I can't believe I only have 2 weeks left! AH!
So... updates from these last 2 weeks... Nothing too big. I went to a Catholic women's retreat last weekend, which was very interesting. I feel like I got closer to the women from Ojo de Agua and closer to Paty. It's so different, but I still love being able to be with people who love the Lord.
Teaching has had it's difficulties, but overall I love those little terds! It's going to be sad to leave them, and yet I'll be happy to not have to yell to get them to work, or call out the cheaters, or focus eyes on the board. That I will not miss. But I will miss their bright, smiling faces and the way the get me to laugh every day I go to school.
Most of all, I will miss my family. I love joking with my host brothers. Oziel's birthday is this week, so I bought him a belt buckle with a man on a bucking cow to remind him of the cow who claimed the life of 3 of his teeth in December. Ah... good times joking on that one. But I will really miss Mom. I think we have been what each other has needed. Have I said that already? Regardless, it's still true. I love her dearly.
With all this, I am also very excited to go home! I'm excited to SEE MY DAD!!!! I'm also excited to be able to talk to everyone again, look over my pictures from here, and eat popcorn with Valentina's with my brother. There is a lot to look forward to, and yet so much to miss.
Well, same prayer requests. Keep praying for the students I'm teaching and the students in the program from Ft. Lewis. These are last chances to reach out to them (at least, for some of them). PLEASE continue to pray for safety these last couple weeks, and especially when I travel home.
Andele pues...
Vaya con Dios,
Leah =)
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Nada Mucho
Entonces... nueva cosas...
I learned how to embroider this week! I learned Monday and I couldn't put it down. I finished my project Thursday, and today bought more to keep my wee hands busy.
Oh! The teacher that was suppose to pick me up Monday to go back to Ojo de Agua forgot me, so I got to wait 2 hours at the bus station and take the "camione" back. It was best, because my body needed a rest from the day before (I had a mad run in with leche, and my body DID NOT like me).
Other than that my week was pretty chill. I taught on Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday was relax day, so we listened to music and one of my students FINALLY taught me how to dance ranchera a bit! That was super exciting! And another student is suppose to make me a cd of like the best ranchera music of 2008! AH! SO super exciting! Man, I just love these kids.
Um, I went to the cemetary for the one year anniversary of Paty's husband's death. It is so natural and cool for them to go, but it was a little intense for me. But it was awesome to be a part of this family and experience all this with them.
Other than that, really nothing much happened. Just seeking the Lord and begging that my eyes will just stay on HIM. Man, I only have 4 weeks left. Isn't that nuts?!
Andale pues.
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
I learned how to embroider this week! I learned Monday and I couldn't put it down. I finished my project Thursday, and today bought more to keep my wee hands busy.
Oh! The teacher that was suppose to pick me up Monday to go back to Ojo de Agua forgot me, so I got to wait 2 hours at the bus station and take the "camione" back. It was best, because my body needed a rest from the day before (I had a mad run in with leche, and my body DID NOT like me).
Other than that my week was pretty chill. I taught on Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday was relax day, so we listened to music and one of my students FINALLY taught me how to dance ranchera a bit! That was super exciting! And another student is suppose to make me a cd of like the best ranchera music of 2008! AH! SO super exciting! Man, I just love these kids.
Um, I went to the cemetary for the one year anniversary of Paty's husband's death. It is so natural and cool for them to go, but it was a little intense for me. But it was awesome to be a part of this family and experience all this with them.
Other than that, really nothing much happened. Just seeking the Lord and begging that my eyes will just stay on HIM. Man, I only have 4 weeks left. Isn't that nuts?!
Andale pues.
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
Saturday, February 28, 2009
There are no words...
Oh my, so much has happened within the last 3 weeks, I can barely sit and tell you all my adventures... or misadventures. But I´ll try to sum some things up.
Within the last 3 weeks, my host brother got 2 dogs, when my mom has wanted none. The first one was a gift to him, which was a too young to have left his mother chihuahua puppy named Chetto or something. I call him my wittle buddy or hijo. Paty and I have been taking care of him, and he-s kind of more my dog than his most of the time. He is SO CUTE... and if this keyboard wasnt messed up I would use exclamation points. He likes to take naps behind and around my neck and nibble on my armpits. Oh, the love. The other dog is very interesting, but somewhat reminds me of the dog that bit me. So I dont chat with him much. But I did try to seem friendly on Friday. Poor thing is chained up all day, so I do feel for him.
Erica came to visit me the first weekend, which was really fun and great. We went to a dance, which ended up being a wedding reception to some people I didnt know. Lets just say I only was pulled out on the dance floor once by some of my students that were there, and only for a short while. Aye... yo bailo muy feo. I really wanted to learn how to dance ranchera, but I didnt know anyone, and my brothers, who said they would show Erica and I how to dance, were MIA the whole evening. Though we didnt get home until 2:30 am, and we were more awkward than middle schoolers the whole time, it was a good experience.
I´ve been following Paty everywhere, and its been cool to see the Catholic world that I never knew before. I definitely have a new appreciation for it and I like learning the songs and such. However, there are times I get homesick when they do something or say something that I dont agree with. But, regardless, I am growing closer to the Lord and am having to depend on Him DAILY, which is awesome and yet hard to get through my brain.
Por ejemplo... Monday was my hardest day yet. I kind of was feeling the lack of fellowship and lack of ability to speak freely with people without having to think hard about what they were saying or what I needed to say. But I go into class, ready to teach, and leave crying my eyes out and an hour earlier than usual. Oh, so bad.... once again, exclamation points. Long story short, I was just very disheartened not being able to communicate and such, and I just broke down in the middle of my second class. It was terrible. But the rest of the week went fantastic and I learned how important it is to truly give each day to the Lord and ask for His guidance in every thing I do.
I went to a rodeo where drunk men rode cows. Entertaining...
Que mas...
Welp, prayer requests:
SAFETY: we´re all safe and well here - gracias a Dios- but it seems every time we come in for class something else seems something else bad has occured. One of the students grandfather died, and went home for the funeral, then the day before she was going to return she broke her collar bone and had to stay longer. She´s fine and has a great attitude, but it still sucks for her. Our professor who came down on Wednesday got a call from the college Thursday night that he was fired from Ft. Lewis because of cutbacks. Not only that, I guess he has other stuff going on, like his mom is sick. So my heart just breaks for him, because you can tell it is a lot for him right now. And we continue to here of violence about the narcos and such in Chihuahua and around that area. I guess 2 tourists were shot in Criel, but I´m pretty sure that was a situation where they were in a place where they shouldn´t have been. I´m honestly not too worried, because the people in our towns really look out for us, and this area is pretty chill. But please continue to pray for safety. Also start praying that we can have save travels back to the U.S. in April, because we REALLY don´t want things to get worse than they are.
EYES ON CHRIST: I continue to grow in the Lord and dwell upon Him and His promises, but I know that I am weak and can fall. Pray that I will also be fearless and share my faith with other whenever an opportunity arrives. I finished this book this last week that reminded me how Jesus can truly come back any day, and I need to do my part to share Him with others.
I´m truly doing great. I finished 4 books within the last 3 weeks. I knit in class, and I picked up more yarn to start a new project -- a baby blanket for my host sister, who is married and is expecting her first baby in June or July. OH, yeah. I got to go to the ultrasound to find out what the baby was too... exclamation points. It was so freaking cool to see life moving around inside another life. Anywho. I also got stuff today to start embroidering, and Paty told me she would teach me. I joke around with my brothers. My family digs through cow head on the kitchen table. I pick up dog crap every day in my house. I teach, and I absolutely love my students, even when they´re terds. Life is good. Gracias a Dios... exclamtion point.
Vaya con Dios,
Leah
P.S. It is probably going to take me a while to get through all the emails and such, so please bare with me. I might also have to wait until I´m here next weekend for class.
Within the last 3 weeks, my host brother got 2 dogs, when my mom has wanted none. The first one was a gift to him, which was a too young to have left his mother chihuahua puppy named Chetto or something. I call him my wittle buddy or hijo. Paty and I have been taking care of him, and he-s kind of more my dog than his most of the time. He is SO CUTE... and if this keyboard wasnt messed up I would use exclamation points. He likes to take naps behind and around my neck and nibble on my armpits. Oh, the love. The other dog is very interesting, but somewhat reminds me of the dog that bit me. So I dont chat with him much. But I did try to seem friendly on Friday. Poor thing is chained up all day, so I do feel for him.
Erica came to visit me the first weekend, which was really fun and great. We went to a dance, which ended up being a wedding reception to some people I didnt know. Lets just say I only was pulled out on the dance floor once by some of my students that were there, and only for a short while. Aye... yo bailo muy feo. I really wanted to learn how to dance ranchera, but I didnt know anyone, and my brothers, who said they would show Erica and I how to dance, were MIA the whole evening. Though we didnt get home until 2:30 am, and we were more awkward than middle schoolers the whole time, it was a good experience.
I´ve been following Paty everywhere, and its been cool to see the Catholic world that I never knew before. I definitely have a new appreciation for it and I like learning the songs and such. However, there are times I get homesick when they do something or say something that I dont agree with. But, regardless, I am growing closer to the Lord and am having to depend on Him DAILY, which is awesome and yet hard to get through my brain.
Por ejemplo... Monday was my hardest day yet. I kind of was feeling the lack of fellowship and lack of ability to speak freely with people without having to think hard about what they were saying or what I needed to say. But I go into class, ready to teach, and leave crying my eyes out and an hour earlier than usual. Oh, so bad.... once again, exclamation points. Long story short, I was just very disheartened not being able to communicate and such, and I just broke down in the middle of my second class. It was terrible. But the rest of the week went fantastic and I learned how important it is to truly give each day to the Lord and ask for His guidance in every thing I do.
I went to a rodeo where drunk men rode cows. Entertaining...
Que mas...
Welp, prayer requests:
SAFETY: we´re all safe and well here - gracias a Dios- but it seems every time we come in for class something else seems something else bad has occured. One of the students grandfather died, and went home for the funeral, then the day before she was going to return she broke her collar bone and had to stay longer. She´s fine and has a great attitude, but it still sucks for her. Our professor who came down on Wednesday got a call from the college Thursday night that he was fired from Ft. Lewis because of cutbacks. Not only that, I guess he has other stuff going on, like his mom is sick. So my heart just breaks for him, because you can tell it is a lot for him right now. And we continue to here of violence about the narcos and such in Chihuahua and around that area. I guess 2 tourists were shot in Criel, but I´m pretty sure that was a situation where they were in a place where they shouldn´t have been. I´m honestly not too worried, because the people in our towns really look out for us, and this area is pretty chill. But please continue to pray for safety. Also start praying that we can have save travels back to the U.S. in April, because we REALLY don´t want things to get worse than they are.
EYES ON CHRIST: I continue to grow in the Lord and dwell upon Him and His promises, but I know that I am weak and can fall. Pray that I will also be fearless and share my faith with other whenever an opportunity arrives. I finished this book this last week that reminded me how Jesus can truly come back any day, and I need to do my part to share Him with others.
I´m truly doing great. I finished 4 books within the last 3 weeks. I knit in class, and I picked up more yarn to start a new project -- a baby blanket for my host sister, who is married and is expecting her first baby in June or July. OH, yeah. I got to go to the ultrasound to find out what the baby was too... exclamation points. It was so freaking cool to see life moving around inside another life. Anywho. I also got stuff today to start embroidering, and Paty told me she would teach me. I joke around with my brothers. My family digs through cow head on the kitchen table. I pick up dog crap every day in my house. I teach, and I absolutely love my students, even when they´re terds. Life is good. Gracias a Dios... exclamtion point.
Vaya con Dios,
Leah
P.S. It is probably going to take me a while to get through all the emails and such, so please bare with me. I might also have to wait until I´m here next weekend for class.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Blow, Blow, Blow the Girl Down
There is a LOT of wind!
So... updates... I am doing good, though I have recently come down with a cold. But everything else is going good. I'm learning more and more Spanish by the day. I even had a long conversation with my host mom about the whole family and the dirt on them all, and I understood pretty much all of it! I was pretty stoked about that. Speaking of my host mom, Paty, we have a great connection. We take walks almost every evening where I marvle about the glorious creation that God has created here. Man! It was beautiful here! The sunsets take my breath away. It's like a rainbow stretches across the sky. And if there are clouds, the sun reflects on them like fire spreading wildly. Ah! So amazing!
I'm trying to think of what else I can report on... I'm not so lonely anymore. I get daily quiet times where I read John and just get blown away by how sweet Jesus' life was! My host mom takes me to chruch (though fairly different from what I'm used to), and this has been a great time to reflect on the Lord more. It's like I'm falling in love with Him all over again.
My students crack me up! They are so full of energy, y son todos locos, but I like seeing them on my days at the school. I struggle with getting them to focus and motivation to get work done, but what teacher doesn't struggle with that?
Oh! So, my best friends in Ojo de Agua are my host mom, Paty, the dog, Peckies, and a 3 year old boy, Josue. This last week, Josue and I played quite a bit in one day. At the end of hang out time, the adults asked, "Josue, ¿Quien es?" I chime in with "¿Como me llamas?" And he called me Josuesita. Isn't that adorable? Oh, I just wanted to box him up and keep him in my pocket!
Yeah... so things are going good. Keep praying for the students I teach and the students that are in the program, that they can see who God really is and that I can some how be a tool to show them or something. Keep praying for fellowship too. Though I am doing fine, it gets lonely when I can't share what I see or experience or learn with anyone else. Also pray that my eyes will be kept on Jesus and that I can encourage my family to follow the Lord. OH! and, of course, that I will continue to learn Spanish better.
Sorry if that was lame... I really can't focus well. But I pray for you all often and wish the best!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah
So... updates... I am doing good, though I have recently come down with a cold. But everything else is going good. I'm learning more and more Spanish by the day. I even had a long conversation with my host mom about the whole family and the dirt on them all, and I understood pretty much all of it! I was pretty stoked about that. Speaking of my host mom, Paty, we have a great connection. We take walks almost every evening where I marvle about the glorious creation that God has created here. Man! It was beautiful here! The sunsets take my breath away. It's like a rainbow stretches across the sky. And if there are clouds, the sun reflects on them like fire spreading wildly. Ah! So amazing!
I'm trying to think of what else I can report on... I'm not so lonely anymore. I get daily quiet times where I read John and just get blown away by how sweet Jesus' life was! My host mom takes me to chruch (though fairly different from what I'm used to), and this has been a great time to reflect on the Lord more. It's like I'm falling in love with Him all over again.
My students crack me up! They are so full of energy, y son todos locos, but I like seeing them on my days at the school. I struggle with getting them to focus and motivation to get work done, but what teacher doesn't struggle with that?
Oh! So, my best friends in Ojo de Agua are my host mom, Paty, the dog, Peckies, and a 3 year old boy, Josue. This last week, Josue and I played quite a bit in one day. At the end of hang out time, the adults asked, "Josue, ¿Quien es?" I chime in with "¿Como me llamas?" And he called me Josuesita. Isn't that adorable? Oh, I just wanted to box him up and keep him in my pocket!
Yeah... so things are going good. Keep praying for the students I teach and the students that are in the program, that they can see who God really is and that I can some how be a tool to show them or something. Keep praying for fellowship too. Though I am doing fine, it gets lonely when I can't share what I see or experience or learn with anyone else. Also pray that my eyes will be kept on Jesus and that I can encourage my family to follow the Lord. OH! and, of course, that I will continue to learn Spanish better.
Sorry if that was lame... I really can't focus well. But I pray for you all often and wish the best!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah
Sunday, January 25, 2009
I´m up to my ojos in frijoles
Hey! I´m alive!
So, I went to my town this week! I live in Ojo de Agua, which is about a half hour from Cuauhtemoc, with a widow named Paty and her 2 sons. Life is very chill, and settling into a routine of sorts has been awesome. I take it easy and I have a ton of time to read while I listen to "La Ranchera de Cuauhtemoc", which is a radio station we get out at my house. The radio is ALWAYS on when people are in the house. Though my house sucks any heat from my body, I get the warm fuzzy around my family. I love waking up and watching Paty make fresh tortillas every morning. I love my evenings where Paty and I sit in the kitchen (which is the warmest room in the house) and make small talk between my reading my book for class and her embroidery. I´m learning Spanish slowly but surely, but it sounds like I´ve come in with the most out of previous students. I still can´t wait to know enough to talk more to my family and my students!
Ah.... my students! As crazy as these middle school kids are, they are SO FUN! I teach English every lunes, meircoles, y hueves (Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday) from 8:30 to 1. My first day was pretty stressful because I wasn´t given any guidelines or instructions on what I need to use or whatever. The students are more advanced than I originally thought, so I was a little sad I couldn´t just sing ABCs to everyone. But I have more of a game plan for each class, and I enjoy going to the school.
My town is cute and really relaxed. The weather has been pretty cloudy (except for when I´m in Cuauhtemoc, which is surprizingly warm... and I wish I had my chacos here) so I haven´t walked around very much. But I´m hoping that I can this next week or so. There are dirt roads except for one main one, and when driving in you have top stop for gallinas y vacas crossing the road. I love it!
So... I think that´s it. I´m doing fine. I´ve heard from people that the first 3 weeks are usually the hardest, and I can see that. It´s weird to think about being here for so long. I have gone to Catholic church a couple times, and those are the times I´m usually home sick. I thought I was going to be with an evangelical family, but it didn´t turn out that way, which is fine. But I miss being able to worship corporately and share in sweet fellowship on what God is teaching me. I do have one other Christian in the group, which has been nice, but we can only see each other when we all get together every other weekend. So, I guess you can be praying that something will work out. But overall, everything is alright. Even my legs are healing! Oh... yeah... I didn´t want to worry any of you, but I got bite by a dog twice my first full day here. But now I just have some sweet bruises and a good story. The teeth didn´t even touch my skin, and the dog was up on all its shots. I told it to my students and showed my bruises, which they seemed to enjoy.
Continue to pray for Janine and her family as she is still trying to get back to a more "normal" state. She was wanting to be here by February, but now she can´t make it until end of March. Also pray for our safety here. Things are not that crazy, but you hear of things every now and then. And, of course, pray for the students in the program. They´re all so great, and I just want to be a good light to them when I´m around. Also my family, because my mom seems interested that I read my bible and take notes, so hopefully I can talk more to here about what we believe and such.
I pray for you all often, and you are in my thoughts!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah
So, I went to my town this week! I live in Ojo de Agua, which is about a half hour from Cuauhtemoc, with a widow named Paty and her 2 sons. Life is very chill, and settling into a routine of sorts has been awesome. I take it easy and I have a ton of time to read while I listen to "La Ranchera de Cuauhtemoc", which is a radio station we get out at my house. The radio is ALWAYS on when people are in the house. Though my house sucks any heat from my body, I get the warm fuzzy around my family. I love waking up and watching Paty make fresh tortillas every morning. I love my evenings where Paty and I sit in the kitchen (which is the warmest room in the house) and make small talk between my reading my book for class and her embroidery. I´m learning Spanish slowly but surely, but it sounds like I´ve come in with the most out of previous students. I still can´t wait to know enough to talk more to my family and my students!
Ah.... my students! As crazy as these middle school kids are, they are SO FUN! I teach English every lunes, meircoles, y hueves (Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday) from 8:30 to 1. My first day was pretty stressful because I wasn´t given any guidelines or instructions on what I need to use or whatever. The students are more advanced than I originally thought, so I was a little sad I couldn´t just sing ABCs to everyone. But I have more of a game plan for each class, and I enjoy going to the school.
My town is cute and really relaxed. The weather has been pretty cloudy (except for when I´m in Cuauhtemoc, which is surprizingly warm... and I wish I had my chacos here) so I haven´t walked around very much. But I´m hoping that I can this next week or so. There are dirt roads except for one main one, and when driving in you have top stop for gallinas y vacas crossing the road. I love it!
So... I think that´s it. I´m doing fine. I´ve heard from people that the first 3 weeks are usually the hardest, and I can see that. It´s weird to think about being here for so long. I have gone to Catholic church a couple times, and those are the times I´m usually home sick. I thought I was going to be with an evangelical family, but it didn´t turn out that way, which is fine. But I miss being able to worship corporately and share in sweet fellowship on what God is teaching me. I do have one other Christian in the group, which has been nice, but we can only see each other when we all get together every other weekend. So, I guess you can be praying that something will work out. But overall, everything is alright. Even my legs are healing! Oh... yeah... I didn´t want to worry any of you, but I got bite by a dog twice my first full day here. But now I just have some sweet bruises and a good story. The teeth didn´t even touch my skin, and the dog was up on all its shots. I told it to my students and showed my bruises, which they seemed to enjoy.
Continue to pray for Janine and her family as she is still trying to get back to a more "normal" state. She was wanting to be here by February, but now she can´t make it until end of March. Also pray for our safety here. Things are not that crazy, but you hear of things every now and then. And, of course, pray for the students in the program. They´re all so great, and I just want to be a good light to them when I´m around. Also my family, because my mom seems interested that I read my bible and take notes, so hopefully I can talk more to here about what we believe and such.
I pray for you all often, and you are in my thoughts!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah
Saturday, January 17, 2009
I´m here and alive!!
I need to make this short, but I wanted to let everyone know that I am in Mexico and all is well!!
The two days worth of bus rides was pretty exhausting because both of my departures were very early in the morning, and I can´t really sleep on buses. So very sleep deprived I arrive in Cuauhtemoc yesterday evening with 4 other fellow students. Today we all slept in and then got a tour of the Mennonite part of the town. I don´t feel like getting into details, but let´s say I ate a lot of cheese... and there was a bunch of white folks who didn´t speak English or a lot of Spanish... and there was a dog. But I am well and things are going great so far. Tomorrow I meet up for class, and then I will be heading out Monday to stay with my host family! Very exciting.
Other than the area being beautiful and the people being more than accomidating and friendly, we´re all kind of learning things as we go along. Please continue to pray for safety and good health for me and the group. Also pray that the whole group will get here soon, cause not everyone is here yet. Okay.... that´s it! Adios!
Vaya con dios,
Leah
The two days worth of bus rides was pretty exhausting because both of my departures were very early in the morning, and I can´t really sleep on buses. So very sleep deprived I arrive in Cuauhtemoc yesterday evening with 4 other fellow students. Today we all slept in and then got a tour of the Mennonite part of the town. I don´t feel like getting into details, but let´s say I ate a lot of cheese... and there was a bunch of white folks who didn´t speak English or a lot of Spanish... and there was a dog. But I am well and things are going great so far. Tomorrow I meet up for class, and then I will be heading out Monday to stay with my host family! Very exciting.
Other than the area being beautiful and the people being more than accomidating and friendly, we´re all kind of learning things as we go along. Please continue to pray for safety and good health for me and the group. Also pray that the whole group will get here soon, cause not everyone is here yet. Okay.... that´s it! Adios!
Vaya con dios,
Leah
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
I know that good things come to an end, but I wish the great times were an exception
I have just finished eating a homemade cocnut popsicle I picked up from a convience store while I sit in a internet place across from my hotel in Quito, Ecuador. I have really crammed my stomach today with a lot of delicious things, along with things I'm still not sure what they were, but now I can settle down and let those who want to know what's been going on what's been going on in my life for the last few days (even though if I get hungry I bought an empanda for later to be washed down with a strawberry soda).
Well, I throughly enjoyed my time in Cusco! I was sad to leave, and I feel like I still missed out on some things while I was there. A week wasn't enough, and I'm not the same. Get the jist? =) But I move on. I got to see Machu Picchu on Saturday, which was neat, and then Sunday I spent the day with my host family eating fritadas (which is pieces of fried pork, not like the Mexican fritadas) and listening to them go on in Spanish, which I barely understood but tried to follow along anyway. Sunday evening I said my goodbyes to Miguel and one of his friends I saw a lot during the week, then early Monday morning I was off for a new adventure to Ecuador!
This leg of my journey has been quite different from everything else I have done. Each country I've been to has been quite different from the next, but I never felt like a real tourist until yesterday! I ride in a tour bus with a bunch of gringos going from one tourist place to the next taking pictures of the same thing at the same time. That may have sounded crass, but it really hasn't been bad. Though it's a little weird for me, I have learned a lot from our guide and from the places we have visited. Yesterday we visited the equator, which has been my favorite part thus far! It was really cool to hear the science of the equator and doing experiments. I balanced an egg on a nail just like Anthony Bourdain did when he came to Equador! I was way stoked about that! We have also gotten to walk around Old Town Quito and see some old churches, a rose plantation, and an artisans market where our true American side came out to consume... ah, my favorite. =) Tomorrow we travel to Banos... I can't remember what we're doing there... oh well. I'm just enjoying the ride wishing that it wouldn't end.
This very well may be one of my last blogs until I get back to Durango! So sad! It's funny, because the first 3 weeks I was ready to go home at any moment, and now I don't want to leave. South America has grabbed my heart and won't let me go. I want to live here, eat here, speak here. I want the Latin lover who buys me Ecuadorian roses (which I guess are the best in the world or something). I want to read Neruda, Allende, and Vallejo while I hear the always present car alarm in the distance. Ah... te amo Sudamerica!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
Well, I throughly enjoyed my time in Cusco! I was sad to leave, and I feel like I still missed out on some things while I was there. A week wasn't enough, and I'm not the same. Get the jist? =) But I move on. I got to see Machu Picchu on Saturday, which was neat, and then Sunday I spent the day with my host family eating fritadas (which is pieces of fried pork, not like the Mexican fritadas) and listening to them go on in Spanish, which I barely understood but tried to follow along anyway. Sunday evening I said my goodbyes to Miguel and one of his friends I saw a lot during the week, then early Monday morning I was off for a new adventure to Ecuador!
This leg of my journey has been quite different from everything else I have done. Each country I've been to has been quite different from the next, but I never felt like a real tourist until yesterday! I ride in a tour bus with a bunch of gringos going from one tourist place to the next taking pictures of the same thing at the same time. That may have sounded crass, but it really hasn't been bad. Though it's a little weird for me, I have learned a lot from our guide and from the places we have visited. Yesterday we visited the equator, which has been my favorite part thus far! It was really cool to hear the science of the equator and doing experiments. I balanced an egg on a nail just like Anthony Bourdain did when he came to Equador! I was way stoked about that! We have also gotten to walk around Old Town Quito and see some old churches, a rose plantation, and an artisans market where our true American side came out to consume... ah, my favorite. =) Tomorrow we travel to Banos... I can't remember what we're doing there... oh well. I'm just enjoying the ride wishing that it wouldn't end.
This very well may be one of my last blogs until I get back to Durango! So sad! It's funny, because the first 3 weeks I was ready to go home at any moment, and now I don't want to leave. South America has grabbed my heart and won't let me go. I want to live here, eat here, speak here. I want the Latin lover who buys me Ecuadorian roses (which I guess are the best in the world or something). I want to read Neruda, Allende, and Vallejo while I hear the always present car alarm in the distance. Ah... te amo Sudamerica!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
Friday, May 30, 2008
Yo Tengo Una Neuva Cabesa
Okay, not a new head, but I definitely have a new mind... which I can never remember the word for mind in Spanish... anyway.
Ah! I only have a few days left in Peru! So sad! It´s crazy on how fact this week flew by. In Chile the weeks seemed to pass by normally, but I feel like I just got here yesterday and I´ve been here for exactly a week. I´ve been enjoying my time here thoroughly.
Let´s see... what have I done since my last post...
Well, Sunday I got to paintball with guns for the first time on the highest paintball field in the world with Miguel and some of his friends. I only got hit twice, and hid for most of it squealing not to get hit... which later produced some mocking from the boys on the bus ride from Poroy to Cusco. A lot of fun! Between trying to understand the Spanish, speak the Spanish, while learning to play the games they throw at me, it´s been frustrating yet entertaining. The only day that I´ve had the worse time trying to understand and speak was yesterday when I went to ride horses to some ruins around Cusco. Long story, but in short the first 2 hours trying to figure what was actually going on left me feeling alone and on the verge of tears standing in the middle of nowhere. But all was resolved and I got the spend the morning riding horses with 2 nurses from California. Though this whole week I´ve been trying to avoid the tourists and be recognized as a tourist (which I can´t hide from and finally bought some ice cream and sat in the main square like all the other tourists today), it was really nice to be with some other North Americans. The advetnure yesterday ended up with the 3 of us walking down a million stairs from Cristo Blanco into town. I was exhausted, and yet I had to stay awake to go to class an hour later. Other than that I have been enjoying just walking around Cusco in the morning, going to class for 2 hours in the afternoon, then return home to read and watch Mexican soap operas over dinner. I also have the occasional evenings where I play card games with Miguel into the night.
Upcoming events include a welcome home party for a friend of the boys I went to paintball with, who is coming from Texas, and a going away party for me in one. I´m sure yet when this will take place, either tonight or Sunday. It should be entertaining to say the least. I also get to go to Machu Picchu tomorrow! Very exciting, but it´s going to be a long day. I have to leave at 6:20am and I don´t return until about 9pm. But at least I get to see it. Other than that I need to figure when I get to eat cuy and llama, but I´m going to try to soak up as much as Peru as I can before I have to leave. Already in my mind I am hoping to come back here for a longer period of time.
Welp, time to head home for lunch!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah =)
Ah! I only have a few days left in Peru! So sad! It´s crazy on how fact this week flew by. In Chile the weeks seemed to pass by normally, but I feel like I just got here yesterday and I´ve been here for exactly a week. I´ve been enjoying my time here thoroughly.
Let´s see... what have I done since my last post...
Well, Sunday I got to paintball with guns for the first time on the highest paintball field in the world with Miguel and some of his friends. I only got hit twice, and hid for most of it squealing not to get hit... which later produced some mocking from the boys on the bus ride from Poroy to Cusco. A lot of fun! Between trying to understand the Spanish, speak the Spanish, while learning to play the games they throw at me, it´s been frustrating yet entertaining. The only day that I´ve had the worse time trying to understand and speak was yesterday when I went to ride horses to some ruins around Cusco. Long story, but in short the first 2 hours trying to figure what was actually going on left me feeling alone and on the verge of tears standing in the middle of nowhere. But all was resolved and I got the spend the morning riding horses with 2 nurses from California. Though this whole week I´ve been trying to avoid the tourists and be recognized as a tourist (which I can´t hide from and finally bought some ice cream and sat in the main square like all the other tourists today), it was really nice to be with some other North Americans. The advetnure yesterday ended up with the 3 of us walking down a million stairs from Cristo Blanco into town. I was exhausted, and yet I had to stay awake to go to class an hour later. Other than that I have been enjoying just walking around Cusco in the morning, going to class for 2 hours in the afternoon, then return home to read and watch Mexican soap operas over dinner. I also have the occasional evenings where I play card games with Miguel into the night.
Upcoming events include a welcome home party for a friend of the boys I went to paintball with, who is coming from Texas, and a going away party for me in one. I´m sure yet when this will take place, either tonight or Sunday. It should be entertaining to say the least. I also get to go to Machu Picchu tomorrow! Very exciting, but it´s going to be a long day. I have to leave at 6:20am and I don´t return until about 9pm. But at least I get to see it. Other than that I need to figure when I get to eat cuy and llama, but I´m going to try to soak up as much as Peru as I can before I have to leave. Already in my mind I am hoping to come back here for a longer period of time.
Welp, time to head home for lunch!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah =)
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Leah, ¿te gusta Black Sabbath?
New country = new adventures to be had! I am in Cusco, Peru, and I am safe and well. I left Valparaíso, Chile, on Thursday evening and stayed the night in Santiago. OH! But on Wednesday in Valparaíso they had all the festivities for their Independence Day! So we got to see the different ¨protect the country¨people march around like Nazis and salute the president, Michelle Bachelet (I believe is her name). It was cool and fun to hear the marching bands and see the blue dot of Bachelet from my hostel window. It was the most Chilean thing I got to do my whole 3 weeks in Chile.
But yesterday I flew out of Santiago at 6:40 in the morning, then caught another flight to Cusco where my host mom met me at the airport and we took a taxi through the crazy streets to her house. But I really like Cusco so far! The city is surrounded by mountains and the place just looks more like Peru. Though, of course, this is a huge tourist spot, but the things that make me go, "Hot dang, this is a tourist town!" is when I see all the white people around. They walk the streets in their hiking boots and their cameras, which a lot of people here depend on. Many people dress up like indigenous Incas so tourists can take pictures of them for a small price. I have also seen more beggers in comparison to Chile. But the people are very friendly and, as my host brothers told, most Peruvians like Americans.
Ah, my host brothers... there are 2 of them. Luis, who is 24 and I´m not too sure what he does, but he looks like the Peruvian version of a friend of mine in Durango. Then there is Miguel who is 21 and speaks Enlgish and is learning French along with his native Spanish. He has been a lot of fun to hang around and also a huge help. Yesterday he helped me get around this part of Cusco where my house and language school is, and then we would just sit and he would help me with my Spanish and tell me about life in Peru and such. He also taught me how to play the digerido and some playstation game that I am terrible at. Last night we went to his friend´s house to play the playstation and then listen to 3 of his friends sing "Electric Funnel" about 10 times. The like a lot of the rock from the 70s, like Black Sabbath and Guns N Roses. But I had a good time just hearing them joke around and such. So far everyone I have met don´t think I look like I´m from the States, but apparently I look more Argentinian. I´m taking that as a compliment, expecially since I´m trying to blend in more than the other tourists around here. And Miguel told me I don´t have much of an accent when I speak Spanish! I was stoked about that.
Well, I need to wrap this up. I should probably head home to see if I´m getting fed or if I need to do that myself. And then I also start my Spanish class today! I´m so freaking excited to learn better Spanish! It´s frustrating not being able to talk to anyone, so I´m hoping I can get to a piont of being able to talk normally by the end of my stay here.
Prayer Request: Continue to pray for the my Chile group, because I had a couple more chances to talk to them about Christ, and I left very encouraged because the were telling me how I made an impact on them, which I knew wasn´t as much me as it was God working through me! There was no way I could´ve done or said anything to them if it wasn´t for God and His way of being so awesome!
I don´t think my family is Christian or go to church or anything. Pray that I will stay strong and not fall into any traps and that I would continue to seek God in everything. But more importantly, pray that there will be opportunites to share the Gospel with someone, or that God will just do His work in their lives to lead them to Himself, as I know He is already doing.
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
But yesterday I flew out of Santiago at 6:40 in the morning, then caught another flight to Cusco where my host mom met me at the airport and we took a taxi through the crazy streets to her house. But I really like Cusco so far! The city is surrounded by mountains and the place just looks more like Peru. Though, of course, this is a huge tourist spot, but the things that make me go, "Hot dang, this is a tourist town!" is when I see all the white people around. They walk the streets in their hiking boots and their cameras, which a lot of people here depend on. Many people dress up like indigenous Incas so tourists can take pictures of them for a small price. I have also seen more beggers in comparison to Chile. But the people are very friendly and, as my host brothers told, most Peruvians like Americans.
Ah, my host brothers... there are 2 of them. Luis, who is 24 and I´m not too sure what he does, but he looks like the Peruvian version of a friend of mine in Durango. Then there is Miguel who is 21 and speaks Enlgish and is learning French along with his native Spanish. He has been a lot of fun to hang around and also a huge help. Yesterday he helped me get around this part of Cusco where my house and language school is, and then we would just sit and he would help me with my Spanish and tell me about life in Peru and such. He also taught me how to play the digerido and some playstation game that I am terrible at. Last night we went to his friend´s house to play the playstation and then listen to 3 of his friends sing "Electric Funnel" about 10 times. The like a lot of the rock from the 70s, like Black Sabbath and Guns N Roses. But I had a good time just hearing them joke around and such. So far everyone I have met don´t think I look like I´m from the States, but apparently I look more Argentinian. I´m taking that as a compliment, expecially since I´m trying to blend in more than the other tourists around here. And Miguel told me I don´t have much of an accent when I speak Spanish! I was stoked about that.
Well, I need to wrap this up. I should probably head home to see if I´m getting fed or if I need to do that myself. And then I also start my Spanish class today! I´m so freaking excited to learn better Spanish! It´s frustrating not being able to talk to anyone, so I´m hoping I can get to a piont of being able to talk normally by the end of my stay here.
Prayer Request: Continue to pray for the my Chile group, because I had a couple more chances to talk to them about Christ, and I left very encouraged because the were telling me how I made an impact on them, which I knew wasn´t as much me as it was God working through me! There was no way I could´ve done or said anything to them if it wasn´t for God and His way of being so awesome!
I don´t think my family is Christian or go to church or anything. Pray that I will stay strong and not fall into any traps and that I would continue to seek God in everything. But more importantly, pray that there will be opportunites to share the Gospel with someone, or that God will just do His work in their lives to lead them to Himself, as I know He is already doing.
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Adventure isn´t my middle name, but maybe it should be...
Oh my. Where to begin?
Well, this weekend Erica and I did go on our Adventure to Bariloche! First leg of the trip was a 5 hour bus trip to Osorno and staying the night. That night in and of itself was an experience. It was pouring rain, but the hostel in the guide book said it wasn´t too far. Wanting to save any money we could, we decided to walk. About hour later we found out that the hostel didn´t exist and the other one was about 10 blocks the other direction. Not having a choice, we make the trek with our sopping clothes and Erica´s crap piled in her arms because the paper bag she had earlier dissolved by the rain. About 20 minutes later we arrive at Hospedaje Sánchez tried, soaked, and sore from carrying our heavy stuff on our backs. The places was about 5,000 pesos, and you could tell... oh my. It wasn´t the best place, but seeing the hell we had been in for the last hour anything was better than walking around more. The bathroom smelled of smoke with a hot water heater that you had you light yourself. Erica tried to light it for a hot shower... but 10 matches and a half of her arm hair singed off, she settled for washing her hair in cold water.
I won´t even mention the dog... there might be children near by that would throw-up... or even adults...
But we caught a bus the next morning to Bariloche, stayed the night in a posh place filled with bohemian British and Americans. We walked around a lot, which Bariloche is BEAUTIFUL, even with a ton of rain. So I had fun, plus I can say that I´ve been to Argentina. The Andes are quite pretty, even if I saw them only from the bus. Anyway, after the one night stand with Bariloche, Erica and I took a 5 hour bus ride to Osorno, then an 11 hour overnight bus to Santiago, then an hour or so bus ride from Santiago to Valparaíso. So that´s where I am now.
We finished class up today with talking about what we have learned and shared our poetry that we have written since we´ve been here. Man, I´m so sad that we´re done. I can´t believe that I´m not going to be with these wonderful people while I´m in South America. But we´ve already been talking about making a reunion thing at the end of the summer to catch up and such. But keep praying that I will get more opportunities to share Christ with them before we all go our seperate ways. OH! Speaking of which, I had an AWESOME talk with Erica in Bariloche about what we believe. It was great! Anyway, but I´m so glad that I got to know these people and get to pray for them and such. I´ll get to see them later in the States and all too.
Alrighty... so... what next to say... oh, what is to come.
Well, I plan on leaving Valparaíso on Thursday so I can stay in a hotel by the airport so I can make my flight early in the morning on Friday to Cusco, Peru. Then I have language school and hopefully a run in with Machu Pichu before I leave for Ecuador. Wow... I don´t even know what to say...
Welp, that´s it. Vaya con Dios,
Leah =)
Well, this weekend Erica and I did go on our Adventure to Bariloche! First leg of the trip was a 5 hour bus trip to Osorno and staying the night. That night in and of itself was an experience. It was pouring rain, but the hostel in the guide book said it wasn´t too far. Wanting to save any money we could, we decided to walk. About hour later we found out that the hostel didn´t exist and the other one was about 10 blocks the other direction. Not having a choice, we make the trek with our sopping clothes and Erica´s crap piled in her arms because the paper bag she had earlier dissolved by the rain. About 20 minutes later we arrive at Hospedaje Sánchez tried, soaked, and sore from carrying our heavy stuff on our backs. The places was about 5,000 pesos, and you could tell... oh my. It wasn´t the best place, but seeing the hell we had been in for the last hour anything was better than walking around more. The bathroom smelled of smoke with a hot water heater that you had you light yourself. Erica tried to light it for a hot shower... but 10 matches and a half of her arm hair singed off, she settled for washing her hair in cold water.
I won´t even mention the dog... there might be children near by that would throw-up... or even adults...
But we caught a bus the next morning to Bariloche, stayed the night in a posh place filled with bohemian British and Americans. We walked around a lot, which Bariloche is BEAUTIFUL, even with a ton of rain. So I had fun, plus I can say that I´ve been to Argentina. The Andes are quite pretty, even if I saw them only from the bus. Anyway, after the one night stand with Bariloche, Erica and I took a 5 hour bus ride to Osorno, then an 11 hour overnight bus to Santiago, then an hour or so bus ride from Santiago to Valparaíso. So that´s where I am now.
We finished class up today with talking about what we have learned and shared our poetry that we have written since we´ve been here. Man, I´m so sad that we´re done. I can´t believe that I´m not going to be with these wonderful people while I´m in South America. But we´ve already been talking about making a reunion thing at the end of the summer to catch up and such. But keep praying that I will get more opportunities to share Christ with them before we all go our seperate ways. OH! Speaking of which, I had an AWESOME talk with Erica in Bariloche about what we believe. It was great! Anyway, but I´m so glad that I got to know these people and get to pray for them and such. I´ll get to see them later in the States and all too.
Alrighty... so... what next to say... oh, what is to come.
Well, I plan on leaving Valparaíso on Thursday so I can stay in a hotel by the airport so I can make my flight early in the morning on Friday to Cusco, Peru. Then I have language school and hopefully a run in with Machu Pichu before I leave for Ecuador. Wow... I don´t even know what to say...
Welp, that´s it. Vaya con Dios,
Leah =)
Friday, May 16, 2008
¿Una completo gigante? Sí, se puede!
Hello all!! My last post being slightly dull and more on the "Leah was a bit homesick" mode, I am happy to report that things have gone on the up and up! Temuco ended up being not that great. A girl in my group got her wallet stolen along with some earings she had bought. But she got her credit card cancelled right away and her mom wired her money. Hay no problema. We took a minibus to the Chol Chol Foundation (www.cholchol.org) to hear about the foundation, which now today helps the Mapuche women better their lives through making weavings and selling them for fair trade prices. Very cool, and my little desricption did NOT do them justice, but if you´re interested in that, you can go to the website... which I´m pretty sure I gave you the correct one. The Mapuche are a BIG deal down here. They were a NEVER conquered indigenous groups who adapts to their sorroundings (is that spelled right....?). You can go to www.mapuche.info and read up on them if you would like. It´s worth a look into since it´s such a different situations to how dealt with the Native Americans in the states, AND in the countries around Chile as well.
Okay, moving on from the Mapuche...
So we took the bus from Temuco to Villarrica on Wednesday (I believe... the days are running together). And all we had to do is step off the bus, take a huge breath of unpolluted air, and let out the stress of Temuco. It is BEAUTIFUL here! It´s right next to Lago Villarrica (Lake Villarrica) with a VOLCANO right next to that! Seriously. Way cool! We stumbled upon a chocolotería with the neatest little chocolate owner ever. He gave us free chocolate after we finished our delicious tortas and the BEST hot chocolate! Super sweet man. Anyway, yesterday we went to Pucón and did some class stuff and also checked out the town. I also decided to try a Chilean meal that is loved, which is called una "completo", which is a hot dog covered in tomatoes, guacamole, and mayo. It sounded fine enough, but I made the mistake of ordering the completo gigante.... which was about the size of my arm... not even exaggerating. I ate about half of the weird tasting mess before I felt like I was going to be sucked into abyss known as obesity. But Chileans LOVE it, so I try it. As a friend of mine said on this trip, "If the national dish is a hot dog, you kind of have to wonder..."
Anyway, after our little class time meeting with ecologist and a Mapuche writer, we split up to do our ethnographies, which is going to different places in Chile and getting a sense of the place in a couple days. I am doing my ethnography on Villarrica with my friend, Erica... which we are finishing today before 4:30 so we can catch a bus to Osorno, and hopefully from there we can get another bus to Bariloche, Argentina! It´s a grand scheme, but we´re hoping for the best. If that doesn´t work out, we want to go south to maybe Chiloé, which is an island where all the evacuated people from Chitan where the volcano errupted are going. And they have a penguin colony on the island! ¡Muy interesante! Anyway, we´ll see what ends up happening. We have to be back in Valparaíso by Monday night, which is located all the way towards Santiago. CRAZY!
OH! So, I have been still getting into good conversations with people in my group! It´s such an awesome situation to be in, because I get to hear where they come from, and they have no choice but to hear what I believe in! YAY! Keep praying that their hearts and minds will be open and willing to hear exactly what Jesus came for, and that I get more opportunities to share with them. It´s hard since I´m not around all of them for 4 days, but I AM with Erica and I´m excited to maybe talk to her more and get more of a sense of where she is coming from. After this weekend, I only get 4 days with them! So sad! BUT, we have been making plans to get together back in the States and such. So, if not here, hopefully back in Durango. But keep praying! Seeing God provide opportunities has seriously been the best part of my trip so far!
So, a week from today I´ll be in Peru! I can´t believe I´ve been here for almost 2 weeks. I can´t believe that I have over 3 weeks left before I go home as well. I guess we´ll see what happens from here, huh? Well, I better get back to doing my ethnography, even though this internet/phone shop was a good place to be in. A lot of people have been coming in for me to observe. What luck! Anyway, until next time....
Vaya con Dios,
Leah =)
Okay, moving on from the Mapuche...
So we took the bus from Temuco to Villarrica on Wednesday (I believe... the days are running together). And all we had to do is step off the bus, take a huge breath of unpolluted air, and let out the stress of Temuco. It is BEAUTIFUL here! It´s right next to Lago Villarrica (Lake Villarrica) with a VOLCANO right next to that! Seriously. Way cool! We stumbled upon a chocolotería with the neatest little chocolate owner ever. He gave us free chocolate after we finished our delicious tortas and the BEST hot chocolate! Super sweet man. Anyway, yesterday we went to Pucón and did some class stuff and also checked out the town. I also decided to try a Chilean meal that is loved, which is called una "completo", which is a hot dog covered in tomatoes, guacamole, and mayo. It sounded fine enough, but I made the mistake of ordering the completo gigante.... which was about the size of my arm... not even exaggerating. I ate about half of the weird tasting mess before I felt like I was going to be sucked into abyss known as obesity. But Chileans LOVE it, so I try it. As a friend of mine said on this trip, "If the national dish is a hot dog, you kind of have to wonder..."
Anyway, after our little class time meeting with ecologist and a Mapuche writer, we split up to do our ethnographies, which is going to different places in Chile and getting a sense of the place in a couple days. I am doing my ethnography on Villarrica with my friend, Erica... which we are finishing today before 4:30 so we can catch a bus to Osorno, and hopefully from there we can get another bus to Bariloche, Argentina! It´s a grand scheme, but we´re hoping for the best. If that doesn´t work out, we want to go south to maybe Chiloé, which is an island where all the evacuated people from Chitan where the volcano errupted are going. And they have a penguin colony on the island! ¡Muy interesante! Anyway, we´ll see what ends up happening. We have to be back in Valparaíso by Monday night, which is located all the way towards Santiago. CRAZY!
OH! So, I have been still getting into good conversations with people in my group! It´s such an awesome situation to be in, because I get to hear where they come from, and they have no choice but to hear what I believe in! YAY! Keep praying that their hearts and minds will be open and willing to hear exactly what Jesus came for, and that I get more opportunities to share with them. It´s hard since I´m not around all of them for 4 days, but I AM with Erica and I´m excited to maybe talk to her more and get more of a sense of where she is coming from. After this weekend, I only get 4 days with them! So sad! BUT, we have been making plans to get together back in the States and such. So, if not here, hopefully back in Durango. But keep praying! Seeing God provide opportunities has seriously been the best part of my trip so far!
So, a week from today I´ll be in Peru! I can´t believe I´ve been here for almost 2 weeks. I can´t believe that I have over 3 weeks left before I go home as well. I guess we´ll see what happens from here, huh? Well, I better get back to doing my ethnography, even though this internet/phone shop was a good place to be in. A lot of people have been coming in for me to observe. What luck! Anyway, until next time....
Vaya con Dios,
Leah =)
Monday, May 12, 2008
I Feel Like I´m Still In Kansas, Toto.
I am currently in Temuco, which is more south of Santiago. We took the train from Santiago to Chillán on Saturday. The train was a fun way to get somewhere... if only the somewhere we got to was a little more exciting. Chillán was kind of the Mexican Hotchkiss to our trip, though, sadly to say, I enjoy Hotchkiss a little bit more. This run down town did not have much to offer except a very small market and a chill that runs up your spine from the fog and the mear fact it´s FREEZING in the morning in the fall. We also happened to want to do stuff on the day NOTHING was open. But I did buy a hand made sweater from the market for 10,000 Chilean pesos, which I think is about $20. It keeps me warm and it´s knitted, so I love it already. We also happen to get food from the one place that opens (though it was 11:30 and we were starving until then) which happened to be a Chinese resteraunt. Not too bad, but very weird that we´re eating Chinese in Chile. Anyway, we did get to take a 4 hour bus ride to Temuco, which was nice because we got to actually SEE the mountains and country through minimum amount of smog. Temuco is nice enough. It´s kind of like more of a metropolis Durango. It´s set in the mountains more, but we are staying in a hostel that is a block from a mall.
So far Chile has been alright. Definately not in culture shock. The way of life in the places we´ve been is much like it is in Colorado, except we´re a little more boisterous. It´s been a little frustrating because I feel like I´m in a different part of Colorado, but everything and everyone is in Spanish dubovers. Maybe it´s because I had these expectations of what my experience here would be like, and it´s not like what I thought. So I think that fact of thinking I´m home and not seeing people from home has made me slightly homesick. BUT, I´m also not ready to go. I LOVE the people I´m with and I´m getting more chances to talk to them about Christ. so The work is not done yet and I know I´m going to enjoy being with them for this whole time! Continue to pray for them and for me has we travel around.
Well, I think we´re going to go watch Indiana Jones in Spanish and see if we can find a market. Something to do! Yay!
Vaya con Díos,
Leah=)
So far Chile has been alright. Definately not in culture shock. The way of life in the places we´ve been is much like it is in Colorado, except we´re a little more boisterous. It´s been a little frustrating because I feel like I´m in a different part of Colorado, but everything and everyone is in Spanish dubovers. Maybe it´s because I had these expectations of what my experience here would be like, and it´s not like what I thought. So I think that fact of thinking I´m home and not seeing people from home has made me slightly homesick. BUT, I´m also not ready to go. I LOVE the people I´m with and I´m getting more chances to talk to them about Christ. so The work is not done yet and I know I´m going to enjoy being with them for this whole time! Continue to pray for them and for me has we travel around.
Well, I think we´re going to go watch Indiana Jones in Spanish and see if we can find a market. Something to do! Yay!
Vaya con Díos,
Leah=)
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Nothing Like a Good Blog After a Bowl of Baby Eels
Hello one and all from the not too different from the United States city of Santiago de Chile!
Well, I have been in Chile for 4 days now, and I´m really enjoying myself. This city is pretty darn cool and safe to be in. I honestly don´t worry too much about my stuff getting stolen (which I usually don´t take much of anything of value with me in mi mochila), and I´m with people I know all the time. So far we have seen Pablo Nerudo´s house (or the one in Sanitago, apparently he had a few), the art work of Violeta Parra (WAY cool, see if you can find pictures online), and have gotten to talk to some really neat people. Yesterday we talked to a guy who works to construct this ¨villa¨ of sorts in the ghetto to promote safetly and community. Today we talked to this lady about the ¨Documentation and Archives Foundation of the Vicarage for Solidarity¨, which is a place that stores documents from this foundation during the dictatorship of Pinochet that took records of people who had human rights violation of any kind from the coup or had family members who were disappeared and such (if you don´t know anything about Pinochet and what happened during his dictatorship, please look online because it´s a huge part of why I´m here to learn about). Then we also talk to another lady about life after the coup and how this is still a wounded nation. Very hard stuff to process, but also very important. They have a history hear that they make sure no one forgets, that they themselves are still healing from. The good parts of their history are shown through people in statues, while the harsh bitterness is shared from person to person. It makes me want to not forget my history, though it isn´t harsh or terribley traumatic but we are the protectors of memory. How can we pass it on if we don´t know it to begin with? Our history books leave out important parts about how Columbus dealt with the Native Americans (and almost destoryed a complete race of people) and how Hitler and Mousilini were not the only dictators in history. I´m not angry as much as I am disappointed. But what can I do now except learn? Better late than never, right?
Other than that, things are going great. I´m learning more about my fellow travelers, and have even had times to tell them what I believe and they have even asked me questions! VERY cool! Here are the prayer requests I have:
-That I get more chances to share about Jesus
-That we figure how to get from place to place and that my flights will be okay
-That I won´t compromise my values to fit in, and yet still hang out with everyone
Okay, I´m done with this sticky keyborad. I need to go back to the hostel and take a pepto to help with the burning baby eels in my stomach. Hasta luego everybody!!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
Well, I have been in Chile for 4 days now, and I´m really enjoying myself. This city is pretty darn cool and safe to be in. I honestly don´t worry too much about my stuff getting stolen (which I usually don´t take much of anything of value with me in mi mochila), and I´m with people I know all the time. So far we have seen Pablo Nerudo´s house (or the one in Sanitago, apparently he had a few), the art work of Violeta Parra (WAY cool, see if you can find pictures online), and have gotten to talk to some really neat people. Yesterday we talked to a guy who works to construct this ¨villa¨ of sorts in the ghetto to promote safetly and community. Today we talked to this lady about the ¨Documentation and Archives Foundation of the Vicarage for Solidarity¨, which is a place that stores documents from this foundation during the dictatorship of Pinochet that took records of people who had human rights violation of any kind from the coup or had family members who were disappeared and such (if you don´t know anything about Pinochet and what happened during his dictatorship, please look online because it´s a huge part of why I´m here to learn about). Then we also talk to another lady about life after the coup and how this is still a wounded nation. Very hard stuff to process, but also very important. They have a history hear that they make sure no one forgets, that they themselves are still healing from. The good parts of their history are shown through people in statues, while the harsh bitterness is shared from person to person. It makes me want to not forget my history, though it isn´t harsh or terribley traumatic but we are the protectors of memory. How can we pass it on if we don´t know it to begin with? Our history books leave out important parts about how Columbus dealt with the Native Americans (and almost destoryed a complete race of people) and how Hitler and Mousilini were not the only dictators in history. I´m not angry as much as I am disappointed. But what can I do now except learn? Better late than never, right?
Other than that, things are going great. I´m learning more about my fellow travelers, and have even had times to tell them what I believe and they have even asked me questions! VERY cool! Here are the prayer requests I have:
-That I get more chances to share about Jesus
-That we figure how to get from place to place and that my flights will be okay
-That I won´t compromise my values to fit in, and yet still hang out with everyone
Okay, I´m done with this sticky keyborad. I need to go back to the hostel and take a pepto to help with the burning baby eels in my stomach. Hasta luego everybody!!
Vaya con Dios,
Leah=)
Monday, May 5, 2008
Mi Primera Día in Santiago de Chile
Hola Amigos!!
After about 20 hours of flying and waiting, I finally made it to Santiago de Chile, the capital. I have been planning this trip for the last 4 or 5 months (well, much of this trip was planned within the last 2 or 3 weeks), and I can hardly believe that I´m here in South America finally!! The journey started yesterday morning around 10:30 in Durango. I even told Kristy, who dropped me off, that it wasn´t until we were about 100 feet from the airport that it set in that I was actually leaving! And it wasn´t until my wait to get on the plane from Atlanta to Santiago that it realy set in that I was going to another country and when I was truly excited to get going. These last few weeks have been CRAZY trying to finish school, change my travel plans, make more plans and arrangements with my already changed plans, being the corredenator for subletting this summer, going out and doing class stuff with the Chile group, while trying to pack and say goodbye to people I wouldn´t see for 5 or so weeks! Two words: UFT DA!!
Nothig too exciting about my flights yesterday except for my last one. We were an hour late to board because the plane wasn´t clean, which really wasn´t a big deal because then I got to talk to people on my phone more before I left cell range. The flight itself went smooth, and I got to see a movie I had never seen, but then 1:45 am rolled along, and I was stuck next to snoring man who needed leg room and the isle. Let´s just say sleep wasn´t really in the cards for me last night. I lift my head from my tray table around 7 am to hear a chipper "¡Buenos días!" coming from the man next to me, and the first thing that came to my mind was, "I´m sure YOU´RE having a buenos días, you actually GOT sleep." But I kept my comments to myself and replied with a good morning back.
Everything went pretty smooth after that. I got picked up and brought to my hostel (which is pretty darn cool) so I could get my jumbled self back in one piece. I took a shower (for the first time since Friday) in a 5x5 shower and read a little before my professor came back and we ate lunch with her family, and then we got to see the main plaza and the central market, which we got to by subway! Way cool! Tomorrow, the rest of the students should be arriving and then we´re off to do really who knows what! We have a plan, I just don´t know it in detail.
Well, the weather here is pretty warm for fall/winter. I wore flip flops and a tshirt and was perfect! The mountains are GORGEOUS, but you can´t really see them through all the smog. I got to see them flying in this morning. Santiago feels like any city in the United States really. There is a wide variety of people here, and I feel just as safe walking down the street in the day time like I do in Denver. I don´t think I´ll risk the evening though... but what am I going to do about dinner... I think I´ll just suck it up and wait until breakfast, or maybe I´ll just go down a couple blocks to some food. Maidunno. But I´m excited to be here and I can´t wait to see what God brings next!! Until next time,
Vaya con Díos!!
Leah =)
After about 20 hours of flying and waiting, I finally made it to Santiago de Chile, the capital. I have been planning this trip for the last 4 or 5 months (well, much of this trip was planned within the last 2 or 3 weeks), and I can hardly believe that I´m here in South America finally!! The journey started yesterday morning around 10:30 in Durango. I even told Kristy, who dropped me off, that it wasn´t until we were about 100 feet from the airport that it set in that I was actually leaving! And it wasn´t until my wait to get on the plane from Atlanta to Santiago that it realy set in that I was going to another country and when I was truly excited to get going. These last few weeks have been CRAZY trying to finish school, change my travel plans, make more plans and arrangements with my already changed plans, being the corredenator for subletting this summer, going out and doing class stuff with the Chile group, while trying to pack and say goodbye to people I wouldn´t see for 5 or so weeks! Two words: UFT DA!!
Nothig too exciting about my flights yesterday except for my last one. We were an hour late to board because the plane wasn´t clean, which really wasn´t a big deal because then I got to talk to people on my phone more before I left cell range. The flight itself went smooth, and I got to see a movie I had never seen, but then 1:45 am rolled along, and I was stuck next to snoring man who needed leg room and the isle. Let´s just say sleep wasn´t really in the cards for me last night. I lift my head from my tray table around 7 am to hear a chipper "¡Buenos días!" coming from the man next to me, and the first thing that came to my mind was, "I´m sure YOU´RE having a buenos días, you actually GOT sleep." But I kept my comments to myself and replied with a good morning back.
Everything went pretty smooth after that. I got picked up and brought to my hostel (which is pretty darn cool) so I could get my jumbled self back in one piece. I took a shower (for the first time since Friday) in a 5x5 shower and read a little before my professor came back and we ate lunch with her family, and then we got to see the main plaza and the central market, which we got to by subway! Way cool! Tomorrow, the rest of the students should be arriving and then we´re off to do really who knows what! We have a plan, I just don´t know it in detail.
Well, the weather here is pretty warm for fall/winter. I wore flip flops and a tshirt and was perfect! The mountains are GORGEOUS, but you can´t really see them through all the smog. I got to see them flying in this morning. Santiago feels like any city in the United States really. There is a wide variety of people here, and I feel just as safe walking down the street in the day time like I do in Denver. I don´t think I´ll risk the evening though... but what am I going to do about dinner... I think I´ll just suck it up and wait until breakfast, or maybe I´ll just go down a couple blocks to some food. Maidunno. But I´m excited to be here and I can´t wait to see what God brings next!! Until next time,
Vaya con Díos!!
Leah =)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The New Use
So, as you have noticed (for those of you who check this), I haven't updated this since my first post. But I have decided to use this website for when I'm in South America this summer. I'll be leaving May 4th from Denver to go to Santiago, Chile, with my school for a few weeks, then I am going to travel around Peru and maybe Ecuador (if I can convince my travel companions to do so) or a couple weeks, then I fly back from Lima, Peru, on June 10th! I am very excited and I can't wait to go! But since I am not bringing my computer with me, I'll stop by Internet Cafes to update this website to let whoever wants to know what I'm up to what I'm up to. But, before I can even plan more for my trip, I still have many projects and papers that are due, thus that will take up my time and brain power. But, I can't wait to go! It will be sure to be a hoot and a half!!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
The Reason
Hey!
So I set up this account at blogger.com because I have been having trouble updating my other web site since November, and we haven't found a solution to the problem. But I wanted a place so I can keep everybody updated to what's going on with me and all. So, I guess for updating's sake...
I have had a very busy summer consisting of very few events. I spent 90% of my time working at 3 restaurants waitressing, hostessing, dish-washing, bussing tables, and preping food. The other portion of my time was spent watching Star Trek, reading Francine Rivers books, leading bible studies for high school and middle school girls, and, above all, spending time with, and learning a TON from, my Savior Jesus Christ! Don't worry, I did eat and sleep too, though sometimes not much, I did happen to find time for them both.
Now, I only have 2 weeks of working left, which will leave me 2 weeks of summer fun before I have to start classes. In those 2 weeks of fun, I plan on to visit a friend of mine in Ft. Collins and picking up another from DIA. Then the week before classes start, I'll be moving into a house with 4 other good friends of mine and reconnect with everyone I didn't see over the 4 long months. To say the least, I am VERY excited to be done working and to move on to fun stuff. But, I'm also a little sad to leave. There are so many people that I haven't had a good chance to share Christ with, and now I'm low on time to do so. But, I trust that God will use whatever I have said or done to bring Him glory, first and foremost, and to hopefully point them back to Him.
We would be here all day if I were to talk about all that God has taught me this summer, but I will spare you (but you can always ask for details, because Jesus is awesome)! But I will kind of do a summary of the order of things He has shown me and taught me:
-The importance of clinging to God and His Word
-Servant-hood and loving others as Jesus loves
-Patience
-Marriage can be something to give God glory
-Be content in the situation I'm in and perseverance
-How important fellowship with believers is and relating it back to Paul (most current)
I just praise God for being the one I put my trust in and for being in such control of the world and my life! Anyway, I will stop blabbing. If you would like my mailing address for my house in Durango, please contact me so I can give that to you (I don't feel comfortable posting it).
God bless!!
Leah=)
Genesis 48:15
So I set up this account at blogger.com because I have been having trouble updating my other web site since November, and we haven't found a solution to the problem. But I wanted a place so I can keep everybody updated to what's going on with me and all. So, I guess for updating's sake...
I have had a very busy summer consisting of very few events. I spent 90% of my time working at 3 restaurants waitressing, hostessing, dish-washing, bussing tables, and preping food. The other portion of my time was spent watching Star Trek, reading Francine Rivers books, leading bible studies for high school and middle school girls, and, above all, spending time with, and learning a TON from, my Savior Jesus Christ! Don't worry, I did eat and sleep too, though sometimes not much, I did happen to find time for them both.
Now, I only have 2 weeks of working left, which will leave me 2 weeks of summer fun before I have to start classes. In those 2 weeks of fun, I plan on to visit a friend of mine in Ft. Collins and picking up another from DIA. Then the week before classes start, I'll be moving into a house with 4 other good friends of mine and reconnect with everyone I didn't see over the 4 long months. To say the least, I am VERY excited to be done working and to move on to fun stuff. But, I'm also a little sad to leave. There are so many people that I haven't had a good chance to share Christ with, and now I'm low on time to do so. But, I trust that God will use whatever I have said or done to bring Him glory, first and foremost, and to hopefully point them back to Him.
We would be here all day if I were to talk about all that God has taught me this summer, but I will spare you (but you can always ask for details, because Jesus is awesome)! But I will kind of do a summary of the order of things He has shown me and taught me:
-The importance of clinging to God and His Word
-Servant-hood and loving others as Jesus loves
-Patience
-Marriage can be something to give God glory
-Be content in the situation I'm in and perseverance
-How important fellowship with believers is and relating it back to Paul (most current)
I just praise God for being the one I put my trust in and for being in such control of the world and my life! Anyway, I will stop blabbing. If you would like my mailing address for my house in Durango, please contact me so I can give that to you (I don't feel comfortable posting it).
God bless!!
Leah=)
Genesis 48:15
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