Senior Portraits...in Spain!

So you may or may not know that for the past few days I've been hanging out in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. I lived here 4 years ago for a semester and finished up the requirements for my Spanish major at Belmont University. When I first found out that the only study abroad program in Spain was this obscure little town in the northwest corner of what is known as Galicia, I was pretty bummed out because I wanted to spend the semester in a big city like Barcelona or Madrid. Let me say, I've never fallen in love with a city more quickly than I did when I arrived in Santiago. This place is unlike any other in the world - a Spanish city with a Celtic tradition as well as an international pilgrimage destination, Santiago de Compostela is literally a magical place. Thousands of pilgrims travel to Santiago de Compostela every year to arrive at the Cathedral of Saint James, which was built near the spot where the apostle James was supposedly buried and subsequently discovered centuries ago. St. James was the patron saint of Christians in the Spanish reconquista and plays an enormous role in Spanish history. I could go on...an on...(this was my thesis topic as an undergraduate) but I'll get on with the present.

So, when I lived in Spain I met my friend Tara, an American from Loras University. Like everyone else who visits this city, Tara fell in love with Santiago and returned to the city after the semester we spent studying together to live here for an indefinite period. Shortly after moving back to Spain, Tara met a handsome young Spaniard named Jorge and they fell in love and got engaged last spring. Long story short, she invited me to sing in the wedding ceremony here and I couldn't be more thrilled to be able to participate in her wedding and be back in Galicia.

In the meantime here in Santiago I've had a chance to get to know her family who have all traveled here for the wedding. Her brother Jake is a senior in high school and we had some time yesterday so Jake and I wandered around the 'old zone' in the city to get some senior portraits done. How many high schoolers get to do their senior portraits in Spain!?! Here are a few favorites from the afternoon!