We were warned in our pre-field training that we would experience several stages in our adjustment to a new country. The first was the honeymoon. Everything is great and new and exciting. An adventure awaits around every corner. That would last, so they said, about a month. Well, I've been here for 6 weeks now, and it's wearing off. I guess they know what they're talking about!
The next stage is culture shock, which has several parts--thinking the differences are odd, thinking the differences are annoying, thinking the differences are awful. Something like that. (After this phase is when you start to embrace the differences and know you've begun assimilating into the culture.) I wouldn't say that the differences are odd, annoying or awful...just different.
I've been here long enough that the newness of everything isn't quite so bright, and I'm able to feel the difference of my lifestyle a little. I still LOVE it here, no doubt about it. But I'm starting to notice that I don't have a lot of friends to go out with here, to go catch a movie with or talk over a cup of coffee. I don't have impromptu game nights at my place anymore. I'm not lonely, but I feel a little like I'm in limbo.
Why do I say all this? I'm not sure, except to put words to my emotions helps me to understand myself a little more. I'm progressing through the steps of adjustment, and if I realize this is what's happening, I can better interpret myself. ...Now I'm getting too psychological! :o)
God knows my personality's need for friendship and social-ness. He will provide for me what I need when I need it. My job is to remain content and joyful, looking to the Friend who knows no language barrier, who doesn't need a passport, and who isn't dependent on emails and blogs to be involved in my life! Because as the song goes...
All of You is more than enough for all of me,
For every thirst and every need.
You satisfy me with Your love.
And all I have in You is more than enough!!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
More pictures from the mountains...
See the haze in between the mountains in the top picture? Santiago is under there. It's mostly smog. I'm going to come home next year with black lung. I hope I can get a good insurance policy! :o)
Saturday, September 1, 2007
"Skiing" in the Andes...
Let me tell you a little story. It's the story of a girl who's never skied before, making her first attempt in the Andes mountains. For argument's sake, let's just say that girl was me. (Note: All the details of this story are true, but the mood may be exaggerated for dramatic effect.)
Once upon an August, I was coming down with a cold. Not a bad cold, but a cold nonetheless. I fought the cold hard, because I knew that I had a ski trip coming up. But germs don't really care if you go skiing, and I caught the cold anyway (why do you say you catch a cold? As if it's something you actively try to do? But I digress...). So already I'm not quite myself.
The day before the ski trip was a long afternoon of parent/teacher conferences, so I stayed overnight with another teacher who lives in one of the apartments above the school offices. She's a very nice and hospitable girl, but she snores. A lot. And I'm not used to snoring, so I heard every labored breath. My one course of action was to cough really hard repeatedly to try to awaken her enough to roll over. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. Needless to say, I snoozed a few times.
I was getting ready in the morning, and she left to go make some copies. She left her hairdryer with me, saying she wasn't sure if it works. I had not packed mine, mostly because I didn't have the space, but also because in the 5 apartments, I figured someone had to have a hairdryer. I plugged hers in. Nothing. I tried another outlet. Nothing. Being completely ready besides my wet hair, I walk to the apartment next door. Nothing. I walk to the next one. Nothing. The next apartment houses another teacher who I knew had already gone down to the school grounds. So traipsed back and forth across the campus, wet hair flopping in the breeze, passing rowdy students who were excited for their upcoming ski adventure. I finally found who I was looking for, and she informed me she does not have a hairdryer. Apparently everyone's hair is more cooperative than mine.
So, I had one option left. The fifth, and last, apartment. I had not met the people who lived there yet, since they just moved in a week ago. So I knocked on their door, introduced myself, and asked if they had a hairdryer I could borrow. Jackpot! They did! So as they went to get it I had a charming conversation with their daughter about her first day of school. She was very excited. And she giggled at my shiverings about my wet hair. (Really though, it was a pretty warm day...but in the mountains, who knows.)
Crisis averted. Time to go down with the students. One of the guys came over, anxious to get going, and asked if my hair was dry enough, or did they have to wait some more? So cheeky!
It was just under a 2 hour ride up to the ski lodge, and it was not a fun one. Because part way up the mountain I started to be carsick. I haven't had this problem in quite awhile. And just as I started to really have to fight the gag reflex, the guy in front of me (the same guy who made the hair comment, actually) turned around and said, "Now we come to the really fun part! The countdown! The 41 switchbacks to get to the top!" Forty-one? you say. Yes, forty-one hairpin turns on a bus filled with teenagers. Fun. I came dangerously, and I mean dangerously close to really embarrassing myself. But the two boys near me noticed me in my distress and did all they could to help me....offering to get me a bag...turning to tell me we were halfway through the switchbacks....keeping a window open even when one guy obnoxiously complained about a draft. Who said chivalry is dead? It just looks a little different. :o)
I made it to the top with my breakfast in tact, and we began our loooong wait to get our gear. This was good for my stomach. The kids were all excited about the fact that I was actually going to ski. I was the only teacher doing this. I'm so cool. :o) We finally got in to get our gear, and of course I was in the last group. The guy comes and asks my shoe size, I tell him, and he comes back. He can't close the boot, so he goes and gets another one. It closes after some coaxing from him. And after about 30 seconds I realize that it's cutting off the circulation to my foot. I think it was pinching my tibia, actually. But he couldn't loosen it. I got the rest of my gear, and the guy preparing my skis said the first time is the best time. I think I laughed in response. Then a few guys watched me struggle to figure out how to put on my other boot, until one finally came to help me.
I stood up, got almost to the door, and almost fell over. My ski poles saved me. This was not starting well.
I go out, and all the kids who knew what they were doing, who offered to teach me, were long gone. So it was me, 2 10th graders who didn't know what they were doing, 3 7th graders who didn't know what they were doing, and one dad who did. He taught us all. We went down a teeny tiny hill to get to the bunny slope. I got half way down, stopped, and thought, "This isn't too bad!" I looked like an idiot, but I was doing it. Then I started to go the rest of the way down, spun out of control, and fell. It took me about an hour to get back up. Ok, not really. But it felt like it. I started down a slightly bigger hill we had to go down to get to the bunny hill. And I fell about 3 more times. And once again, it was nearly impossible to get back up.
At this point my left foot is starting to fall asleep.
I get to the top of the bunny hill and hear the dad worrying about if we'll be able to handle the t-bar to get back up the bunny hill. Uh oh.
After much debate and worry in my head (which I masked by "taking in the view" which was stunning) I decided to try the bunny hill. Which, by the way, was no bunny hill. It had to be a triple black diamond. Seriously. It was ridiculous. I start down and fall in the most uncomfortable and awkward looking way. And it was even harder to get up. Meanwhile pretty much everyone has started down the bunny hill. I did not want to ski alone. I get up, and decide that I will do it at least once. I mean, I spent the money and everything.
At this point my left foot is completely numb, my right foot is starting to tingle, and my pants are soaked. I get up, push off, and fall about 4.8 seconds later. It's about then that I decided I wasn't really having any fun.
I reclined on this bunny slope for awhile, gazing at the gorgeous mountains, and tried to muster up enough mental fortitude to get back up. As I was gazing and mustering, 2 skiers stopped and asked if I was ok. I replied in the affirmative.
I got up, loosened my boots, and hobbled off the slope as all the blood rushed back to my feet. Then a very kind man informed me that I had dropped a glove back in the middle of the slope. So I turned around and hobbled back.
Then I trudged back to the lodge (with the 3 7th graders who had been down the bunny hill and back by this point) and got lunch. I had been on the mountain for one hour. That's it.
Everyone asked me how I was doing. I told them frankly. They asked if was going back out. I just laughed. They all said I had to try again. And I just had to say no. Honestly, that was a heartbreaking moment for me. Most of them really tried to encourage me to try one more time. And maybe next time I go skiing I'll last a little longer. But that was all I could handle. I was a little under the weather, remember. (They did not accept this excuse.) :o)
I waited until about 3pm and turned in my skis (about 2 hours after I came off the mountain). And of course, the guy said "So early? Didn't you like it?" If only he'd known exactly what I'd been doing, or not doing, for the past 2 hours. Ha!
Ok, so we're nearing the end of the story. But first, another example of odd male chivalry. I had to use the restroom to change into dry clothes. You have to pay to go into the bathroom unless you've paid to go skiing. Since I no longer had on any gear, they didn't know, and asked if I had a ticket. As I was trying to pull my lift ticket out of my pocked (since I never used a lift, it hadn't gotten attached to my zipper yet), there was a guy there who I had noticed a couple time noticing me, and he held up his lift ticket and said I could use it to go into the restroom. Now isn't that romantic? I've never had a man offer to pay for my entrance into a bathroom. The Latin's don't have a reputation for nothing, you know!
Ok, enough joking around! :o)
A day later, and no muscles in my legs hurt, which isn't common after a ski trip. My shins are bruised from my ski boots, though. The only muscles that hurt are in my shoulders and upper back. I'm assuming this is from using my ski poles to start, try to stop, try to take off the skis, and also from struggling to get up so many times. Unique, I know....
Well, that's the end of my story. I actually had fun, all things considering. And the kids had fun. And maybe next time I ski I'll make it for an hour and a half! :o)
Congratulations for reading the whole thing! As a reward, enjoy some of the pictures I took while I was not skiing. :o) (I'm pretty sure there don't exist any of me actually attempting to ski...I'm not sad about this.) :o)
Here I am at the beginning of the day. I look so blissfully unaware, don't I?
I don't remember what we were talking about, but by the look on my face, I'd have to say it has something to do with my boots.
This is actually only about half of us who went. The rest of them were still on the mountain. They never got the memo, I guess.
When I was returning the skis. I was actually really happy when I took this picture because I had just taken my boots off. Couldn't tell, could you? I'm a really good actress. :o)
Me in front of some of the mountains...Looks photoshopped, but it's not! It was beautiful! Definitely the best part of the day for me. Can't beat it!
Once upon an August, I was coming down with a cold. Not a bad cold, but a cold nonetheless. I fought the cold hard, because I knew that I had a ski trip coming up. But germs don't really care if you go skiing, and I caught the cold anyway (why do you say you catch a cold? As if it's something you actively try to do? But I digress...). So already I'm not quite myself.
The day before the ski trip was a long afternoon of parent/teacher conferences, so I stayed overnight with another teacher who lives in one of the apartments above the school offices. She's a very nice and hospitable girl, but she snores. A lot. And I'm not used to snoring, so I heard every labored breath. My one course of action was to cough really hard repeatedly to try to awaken her enough to roll over. Sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. Needless to say, I snoozed a few times.
I was getting ready in the morning, and she left to go make some copies. She left her hairdryer with me, saying she wasn't sure if it works. I had not packed mine, mostly because I didn't have the space, but also because in the 5 apartments, I figured someone had to have a hairdryer. I plugged hers in. Nothing. I tried another outlet. Nothing. Being completely ready besides my wet hair, I walk to the apartment next door. Nothing. I walk to the next one. Nothing. The next apartment houses another teacher who I knew had already gone down to the school grounds. So traipsed back and forth across the campus, wet hair flopping in the breeze, passing rowdy students who were excited for their upcoming ski adventure. I finally found who I was looking for, and she informed me she does not have a hairdryer. Apparently everyone's hair is more cooperative than mine.
So, I had one option left. The fifth, and last, apartment. I had not met the people who lived there yet, since they just moved in a week ago. So I knocked on their door, introduced myself, and asked if they had a hairdryer I could borrow. Jackpot! They did! So as they went to get it I had a charming conversation with their daughter about her first day of school. She was very excited. And she giggled at my shiverings about my wet hair. (Really though, it was a pretty warm day...but in the mountains, who knows.)
Crisis averted. Time to go down with the students. One of the guys came over, anxious to get going, and asked if my hair was dry enough, or did they have to wait some more? So cheeky!
It was just under a 2 hour ride up to the ski lodge, and it was not a fun one. Because part way up the mountain I started to be carsick. I haven't had this problem in quite awhile. And just as I started to really have to fight the gag reflex, the guy in front of me (the same guy who made the hair comment, actually) turned around and said, "Now we come to the really fun part! The countdown! The 41 switchbacks to get to the top!" Forty-one? you say. Yes, forty-one hairpin turns on a bus filled with teenagers. Fun. I came dangerously, and I mean dangerously close to really embarrassing myself. But the two boys near me noticed me in my distress and did all they could to help me....offering to get me a bag...turning to tell me we were halfway through the switchbacks....keeping a window open even when one guy obnoxiously complained about a draft. Who said chivalry is dead? It just looks a little different. :o)
I made it to the top with my breakfast in tact, and we began our loooong wait to get our gear. This was good for my stomach. The kids were all excited about the fact that I was actually going to ski. I was the only teacher doing this. I'm so cool. :o) We finally got in to get our gear, and of course I was in the last group. The guy comes and asks my shoe size, I tell him, and he comes back. He can't close the boot, so he goes and gets another one. It closes after some coaxing from him. And after about 30 seconds I realize that it's cutting off the circulation to my foot. I think it was pinching my tibia, actually. But he couldn't loosen it. I got the rest of my gear, and the guy preparing my skis said the first time is the best time. I think I laughed in response. Then a few guys watched me struggle to figure out how to put on my other boot, until one finally came to help me.
I stood up, got almost to the door, and almost fell over. My ski poles saved me. This was not starting well.
I go out, and all the kids who knew what they were doing, who offered to teach me, were long gone. So it was me, 2 10th graders who didn't know what they were doing, 3 7th graders who didn't know what they were doing, and one dad who did. He taught us all. We went down a teeny tiny hill to get to the bunny slope. I got half way down, stopped, and thought, "This isn't too bad!" I looked like an idiot, but I was doing it. Then I started to go the rest of the way down, spun out of control, and fell. It took me about an hour to get back up. Ok, not really. But it felt like it. I started down a slightly bigger hill we had to go down to get to the bunny hill. And I fell about 3 more times. And once again, it was nearly impossible to get back up.
At this point my left foot is starting to fall asleep.
I get to the top of the bunny hill and hear the dad worrying about if we'll be able to handle the t-bar to get back up the bunny hill. Uh oh.
After much debate and worry in my head (which I masked by "taking in the view" which was stunning) I decided to try the bunny hill. Which, by the way, was no bunny hill. It had to be a triple black diamond. Seriously. It was ridiculous. I start down and fall in the most uncomfortable and awkward looking way. And it was even harder to get up. Meanwhile pretty much everyone has started down the bunny hill. I did not want to ski alone. I get up, and decide that I will do it at least once. I mean, I spent the money and everything.
At this point my left foot is completely numb, my right foot is starting to tingle, and my pants are soaked. I get up, push off, and fall about 4.8 seconds later. It's about then that I decided I wasn't really having any fun.
I reclined on this bunny slope for awhile, gazing at the gorgeous mountains, and tried to muster up enough mental fortitude to get back up. As I was gazing and mustering, 2 skiers stopped and asked if I was ok. I replied in the affirmative.
I got up, loosened my boots, and hobbled off the slope as all the blood rushed back to my feet. Then a very kind man informed me that I had dropped a glove back in the middle of the slope. So I turned around and hobbled back.
Then I trudged back to the lodge (with the 3 7th graders who had been down the bunny hill and back by this point) and got lunch. I had been on the mountain for one hour. That's it.
Everyone asked me how I was doing. I told them frankly. They asked if was going back out. I just laughed. They all said I had to try again. And I just had to say no. Honestly, that was a heartbreaking moment for me. Most of them really tried to encourage me to try one more time. And maybe next time I go skiing I'll last a little longer. But that was all I could handle. I was a little under the weather, remember. (They did not accept this excuse.) :o)
I waited until about 3pm and turned in my skis (about 2 hours after I came off the mountain). And of course, the guy said "So early? Didn't you like it?" If only he'd known exactly what I'd been doing, or not doing, for the past 2 hours. Ha!
Ok, so we're nearing the end of the story. But first, another example of odd male chivalry. I had to use the restroom to change into dry clothes. You have to pay to go into the bathroom unless you've paid to go skiing. Since I no longer had on any gear, they didn't know, and asked if I had a ticket. As I was trying to pull my lift ticket out of my pocked (since I never used a lift, it hadn't gotten attached to my zipper yet), there was a guy there who I had noticed a couple time noticing me, and he held up his lift ticket and said I could use it to go into the restroom. Now isn't that romantic? I've never had a man offer to pay for my entrance into a bathroom. The Latin's don't have a reputation for nothing, you know!
Ok, enough joking around! :o)
A day later, and no muscles in my legs hurt, which isn't common after a ski trip. My shins are bruised from my ski boots, though. The only muscles that hurt are in my shoulders and upper back. I'm assuming this is from using my ski poles to start, try to stop, try to take off the skis, and also from struggling to get up so many times. Unique, I know....
Well, that's the end of my story. I actually had fun, all things considering. And the kids had fun. And maybe next time I ski I'll make it for an hour and a half! :o)
Congratulations for reading the whole thing! As a reward, enjoy some of the pictures I took while I was not skiing. :o) (I'm pretty sure there don't exist any of me actually attempting to ski...I'm not sad about this.) :o)
Here I am at the beginning of the day. I look so blissfully unaware, don't I?
I don't remember what we were talking about, but by the look on my face, I'd have to say it has something to do with my boots.
This is actually only about half of us who went. The rest of them were still on the mountain. They never got the memo, I guess.
When I was returning the skis. I was actually really happy when I took this picture because I had just taken my boots off. Couldn't tell, could you? I'm a really good actress. :o)
Me in front of some of the mountains...Looks photoshopped, but it's not! It was beautiful! Definitely the best part of the day for me. Can't beat it!Sunday, August 26, 2007
Spanish Slip Ups
In the last month that I've been here, I've said some pretty ridiculous things in Spanish. Unfortunately, I don't learn unless I try, and I can't try without making mistakes! I'm going to share with you some of the more entertaining mistakes. :o)
~When someone asked how old I'll be on my upcoming birthday (well, if you consider November as "upcoming"), I said "veintiseven." So I said the "twenty"in Spanish and the "seven" in English! We all had a good laugh over that. Luckily I'm not the only person to have done something like this!
~When someone asked me if I like sports, I said "I watch, but no juice." Does this make sense? No. And this is why I got funny stares, and then I remembered...The verb "I play" and the word "juice" are very similar. And I know that, but quite often my mouth runs ahead of my brain...Which is dangerous enough in English when my mouth kinda knows what it's doing, but in Spanish....... Well, hence the possibility of this post! :o)
~I have said "I like myself" not once, but twice. And I can hear it coming out of my mouth as I say it and it's too late to fix it. How ridiculous does that sound! The difference between "I like it" and "I like myself" is one letter. And again, I know better...
~When I was talking to another American about a Christian youth competition going on this weekend, I committed my biggest mistake so far. And this time completely unknowingly. The name of the competition is "Involved Youth" but I couldn't remember the word for "involved," but I did remember how it sounded. So I started making guesses that sounded similar, and apparently one of the guesses turned out to be something like "Drunk Youth"!!!
There have been innumerable small mistakes, but they're not all that interesting. I don't think I've forgotten any of the funny ones, but you never know. And I'm sure I'll come up with some more in the next year!!
~When someone asked how old I'll be on my upcoming birthday (well, if you consider November as "upcoming"), I said "veintiseven." So I said the "twenty"in Spanish and the "seven" in English! We all had a good laugh over that. Luckily I'm not the only person to have done something like this!
~When someone asked me if I like sports, I said "I watch, but no juice." Does this make sense? No. And this is why I got funny stares, and then I remembered...The verb "I play" and the word "juice" are very similar. And I know that, but quite often my mouth runs ahead of my brain...Which is dangerous enough in English when my mouth kinda knows what it's doing, but in Spanish....... Well, hence the possibility of this post! :o)
~I have said "I like myself" not once, but twice. And I can hear it coming out of my mouth as I say it and it's too late to fix it. How ridiculous does that sound! The difference between "I like it" and "I like myself" is one letter. And again, I know better...
~When I was talking to another American about a Christian youth competition going on this weekend, I committed my biggest mistake so far. And this time completely unknowingly. The name of the competition is "Involved Youth" but I couldn't remember the word for "involved," but I did remember how it sounded. So I started making guesses that sounded similar, and apparently one of the guesses turned out to be something like "Drunk Youth"!!!
There have been innumerable small mistakes, but they're not all that interesting. I don't think I've forgotten any of the funny ones, but you never know. And I'm sure I'll come up with some more in the next year!!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
A bumpy day
You know how they say that sometimes we encounter bumps on the road of life? Well, today was one of those days. Yesterday marked my 4th week in Chile, and today was the hardest one I've had so far. And it was all exacerbated by the fact that I'm exhausted today. Actually, it was probably mostly because I'm exhausted.
I usually look forward to Thursdays, and today was no exception. We have a prayer group meeting at the house, and I really get along with the three Chileans who come. (They're also in the young adults group with me, so I see them several times a week.) So all week I was looking forward to tonight--a chance to see these wonderful people, a chance to practice Spanish, a chance to pray together.
Well, it was a rough day at school today--a bad combination of me being tired and the kids being exactly the opposite. They were rowdy, although they usually are. :o) And it took all my energy to keep going. I had a lot I had to get through today! I got home and was able to have a few hours to alternate from working and resting. Which was much needed.
Then prayer meeting started. It starts at "8", which in Chile means 8:30. And there was food and fellowship first. People walked in the door, said hi, and then I remembered that I don't understand them. I keep forgetting, honestly. I just think about talking with them and getting to know them, like I would in the States, and forget that I can't do that here yet! It's an odd mental glitch, I guess. And I also realized that I've heard very little Spanish this week. So all those things put together resulted in the incapacity of my brain to switch to Spanish tonight.
And I grew very frustrated.
And quiet.
And my contacts started drying out.
And I got even more tired.
And I think I almost cried, but I stopped it with a mental scolding.
And I couldn't talk correctly...the words wouldn't come. (Although my comprehension did warm up by the end of the night.)
So, needless to say, I was in a downward spiral. I couldn't wait to go to bed and sleep it off. At the end of the meeting we split into groups and prayed, and I was paired with an American (whew!), and it was soooo great. I felt so much better after talking with God, even though I didn't pray about my mood. It really is amazing to see how much spiritual sensitivity helps with...anything--mood, problems, whatever. I tend to forget this. I tend to get wrapped up in my own little world, my own little self. And when I'm happy, life is good and God is good and everything is good. And then a night like tonight comes along, and I'm reminded that life is good because God is good, and my response should be one of worship, thanksgiving, and growing through constant communication. It frustrates me that I'm so human about this! What is my problem? Snap out of it!
Perhaps that should be my life slogan. "Snap out of it!" Whenever I get enveloped by my tiny finite problems...Snap out of it. Whenever I act stupidly and forget to take everything to God...... You get the picture.
But I digress...
Needless to say, the answer to my problem tonight is twofold: prayer and sleep (in that order). And that is what I learned from my bumpy day. When I remember to pray without ceasing, I can truly rejoice in the Lord always. I'll say it again: REJOICE!
I usually look forward to Thursdays, and today was no exception. We have a prayer group meeting at the house, and I really get along with the three Chileans who come. (They're also in the young adults group with me, so I see them several times a week.) So all week I was looking forward to tonight--a chance to see these wonderful people, a chance to practice Spanish, a chance to pray together.
Well, it was a rough day at school today--a bad combination of me being tired and the kids being exactly the opposite. They were rowdy, although they usually are. :o) And it took all my energy to keep going. I had a lot I had to get through today! I got home and was able to have a few hours to alternate from working and resting. Which was much needed.
Then prayer meeting started. It starts at "8", which in Chile means 8:30. And there was food and fellowship first. People walked in the door, said hi, and then I remembered that I don't understand them. I keep forgetting, honestly. I just think about talking with them and getting to know them, like I would in the States, and forget that I can't do that here yet! It's an odd mental glitch, I guess. And I also realized that I've heard very little Spanish this week. So all those things put together resulted in the incapacity of my brain to switch to Spanish tonight.
And I grew very frustrated.
And quiet.
And my contacts started drying out.
And I got even more tired.
And I think I almost cried, but I stopped it with a mental scolding.
And I couldn't talk correctly...the words wouldn't come. (Although my comprehension did warm up by the end of the night.)
So, needless to say, I was in a downward spiral. I couldn't wait to go to bed and sleep it off. At the end of the meeting we split into groups and prayed, and I was paired with an American (whew!), and it was soooo great. I felt so much better after talking with God, even though I didn't pray about my mood. It really is amazing to see how much spiritual sensitivity helps with...anything--mood, problems, whatever. I tend to forget this. I tend to get wrapped up in my own little world, my own little self. And when I'm happy, life is good and God is good and everything is good. And then a night like tonight comes along, and I'm reminded that life is good because God is good, and my response should be one of worship, thanksgiving, and growing through constant communication. It frustrates me that I'm so human about this! What is my problem? Snap out of it!
Perhaps that should be my life slogan. "Snap out of it!" Whenever I get enveloped by my tiny finite problems...Snap out of it. Whenever I act stupidly and forget to take everything to God...... You get the picture.
But I digress...
Needless to say, the answer to my problem tonight is twofold: prayer and sleep (in that order). And that is what I learned from my bumpy day. When I remember to pray without ceasing, I can truly rejoice in the Lord always. I'll say it again: REJOICE!
Sunday, August 19, 2007
What a week!
Wow, a lot has happened this week! It's been awhile since I've posted too, so I really need to catch up!
Well, the week started off on a bad foot. Monday was probably my worst day so far (and really, it wasn't that bad). I had several fights with the copy machine first thing in the morning. And it won every battle and the war too. So then I had to rush to my first class and couldn't set up for it, and the whole day was a whirlwind of just trying to keep up. I took one pile of stuff off my desk just to replace it with another! And the kids are actually MORE talkative on Mondays! They say it's because they haven't seen each other all weekend. This I don't believe. :o)
The week got better after that, school wise. So that's good! God is still continuing to be my strength and my guide as I teach these kids. There are several that I will need to help in various ways--academically, linguistically (some of them are not native English speakers), and attitude-ly (a few of them are very quick to jump on the "that's not fair" bandwagon). Please pray that I will be able to help each of them grow in the way they need most... Actually, pray that I'll be able to continue to allow God to work through me and not get in the way!
This week was also a week of firsts... My first time on the bus by myself and the first time on the metro also by myself. And it went off without a hitch! (Except for when I was supposed to meet someone at the metro to take me to the church, since I didn't know how to walk there, and she didn't stay to meet me but sent some guy and he couldn't find me...so half an hour later, she came to get me anyway. Ha!)
I'm becoming more and more comfortable with the language (although I'm still sooooo far from my goal), and have had several decently long conversations completely in Spanish. It's pretty exciting! I'm just longing for the day when I can be normal in Spanish like I am in English (and yes, I am normal...mostly). ;o)
Wednesday was a holiday, and there was no school! Yay!! The Rogers took me up into the mountains and we played in the snow for awhile. It was a lot of fun and very relaxing! And needless to say, it was cold! :o) I would write more, but this post is already getting a little long!
That's a very quick update of the week. I will try to post more often so I can give more details (because I know you all refresh this webpage every 20 minutes looking for more posts!). ;o)
Please continue to pray for me! I cannot do this without God's help, and your prayer support means so much to me! Besides the normal requests, I have two others. Pray for my spiritual growth--since most of the church things that I do are in Spanish, it is a little more difficult to be fed. Pray that I would be extra consistent with my devotional time to help offset that. Also, colds and flus are rampant right now, and I feel a little off today, and I really don't want to get sick. So pray for health for all of us...and if I do need to take a day or two off for illness, pray that the kids won't suffer and will be able to continue their studies (it really will be a race to fit everything in this semester!).
Thank you so much for caring about me and my ministry enough to read these and pray for me. Please contact me whenever you want! I can always use the encouragement!
Well, the week started off on a bad foot. Monday was probably my worst day so far (and really, it wasn't that bad). I had several fights with the copy machine first thing in the morning. And it won every battle and the war too. So then I had to rush to my first class and couldn't set up for it, and the whole day was a whirlwind of just trying to keep up. I took one pile of stuff off my desk just to replace it with another! And the kids are actually MORE talkative on Mondays! They say it's because they haven't seen each other all weekend. This I don't believe. :o)
The week got better after that, school wise. So that's good! God is still continuing to be my strength and my guide as I teach these kids. There are several that I will need to help in various ways--academically, linguistically (some of them are not native English speakers), and attitude-ly (a few of them are very quick to jump on the "that's not fair" bandwagon). Please pray that I will be able to help each of them grow in the way they need most... Actually, pray that I'll be able to continue to allow God to work through me and not get in the way!
This week was also a week of firsts... My first time on the bus by myself and the first time on the metro also by myself. And it went off without a hitch! (Except for when I was supposed to meet someone at the metro to take me to the church, since I didn't know how to walk there, and she didn't stay to meet me but sent some guy and he couldn't find me...so half an hour later, she came to get me anyway. Ha!)
I'm becoming more and more comfortable with the language (although I'm still sooooo far from my goal), and have had several decently long conversations completely in Spanish. It's pretty exciting! I'm just longing for the day when I can be normal in Spanish like I am in English (and yes, I am normal...mostly). ;o)
Wednesday was a holiday, and there was no school! Yay!! The Rogers took me up into the mountains and we played in the snow for awhile. It was a lot of fun and very relaxing! And needless to say, it was cold! :o) I would write more, but this post is already getting a little long!
That's a very quick update of the week. I will try to post more often so I can give more details (because I know you all refresh this webpage every 20 minutes looking for more posts!). ;o)
Please continue to pray for me! I cannot do this without God's help, and your prayer support means so much to me! Besides the normal requests, I have two others. Pray for my spiritual growth--since most of the church things that I do are in Spanish, it is a little more difficult to be fed. Pray that I would be extra consistent with my devotional time to help offset that. Also, colds and flus are rampant right now, and I feel a little off today, and I really don't want to get sick. So pray for health for all of us...and if I do need to take a day or two off for illness, pray that the kids won't suffer and will be able to continue their studies (it really will be a race to fit everything in this semester!).
Thank you so much for caring about me and my ministry enough to read these and pray for me. Please contact me whenever you want! I can always use the encouragement!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Visuals
When I said perhaps there would be a snow day, I was joking. Well, that's what we got. I was almost completely ready when I got 3 calls in rapid succession telling me that school was canceled. There was only about an inch of snow where I live, but in parts of the city there was up to 8 inches! Santiago hasn't seen snow like this since 1999, according to the news. So I had a free day to do some work and watch some movies! It was productive AND relaxing, which is my favorite kind of day. :o)Since I have some time, I want to show you some pics of an INCREDIBLE sunset we had a week ago. The picture above is down the street, and the other picture is a view from the other side of the house. The sunset picture below is a little doctored (it was dark and when I lightened it, it turned out a little pinker than real life, but it's closer than the picture above.) It was beautiful!!
This picture is from the snow, obviously. Notice the palm tree in the far corner of the neighbor's yard with snow on some branches!
The next picture is also from the snow day--it's the view from my window.
The last picture is a view of the mountains. I was about 2 blocks away from the house when I took it. They were so much more beautiful half an hour earlier, but I couldn't get out to take the pic. I'm sure I'll have plenty more opportunities!
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