Spain: The Season Finale

Our week of lasts is over. We said our final goodbyes today at church, and we are four days away from landing in Chicago where our new lives await us.  There are so many exciting things to think about, but for now we're content just sitting on our ocean view balcony enjoying the 10:10 p.m. sunset that turns the ocean into a mirage of deep purples, pinks, and oranges. ¡Que preciosa!

I don’t know how teachers do it—how do they form relationships with kids all year and then say goodbye?  Let’s just say there was some waterworks.  In my sixth grade class, the students played a sentimental One Direction song for our last class together and all of a sudden, these SIXTH GRADERS (including boys) started crying....balling even! I couldn’t believe it although I do remember being pretty emotional at that age. I think it was the song haha.  I will definitely miss that class. I have never met such kind and sweet sixth graders.

Here are some pictures of the less emotional four year olds and Robin.

We were so blessed to have had a great church community here in Galicia.  On Sundays, we helped with the youth group and last Sunday they decided to surprise us with a big feast.  We ate paella and tortilla española to our heart’s content.

The Last Tastes of Galician Culture...

We learned how to make homemade Tarta de Santiago (cake made of 4 ingredients: almonds, sugar, lemon, & eggs)

DELICIOUS Arzua cheese from the market. It's made right here in Galicia from cow's milk. It's incredibly creamy! 

Last night, my teacher and her family took us out to dinner way out in the countryside in a rural agro-tourism restaurant.  We drove through endless vineyards right up to the restaurant door. The food was spectacular! Robin even said it was definitely one of the best dinners of his life!  This doesn’t come as a surprise since everything is made right there.  The albariño wine they ordered is made from the grapes in the vineyards on all sides of the restaurant.  We all ate zamburiñas and pulpo!

Zamburiñas

A Galician fashion show.  They sure did wear those outfits with pride!

Saying goodbye to our wonderful American friends! We were so blessed to have met these Washingtonians :)

As sad as it is that we have already eaten our last bite of Arzua cheese and enjoyed our last big Galician meal, the good news is that we don’t have to leave Galicia behind forever since our teachers gave us a traditional porcelain necklace AND a 3-D Galician famous sites book haha!