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| On the slopes of the Sierra Nevada |
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| In the ski lift... I'm on the left! |
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| Trying to stand up.... |
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| The group! |
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| New Years Eve Dinner |
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| My grapes all ready for the strike of midnight! |
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| MUSIC!!! |
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| Little girl dancing with her mom |
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| Sierra Nevada |
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| Rocio, Alvaro, and me |
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| Hiking up the mountains on New Years Day |
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| Virgin of the Snow at the top of the Sierra |
My Spanish friend Yiyi invited me to go to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to go snowboarding for New Years this year. This trip actually terrified me because it would be about 4 days with only Spanish speaking and with people I didn't know doing a sport that scared me and I didn't know how to do. BUT, I sucked it up and decided that it would be a good experience, and I am really happy that I went. I drove there with Yiyi on the 30th of December, and then early on New Years Eve I headed out with the group to attempt to snowboard. Let me tell ya, this sport is very difficult!!!! Standing alone was one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do! I took a mini class with an instructor, and after learning some of the basics, I headed for the easiest slope. I can't tell you how many times I fell on my face and butt. I was so sure I had broken my tailbone, my entire body hurt so badly! However, I managed to make it down the mountain TWICE which was a miracle haha. I also was very proud because I managed to do 2 turns without falling. One from facing forward to turning to facing backwards, and vice versa. It is so much more difficult than I thought, but felt really good about it afterwards and proud of my improvement. My instructor told me that I was one of his most fearless students ever! (Wooo! Go me!) After a long day on the slopes, in the evening we all went out to this Italian restaurant for dinner. At midnight we ate the typical 12 grapes for the 12 strikes of midnight, and then the restaurant transformed into a traditional music and dance hall! Most of the people eating in the restaurant were from Sevilla and so they were all dancing Sevillana and singing songs typical from the area. It was soooo Spanish. It was such a cultured way to start 2012. However, I am not Spanish and I have not been raised to have the same kind of stamina that they do. My body had been through quite a beating that day and I was beyond exhausted. I was the first to retire for the night unfortunately, but nonetheless it was a great evening. The next day I woke up hardly able to move because I was so sore. The people I was sharing the apartment with there wanted to go on a hike to the top of the Sierra, and I thought they had to be joking at first because they had to be as sore as I was. Honestly every move I made was excruciating pain! Snowboarding uses so many muscles that you don't realize you have! However, I went with the group hiking because I didn't want to just sit around all day. Although it was very difficult to walk, I'm glad I went. It was fun practicing my Spanish and being up in the snowy mountains. The "Virgin of the Snow" was at the top of one mountain. It was a lovely New Years Day. The following day I left to come back to Sevilla. It was quite an adventure and I think I am stronger because of it! The video below is of New Years Eve at the restaurant. It has my friend Yiyi and her boyfriend Manolo dancing Sevillana. Happy New Year!!!! (3 months late!!!)
