My Last Day

Today was my last full day in the Americas. That's a strange thing to say. I woke up at ten. Woo! I really do love sleeping. It's my favorite. That's why I'm excited for the siestas that they have out there in good ol' Espana. My puppy, Howell, came and greeted me after I came downstairs and then decided chill on our window seat. I'm really going to miss him. He's the flipping cutest.

My mother loves me and made me waffles for breakfast. As you can see the children really enjoyed them. I mean look at Jane. Sometimes I think she is a little bird. 

Then we had our after breakfast cleaning dance party. Jane and Dad really got into it today. And Aisy just didn't care.

We finished cleaning up from breakfast at 12 but you know whatever because then we went and had lunch at the ward cookout. I got to say goodbye to some people. It's weird that I won't be seeing them again for another 3 months.

I had the great privilege of putting Jane down for her nap. She's currently against any bedding but sheets. I put them in and she immediately throws them out. Which is lame because she's got a sheepskin. Ungrateful brat.

 Then the Parentals, Jairus, and I took a trip to Target. Jairus made a deal with me that he would clean the bathroom for a month if I bought him $20 of stuff from Target. That's a great deal. For me anyway. Bathrooms are the worst. Apparently one of the Pokemon cards he got out of it is super rare and it's worth $20 and today is the best day of his life. So I guess it was a great deal for him too. Win win?

 As a goodbye dinner Dad took us to Famous Dave's. So delicious. The waiter was awesome and got us extra food. Perks of being in a large family people pity you and give you free stuff all the time. Woo!

 Jairus being bored. So lame.

 Joan-Claire being very focused. She was so concentrating so hard it was a little scary.

 And after we ate me and Jane played outside because she was done. Those with little kids understand.

After our fun adventurous day we cam home and Dad gave back to school blessings. As much as I'm not going back to school my blessing was one the most powerful one's I've ever received. It made me feel a little less nervous about this whole traveling international thing.

Today really was pretty much like any other day. It was weird though thinking that it was going to be my last average day for 3 months. When I get to Spain everything is going to different. The scary thing ,and I think the reason why I'm suddenly so nervous, is that I don't know exactly what is going to be different. It's all the unknown and it's just something that I'm going to find out when I get there. Don't get me wrong I'm also very very excited but there is always that nervousness that comes with the unknown. I'm sure you people know.

Yesterday we had my goodbye party. I wanted to take pictures but ended up getting distracted with talking and saying goodbye to everyone. I think that's a reasonable excuse if you ask me. But no it was amazing how many people came and it made me happy that I was able to say goodbye to so many people that I love out here! I didn't get to say goodbye to everyone I love out here but I'll be back in December so I guess it's not the end of the world.

Next week I'll be in Spain and you'll probably get tons of cool pictures of Heathrow Airport and Spain and everything else. So for now I must say goodbye because I have to get on a plane and fly and be in airports for more than 24 hours tomorrow. Wish me luck!

What's been going on?

Not much. This post might be really short. I'm just going to say that. Unless of course I decide to ramble on for paragraphs on end like an old lady.

This past week I started packing and going through all my clothes and other crap. I've never felt like much of a hoarder but apparently I am. I have things like old homework assignments, my first wallet, play scripts, and even old toy cars. Do you even know how long it's been since I last played with hot wheels? 8 years or more! So why did I save them? I really have no idea. My sisters like to play with them though so that's nice that they're not going to waste. Or something.

I've also discovered in my packing that I'm secretly goth.

I mean look at this suitcase! Except for that one dress it's all black or navy. I already knew that I dress in kind of dark colors but I didn't know it was this extreme. But now you people know! I only wear dark colors! My brother just pointed out to me as I typed this that I'm wearing a navy blue shirt and black shorts. Maybe being in Spain will help brighten my wardrobe.

It's sad when the only picture you have to show is a boring suitcase. But whatever! I'm having a goodbye party next Sunday. Contact me and I'll give you the info.  It should be fun. Mainly because there's going to be food. Parties aren't fun unless there's food and usually music. That's my personal opinion on the matter. Anyway that is all I have to say to you people today. Next week I expect to be much more interesting. Pictures from the party. Plus I'll be leaving the next day. Guys. I'm leaving a week from tomorrow. This is crazy. Well until next week!

A Slight Change in Plans

Well the visa game is apparently too difficult for me. At least on my first try. Sometimes I think the world has decided to hate me and make everything go wrong in my life. Even though it's highly annoying that I wasn't able to get my visa in time I think it's for the best. I'll be able to come home for Christmas and for my new baby bro/sis birth. (It's unknown what it is yet. We all want it to be a boy.) All fun and important things that I would rather not miss. Now I don't have to.

Now for my overall plan. I'll go out to dear old A Coruna for 3 months and while there register in a language school. That way I can learn Spanish and make it possible for me to get a student visa. Two birds with one stone! Woo! Then come back for 3 months and while here in Virginia work, make money, and try to get my visa again. Only this time I think I'll be more successful since I now know all the documents I need, how long it takes, etc. After that I'll head back to A Coruna for the rest of the Spring/Summer.

It amazes me how fast a week goes by. It's making me realize how soon I'll be going to Spain. It's two weeks from Tuesday! It's insane! I think I'm mostly ready. I'll probably start packing next week and start that whole fiasco. Should be a ton of fun. Not. It's hard fitting your life into a couple of suitcases.

Anyway that's all I've really got for you today. Until I go to Spain and start having adventures not much will be happening over here. I don't have any awesome pictures to show you or a lot of exciting news. Just the everyday stuff that people find dreary. Sorry 'bout that! Until next week!

Loving Spain and People

I am currently loving Spain and the people there. Just from observation of course. This week I've been struggling with feeling like I'll be able to get my visa in time. I mean I leave in less than a month! Everything is working out but I feel like it's not going fast enough. If that makes sense.

Even though this week has been stressing me out a bit. I've been calmed down somewhat by some lovely people. I told Soledad somewhat of how I was feeling and she made me feel so much better. She believes that I'll be able to get my visa in time and that even if I don't I can always just come for three months. She said it with so much confidence that I just felt like it was true. Seeing as I've never done this before I don't have much confidence in it. So it's nice to see someone who does have confidence in it.

After I talked to Soledad she had one of her friends reach out to me. Her name is Linda. She's from Australia but has been living in A Coruna for sometime now. She's been amazing and has been helping me find easier ways to get my visa. She also has been telling me about A Coruna from an outsiders perspective. That alone has been super helpful.

I love how so far everyone I've talked to from Spain is helpful and kind. They just seem so loving! I don't know if everyone from Spain is like that but these people sure are making me have a great impression of the place. Anyway stop with the stressful stuff and onto the fun things!

It turns out Siestas are a legit thing! Hallelujah! I'm so excited to go to a place where nap taking is accepted as part of everyday life. This alone makes me love Spain! If you can't tell I really like naps. Linda also says that people live to eat food and be with friends and family. They don't live to work. "Work is just a necessary evil to pay for food." I really love that. By the sounds of it they're just a very laid back people. That's my style of people!

As much as they're a very laid back people I don't know if I approve of their food choices. Linda says the food is delicious and that I'll love it but then she sent me this picture.

Pulpo! A.K.A Octopus! I think I'm going to die. She says that you get get used to it and that she even starts to crave it if she hasn't had it in a while. Apparently it's pretty common there too. I'll eat it but I have literally no idea how or if I'll like it. I'm nervous. 

Anyway I also had a blessing from dad this week and it also made me feel at peace. It's just hard to trust that everything will work out. I've had so many confirmations that it will all be fine but man it's so difficult not to be stressed out about it. Maybe it's good I'm stressed about it. It's making me work harder. Or something. Well I believe that's all I have to say to you people for now so until next week!

Mi Familia Nueva

This week my post will be about my new family. The mom (Soledad) is from Southern Spain and her family owns a farm with pigs and horses. I think that's so awesome. She says we'll definitely go down and visit sometime. The dad (Olivier) is from France and apparently usually in the summer they go visit his family. I would love to visit France so I hope that happens. The youngins that I'll be watching seem amazing. I've skyped them a couple times and they seem really sweet and loving.

 The oldest (Matilda) is 10 and said she would teach me the Spanish guitar. You know I dig that! I get to teach her the ukulele in exchange. Which is awesome!  Finally someone who wants me to teach them! My siblings say it's "too hard" and then give up. Looking at you Jairus!

The middle boy (Diego) is 8. I have a feeling he's really hyper just because when I skype he often leaves in the middle and goes off and plays. That's to be expected of an 8 year old though! In the very beginning he said he wanted me to be his Au Pair which was very cute. But it also could have been the fact that I sent them a pic of me making cupcakes. So.........

The youngest (Teo) is 3. He along with Matilda I've talked to the most. Well kind of. His mom translated for me. He asked if I was "coming today" and after I said no he asked if I was coming "tomorrow" So cute!

Now after that last paragraph you're probably like "Wait! Do they speak English!?" Thankfully the two oldest do and the youngest understands it but doesn't speak it. That's partially their reason for having an American come out there. So that I can teach them and improve their English. I've never been wanted for my English speaking skills before so that's a snazzy new experience.

I'm really excited to go out there and meet them in person. From all the pictures they've sent I'm under the impression they going swimming. A lot. And they just have a lot of fun in general.

That's what I've got for you on them for now. Don't worry though you'll hear all about them as the year goes on. 

In other news the past week I bought my plane ticket. I'm officially leaving on the 6th of September. Too bad it's not the 5th. Then I could have quoted a song. Lame. I have a 7 hour layover in Heathrow. Too bad it's not quite enough time to go to Windsor. That and it would cost almost $80 for a taxi there and back. Oh well. I hear the airport is huge so I'm sure I'll find stuff to do. That's the fun part of my journey but pretty much I'm going to be in airplanes and airports for 24 hours. I've never done that before let alone travel internationally. I'm a little nervous but I know it'll all be fine. I've been talking to my frequent traveling friends and they make it sound pretty simple. Hallelujah!

I also was able to contact the branch president of the branch for my church out there. He says the branch has 100 members and 10 of them are in my age group! Woo! People my age! I'm excited to go out there and make friends and meet all these people. It should be a lot of fun, At least that's what I'm hoping. 

Lastly this week I got my passport. Now I can travel wherever I want! Too bad that costs money. Now I just have to get my visa. I don't think that should be too difficult. It better not be since I'm leaving in a month! 

That's all I have to say to you people today. Until next week! 

A Coruna, Galicia, Spain

The place that I will be living for almost a whole year is called A Coruna. It is in the Galicia principality of Spain. Dad believes that I'll come home with a lisp because the people pronounce Galicia like Galithia. We'll see if that happens. I don't think it will. 

Here it is in comparison to the rest of Spain. And France. 'Cause that's cool. It has the same climate as my dear old Washington State, where I am originally from. It's rainy and cloudy most of the time, doesn't get get lower than 45, doesn't get higher than 80, and it's muggy when it's hot. Woo! Just like home! Of course this is all according to Google, but Google tends to be pretty truthful. 

Besides similar weather to my favorite state (I still love you Virginia) it also has some cool touristy things to do. I'll get them done and over with and then be a local. Tourists are my favorite prey of people watching. It's entertaining to watching them find their way around the metro with their group t-shirts and fanny packs. Perks of living close to D.C. I see them every time I go into the city. Hooray! No but seriously I love them but don't want to be one. I'm sorry I'm a horrible human being. 

Anyway......back to touristy things to do there! I think one of the things I'm most excited to see is the Torre de Hercules.

This is the oldest WORKING Roman light house in the world. It was built in 2 A.D. and was last renovated in 1791. The fact that even the renovation was an extremely long time ago is amazing to me. I love how over in Europe there is so much history and culture way older than anything we have here in America. I can't wait to learn about the history while I'm over there. 

Another thing I'm excited to see is Plaza de Maria Pita.

This plaza is named after a fierce warrior woman named Maria Pita who protected A Coruna against an invasion . She led the people into battle after her husband was killed in the fight. She was successful in warding off the invaders (obviously) and this beautiful place was built in her honor. Besides that cool back story they have an outdoor market there. May I just say that I'm so excited to buy everything from markets. I need to become fluent in Spanish first but still it's going to be amazing. These are the main touristy things but of course there is the beaches, markets, and everything else foreign and new to me. 

And here is A Coruna in it's entirety.

 I think it's beautiful. I genuinely can't wait to go there and immerse myself in the culture and history. I honestly have never had Spanish food before so that's going to be a new adventure. Everyone says, "Tapas!" I'm like, "Ok. I don't really know what that is." I talked to the family's current Au Pair and she says they eat a lot of fish. Figures since they live on the coast. Good thing I like fish. I'm not a very picky person, but I'm training myself now not to be afraid to try things that sound gross. Just in case. I tried wasabi last week. Not that it's Spanish food. But still. It was extremely difficult for me. I hate hot things like that. But I did it! Woo! 

As for trying new things Church is going to be a very new experience. There is a branch 15 minutes away by bus from where I'll be living. I've always lived in areas with a fairly numerous Mormon population and have been in large wards with hundreds of people. Branches I hear are quite small in comparison. I'm excited though. It's going to be my chance to love people. I feel like that's one of my main reasons for going away. To love them and make them feel wanted. Both the children that I'll be tending and everyone else that I meet. At least that's the plan. 

Until next week, Adios!

The Start

My plans have been all over the place since February. Like oh my gosh have they. My initial plan was like all other soon to be graduated high school seniors. Go to college, get a job, be independent, etc. February however brought the sad news that I was not accepted into the school of my choice. Brigham Young University Utah. I felt fairly confident I would be accepted into BYU but NO! Their loss. Actually in all honesty I was quite upset by it and cried for a couple days but that doesn't matter. After I collected myself I decided "next best choice".

Southern Virginia University! Woo! SVU is a really small private college in the middle of nowhere. A very beautiful middle of nowhere, but still in the middle of nowhere. I've visited the campus several times. It's beautiful, teaches interesting and worthwhile things, and follows my style of learning. Even though it is a great school I just wasn't feeling it. Then Dad HAD to go and question my motives. Why did I even want to go to college? It's kind of sad when your only answer is because it's just what you do.  He kind of shook up my thinking and said I don't even have to go to school. I can go live life and do fun and adventurous things. He suggested, among other things that I could go live in Utah anyway and live the life of a college kid without going to college. SAY WHAT?!

Taking my fathers sage advice I decided to take a gap year. What is that you may ask? According to the Oxford Dictionary, "A period, typically an academic year, taken by a student as a break between secondary school and higher education." It's more common in European countries but is done by the preppy rich kids of America. Because I'm totally a preppy rich kid. Not. Anyway I had already payed for my plane ticket out to Utah, asked relatives if I could stay for a bit, and tentatively started looking for job. But guess what?! Then my plans changed again!

You're probably thinking, "Wow this chic is so indecisive. She should just make up her mind and stick to it. I mean come on!" Please forgive me for making you think this. It truly wasn't my intention. I've also been thinking the same thing. Believe me. It's been driving me insane. Making decisions that affect your life forever though are very difficult to make. I'm sure you know that. After all the plan changing I think it's taught me to be open and flexible. To still make plans but if needs be led to not follow the norm. So are you ready for this?! My official last plan change that's going to lead me to a fun adventurous life?! Of course you are! I've been building it up forever.

A week before I was scheduled to move to Utah I was sitting in church and I got a message from my old piano teacher. She had a friend who had an acquaintance (confusing I know) looking for an Au Pair in France. She suggested that if I was interested I should reach out to the family. At this point I was kind of reeling. It just seemed like such an amazing opportunity but I'd have to ditch all preparations for Utah and prep for this instead. Changing plans at this point was normal but that's kind of a large change. It was just a lot to take in. So I went home after church, consulted with the good ol' parentals, and decided to go for it! Who's going to pass up France!? Not me! So I emailed them, it took them forever to respond, and in the end they said they wanted to go with someone they knew a little better. Jerks. Just kidding! They actually seemed like a really nice family.

I was kind of disappointed after being kindly rejected. However I got to thinking, "I can be an Au Pair anyway!" So I found a free Au Pair website made a profile and within 3 days I got 27 different people interested in having me as their Au Pair. I'll just say being the eldest of 8 children can have it's perks sometimes. Some families seemed more interesting than others. Others showed more interest me as a person than others. The families were from countries like Spain, Italy, France, and even some from Ireland. 

Out of all the families there was one that really stood out to me. They seemed the most enthusiastic to meet me and wanted me to be a part of their family. After a couple Skype sessions and messaging it became official! I'm to be their Au Pair for the school year and part of the summer if I so choose. And in what country?! SPAIN! A Coruna, Spain to be exact. Look how beautiful it is! 

(photo cred to the family's current Au Pair)

I'm so excited to start this new adventure! I have a hard time sleeping at night thinking about it. It's way different than my original plans but it's going to be such an amazing experience so whatevs. I'm leaving the first week of September so I have a couple more weeks until I depart. I plan on writing every week giving you info on A Coruna, the family I'll be living with, and everything else that's going on so be sure to check in! I can't wait!