Today (Sunday) is my second full day in Spain, and the country is finally earning its nickname of “Sunny Spain.” When I arrived Friday afternoon, the skies were gray with snow, and the snow continued to fall throughout the day on Saturday. Officials have said that the Madrid region has not received this much snow in over half a century, and almost everyone who lives in the neighborhood has ventured outside to experience this once-in-a-lifetime beauty. Although I did enjoy a short walk yesterday, I have primarily observed the snow from inside the warm apartment — it has a perfect view of a park where many families have made snowmen.

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For now, I am staying with other missionaries in a town outside of Madrid, and we walked about 2 miles through the neighborhood this afternoon. Unlike yesterday, the sky today is clear and bright. Neighbors work together to clear sidewalks and driveways with their best “snow shovels” (AKA dust pans, brooms, and sheets of metal). Deep snow is not common in Madrid!

I have enjoyed this unusual welcome to Spain. The snow has provided a few relaxed days for me to adjust to a Spanish schedule and to prepare for school to begin on Wednesday. Once school begins, relaxation might become more rare than snow!