Barcelona wins the trophy

Barcelona vs. Manchester United 

It is so awesome to watch these games while being here in Spain. Everyone is either out at a bar watching it, or gathered with all their friends watching. When Barcelona scored the first goal, it was like there was a war outside. We had the door of the house open to the backyard and there were gun shots, horns, fireworks, screaming etc for like 15 minutes! Haha it was so awesome!! We play soccer like once a week here, and usually we have some local guys come play with us and it is such a blast. Usually we play Monday nights..Watching all this soccer makes me miss playing Club and HS sooo much! Im just glad I still play though! 

So Barca beat Manchester United 2-0. Although I love watching the Guapo/AMAZING #7 Cristiano Ronaldo play (or not play, just whatever he wants to do is fine...) He really wasn't on top of his game last night. Messi and Eto'o both had great games. As far as MAnchester goes, I was waiting for Rooney to do something...nothin. Scholes, nothin' Boo. I will say that I definately have to be a Barcelona fan at least while I'm here in Spain. I would just be an idiot if I were to cheer on Manchester... 

Last nights goals belonged to: 

Lionel Messi 

It is crazy to me that this guy is my age! He is from Argentina and has some amazing skills. This is something cray I learned about Lionel recently. So I guess when he was 11 he was diagnosed with a growth hormone deficiency, but had his medical bills paid for by Barcelona on the condition that he join their club in 2000. So his 13th birthday rolls around and he starts playing in all sortsof youth-Barcelona teams. He was 

the youngest player ever to score a league goal when he was only 17! Dude, this guy is awesome, AND he's only 5' 7" buck 50. He's just a lil' guy! He has great hair and skills to make up for the size factor.. He even has an Olympic Gold with Argentina and he's only 21. He's sweet. AND he had a sweet goal off a header last night.  

Samuel Eto'o

A-maaazing. I don't even know what to say besides Eto'o is my hero. He is back after a torn meniscus and no one would ever even know it. He is one of the top ten all-time goalscorers for the club. I just can't believe how good he is. Really though, words cannot describe his talent. 

 Despite Manchester's loss, Ronaldo will always be one of my favorite players. I love him. for various reasons...

As far as Ex-Manchester players, hands down Beckham. Lets just face it, Manchester knows how to pick guapos to play for them. Haha,  in 03 and o4' Beckham was Google's most searched sports topics. Hm. I wonder why. And he's married to a former Spice Girl. Lets face it, they're a hott couple.  

PORTUGAL

MONJA goes to PORTUGAL

This weekend me and some friends from the study abroad group went to Portugal. It was AWESOME!!! We started our adventure on Thursday night at 10:30 pm where we got on the train to get to the airport in Madrid. Our flight didn't leave until 5:30 am....soooo we decided it would be best to try and catch some Zzzz's in a corner next to some Asian tourists.. We camped out on the floor, and tried to sleep but it was a little difficult. I couldn't really get comfy, and I finally found something suitable for a pillow, and I felt bad when Caleb told me it was his bocadillo (sandwich) hahaha. Thanks to my Dad, Robert Miller, the professional frequent Delta Flier, I was equipped with a Delta care bag, sleeping mask included. I utilized that thing, and utilized it well. We boarded RYANAIR and had a shaky 30 minute flight with an almost crash landing in Villa do Conde. I was convinced that the reason our flight was only 20 Euros was because we got the pilots who flunked out of pilot school...
We spent the morning walking around a market place where we spent at least 30 minutes just buying different Portugese pasteries...they were sooooo good!

beach

TRIP TO NORTHERN SPAIN!

STILL LOVIN' ESPAÑA

LEON Y BURGOS (northern España) 

I am still having an absolutely amazing time here in Spain. We just got back from a beautiful triip to Northern SPain. We have some intense adventures in hotels, Tapa bars, nuns, Monks, galletas  and bus rides. 

There is something that a lot of people do here and it is called "El Camiño de Santiago." It is a pilgrimage that people take to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, which is in Galicia. It is believed that that is where the remains of the Apostle Saint James are buried. It was so crazy to see these people like all over Northern Spain! They just have a backpack wiht a shell on it, and that shows people who they are. Often people will help feed them or give them a place to stay when they see the shell on them somewhere. This is a picture of what the path looks like. Often people will travel up to 20 miles a day. It is really interesting. 

This was at the top of a really cool hike we did in Burgos, that looked out over the entire city. This is the same city one of my best friends Nathan Gordon is serving his mission at. I looked for him when I got to this lookout point, but didn't see him! jaja I miss Gordo. 

Looking out over the city of Burgos

The Cathedral in Burgos is a gothic Cathedral. It was huge! And actually it kind of freaked me out a little bit! jaja 

An awesome Castle we stopped at on the way to Leon

I love seeing how connected families are here. It is not uncommon at all, to see Grandparents out with their nietos (grandchildren), wether they be taking them or picking them up from school, playing at the park, or taking them to historical monuments. 

I really loved this little town just outside of Burgos, it was so beautiful with all the flowers and river cutting through the center of town. The Countryside of Northern Spain is gorgeous!!!!

We went to a Monestary where this little Monk gave us a very intense tour of the monestary. Jaja, it was actually a littl TOO long, but for a while, it was really interesting! 

Waiting to go into the Monestary 

Euro Mullets= AWESOME

I GOT POO'ED ON!!!!

Vivo en España!

Greetings from ESPAÑA!!!!

La Plaza Mayor- Madrid

This was a sweet castle we went to in Segovia

My host parents, Lydia and Pedro. They are the sweetest little couple! Each a whopping 5 feet!

     I am so sorry this is the first blog from here in Spain! I stay real busy with school, and traveling around the country! It has been nothing but one huge adventure thus far! There are 27 students in our program. Each of us are living in pairs or trios with host families. My room-mate is Charee' Neves from Wyoming and she is awesome! We have a lot in common, and we make an un-beatable soccer duo! Our hosts are an older couple in their late 50's named Lydia and Pedro. They are very health conscious, and so we eat super healthy, stay active, and do things like Tai Chi and Meditate. It's awesome. I feel like I am benefiting so much from living with Spaniards, as opposed to living by myself. They love to talk, and after each meal we sit and chat for at least 30 minutes while they sip coffee and nibble on gelletitas ( little cookie/biscuit things jaja) PS, get used to the "jaja," I'm using it while I can pull it off, living here in Spain! 

 

This is a street in Alcala de Henares, where I live 

  This is a typical day for me: 

Wake Up 7:45 

Breakfast 8:00-8:30

Bus for School 8:40 

School 9:00-12:00 

Almuerzo 2:00 (everything shuts down 2-4 for people to go home for lunch...rather frustrating at times if you need something, only places owned by Chinese people are open) 

Soccer or some sort of Activity...Madrid, Prado, Parque etc...

Dinner 10-11 ish pm. (ya I know, it took some getting used to!!!) 

This is part of the school I go to, we are at an International branch, with students from all over the world

     Most every weekend we travel somewhere in Spain. Last weekend we went on a four day trip to Southern Spain, and it was awesome! Tomorrow we are leaving on a trip to Northern Spain to Leon and Burgos. One of my best friends from High School/all growing up (Nathan Gordon), is on his mission  in Burgos, so I'm hoping by some crazy chance I might run into him! haha, there are four sets of LDS missionaries here in Alcala de Henares where we are living. We have had the chance to go to church twice now, and it's a really cool experience. I had to read out of one of the church manuals during Sunday School and it was interesting when I was put on the spot like that! haha But overall, I feel really confident in my language skills. Every day I have to remind myself that this is a unique opportunity that I have to take advantage of!! It is easy to stay quiet and not say a whole lot, but it totally helps when I just put myself out there and SPEAK! We are required to speak Spanish when we are at school (well obviously, because our professors are Natives of Spain) but ya my room-mate and i speak pretty much all the time in Spanish, so it's good! 

      

We went to a Flamenco Bar, these guys were pretty Legitimiate. Gypsies know how to work it on the dance floor. Especially that dirty guy with the greasy hair...

This is a city called Sevilla, it was rad!!! 

       I love MADRID! We take the train into Madrid, and it takes about 30 minutes by the time we are downtown.  I love going and just walking around, or going to the Parque and people-watching. There is is much diversity, and history packed into that city! I have really missed that since being in UT. I love learning about other cultures, religions, and customs, and in that city there is so much of it! The city I am LIVING in, is called Alcala de Henares. It has a population of about 200,000 people, so it's a decent sized city. We have bus passes that get us all around Alcala and Madrid, so we can do what we want to do whenever. 

This is outside the MAdrid Temple, it is so pretty! 

This is a pic I took when we were at the Metro in Madrid