journal and started to write, hoping my blonde hair and English Bible wouldn’t attract too much attention. But of course it did. As people filed into the small sanctuary, I received nothing but Bienvenidos, hugs and kisses. Shortly after, Juan walked up to front and led the congregation in prayer. Then we sang for about half an hour which was GLORIOUS. Lucky for me, there wasn’t many big words like sanctification or justification or ebenezer so I could understand what I was singing. Then Juan, who I am beginning to realize is the Pastor of this church, walked up front again and invited the congregation to stand as we read about the Great Commandment in Matthew 22.
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” vs. 36-40
I couldn’t tell you what the sermon was about but that’s ok. Then we took communion and sang a few more songs. THEN Juan announced to the congregation that there was a guest in their presence. “Holly esta nos visitando de Los Estados Unidos!” [Holly is visiting us from the United States!] Then he made me stand up and tell where I was from. Seriously? I could feel my face turning purple. Afterward, tons of people came up and said things to me in Spanish that I couldn’t understand. Just smile, nod and say si, si, gracias, gracias. Despite the minor embarrassment and inability to understand the majority of words spoken, my soul was fed. I left the church and spend the rest of the afternoon reading in a nearby park.
And now my sunburned friends are back and I am glad they are here to share the last 8 days with me. 8. more. days.
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