i love you . . .

i won't pimp you for my own personal gain.

(pause)

Last night I was able to spend some much needed time with two of my dearest friends. We laughed. It was beautiful. Over the last seven years, our lives have intertwined in an intricate tapestry more valuable than any one person could afford (two, maybe). The buds of our lives have flourished into individual blossoms of life. Family, ministry, service - has drawn us out of the comfort of the familiar into the vast world around us. The journeys would not have been the same without these friendships.

I love how the Lord bring people into my life, each one providing unique blossoms into the great garden that is my life.  Some may look similar - but don't be fooled, take a closer look, each has his/her own intricacies. The people are the vibrancy of life. Individually, I may be alright - like a daisy. Add in some black-eyed susan, native violets, and some greenery - that's when things start to become interesting.

I wonder how God comes up with so many variations. I want someone to try to prove God did not create creativity.

Now - more coffee.

Victory is Mine

I cleaned my plate today. At first you may be think “big deal”, but it is. When we eat bean, I do not get offered a spoon or fork. Instead I have the option of my fingers or “pan frances” and my fingers. I always opt for using the bread. I do not know your experiences in life but I imagine that you could understand that eating beans with your fingers would be a bit difficult.  The first time we had beans and eggs for dinner I got my own spoon, hoping this would start a trend. I was mistaken. The next time I attempted to eat sin cuchara. I had taken copious notes on how to eat beans and eggs without a dining utensil. It took me a million pieces of bread to get everything and my bowl still looked a mess. After the 30^th time eating beans and eggs, I got it down to 4.25 pieces of “pan frances” and my bowl looked as if it was licked clean. I must say that I am thoroughly excited to have accomplished this feat with my hands staying relatively clean. No beans under my thumb nail today.
 

Black beans and scrambled eggs is my favorite meal and por supuesto cafe y pan dulce. However, I really want a Red Robin Cheeseburger with BBQ sauce. So those of you that have a Red Robin within a 2 hour drive, go, for me, and eat a cheeseburger, French fries with campfire sauce and Red Robin French Fry Seasoning. You will only regret it when you want to go back next week for the same thing.

some thoughts from last week

Burning yourself with a straightener at 12 is embarrassing. Doing so at 24 is just downright mortifying. I didn’t. But I thought it was funny.

I love days when I get rice and noodles and tortillas as my meal with room temperature juice.

My white socks are the only part of my laundry still moist. And nobody in their right mind likes moist socks. But more importantly, I am paralyzed with fear every time I have to come down from the roof.

Camionetas, Thanksgiving, and Health Class

It was extra fun today. We get on the bus in Santa Lucia Miltas Altas. The buses tend to have a lot people on them. We notice that it is a bit crowded but decided to get on anyway. So we climb in the back. NOTE: I wore a skirt today. Which isn't always a deal, because I am long. I was the last one to get on the bus. I pull myself up with one hand, and use my free hand to hold my skirt close as to not flash the two guys standing there helping people. Because I was more worry about what was going on behind me I didn't notice how low the top of the door was. So I hit my face on the back of the bus at the same time the guy "helping" gives me a push. Translation, hand on my rear. Then as I am actually my way INTO the bus, Zach, another trainee, stops at the first seat. The helper is also closing the door. I am still crouched a bit because I had no where to go. Noticing the door closing quickly behind me, I leap forward a bit, right on top of Zach. To recap, I was violated, hit my head, violated someone and almost lost my foot all in a matter of about two seconds. But I enjoy riding the camionetas. (However my knees/upper shins have permanent bruises from the seats.)


At dinner tonight, my host my asked if I like only like pollo since I don't eat pork and rarely eat red meat (here). I told her I also like turkey. In that process, Thanksgiving gave up in conversation. Inevidably, the question of "why thanksgiving?" was asked. I spent the next five minutes trying to explain the pilgrims, native americans, and the sitaution of the typical story. I tried to explain peole traveling to N.A from England. Why? Because the king started a new church and was mean to them. Oh. Then they had no food. The native people helped them. Thanksgiving! It was fun. I laughed to myself as my host mom (who is 25) looked at somewhat confused by and somewhat interested in the story. All with terribly elementary spanish. Imagine you 4 year old explain the history of Thanksgiving to you. That was me tonight at dinner.
Then of course the start of my wonderful day began when Jorge explained that we were going to mingle with other trainees, teachers, and other staff persons. You know, it doesn't sound so bad until you take into account three facts. 1) Half of the conversations were in spanish. 2) My spanish skills are bajo bajo. 3) My overwhelming fear of talking to new people in new situations about things I don't understand.

After these interactions, I was feeling a bit out of my element and a little drained. It was 10 AM. Meet and chat was followed by health class. Health class is always fun and entertaining. But today we had tiny group projects. They like to get us to do these to teach us how to teach. Which is cool and all. Fast forward about 15/20 minutes. It is my groups turn to present. I have the poster we made. I walk up there expecting others from the group to join.
No one.
(oh sh*. what the beans? i feel tears. oh no.) "I can't read upside down. (someone, please, get up here. if i talk i will burst out into tears.)
A few years later (really like a second) a couple trainees come up. At this point the paper is in front of my face. Dirk help hold the paper as I wipe the tears off my face. I don't know if anyone else saw me crying. Dirk may not have even really known. I am still unsure of who the other person was the came up to present.

When we were done, I left class for a few minutes to regain my composure. The last time I cried because I had talk in front of a group of people I was 16, drama class, monologue from Shakespeares "Much Ado About Nothing".
That is all the fun from today. Mas o menos.

I just learned the translation for "nevermind." No importa . . . that was fun to try to explain . . . should have just looked in the dictionary. whoops.

BTW: No spellcheck. It is in spanish. Lo siento.

Skillet

Sometimes I pretend the bird is watching the fish. Then I also find myself watching the fish. If you don't know what I am "talking" about then you read this via email and may not have ever actually gone to http://www.nevanchay.blogspot.com, which is okay. But I think that you should. I have good music playing, cute backgrounds, and fish. I have fish, most because there is this "ABSOLUTELY NO PET" policy at my apt. I also have these really adorable buttons on my blog.

I don't know if will be "able" to handle another day of silence. I guess I don't have to since I have a doctor's apt in the morning, mostly for Peace Corps related stuff. I am still not really sure how I feel about antibiotics. There is a lot in that statement. And, no, I will not unpack it at this time. I don't really want to talk. (that part is a joke).

I like how "apt" can mean apartment and appointment. Now that I am thinking about it "appt" is for appointment. Either way, I mntn English is a living language thus I can abbreviate however I want. It will be nice when I am able to breathe again.

Facebook provoked laughter in me today, that typically happens when I take a quiz. That's it. I'm done with that thought.

I am super hungry, I think.