Holy Week in Sevilla is unlike any other Easter celebration in the world. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to experience the whole week because I was riding camels in the Sahara. Nevertheless, Semana Santa is a very important event in Sevilla and I want to share what I’ve learned about it.
Preparations for Semana Santa go on all year long. The city has many different “hermandades” (brotherhoods) that are dedicated to a certain Virgin and/or Christ figure. For example, my host mother is part of the Hermandad of La Virgin de La “O” (the “O” stands for the hope Mary had when she was pregnant with Jesus). My history teacher joked that there are two things a Sevillanos will fight about; which Virgin is the most beautiful and which soccer team is better (Sevilla or Betis).
So during the year the hermandades prepare their paseos (beautifully decorated floats that the figures sit on) to be paraded through the streets. Then every day during Holy Week these paseos make their way from their churches to the Cathedral and back again. They are accompanied by nazarenos, which are members of the hermandad that are dressed like they are part of the KKK. No worries though, they aren’t dangerous. They usually carry long candles and sometimes even candy to pass out kids. Penitentes are also in the procession. These people have hats that aren’t pointed and often carry a cross and sometimes walk barefoot as an act of penance or to fulfill a promise they have made to God. Now, you must also know, these people walk up to 8 hours around the city!
The tradition of these processions started in a time when not that many people were educated enough to read the Bible. So to teach the people about the life and passion of Christ, these figures were paraded through the streets. I don’t know if you noticed in my pictures, but the Christ figures are in a lot of pain and the Virgins are very sorrowful. I was a little disturbed by all of this at first, but then I learned that the sculptors wanted to make Christ's death and sacrifice very real to whoever witnessed their work.
Underneath each paseo are were the “costaleros” (float bearers) work. It took about 40 men to carry La Virgin de La O and I know the paseos with many figures are even heavier. It’s an art to carry these things, as the sway side to side with the music the band plays. The most important part of the their journey is the “salida” (exit) and “entrada” (entrance) in and out of the church. The doors of the the churches are often very narrow, so the costaleros have to use extra caution getting these magnificent figures in and out of the building. They even turn the figure around to face the crowd and then back it into the church. Meanwhile, if you are lucky, when the procession pauses and the band is silent you might hear a saeta (a religious flamenco ballad).
The whole city is full of people trying to catch these processions. It can be overwhelming. You can be trying to walk somewhere and suddenly you run into a thousand people crammed into the narrow Sevillan streets trying to watch a procession pass. That’s when you turn around and hope there’s another street you can go down. (Yes, it’s worse than the trains in Bellevue)
In the end, I’ve probably done a poor job of explaining all this. You can go look at my pictures though. Sadly, I really couldn’t capture the essence of Semana Santa in a photo (but then it wouldn’t be special right?). I guess the last thing to note is that the week itself is more important than Easter Sunday. Although I really enjoyed seeing the resurrection procession on Easter, for many of the Sevillanos, Sunday is a day of rest and recovery from the past week. It was all quit the experience.
Next adventures: Gibraltar, Flamenco lessons, and horseback riding in Doñana National Park.
Tenga una buen día! (Have a good day!)
Emily
P.S. Today a group of American tourists asked me to take there picture, but the funny thing is they asked me using the little Spanish they know and making the camera picture taking motion. I laughed and said, “Sure. I’m an American. I speak English.”
“Oh, well you look like a Spaniard!” the guy said and handed me the camera.
When your “own kind” don’t even recognize you does that mean you’re starting to blend in? haha...it’s not the first time I’ve been approached for directions or to take a picture. It’s just as soon as I open my mouth they know I’m not from these parts. If only looks could make me fluent in Spanish! :)
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Morocco: Sunrises, Sand, Snow, and Monkeys
Just when I was getting used to Sevilla, I get dropped off in the middle of the Sahara to sleep in a tent, ride camels, and eat couscous. Talk about shaking things up a little bit! My time spent in Morocco was eye-opening to say the least, but let me try and start from the beginning.
The bus left Sunday morning at 4 am. Just as the sun was rising we caught a ferry to a city in Africa owned by the Spain called Cueta. From there we crossed the border into Morocco and began our long trek to Fez. The first thing that struck me was how green the country side was. I guess when I thought Africa I pictured a desert, not realizing how varied the landscape would be. The second thing I became aware of was that I was in a Muslim country. At one of our first rest stops there was a man chanting the call for prayer and people began to gather in a little prayer room next to the bathrooms. Definitely not something I see every day.
We spent a day and two nights in Fez, which is the third largest city in Morocco. It also seemed to be very modern. Our tour guide told us that the current king has given a lot of freedom to women. They can vote and they don’t have to wear the traditional head scarf anymore. So we saw women in both traditional dress and contemporary styles out on the streets here. In the smaller villages they seem to tend to stay more covered.
Monday we spent all day in the Medina, the huge market in Fez. This place is an incredible maze of sites, sounds, and smells. We passed food markets of fresh meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables. Then we visited a pharmacy that sold all natural products. You could by everything from spices to green lipstick that turns pink when you put it on. Next we stopped at rug shop, where all the rugs are made by women who are said to have “golden fingers”. Then we visited a fabric store that made all sorts of brightly colored scarfs and clothes. We went to a leather store and got to see how the leather is made (it’s a smelly process, so they gave us mint leaves to protect out noses). Finally we saw a ceramics shop and factory. I thought this one was the most interesting, because it is a very tedious process to make the beautiful ceramic products they produce. In all of the stores there was a constant pressure to spend our money. “It’s a good price,” was the slogan. You could tell tourists like us are the lively hood of many of these store owners.
Meanwhile, the whole time we were walking down these narrow streets and once and a while someone would yell to “Balak!” (“look out!”) and we would have to move over to let a donkey with a wide load pass.
We didn’t arrive in the desert until late Tuesday night. It was amazing to see the landscape slowly change on our journey. First green rolling hills, then a cedar forest, then a rocky desert with tall cliffs and rock formations, than finally the flat arid desert. We took 4x4s out to the “haimas” (tents) which were housed in a walled in complex. The 4x4s were a wild ride, because we were constantly flying over bumps and it was getting dark so I have no idea how the drivers found their way. It’s hard enough in the day light to know which way to go in the desert. It all looks the same to me!
My bed that night was quite sandy, but comfortable. Thankfully there didn’t seem to be many insects crawling around. And it was actually a lot of fun to sleep in a tent made of blankets and lined with rugs. It’s something I’ve dreamed of ever since I was ten and would make tents in the living room.
The next day the sun came up and it’s as if the dunes appeared out of nowhere around us. (Because we couldn’t see them in the dark the night before.) We rode camels (I named mine “Mr. Ed”) to a small nearby town. (I can now say I have traveled by plan, ferry, taxi, train, foot, bus, and camel on this trip.) The buildings there were plain and brown just like the desert and at first glance you would think it was deserted, but slowly children appeared around us asking for dirham (their currency), sometimes in exchange for little trinkets they’ve made. I had actually brought with me a bag of school supplies to give to the children, but when I began to hand things out I was practically mobbed. The poor things. All these little hands were suddenly grabbing at the pens and pencils I was attempting to pass out in an orderly fashion. After this episode I decided to hold off on bringing out the rest of my gifts until there were only a few children around.
We got to see an oasis which is split among all the families in the village. I also visited a house where some local women designed henna tattoos for a few of us girls. The whole experience was so surreal. For example, at henna house there were all these kids running around and we sat in this room on cushions and were served green mint tea (aka Berber whisky). Meanwhile, there was a flat screen TV at one end of the room that seemed totally out of place. Suddenly all these young women and girls show up, completely covered, and only one of them spoke Spanish. Nevertheless they bring out the henna, which looks and feels like mud, and begin drawling on our hands. It was so wonderfully bizarre.
At our camp site most of the workers speak at least five languages; Spanish, English, French, Arabic, Berber, and sometimes even a little Japanese. I even met one man at a fossil store who has a brother who lives in Wooster, Ohio! He actually just visited him a few weeks ago and was able to tell me about all the snow. Small world.
Thursday morning, before we packed up to leave, I got up to see the sunrise. I wrapped up in my turban and sat on the top of a sand dune waiting in great anticipation for the sun. It was well worth it. : )
On the way to Meknes we had two interesting stops. Our first stop was for a picnic lunch in the mountains. This sounded like a lovely idea, but when we got out of the bus we find ourselves on a cold mountain top, in the rain, and in the middle of a swarm of nomads. Our organization's leaders had brought clothes to give these people, as well as some food. I handed my banana to women with bloody fingernails. It was so upsetting that I couldn’t eat my sandwich. I handed it over to a little boy and frantically searched for what else I could leave behind. I have never been so intensely face to face with poverty.
The next stop was a little more uplifting. We were now in the cedar forest in the mountains and it began to snow. That’s night, snow in Africa! Then, the next thing we know monkeys show up to stare at us staring at them. What an unusual site; monkeys hanging out in the snow. That basically topped off my trip.
That night we spent in a hotel in Meknes, and the next day we returned to Sevilla just in time to see the last two days of Semana Santa, but that’s another story.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!
Love,
Emily
The bus left Sunday morning at 4 am. Just as the sun was rising we caught a ferry to a city in Africa owned by the Spain called Cueta. From there we crossed the border into Morocco and began our long trek to Fez. The first thing that struck me was how green the country side was. I guess when I thought Africa I pictured a desert, not realizing how varied the landscape would be. The second thing I became aware of was that I was in a Muslim country. At one of our first rest stops there was a man chanting the call for prayer and people began to gather in a little prayer room next to the bathrooms. Definitely not something I see every day.
We spent a day and two nights in Fez, which is the third largest city in Morocco. It also seemed to be very modern. Our tour guide told us that the current king has given a lot of freedom to women. They can vote and they don’t have to wear the traditional head scarf anymore. So we saw women in both traditional dress and contemporary styles out on the streets here. In the smaller villages they seem to tend to stay more covered.
Monday we spent all day in the Medina, the huge market in Fez. This place is an incredible maze of sites, sounds, and smells. We passed food markets of fresh meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables. Then we visited a pharmacy that sold all natural products. You could by everything from spices to green lipstick that turns pink when you put it on. Next we stopped at rug shop, where all the rugs are made by women who are said to have “golden fingers”. Then we visited a fabric store that made all sorts of brightly colored scarfs and clothes. We went to a leather store and got to see how the leather is made (it’s a smelly process, so they gave us mint leaves to protect out noses). Finally we saw a ceramics shop and factory. I thought this one was the most interesting, because it is a very tedious process to make the beautiful ceramic products they produce. In all of the stores there was a constant pressure to spend our money. “It’s a good price,” was the slogan. You could tell tourists like us are the lively hood of many of these store owners.
Meanwhile, the whole time we were walking down these narrow streets and once and a while someone would yell to “Balak!” (“look out!”) and we would have to move over to let a donkey with a wide load pass.
We didn’t arrive in the desert until late Tuesday night. It was amazing to see the landscape slowly change on our journey. First green rolling hills, then a cedar forest, then a rocky desert with tall cliffs and rock formations, than finally the flat arid desert. We took 4x4s out to the “haimas” (tents) which were housed in a walled in complex. The 4x4s were a wild ride, because we were constantly flying over bumps and it was getting dark so I have no idea how the drivers found their way. It’s hard enough in the day light to know which way to go in the desert. It all looks the same to me!
My bed that night was quite sandy, but comfortable. Thankfully there didn’t seem to be many insects crawling around. And it was actually a lot of fun to sleep in a tent made of blankets and lined with rugs. It’s something I’ve dreamed of ever since I was ten and would make tents in the living room.
The next day the sun came up and it’s as if the dunes appeared out of nowhere around us. (Because we couldn’t see them in the dark the night before.) We rode camels (I named mine “Mr. Ed”) to a small nearby town. (I can now say I have traveled by plan, ferry, taxi, train, foot, bus, and camel on this trip.) The buildings there were plain and brown just like the desert and at first glance you would think it was deserted, but slowly children appeared around us asking for dirham (their currency), sometimes in exchange for little trinkets they’ve made. I had actually brought with me a bag of school supplies to give to the children, but when I began to hand things out I was practically mobbed. The poor things. All these little hands were suddenly grabbing at the pens and pencils I was attempting to pass out in an orderly fashion. After this episode I decided to hold off on bringing out the rest of my gifts until there were only a few children around.
We got to see an oasis which is split among all the families in the village. I also visited a house where some local women designed henna tattoos for a few of us girls. The whole experience was so surreal. For example, at henna house there were all these kids running around and we sat in this room on cushions and were served green mint tea (aka Berber whisky). Meanwhile, there was a flat screen TV at one end of the room that seemed totally out of place. Suddenly all these young women and girls show up, completely covered, and only one of them spoke Spanish. Nevertheless they bring out the henna, which looks and feels like mud, and begin drawling on our hands. It was so wonderfully bizarre.
At our camp site most of the workers speak at least five languages; Spanish, English, French, Arabic, Berber, and sometimes even a little Japanese. I even met one man at a fossil store who has a brother who lives in Wooster, Ohio! He actually just visited him a few weeks ago and was able to tell me about all the snow. Small world.
Thursday morning, before we packed up to leave, I got up to see the sunrise. I wrapped up in my turban and sat on the top of a sand dune waiting in great anticipation for the sun. It was well worth it. : )
On the way to Meknes we had two interesting stops. Our first stop was for a picnic lunch in the mountains. This sounded like a lovely idea, but when we got out of the bus we find ourselves on a cold mountain top, in the rain, and in the middle of a swarm of nomads. Our organization's leaders had brought clothes to give these people, as well as some food. I handed my banana to women with bloody fingernails. It was so upsetting that I couldn’t eat my sandwich. I handed it over to a little boy and frantically searched for what else I could leave behind. I have never been so intensely face to face with poverty.
The next stop was a little more uplifting. We were now in the cedar forest in the mountains and it began to snow. That’s night, snow in Africa! Then, the next thing we know monkeys show up to stare at us staring at them. What an unusual site; monkeys hanging out in the snow. That basically topped off my trip.
That night we spent in a hotel in Meknes, and the next day we returned to Sevilla just in time to see the last two days of Semana Santa, but that’s another story.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter!
Love,
Emily
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Por fin...finally!
I know this update is a long time coming, but I guess that just means I’ve been staying busy. To all my readers in Ohio, I´m sorry to hear about the snow, but it´s beautiful here. Spring is starting and the orange trees are in bloom, filling the air with a sweet aroma. I start the day bundled up in my fleece but by midday it´s hot and I´m peeling off layers. Here´s a quick update of all I´ve been up to in the past 2 weeks.
Two weeks ago we had a an extra day off because is was Andalucia Day, the region’s holiday. I took advantage of the time and went to Valencia with two of my friends from the program, Alyson and Liz. Valencia is the capital city of well, Valencia, and is north east of Sevilla. We explored the city for two full days and ate some paella, a famous rice dish from the region. We visited the City of Arts and Sciences and got to see the Oceanarium (there was a dolphin show!) and a movie about coral
reefs in the Imax theater. At our hostel we met lots of interesting
travelers. One day we went to the beach with a girl from Paraguay and that night we had dinner with some Italians and a German who had all studied in Valencia 4 years prior. That night Spanish, English, and Italian were all spoken at the dinner table. Man, I love traveling. : )
The following weekend I went with ISA (the group I´m here with) to Córdoba, a city about an hour and a half from Sevilla. The highlight of this visit was seeing the Masquita/Cathedral, which is once again a mosque turned church. It was beautiful though, and very unique. I actually liked it better than the Alhambra and it’s also more complete. I think it´s fascinating to see Christian and Muslim influence in the same building.
On Saturday Abby and I set out on a route our Señora had given us to explore Sevilla (finally, I know!). We started in La Macarena (yes, like the song. The people who wrote that little ditty are actually from this barrio) which is the home of famous church of the Virgin of Hope, nicknamed La Macarena so as not to be confused with the Virgin of Hope in Triana. We saw the Andalucian parliament building and then weaved our way down the narrow streets. We saw many old convents and churches and stopped into one convent that is famous for their cakes. yum! After enjoying our cookies we visited a mansion nick named “Pilots House” because it is said to be modeled after Pontious Pilot´s home. It had many beautiful gardens and patios that we wondered through before heading home for lunch.
That afternoon we decided to go kayaking on the river Guadalquiver, which was a very interesting experience. So, we paid for the boat and were put in this tiny plastic kayak, handed oars, and pushed from the dock to fend for ourselves. Let´s just say we didn´t tip over, but we must of been quite a site to see by the way people were laughing from the shore. An hour later we came back soaked by the water our oars had
splashed into our boats. Our host family had a good laugh over this one. It was fun though and I´m proud of Abby and I for managing as well as we did.
Sunday I took a tour of the bull ring here in Sevilla and in the afternoon visited Italica with some friends. Italica is a small city about 30 minutes outside of Sevilla that was founded by Roman generals in ancient times (it is actually located just outside the modern day town of Santiponce). We wondered through the Roman ruins there and saw one of the best preserved amphitheaters in the world.
Monday night I went to a tertullia with my familia. A tertullia is a Spanish social club where you can go to enjoy cultural and social things such as flamenco and food. This gathering involved talking about Semana Santa (Holy Week) which is a huge tradition in Sevilla. Two women sang saetas, which is a special acapella style of flamenco. Then we enjoyed tapas and I chatted awhile with Manola and Isabella (my family´s son and his girlfriend). They have all been so nice to me and are very eager to show me authentic Spanish culture. I´m so lucky to have them.
Tuesday I went to a special mass after which they placed a statue of Christ on the paseo (the decorated float) for Holy Week. It was a very beautiful ceremony. They turned off all the lights so that only glow was coming from a spot light on Jesus and the candles surrounding the paseo. Soft music was played as the gentle pushed the figure onto the paseo, making it appear that Christ was moving on his own.
Wednesday I met with my intercambio for the first time. (An intercambio is simply a meeting between an American and Spaniard in order to talk and help eacth other with language.) Her name is Selena and she’s adorable. She’s a petite eighteen year old Sevillana, studying at a business school right around the corner from my university her. We just walked around the city for an hour and got some coffee. I’m happy to report that she said my Spanish is very good. Maybe I am improving. : )
That night I also went to see Don Juan Tenorio with Allyson at the beautiful little church St. Luis in La Macarena. It was a very intimate performance, done in the round style. I was sitting front row and could literally feel the actor’s caps and dresses brush by me. I loved it. Although I will admit, I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on most of the time. I had to look up the synopsis later. Nevertheless, the actors totally had me captivated and the language was so poetic that I was thoroughly content.
Thursday I visited the Royal Palaces, which I’m not going to even attempt to describe. Let me just say that I spent most of my visit turning around in circles with my head swiveling everywhere. There was just so much detail- on the ceiling, walls, floors...everywhere! My favorite part was the gardens though. They were so lovely and peaceful, I could of stayed there all day.
Friday I visited a small town in Huelva (the next provence over) called Arecena. It’s a classic little pueblo blanco (white town) that is home to La Gruta de las Maravillas (The Grotto of Wonders). I’ll let you imagine what the cave looked like inside by the names of some of the rooms: “The Cathedral”, “The Glassware of God”, and “The Room of the Naked”. After going underground, Alyson and I then went to the highest point in the city, some castle ruins and an ancient church. From there we had a beautiful view of the Sierra Morena and I lit a candle in the church.
There’s more...but I think I’ve written enough. Things are starting to warm up for the big Holy Week, so I’ve already seen two processions in the street. Tomorrow morning though I leave for Morocco and won’t be back until Friday night. I will update you again when I return. Congrats to all who actually read this whole post. Sorry, it was so long!
Please keep me in your prayers while I travel.
Blessings,
Emily
Two weeks ago we had a an extra day off because is was Andalucia Day, the region’s holiday. I took advantage of the time and went to Valencia with two of my friends from the program, Alyson and Liz. Valencia is the capital city of well, Valencia, and is north east of Sevilla. We explored the city for two full days and ate some paella, a famous rice dish from the region. We visited the City of Arts and Sciences and got to see the Oceanarium (there was a dolphin show!) and a movie about coral
reefs in the Imax theater. At our hostel we met lots of interesting
travelers. One day we went to the beach with a girl from Paraguay and that night we had dinner with some Italians and a German who had all studied in Valencia 4 years prior. That night Spanish, English, and Italian were all spoken at the dinner table. Man, I love traveling. : )
The following weekend I went with ISA (the group I´m here with) to Córdoba, a city about an hour and a half from Sevilla. The highlight of this visit was seeing the Masquita/Cathedral, which is once again a mosque turned church. It was beautiful though, and very unique. I actually liked it better than the Alhambra and it’s also more complete. I think it´s fascinating to see Christian and Muslim influence in the same building.
On Saturday Abby and I set out on a route our Señora had given us to explore Sevilla (finally, I know!). We started in La Macarena (yes, like the song. The people who wrote that little ditty are actually from this barrio) which is the home of famous church of the Virgin of Hope, nicknamed La Macarena so as not to be confused with the Virgin of Hope in Triana. We saw the Andalucian parliament building and then weaved our way down the narrow streets. We saw many old convents and churches and stopped into one convent that is famous for their cakes. yum! After enjoying our cookies we visited a mansion nick named “Pilots House” because it is said to be modeled after Pontious Pilot´s home. It had many beautiful gardens and patios that we wondered through before heading home for lunch.
That afternoon we decided to go kayaking on the river Guadalquiver, which was a very interesting experience. So, we paid for the boat and were put in this tiny plastic kayak, handed oars, and pushed from the dock to fend for ourselves. Let´s just say we didn´t tip over, but we must of been quite a site to see by the way people were laughing from the shore. An hour later we came back soaked by the water our oars had
splashed into our boats. Our host family had a good laugh over this one. It was fun though and I´m proud of Abby and I for managing as well as we did.
Sunday I took a tour of the bull ring here in Sevilla and in the afternoon visited Italica with some friends. Italica is a small city about 30 minutes outside of Sevilla that was founded by Roman generals in ancient times (it is actually located just outside the modern day town of Santiponce). We wondered through the Roman ruins there and saw one of the best preserved amphitheaters in the world.
Monday night I went to a tertullia with my familia. A tertullia is a Spanish social club where you can go to enjoy cultural and social things such as flamenco and food. This gathering involved talking about Semana Santa (Holy Week) which is a huge tradition in Sevilla. Two women sang saetas, which is a special acapella style of flamenco. Then we enjoyed tapas and I chatted awhile with Manola and Isabella (my family´s son and his girlfriend). They have all been so nice to me and are very eager to show me authentic Spanish culture. I´m so lucky to have them.
Tuesday I went to a special mass after which they placed a statue of Christ on the paseo (the decorated float) for Holy Week. It was a very beautiful ceremony. They turned off all the lights so that only glow was coming from a spot light on Jesus and the candles surrounding the paseo. Soft music was played as the gentle pushed the figure onto the paseo, making it appear that Christ was moving on his own.
Wednesday I met with my intercambio for the first time. (An intercambio is simply a meeting between an American and Spaniard in order to talk and help eacth other with language.) Her name is Selena and she’s adorable. She’s a petite eighteen year old Sevillana, studying at a business school right around the corner from my university her. We just walked around the city for an hour and got some coffee. I’m happy to report that she said my Spanish is very good. Maybe I am improving. : )
That night I also went to see Don Juan Tenorio with Allyson at the beautiful little church St. Luis in La Macarena. It was a very intimate performance, done in the round style. I was sitting front row and could literally feel the actor’s caps and dresses brush by me. I loved it. Although I will admit, I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on most of the time. I had to look up the synopsis later. Nevertheless, the actors totally had me captivated and the language was so poetic that I was thoroughly content.
Thursday I visited the Royal Palaces, which I’m not going to even attempt to describe. Let me just say that I spent most of my visit turning around in circles with my head swiveling everywhere. There was just so much detail- on the ceiling, walls, floors...everywhere! My favorite part was the gardens though. They were so lovely and peaceful, I could of stayed there all day.
Friday I visited a small town in Huelva (the next provence over) called Arecena. It’s a classic little pueblo blanco (white town) that is home to La Gruta de las Maravillas (The Grotto of Wonders). I’ll let you imagine what the cave looked like inside by the names of some of the rooms: “The Cathedral”, “The Glassware of God”, and “The Room of the Naked”. After going underground, Alyson and I then went to the highest point in the city, some castle ruins and an ancient church. From there we had a beautiful view of the Sierra Morena and I lit a candle in the church.
There’s more...but I think I’ve written enough. Things are starting to warm up for the big Holy Week, so I’ve already seen two processions in the street. Tomorrow morning though I leave for Morocco and won’t be back until Friday night. I will update you again when I return. Congrats to all who actually read this whole post. Sorry, it was so long!
Please keep me in your prayers while I travel.
Blessings,
Emily
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