tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8477790015840053122024-03-12T15:29:51.626-07:00Nuestra AventuraJamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-44853342362873613862017-06-24T12:14:00.000-07:002017-06-25T21:59:29.079-07:00Raices -- Peru<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">*un dia en mayo*</span><br />
<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Buenas tardes amig@s.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ando en Perú, en Pisaq, un pueblo habitada por gente linda, sencilla, tranquila. Las mamitas que arman sus puestos todos los días, que venden fruta, verdura, yogur, pan de chuta, choclo, chicha, anticuchos, rocoto relleno, almuerzos, etc. Las mamitas que cargan su bulto, su bebe, el alfalfa para su caballos envuelto en una manta tejida de colores brillantes en su espalda; los niños que juegan en la calle, los señores que trabajan en su chakra, que llevan sus caballos, que manejan sus hostales, que siempre te pitan-- ¿taxi, señorita?. Pisaq es un pueblo antigua, aquí hay ruinas de las Inca, aquí todavía hay mucho campo, mucho naturaleza. Pisaq centro queda en el valle de estas montañas verdes (se llama el Valle Sagrado de los Inca). Esta hermoso. Hay ríos donde corre agua clara, fría, constantemente, linda. Es muy tranquila. Me gusta mucho. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ha sido muy interesante conocer Perú. Admito, he conocido muy poco, pero me he encantado. Empece en Piura, un pueblo en la costa, claramente afectada por los diluvios, el huayco, y de allí baje a Lima. Lima es bonito. Me acordó de California-- es limpia, calientita, clima de costa, de playa, y tiene de todo. Hay palmas, discotecas de salsa y reggaeton, comida peruana e internacional; la gente sale a correr o andar en bici en la orilla del mar. Allí me encontré con un amigo que había conocido en México, y me llevo a pasear, a conocer, y lo mejor, a una celebración del cumpleaños de su sobrino con toda su familia. Allí conocí a sus papis, a sus tías, a sus hermanos. Allí escuche como cantan <span style="background-color: white;">“Japi birtde tu yu</span><span style="background-color: white;">“ y después el tradicional Cumpleaños Feliz con mas animo, con palmadas. Uy. Y probé el pastel rica de su tía. </span> Muy linda su familia. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">De allí fui a Huarmey, una ciudad bastante afectada por el huaico (diluvios fuertes en las montañas que resulta en las aguas del rió subiendo y rompiendo presas, llegando a inundar la ciudad - por lo que entiendo). Allí al principios de mayo todavía muchas casas quedaban inundados con barro. Hay una organización que organiza voluntarios para limpiar desastres naturales que se llama All Hands Volunteers. Fui con ellos a ayudar un poco.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Allí manejan un horario fijo para que temprano entramos al trabajo de limpiar las casas, descansamos para almuerzo, le damos otra vez en la tarde y regresamos para cenar, charlar, y dormir. Me encanto, ¿sabes? Conocí a personas muy interesantes, muy lindas. Algunas de Washington, California, e Indiana, otros de Irlanda, España, Argentina, Australia. El trabajo es divertido, te pone en un estado tranquilo, meditativo; todo el día con la pala y la carretilla con una sola meta = mover el barro de la casa a la calle. También conocimos a los dueños de las casas. Varias veces nos invitaron comidas, trabajaron con nosotros, nos agradecieron. Allí probé papas a la huancaina y el ceviche mixto. Los dos platos super ricos. Tambien fue un vistazo de la realidad de desastres asi. Esta gente perdio todo. Sus pertenencias, sus casas, sus animales, todo destruido. Empiecen de zero. Que dificil. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Pase dos semanas con el voluntariado, y de allí fui a Huaraz, una ciudad entre la Sierra Blanca y Negra. Me reuní con dos amigos que habia conocido en el voluntariado, y hicimos unas caminatas en lugares hermosos-- de campo, montaña, una laguna, ruinas. Ahh, allí es donde iba caminando sola, subiendo a unas ruinas a pie cuando la mayoría van en carro, todas las mamitas me saludaban, me decían, ¨Hola Gringita linda, ¿como estas? ¿A las ruinas? Muy bien. Que bueno que hayas venido.¨ :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Despues baje a Lima. Mi próximo destino era Cusco. 20 horas en bus. Bueno. Lo pase bien. Estuve en Cusco casi dos semanas-- salí a conocer la ciudad, la historia un poco, a comer en el mercado, y a bailar en las noches-- salsa y bachata con Cusqueños que saben bailar y con todos los viajeros que van aprendiendo. Por fin.</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">YYYYY volví a ver a mi amiga suprema, mi gran compañera de viaje, Kris. Tuvimos como 48 horas juntas y cada momento fue lleno de alegría, de risa, de historias, de comidas compartidas, de linda amistad. Aprovechamos el día para ir a conocer unas montañas de colores que son como los Painted Hills de Oregon. Pero para llegar a estos tienes que subir caminando unas horas. El día estuvo todo despejado, hermoso, de sol completo, y Kris, el amor de ser que es, trajo galletitas y chocolate riquísima para comer arriba allí. No se, la quiero mucho. Fue tan refrescante verla otra vez; abrazarla sintió como abrazar a mi mama-- así de cómodo, de lindo. Estoy muy agradecida por ese tiempo. Oh, también pasamos una tarde cocinando comida peruana* con ese amigo Peruano, y cenamos con el y sus amigos, una cena completa con vino y baile después (bueno, solamente Kris y yo bailamos, los demás nos miraban con esas caras... jaja estuvo buenísimo). Ah y ya nos toco acompañarle a Kris al terminal terrestre. Le acompañe hasta subir el bus, y allí salí llorando, demasiado triste por la separación y feliz por esos dos días que tuvimos. Ella siguió su viaje a Bolivia, a hacer caminatas y acampar en las montañas, y ir conociendo pueblos. Yo me quede en Cusco un rato mas a bailar y cocinar con mi amigo, y a conocer el pueblo de Pisaq y unas aguas termales por allí. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">En Pisaq conoci un señor en su hostal, que por coincidencia tiene un hermano que se caso con una estadounidense y vive en Portland... Me permitio armar mi carpa en la terraza de su hostal. Asi mas o menos acampe. Estuvo lindo-- hacia frió en la noche, pero veia las estrellas y las montañas y estuvo hermoso. YYY, le dije que me gusta las chakras, y me dijo que podía ir a trabajar en su chakra de voluntaria. Me compro un pico y el siguiente día madrugue para ir a su chakra allí en el pueblo a quitar la maleza de un muro de las incas que esta al limite de su cultivo. Conocí a sus caballos, y estuve toda la mañana en ese lindo lugar, como los huertos de la comunidad; todos tienen su parcela. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">De Pisaq regrese a Lima para volar a Bogota, Colombia. El siguiente y ultimo capitulo de este viaje. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Este canción escuche en Perú por la primera vez, y me gusto mucho. Siento que es así; ahora que voy conociendo muchas partes, muchas cosas, llevo dentro de mi mis raíces, mis seres queridos, mi visión por el mundo, mis ideas. No se por que, pero todos los días aquí en la finca en Colombia recuerdo mi familia, pero mucho. Mucho a mi tío Jamie que siempre tenia su huerto de flores en Bend, lo trabajaba desde su silla de ruedas. Y de allí a mi papi, que fue es mezclo entre vaquero y hippy. :) Y las mujeres, mama, mi hermana, mi sobrina. Todos los días pienso en ellas y en mi abuelo, todos los que estoy anhelando abrazar y nunca soltar... faltan como 3 semanas para ese momento. Agridulce, porque viajar es hermoso; es aventura, es independencia, es libertad y vacaciones. Es despertarse a cada dia nuevo sin saber que va a pasar, y viviendo cosas que nunca he vivido antes. Y se que cuando llego ya no va a ser así de libre. Allí voy a trabajar, voy a estar donde ya conozco. Pero con todos mis seres queridos, en mi tierra. Ah. No hay nada mejor. Los quiero un montón. Saben quienes son. </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">♫</span>Sigo cruzando ríos<br />Andando por selvas<br />Amando el sol<br />Cada día sigo sacando espinas<br />De lo profundo del corazón<br />En la noche sigo encendiendo sueños<br />Para limpiar con el humo sagrado cada recuerdo</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Cuando escriba tu nombre<br />En la arena blanca con fondo azul<br />Cuando mire el cielo en la forma cruel de una nube gris<br />Aparezcas tú<br />Una tarde suba una alta loma<br />Mire el pasado<br />Sabrás que no te he olvidado</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Yo te llevo dentro, hasta la raíz<br />Y por más que crezca, vas a estar aquí<br />Aunque yo me oculte tras la montaña<span id="goog_702003417"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_702003418"></span><br />Y encuentre un campo lleno de caña<br />No habrá manera, mi rayo de luna<br />Que tú te vayas</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Pienso que cada instante sobrevivido al caminar</span><br style="background-color: whitesmoke;" /><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Y cada segundo de incertidumbre</span><br style="background-color: whitesmoke;" /><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Cada momento de no saber</span><br style="background-color: whitesmoke;" /><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Son la clave exacta de este tejido</span><br style="background-color: whitesmoke;" /><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Que ando cargando bajo la piel</span><br style="background-color: whitesmoke;" /><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Así te protejo</span><br style="background-color: whitesmoke;" /><span style="background-color: whitesmoke;">Aquí sigues dentro</span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">♫</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">*la comida peruana es una delicia. 100 variedades de papas, sopas, granos como la quinoa, kiwicha, todo todo todo tienen. Bebidas calientes de maca, te de coca, todo todo. Y frutas que no conocen. Mi amigo me llevaba a probar de todo (todo lo que sea plantas pues). :)</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">*sometime in May*</span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Good afternoon friends,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">I am in Peru, in Pisaq, a town inhabited by lovely, tranquil, simple people. The mamitas (older women) who put up their stands every day, who sell fruit, vegetables, yogurt, <i>chuta </i>bread, corn on the cob, a fermented quinoa drink called <i>chicha</i>, grilled meat on skewers called <i>anticuchos</i>, stuffed peppers, lunches, etc. The <i>mamitas </i>who carry their load, their baby, or alfalfa for their horses, wrapped in a colorful blanket on their backs; the children that play in the street, the older men who work in the <i>chakra</i> (their parcel of cultivated land), who walk their horses, who manage hostels, who always honk their horn at you-- </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">¿taxi, señorita?. Pisaq is an ancient town, here there are Incan ruins, here there is still much countryside, much nature. Downtown Pisaq is in the valley of these beautiful green mountains (it is called the Sacred Valley of the Incas). It is beautiful. There are rivers where water runs clear, cold, steady, lovely. It is very tranquil. I like it very much. </span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Peru has been very interesting. I admit, I have seen very little, but I have loved it. I started in Piura, a town on the coast that was clearly affected by the floods, the </span><i style="color: purple; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">huayco. </i><span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">From there I went down to Lima. Lima is pretty. It reminds me of California-- it is clean, warm, a coastal, beach climate, and it has everything. There are palm trees, salsa and reggaeton clubs, Peruvian and international food; the locals go running or ride bike on the boardwalk. In Lima I met up with a friend who I met in Mexico, and he showed me around his part of the city. He invited me to a birthday party for his nephew-- there I met his whole family. It was delightful. There I heard how they sing ¨Happy Birthday¨ first in English and then the traditional ¨Feliz cumpleaños¨accompanied by clapping. And his aunt made a delicious cake. His family is really sweet. </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">From there I went to Huarmey, a city very much affected by the <i>huayco </i>(heavy flooding in the mountains that results in the waters of the rivers rising and breaking the damns, rushing into the city - for what I understand). There in the beginning of May still many houses were left flooded with mud. There is an organization that organizes volunteers to help clean up natural disasters. It is called All Hands Volunteers. I went with them to help a little.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">There they run a strict schedule so that we can get out early to start cleaning the homes. We have a lunch break, then we go out again in the afternoon to work a few more hours until dinner, meeting, and pretty much bed. I loved it. I met really interesting, genuine people. Some from Washington, California, Indiana, others from Ireland, Spain, Argentina, Australia. The work is fun and puts me in a meditative state; all day with the shovel and the wheelbarrow with one goal: move the mud from in the house out into the street. There we met the home owners which was really nice. More than once they invited us to eat meals that they would prepare. There I tried papas a la huancaina (potatoes in a special cream sauce) and ceviche mixto (with all sorts of marine life... ay). They were both delicious. It was also a reality check-- these people lost literally everything material-- we cleaned out the mud and sometimes had to demolish the rest of the house because of the water or mold damage done. All their things, their clothes, their animals, all destroyed. </span></span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">I spent two weeks volunteering there, and then I went to Huaraz, a city between the Black and White Mountains (Black is earth, White is snow). I met up with two friends that I had made in the volunteering at the coast, and we took some walks up into beautiful countryside. Ah, there is where I was walking alone, going up to some ruins that most people take a bus to, and all the <i>mamitas </i>greeted me saying, Ah, Lovely Gringita, how are you? You are going to the ruins? How good that you have come. :) Love it. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After this I traveled back down to Lima, and from there to my next destination: Cusco. 20 hours in a bus. Alright. I had a good time. I was in Cusco almost 2 weeks. I walked around the city, learned some of the history, ate in the market, and went out dancing at night. Cusco is pretty touristy (for Macchu Pichu) so there are Cusquenos that teach salsa and bachata lessons... pretty great. <br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">AND! I got to meet up with my wonderful friend, my great travel companion, Kris. We had 48 hours together and every moment was full of joy, laughter, stories, shared meals, beautiful friendship. We took advantage of the day and walked up to the Rainbow Mountains which are similar to the Painted Hills of Oregon. It was a BEAUTIFUL day, clear sunny sky, and Kris, the lovely being that she is, brought animal crackers and ChOcOlAtE up to eat at the peak. I love her so much. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">It was very refreshing to see her again; hugging her felt like hugging my mother-- that comforting, that warm. I am very thankful for this time. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">Oh, we also spent an afternoon cooking a Peruvian meal with this Peruvian friend I have, and we ate with him and his friends; complete with wine and dancing after! Well, Kris and I danced. The rest watched us and made fun. It was awesome. Ah, and then we walked with Kris to the bus terminal, I stayed with her until she got onto the bus, and I left crying, terribly sad and happy at the same time, because she is such a good friend. She continued her journey south to Bolivia, to go hiking and camping in the mountains and seeing towns. I stayed in Cusco a bit longer to dance and cook with my friend, and to see Pisaq and some hot springs around there. </span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">In Pisaq I met a man in his hostal who by coincidence has a brother who is married to an Oregonian and lives in Portland. What are the chances? He let me pitch my tent on the terrace (roof) of his hostal. It was my compromise for camping. It was nice-- it was cold at night, but I saw the stars and the mountains and it was beautiful. AND, I told him that I like farming, and he told me I could go work on his <em>chakra </em>(farm) there in the town the next morning. So I went and weeded this ancient Incan rock wall on the edge of his planting. I met his horses and I got to enjoy the sun and the peace all morning there in this type of communal land space. </span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">From Pisaq I returned to Lima to fly to Bogota, Colombia. The next and last chapter of this trip. </span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana;">I heard this song in Peru for the first time, and I love it. I feel like it is true what it says; right now as I am seeing and experiencing many places, many things, I carry inside myself my roots, my loved ones, my vision for the world, my understanding of it all. I don't know why, but every day here on this farm in Colombia I remember my family. Every day. I remember often my Uncle Jamie who always had his flower garden in Bend. He tended it from his wheelchair. And from there I remember my father, who was this mix between a cowboy and a hippy. And the women-- Mom, my sister, my niece. Every day I think of them and my grandpa. Every day I am longing to hold them and never let them go... just about 3 weeks until this moment. Bittersweet, because traveling is wonderful; it is adventure, independence, freedom and vacation. It is waking up not knowing how the day will go, and experiencing things I've never experienced before. And I know that when I arrive home it isn't going to be so free. There I will work, I will be in a known place. But with all of my loved ones, in my land. Ah. There is nothing better. I love you so much. You know who you are. </span></div>
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Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-62873473205458027252017-04-12T15:52:00.005-07:002017-04-12T15:52:45.424-07:00Ecuador-- Café con Azúcar, Resistencia y Fiesta<span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;">Buen día Amig@,</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;">Le escribo de una Comunidad de Jesuitas en Cuenca, Ecuador. Aquí es muy cómodo, muy tranquilo, siento como en casa. Tengo el privilegio de tener un Padre Jesuita como amigo aquí, y arregló una habitación para mi por unos días. Estoy muy agradecida. Aquí hay un pequeño bosque que permite un poco reflexión, un bosquecito lleno de árboles de eucalipto y pasto y florecitas hermosas. Cuando el sol brilla y me siento en la tierra, en el pasto, al lado del laguito, entro en una trance. Allí no siento preocupación por nada, solamente siento el sol calentando lentamente, suavemente, mi piel. Aquí en Cuenca el clima es más fresco, es la Sierra. Me cuesta un poco la altura; estamos a unos 2500 metros, o 8200 pies, sobre el nivel del mar. Un poco más a lo que estoy acostumbrada. ;) Afuera del centro de la ciudad está hermosa. Casas con terrenitos, todos con lo que parece que es su milpa, o tal vez solamente maíz. Y por supuesto, más montañas verdes, llenas de vida, y alturas dramáticas donde andan libremente las llamas. Ahora mismo escucho a música Colombiana, de una mujer María Cristina Plata... bien tranquila.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #7f6000; color: white;">Bueno, quiero compartir un poco más de como ha sido el viaje. Este ha sido mi segunda vez en el país de Ecuador, y me he quedado bastante impresionada por toda la diversidad de climas, paisajes, culturas, y comidas que existe aquí. Empezamos en Quito, y yo pensando que ya conocía Quito, pero conocimos a un nuevo parque (El Metropolitano) en donde caminamos por horas, ni conociendo la mitad, y jugamos en los columpios de niños, divirtiéndonos mucho. Conocimos la ciudad más que nada a pie. Estuvo bonito. Y de allí andamos a Ambato (otra ciudad serrana más al sur) por los últimos días de las fiestas de Carnaval. Tuvimos la oportunidad de ir a un concierto gratuito de salsa, de Gilberto Santa Rosas, y allí disfrutaba ver a los muchachos bailando, gozando de la buena vida, las celebraciones. Ayayay, y la noche siguiente asistimos al gran desfile. Estuvo muy lindo. Tenían representados allí varios países en vestimento tradicional y no tan tradicional (mucho brillo, muchos colores), bailando y ¨reinas¨ paradas sobre los carros decorados con puro fruto y flores (este es la tradición de Ambato, que allí producen y exportan muchas flores y frutos [como los de Oregon]). Música, gente, energía. Y después nos divertimos al ver los niños jugar con las karaokas de espuma, y Kris me dice, ¨Vamos a comprar uno´. Yo, tímida, ¨que no...¨ pero lo hizo, y entramos en el juego con todos los niños, jóvenes, adultos; toditos jugamos. Corrimos por el muchedumbre, toda la gente, esprayando espuma en cualquiera persona, y ellos riéndose, y nosotras también. Estuvo genial. Sentía muy conectada a la fiesta, muy ´parte de´.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: blue; color: white;">De allí Kris fue a hacer una caminata bastante difícil pero hermosa (según sus comentarios) por las montañas y terrenos de esa parte de la Sierra, y yo bajé a visitar a mis seres queridos en Santo Domingo. Las dos lo pasamos bien, y nos vimos en Quito para ir ya a la finca de café en el Valle de Intag.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000;"><span style="color: white;">Es un tipo de paraíso allí. La Señora tiene su casa con todos los comodidades, pero también ha construida una cabaña al aire libre con una cama con red de mosquito y hamacas, perfecto para dormir al lado del río poderoso que corre por el pueblo. Perfecto para descansar, practicar guitarra, y cantar que con el ruido de ese río nadie te escuche (pienso). Tiene sembrado bastante café, plátano, guineo, y yuca, así que siempre hay esos esenciales para comer. Ui, la comida. Ella nos preparaba diario desayuno de frutas tropicales con granola y yogur... super rico. Nos sentamos a la mesa por lo menos 4 veces al día, entre los descansos para tomar té o café y las comidas que nos invitaba. Una locura. Cocina como una abuelita-- hace pasteles y tortas, lemon merengue pie... es muy linda.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #7f6000; color: white;">Conocerle fue muy interesante. Es pesada (en sentido de guerrera, fuerte mujer) esta mujer. Es grande ya, pero maneja todo allí en su terreno. Es de Canadá, y tiene 8 años viviendo en Ecuador. Aprendió a su edad el español para comunicar con la gente de esa comunidad, así como vive en un pueblo, en el campo bastante remoto. Tiene buenas relaciones con la gente; ayudó a construir un colegio allí para adultos, y también aporta a la gente en varios otros aspectos. Cría chanchos y enseña a la gente como cuidarlos, les da la oportunidad de criarlos, casi regala las frutas que se da en su terreno a la gente a que las venda. Personas pasan por su casa todo el día, todos los días, ella, contenta, las recibe. Tiene este proyecto por una fundación en los EEUU, y produce, más que nada, el café orgánico.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="color: white;">Pasamos dos semanas en su finca. Todos los días nos levantamos a darles de comer a los chanchos y limpiar sus habitaciones. En las tardes nos tocaba hacerlo otra vez. Me encantó este ritual. Fue bonito servir a los animales así. Igual, sentí mal por como viven, con piso y paredes de concreto, y un techo, aislados de todo naturaleza, sin contacto con otra cosa viva aparte de nosotros cuando les visitamos dos veces al día. Es conveniente, funciona para criarlos, pero no es bonito. Alguien dijo recién: Lo que no es natural, no es natural. Ay, y lo peor-- que el momento en que les toca morir, es la primera vez que van a ver pasto, ver el cielo bien, tocar tierra con sus pies. Entran por algunos benditos momentos al cielo antes de ser matados. Y aparte están asustados porque alguien los esté sacando de su ambiente costumbre, y probablemente ni pueden apreciar la belleza que les rodee. Difícil. Y eso ni es hablar de los caballos o los perros. Ay.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: white;">Bueno, siguiendo, estuvo una muy buena experiencia allí en la finca. Conocimos a unos de los vecinos, muy amables, a unas niñas que les gusta bailar y reír, y a una persona que trabaja allí en la finca. Aprendí mucho de él. Creció en un pueblo aún más alejado de este pueblo, de forma que no conocía autos, ni electricidad, ni música grabada, ni comidas aparte de yuca, papa, fréjol, y maíz casi hasta que tenía 15 años. A ese edad su familia se fue a otro pueblo o él salió o el pueblo recibió acceso a la carretera... algo así. Y tiene como 12 hermanos, todos de la misma mamá. Y ahora trabaja toda la semana y muchas veces en el fin de semana en la caña de azúcar y con la Sra. en el café para apoyar a sus hijos y la mamá de ellos. Realidades tan distintas.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #7f6000; color: white;">Lo que compartimos: el amor para el baile. A él le ENCANTA el Salsa Choke. Casi todas las tardes pondría su música y bailaría. Me enseñó unos pasos, estuvo chévere. Por lo que entiendo, es como la salsa pero fusionado con hip-hop y freestyle. Entonces bailo salsa y también me pongo a brincar o no sé que... bien divertido. Nos llevó a donde su amigo, y nos pusimos a bailar todos-- bachata, salsa, merengue, bomba (tipo cumbia de Ecuador), cumbias, salsa choke y free-style. Por horas. Una fiestita en el campo. 6 personas, un poco de trago, pura vida. Y luego le enseñé un poco de bachata, y lo agarró bien. Dar y recibir, ¿no?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="color: white;">Estoy muy agradecida por esa amistad que se hizo en pocos días. Ah! ¡Y nos llevó a conocer su trabajo en la caña! Después de tomar un bus (él lo camina) y subir una montaña, sudando, sin aire, por.. que? una hora casi? llegamos a la plantación, y nos presentó a sus compañeros del trabajo y nos dio un tour del lugar. Nos enseñó como se cosecha la caña con machete, como lo llevan en burro, como vuelven a sembrar la parte de arriba de la misma planta porque crece otra vez, se revive. De allí, a donde exprimen el jugo de la caña con una maquina parecida a un wood chipper, como lo hierven hasta que esté como un liquido espeso que echan a moldes y después se saca y embolsa. Hecho. Y estando allí, huele riquísimo, porque imagínate, están haciendo panela, calientita... uyy que rico. Chupamos el jugo de la caña, probamos el liquido caliente, y al final hirvieron los maduros en el mero jugo de la caña. Ayayay. Mucho azúcar. Kris en la tarde se cayó en siesta por tanto consumo de azúcar (sugar crash). Pero estuvo bacán conocer ese proceso, y aun más-- allí con nuestro amigo.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;">También en la finca, claro, trabajamos con el café, entonces igual conocimos el proceso de cosechar y procesar el grano. Es bastante trabajo a mano, todo por una bebida con esa aroma agradable, esa cafeína que nos anima, nos de energía, nos hace adictos.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: red;"><span style="color: white;">En días de calor (y de frío a veces), bajamos al río a bañarnos. Que rico bañarse en un ser vivo con energía tan poderoso. También hay piscinas de agua mineral de un volcán cerca donde solíamos visitar... a 25 minutos caminando, 5-10 minutos si tuvimos el suerte de un aventón de un amigo de Fabian. Es que solo hay una carretera en ese pueblo, entonces si te ven caminando y tienen espacio, usualmente ofrecen llevarte. Aparte todos se conocen. Uy, y el agua en la piscina más caliente está bastante caliente... riquísimo para quemar todos los piquetes de mosquito (sufría mucho comezón).</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #7f6000; color: white;">Sí. Estoy muy agradecida por la oportunidad de conocer esa comunidad. Había momentos difíciles para las dos (Kris igual que yo), pero momentos tan lindos y un entender que ganamos de conocer el lugar y escuchar sus historias que pesa más que cualquier duda o problema.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #7f6000; color: white;">Ah, y la parte social/climático. Minería, compañía extranjera, gobierno débil, corrupto, no para la gente. El pueblo se levanta. La compañía en buena onda hace un estudio de los efectos que habría con el proyecto-- significantes. Se van. Nueva compañía viene. El gobierno les invita. El pueblo se levanta. La compañía contratando a gente del pueblo para luchar contra sus vecinos. Gente aceptan la oferta porque necesitan dinero. Otros no aceptan por proteger sus recursos naturales de agua, por proteger su tierra. División. Unión. El pueblo se levanta. Convencen al gobierno. Parece que han ganado. Al final la compañía cambia su nombre, el gobierno vende el derecho de hacer minería a esa ´nueva´compañía, Contrata a gente. Les compra. La minería sigue. Contamina. Disrupta ritmos naturales. Aun los que resistía al principio van a trabajar por la mina por la tentación del dinero. El pueblo sigue luchando, pretenden educar, informar a la gente. Que loco.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="color: white;">Allí lo voy a dejar. Perdón que el último párrafo fue sin fluidez, me cansé. Todavía falta mucho por compartir-- desde que salimos de la finca en el Valle de Intag, hemos conocido a más gente linda, y la costa (HERMOSA). Kris ya está en Perú, mañana voy a bajar también.</span></span><br />
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<br />Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-89766067745311658442017-04-12T15:48:00.003-07:002017-04-12T20:06:37.609-07:00ReEnCuEnTrOs Y CoMiDa MeXiCaNa =D<span style="background-color: blue;"><span style="color: white;"> ¡Saludos! </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: purple; color: white;"> Quiero compartir una nota de la experiencia que viví al visitar un buen amigo en su pueblo de origen. Conocí a Salvio y su esposa Victoria en Skagit Valley, WA, hace 5 años cuando fui un intern con Tierra Nueva. Salvio, como muchos de su pueblo, salió muy joven de su casa, buscando trabajo y otra vida en los EEUU. Su pueblo sufría pobreza-- no había como progresar, como apoyar a una familia, entonces fue a California y trabajó en el campo, en las cosechas. Se casó con su esposa, también de Noltepec, y se vinieron los dos a vivir en los EEUU. Los dos trabajaban en el campo, en California, Oregon, y Washington, criando sus dos hijos, hasta encontrarse con Tierra Nueva. Allí consiguieron trabajo en el Centro de Apoyo Familiar y en acompañar a otros migrantes a citas, etc., a traducir de su lengua natal (el mixteco) al español/inglés, y más. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: purple; color: white;"> Bueno. Estos datos ya sabía por la amistad con Salvio. Lo que no sabía era que muchos de su pueblo habían hecho lo mismo. Fue aparente cuando caminamos por su pueblo y nos enseñaba casas abandonadas, contando historias de tal primo, tal fulano, que dejó su casa y está en los EEUU trabajando. Aún más evidente cuando conocimos a sus compañeros en el pueblo y nos hablan en inglés o nos cuentan que antes vivían en Hillsboro, Beaverton, Forest Grove, North Plains. También conversamos con el papá de Salvio, y nos contó que él fue a los EEUU varios veces a trabajar como brasero durante esa epoca. Increíble. Y nos contaron que ese pueblo fue construido, la carretera hecha, solo por el dinero que fue (y sigue siendo) mandado por familiares en los EEUU. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: purple;"><span style="color: white;"> Ese es la parte socio-economico. Tal vez no muy bien escrito, pero creo que entenderás con que quiero decir. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #351c75;"><span style="color: white;"> Y para explicar la situación de Salvio: ahora se encuentra en su pueblo otra vez porque fue llamado a hacer su servicio al pueblo. Entonces está allí por un año sirviendo. Su familia se quedó en WA. Los extraña mucho. No es fácil regresar a su pueblo, cuando uno se acostumbra a la vida en los EEUU, y no por los lujos que uno no tenga sino por la comunidad-- que salió de adolescente de su pueblo y solamente a regresado a visitar durante estos 35 años, y claro, ha cambiado mucho como persona y la gente allí esperando a que sea igual. Y no es, ni va a ser. Pero cumplirá su servicio igual. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #38761d; color: white;"> También les comparto que es hermoso el pueblo. En la montaña (pero no muy alta), con mucha naturaleza, calles de tierra (y unas de piedra o cemento), gallinas, guajolotes, vacas, burros en las casas. Calientita en el día con el sol, frío en las noches pero un cielo llena de estrellas y aire tan fresco y puro que te sientes bastante nutrida solamente con respirar. Ah, y la gente TAN AMABLE, y sinceramente amable. Caminamos a cualquier lugar con Salvio y él va saludando a todos, la mayoría por nombre, en mixteco y español, diciéndoles que tiene unas amigas de visita, y nosotras allí sonriendo, y las personas sonriendo, diciendo ¨bienvenidos¨ o algo a ese efecto. Nunca sentí nada de insinceridad, nada de mala onda, nada nada. Y conocimos a sus papás de Salvio-- su mamá habla y entiende mixteco, entonces aprendimos decir ¨gracias¨ porque siempre nos daba de comer. Ay, Dios. Sus tortillas. Gigantes y de harina de trigo... que fueron las tortillas más ricas que comimos. Mm. Bueno, Muy linda su mamá, Y su papá también amable, comía con nosotras, hablaba con nosotras. Y nos llevó donde su cuñada, que es muy divertida, muy linda, y conversaba con nosotras por horas de su vida y todo lo demás. Un día nos invitó a desayunar, y fue increíble, tan rico, tan fresco. Nos preparó atole de maíz, y un plato de frijoles, huevos, aguacate, jitomate, lechuga y cilantro, y tortillas gigantes de maíz. Todito salió de su huerto, de sus propios cultivos. Nos pidió una disculpa diciendo, ¨No sé si sea a su agrada, así comemos en el campo¨. Y nosotras, ¨Es la mejor comida que hemos comido, no inventes¨. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: magenta;"><span style="color: yellow;"> Bueno. Le cuento que lo pasamos de maravilla visitando a Salvio, y fue una despedida menos triste que los demás, porque sé que le voy a ver pronto en WA.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: #cccccc;"> También debo de agregar, que en los últimos días en México, intentamos hacer realidad varios sueños. 1: tomar jugos (otra vez). 2: comer tlacoyos o esquites o cualquiera de las delicias de la calle mexicana. 3: comer churros. Son metas serias. Entonces los jugos, facilito encontramos si recuerdo bien. El tlacoyo sueño realizó, pero en forma de un huarache. Los churros, dejame contarte. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: #cccccc;"> Mira, en muchos lugares en México, por la ciudad, venden churros. Pero solamente hay UN PUESTO que los hace bien (o mejor dicho, a mi gusto). Los que encuentras en cualquier lado no suelen ser frescos, y son de ese tipo flaquito sin relleno, o con relleno pero solamente de chocolate o cajeta o fresa, y como dije, flaquitos. Luego te cuento como son los del Churrazo. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: #cccccc;"> La Jornada: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #990000; color: #cccccc;">Al ver toda la gente en el metro que ibamos a tomar, y al querer ser buena compañera para Kris y no forzarle a ir en la busqueda loca de churros, le dije que podríamos pasar los churros, que no más nos quedamos en el centro, por donde está el hostal y todo, y buscamos la última cena en México y disfrutamos la noche. Kris me dijo, ¨Hemos llegado hasta aquí. No vamos a ir sin buscar tu churro.¨ Jaja. Entonces nos metimos al metro con la mitad de la población de la Ciudad de México, por qué sé yo, 40 minutos, y después encontramos al bus que nos llevaría a la calle bendita del ChurroMan, la misma calle donde vivía hace más de un año por varios meses. Mucha gente otra vez en el bus, pero ibamos tranquilas, con hambre, con todas las esperanzas a encontrar nuestra delicia. El churro que conocía bien, que me llevaba al cielo por su sabor dulce y a canela, a chocolate y el relleno de coco o mermelada de fresa, por el ritual sagrado que es, la celebración que es ver al ChurroMan prepararlo a mi gusto y regalarmelo, caliente y crujiente, y suave, y de disfrutarlo con mi querida amiga, que enseñarle lo más rico que he experimentado en México. ... Sí. Bueno. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #990000; color: #cccccc;"> Entonces viendo por la ventana, vi que llegamos a la calle, y Kris y yo bajamos. ¨Segura que es aquí?¨ me dice. Yo que sí, que conocía bien esta calle. Solamente había que encontrar el puesto. Llegamos a donde antes estaba. No estaba. Sin perder la fé, seguimos, viendo todos los locales, a ver a donde habrá mudado. Llegamos a una pastelería y preguntamos del puesto. Nos dirigió más abajo, que haya cambiado de lugar. Nosotras, animadas, bajamos al puesto, allí estaba! Habíamos llegado! No estaba el ChurroMan que conozco, pero había otros. Preguntamos por los churros y nos dicen, ¨Es que la maquina se descompuso hoy. No hay churros aquí, ni en ningún lado¨. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: #990000;">¨¿Desean otra cosa?¨. ... No. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: #990000;">¨Que pasen mañana, seguro estará arreglado¨. -Hoy es nuestro último día en México. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: #990000;"> Kris me mira. Yo, ¨No lo puedo creer¨. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: #990000;"> Al final, salimos riendonos de la situacion, y aun más cuando subimos a la casa de mis seres queridos allí, Lety y Toño, Yared y Pedro, y Samy. Nos dijeron, ¨Viniste hasta acá solamente por un churro?¨ Y se ponen a reir en esta manera que me encanta. Les tengo mucho cariño. Lety nos invita la cena, ¨ya que no comieron churros, por lo menos van a cenar¨, y mientras, Yared llamando a los puestos de churros a ver si alguno queda abierto. Bueno, una anecdota pequeña, para reír más que nada, pero les comparto que lo pasamos genial en la casa de Lety y Toño, compartiendo de lo que vivimos en Oaxaca, de todo lo bello que experimentamos y conocimos, y el cariño dulce de Lety, mi otra mamá, mi amiga. Ay, y nos dio de comer su mole verde, bien rica, con tortillas de maíz (que me encantan). Y un jugo de limón con chia... :) ¡Que linda la Señora Lety! Y estuve muy contenta también que Kris y Lety se pudieron conocer. Dos personas que aprecio mucho. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #274e13; color: #cccccc;"> Jaja, y el siguiente día, en la mañana, Kris me dice, ¨Tienes que venir a conocer una panadería que encontré¨. Ok, Kris. Entramos la panadería, huele riquísima (obvio). Kris agarra la bandeja y las pinzas, y yo observo las opciones. Hago un comentario de uno que se ve rico y de una, Kris lo coje y lo pone en la bandeja. Me pongo a reír, que no hay que agarrar todos los que se ven ricos. Kris sonrie y sigue. Nos divertimos mucho en la panadería, cogiendo demasiado pan, llenando la bandeja. Yo, Kris, es mucho! Ella, tranquila, todo bien. Tenemos un viaje largo, hay que alimentarnos. Bueno. Salimos con un paquete, maravilladas al precio-- muy barato por tanto pan. Fingiendo que vamos a una fiesta, a un reunión familiar con todos estes postres, pero de verdad sabíamos que los ibamos a comer toditos nosotras. Y ya de regreso al hostal a agarrar las maletas y salir para el aeropuerto, pasamos una Nutrisa. Venden helado de yogur, y es mi favorito en México. Kris, -Vamos por uno. Yo -No, no tenemos que, tenemos todo este pan!. Ella- No conseguiste tu churro. Por lo menos vas a conseguir tu Nutrisa. Yo- Ok. Me encanta que me consienta. :) Ya. Compramos. Estuvo riquísimo, por supuesto. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: blue; color: #cccccc;"> Jaja, Ya! Se acabó la entrada de pura comida! Es que México es el</span><span style="background-color: magenta;"><span style="color: #cccccc;"> </span><span style="color: #cccccc;">Santí</span></span><span style="background-color: magenta; color: #cccccc;">simo Cielo </span><span style="background-color: blue; color: #cccccc;"> para la comida. Nadie lo puede negar. En todo el viaje todos los viajeros con quienes nos encontramos están de acuerdo-- México tiene la mejor sazón, tantas delicias riquísimas, el chile, uy. [Take me back?] ;) </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: white;">Y agrego que tuve la oportunidad de visitar por unos dulces momentos a mis amiguis en Compassion en DF. Fue muy lindo volverles a ver. Todos se acordaron de mi, me recordaron de las aventuras y diversiones que solíamos hacer en la oficina cuando estuve de voluntaria allí hace más de un año. Fue breve, pero valió la pena. También tuve chance de reunirme con un amigo que había conocido en la playa en Oaxaca... que suerte! Kris también tuvo un reencuentro con un amigo de Rancho Akna, el primer rancho que conocimos en Oaxaca, pero en Peru! Que linda la vida, y coincidental. ;) *inventando palabras* #chalenzaje</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: blue; color: #cccccc;">¡Gracias por leer!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b4a7d6;">****************** In ENGLISH now! ****************************************</span><br />
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Greetings!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">I want to
share a note about our visit with a good friend in his town of origin. I met
Salvio and his wife, Victoria, in Skagit Valley, WA, 5 years ago while
interning with Tierra Nueva. Salvio, like many from his town, left his house very
young to go to the US in search of work. His town suffered great poverty—there wasn’t
a way to make a decent income or move forward, raise a family. So he went to
California to work in the harvests. He returned to his town and married his
wife, and then they both came back and worked in California, Oregon, and
Washington in the fields, all the while raising their two children. They later
found Tierra Nueva, and started to work in the Family Support Center assisting
other immigrants, doing Bible studies in mixteco, their native tongue, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">These
things I already knew just from knowing Salvio. He had told me before that
something like 60% of the population of his town had abandoned it to move to the
US, but it wasn’t evident or fathomable until we were walking the streets of
that town and he was pointing out all these houses that were abandoned, telling
us that this cousin and that friend and so on, are now in the US. It was even
more evident when we met his co-workers and other people in the town who 1. Spoke
English, and 2. Told us that they had lived in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Forest
Grove, and North Plains. Imagine, we’re out, far out, in this tiny town in
Oaxaca, and all these people have been to and lived in the same cities I live
in. And then Salvio’s father told us that in his day he came to work as a
bracero (a migrant farm worker through the Bracero Program, after the Mexican
Farm Labor Agreement was signed in 1942) in California various times. They told
us that this town, Santa Catarina de Noltepec only progressed/had more
infrastructure installed, roads, cars, etc. because of the money that was sent
back from locals working in the US. I think a lot of the people that live there
are still maintained in part by relatives in the US. The wages are just
incomparable. However, it does seem that people get along just fine in so much
as food; they raise their milpa, have their gardens, raise their animals. Money
is only necessary for… everything else. Clothes, soap, electricity. Anything
you can’t make from what nature gives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Anyway,
this is the socio-economic part I suppose. Maybe not very well written, but
hopefully you get the idea. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">And to
explain Salvio’s situation: right now he is in his town again because he was
called to serve. He accepted (you kind of have to as a citizen), and so he is
there for one year, serving. His family stayed in WA. He misses them terribly.
It isn’t easy to return to your town when you accustom to life in the US. Not
because the standard of living is lower or comforts are less, but because of
the community change. Salvio left his town and this community when he was like
15 years old. He hasn’t lived there for something like 35 years, only visited, and
he has changed much as a person. People are expecting him to be the same, and
he isn’t, and won’t be. But he will complete his service. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Also I want
to share that Noltepec is BEAUTIFUL. It is in the mountains (but not SO high
up) and nature is very present and let be. There are dirt roads, as well as
stone and cement roads. There are chickens, turkeys, cows, and donkeys at
everyone’s house. In the day it is warm in the sun, in the nights it is cold,
but the sky is full of stars and the air is so fresh and pure that you feel
nourished just breathing. Ah, and the people are so warm, so sincerely kind. We
would be walking around town with Salvio, and he would be greeting everyone,
many by name, in mixteco or español. If it was a relative he would stop and
talk with them for a while, and we could tell that he was telling them about
us, his friends, and they would smile, and we would smile. I never felt that
anyone was ingenuine or had mal-intentions. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">And we met
Salvio’s parents; his mother speaks and understands mixteco, so we learned to
say thank you and just repeated that whenever she would feed us. Or Salvio
would translate things for for us and her. We talked more with his father. He
was very kind, answering all of our curiosities. Ah, and the tortillas that his
mother made were the best tortillas—giant flour tortillas, hot and soft from
the fire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">We also
spent a good amount of time at Salvio’s sister-in-law’s house. She is younger
and outgoing, very welcoming, and talked with us for hours about her life and
anything and everything else. She invited us to have breakfast in her home, so
we went and my goodness was it amazing. She made us <i>atole de maíz </i>which is a hot drink made from corn and water, and a
plate of <i>frijoles criollos con huevos</i>,
avocado, tomato, lettuce, and cilantro. And, of course, giant corn tortillas.
Everything came from her garden, everything. And she says to us, I don’t know
if you like it, it is what we eat in the countryside. And we’re like, You’re
kidding. This is the best food we have eaten. This is the best food that
exists. Organic, fresh, grown with love. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Needless to say, we had a great time visiting
Salvio. We learned a lot. And the goodbye was so much less sad than the rest
because I know that I will see him soon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Also, I
should add, that in the last days in Mexico, we tried to make a few dreams come
true. We set our priorities. 1: Drink those fresh fruit juices. 2: Eat tlacoyos
or esquites or any of the delicious street foods. And 3: Eat churros. Serious
goals. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">The juice
was easy to find if I remember right. They are ubiquitous. The tlacoyo was
eaten, but it took on the form of a huarache. The churros, let me tell you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Look, in
many places in Mexico, in the city, churros are sold. But there is only ONE
PLACE that makes them right (or I should say, to my taste). Those that you find
anywhere else tend to be stale, or even if they are hot they are these skinny
crunchy churros without filling, and if they are filled it is only with
chocolate or carmel or strawberry jam, and again, they are skinny. Later I will
tell you how churros from El Churrazo are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">The
Journey:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Upon seeing
all of the people in the metro (light rail) that we were going to take, and
upon wanting to be a good friend to Kris and not drag her on the crazy search
for churros on our last night in Mexico, I told her that we could pass on the
churros. That we could just stay downtown and find some good dinner (we were
both pretty hungry) and have a good night. Kris says, ¨We have come this far.
We are not going to leave Mexico without searching for your churro¨. I love
her. So we got on the crowded, hot metro with half the population of Mexico
City, and we rode it and transferred and rode it again, and got off and found
the bus that would take us another 40 minutes to the street that I used to live
on, where the Holy Churro Man would sell us 2 delicious churros. All the hopes
to find these churros. This churro that I knew well, that carries me into the clouds
for its taste of sugar and cinnamon, of chocolate and the filling of coconut or
strawberry jam, for the sacred ritual that it is, the celebration that is to
see the Churro Man prepare it to my liking and give it to me, hot, crunchy, and
soft; and to enjoy it with my dear friend who has never tried the most
delicious dessert in Mexico… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">So we are
looking out the window, I see that we have arrived, we get off, and we start to
walk up the dark street, searching for that sweetly aromatic, warmly lit stand.
We arrived to where it used to be. Nothing. Still hopeful, -he probably just
moved- we continued walking. We found a bakery open and hoping not to offend,
asked about the churro stand. He told us to keep walking, that he thinks the
churros moved down the road a bit. Encouraged again, we kept walking until we
saw the sign. There is was. In all its glory. Mr. Churro Man wasn’t there, but
some other people were. We asked them for churros, they said the machine broke
down this morning and they haven’t been able to make churros all day. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Would you
like something else? … No. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Come back
tomorrow! It will be fixed. … This is our last night in Mexico.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Kris looks
at me. Me, I can’t believe it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><span lang="EN-US">Almost immediately we were lighthearted again, laughing at the situation. Again with our favorite
joke: if you don’t have it, don’t advertise it. I asked Kris if we could pass
by my friend’s, Lety and Toño’s house, and she agreed. So we go out front and I
yell up to the window, Letyyy! I hear her, Voy! (Coming!). She comes down, lets
us in, and after greetings to the rest of the family, she asks about the
churros. We tell her the sad sad story, and Yared, her daughter, immediately
gets on the phone to call the other churro stand to see if they have churros.
Toño just laughs hysterically, saying, You really came all this way just for a
churro? I love their laughter. Lety says, well, would you like to have dinner?
Us, Yes, please! Ah, Lety’s cooking, my favorite. She gave us mole verde with
those corn tortillas that we buy down the road, yum, and lemonade with chia… </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span lang="EN-US"> How lovely she is! I was also very
happy that Kris and Lety could meet. Two people that I highly regard. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">And the next
day, in the morning Kris says, You have to come see this bakery that I found.
Me, Ok. We enter the panadería, it smells wonderful (clearly). Kris picks up a
tray and tongs and I observe the options. I make a comment about one pastry,
That looks good, and she puts it on the tray. I laugh. Kris, we don’t have to
get every bread that looks good. She smiles and continues. We walk through the
maze of the store, looking at all the tables, picking out too many pastries,
filling the tray. We had a really good time. Kris, it is too much! She, totally
calm, totally serious. We have a long trip, Jamie, we have to have food.
Alright. So we left with this package of bread, amazed at the price—so cheap
for so much bread! Walking out pretending like we’re going to a party or a
family gathering with all these pastries, but really knowing that we would eat
all of them ourselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Walking
back to the hostel to meet a friend and head for the airport we pass a Nutrisa.
Nutrisa is a Fro-yo chain that I would always go to with my friends from
Compassion in Mexico City. Let’s go, says Kris. And me, We don’t have to. We
have so much bread! Kris: You didn’t get your churro. You are at least going to
get your Nutrisa. Me: Ok. Again, I love her. We got it. It was delicious.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Ah! And on
that note, I will add that I had the opportunity to visit for a few sweet
moments my friends at Compassion! They all remembered me, and reminded me of
the crazy things we would do in the office when I was volunteering there. I got
to catch up with a few of them, it was really nice. I also got the chance to
meet up with a friend that I made at the beach in Oaxaca in those first weeks.
Cool stuff! And Kris told me that she just ran into a friend that we made at
Rancho Akna, the first farm we stayed at, but in Peru! How beautiful is life,
and coincidences. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Done! The
post all about food is over! It is just that Mexico is Holy Heaven for food.
Nobody can deny it. Throughout our journey all the travelers we meet agree:
Mexico has the best food, so many delicious options, the heat of chile, ayayay.
[Take me back? ;)]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #9fc5e8;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="background-color: #9fc5e8;">Thank you
for reading! </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-19222966139608213482017-03-04T07:06:00.001-08:002017-03-04T07:15:53.435-08:00What a lovely world<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: magenta; color: white;">Hello </span><span style="background-color: magenta; color: white;">friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I write you with a full and thankful heart for all that Kris and I have had the privilege to experience on our trip thus far. We have received so much from everyone we have met. I think this post may be remniscent of the last, as I share about the beautiful human beings we have come to know. Last time I wrote we were in the mountains in La Sierra Sur of Oaxaca, staying with the young groovy family. The rest of our time there was lovely. We got to celebrate the eldest child's birthday with a special meal of mole de guajolote (turkey) straight from the farm. They told us that the turkey was a gift to the child the year before for his birthday, so this year they killed it and ate it. Everyone was very excited. It was sweet.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From there we headed back to Oaxaca City and goofed off a while, eating so much delicious food, and going out dancing... I believe. Wait though, this is where it gets good. We found we had an extra week before there was space for us at the farm, so Kris suggested we go visit these small towns to the north of the city. We went. It was wonderful. We arrived at the first town by taxi, called Cuajimoloyas, and the first thing I noticed- silence. It was such a pleasant change from the loud city. We spent the afternoon walking a trail that wove through public and private lands, asking for directions along the way, and goodness, it was a good challenge, and gorgeous. We were in the forest! The people of the town were so genuinely kind. I was really humbled. After an excellent dinner in one of the town's tiny restaurants, we went to bed (so early) and thoroughly enjoyed the beds... and the shelter in the cold night. The following day we hiked to the next town over with a lovely woman who was our guide through the forest. She, again, was so kind. She volunteers to take people on tours. This brings me to the interesting format of these towns.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #bf9000; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In these towns, from what I've been able to understand, they govern themselves by selecting citizens to serve the town for a year or two in various positions. In these specific towns, eco-turism is big, so there are also various positions serving tourists. I believe you start to serve the town when you turn 18. When you are called, you go. After that, you can volunteer if you want. In this town, people don't have much as far as money or cars, etc, but through the way the town is set up, it seems that most people get land to raise animals or plants, and through this they supply most of their needs. They are self-sustaining.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Oh my goodness. I almost forgot. We had a really interesting conversation with a man from one of these towns in the taxi ride. He told us about how the climate has been changing-- it used to rain in these mountains, regularly, predictably, and well. This provided for healthy crops, good harvests. He said that now it hardly rains, and when it does the rain is harsh and damages the plants. People aren't planting as much or practicing agriculture as much as they did before because of the unpredictable weather-- a crop can be destroyed in drought or in these harsh rains, and then all the investment is lost. He told us about how before plastic arrived to these towns they would use the fibers of a kind of cactus plant to weave baskets, bags, everything. Then came plastic bags, plastic everything, commercial everything, and the people started to use all of these new products. Now there is just so much trash generated. It was a really good talk. It was crazy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kris and I had just been talking about all these things that morning, and then he just confirmed it all. These are the stories we've heard for so long; that our consumerism, waste, and greed, our standard of living that contaminates and uses more than our fair share of resources (in the West) and also the history of taking and exploitation and oppression by the US (and others colonizers) in Latin America (and to be fair, in other places) really affects the poorest, the most humble, the most wise people. It really has made these places poor and kept them poor. It is just crazy. It is a harsh reality.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We feel so strongly our privilege being travelers in Oaxaca. It is so apparent, we just traipsing through the city, laughing, buying snacks, planning trips... worried about nothing, and then all around these people just doing their daily grind, selling the snacks in the street, sweeping with homemade brooms, or working their 12-hr shift to make the equivalent of $4USD in a day. It is hard to know what to do about these feelings, about, again, this reality. We recognize the privilege we have, even as US citizens, to be able to take this long trip to engage our curiosities about the world, to broaden our horizons, to taste the flavors of these far-off places. The thing is, it isn't fair. It just isn't. It isn't fair that I am born well-off, taken care of, and with plentiful opportunity to have a comfortable, even indulgent life, and that someone born in Oaxaca, even if they study and obtain a degree in psychology or engineering, are likely going to be struggling, and that taking even a short trip requires months or even years of saving. Even when they visit places in their own country, they may be discriminated against because of where they come from because the white person (with more money) is worth more attention.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These are things that have been rolling around in my head. It is good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Where was I? I should try to be brief; there is much to share. We met other travelers in the next town, we ate more good food (that is really just a given), and we stayed there two nights. We got to enter into a <i>temazcal</i> to sweat... and drink this mint herbal mix tea... which felt so good in the cold mountains, and especially because I got sick those days... And we drank a fermented agave drink, <i>tepache</i>. It was strong. Like wine. Ha. Delicious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And we walked on, to the next town, and goodness, the hikes were all just gorgeous. Imagine, in the mountains, pure, wild nature. On this last hike we met 2 friends, a young woman from England and a young man originally from the US but who had been living in New Zealand for a few years. They were really good company. We had a great time chatting on the trail, getting to know each of them, hearing of their experiences and hopes and dreams... Ha, always. And later we danced a little swing and Miss England let me teach her some bachata and merengue. And later we played card games until we went to bed. It was just pure fun. !<i>Bellas seres humanos en todos lados! </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i><span style="color: #cc0000;">
It was beautiful to visit the towns. We returned to Oaxaca, and then we got to go to the next farm! In Rojas de Cuahtemoc, a small livestock desert town, we arrived and while walking with our backpacks, were greeted warmly by The Icecream Man, who told us how to proceed to arrive to the farm. I think it is where most of the backpackers who come to Rojas are headed. Oh, man. This farm was out of control. So well organized, with a solid group of international volunteers. They invited us in, we set up our tents, and then we jumped into the game, sawing <i>carrizo</i>, a plant similar to bamboo, to help construct a bench.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were so impressed with this place. We got to work on natural building projects (the carrizo, and an adobe-like plaster on a building). Like at Rancho Akna (the first farm) we mixed the plaster with our feet, and slapped and smoothed it on the wall with our hands. This mix was filtered sand, dirt, and <i>baba de nopal, </i>which helps it to all stick together. Pretty messy, very fun. I also got to help take measurements to create a map of the property with a lovely woman who is an architect. I also helped Kris build a compost system for the human waste generated on the property. That was rad. Kris worked so hard and finished it within that two weeks that we were there. Wild. And now that farm has a sustainable way to take care of their waste and turn it into a resource that they can use to fertilize their plants. Humanure. If you haven't looked into it, I really suggest you do. It is so important! Talk about Systems Unseen*.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Now I'm going to go on about that because it is fascinating. Basically, with the current systems we have, toilets, we flush waste away with (at least in the US) </span><b><u><span style="color: blue;">CLEAN DRINKING WATER</span></u></b><span style="color: #674ea7;">, a precious limited resource. Then it gets sent to a Waste Treatment Plant where they use all sorts of chemicals to filter and process it to make it into something less toxic**, then eventually it is sent out to river or sea.... it can be done so much better. If we can take responsibility for our waste, we can implement systems that (like what Kris just built), cleanly convert that waste into a resource, saving water, saving the energy used in those Treatment Plants, and saving the rivers and oceans from further contamination. It is just wild.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This farm project has the ultimate goal of being a learning center for the community and outsiders, to show permaculture systems (recycling water, composting toilets, organic and sustainable cultivation of crops, specifically amaranth, which is native to Mexico and high in nutrients). It is funded by an association called Puente, that seeks to mitigate poverty and malnutrition.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Surely I will remember fondly the meals we shared at this farm. They have it worked out so that we´re on a rotation for house chores duty. When it is your day, you get up a little early and prepare breakfast for everyone (generally some delux oatmeal with an <i>agua fresca</i> or <i>cafe</i> or <i>chocolate</i>). Then as everyone goes to their projects, you get to clean up, wash dishes, and start preparing lunch. They have solar ovens, which are basically mirrors reflecting the sun´s energy onto a bowl with a glass lid. It is slow, but it works. Water simmers, bread bakes... with the pure energy of the sun. My first day as Kitchen Volunteer was a little rough because I didn´t know the ropes... but the second day (which happened to be our last day at the farm) I had a great time. I made vegan oatmeal banana pancakes for breakfast, and then an Italian plate for lunch, complete with pasta and slow roasted tomato sauce, steamed veggies, a salad (prepared by our coin Italian) and bread... and <i>agua de jamaica</i>... It was so fun, jamming out to my music, cooking the best I know how to nourish these new friends.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And that was the best part. Everyone who cooked took their role seriously, and prepared meals with great love and great seasoning. We ate curries, falafel, soups, breads-- from Spanish, Italian, French, US, and Mexican chefs. Everything was just so good. And everyone was always very grateful. It is simple, but just really nice.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #741b47; color: #f1c232; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Goodness. So much goodness.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #e69138; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Maybe this is a good place to pause, leaving on a note of gratefulness, joy, community, and health. I still want to share of a wonderful visit to Santa Catarina de Noltepec, a remote town where a good old friend is living, in Oaxaca, and then some closing thoughts on our time in Mexico. We are currently in Ecuador. Tomorrow we head to our first farm here. We are very excited.</span><br />
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<span style="color: magenta; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you, for your support, for your love, for the wisdom you have shared with me. I think of many of you often, and reflect on words you've shared. Much love to you!</span><br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*Kris's term. Get ready for a podcast with the same title.</span><br />
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">**Even after excessive processing in the WWT Plants, particulates from prescription medications, antibiotics, etc, remain in the water (because our body doesn't absorb them, they just pass through in urine). These then get aborbed by algae, consumed by fish and other wildlife, hurting their bodies and in turn hurting ours if we consume the fish. Also, some of it gets cycled through again to our "clean" water, and we drink it. Yikes.</span>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-28458784370337866222017-01-25T09:26:00.000-08:002017-01-25T09:30:57.003-08:00In Search Of An Alternative Way¡Hola Amigos! ;-)<br />
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I write to you from a little Ciber (internet cafe) in San Mateo, a pueblito (small town) in the mountains between Oaxaca (the capital of Oaxaca) and Pochutla (a coastal city). As we type, Kris and I share a snack of cacahuates con chile, ajo, y sal (salted garlic pepper peanuts). We both love peanuts, aguas frescas (fruit smoothies), palanquetas, platanitos, coco, pan dulce, quesadillas... it works out. We have a lot in common.<br />
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Maybe I should start with an introduction. Kris, a friend of mine from Portland, OR, and I are on a trip, traveling with our backpacks through Mexico, touring around and volunteering at permaculture farms (WWOOFing). So far we have been in Mexico DF (the capital), Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, and now, as afore stated, in the mountains.<br />
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In DF we arrived to a hostel that I had stayed at before and made good connections with the community that lives around there. It was fun to see a few of those people again and also meet new people (travelers, mostly). We met a young man from Peru who is in a hard core band and practices yoga.(His band is called Alhambre... Hard Core Lima, Peru.) Really nice guy. Also a good contact for later on... We met interesting people from Scotland and Germany, too. It was a good time. Kris and I spent a few days walking around the city, going to the botanical garden in Chapultepec (the big park in Mexico City where Tenochtitlan was originally). What else? While we were there I went to visit the family who hosted me for 4 months when I was in Mexico before. All is well with them; they are still in the same camino, still going to church... It was really nice to see them again. But odd, because it was literally just for like a day.<br />
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Ah, and then we went to another hostal that was really hip, really hippie :-) All the walls were painted with murals, with poetry, there was a vegetarian only kitchen, and there were rad travelers from all around...<br />
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Next we made our way to Oaxaca where we stayed with the cousin of a friend from Oregon (gracias Don Fernando!) who happened to be a young woman about our age. We had a good time. She was really sweet. While we were there we learned about different issues that Mexico is facing-- well actually, when we arrived we learned about them, but she helped to contextualize them and explain it all more clearly. One big thing is the gasoline prices. There is a big upset because of some of the President's actions, and the price of gasoline rose to higher than it has ever been. Protests, streets closed, a lot of upset, understandably.<br />
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While in Oaxaca we got to go to Monte Alban which is the site of an ancient city, ruins, pyramids, amazing, removed, with a lot of history. We really enjoyed it.<br />
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From there we continued on down south to Puerto Escondido, which is a beach town. There are many tourists, many snowbirds, many surfers. We did, however, go to stay on a ranch a little out of the town, up in the hills. It is a beautiful place. It is dry (as it is the dry season), but there are adobe constructions, an outdoor kitchen, a letrine and many projects in the works. We arrived in the late afternoon, tired and sweaty from the looong (and winding... ay) bus ride. Two guys were there who kindly showed us around. They mentioned a river-- I jumped on that. It was getting dark, but we took headlamps and headed down to the river to cool off. It was like a 20 minute walk down dirt roads, and the river was quite shallow with a good current. It was so nice. We arrived back at the common area refreshed and found a bunch of people, greeting us with kisses, introducing themselves, all in the dark. Ha. Uncomfortable! I was a little overwhelmed, so I set up my tent and went to bed, but Kris stayed up with them all and they made dinner and played music and chatted... This was to be the pattern, the rhythm of things for this ranch.<br />
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In the morning I awoke, refreshed, and was able to meet everyone again, in the clarity of the light of the new day, and I believe I helped make breakfast or wash dishes while chatting with other travelers. They explained that we all contribute to buying and cooking food, and that there is work to be done but you only do as much as you like. We're all free to do as we please. Kris and I were a bit surprised to hear this, or I was at least (because generally with WWOOFing the arrangement is you work 30 hrs a week in exchange for food and lodging) but as I got to talking to people, eating the food they prepared, working on the adobe construction with bare hands and bare feet in the warm sun, going down to the beach to play in the ocean, returning to the house to make dinner by candlelight and play acoustic music and dance and hula and stretch and look at the stars, I realized what a treasure we had come upon. Ah, we also got to take hula hooping classes from the English woman and go out to a concert of friends of a friend and dance so hard and free.<br />
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We met characters from all over: A hula-hooping, health conscious, free, beautiful, yoga instructor fashion designer from Inglaterra (England) who speaks with the most beautiful accent and speaks the few Spanish phrases she has learned with an equally fun accent. And who is hilarious, my goodness, and wise. A young environmental engineer from England who has, again, that gorgeous accent, and the kindest demeanor, and is also travelling, planning on living and working in Mexico for a while. A few chaps from Guadalajara, a city in Jalisco, Mexico. who work as architects on projects both private (for income) and community-based (volunteering), who have a rad outlook on life and are, like the rest of us, seeking out a better, more whole, more honest way to live. They are also awesome musicians, and shared of their gifts and encouraged me to play and sing as well. Then there is a young woman from DF who is just lovely, who is also free and working for the community on various projects, sustainability, etc. She plays Son Jarocho, which is a style of music that I've become familiar with through friends in Oregon. When she began to play my heart soared a little, and she taught me a couple of songs. And one of the chaps from Guadalajara taught me to play La Bamba, haha, which is great, but also is one of those songs that gets stuck in your head, so everybody loved that. ;-) Then there were young men from the Czech Republic, Chile, Italy, who were really fun and wholesome and kind, and would look after us a little, like uncles, and joke around. And later at the beach we met a few more lovely, free people from Chile and France and Argentina. Ahh, man.<br />
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I just loved getting to know each of these beautiful souls, hearing about where they have come from, where they would like to go, what they want to learn-- everyone is still figuring it out, and it is good. And we all got along pretty well and had some really sweet community time together. I accustomed to the heat, I hated it and then I loved it. We swam in the ocean a lot, went to el Mercado to buy food for the community, washed our clothes and our bodies in the river, slept under a million stars and a bright moon every night, awoke to a slow rising sun every morning... it was a dream. It was really a dream.<br />
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And now, through a person we met at that ranch, we have come up to the mountains, and we are staying with this young family on their ranch. They have a lot going on. They have a temazcal (like a sweat lodge built from adobe, used for ceremonies I believe) but they are building a new one. They have a few adobe houses (one they live in). We put up a big teepee where Kris and I are now staying. They distill essential oils and make natural body products using many plants that they grow. They have 3 children who bathe daily but also are just always covered in dust as they run around barefoot all day helping in the garden or with whatever projects. They are strong and healthy and smart. I'm continually impressed by this family. The couple is originally from Mexico City but they, as all these people I have mentioned, wanted something different. So they have been building their life out here on this property for 7 years now, and I'd say they are doing quite well.<br />
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Anyway, this is maybe a lot, or maybe a little, of what we have experienced. Maybe too many details. But I suppose take from this what you like. We have been continually blessed to meet interesting, kind people. We have never felt in danger or afraid. We have been seeing such beauty in the scenery and the people. We feel free, we feel sure, we are learning and experiencing new things every single day.<br />
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We sympathize with those suffering cold back at home (although right now in the mountains I am also struggling with this cold... brrr). We send you warm hugs, much love, a spirit of freedom, of light, of positive energy...<br />
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and much love. Thank you to everyone who has supported us on our search. May we all find good roads to walk on; may we all continue learning and cherishing the feel of the sun, or the rain, or the wind, or the ocean waves on our skin.<br />
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Peace!<br />
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*Also, in case you are unaware, our plan is to be traveling, WWOOFing, for the next 5 months or so. We intend to travel to Ecuador and make our way through Peru and Bolivia before returning home in June. :-)<br />
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<br />Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-64838321817940172992015-11-25T23:00:00.002-08:002015-11-28T20:43:56.852-08:00Reflection from a Day in the Garden<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I LOVE</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Working in the garden</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Hard</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Just with myself and the earth</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">And sometimes my music</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Singing, </span><span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laughing (so much) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Delighting in the utter Beauty of Being and Existing </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">how I am made to </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Be and Exist.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">With plants that nourish me, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Nourishing them with tender care, </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"> composted sheep manure </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"> lovely fallen leaves...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Them surprising me with how they </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">just </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"> keep</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;"> growing</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Giving life- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">There is enough goodness </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">For the little bugs and slugs and I and friends </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: #a64d79;">Especially since the bugs are passing on</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #a64d79;"><span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">with t</span><span style="font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">he Change of season</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fall: <br />
another overwhelming beauty to witness.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Estoy agradecida</i>. This is how I end many of my journal entries and many of my days- with the phrase, “I am thankful”. There is really nothing else I can say or do when things go well, when I see such beauty around me, maybe sometimes even within me. My heart bubbles over with contentment, and I fall asleep.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some background to this little poem~</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've been serving as a Confluence* AmeriCorps member with Adelante Mujeres since mid-September and have experienced too many emotions and felt too many shifts in perspective to count, which is partially why I haven't posted a reflection up to this point. But today I have felt so well, so high, that I want to share. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ONv2m0b6pfw/VladylDe0bI/AAAAAAAAAS0/HvHmcGMXjJM/s1600/gardengreen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ONv2m0b6pfw/VladylDe0bI/AAAAAAAAAS0/HvHmcGMXjJM/s320/gardengreen.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When everything was green</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Poco a poco</i> I'm molding into this position.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.656; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've felt lost at work- that I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing or why I'm here. I've felt incompetent and passionless and frustrated. So a few days ago I made some colorful documents to help stir the passion, to actively seek to make this work out. I wrote out goals- Meet more community members, Seek to become part of the community [to know and be known;)], etc. And in these few days, some of that has happened. I'm so thankful. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also (in trying to figure out how to make this service more enjoyable or inspiring) reflected on what it is that I have loved in other positions I've held, as I was finding it hard to say "I love this position!". The list went as so:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I LOVED... working at Ray's, translating in Compassion, so many things that are not what I’m doing now, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then today,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I added to that document.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I started with I LOVE, and out came this reflection of the day. You know, it takes a </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">good while </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">acostumbrarse</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to any new place, position, or community. And I am certainly not fully in this community yet. I don't know if I'll even reach that in the remaining 9 months of my service. But the point is: through diligence, perseverance, and just showing up to service and keeping an open mind, I am settling in. Really, it is through </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">people </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">who are letting me in- encouraging, teaching, and befriending me.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goodness, and through fresh organic fruits and vegetables! Dear Lord, when you taste produce from YOUR OWN garden, there has never been anything sweeter. Today as I worked I munched on young fava leaves and cherry tomatoes, and I took home brussel sprouts, onions, and broccoli to cook up for dinner with a friend.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2WDSzDEjt1U/Vlad2J9N1jI/AAAAAAAAATE/61lbcVDS5To/s1600/gorgeouspurplehead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2WDSzDEjt1U/Vlad2J9N1jI/AAAAAAAAATE/61lbcVDS5To/s320/gorgeouspurplehead.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gorgeous and fed me for weeks!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HqWKElv9LvQ/Vlad9A0qtoI/AAAAAAAAATM/kZ3ND2obgZk/s1600/carrot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HqWKElv9LvQ/Vlad9A0qtoI/AAAAAAAAATM/kZ3ND2obgZk/s320/carrot.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Surprise carrot! Delicious sweet flesh.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pNfvtc-8zNw/Vlal7FLZ4oI/AAAAAAAAAT8/n2PxyvwbI3c/s1600/IMG_20151118_101210460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pNfvtc-8zNw/Vlal7FLZ4oI/AAAAAAAAAT8/n2PxyvwbI3c/s320/IMG_20151118_101210460.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dear, dear, resilient brussel sprouts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.656; white-space: pre-wrap;">I should mention that working in the community garden is not the whole of my service. I'm serving in the Agriculture Program of Adelante which includes the Farmer's Market, a CSA Distribution Program, Sustainable Ag, Business, and Nutrition classes, and (as mentioned) the Community garden. So I help in all those areas. I love the Market for the social interaction and the whole production of it. I love the CSA for the straightforwardness of it, the importance of it, and getting to work with the other staff and volunteers in a sort of mindless setting for a while (sorting vegetables). And I'm really loving the garden (obviously) just for the time and space to really do something where I can taste and feel the reward of my labor throughout the process.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MnNz_jBvn34/VlaeXRTHRjI/AAAAAAAAATc/dG3BREhj9W8/s1600/elmaestroale.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MnNz_jBvn34/VlaeXRTHRjI/AAAAAAAAATc/dG3BREhj9W8/s320/elmaestroale.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><You would think I were WWOOFing in Latin America ;)><br />
This is <i>mi maestro</i>, Ale-Alejandro, and farmers of <i>el huerto comunitario.</i></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are (by my job description) my main areas of work. But the beauty of AmeriCorps is that we simultaneously serve with an organization and pursue our own dream project. My ideas are fermenting, currently, as I meet more community members and dream up possibilities. My people curiosity is being stirred again. There are just these gems of human beings living in our midst! It is terribly thrilling to meet them. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AyNHahGPZuQ/VlaebIdZySI/AAAAAAAAATk/YPolypwmvTE/s1600/IMG_20150929_104907096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AyNHahGPZuQ/VlaebIdZySI/AAAAAAAAATk/YPolypwmvTE/s320/IMG_20150929_104907096.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forest Grove is so beautiful.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I want to encourage you all to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dream. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If people tell you that your dream is unrealistic, impractical, or they just give you a blank stare- hold on to your dream. Chances are, someone somewhere is already living it- which means it totally possible and practical. Seek those like-minded people out- they will potentially serve as your greatest inspiration and best help to reaching your ideals. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8u1RUT3j2iI/VladoX8JXoI/AAAAAAAAASs/GFdZWJEOLt4/s1600/IMG_20150921_180355628_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8u1RUT3j2iI/VladoX8JXoI/AAAAAAAAASs/GFdZWJEOLt4/s320/IMG_20150921_180355628_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first day in the garden</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-mwN_bdJPY/Vlad1A6CwXI/AAAAAAAAAS8/I_qO_fi3TTQ/s1600/down%2Bthe%2Brow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-mwN_bdJPY/Vlad1A6CwXI/AAAAAAAAAS8/I_qO_fi3TTQ/s320/down%2Bthe%2Brow.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some broccoli and <i>chiles</i> in my plot. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 1.38;">So this is where I am. I will try to post an update in the future. Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for caring. May all go well with you. May you enjoy the same natural high of good health, a centered spirit, and connection to the good earth beneath your feet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">**NOTES: </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.adelantemujeres.org/</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 25.76px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "cambria"; font-size: 18.6667px; line-height: 25.76px; white-space: pre-wrap;">http://www.confluencecenter.org/</span></div>
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Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-46583689271221060252015-06-11T20:43:00.004-07:002015-06-11T20:43:42.551-07:00Hey look, it's Mexico. <div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Hello Friends, Family, and Curious Strangers,</b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">¡Saludos de la Ciudad
de México!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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This is my first blog post from México. And I’m in my last
week here. Nonetheless, I wanted to write to share how I’ve been blessed
abundantly throughout this time, and maybe a few things I’ve learned. </div>
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I was sent to México City (really, a municipality outside
the federal district called Tlanepantla) by the Evangelical Friends Mission.
“Friends”, or Quakers, are known for practicing peace (non-violence), being
open to current revelation by the Holy Spirit of GOD, and choosing to live
simply. </div>
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A link about a Quaker: casadelosamigos.org</div>
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I came primarily to learn—of the culture, of how the church
works in their community, and of the reasons why México is the way it is. I
also wanted to support a cause, so I’ve been volunteering in the Compassion
International Mexico office. Compassion works to alleviate poverty by
connecting through churches poor children in Mexico with generous sponsors in 1<sup>st</sup>
world countries. </div>
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CULTURE</div>
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It is every sight, sound, rhythm, taste, smell, and feeling
that you may experience here. Every moment is fully Mexican. The colorful
square-ish homes, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tiendas</i> (stores) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">puestos de comida </i>(food carts), the loud traffic, the
broken sidewalks... and in smaller towns the rural peace of hot dust and
savagely resilient brush, the cobbled streets, the houses in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hacienda </i>style, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">asoteas</i> (flat rooftops) where you can see for kilometers. </div>
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In the street there is music sounding from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">las casas </i>(houses)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, las tiendas </i>(stores), unabashedly cranked all the way up, filling
the air with rhythms of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">banda, bachatas,
reggaetón, </i>and the occasional US pop. </div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">La comida</i> is
flavored with<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> chile y limón</i>, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cilantro y epazote, y canela </i>(cinnamon)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> y chocolate</i>. It is accompanied always
by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tortillas </i>or<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> tostadas</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">aguas frescas</i>
or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">café</i>. It is communal—we always
share meals together. And it is made from scratch—everything in the house is
freshly bought in the market and prepared with love, and you can also find
countless <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">puestos </i>(kiosks) in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">la</i> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">calle</i>
(street) selling Vitamin T (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tacos, tortas,
tlacoyos</i>), <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fruta picada </i>(chopped
fruit)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, churros</i>,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> y jugos </i>(juices)<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. </i>All
delicious. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Walking through the city there are parts that smell of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">carnitas</i> (roasted pork tacos) or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pan </i>(bread), and others like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Parque Chapultepec </i>where you just keep
inhaling as deeply as you can because the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">naturaleza
</i>(nature) smells so fresh and healthy. And, of course, one of the prices of
“progress” is contamination of our natural world, and so there is plenty of
that smell as well—here in the city. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we have traveled through the Mexican countryside and
various towns, I watch the landscapes pass by in wondrous delight. When I
learned how to get around town on my own, a sense of independence and freedom.
Upon seeing new sights, a new museum, Aztecan ruins, an excitement and
stimulation in that student in me. In greeting friends in the church, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Compassion</i>, or home, a warm acceptance. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I suppose the best thing about being in any new place is
experiencing wonderful things for the first time and then getting the chance to
experience them again as you develop rhythms, favorites, and friendships. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD;">PEOPLE
& PLACES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been blessed to have met distinctly beautiful human
beings in this time. The family that hosted me took me in as one of their own.
The parents have impressed me with their love and consideration for one
another, their mutual efforts to work, keep house, keep faith, keep strong
their marriage, and continue supporting their grown children. The mother has a
strength and perseverance that you couldn’t imagine—that I think stems out of
love for her family and for GOD in each human being, and just stubbornness. And
she is just a delight. She is a joyful spirit—singing and dancing through the
house chores, laughing and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cotorreando </i>(joking
around) when her family or friends are present sharing a meal—and she has an
almost-limitless well of patience and understanding. This is Lety. I love her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Her husband is also a truckload of fun—his jokes, his
expressions—he can always make us laugh. I was very surprised when I first
began to see how he and Lety run their house—that he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">helps</i>, that he doesn’t demand things (like food), but rather <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">asks favors</i>, and that he is just as
involved in the lives of his children as Lety. This is Toño. I love him too. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Through Lety and Toño I’ve met their friends—another married
couple with grown daughters who are kind and wise—the woman made the effort to
take me to various super interesting museums in D.F., including <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">El Templo Mayor</i>. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">El Templo Mayor</i> is
the ruins of the principle temple of the Aztecas, and was said to be the center
of the earth according to the position of the stars. It is where the Mexicas*
[Meh-SHEE-kus] gathered to offer sacrifices to the gods, among other
activities. You can enter the temple and walk among the ruins, which are
incredibly preserved—serpents carved out of stone, and other designs with paint
still intact after being covered with dirt and built over for hundreds of
years. After you walk through the temple ruins, you enter the museum which
presents more artifacts that were found in the excavation of the temple and an
impressive exhibition of history throughout eight large themed rooms. It is
really incredible. And the entrance fee is only $64MX pesos, which is like $4US
dollars. AND, it is right in the middle of the city, which is just awesome that
they preserved this area amidst grand buildings and modern shops. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve also been invited into a group of older people from
church to play basketball after the Sunday services. It is the best. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And Compassion International is just chock-full of awesome
people, which make it really fun and worthwhile to be there. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And lastly, the “goodbyes” have been too many, really, but
the “hellos” are worth them, maybe? I’ve met people from other towns, states,
and churches, who have taught me various life lessons, and encouraged my soul. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For now, I sign off, as my computer is about to die and
maybe not wake again... for a while.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
PEACE! LOVE! JOY in the ADVENTURE!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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*”Mexica” is nauhuatl (the indigenous language of the
Aztecas) for “Azteca”. It is where we get the name of the country, México. </div>
Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-87752733602293561922015-01-07T19:35:00.000-08:002015-01-08T09:02:46.304-08:00Christmas/New Year's Greeting from Ecuador<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #222222; font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">Hola Amigos y Familia,</span><span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Some of you have asked for an update, so I thought I'd send out
a little Christmas/New Year's greeting. Also, you all supported me so
kindly and generously as I left and have kept me in mind, which I really
appreciate, so you deserve to know what is going on here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">I have added photos to show the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">alegría </i>and the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">belleza</i> that
exists here in Ecuador, and within this family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Christmas is a busy season here. You know, it's funny, I'm
tired, and I feel like we've been running around everywhere, but really it has
just been a continual party since like, the 20th. Crazy. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">This is the makeshift <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">parilla</i> that
little Andrés manned for over an hour, grilling up all the meats for a feast...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">So, the
family owns a restaurant, and it is on the same property as their house, so
when they have events, we get to help out in the kitchen and enjoy the
happiness of the people in their party, the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sobras
</i>(extra food), and of course, the music that is bumpin’ into the early
morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This night, I got to help
in the kitchen, preparing plates a little but mostly just washing dishes for
hours... and it was so great to feel a part of the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss work like this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little victory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[Also, as I went from having fun
washing dishes to being tired and wanting the dirty glasses to stop coming, I
thought of Gage, and how he literally washed (washes?) dishes all day. That’s
strength, bud]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">On
Christmas Eve we started the day by making little candy gift bags for all the
employees of the family’s construction shop. Candy art. And snacking. It was
great. Then we prepared the place for the employee appreciation lunch, and this
time got to be served by the </span><i style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">cocineros</i><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">
and enjoy the program. These are the plates they gave. A full plate of meat,
and then you add yucca, salad, and </span><i style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">salsas</i><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">.</span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">I still don’t understand how people can
eat literally 5 portions of meat in one sitting...</span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light";">And
then followed hours of karaoke with dancing throughout; </span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">I’m learning new dances here, and people are really gracious with me, which is great. There was </span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">a mariachi
band, a gift exchange, and a bunch of happy but tipsy employees heading home
with bags of candy.</span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">From
there we went to aunt and uncle’s house where we put on more <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cumbia</i> music in the car and danced in
the street while we waited for dinner... so great. I thought of Kelly and
Nick... parking lot dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then
another Christmas feast, singing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">villancicos</i>
(religious Christmas songs), and more dancing. It was really beautiful to see
how a family celebrates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hzQUMkOle0k/VK2OxlTz_HI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/3ehTP7L1hXs/s1600/DSC02921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hzQUMkOle0k/VK2OxlTz_HI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/3ehTP7L1hXs/s1600/DSC02921.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">from left to right: Fausto y Euvenia, Fausto Jr. y Gisella, tío Cesar y Michelle.</span></td></tr>
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<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Then on Christmas morning, we have <i>bolones, jugo, y café </i>for breakfast (a <i>bolon </i>is green plantain and meat,
cheese, or peanut butter </span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">mixed together and formed into a big ball. With peanut butter… so good.
And <i>jugo </i>is juice… de guanabana).</span><!--EndFragment-->
</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISeNnHLRWwM/VK2QEfYx1KI/AAAAAAAAAKA/rmQBEoaMqHY/s1600/DSC02948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ISeNnHLRWwM/VK2QEfYx1KI/AAAAAAAAAKA/rmQBEoaMqHY/s1600/DSC02948.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FMuxRSV0I6U/VK2QHLtjiUI/AAAAAAAAAKI/2fnb06TcVfg/s1600/DSC02956.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FMuxRSV0I6U/VK2QHLtjiUI/AAAAAAAAAKI/2fnb06TcVfg/s1600/DSC02956.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">From
there, we packed our bags and headed to Quito, which is a beautiful drive.
Every time we go from one city to the next there are gorgeous <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">paisajes</i> (views).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we finally arrived, we ate lunch
and then the parents dropped us kids off at the central park, and we walked
around and played for a few hours, which was so refreshing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was really interesting to see the
difference between Quito and Santo Domingo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Quito, being the capital city, is much more developed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It felt almost like California. And the
people here love it because it is cleaner and prettier and has nicer stores and
all this. Everyone here seems to be looking toward progress, toward
development, toward higher technology and nicer clothes, toward conveniences.
This is hard to see/accept. I’m not sure how to feel about it. As for me, I try
to point out the beauty in the simple, in the natural, in the traditional and
slower processes. I recently read this in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Voice of the Master:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">“God has bestowed upon you
intelligence and knowledge. Do not extinguish the lamp of Divine Grace and do
not let the candle of wisdom die out in the darkness of lust and error. For a
wise man approaches with his torch to light up the path of mankind”(62).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TnX2oC2EwJ0/VK2SXTsMhfI/AAAAAAAAAKU/hmxlD88rB1E/s1600/DSC02988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TnX2oC2EwJ0/VK2SXTsMhfI/AAAAAAAAAKU/hmxlD88rB1E/s1600/DSC02988.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgJ6e8nKy9M/VK2SnEMpniI/AAAAAAAAAKc/op_WZmmOSRg/s1600/DSC02991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgJ6e8nKy9M/VK2SnEMpniI/AAAAAAAAAKc/op_WZmmOSRg/s1600/DSC02991.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">It is
hard to hold to my values and try to express them when I am one in a crowd. It
is easier to try to blend in, or to quiet myself and these thoughts.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light";">There
is, though, still tradition preserved and appreciated in the food—people here
still mos</span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">tly cook at home and use what is locally abundant—plantains, yucca, limes, bananas, etc.—which is awesome. Also, one last note from Quito—while we were out on Christmas, we ran into some tourists from Texas. Well, we walked by them, but I slowed down to listen to them speak American English. It was beautiful. I talked with them for a bit and all the while my heart was melting. I was thrown by how sweet it felt to be in the presence of people easily speaking my native tongue. I realized that for over a month I haven’t been able to speak with someone easily in my native tongue (besides a few Skype dates), and how that is such a comfort. A taste of home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">What
else? From Quito, the two sisters and I traveled by bus to Riobamba, which is a
city in <i>la Sierra</i> where Fausto’s
relatives live. We were received warmly by his family. He is one of 11 children, so there were
always a lot of greetings whenever we arrived or left. So many <i>besos.</i> That night they had a mass in
their home, led by two sisters that are about my age. The Catholic tradition is
really beautiful. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Quito </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">So it
was basically a family reunion for like 4 days, and we were hosted in various
houses and they drove us around to see things—like Chimborazo, the mountain
that everyone gets excited about because it has snow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was awesome to get to meet different members of his
family and connect with them on various themes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, the night of the big party, there was food, soccer,
volleyball, singing of traditional <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">banda
nacional</i>, and much dancing. So much dancing. So much fun. It was great. Here
they mostly dance <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cumbia</i>, but they
really get down. Funnily, the older people seem to enjoy it the most.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ZxaJHevKVU/VK2YgvsNlcI/AAAAAAAAAK0/lPWElL-Jrh4/s1600/party.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ZxaJHevKVU/VK2YgvsNlcI/AAAAAAAAAK0/lPWElL-Jrh4/s1600/party.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">The family Christmas celebration--train dancing. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black;">We
continued the trip, meeting more family members and being generously hosted,
and one day hiked/climbed up this mountain, which was actually pretty intense
because of the altitude. This mountain is called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chimborazo</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ecuatorianos</i>
love it because it usually has snow... which they hardly ever see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light'; font-size: large;">*Recommendation: if you’re going to a foreign country where they speak a different language, or if you speak a second language, learn the vocabulary for topics you really care about, that you feel really define you, so that you can share intelligently and comprehensively when the time comes.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZnm9STuSds/VK2ZTxHfbEI/AAAAAAAAALE/_lihqe7-iuI/s1600/DSC03022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cZnm9STuSds/VK2ZTxHfbEI/AAAAAAAAALE/_lihqe7-iuI/s1600/DSC03022.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A typical breakfast. Yumm:)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BGWLyyjfs-Y/VK2bQ8OAPTI/AAAAAAAAALQ/eyIbSLB43QQ/s1600/DSC03049.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BGWLyyjfs-Y/VK2bQ8OAPTI/AAAAAAAAALQ/eyIbSLB43QQ/s1600/DSC03049.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Gisella on Chimborazo</span></td></tr>
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<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">The
next day we returned home to Santo Domingo by bus. This is Michelle, Fausto Jr. and Andrés sleeping on the
bus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">Lastly,
I will share with you about New Year’s celebrations. On New Year’s Eve, we
worked a ½ day at the </span><i style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">almacén</i><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">, and
then headed over to Euvenia’s parent’s house, where the women and Andrés spent
the afternoon in the kitchen preparing food, and the men sat outside drinking
and waiting.</span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">You know what they
made? It makes me shudder thinking about it. It was like, all the innards of a
lamb—the stomach, the liver, the intestine—in a soup with potatoes. Euvenia was
kind and understanding enough to pretend that I had eaten my bowl of soup when
I only swallowed one spoonful. But we also made yucca, </span><i style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">aji, una</i><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';"> </span><i style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">ensalada</i><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">, </span><i style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">y maduros</i><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';"> (ripe plantains), which I
gladly ate.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Anyway,
some of Euvenia’s brothers, and their wives and children came over and ate, and
then we had an amp that we blasted music from in the street in front of the
house, and this was on a truck bed, along with <i>el Año Viejo</i>. <i>El Año Viejo</i>
(the old year) is a life-size figure of a person made of paper and tape and
paint. The tradition is that every family makes or buys one of these and
dresses them up like a member of the family, typically the father I think, and
then at midnight they pour lighter fluid on it and burn it. The idea is that
they are burning all the bad away, and this means a prosperous year of
blessings for the elected <i>Año Viejo</i>.
What you get are bonfires through all the streets in the dark night, along with
fireworks and people <i>abrazando</i>
(hugging) and wishing each other <i>Feliz
Año Nuevo! Paz y bendiciones! </i>(Happy New Year! Peace and blessings!). It
was pretty awesome. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ley5HKKd2DE/VK2i6QZk2AI/AAAAAAAAALw/8AkVfrs_0mo/s1600/an%CC%83o%2Bviejo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ley5HKKd2DE/VK2i6QZk2AI/AAAAAAAAALw/8AkVfrs_0mo/s1600/an%CC%83o%2Bviejo.jpg" height="230" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Los Años Viejos</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Oh, and
the best part, we danced for hours.
It started raining, and we kept dancing. Also, I got up on the truck bed
and started dancing, barefoot, as is my preference, because the sidewalk was
slippery (and who doesn’t want to dance on a stage?), and soon everyone
followed, even to the point of taking off their shoes (not everyone, but the
sisters did). Little victory. And to add to the victory, this guy put on music
that was like North American pop, and I got to dance like we do in the US, and
they all laughed and made fun but soon they joined in and they loved it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiFkFoIjNUE/VK2kkZwIi6I/AAAAAAAAAL8/Mf9W8jD6-Ec/s1600/DSC03076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AiFkFoIjNUE/VK2kkZwIi6I/AAAAAAAAAL8/Mf9W8jD6-Ec/s1600/DSC03076.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Andrés' boat and plane in the <i>diluvio.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Right
now is the rainy season, and it has been pouring tropical-flood-type rain here
in the afternoons. So, of course, Andresito and I play with his lego boat and
plane out on the patio where the water collects. Another day Fausto took us
kids to a waterfall resort place, which was beautiful—the waterfall pours into
a swimming hole, and there was a <i>turco </i>(like
a sauna) warmed by burning eucalyptus leaves. But one of the coolest things
about this place was the construction of all the buildings. I’m pretty sure it
is all cob, or something similar. So of course, I got way too excited about the
cob houses and tried to explain to the kids why these houses are so cool and
how I want to build one with my friends in Oregon... it is our dream...
environmentally friendly... etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JYtxl8FOH9U/VK2n02d1biI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/MVxImgHZ3aw/s1600/la%2Bcascada.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JYtxl8FOH9U/VK2n02d1biI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/MVxImgHZ3aw/s1600/la%2Bcascada.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J6zcet3ESVU/VK2nyA6JtyI/AAAAAAAAAMI/jzmNvXAsaOk/s1600/cob%2Bhouse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-J6zcet3ESVU/VK2nyA6JtyI/AAAAAAAAAMI/jzmNvXAsaOk/s1600/cob%2Bhouse.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmfjLNDSBlY/VK2n3CUstBI/AAAAAAAAAMY/s3uuQ2qO6Pk/s1600/many%2Bcob%2Bhouses.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GmfjLNDSBlY/VK2n3CUstBI/AAAAAAAAAMY/s3uuQ2qO6Pk/s1600/many%2Bcob%2Bhouses.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-foBwMf6aHck/VK2bj2TR-XI/AAAAAAAAALg/Ek3KCLu2tII/s1600/DSC03072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-foBwMf6aHck/VK2bj2TR-XI/AAAAAAAAALg/Ek3KCLu2tII/s1600/DSC03072.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iGN9Qf14mHs/VK25KKP3loI/AAAAAAAAAMw/mqUfsRT8UdQ/s1600/javier%2Bwash%2Bwriting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iGN9Qf14mHs/VK25KKP3loI/AAAAAAAAAMw/mqUfsRT8UdQ/s1600/javier%2Bwash%2Bwriting.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3I8gDQpVEUY/VK25FGnt8LI/AAAAAAAAAMo/oP7BzlzBTHE/s1600/mi%2Bnombre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3I8gDQpVEUY/VK25FGnt8LI/AAAAAAAAAMo/oP7BzlzBTHE/s1600/mi%2Bnombre.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">My friends (los cocineros) on the roof cleaning.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Alright,
that brings us mostly to this week. As of now, the kids are back in school, the
parents back to work, I am back to preparing and teaching English classes, with
more vigor than before, with more patience and diligence. We’re having fun, and I feel like they’re learning more, which is really encouraging.</span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3I8gDQpVEUY/VK25FGnt8LI/AAAAAAAAAMo/oP7BzlzBTHE/s1600/mi%2Bnombre.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="clear: left; display: inline !important; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Here, I
have friends; not the solid friends with whom you share everything and know
each other deeply, but friends nonetheless. Kind people to greet and laugh
with. Interesting people. Mm. And I am grateful for this time. Although
sometimes I wish things were different, I wouldn’t trade any of it. Even when a
day is tainted by conflicts or time poorly spent, I see it as a day of growth,
of experience. So, I am well. The family is mostly in good health, but they are going through
a stressful and difficult season. If you pray, you can pray that GOD would use
me as a light and warming peace here. That He would bring peace in this family.
Every family has their struggles, and every family their moments of sweet
comprehension. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">I love
and miss you all, and I hope you this letter finds you well. Thank you for your
support, your interest in my little adventures. May the Good Lord bless you and
keep you in this time of renewal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light"; font-size: large;">Much
love,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Abadi MT Condensed Light";"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Abadi MT Condensed Light';">Jamie</span></span></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h9fopYI-6eU/VK2YyQyM96I/AAAAAAAAAK8/F_FtnpS5j7k/s1600/DSC03011.JPG" height="205" width="320" /></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
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<br />
Ah, aquí hay una entrada en mi diario durante el viaje de bus:<br />
Hoy, había unos desfiles en San Jose que pasaban por Verítas; fue bien chiva ver las bandas y disfraces de niños, y escuchar las canciónes que aprendían. Después de la clase, salimos en autobús para Tamarindo. Bekah, Raqi, Mateo, y yo nos divertimos con programas de televisión, comedía de Jim Gaffigan, y música. Lleguemos en la noche al hotel Zulimar y con suerte Bekah, Raqi, y yo recibimos nuestra propia cuarto! Y el hotel es buenísimo! Tenemos tres camas, un baño completo, un balcón, y acceso a una piscina grande. Y, todas las puertas son hechos de madera y tienen picturas tallados. Nosotras tenemos una mujer fuerte con un león en nuestra puerta. Se llama Mama Mucho. <br />
<br />
Cenamos afuera y pedí un jugo de piña otra vez y era bien rico; lloraba un poco. Pronto encontramos que Tamarindo está bien caro. Se llaman TamaGringo porque es pueblo turístico. Disfrutabamos de la piscina esa noche y decidimos no vale la pena salir para bailar. <br />
<br />
El sábado, fuimos a la playa! Y fue magnífico. Disfrutabamos del calor del día y ¡surfeábamos! Era magical. Me gustó mucho solo flotar en la tabla de surf y sentir las olas... lograba surfear las olas unas veces, no con mucho estilo, pero sentía maravilloso. <br />
<br />
Aprendí hoy que causa mucho dolor poner aloe vera en una sarpullido (rash). Jaja. <br />
<br />
Oh, y esa noche mirabamos el ponerse del sol en la playa, y era increíble los colores con las nubes y los momentos compartidos con amigos. Mientras mirar los cielos y el mar, escuchamos a una canción bien bonita que tiene título de <i>Por Ti Volaré</i>. <br />
<br />
El domingo, mientras caminábamos en la playa hasta el sur, veía la arena más bonita que he visto en mi vida. Fue completamenta compuesto de conchas- muchas rotos, pero muchas enteros. Es la cosa fisicamente más lindísimo que he visto acá (*o quiza el campo..). A mi me encantó esta playa en Tamarindo lo mejor. Ahora estamos en el autobús, regresando a San Jose. Miro las vistas del campo y quiero ir alla. Quiero vivir alla por un tiempo; pero va a ser un tiempo para esto. Un estación va a venir.<br />
<br />
En la playa, todo estaba bien. Comimos ensaladas deliciosos y batidos con yogur. Y otra vez, el viaje en bus era bien divertido. Duró 6 horas, pero fue mucho tiempo para jugar, pensar, y relajar. Esta vez, cambiamos sientos un poquito y jugamos juegos tontos de 'improv' con los otros estudiantes en el bus que más o menos son mis amigos ahora. <br />
<br />
>>>>>>>><br />
<br />
y esta es una entrada del 11 de sep. :<br />
Cosas bonitas de un día típico: <br />
Hay una ventana en mi cuarto que siempre está abierta. Hay estas cortinas- dos de encaje y dos suaves de color de durazno con volantes que puedo separar y atar para que entra la luz del día, o liberar para que tenga privacidad. Esta lampara. Esto cuarto. Una sorpresa cada mañana y noche de comida rica. La oportunidad hacer cualquier cosa, incluyendo dormir/tomar una siesta por la tarde. Hay un parque bien cerca a mi casa; dos o tres cuadras con unas mesas de colores brillantes y unos árboles, uno que puedo subir. El tiempo cambia cada día. Hoy hace mucho sol y siente maravillosa en mi piel. La oportunidad de conversar sobre cualquier tema en clase por dos horas. Las montañas en la distancia. Los colores brillantes de las casas, tiendas, estructuras en los parques, y flores tropicales. <br />
<br />
del 12 de sep. :<br />
Algo que he aprendido: este concepto de Pura Vida no significa que aquí en Costa Rica todo está bien. Es solo una idea- una manera de pensar y caminar por la vida con gracia y amor, aceptando cada momento como viene, teniendo paciencia con personas y sistemas, y encontrando cosas bonitas en cada día y toda la gente. Pura Vida es tener amigos, tomar siestas, comer juntos (*beber jugo de piña*). <br />
<br />
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^***^*^*^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^**^*^*^*^*^*^*<br />
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
And now about last weekend- the 14<sup>th</sup>-16<sup>th</sup>
of September.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We traveled to
Tamarindo which is a small beach town in the Northwest of Costa Rica
(Guanacaste).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bus ride was
again, very good, and once again I fwas fauning over the countryside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ah, here is an entry from the bus ride:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today, there were parades in San Jose that passed by
Verítas; it was really cool to see the bands and costumes of the kids, and to
listen to the music they had learned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>After class, we left on the bus headed for Tamarindo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bekah, Raqi, Mateo and I entertained
ourselves with TV shows, Jim Gaffigan comedy, and music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We arrived in the evening at the hotel
Zulimar and with luck Bekah, Raqi, and I received our own room again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the hotel is great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have three beds, a full bathroom, a
balcony, and access to a big pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>AND *the best part* is that all the wooden doors have beautiful carved
pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our door has a strong
woman and a lion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We named her
Mama Mucho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She guards the
entrance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We ate out and I ordered another jugo de piña- it was
delicious and I cried a little.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Soon we discovered that Tamarindo is really expensive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They call is TamaGringo because it is a
tourist town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We enjoyed the pool
that night and decided it wasn’t worth it (the $4 and smoke and sketchy
atmosphere) to go out and dance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Saturday we went to the beach!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We enjoyed the heat of the day and we surfed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was magical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I really just liked floating on the surfboard over the waves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I caught a few waves and the feeling
was amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was tiring but
in a way where I could do it all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I see how surfer beach bums can do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I learned today that it is very painful to put aloe vera on
a rash.. ha.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, and that night we watched the sunset on the beach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The colors with the clouds and the
moments shared with friends were incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While watching the heavens and the sea, we listened to a
beautiful song called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Por Ti Volaré</i>
(partially serenaded by Drew).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sunday while walking on the beach towards the south, I saw
the most beautiful sand I have ever seen in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was completely shells, and it was incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be the physically beautiful
thing I have seen here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved
the playa of Tamarindo the best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now we’re in the bus again, returning to San Jose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I look out at the lovely countryside,
the trees and hills and mountains, all so green, and I want to go there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to live there for a while; but
there will be a time for this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
season will come.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the beach, all is well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had delicious salads and smoothies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And again, the bus trip was good
fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a 6 hour trip, but
there was a good amount of time to play, think, and relax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time, we switched seats a bit and
played some silly improv games con the other students on the bus who are
becoming my friends.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
>>>>>>>><o:p> </o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And this is an entry from September 11<sup>th</sup>:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Beautiful things of a typical day:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a window in my room that is always open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are these curtains- two of lace
and two of soft peach fabric with ruffles- these I can tie up to let daylight
in or free to provide privacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This lamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A surprise every morning and evening of
rich food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The opportunity to do
anything, including to sleep or take a nap in the afternoon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a park very close to my house;
two or three blocks away, with brightly colored tables and a few trees- one of
which I can climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My house is
painted lavender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weather
changes every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today it is
very sunny and it feels marvelous on my skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The opportunity to converse about any theme in class for two
hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mountains in the
distance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bright colors of
houses, stores, structures in parks, and tropical flowers. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From September 12<sup>th</sup>:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something that I’ve learned: this concept of Pura Vida
doesn’t mean that here in Costa Rica everything is good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is only an idea- a manner of
thinking and walking through life with grace and love, accepting each moment as
it comes, having patience with people and systems, and finding beautiful things
in each day and all people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pura
Vida is to have friends, to take naps, to eat together (*to drink jugo de
piña*).</div>
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Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-82084024383672254072012-09-17T20:43:00.000-07:002012-09-17T20:43:15.837-07:00Un día típico, y bueno<!--StartFragment-->
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">
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</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="MsoNormal">
Ahora, el 17 de septiembre, estoy sentada en mi
cuarto lindo, tomando te de Yerba Mate, escuchando a la música latina de Alonso
Núñez, después de tomar una siesta solo porque pensaba que sentiría buena
acostarme en la cama por unos momentitos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Y acaba de comer un mango- mi primero mango entero aquí en Costa Rica- y
era riquísimo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hoy mi mamatica me preparó
el desayuno perfecto para hoy porque le pedí: avena con un banano (que llevé a
clase).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y participé más en clase
hoy, aunque estaba bien distraída por preocuparme por una amiga, y durante el
descanso visité con un amigo que está en una otra clase, y también jugué
Frisbee con mis amigos en la plazoleta e incluimos a ticos también por lanzar
el Frisbee en su dirección.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Era
muy divertido.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y pasó rápida la
clase, entonces después caminé con Mateo a unas tiendas chinos para comprar lo
que faltaba para el almuerzo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Preparé unos tacos de frijoles con salsa Lizano, espinaca, tomate,
aguacate, zanahoria, y pepino, y los traje conmigo al club de conversación en la
universidad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me gustó pasar un
rato con tantos estudiantes de todos niveles en un ambiente más de diversión
que lectura o clase.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Regresé con Raqi y
Elizabet, una amiga nueva, y platicamos en español.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me fascina hablar con personas que están aprendiendo el
español y están a un nivel más bajo que yo, porque puedo ayudarles con
vocabulario y con conjugar los verbos, y usar este habilidad que he
aprendido.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Y acaba de jugar un
poquito con mi hermanitico Cris, él levanta el ánimo de mí.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ah, pues, todo este es decir que este
es un día típico, y que ahora siento como tengo más fundación.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yo se como comprar y preparar la comida
que quiero, como pasar los descansos de clase, como cuidar por mi cuerpo y mis
necesidades aquí.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yo conozco unos
amigos nuevos, y siento como mi habilidad de hablar y entender el español ha
mejorado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Siento positiva.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"></span>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>></div>
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</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Right now, the 17<sup>th</sup> of September, I am sitting in
my lovely room, sipping Yerba Mate tea, and listening to the latin music of
Alonso Núñez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This after taking a
siesta just because I thought it would feel nice to lay down for a few
moments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I just finished
eating a mango- my first whole mango here in Costa Rica- and it was rich.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today my mamatica prepared the perfect
breakfast for me because I requested it: oatmeal and a banana (which I took to
class).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I learned today that they
grow two kinds of bananas here- las chiquititas y las de exportación (the small
ones for local consumption and the larger ones mainly for exporting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today I had an ‘exporting’ banana, and
it tasted just like they taste back in the USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
participated in class today, although I was mighty distracted in worry for a
friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During our break I found a
friend who’s in a different class, and also I played Frisbee with a few friends
in the plazoleta of our school, and we included some ticos too by throwing the
Frisbee in their direction... it was fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And class flew by after this break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I walked with Mateo to a few Chinese grocery stores to
buy what I lacked in my lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
made a couple tacos with beans with Lizano sauce, spinach, tomato, avocado, carrots,
and cucumber, and I brought them with me to Club de Conversación at the
university.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed hanging out
with students from all levels in an environment that felt more fun than lecture
or class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
returned home with Raqi and Elizabet, a new friend, and we chatted in
Spanish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speaking with people who
are learning Spanish and are at a lower level than I am fascinates me, because
I love helping them with vocabulary and conjugating verbs, and just using this
skill that I’ve developed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And
just now, I was playing a little with my little brother-tico Cris, which is
casi-always life-giving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All this
to say that this is a typical day, and now I feel like I have a better
foundation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know how to buy and
prepare the food I want, how to spend the breaks from class, how to care for my
body and my needs here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have
some new friends, and I feel like my ability to speak and understand Spanish
has improved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I feel positive.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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</span><br />
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Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-22244543469171785982012-09-17T19:48:00.004-07:002012-09-17T19:48:47.061-07:00Struggles and SuccessesThis is from emails I sent out to my mom last Thursday. This is just honestly how I was feeling and still continue to feel sometimes here. <br />
<br />
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: green; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";">I'm trying to take things
one day at a time, but I'm isolating myself a bit and just really struggling
with being here more than physically. I don't know if it is that life is
slow here, or I still just feel unfamiliar, or I need church (I'm going
tonight, God willing), or if I'm just whining, but I can't stop thinking about
the other place. About home and George Fox. I'm having a hard time
accepting it. I am REALLY excited to come home. I think I just
thought it would be different. I had high expectations.. I find
myself thinking, "I should go to Mexico- that is the culture I love".
And maybe it's true, but I have a feeling I'm just looking for a grassier
area. I'm looking for peace. And still, my family is great.
But I'm not spending much time with them, and I haven't really met any
other locals, so at school it is just my professor (who sometimes bugs me with
her patriotism and classifying and generalizing of people), and the other
international students. I haven't really tried to make local friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="color: green; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";">I thought this would be paradisiacal..
ha. I don't think any place can be. I think it is a state of mind
and soul. And I'm just getting bored. I think about the 3+ months
that I have left here, and it seems like a lot- overwhelming. I almost
want to quit and go home. It's just really hard. Have you heard
this phrase: "When I feel bad, I decide to stop feeling bad and be awesome
instead."? I've been trying to employ that, or at least say it as a
mantra "When I miss home, I stop missing home and be awesome, or
experience something awesome here instead". But it takes effort.
That is what I'm learning. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: green; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";">Looking to the positive.
There are some really great people here. I got to walk through the
rain today and it was nice. I whistled "if all the raindrops were
lemon drops and gum drops...". I had a fun conversation today with a
girl I had previously judged/been intimidated by. Edgar made me scrambled
eggs and toast for breakfast. Eyleen is feeling better. Tomorrow
vamos a la playa (we're going to Tamarindo) for the weekend.</span><span lang="ES-TRAD" style="color: green; font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";">I have to write and
tell you that tonight the church service was wonderful. It wasn't even so
much the service as it was meeting Luis, who works for Verítas and attends this
church. He also leads a bible study with like 30 tico students each week
that I want to go to. And all in español. =D </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3366ff; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-family: "Bookman Old Style"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Bookman Old Style";"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3366ff; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 21px;">I
almost started crying when we entered the church today in hearing the voices of
followers being lifted up to the heavens... I have missed that so dearly.
The two girls from Fox went too, along with another girl I'm really
growing to like and respect and girl and a boy that I just met. But
goodness, mom. I can see potential for making tico friends through
church. There's this service on thursdays, the bible study on tuesdays,
and Luis pointed out a church near my house that is supposed to be a lot of
fun. Anndd he has a bunch of Spanish Christian music he's willing to
share. It was like jumping in a lake- so refreshing and comforting to be
with people of the same faith again. It was the taste of something
beautiful, and meeting Luis, having this connection and experience, is a shine
of hope for these next 3 months. <b>Por fin! </b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3366ff; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 21px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #3366ff; font-family: 'Bookman Old Style'; font-size: 21px;"><b>So this is just a testimony of how God answers prayers, and how hope comes in community. Ah, lovely.</b></span></div>
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<br />Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-33885735120621234642012-09-17T19:41:00.000-07:002012-09-17T19:41:04.049-07:00Puerto Viejo<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Empezé esta entrada hace
una semana, pues voy a terminarla, y también escribir sobre este fin de
semana.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ay, es mucho.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Hola! Tengo tanto
que quiero compartir!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Este fin de
semana (7-9 de sep.) fue bien interesante.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Experimentaba muchas cosas nuevas, hice unas amigos nuevos, y todavía no
estoy segura como siento sobre todo que vi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todo este es vago, pues voy a explicar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">El viernes salimos en autobús para Puerto Viejo que
es un pueblo en la costa sur-este de Costa Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pues, es el caribe, y allí es verano ahora. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Por eso, hacía mucho sol y calor, y no
había lluvia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puerto Viejo tiene
gran influencia afro-caribeño, pues había música de reggae y mucha gente con
‘dreads’ que andan en bicicleta y fuman pot y parecen tan chivas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Es un pueblo pequeña, caminamos la calle
principal varios veces.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hay un
mercado en la calle todos los días, es como una feria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Una noche, mientras Raqi y yo
caminábamos, conocimos a una mujer que nos llamaba Mami, y era bien
amable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nos mostraba su trabajo- tallas
de una fruta grande, y mucha joyería.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Cuando pasábamos otra vez por su carpa, compartimos el chocolate oscuro
que compramos, y hablábamos un ratito más.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>En Puerto Viejo, hay
unos clubes y discotecas, y bailábamos en la playa afuera de una discoteca que
se llama Johnny’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>También,
bailamos adentro una vez, y tocaban la música popular de los EEUU para todos
los estadounidenses, y bailábamos como locos, que es nuestro costumbre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Era magnífico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ustedes saben como a mi me fascina
bailar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pues, bailamos
la noche de viernes y sábado, y aunque no tomaba alcohol, bailaba con tanto
entusiasmo que un muchacho de mi grupo me preguntó si me gusta tomar…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>me reí.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">El sábado, busceamos, y al comenzar, no me gustó
mucho, pero al salir del grupo un poquito, estar callada, y nadar suavemente y tranquila
por la habitación de los peces, aprecia mucho la oportunidad de entrar su
mundo, la bendición de estar con ellos y ver este mundo, este manera de vivir,
que usualmente no puedo ver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yo se
que pertenezco sobre la tierra, y ellos pertenecen en el mar, y por eso era
lindísimo estar en su mundo por un ratito.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Esa noche, las chicas y yo (no podemos encontrar a Mateo)
comimos en una restaurante que me sirvo un jugo de piña que me hizo llorar
porque era tan riquisisisisisísima.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nos divertimos mucho durante esa cena.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>El domingo,
desayunamos otra vez en una restaurante- gallo pinto con huevos, pan, y jugo
(siempre hay tanto desayuno)- y fuimos a una playa se llama Punta Uva.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Esta playa fue la más bonita que había
visto aquí en Costa Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Había mucho
sol (porque es verano en la costa este) y jugábamos Frisbee, caminábamos en el
‘slackline’, y muchos bañaban en el océano.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yo estaba contenta quedarme seca.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, y allí, Mateo subió una palma bien alta y obtuvo un
coco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Antes de salir de
Puerto Viejo, las chicas, una mujer que es profesora aquí de Nueva York, y yo
almorzamos en un restaurante que se llama Veronica’s Place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Era bien decorado y bonito con plantas
y colores brillantes, y nos sirvieron comida vegetariana y vegan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fue perfecto para el viaje largo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nos disfrutamos mucho la presencia de
una a otra y el ambiente del restaurante.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Entonces, nos
divertimos en el viaje de autobús, que duró como 4-5 horas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ahora, este no es mucho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Los cuatro de nosotros compartíamos
auriculares para la música (de Imaginar Dragonas y más) y bailábamos y
cantábamos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y dormíamos y teníamos
la oportunidad de salir del autobús para caminar un puente sobre el Río Sucio
que era bien impresionante.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me
hizo recordar Deception Pass de Burlington, Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Es bien grande y poderoso (y de color
café), y también me hizo pensar en Dios y cuan grande es Él, y cuan bonita es
su creación.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ah, pues, la última
cosa para este fin de semana que recuerdo es que Eyleen me preparó una cena
perfecta esa noche: remolacha, brócoli, un huevo, papas, y arroz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p> *^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^*^^^*^***^*^**^^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^**^</o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;"><o:p>
<!--StartFragment-->
</o:p></span></div>
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I started this entry a week ago, so I’m going to finish is
and then write about this weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ay, it is a lot.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Hola!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have so
much I want to share!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last weekend (sept. 7-9) was really interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
experienced a lot of new things, made some new friends, and still am not sure
how I feel about everything I saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is all vague, so I’ll explain.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Friday
we left by bus for Puerto Viejo which is a beach town in the southeast of Costa
Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the Caribbean, it is
summer now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of this, it
was really sunny and warm, and it didn’t rain- not once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Puerto Viejo has a grand afro-Caribbean
influence, so there was reggae music and many people with dreads who rode
bicycles and smoked pot and seemed really chill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a small town- we walked the main drag many times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a street market every
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One night, as Raqi and I were
walking along, we met a woman who called us ‘mami’ (which is what they call
girls *papi is for boys), and she was really sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She showed us her work which were carved pieces of some kind
of large, dried fruit, and a lot of jewelry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we passed by her tent again we shared with her some
dark chocolate we had bought, and talked a bit more.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In
Puerto Viejo, there are some clubs and discothèques, and we danced outside one
that was literally just off the beach (so we danced on the sand and in the
ocean a bit).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also danced
inside for a while as they played American pop for the people from the US.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We danced like crazies, as is custom
for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was magnificent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You all know how I love to dance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We danced both Friday and Saturday
night, and although I didn’t drink at all, a muchacho from our group asked me
if I liked to... I laughed.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Saturday,
we snorkled, and at first, I didn’t like it because I felt like I was invading
the home of these fish, but after separating from the group a bit, being quiet,
and swimming softly and calmly through the home of the fish, I really
appreciated the opportunity to enter into their world- what a blessing to be
with them and see this world, this way of living which I usually wouldn’t be
able to see.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that I belong
above the earth, and they belong in the sea, and for this it was beautiful to
be in their world for a while.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That night, the girls and I (we couldn’t find Mateo) ate in a restaurant
that served me the first <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">jugo de piña </i>(thick
pineapple juice) that brought me to tears because it was just that incredibly
sensational.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We really enjoyed
ourselves at that meal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
servers were on TicoTime, so as we waited (for nearly the whole meal) for our
last set of silverware, we all took turns eating with the two sets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Sunday
we ate breakfast in a restaurant- gallo pinto with eggs, bread, and juice
(there is always plenty of breakfast)- and we went to a beach called Punta
Uva.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This playa was the most
beautiful that I had seen in Costa Rica.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sun shone all morning and we played Frisbee, we walked the
slackline, and a good chunk of the group swam in the ocean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was content to stay dry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, and Mateo climbed a tall palm tree
and got a coconut.</div>
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<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before
leaving Puerto Viejo, the girls, a woman who is a professor here from New York,
and I had lunch in a restaurant called Veronica’s Place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was beautifully decorated with
plants and brilliant colors, and they served us vegetarian and vegan food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was perfect for the long trip
ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We really enjoyed the
company and the ambiance of the crunchy restaurant.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Then,
we entertained ourselves on the bus ride of 4-5 hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, this isn’t much for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The four of us shared earphones to
listen to music (Imagine Dragons and more) and we danced and sang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we slept and had the opportunity to
get off the bus to walk a bridge over the Río Sucio (Dirty River) which was so
impressive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminded me of
Deception Pass in Burlington, WA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is really large and powerful (and brown), and it also made me think
of God and how big He is, and how beautiful is His Creation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Ah,
so the last thing I remember about this weekend is that Eyleen prepared a
perfect dinner for me that night: beets, brocolli, an egg, potatoes, and rice.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So it has been a lot to absorb: delicious food experiences,
beautiful sights of the natural world, beautiful people everywhere, and
wonderful fun in just celebrating life and independence and youth and newness.</div>
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Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-24010658072156236762012-09-06T16:20:00.001-07:002012-09-06T16:20:49.902-07:00Here is an excerpt from a email I sent to a friend:<br />
<br />
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The family I am living with is a young family- two kids- a 10 year old girl and a 5
year old boy, and the youngest has just completely accepted me as a playmate
since I got here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The girl is a
little more cautious, but I think we’re growing on each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is sweet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is incredible how the family dynamic is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eyleen (the mama) with always call for
Ayleen (the daughter) to have her help her with something in the kitchen or
what not, and Ayleen will always respond, “Señora?” and then “Ya voy”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And little Christian calls her Señora
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And sometimes they call them
mami and papi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Eyleen is
serving me so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s sweet,
but kind of weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know
exactly how to handle it, but she cooks two meals a day for us, does my
laundry, and says “tranquila!” every time I start cleaning... ha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to be a help instead of another
child to take care of, because goodness, I’m 20 and she’s only like 29.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Anyway, it has also been great to hang out with the people
from GFU I came down with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
girl has the best sense for sympathy- she is able to meet people where they
are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She runs, so she’s always
cheery, and the only reason I’ve been frustrated with her is for not getting us
back to the house very quickly when we were out for a run, and that is only
because I tired and didn’t want to run anymore, even though I knew it was good
for me... haha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She ran a marathon
this summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Mateo has been
hilarious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He makes us laugh so
much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the man among many
females here, so he has watched a few girly movies and youtube flashmob
marriage proposals and rolled his eyes while we cry and then said, “Ay,
mujeres.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hah, but it is
great.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we’ve been dancing
here!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Us four gringos all like to
dance to Waka Waka en español as well as this song called “Vamos a la playa”...
ha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So we’ve had dance parties in
almost every place we’ve been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
the kids of my family love to dance, and they’re good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have been playing Just Dance for
years it seems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goodness, but things are going well,
obviously- much good news.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And when I think about how I wish some things were a little
different, I remember that the people here are wonderful, and that’s the most
you could ask for- what else do you need?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ha, and daylight?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, it gets light at like 5, 5:30 maybe and so I usually wake up
early, and then sometimes it will get sunny for a while but it usually clouds
over by noon if not earlier, and then it usually rains that tropical rain for
hours starting as early as one or two... ha.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But even with this, in staying in one city for a few days,
I’m seeing variations in the daily weather patterns, which is cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two days ago it was a chill day, didn’t
get hot really, just stayed cloudy and rained pretty much all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday, it was clear and sunny for
most of the day, and I think it just sprinkled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it gets dark around 6pm, so we’re inside by then because
we’re not supposed to be out at night I guess..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, yeah, it’s cool here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A difference I think even bigger than the climate is going
from rural to Urban.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is really
concrete-filled here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are
plants on every house front and big trees, and parks in the middle of the city,
but it is very much city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>:]</div>
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Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-23000772616608436302012-09-05T21:50:00.000-07:002012-09-05T21:50:02.925-07:00<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;">
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</span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">¡Saludos!
Espero que todos estén de bien salud de cuerpo, mente, y alma. Hace
casi una semana que he escrito acá, y mucho ha pasado. Todos estamos acostumbrándonos
a vivir acá. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Pues, el domingo
fuimos a La Feria mi mamatica, Raqi, Rebekah, y yo, y esta vez fue diferente.
Rentamos un carrito y lo llenamos con muchísimas frutas y verduras.
Mi mamatica, Eyleen, compró todas sus frutas y verduras para la semana
para su familia, y también las que quería su mamá para su familia. Y
compré unas cosas- vainicas, brócoli, chicharro, pimientos dulces, y aguacates-
pero todavía fue agobiante.. Estoy contenta tener este rutina ahora, siento más
control. Lo que ha estado difícil es la falta de control. Este es
una de las razones porque me encanta vivir a George Fox: puedo tener control
total sobre mi vida... pero yo se que necesito liberar estas cosas a Dios,
porque en realidad El ya tiene control. Quiero someterme a Dios. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Pues, quizá será
más fácil trabajar hacia atrás. Hoy, fui a clase, y a mi me encantó.
El temblor interrumpió la clase, y salimos para afuera por un tiempo.
Mientras esperando, disfrutamos el calor del sol y platicamos.
Regresamos a clase y discutimos los temblores. Esto fue la primera
vez que he experimentado un temblor. Pero fue muy interesante hablar con
mis amigos japoneses sobre los temblores y desastres naturales. Pasamos
parte de clase en el aire libre, leyendo fábulas en grupos, y después hicimos
presentaciones y al fin, debatimos la legalización de drogas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Después de clases, decidimos
caminar hasta San Pedro, y mientras caminar hacia atrás, la tormenta empezó.
Llovía mucho, como siempre, pero agradecimos de tener las sombrillas para
mantenernos secas... pero no. Aparentemente, no se como usar una sombrilla,
porque me mojó mucho.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pero no me
importaba, disfrutaba la lluvia y brincaba en los charcos, bailando.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>¡Y esto!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>¡Un carro nos pasó y me salpicó hasta mi cara!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>¡Que diversión!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Creo que esto fue la primera vez que
pasó conmigo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>También, encontramos
una tienda de té, se llama TeaLand de Costa Rica, y con humildad, pedimos
permisión entrar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fue
magnífico!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compré té de sabor
rooibos piña colada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ay, a mi me
encanta Rooibos, porque sabe como té negro, tiene un fuerte sabor, pero no
tiene cafeína.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y tuve que comprar
el té de sabor piña colada porque esto es mi sabor favorito.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">También, utilicé un teléfono
público hoy por la primera vez.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Fue difícil, pero lo logramos por unos momentos gracias a Raqi y Mateo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y mi amiga me llamó en el teléfono público…
sentía como en este episodio de <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Chico
Conoce el Mundo, </i>el episodio, “And Then There Was Shawn”, cuando Eric
contesta el teléfono público..<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Que mas?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pues, como ya escribí, estamos acostumbrándonos
a la vida acá, la ‘pura vida’ como dicen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Me caen bien los estudiantes que estoy conociendo, estamos explorando
poco a poco la ciudad, toda la gente costarricense es muy amable, y siento bien
bendecida estar acá.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todavía
siento raro, como no pertenezco acá, pero es la misma de ir a la universidad por
la primera vez- con tiempo, ojala, va a sentir más como su hogar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Y ayuda mucho conocer a otros
estudiantes internacionales que probablemente tienen sentimientos similares, o
que sienten bien con su situación.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">También, hoy, por la
primera vez bailé en mi cuarto, que tiene piso de madera con espacio abajo para
que puede brincar fácilmente, y cuando puse mis calcetines, encontré que puede
ser muy resbaladizo =P.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Este es
bueno para el baile que me gusta hacer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times;">Unas cosas más: ayer,
jugamos Ultimate Frisbee en el parque que esta cerca a la universidad, y fue
terrífico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Desfortunadamente,
ahora me duelen mis pies porque jugué sin zapatos en el concreto caliente…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pero fue increíble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ay!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>También, tuvimos la primer clase de baile anoche, y casi no
iba a irme, pero mi mamatica me dijo que debo ir, pues fui, y esto también fue
magnífico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nos divertimos mucho
mirar, tratar cualquier baile, y reírse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Casi todos los estudiantes internacionales se fueron a la clase, y si,
fue magnífico.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ustedes saben como
me encanta bailar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Además, tuve la
oportunidad de seguir leyendo mi librito <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mi
Lado de la Montaña, </i>y este me hace sentir muy bien.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>También, oí una canción de James Taylor
en una programa en la tele, y me motivó poner la música suave antes de
dormirme, pues, me acosté bien contenta anoche.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tenía mucho paz.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Y ahora, es la hora otra vez de acostarme.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, y en clase hoy, la profesora nos dijo, “¿Qué es, mi
amor?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Que diferente, ¿no?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pero que linda. =)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span lang="ES-TRAD" style="font-family: Times; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: ES-TRAD; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pues, ¡hasta pronto!</span><!--EndFragment-->
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Greetings!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hope that all are healthy in body, mind, and soul. It has been almost a week
since I last wrote here, and much has happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are all getting used to living here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Sunday, my mamatica, Raqi, Rebekah and I went to the
Farmer’s Market, and this time it was different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We rented a shopping cart and filled it with tons of fruit
and vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My mamatica,
Eyleen, bought all her food for our family for a week plus the food that her
mom wanted for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her </i>family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I bought a few things- green beans,
broccoli, peas, bell peppers, and avocadoes- but it was still
overwhelming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am content to have
this routine now- I feel more control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That is what has been difficult is the lack of control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is one of the reasons why I love
to live at George Fox: I can have total control over my life... but I know that
I need to release these things to God, because in reality He already has
control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to submit myself
to Him.</div>
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Anyway, maybe it will be easier to work backwards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, I went to class and I loved
it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The earthquake interrupted the
class, and we went outside for a time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>While we are waiting, we enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine and
chatted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We returned to class and
discussed earthquakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
the first time I had experienced an earthquake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it was really interesting to talk with my Japonese
friends about earthquakes and natural disasters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We spent part of class outside reading fables in groups,
then we gave presentations, and lastly we debated the legalization of drugs.</div>
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After class, we decided to walk to San Pedro, and while
walking back, the daily storm began.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It rained a lot, as always, but we were appreciative to have our
umbrellas to keep us dry... not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Apparently, I don’t know how to use an umbrella, because I got really
wet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I didn’t care; I enjoyed
the rain and bounced in the puddles, dancing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And this!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A car
passed us with a grand splash, refreshing my face with a generous portion of
sweet, clear liquid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such
fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe this is the first
time that this has happened to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Also, we found a tea store called Tea Land of Costa Rica, and with much
humility for our wetness, we asked permission to enter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was wonderful!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bought Rooibos Piña Colada tea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love Rooibos, because it tastes like
black tea- it has a strong flavor- but it doesn’t have caffeine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I had to buy the one with piña
colada in it, because this is my favorite tropical flavor. </div>
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Also, I used a payphone today for the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was hard, but we were successful for
a few moments thanks to Raqi and Mateo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And my friend<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>called me on
the payphone... I felt like I was in that episode of Boy Meets World – And then
there was Shawn- when Eric answers the payphone....</div>
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What more?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Well, like a already wrote, we are acculturating ourselves to the life
here, the pure life as they say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
like the students that I’m meeting, we are exploring the city little by little,
all the Costa Rican people are very friendly, and I feel very blessed to be
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still feel weird, like I
don’t belong here, but it is the same as going to college for the first time,
right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With time, God willing, it
is going to feel more like one’s home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And it helps a lot to meet other international students that probably
feel similarly, or who feel good with their situation.</div>
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Also, today, for the first time I danced in my room, which
has a wooden floor with give, and when I put on my socks, I found this wooden
floor to be quite slippery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
is great for the dancing I like to do.</div>
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A few more things: yesterday, we played Ultimate Frisbee in
the park that is near the university and it was terrific.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, now the bottoms of my
feet hurt from running around barefoot on that hot concrete... but it was
incredible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, we had the first
dance class at the university last night, and I almost didn’t go, but Eyleen told
me I should, so I did, and this too was magnificent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We all had much fun watching, trying this and that dance,
and laughing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Almost all the
international students attended this class, and yes, it was wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know how I love to dance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally, I had the opportunity to
read some more of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Side of the
Mountain, </i>and this always makes me feel well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And more, I heard a James Taylor song on a TV program which
motivated me to put on soft music before sleeping, so, all to say, I went to
bed very content last night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
felt a lot of peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And now, it
is the hour again to go to bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Oh, and in class today, my professor responded to us, “Qué es, mi amor?”
(What is it, my love?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
different, no?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But how sweet. =)</div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Hasta pronto!</span><!--EndFragment-->
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Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-86947170967254756112012-08-31T22:33:00.001-07:002012-08-31T22:33:06.511-07:00Y vamos a Costa Rica¡Pura Vida! <br />
Hace una semana que lleguemos en San Jose, Costa Rica. Todo ha sido un poco loco porque somos cuatro extranjeros sin entendimiento de los sistemas de este país. Pero casi cada experiencia ha sida positiva en una manera porque he aprendido de cada experiencia. Como, casi faltamos nuestro viaje de avion hasta Costa Rica por no dar buena atencion (y por dejar mi celular y cargadora en el aeropuerto), lleguemos a Costa Rica por la noche- la oscuridad y la lluvia y la confusion de no saber cuando iba a venir un taxi para nosotros, decidimos sacar $50 en colones del banco pero sacamos $200 en colones por accidente, tomamos un taxi hasta una estacion de autobus para salir a la playa pero tuvimos que tomar otro taxi para ir al otro estacion correcta... pero todo ha salido bien. <br />
<br />
Disfrutí mucho esta semana con mis amigos de GFU. Ya experimentamos mucho juntitos, pasamos casi cada momento juntos, los cuatro, y ya he aprendido más sobre cada persona y sobre mi misma. <br />
<br />
Este semana pasamos como un día en San Jose y salimos por Quepos que es un pueblo cerca de unas playas bonitas. Caminamos mucho en estos días. Nos damos desayuno en el hostel, compramos frijoles de la bolsa, aguacates, espinaca, pepino, pan, y tortillas para hacer almuerzos, Oh! y bananas! Por supuesto. Y siempre cenamos en restaurante. Nunca he comido tanto frijoles y arroz. Pero a mi me encanta gallo pinto. Ay, la comida =] Siempre me levanta el ánimo.<br />
<br />
Pues, anoche nos quedamos todos en la casa que me voy a quedarme en este semestre, y porque no habia 4 camas, Mateo durmió en otro cuarto. Fue refrescante pasar la noche con solo las chicas. Se me olvido como es.<br />
<br />
Y ahora, todos estan en sus propios casas, yo en la mía, en mi dormitorio hermosisimo, y espero dormir y descansar bien la mente, la alma, y el cuerpo este fin de semana. A ver que pasa.<br />
<br />
Y quiero hacer nota: mi mamatica nos preparó panqueques esta mañana, y me prepararan una cena muy rica esta noche con ensalada sabrosa y toda. Ay.<br />
<br />
Pues, hay mucho que quiero compartir, pero ya me cansé, y no se si puedo escribir más contento bueno.<br />
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Traduccion:<br />
<br />
Pure Life!<br />
<br />
It has been a week since we arrived in San Jose, Costa Rica. Everything has been a little crazy because we are four foreigners without understanding of the systems of this country. But almost every experience has been positive in some way because I have learned from every experience. Like, we almost missed our flight to Costa Rica for not paying attention (and for leaving my cell and charger plugged in in the airport), we arrived in Costa Rica at night- in the darkness, the rain, and the confusion of not knowing when the taxi would come for us, we decided to take out $50 in <i>colones</i> from the bank but we took out $200 in <i>colones </i>on accident, we took a taxi to the bus station to go to the beach but we had to take another taxi to another bus station- the right one... but everything has gone well.<br />
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I really enjoyed this week with my friends from GFU. We have already experienced much together, we have spent almost every moment together, the four of us, and I have already learned more about each person and myself.</div>
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This week we spent about a day in San Jose and then left for Quepos which is a beach town. We walked much these days. They fed us breakfast in the hostel (always gallo pinto<rice&beans&seasonings> and tropical fruit), we bought beans in a bag, avocadoes, spinach, cucumber, bread, and tortillas to make lunches. Oh! and bananas! Of course. And we always had dinner out. I have never eaten so many beans and rice. But I love gallo pinto. Ay, the food =] It always lifts me up.</div>
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Well, last night we all stayed in my homestay house, and because there weren't 4 beds, Mateo slept in another room. It was refreshing to spend the night with just the girls. I had forgotten how that is.</div>
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And now, all are in their proper houses, I in mine, in my lovliest bedroom, and I hope to sleep and rest well my mind, soul, and body this weekend. We'll see how it goes.</div>
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And I want to make this note: my homestay mom prepared pancakes for us this morning, and she and Edgar cooked and served a rich dinner tonight with delicious salad and everything. And I really do want to help because I feel like she really is serving me so much, and the only person who has done that so much is my mom, so it is hard to accept (much less expect) that from anyone else. Ay.</div>
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So, there is much I want to share, but I'm tired, and I don't know if I can write succinctly and well.</div>
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<br />Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-53321112540594867602012-08-08T15:24:00.000-07:002012-08-17T22:40:01.251-07:00A really passionate personal statement...At this moment, I am a bit frustrated, as to how people wear the Christian label don't feel the need to do what Jesus did. Especially after they have heard that this is what true following of Christ is/looks like by reading Shane Claiborne's <em>Irresistable Revolution. </em><br />
<em></em>I feel like I've been hearing these ideas of simple living, of becoming poor to promote the Kingdom. However, people who have read this book say they love it, yet their lifestyle appears less affected in areas. It is this materialism and misunderstanding of beauty, this distorted truth that has infected many of us here. And I'm noticing the infection. <br />
What Jesus are they meeting in their quiet times? When they open the Bible, they are receiving God's all-encompassing love and compassion. <br />
My critiques aside, this they do: they love one another and try to speak truth into each other's lives. They meet each other where they are. When a concern is expressed, it is met with equal concern and an effort to look to God for the answer. <br />
<br />
And I am talking to myself here too. Because I have yet to give away everything I have and only take what I need. I have yet to take to the streets to love on houseless people. <br />
<br />
Maybe I am called to be a radical, a person who lives simply from the start of adulthood. Maybe because I'm in my youth and because I'm priveledged enough to be reading books by Wendell Berry and Lisa McMinn and Shane Claiborne, to be studying in a university, to have traveled up a state and been provided for and completely blessed by a community of truth-seeking, God-glorifying, GOOD people, to have the option of continuing studying for two more years in a university or to choose something else, to not have a family I am trying to provide for, to live in a fertile land, to know that my mom will take care of me when I come home, to have a safety cushion of money in 'my' bank account, to be of the skin color that isn't generally discriminated against, so to be rich and be able to contemplate giving it all away for the sake of His Kingdom.... maybe because of all of this I am different. I have tasted and seen that the Lord is GOOD. I have visions of simple, purposeful, beautiful living. I have these dreams; these dreams have been forming over the past few years, and now that I'm seeing and hearing about communities where my dreams are reality, at least practiced, I'm becoming convinced that I can go join in with people who are of similar mindset. I'm also thinking maybe I should study community development. I've never been interested in politics. It seems politics are the surface discussion of the true relationships (both broken and strong) underlying, which is where all the action is. I want to sit below the politics with those who are just living and maybe trying to voice their opinion through votes if they think it will make a greater good difference. Maybe I want to live off-the-grid. I pledge allegiance, my life, to God. I want to serve His creation with all that I am, in the place where I am needed.<br />
<br />
Maybe other people are called to other things.<br />
<br />
As I'm writing this, I'm realizing, "goodness I'm getting passionate about this here", but also, "I think this summer with Tierra Nueva may be changing my life". And it should. Ah, Lord, I don't want to get wrapped up in thinking that everything at Tierra Nueva or The Simple Way or Punta Mona Eco-Village is perfect, but I want to keep learning how they work and what I can incorporate into the places I know best, or maybe into places I will grow to know. I feel like at this point, I have a lot of ideas in my head, a lot of things I've learned about just living- at least about just consumerism. And with these, I can change some of my own destructive habits, and I can promote just practices, but I haven't figured out how to create change on any bigger scale. I'm starting with 'being the change I wish to see in the world', but I tell you, I'm tired. And it is hard when you're tired.<br />
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Here are my ideas of that: First, let me say that at this point I believe that one way to heal the world (in some regard) is to develop small community-based living. Many places in the world already do this, but most of the Western world has (I think) overdeveloped in the sense of trying to be so united as such a large group of people, and so trying to take care of everyone through an overhead system of government where we place our hope and trust in the dollar <br />
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(not in God, as it says on the dollar. You know, that is really interesting. Whoever created the dollar design probably knew that people would grow to put their faith in our currency instead of in God's provision, and (s)he wanted to remind us as we look at our dollar we earned (or stole) with pride and comfort, that money will only get usso far- God will ultimately provide for all our needs and take us to paradise with Him.) <-- I digress. <br />
So as we've overdeveloped, industrialized, mass-produced, efficiency and pleasure-based our lives, I think the people of my class and generation have come to put our trust in the educational system, where we will be equipped (with a college degree) to perform in a career that will provide financial stability for us (and our families), and with this, we will be able to enjoy life and make it just fine. Goodness, but I want more than that! There is such better life! Something I just came to understand recently, is that education is meant to teach us things that we will be useful in our lives. So in highschool when a student asks his calc teacher, "When am I ever going to use this?", and the teacher doesn't have a reasonable answer, the student should decide to drop the class and take something useful. And in college, we shouldn't drag ourselves through classes that both don't interest and don't apply to us, just to fulfill credits. I'm becoming more and more convinced that my mom was right when she said I should go to a trade school. It fits in with my idealic community life. Another critique (I'm full of them): somewhere along the industrialism and wreckage of simple lives, our population grew, and people, not living in agricultural communites anymore found themselves out of work and so started businesses that were before unnecessary to society. Now we have many people working full-time (which is too much of a person's life if you ask me) in jobs that are unnecessary, and I would almost say, don't matter. And we have many people out of work, because there aren't enough jobs to be done. And yet, with all these jobs filled, we are still in economic trouble at large... ay. This is too much. Goodness, all to say, we have overdeveloped and have a lot of 'reverse-progress' that needs to be made in order to heal our society. <br />
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<insert> I recently learned (from Heather) that because I am 20 years old, I have this great passion and I see truth and the truth I see is right and I want to tell the world that and I want to live that because I have such energy and opportunity and life in front of me. And I don't have a life's worth of experience, but I think I have learned from others and books and nature and God enough for now to have these ideas be worthy of posting on a blog. <br />
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<other note> As I was sharing of the importance of buying organic and supporting local farmers who are doing good for the land and the workers by protecting and sustaining their health with some friends here, I learned an important lesson. Bethany Hively has spent the last few months doing college ministry with campus crusades for Christ, and her passion lies there in missions and evangelism, and so she wants to put all of herself (including her money) into this. She thinks she can't afford to support organic, local vegetable farmers- that isn't her passion. And this is okay. This is why God gave us different passions: so we can support what is good over a broad spectrum and share that goodness with our community and world. So I can support organic farmers, she can support missions, Heather can support theater camps for kids, etc. <br />
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Ideally, this is how an intentional community should work. People bring their skills and passions, and make a community thrive and live justly. Some grow the organic veggies and fruits and herbs, some care for the sheep and chickens and cows, some prepare the food, sheer the sheep, process the wool, build and repair structures, care for the children, etc, and then when the day's work is done, they all play together, make music, and feast. I feel like I'm missing some necessary jobs on that list, but not many... Ah, education? I suppose that would go with child-care. And they all share what they have because they trust each other, and they trust in God to provide for their needs.<br />
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Man, this is long. But this is all I'll burden you with for now.<br />
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<br />Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-89194537552065086982012-08-08T14:48:00.001-07:002012-08-08T14:48:11.581-07:00An ode to Tierra Nueva, and the continuing of nuestra aventuraWhat can I say about <em>Tierra Nueva</em>? The three months I spent in Washington were beautiful and made a great impact on ways I view life and justice and food... <br />
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Things that stand out to me: <br />
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soaking during worship, <br />
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Holly from Faith House dancing like a child, waving a banner and laughing like a sprite as she skipped around while we sang, <br />
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Chuckie coming like an angel as I wept in realization of the long physical separation of myself with the Hernandez family that had just begun, and then visiting me again and again, one time saying, "I ain't never been afraid of anything. You tell me I can't fly? I'll show you just how far I can. The only fear I have is of the Lord."<br />
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The concern on Salvio and Victoria's faces as they told me, "Sigue en tus estudios, y cuando te graduas, vete aca otro vez, y vamos a verte". (<em>continue studying and when you graduate you can come here and we'll see you</em>) They believe college education is important, and want me to take advantage of this as they didn't have that chance.<br />
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Playing Pato Pato Ganzo at the lake on my last day of farm.<br />
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Being entertained on the rising log in the lake with good friends.<br />
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Being supported, welcomed, and loved in every interaction with friends...<br />
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Ay, there is too much. I'll just say that the last week I spent in Burlington was wonderful. Moments were savored, prayers were raised, and I was surrounded in love. I want to share more, pero ya me canse. So I will write more. It will comeJamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-53238795480330316752012-07-22T11:14:00.002-07:002012-07-22T11:14:37.293-07:00Yes, andHello. So I know it has been a long time since I last wrote, but my excuse is that so many things have been happening and I wanted to give them all their proper space here, and up until now I haven't been able to articulate it all. With that said, I will proceed to update you on the most important experiences of late.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcqEChScVuE/UALvpAagr3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/x61vir3zxCk/s1600/483066_10150893172321581_2035147502_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VcqEChScVuE/UALvpAagr3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/x61vir3zxCk/s200/483066_10150893172321581_2035147502_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>First let me start with the baby announcement. I had the enormous blessing of being able to be with my sister, Jackie, as she endured the process of labor and gave birth to a little girl whose name is Marli Jae. It was the most beautiful process. She was composed as ever, through the entire pregnancy, and now she is handling motherhood with natural instinct and care, and gladly receiving help from Devan and Mom and friends, I'm sure. <br />
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Then after a lovely week-long visit with family in Oregon, I returned to Tierra Nueva. Things have been going so well. A grand blessing it has been to live here in the TN building with Amanda, Hannah Joy, and Larry. It is like college with very much freedom, very much fun, and very little homework. I've just been getting to know some really incredible people as they open themselves and their stories to share and explore reality, and idealism, and practices of living and playing.. God set up this living situation for sure. <br />
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Goodness, and although I'm missing Hannah Mae and Laura (and family, of course), new faces and stories are here and there is so much to learn every day. What a rich life. Talking with Heather, who is also in an 'alternate reality' it seems as she is living on the East Coast with people who were strangers to her just a few weeks ago, she agrees that life is rich and exciting in these communities who are choosing to live outside the mainstream. It has just been so interesting to me to see how these adults work and play, and I think a lot of their enjoyment comes in their work, because it is a serving and fulfilling work- much of it is ministry. And this gets me thinking, I think I want my life to look like this. I want to be doing necessary 'work' that is helping people and the rest of creation and enjoying being in relationship with the people I work with, and therefore, live life with. It seems that many people focus their feel-good energies outside of their work, and try to live life between 5pm and 9am. But really, for one thing, God pleas with us from the beginning to give rest to ourselves, our souls, our bodies, and even the land. He knows we get so caught up in our productivity and work and that we will push our bodies and emotions and the land to the limit before we let it rest. He knows what is best for us, and I have a feeling that resting our bodies and minds one day a week is really healthy and restoring for us. Someone said recently, taking a Sabbath means that first, you practice 'being' instead of 'doing'. God created us as human beings not human doings. Second, you do something that feeds your soul. <i>Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him... He is my fortress; I will never be shaken. *Psalm 62* </i><br />
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Oh, the power of YES. Dave has been teaching us all these improv games and speaking about the power of saying "Yes". When you say "Yes" you are accepting someone's offer. Saying "yes" is affirming, encouraging, empowering to both parties. We say, "Yes, and.." and then having given affirmation of an idea to someone, you can be vulnerable to their response as you ask something. It is just something I've been thinking about recently, and as such I've been being careful in giving negative responses. It is hard to give negative responses because you can see how it can discourage the other person. <br />
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Transitioning now to the farm- things have been getting busier as God is causing the fruits of the plants to ripen. We have been weeding and harvesting like crazy. I wish I had pictures for you, <i>pero mi camera no sirve ahora. </i>Today, Grace (a new intern from the Dakotas and Wisconsin) and I harvested <i>chicharro </i>(peas) from 9am-12:30pm, and still didn't make it through all the vines. We also have been spending ample time communing with the raspberry bushes, eating as we go, and these have given us two scrumptious pies and goodness, just today, a woman named Kristen made a chocolate cake with raspberries all up <i>en su negocios / </i>in it. That was incredible. And we have plump rows of various kale, huge bunches of lettuce that I hear will soon expire (Ah no!), beautiful heads of green and purple cabbage, tasty flowers of brocolli, and turnips ready for creaming. <br />
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<br /></div>Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-63353921913385288652012-06-16T21:43:00.004-07:002012-06-16T21:43:44.484-07:00Coziness, sun, rain, hard work, reaping rewards, and Mom!Faintly visible streaks of wet dart downward, as puffs are drawn slowly upward. Thousands of plops create a light show in a forest green body. Layers of greens stand firm, nestling a distinctly straight lined, brightly color contrasting, pile of man-made shapes with an electric light beacon. Consistent pattering of rain, a chorus of chirping marked by a singular call coming from a close tree, and wind on water... Surrounded and supported by wood; one rooted, the other carved.<br />
These are beautiful moments here at Hannah's cabin. A shout-out to the Kunde family- thank you for letting us stay in your cozy cabin. <br />
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So, I haven't written in a while, although much has passed that I desire to process and share... Maybe work backwards? Currently, it is Saturday which means harvesting. Today, besides harvesting vegetables, we are also harvesting the fruits of Mom's six hour drive from Portland- mainly that we get to spend time together. This has been wonderful. We were blessed to have a beautifully sunny and warm day yesterday at the farm, w<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">here after a long (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">quizas </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the longest) and hard (</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">quizas </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">the hardest) day of work, Mom arrived to see the farm at its nicest weather-wise. Today, it has rained. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Casi todo el día. </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Nonetheless, both Mom and I worked on the farm all morning, harvesting up some lettuce (new lettuce! no slugs!), brilliant swiss chard (in 4 colors!), potent arugula, great portions of leek scapes, valentine </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">rabano</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> (radishes), and baby bok choy (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Nǐ hǎo</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">). I wore Hannah's yellow rain gear (miss you, Hannah), mom also wore the rain overalls, and it was a wonderful time to introduce Mom to the best parts of life in Mt. Vernon- namely Nico, Salvio, Victoria, Sara, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">y la cosecha </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(harvest). </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Notes: </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">*don't plan to travel through Burlington on Berry Dairy Days... there is hecka traffic from all the visitors who come for this [fair?]. There were carnival rides set in a parking lot off the main street of town. The ferris wheel and Yo-Yo were spinning. ...with nobody riding.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">*apparently, you can temporarily bandage a cut with a wad of dead weeds, and if you do, you look hard-core (as seen in Victoria).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">I have a question: today, mom and I bought food at a Taco truck and ate inside their little dining room, where there was already a full Mexican family dining, and a <i>telenovela </i>playing on the TV. It was pretty quiet in there, and it felt awkward. 1. Why did it feel awkward? 2. Was it just me, or everyone who felt it? 3. How can we break that awkwardness into social connection and community? So three questions, but there they stand.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Goodness, this was all today. Well, yesterday, I learned that I don't want to be a large-scale farmer (hehe, Nico y Hannah). Working on a farm isn't always fun. It can be hard. Yesterday we learned to use the rotatiller, and hilled potatoes using shovels instead of hoes. This summer I've learned, many things are fun until your body gives up on you. Like Victoria says, "<i>Yo quiero ir pero mi cuerpo no quiere." </i>(I want to go but my body doesn't). But through this hard work Victoria and I were able to laugh about how neither of us <i>tenemos ganas de trabajar más</i> (had motivation/desire to work more), but there we were, with two hours left.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Thursday was our day off! And thanks to God, I got to spend it with the Hernandez family. We hiked up a mountain (Salvio kept saying, "<i>Ya estamos cerca!", y "Ya llegamos!", *</i>We're close now!, and We've arrived!* He probably said each ten times) to Fragrance Lake in Chuckanut (I love that name), exhausted our bodies, collapsed in their house (Salvio y yo) while Victoria started dinner. Mmm, and we made <i>pupusas, o gorditas </i>as Salvio calls them. It was so funny to see Salvio stare at Victoria as she prepared the food.. He was really hungry but very patient nonetheless.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">This last week, Nick and Elizabeth invited me to stay in their home as they were away on vacation. Can I tell, you, it is one of the coziest little cottages set in the most beautiful forest on a small mountain. So, they rent the apartment (old basement) from the most incredible woman, named Jenny. I got a chance to talk with her as she invited me upstairs for a slice of rhubarb pie and tea, and I soon discovered that many of her passions and interests line up with mine. However, her wise way comes from having experienced all these things as reality that to me are still dreams and mysteries. To not leave you wondering too much, after retiring, she has traveled extensively through México, through Oaxaca and Zapotec, and has developed relationships with people there and is helping to provide support to a group of female weavers who have this incredible skill and technique but maybe lack opportunity to sell. So she buys their rugs and sells them here in Washington, creating a direct trade and connection for the consumers to meet (through a placard) the women who labored over this functional art. She has lived on this mountain for 40 years, and has crafted her home (originally built by her husband) to be very creative, sentimentally artistic, and engaging. I keep encountering shelves of books in people's homes, and I always look through their choices, partly because I want to see if there's anything I might want to read, but also because a person's reading choices reveals a good amount about their thought processes, and seeing familiar books creates a connection knowing that both of us have experienced the story that author was telling.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">Ahh, so life is still really good. I am blessed richly with loving friends, with the ability to work in fresh air with the most basic and forgotten of God's creation, to rest in a warm, soft place, to eat fresh, "compassionate" food (as Megan Neff would say), and to have a <i>descanso </i>from school and the hectic life that oft will be. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">His mercies are new every morning. His blessings have been also. This vitality is precious, and I'm just trying to find out how to pass that along to others better. To bring light, vibrancy, and life with me. I told Victoria, "<i>Ahorita no me gusta este trabajo, no quiero hacerlo, pero a mi me gusta estar aquí contigo" (</i>Right now I don't like this work, I don't want to do it, but I like being here with you). And she agreed. I think that may be a key part of life, or at least life in this age. Laughter and quality stories make work worth enduring, days worth living. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;">So may you, reader, have a beautiful, life-filled day. If you're at work- be present with your co-workers and enjoy their company as you remember the connection we all have as God's creation, set here to live together and love our neighbor.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Notes from </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Walking Gently Upon the Earth </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">by Lisa McMinn and Megan Neff.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">"Justice involves seeing the world as a place of beauty and potential as well as exploitation and sorrow- and then acting rightly and compassionately in response"(69). </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">In reference to 1 John 3:12-18 she writes: "How could I retrain myself to listen to Abel's cry and respond?" and "I am striving to live a compassionate and loving life, striving to be on the side of Abel, saying no to the systems and structures that Cain established"(63).</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><br /></span><br />Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-56925228760099665262012-06-05T00:05:00.001-07:002012-06-05T00:05:53.143-07:00Feeling overwhelmed again with love.. Things have been wrapping up in part, as Hannah is finishing her time here at Tierra Nueva (she has babysitting jobs the rest of summer), and I am visiting home for a few days, and shall return to live in <i>un lugar nuevo. </i>I have hopes for this new place of living- I'm dreaming up the possibilities, as it is not yet decided.. Anyway, with this wrapping up, Hannah has been having a hard time, feeling like she just got here, and things are just getting to be really good: friendships are becoming solid and so much fun, we just had our first harvest and deliveries, and we cleaned up the little barn today for pick-ups. But, we realize that with saying goodbye comes reflections, and the savoring of words and moments. <br />
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This last week has been absolutely amazing, and Hannah and I have been savoring each moment. We were utterly blessed with a visit from Hannah's friends, Jane and Gil, who are some of the most life-filled, spirit-filled people I've met. Jane is an older woman, but she just goes all day. She is genuinely interested in getting to know a person, their history, their passions, their plans. She can fill a car-ride or a 2-hour lunch and tea or a walk with engaging, uplifting, meaningful conversation. She can change a frustrating, toilsome chore into an entertaining team sport. When we were with her, there was always plenty of laughter. <br />
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<i>La risa... </i>Hannah and I have been laughing each day, so hard. Our spirits are blessed to live in a good-humored community with hilarious people. Each person has their quirks that make us laugh. Salvio, always saying, "Wow", or "Okee", or posing.. Victoria's laughter which is just contagious.. the silly phrases that flow from Sara Jo's lips in her serious tone... Nico's expressions and impressions.. Laura's goofiness.. Hannah's pouty face (above).<br />
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At the farm:<br />
<a href="http://farm.newearthworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN4751-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" class="size-medium wp-image-1228 aligncenter" height="240" src="http://farm.newearthworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/DSCN4751-300x225.jpg" style="border-bottom-color: black; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 3px; border-left-color: black; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 3px; border-right-color: black; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 3px; border-top-color: black; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 3px;" title="DSCN4751" width="320" /></a>Things have been great. I recently learned that I LOVE hilling potatoes. It is such fun. Today, we got to finish weeding and hilling potatoes that we started on Saturday. We finished after an hour or two, and then we began weeding another section- fava beans, peas, and <i>cebolla </i>(onion), not because we had to, but because we just couldn't get enough of <i>sacando la hierba </i>(weeding)! 5pm came, and I had a really hard time pulling myself out of the field because I saw so many weeds encroaching on our little plants and the weather was nice and I was able... But alas, I said goodbye to the fields for a while, reassuring the plants that I hadn't forgotten about them, that I will return to them in a week. As hard as it was to leave the field, I knew the next thing on the agenda would probably be really good, and I had to remember the goodness of the field, move through to the next thing, and trust that all would turn out well. Tonight, it did. Nico suggested we take Hannah out to the Food Co-op for dinner to celebrate her time with us, so we proceeded to place a paper bag over her head and surprise her at the Co-op. All of us from the farm came, in all our dirt from the day of work, and joined for food. After, Hannah and I decided to ride our <i>bicis </i>(bikes) back to the Co-op to get some delish local ice-cream. It was a beautiful time. I love that place, and I love Hannah. <br />
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More about the farm- guess who else loves lettuce besides you and I? <i>Babosas </i>(slugs). <i>Guacala. </i>I can't handle them. I squeal like a little girl almost every time I encounter one. Eek. Especially when there is skin contact.. Anyway, I don't mean to make you squirm, but they have been a big part of my life lately. Luckily, today Hannah and I got to harvest everything else- the leeks, leek scapes, and kale. And we got to take a share home! So pray that these veggies ride well on the train to Portland. It is really rich to harvest beautiful veggies. <br />
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Ah, I also found this incredible weeping willow on the farm, and climbed up into it (of course). It was so comforting to finally have a perfect tree- they can be especially hard to find when most property is private. <br />
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And now it is time to rest up for tomorrow, which should be another beautiful, long, last day for us. Then Wednesday morning we head to Seattle and next to Portland..<br />
Thanks for reading!<br />
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<br />Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-87379394159173028012012-05-27T23:58:00.001-07:002012-05-27T23:58:18.346-07:00On a light note, here are some special moments we've had here, to give you more of a visual.<br />
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Can you guess? First time pumping my own gas. Thank God Hannah was there to help.<br />
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Hannah helps again with promoting healthy habits. Here, flossing every night.</div>
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Here, our first picnic.<br />
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El Gitano- super delicious- huge portions, of course. Vegetarian fajitas.<br />
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Cooking in the kitchen.<br />
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Oh those scones... &<br />
tea: a common occurrence with us. "You keep drinking tea and you can expect to have yellow teeth by the time you're my age," -John (in his fifties)<br />
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When Helping Hurts- one text for our class. It's a very good book so far.<br />
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From inside the barn/shack at the farm. And the man in charge.<br />
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Farm on a sunny day.<br />
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We harvested these leeks! But they were imperfect so they went in the 'YumYum Box' which means we can take them home. I think they are just beautiful.<br />
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First and (likely) last homemade loaf of bread, since we've found a cheap source of quality bread.. =]<br />
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Chopping onions and leeks!<br />
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adventuring off the trail. "You go first, Hannah"<br />
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Farm again:)<br />
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seller at Pike's Place Market in Seattle.<br />
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Really great street performer.<br />
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What? Seattle is green?!<br />
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One of Hannah's favorite places in her hometown.<br />
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Mi dulce bicicleta.<br />
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Strawberry Shortcake and tea on Mother's Day... thinking of Mom.<br />
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The visit of our two good friends!!!! Nick and Clint =]<br />
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Okay. that's all for now.Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-20105431456569327252012-05-27T23:12:00.002-07:002012-05-27T23:12:47.116-07:00Let's see.. what to share? Well, up here, we don't plan so much by weeks, but take each day as it comes. It'll either be a farm day, a Family Support Center day, a class day, a church day, or a free day. <br />
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Ah! Last Wednesday, we got to experience our first rainy cold day at the farm. We finally pulled out the rain gear (including bright pants, boots, jackets, and water-proof overalls for Hannah) and warm fleece shirts. I learned that layering these really helps keep in warmth. We fearlessly braved the rain and trellised the raspberry bushes, then took refuge inside the shack for lunch and practical lessons about ordering seed, and finally emerged and transplanted for another hour. Farming seems to take a LOT of planning and organization. Nick, the 'boss', has multiple intensive spreadsheets listing all the various crops we are to plant for the season by week. It is so bizarrely complex to me. <br />
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More about the farm: It is certified organic, and so it is sustainable in as many ways as possible. We practice crop rotation, so there is a zone that is currently fallow. Also, there are special varieties of crops that have been chosen such as purple cauliflower and golden beets. During the seed ordering lesson we got to look through a catalog with pictures and descriptions of a cornucopia of vegetables! It's funny because they really talk each type up. I saw things I've never seen before in that catalog. I decided I'm going to give it to Marli when she's ready to flip through a book. <br />
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Something new- we have a bee hive (box) at the farm, and they recently opened it up and harvested some honeycomb. It is incredible to see first hand. The honey tastes the same as any other honey, but just trying to understand how these bees operate in their matriarchal society is fascinating. The newborns are in charge of making the honeycomb, and the worker bees are all female. If the queen dies, the bees will make another by choosing a newborn and feeding her until she is larger than the rest. I haven't gone over with the crew when they check on the bees because I'm afraid of getting stung, but maybe someday I'll suit up in bee-gear and brave the hive. <br />
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On Friday we worked again, and it was a gorgeously sunny day. Traded the heavy rain gear for a t-shirt, rolled up pants and bare feet. It was a perfectly enjoyable day of weeding, planting, transplanting, and fertilizing, and along with that came plenty of conversation, jokes, riddles (which Salvio and Victoria like to tell), songs, and laughter. <br />
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Saturday was a day off, so Hannah and I read plenty, bought vegetables, rode bikes, made a picnic, made vegetable stock *for the first time* and went to a bonfire with Tierra Nueva friends. We, again, entered a social circle where we didn't know most of the people, but it was absolutely wonderful to get to spend time delighting in the joy that ran through this hilarious group. They fed us well (which is a pattern, I tell you), and the entertainment was pure and interesting. Almost the whole group participated in a couple rounds of Ninja (this game is quite popular here, in Spanish it is Cinta Negra), and we just had good fun out in the country under the stars. I came back from that with a feeling of just overwhelming love that I am experiencing here coming from the staff at Tierra Nueva. They show us kindness upon kindness and involve us in every community gathering/event. They are inviting us into their homes to cook and eat and play with them, which is how community, relationship, God's kingdom is built. Nick said, "Community must be the means to an end, not the end itself, because we need to be working together towards something. This builds the strongest kind of community". <br />
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I feel like really throwing ourselves out here into this completely new location and population, we let ourselves be vulnerable to however people decide to treat us. I see that hospitality is so huge in building the Kingdom. We threw ourselves into the arms of God's people, and they have reflected His love in every act, word, and patience. Today Elizabeth spoke on Matthew 7:7 "Ask, Seek, Knock. I asked God if this was the right place for me to come. I seeked out a way to be here. I knocked and they opened their arms and welcomed me in with the warmth of fellow believers. I'm asking plenty of questions here of others, trying to learn and understand as much as possible. I'm seeking friendships and truth about ministry and agriculture and ways of living life and seeking for it in the Word each day and trying to understand myself, and find peace, and contentment.<br />
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And in much of this, I am learning from Hannah. Her continual patient heart, listening ear, slow, wise counsel, and genuine care is unlike anything I've ever seen. She has learned how to be content and have peace. She is seeking truth also, and it is beautiful. Like I said, we've been spending a lot of time with our noses in books. Already, she's read Huck Finn, Eating Animals, Walking Gently Upon the Earth, and is now reading Pride and Prejudice. I read (incompletely) The Unsettling of America <i>Culture and Agriculture</i>, and now I'm working on Black Like Me. Besides her sweet spirit, she is sharing her cooking skills with me. I now can make a very satisfying dish of sauteed vegetables. I never knew onions were so delicious and easy to prepare. We just bought five more... =]<br />
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Also, I'd like to give a shout-out to Grocery Outlet, because I love her. She has such good deals on really quality items like organic products. Also, to the Food Co-op, because they're providing the general public with access to locally grown and organic products and produce. They present hefty price tags more than not, but they allow locals to support their neighbors as their neighbors make healthy choices in their treatment of the rest of Creation.<br />
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Today was church, which was great. I'd like to describe how they do communion here. First, we stack all the chairs on the perimeter of the room, and then we stand in a circle and someone will lead us in a liturgy and he/she will break the bread and hold up the cup. Then, each person, after receiving the bread, will offer it to the next person and tell him/her, "This is the body of Christ, broken for you". Then the leader will come around with the cup and say, "This is the blood of Christ, poured out for you, <u>Jamie</u>" and we dip our bread in the juice and partake. When all have partaken, we have a closing prayer liturgy and the leader/pastor blesses us to go out. I think this is a beautiful communal, personal way to partake in communion. <br />
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As you can see, this is continuing to be a very sweet growing time for me, as God is teaching me new things each day. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. Love you all.Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-28958730874518300552012-05-16T23:11:00.000-07:002012-05-16T23:11:28.167-07:00God is so good. That is why I am here, why this ministry exists- because a few people encountered the saving, complete, grace of God, and used His teachings and His love to build a help center, with the goal of raising up the marginalized of society by standing by them, walking with them, and loving them in the best ways we can manage. Tierra Nueva ministries is small- seeming to be just a handful of people on staff- but blessed by plenty of volunteers, supported by local churches, and effectively reaching out in the community of the Skagit Valley in a variety of ways. They ask three questions,<br />
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"What is poverty? What does it look like?" They go beyond physical, financial poverty into the spiritual, hopelessness which comes for many migrants in being in an unfamiliar location and captured in an unfamiliar system. It comes for drug addicts trying to get help but being 'dealt with' using clean-cut rules of shelters or help-services or laws instead of being concerned for, cared for, on a personal level. And important to note, we are ALL impoverished in some sense, or have been.<br />
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"What is the context of a person's poverty? How did they get here?"<br />
They point out that oftentimes when we (the middleclass, the outsiders) interact with those of the lower class, we don't see the context of their situation. Everyone has a story, and this is part of why Tierra Nueva advocates seek to help one person at a time.Jamiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11533643607865107627noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-847779001584005312.post-82754823783352812902012-05-16T23:10:00.001-07:002012-05-16T23:10:56.899-07:00<!--StartFragment-->
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Hello, reader! This summer,
I am spending a few months up in Mt. Vernon, WA interning with a ministry
called <i>Tierra Nueva </i>(New Earth). The internship consists of
working for a few days each week on an organic, sustainable farm and learning
about all that goes into running one, as well as doing special projects to help
out at the Family Support Center. I'm also taking a class they offer
called Volunteer Advocacy Training to really learn and experience the heart of
the ministry and how to be an <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>informed advocate for the marginalized. <i>Tierra Nueva
</i>is doing great work here from what I can see. They are truly seeking
to bring God's Kingdom here, one person at a time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">All parts of <i>Tierra Nueva </i>are
intentional. The farm sells to the local Food CO-OP as well as to
families in both Skagit Valley and Seattle as vegetable shares, and profits go
to support the migrant families here. There is New Earth Recovery, whose
mission is "</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">to love,
strengthen, and accompany those in active addiction and recovery, through
faith-based support groups, volunteer opportunities, new community, and
pastoral care” (<a href="http://www.tierra-nueva.org/">www.tierra-nueva.org</a>).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes the Faith House, where 12
women can live and be encouraged in their recovery and learn to bake bread
which are being sold also in the form of a bi-monthly share at churches and
online, and these profits go to support them and the Faith House.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other side is the men’s group who
roasts coffee that is directly traded from the Tierra Nueva farm in Honduras,
and this is being sold in the same fashion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">All this, and
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been a completely
enriching experience so far, and has been so because of the people here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I should mention upfront, that I have
the amazing privilege of living with my good friend Hannah who I met at George
Fox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have faced every new
place, new experience, new day, together, side-by-side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is interning too, and she is
absolutely wonderful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She radiates
the Holy Spirit every day, which is so encouraging, and I just know I am so
blessed to have this opportunity to be here with her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Also, we’re staying
here with a local couple who have just been completely generous and kind and
examples as they live out their daily lives in service to others and to God-
one doing tough social work and the other a full-time pastor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The staff at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Tierra Nueva </i>have been the most
welcoming, caring, flexible family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Their group is small, but that leaves time and space for authentic
relationships.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These people work
so hard each day solely because they believe in the work- they believe in the
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They believe that there is
potential for redemption and reconciliation of people with themselves, God,
each other, and the rest of creation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Being here with
these people, my eyes are being opened to many things I’d never even thought
about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Now that the basics
are covered, here’s a journal entry from yesterday, May 15<sup>th</sup>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Ah, today was so full and
good! Hannah and I got to go to staff prayer meeting, which was
great. We got to see and meet the staff which consisted of about 16
people- all from different backgrounds and income levels. The
lower-income people of the group are treated as equals, completely, because
they are. Their assets are built up and appreciated and that is the most
important thing. They are loved wholly and completely and called on to
use their talents for the good of the group, the community, and the Kingdom,
really. This is what Ashley was talking about for QV. Ask people to
get involved. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is how
discipleship happens. And not just 1:3 or 1:1 even, but better,
3:1. Surround the person with love and care and whatever wisdom we have
to offer, and lift them up. Bring out their worth. This is how
kingdom development happens. Bring them into leadership.
GOLLY. I'm realizing that this is partially how I got here.
Because Ashley, Amy, Nick, and Clint did this for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They invested in me and empowered me to get here, and QV
helped foster this relationship with Hannah, and now we will be leaders with
the opportunity to do the same- to be involved in something that is producing
lasting fruit. “Nothing of lasting fruit happens without prayer.”
Also, going along with valuing a person, is recognizing their voice, and
encouraging them to use it. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">These are a few points I've
learned at this week's Advocacy Training Class:</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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When meeting new people, don’t introduce yourself to give them any
preconceptions. Instead, let them find out who you are by your actions
and behaviors. You need to be familiar with the cultural context of the
people you are reaching out to, or have someone accompany you who does. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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It is a privilege to hear someone’s story. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Wherever two or more are gathered, the Spirit is here. Thus, we need to
involve Jesus in the conversation, because He is there. We ought to
consult the Holy Spirit. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">
Eternal life begins now. The goal is to get Heaven into us (Thy Kingdom
come), not us into Heaven. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Jesus said, “I have to go, but I
will send for you <i>alos parakaleo </i>(‘another of the same kind’ ‘one who
calls out from alongside’) : another advocate. The Holy Spirit is our
advocate. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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We need to show people that God is for them and not against them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Okay, this was much, and today,
May 16<sup>th</sup>, was amazing too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God is so good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very
briefly, Clint invited us to coffee with himself, Nick Ogle, and Tom and
Christine Sine, who started Mustard Seed Associates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hannah and I were blown away by their background in
conservation and community development work and their plans for the future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We enjoyed coffee and chocolate
zucchini bread.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All was well.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">A few notes: in travel, we love
the carpool lane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>... well, I
guess just one note. =] </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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