Spain.

Here I am. I made it safely through the journey aboard flight DL0108 into Madrid, then on to Salamanca, Spain via bus. It was a quick trip, as I, sleep-drunk and disoriented stumbled through awkward conversations and failed attempts at making phone calls. I realized once I arrived that I don't actually speak Spanish, which left me feeling a bit terrified at the prospect of navigating three months of trying to communicate. But, ultimately, I have since been reminded that language is only a property of the equation of communication. In other words, I'm going to make it and have already begun to feel more and more confident in my ability to communicate, two days into it.
I arrived to Salamanca Monday morning, and was greeted (eventually) by En Vivo's director, Jesse Bentley. Him and his wife, Sophie, are the parent of three kids aged 3 to 7, and have been laboring here for the past seven years. They seem wonderful thus far, and I'm excited at the prospect of working alongside them during my time here. I also met the fourth member of the current team, a fellow exchange student from Carrolton, GA by the name of Kara. She's green, traveling outside the U.S. for the first time. Trial by fire, I suppose. She seems to have a good heart and to be ready for the semester working out the details of international ministry like myself. The team is set, and we've begun the process of discovering each other's strengths and weaknesses.
Salamanca is absolutely beautiful. I've been blown away at the very limited exposure that I've had. I hope to wake up early in the morning and explore more of what's around me, as well as take pictures of the place I'm staying and the area that will be my domain for the next three months. Stay tuned for more on everything out here as it unfolds. This is going to be a wonderful adventure.