Living in Madrid for twelve years as a missionary is a difficult, yet helpful and rewarding job. Ronn Penner, director for personal services of Mennonite Brethren Missions and Services International (MBMS), came to Spanish III class on Dec. 6 to talk about his experiences in Spain.

“I brought Mr. Penner in to teach the students more about the culture, the people, and the geography of Spain,” Beatriz Foth, Spanish teacher, said. “I wanted it to come from someone who has had a first hand experience.”

The Spanish III class purchased ?paella,’ one of the most traditional dishes in Spain, to share with Penner. Paella is a mixture of rice and seafood cooked in a large, round pan. Most of the students enjoyed the food, especially Brandon Diaso, ’05.

“I ate over a fourth of the food,” Diaso said. “I enjoyed it until my stomach cramped and I ended up laying on the ground for the rest of the period.”

Penner informed the class about different religious practices and the famous aqueduct in Segovia, a city in Spain.

“He explained about how the aqueduct was made with only rocks,” Chase Vanschoonhoven, ’04, said. “The aqueduct had no cement or plaster, and has never needed any repairs.”

The class received a small challenge from Penner when he spoke in Spanish the whole period.

“Everything he told us was in Spanish, but it wasn’t the traditional Spanish that Se