Bridget's Journey to Spain

October 28 | My Byron's Heavenly Birthday
This was the start of the week of our Fall break. Yes, I started working on Oct 1 and by the end of the month were on a holiday (a full week)! Grant it, I have yet to get paid. But it is still a testament to the culture of siesta (rest and family time) here.
Anyho, this was the day of my appointment with the Nacionale Policia to submit my TIE application (residence visa). The visa I fought and paid for in the US (Miami Embassy) is a study visa and only lasts for 90days. So once I got here I had a make an appt for my TIE (my ID).
After that, I took some time to finally explore past the city center and boardwalk to visit the Santa Maria Church.

Hope you all had beautiful weekend. For those who were able to give support before Sept 22, I was able to package some thank you gifts (including my homemade candles and a personal card). For those who shared your mailing address in time, I was able to get my friend JP to mail it out to you all. Thank you and thank you for sharing your thoughts and photos. I love you! God bless you. - Bridg

Daylight Savings Time - Spain vs USA

So for one week only we were 5 hours ahead of the east coast in USA, and on Tomorrow we went back to being 6 hours ahead.

Thought I lost my marbles. Then good ole google educated me. Ha!

Travel Hack - Collapsible Hangers | When I moved in (the morning of my first day at school/work), I managed to get out and buy a few things the day before. But I could only carry so much and hangers were not first on my priority list. But I happened to pack some hangers that I could travel with and they are still working great. Of course, I went out and bought some additional ones. But these got me started. I think I bought this set at 5 Below. Target also had some in that seasonal trinket section when you walk in, and I shared those with some of you. I hope they are helpful for you too. Travel smart ;)

My roommate found a great flat, a 6 minute walk to Playa de Brazomar, even better than the one we originally agreed on. Here we are leasing a 3 bd, 2 bath for 700euro. In Atlanta, I was paying twice as much for a 1 bedroom (older style) apartment. Though I am not making 3x the rent on my Language Assistant "stipend" (3x is not required here), I am grateful for the break in expenses. The couple that owns our flat lives in a city about an hour from here, as most people here who own homes. Castro is considered a vacation town where lots of people own their second homes (vacation homes). Maybe where I purchase my first. :))

So the day after Orientation, I toured my school and was thrown into one of the classes. The school is a secondary institute (middle/high school (7th grade - 10th grade)) called IES Ocho de Marzo (Institute March 8th - after a historic date in Spain). It's a new school, and many students bus there from neighboring towns or villages. [I did not take any images of the inside because I'm not sure what the rules are. I will ask after the fall break if I can take photos with the kids and inside the school.]

It takes about 15-20 minutes to walk to school and the first half (going to) is alongside Playa de Bazomar (one of the many beaches in Castros). Besides catching a cold (head and resipratory) that lasted the first two weeks on school (((brutal))), I have really enjoyed being here. Hope you stick around to see just how much. Besos - B

Orientation | One of the reasons for my rush to Spain is our scheduled Orientation for the NALCAP program. I arrived on September 28th (evening), and we gathered on October 1st to learn our next steps for living in Spain as well as what to expect (or what was expected of us) at the schools we were assigned to. I had to hope on a bus in the am and travel to Santander, a larger city about an hour north of here. It was great to connect with some of the other "auxes" (short for auxilliary or Language and Culture Assistants), and see that I was not the oldest one. lol

Castro-Urdiales, Cantabria | Spain
This is where I'll be living until next summer (June 2025). It definitely keeps me in awe of God's artistic eye as well as our own gifts and abilities to create and build.

photography by (me) Bridget Roberts

Came all this way and the first meal I have, besides the groceries I bought from the ALDI next door, is McDonalds.

Note: The fries never seem to make the commute. lol

I hadn't eaten at McDonald's in America in probably a decade or more. But I can confidently say, the food here was much more real and tasty. It's funny I thought McDonalds was my only choice because it is a Sunday, but I later found out that the culture here is to eat big lunch/la comida around 3pm and dinner/la cena around 10pm.

Something to get used to if I want to mingle with the locals.

Overall it took 3 planes, a shuttle and two buses to get me here. But I made it to Castro Urdiales, Cantabria in Spain exactly two weeks ago (Saturday). My roommate met me at the bus stop (Thank GOD), and helped me carry my bags to my hotel ("Just a 9 minute walk" Kyle). But I made it ...vowed to stay in and rest ...took some magnesium (travel hack) ...and dosed off while texting my brothers (in the sibling thread).

This is what got me a ride to the airport in Paris (Charles de Gaulle) on Saturday for my flight to Spain. Well that and over 20 years of friendship. Thanks, Pat!!!

I got to the airport safely - thanks my my. Last minute booking on French Bee...was a good flight and a good deal. Less than $400 from MIA to Paris (Orly). Cost me a little/lotta more because I had two extra bags to check. But a really great airline for vaca or business traveling.

Bye Bye ATL Life // My last day in Atlanta was last Wednesday. I had to leave without seeing my bud (but there was no easy way to say bye). There are so many people in my life that I wish I was able to see, embrace and toast with before leaving. But God's timing is always on time. I made it to Miami, greeted by a friend, and was able to pick up my Passport/Visa that day! Yay!!! (salsa dancing out the building)

Had to leave some things behind. It was challenge (with no car or man power) trying to get everything done before leaving. So I had to leave a couple of things (box and footlocker) I meant to mail out behind...including the candles/thank you gifts. But!!!!!! Once I made it to Spain, my friend JP was able to get the gifts out (for those who gave before September 22). Yay!!! Thank you again for your support and contributions. I may not have made it so far without you all answering the call. God will continue to open doors to the blessings already waiting for you! ;-)

Ok. I'm still catching up on my updates, Lovies! And I want to make sure I share all the moments with you. Last day in Atlanta, and there was still so much to do but not much worked out as planned. So Mr. Rideshare Rates, Maurice Morris, offered to be my "driver" to help get my belongings (what I could not give away) back in storage. He helped unload too. lol Thanks, Mo!!!

These Magic Bag space savers were a wonder. I was able to pack twice as much to have what I need for three seasons...well most of it (I had to leave a package behind).

See my little helper (was messing with my phone).

Sunday was also the day I saw my car off. It went to a very good place (family). AAA was 6 hours late. ((Shaking my head))

Last days in ATL: Man, so much can happen on one week. Last Sunday, I finally had an opportunity to make some candles to get out to you all. It was a squeeze, but I was so excited to create a new scent. Hope you enjoy them as much as I did making them.

It came! It came! I finally received the one document to has been holding my visa up for the past few weeks. I overnighted it immediately!! So prayerfully, it has been received by the Consulate today and I will be picking up my visa soon. Then off to Spain next week/weekend. (((yay)))

The apps I have come to love while learning new languages (now Spanish) is drops and duolingo. I do 5 minutes of drops in the morning to learning some new words, and duolingo in the evening to learn via conversations. Duolingo can get a little spicy too! I was following/practicing with a story about a man and a women meeting for a blind date. They connected and found some things in common, including the fact that they were on a date with the wrong person. The guy's date walked in and asked if he was "name" (the guy she was supposed to meet), and the guy said no my name is "other guy" (the name of the guy the first women was supposed to be on a date with). lol Guess they "hit it off"! Anyway if you are up for it, try a new language. ;-)