Autumn in Catalunya

One unanticipated drawback of moving a young family of five overseas is the amount of time it takes to adjust!  Not just emotionally adjust to a new place, a new life, a new language, a new job, new friends (you get the picture...!) but physically!

Well-adjusted, veteran ex-pat Americans will tell you that it takes three times as long to do everything in Spain.  That is part of both the beauty and frustration of the culture.  However, for those of us who are brand new at the language, the customs, and just navigating the place and processes, we WISH it would take just three times as long.  Frequently, it has taken a day to do the most simple of tasks....!

All that to say....our blog updates have been few and far between.  But we are slowly adjusting.  So, to summarize two months' worth of lessons in a few short bullet points....

• The weather has cooled to an enjoyable fall temperature.  Frequently, we awake to a crisp chill and a view of low clouds over our nearby mountains - a morning delight!  Days quickly warm up to a pleasant 22C (70F).  This makes our more frequent walking around for little errands most enjoyable.
• We now have two months of school under our belt.  For sure, things are different than our experiences in California.  We three boys are adjusting and learning the ropes quickly.  One thing we didn't expect at our international school was how many local Spanish students and teachers there would be.  Somehow, we thought it would be mainly Americans and Brits seeking out an English education.  That is not so!  The majority are non-native English speakers, which makes for a truly international feel.
• We have been slowly getting to know our host city and the surrounding Catalonian countryside.  Barcelona is an amazing place to explore and enjoy.  The school is about a fifteen minute drive/train ride from our home; the city center about twenty-five minutes.  So much to see, do, and experience.  We are blessed!  Our town of Sant Cugat sits just behind the hills of Barcelona, away from the sea.  It is so close and yet so distinct.  It is a gateway to a host of valley and mountain destinations.  We have begun to explore this vast playground and are enjoying what we find.
• Our church (International Church of Barcelona) has been making us feel at home.  We are getting plugged into Children's work here and are enjoying the opportunity to serve.  Although it is an English-speaking church, much like the school, we get to enjoy different cultural and language offerings from around the world. We are grateful God led us to this church.

We have learned from day one that Barcelona is the capital of a unique region of Spain called Catalunya.  In many, many ways our city and region is predominantly Catalonian rather than Spanish.  Thus, our quest to learn Spanish and all-things Spanish has been slower than expected.  Instead, we are becoming more familiar with the language and culture of Catalunya.  It's a fascinating and unexpected learning curve, but we are enjoying being on this journey!

Leigha (14 mths) and her baby!  Both enjoying their bottle!

Landen and Logan in Placa Montseny, Catalonia



Placa Catalunya, Barcelona with friends and family.

 Thanks for following us.  We will try to make sure our next update is a little sooner than the last!