More People to Meet in and around Pamplona

Marina asked me a lot of interesting questions tonight: what do I like about the Spanish people? how is the country compared to what I expected? what's different between the Spanish in Madrid and Pamplona? and what don't I like?

I have to say the best thing about this trip so far has been staying with the families.  Both families have gone 10 times beyond what I anticipated as far as extending their hospitality and sharing their country, culture, friends, family, and experiences with me.  It would seem like I just happened to find the two nicest families in Spain, but I think there's a better explanation.  Maybe it's just that families who would see the value and make the effort to send one of their teenagers to live with a family in America for a cultural experience, would also be more likely to see the value and make the effort to provide a similar experience in their homes.

When we sent out our cards this past Christmas, I included a post card with 4 photos of our "International Family", the 4 students we have hosted the past 4 summers.  I think next Christmas I will need to make the card bigger, to fit the rest of the family members, since I will have stayed with all 3 of families who live in Europe by the end of this trip.

I got invited to a lunch (feast) with Ana's co-workers.

And to visit Marina's "village" of Badostáin I had heard so much about.

And to meet some of Marina's village friends.