pictures

I had so much fun snapping pictures of some of my favorite people yesterday.
I have SO many more to share but I will upload them when I am back home. For now I will enjoy the little time I have left in Spain making more memories in this beautiful place with wonderful people.

goodnight
xo
-esther

another video

A video I quickly put together of the past few days.
I feel incredibly blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. Not only do I have people I call family in the US but in Spain too. My heart is so full.

Thanking God for the blessings he has so graciously poured over me.

xo
-esther

la playa

We drove to the beach around one in the morning. We wanted to see a beautiful sunrise, but it was cloudy so the sun was nowhere to be seen. I'm still glad we went. There is something absolutely lovely about sleeping seaside. The weather was so nice. Nothing like a cool sea breeze after experiencing months of very hot humid heat.

We got back home around 8:30 in the morn I slept for 2 more hours and can't seem to sleep anymore. Hopefully I have enough energy to make it through the day.

besos
-esther

affections

I've said it before and I'll say it again.
Spanish culture is so different from American.
There are so many reasons but for now I will focus on affection.

In general the Spanish are very affectionate. Not only physically but verbally as well. They always great each other with kind words like beautiful, sweet, handsome, pretty, queen/princess.
And I mean always.
It's never just hello.
ALWAYS "hola guapa"
or some other nice name.

You also always greet with two kisses. Maybe more. Also it wouldn't be strange for two men to kiss each others cheeks which I have yet to see in the states.

Let me just say I LOVE the affection. I love that when I get the urge to hug or kiss a friend I can just do it. Back home if I were to do that people would look at me funny.

I have always been a very affectionate person. My mom is the one who receives most of the abrazos y besos. I think it's almost too much for her. As I am always clinging to her for some love. Sorry mama. I've always been "needy" when it comes to affection.

It's quite funny when I was younger my cousins use to call me "kissy faced Esther" because I always wanted to hug and kiss them.

With that said Spain is thee perfect place for my affectionate self. I am really savoring and taking in all the cuddles and love that I am receiving. I love it.

Well goodnight.
xo
-esther

hike

Over the mountain and through the woods.
more like over the mountain and through the pretty orange grove.
Saturday we went on a hike to get to the home of a friend who was having a BBQ.
It was quite a beautiful hike.
The weather was extremely hot like usual and we all glistened with sweat.
We found some grape vines along the way and enjoyed the delicious fruit.
Goodness Xativa sure is beautiful and life is good.






My heart is full of joy and I feel so blessed. Thank you Lord for you kindness.
xo
-esther

lunch and a hike.

I really should wait to post these photos after I have uploaded the others to flickr but I wanted to leave you with something tonight.
These are from the lunch and hike we went on yesterday. I have quite a few more of the hike that I plan on posting tomorrow. I had such a good weekend making beautiful memories that I will treasure always. Life is good. God is good.

xo
-esther

All is well.

It is 3 am and a large group of friends and I just got back from a long walk from a home in the countryside to the center of Xativa. Life is so different here and I am loving it. I will have lots of pictures to show you but for now I only have a photo of the homegrown fruit we snacked on. Hopefully tomorrow I will have time to upload the photos. As for now I must go to sleep. Tomorrow will be quite busy. We have church a meeting and a birthday part. I cant wait.

Night
Esther.

Plaza de Toros

Since I'll only be in Valencia City for a few more days I'm trying to do all sorts of touristy things. Today I headed to the Plaza de Toros. I really enjoyed walking around the little museum and getting to walk on the actual bull ring. My favorite part about today was looking at the bull fighters extremely intricate and detailed costumes. Absolutely amazing. If I have some time between work tomorrow I will try to venture into the city once again. Can't believe its almost time for me to head home. Woah. Life won't you please oh please slow down. I pray my next week is nice and long!

xo
-es

who is this girl?

shots of expresso in the middle of the day
eating dinner at 10:30 P.M.
confidently speaking terribly broken spanish
not coming home til past 3 A.M.
walking 4-5 miles a day
always alone

???

The week before I left I was going to school in downtown Los Angeles. I would wake up at 5 a.m. and aim at being in bed around nine.

oh how that has changed.

The Spanish don't come home til 5 a.m.

Life is different here.

and I am loving it.

I have three more days of work then I will be staying in Xativa until I return to the states!

Time really flew by.

I mean really really flew.

Night world
xo
-esther

quote

I am looking for someone to share in an adventure that I am arranging, and it's very difficult to find anyone.


-J.R.R. Tolkien

I got to talk to one of my best friends today. It was so nice to hear her voice and learn all about what is going on in her life. She is currently residing in New Jersey for the summer! I'm so happy for her. Anyways we talked about life, cultures, marriage, and other random things.

It got me thinking about the quote above, which I love. It is so very relative to how I feel at times. Well I have not much else to say. I'm just going to continue to think, pray, and try and be patient.

xo dear loved ones.

-esther marquis

a year ago today

I arrived in Spain for the first time. I had absolutely no idea that I would have the wonderful opportunity to return less then 10 months after I left. I am still amazed by the whole thing. When I leave the places I visit I really try to take everything in because you never now if you will ever be able to return again. When I left Spain thats exactly what I did I took everything in and now I am so thankful that I am experiencing the lovely things I never wanted to forget all over again.
I'm truly enjoying living in Spain! It will be hard to leave the life I have here but I knowing seeing the sweet faces of my dear family and friends will make it worth it.
xo
-esther

cultures.

I absolutely love learning about other cultures. I am fascinated by the way people from all around the globe live, eat, and communicate with each other. It's wonderful being able to learn traditions that are specific to a nation. What better way to experience another culture by actually "living, eating, and communicating with people" of a different land. I just feel so blessed to be able to do this yet again. What a wonderful opportunity.

As I get to experience day to day life here in Spain I realize how different this country is from my own. It's quite nice to change it up a bit. It will be strange to go home and readjust to the American life. I don't know why it is always harder for me to go back home and live like an american then to leave and embrace a new culture. I always seem to get culture shock coming home as opposed to leaving to another country. When I get back to the U.S. I am blown away by all that we have. Everything is so big in the and we can be so wasteful. It's shocking. You truly can understand this when you leave your country and spend months in one that doesn't run that way.

Well here are a few photos from Friday afternoon. We spent part of the day cleaning and then went out for drinks and tapas. By the way Spanish Ham is amazing!Something I will definitely miss!


xo
-esther

little Spanish ranch

It's nearly one and we just got home. I am exhausted. Today was warm like always and they say tomorrow is suppose to be extra hot... Hope I can manage to keep cool. Unlikely. Well anyways here are some photos of the little ranch we spent the evening at. Now I must sleep. I have to work in the morn. Night friends. Please pray for me as I finish my last week of work in the home.

xo
-esther

heat

It's hot.
So hot that the thought of chopping my long locks has crossed my mind
not once
but twice.

This photo was take in late May when the weather here in Spain was still bearable.
My body is in a constant state of sticky sweat.
It's more humid then hot.
Thank God there is often a breeze!
It helps tremendously.
My hair is always in a high bun and I live in short summer dresses.
And of course there is always a fan in my hand.
I'm like a native...
not really.

Well once again I am sorry for the lack of nice pictures. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have some nice ones for you.

For now I will leave you with a photo of my little pup and I. I miss her terribly. Wonder if she misses me too...

xo
-esther

feeling blessed

I am currently working on a really really big photo book. It documents my 20th year of life. As I look at all the pictures I took during my 20th year I can't help but feel insanely blessed. God has gone above and beyond. The photos bring smiles and happy tears to my face.

They also make me really miss England. Being in Europe keeps England on my mind all the time. Spain and England are very different but they have a ton more in common then the U.S. and the U.K. do. The things I would do to go back.
Well goodnight dear friends. I am off to dream about my favorite city.
xo
-esther

This blog post is all about my 20th year.