The Value of This Day

So hard to know the future...

2009-06-11T09:45:00.008-05:00

In my last post I said change was here... I didn't quite realize how much. That same day, about an hour after posting, Anne and Parviz told me the real plans - that they are heading to the States! So, I thought, I'm a bit more alone than I thought - but again I was wrong. Don Jesus and his family have been staying at the house with me and I am more surrounded by family than ever. Although I miss Laura and Linda, I have had just about the best week ever. I love them so much. Da. Delsa is such an amazing woman and the kids are all so great.

One thing we've done together is watch a bunch of National Geographic documentaries (Adrian especially loves to see 'videos') - there are a few all-time favorites, namely the Leopard and Wild Boar one, and the one about the Okanawa place in Africa with it's hippos, crocodiles, cheetahs, flood, forest fires, lions, and the last favorite is the one about horses in Ireland, oh, and about King Cobras in India.

They have also brought their TV down and one night we stayed up late to watch the soccer game between Costa Rica and the US. I decided to be the odd man out and cheer for the States - what a mistake. My team was, unfortunately, horrific. Maybe it was the small screen or the bad reception but my goodness, I don't think I saw a single good play from my team. Jairo and Archimedes have not let me forget it. One morning I just talked with Veronica. It was precious. Veronica is an amazing girl - she's about 12 or 13 years old and it is so great to watch her. She is such an adult and yet such a school girl, too. She cooks, cleans, and watches Lisbeth (her 2 year old niece) like the completely capable person she is - and then giggles like a girl her age. We talked about english (I am teaching her class in the school - she was telling me how the boys in her class tease her because they know I'm close with her family and therefore she should know english - and she has to assure them that she really doesn't know any more of the answers than they do), we talked about the tv shows she likes (dad, you might like this - they watch Xena on the weekends), she asked me why I don't use oil in my hair (they all do), and what I wear when I'm not in Progresso.. will I wear my Guaymi dress when I go home? and I said yes, of course, but only on special occasions. I love Veronica.

And Ania's laugh. Ania has such a good laugh. And Jairo teasing everyone all the time. And little Lisbeth who, cutely though obsessivly, is attatched to me - "Aliiichon! hale hadengo!" (let's play!) or "Hagwe!" and "Venga" (come here!) and "migit" (something like, 'do it' or 'copy me'). And when she doesn't understand me or when I don't respond soon enough she goes "eeh?" but loud!

Oh, and another reason I love these people: how they all came to my rescue when a huge snake decided to join me in my bathroom one night. That was an experience. It really was a big snake - like 3 or 4 feet long ... you think I'm exagerating, I assure you I'm not. I was just finishing up my shower and it was starting to get dark (luckily I had had the forsight to turn on the light before I went in - you see the switch is in the other room) I had just turned off the water and turned around again when I saw this tiny head peaking up over the wall on the opposite side of the room. It gave me a small fright and I was saying to myself - oh, I really hope that is really just a small lizard and not a snake. I planned to sort of keep an eye on it as I dried off and started to get dressed, but as I turned I noticed a little movement farther down.. inside the room...
(neadless to say, though not a good thing, I rather lost track of the unidentified little head). There is a hose hanging on the wall there and I had to do a double take as I saw a very large snake sliding down that hose. It was so large that at first I thought, no, that's just the hose... it wasn't. It was a snake about as thick as that hose but definitly darker and definitely entering my bathroom... and me without any clothing on and not wanting to cry out. Because of the insufficient light I couldn't really tell but I think it wasn't a terciopelo.. but there just wasn't enough light to be sure and good grief, let me tell you, I was shaking. At times terciopelos actually will attack rather than run away - and we are in an enclosed space together with no easy escape route (oh, how I cursed myself for having actually shut the door all the way). And even if it wasn't a terciopelo it was still a mighty big snake and I had nothing to fend it away with. Anyways, it got to the ground and slid to my left - towards the door, blocking my only escape. As it got a bit out of sight I got dressed as quickly as possible while still watching to see if it was coming out. When I was dressed and couldn't see it anymore I, as far away as possible, inched around that corner to see what was going on - I was hoping against hope that it had squeezed through a small hole in the corner there... I searched the floor and didn't see it - could it be true? had it just gone? Um, no, it had started climbing the wall behind the toilet and that was the first time I realized just how long the thing was. I don't know if I startled it or it simply didn't have enough grip to make it up but as I stood there watching (in horror, might I add) it fell on top of the toilet and I squealed and jumped back running back to a spot as far away as possible, and I believe I started to wimper just a little bit. I watched it as it calmly (thank God it was nonplussed!) slithered out, along the wall it had entered and as it went to my right I inched to my left and when it started turning the corner.. though it's tail was still quite close to the door, and had it wanted to strike I'm sure it could have reached me, I decided to run out of the bathroom, banking on the fact that it wouldn't actually want to attack me.

Well, I was away, safe and sound and went down and calmly told the Karolina that there is a snake in my bathroom. She called out to her father - and everyone heard and literally everyone there came to help - which might sound normal, but I flatter myself, it was because it happened to me. I have seen countless times when people report snakes - and they report snakes they are sure are dangerous, I had said that I don't think it was - but normally they don't flinch, literally. The day before Adrian had reported to Da. Delsa that he saw a terciopelo on his way to the house and of course she was on the case right away but Jairo and Veronica sitting there next to us didn't even turn their heads. But for me they all came, Jairo with a machete, Da. Delsa and Jesus with a long stick. Karolina and Adrian standing by me to see what happens. They didn't find it in the bathroom and quickly searched nearby but didn't see it; so, my snake is still at large. If I had said it was a terciopelo they would have hunted for it but because I thought it wasn't they didn't bother.. after all it was getting dark and that's a dangerous time to go looking for snakes.

Mostly though, what I have loved is simply watching them as a family. They have the same slight squables as every other family in the world - even an extremely different language doesn't hide that fact - but they all laugh together too. You laugh, and do homework, and laugh, and do chores, and come back from playing soccer, and watch tv and laugh, and eat, and laugh. It's been great.

But now, for the reason I'm here in San Jose once again: I'm here to welcome this year's group of youth who have come for service - they will spend 3 days in San Jose working on the Institute here and then three days in Progresso fixing up the Baha'i Center there. I came up yesterday, called some friends and as always they are the epitomy of hospitality and it's always a pleasure to see them again. After about 15 hours or more of traveling (this includes the usual: 2 hour walk down the mountain, 1 1/2 bus ride to catch my bus 8 hour bus ride to San Jose, a short taxi ride to catch a 2 hour bus ride (during rush hour traffic) to Heredia where they live) and for the first time I was doing it all alone... poor me (and speaking of poor me, without my iPod for I had left it here last time - but now we are reunited and all is good). But then I saw my friends and the world is right again just in time for me to have a good night's sleep. Today I've been making calls making sure the bus driver is on call and everything's all set. I still need to do some grocery shopping to feed these people tomorrow but then I'll head to the airport to meet them coming in. And hopefully from there Lynda will basically be in charge and I'll only have to be there if I'm needed... let's hope!

I can't wait to see Casey and Alex and Greg!

By they way, I've heard from Laura and Linda and I'm happy to say that they are both happy to be where they are catching up with friends and family.

Change is here.

2009-05-27T10:39:00.004-05:00

Laura leaves today - in about an hour she will board her bus to Panama City, the first stage of her week long journey home to Greece (she'll spend a few days in England visiting friends). We had a good time at the beach - the food was indeed very good. The waves unfortunately were not ideal. The sea was quite flat until, few and far between, really big swells came but still only the really experienced were able to ride them. I, weakling that I am, did not even try the second day. The sun was too hot and also I knew if Laura and others were having difficulty there was no way I would really succeed... so I just watched and learned. Perhaps next time (after some serious training or something) I'll be able to go in and be a pro.

A friend who's been traveling around Costa Rica came down for a day from San Jose.. which is a long enough journey as it is.. and he came on his motorcycle. Wow. And he had a rough journey as well - the long hours, getting soaked by the rain - twice, the clutch on his bike fell off. Poor guy. But we all had fun and hopefully that made up for it all. We did some surfing, biking, walking, ping-pong, saw 'wild' horses running on the beach, met some new people from Holand, Norway and Costa Rica and had some good food and good conversation.

It will be so strange going home today. I'll get back to the house and everything will seem normal - Doña Delsa will be there waiting for us to return, I'll go in a get a drink of water, then I'll head up to my place and it will be empty. Only a few of my things will be there. I'll take all the time I want showering because no one will be waiting. After dinner I'll go up alone, I won't hear anyone else zipping and unzipping their tents, in the morning I'll start my day without anyone there. It's so interesting - one of the hardest parts about my year of service was accustoming myself to never being alone and now at the end I'm alone again and not really looking forward to it. But really, it's only at the beginning and the ends of the day that I think I will feel it. Inbetween I will be with friends from the community or they will come to the house to visit. I'll have to prepare and give all of the classes that previously we were all doing. And besides, soon a large group of youth will arrive and I certainly won't feel alone :). I wonder what they'll be doing - I've heard quite a few different versions, but I don't know what will turn out... I think tonight I will try to get out the plans from Anne.

Well, farewell to Laura and Linda, it's been a pleasure. We'll keep in touch - you guys need to start that process 'cause I'll still have little internet access for a while - and I can't wait to visit you people in Iceland and Greece!

A quick one

2009-05-25T17:41:00.002-05:00

I have quite a bit of news to share... changes are coming. Linda has left this part of the world. She is currently in England with old and new friends doing a Ruhi book 5 study for two weeks before she heads back to her beloved Iceland. I am happy for her - I know how much she was looking forward to her trip to England and to being home in Iceland where apparently the Faith is having some good growth. She is going back with some great skills and I know she'll be a great asset to her community.

The community was really sweet saying good-bye to her. She hadn't planned on having a despedida (a good-bye party) but the very last night she was there they threw something together at the Baha'i center and many people came to wish her well in the future, tell her how much they appreciated her service in the community, and to assure her that she would always be welcome back in Progresso.

I am also getting ready to say goodbye to Laura. She also has had her despedida and left Progresso. Again, the community came to give their heartfelt thanks, love and well wishes. I personally tried to say a little and couldn't get everything I had planned to say about her out... and Besigo continually teases me about how I "fell" and started crying.. and then when she's done teasing she admits that she almost cried too - but that was my fault.

At the moment, Laura and I are in Pavones, a world famous beach for surfing. Unfortunately it isn't being to kind to us - no good waves. I am sorry for Laura - but for myself I'm not sure I could have handled surfing anyways - I am just not strong enough to get myself out there. Of course, to be completely fair, I am rather exhausted. I have been hiking all over the mountain with Laura as usual, having unusual late nights, and then on Saturday I participated in the community soccer games. I am so sore. It is so weird.. I could have run for much more time.. but my muscles were so tired. I guess I am not used to usuing all the ones you use for soccer. I almost scored twice.. like quite close.. but I it did not happen and although everyone says I played well, they also wont let me live it down.

Anyways, Laura and I need to go bike back to the place we are staying to get back in time for the family like dinner.. everyone comes when the bell is rung to eat together. It is cute. They tell me the food is good. I sure hope so.. I am starving.

more later.. either tomorrow or on Wednesday. ciao

In Canoas, once again... but what comes next?

2009-05-04T11:36:00.002-05:00

The rains are coming back to Costa Rica. I can't tell you how happy I am that they are - I was beginning to fear that I wouldn't get to see the rain forest again before I leave. Of course, this means that I now have to wear boots again (and live through a couple weeks of blisters) and it really means that I have to stay on top of my laundry - no more slacking off and then doing it all in one day because my clothes will dry in a couple of hours of sun. No, back to every day laundry that might take days to dry. But, with the bad comes the good: beauty. With the rain comes the colors. I have never seen such blues and greens as I see here. The sunrises are absolutely spectacular. As I walk down the mountain at 5 in the morning I have to simply stop and take it all in at least 7 times before I reach the bottom. Across the valleys the mist passes through. Over the bay there are dark storms, that sometimes come our way, but sometimes just let us know they're there with the sound of distant thunder. I love this weather.

There are, I admit, times it goes a little too far. For instance, a couple weeks ago, lightning struck a tree about 2 meters away from the girls house. It practically exploded. The bark flew off the tree, the tree itself split and it was smoking - literally for seconds it was on fire. I, personally, was a bit "asustado" and I ran out of my house without my shoes, in the rain, getting my book wet and my feet very muddy. I saw the bright lightening, the smoking tree, heard the popping of the tree and I was not positive that it wasn't going to fall over and crush my house right then and there. I realize now that it will take a while for the tree to actually die and fall but at that moment I wanted to get to as low ground as possible.

Even so, I am really looking forward to sharing it all with Casey and Alex and Greg. I am so glad they get to experience it. Can you believe it's only a little over a month away? By that time both Linda and Laura will have gone. I will be alone, thinking continuously that I have only a few weeks left, and then they will come and cheer me up! I will forget that I soon will go back home and need to search out the world and find a new place for me in it. Of course, I know that for a few weeks my place will be home (perhaps even months!) and it will feel completely right. I am so excited to see everyone in Huntsville again - my family and friends have been missed (I'll probably realize just how much when I get there again). I do fear that in this current economic situation I will not have quite as many opportunities to choose from as I might otherwise have hoped, nevertheless I am hopeful and really interested to see where life takes me next and what great things I'll get to do. After all, it's an interesting question: what comes next?

It's been too long.. appologies

2009-04-18T10:21:00.002-05:00

Wow, it really has been a long time since I've done this... sorry about that. I haven't had much internet time lately it seems.. but that's also not completely true I guess. Well let's recap about a few things.

Ok, so long ago there was life as usual. Then came the fast.. and there was life as usual except that I was hot and thirsty the whole time. Then came my family!! (well, some of it anyways)

We had an awesome vacation (at least I really enjoyed it). They flew in to Panama City, Panama so I traveled (in all) about 11 hours to meet them there on a Saturday night. Sunday morning we went to the Temple and it was really nice - unfortunately it was the height of the dry season so it wasn't green and misty and beautiful like I remember it the first time - but it's still peaceful and beautiful. Next it was time to get to a tropical beach! but to break up the long bus ride we stayed the night a bit over half-way at a hostel called the purple house... and that night we walked to a little restaurant and had the best batidos ever (basically they're fruit smoothies only with tropical fruit like papaya and lots of sugar - very yummy). The next day we hopped a bus to the crazy boarder, crossed over, and continued on our way to Zancudo! There we spent two days completely chillin' It's such a peaceful place. I really do enjoy it there. We played in the waves a bit.. walked along the shore (I love that there are really very few people ever there).. and played with the camera :). Then we headed up to Progresso to check out where I live and what kinds of people I hang out with and what sort of things I do! Unfortuantely, for me that meant back fasting for two days. And also unfortunately it was still the height of the dry season and to me everything looked so dead and drab when really this is the most colorful place ever! Really, it's the colors of the rainforest that I will miss so much. Mostly it's just greens and blues but the colors are soo.. colorful. I wish I could have shared that. So, in Progresso we visited some of the neighbors, held some baby parots, drank some fresh coconut juice (milk?), Casey came with to see if I ever actually did anything worthwhile and spent the whole time disturbing the pre-youth class (gosh Casey, stop throwing things at the oh so adorable Progresso kids!) headed up the mountain on my favorite (though by far hardest) walk (three cheers for Mom, and sisters too), and then down the mountain to celebrate Naw-Ruz at the Baha'i Center (about a bazillion cheers for Mom and sisters for doing both of those walks in one day - quite impressive). Then, early next morning it's time to head back down the mountain and up to San Jose on the long -though admittedly beautiful - bus ride. We stayed at friend's Hesh and Zar's house (eternal gratitude to them for their so special and never ending hospitality). And, woops, I couldn't actually make the very last leg of the journey - the taxi ride to the airport. I'm afraid I got food poisoning (or something) that night and had to simply send them off in a cab and go back to bed. My appologies for a not so wonderful goodbye.

About a week or so later, Laura's family came to visit. Her mother from Greece and brother who lives in Switzerland both came for almost two weeks - so they actually had like 4 days or so to explore Progresso. With this excuse Laura, Benjamin, Linda and I tagged along behind Don Jesus and visited an area that's untouched... wow, so that's the real rainforest. Benjamin was swinging of vines, we were walking the ridges of mountains, and finally we came to the Rio Claro and up to a little waterfall with a beautiful little swimming pool. We were jumping off rocks and Don Jesus caught a lot of shrimp - so big and yummy! and we built a little fire and cooked them to have with our lunch. It was a very nice day (though hard over 6 hours of hiking altogether). So then they left to enjoy other scenic spots in this part of the world...

... and then came another Instituto. Meaning, friends from El Salvador came and we had a week long intensive Ruhi book course. The people from El Salvador are so wonderful - it's always so much fun to have them around. And, I met Kelsey Bulkin - and people, wow, amazing voice. At the moment she's setting prayers to music and my goodness, it's just beautiful. She's got a myspace.. if you want to hear beauty check it out.

and now we're almost back to life as usual. Although, the national convention is this coming weekend.. so not quite.

oh, and there was one more thing throughout all this. A couple months ago Linda sent me an application for a future job opportunity so I had to fill that out and send it in, and then about a couple weeks ago I came down to have an interview. So, thanks to her I've been thinking about my future a lot recently... which is hard to do when you have no idea what it will actually be.. and when all you really want to do is live in the present and enjoy the right now because you know it's simply the best. So, I'm still waiting to see what happens. It simply comes down to was I the best they had to choose from or were there others better. We'll see. I could be living in Huntsville searching for jobs.. or in August I could be moving to Virginia. We'll see.

It's sad that the time here is coming to an end. Both Linda and Laura are already beginning making their final plans for leaving. They both have only a little over a month left. My goodness. Change.

And I just found out that my counsins Alex and Greg are gonna come on the youth trip in June!! Now I'm really looking forward to the youth trip! And this is unconfirmed but I think Casey is gonna come too! Yay even more!! I wonder what we're gonna think of for them to do?

And then, after that - I should be home to celebrate July 4th with everyone in true Hunstville style!

so.. that's my recent past and future in a (rather large) nutshell ... but pictures are worth a thousand words, so they say, so look at facebook for details!

Inspiring

2009-02-09T11:38:00.002-05:00

This video was sent to me by a friend and I thought I'd share it with you all.

http://www.vimeo.com/2320032

(By the way, there's a picture or two of the Guaymi community of Panama - and I was just there this weekend and met some of them! They are really inspiring... have me tell you about them sometime.)

two in one day

2009-01-29T13:16:00.002-05:00

what a treat! I just wanted to also say a thing or two about what's been going on the last few days but it didn't really fit with the conference.

I have been out to the bean fields to gather beans a couple times now. And once we get back we have to de-cascada them. And then we cook them and eat them! So, I've had hours and hours of sitting on the front porch unshelling beans. It's a time consuming job getting new beans.

But in other bean news, the weather has not been very good. It has actually rained quite a bit - which is very bad for the one time of the year that it is very important for it to be hot and dry. The process of gathering the beans to sell or to store for the year depend on it to be dry. I've never seen it, but they've described the process to me: they pick the entire plant and spread it out to dry. Then they beat it to remove the cascadas - the pods. Then they scoop it up and let the wind blow away the pods while the beans fall back down. But for any of it to work, the beans need to be completely dry.

What else? Not really very much.. I was sick again last week. I usually get one cold a year.. but that was three in 2008 and already another in 2009... what's going on? I feel like I'm the healthiest I've ever been (for sure I'm the strongest) - why do I keep getting sick? unexplicable. (unless you count a long tiring trip to Nicaragua and some cold weather on a San Jose mountaintop without adequate covering... ). But, no worries, I'm fine again.

Speaking of worries, two nights in a row there have been terciopelos found very close to the house. And, I and Linda will be alone at the house for the next four days... but Don Jesus and Doña Delsa will be there at night at snake time.. so, again, no worries! (note to self, new batteries for my flashlight).

The Conference

2009-01-29T12:35:00.003-05:00

The whole weekend was a very great experience - though it was some very long bus rides.. and it took 3 hours each time we tried to cross the boarder. But the actual conference was very good. First some facts: The conference was held in Managua, Nicaragua. Our Members from the ITC were Juan Francisco Mora from Costa Rica and Rachel N'degwa (I'm sorry, I don't know how to spell her name) from Kenya. I believe there were about 23 countries from Central America and the Carribean attending and, I think I've been told, about 1,500 people present and the conference was translated into three languages. And again, the experience was great. I was so amazed with the focus. I've never been to a conference that was so focused on a single purpose - it made it very unified. Which is soo interesting. With so many different countries and peoples and even languages - not everyone could communicate (easily) with each other, this is the conference I will remember for it's feeling of unity and purpose. Much more so than even ones I've been to in the States. And, unexpected - everything was on time! fancy that :). The first day were mostly talks by our ITC members. And they were great, though I admit I had trouble undrstanding Rachel's. The reason is because I listened to everything in Spanish. Juan spoke in Spanish and he was very clear and easy to understand. Rachel, on the other hand, spoke in English, so we listened to the spanish translation which was acutally much harder for me. I'm not sure why, maybe it's because of the pauses and the not consistent speed of the translator. I should have picked up a device to listen to the English but I never got around to it. Still, they were both very inspiring. It was a great blend of, of course, praise for what has been accomplished, but nonetheless a call to action - but without creating any sense of guilt or shame for not having already stepped up. It wasn't a time to look at the past - the goal, the focus is the future.. so we look at the present, evaluate and plan for the future.

I think the conference was especially good for the 6 members of my community who attended the conference as well. I know at least two of them really didn't like it for the crowds - I'm sure none of them have been among so many people before... crowded conference halls are very different to our lovely little community in the rainforest. But I also know that every one was inspired at the conference. Yesterday we actually had a meeting to plan for activities - and guess what they decided to do - go to Alto Conte (about 2 hours up) and have a teaching campaign! They are going go and teach the Faith using Conozcamos (Anna's Presentation). So, they planned a time when they could come and practice using Conozcamos and then they're gonna go teach. And, so many more people are now involved in the Children's classes and Pre-youth group (I'm having to get over my little bit of ownership I felt for my classes and let others in - how great is that?!).

And, for me personally, it was a lot of fun to see so many of the people I met in Colombia back in July. We only missed our friends from Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. But it was still great - though we really didn't have a lot of time to just sit and chat - like I said, it was a focused conference. Plus, the place was so packed that it was hard to find anyone in the short breaks we did have. But the last night we stayed until late and I got my visiting in - as well as a little impromptu dancing started by the Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic youth. What better way to end a conference? -especially latin american style.. some of the people down here can really dance!

raincheck

2009-01-22T01:31:00.002-05:00

hey everyone... I know I told a lot of people that I was going to write about the weekend (the 41 Conference for the Central American and Carriebean countries) but I didn't really get a good chance to sit down and get it done. I plan to still write a bit about it but it'll have to be saved for another day. ciao

Tomorrow starts...

2009-01-15T12:26:00.002-05:00

our trip to Managua, Nicaragua. We arrived to San Jose a day before the other of our community members because we had business, of various kinds, to attend to before continuing on to Nicaragua. Some needed to go to banks, others had things to get at supermarkets and I, I am finally reunited with all of my things! I packed only one suitcase to come live for a year.. but within one month I had a bag of things in Progresso, I had a bag at the Baha'i Institute outside of San Jose, I had a bag at the national office in San Jose, and I had some things with me in Colombia. Just in time, I have the very things I wanted to have in case there was an event like the one I'm going to. :) Unfortunately I believe I have a ways to go before I learn to be detached from my things.

But one thing I always knew - I have a rather love/hate relationship with technology. I love it because of all the things one can do with it (I'm mainly talking computers and internet here) but I hate it because so often, I can't. Take today, for instance. I have a few hours where I thought I would be checking email and facebook and catching up with friends and family (who I haven't had a chance to contact in ANY way for almost a full month and I miss it) and email won't work and neither will facebook. Sad day. But at least I have gotten to read up on people's blogs... and I can write one to sort of feel like I'm comunicating a little with my people.

Speaking of communicating, let's do a little:
The last month has been very busy, and therefore, great. We had a "capacitacion" (basically an intensive weekend of Ruhi) in Progresso near the end of December. A family who lives in El Salvador traveled down, with some friends (some of whom served in Haifa recently and know some of you guys), to help out. Of course, how else can one prepare for a capacitacion without going to the beach first? So, that's what we decided to do, then we had the capacitacion and it all went well. People from all over the area came to study books. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun. Plus, I forgot to say, Laila and Paul and his wife Lorena came so I know it has been nice for Anne and Parviz to visit with their children.

Then came new year's eve. It was a happy day because Don Jesus's family all came back up to live in their home (this is the family of Adrian, who had gotten bitten by a snake) and they invited us up to celebrate. They had a few fireworks and they fed us sooo much food. It was quite funny because everyone was soo full. It was just a very happy time.

Then, Laura and Linda and I took a trip to Rio Claro to visit the family of a good friend who is from that area. If you walk over and through the mountains it takes about 3 or 4 hours, from what I understand. But we instead chose to walk down to Conte, take a bus to Rio Claro (the very touristy place where there is apparently one of, or maybe the, longest wave in the world.. so a lot of surfers come there). From there we walk about 1 1/2 or 2 hours straight up to get there. It's a beautiful walk with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, and the bay and the peninsula to one side, and all lush green mountains and valleys on the other... but it goes straight up, and then straight down, and then up more, and then down, and then up again and even more, and then down and then you get close and you go up again, and back down. But it was a good weekend. We gave a children's class, and had a devotional and mostly just sat around talking and being friends. Good times. But, poor guy, on the way back to Progresso we decided to spend about an hour or two, while we waited for the bus, in the ocean - and he got stung/stabbed by a stingray. He said it was the worse pain of his life. He got stung/cut open on the bottom of his foot and for an hour he sat literaly shaking from the pain that kept climbing up his leg. This, by the way folks, is a man who grew up in the jungle of the Costa Rican rainforest with a machete in his hand. We're talking hard core. I was actually quite worried because we really didn't know what had stung him and we didn't know if it might possibly be fatal - and it was worse because there really isn't any hospital for miles and miles around and the only clinic that we know of is closed on Sunday. Luckily it's just something that just simply hurts. Oh, after our bus ride to Conte, he walked back up the mountain to his home in Progresso to rest. These people really sometimes amaze me.

Yesterday and the day before I went with Don Jesus to his bean field and picked new beans... and then sat around for two days straight and shelled them all. And in the meantime I've been continuing with my pre-youth and children's classes. Oh, and in other news, Dona Elia tells me that perhaps when I return from Nicaragua my Guaymi dress might be ready. :).

So, hopefully when we return from Managua the internet and computer will be working better and I'll have a chance to catch up with everyone. And who knows what I'll be wanting to write about here after the Conference?

My Birthday Day

2008-12-20T12:14:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! Thanks to all for the birthday wishes - it's always so nice to remember friends and family on special days. I just found out that my mother and two sisters will come to visit me in March - Yay!! What a good present. Oh, the other present I gave myself was an amazing farmer's tan.. you guys wouldn't believe it. And I've always one - usually from soccer - but I assure you, this one takes the cake. We went to the beach with some friends on Wednesday, but it's a local beach and not one for tourists so actual swimsuits are not acceptable.. so we go in with our scrub pants and t-shirts.

By the way, Adrian, from my last post, seems like he will, with time, be fine. He has started walking again and so hopefully there will not even be a lasting limp.

Linda, sitting next to me, is quite excited with a certain possibility for her future and would like to share with everyone that she could be going back, instead of to Iceland, to Denmark. Oh, the possibilities.

Speaking of possibilities, the date I set for when I would start thinking of my future is coming up in about a week and a half. Oh, scary. If anyone has any suggestions let me know. I think at the moment that I want to find a job before I go back to get a masters... but that's thinking about it all too much. I still have a week and a half to simply enjoy the present.. so that's what I'm going to do! Love to all!

Long past time

2008-12-13T12:23:00.002-05:00

Here in Costa Rica it is starting to be summer. It rains only once in every few days and even then usually only for a short time and not in large quantities.. usually. I actually walked down the mountain today without sinking into any mud (which is also good because I didn't wear my boots). And we started at 4:30 this morning walking by the light of the moon (and some flashlights) - just thought I'd throw that in, too.

We are gearing up for a busy next few months. Every day it seems we get more and more demands on our time and services - which is soo great. We have started another 3 English class and quite a few more pre-youth and children's classes. And our Enrichment Center building is almost completed! Just a few more walls to put up and we will have a great place a little apart to study and have classes and keep all of our materials together. And it's on such a beautiful hill with a great view. In addition to proper classes, I have somehow been unofficially designated the math tutor (it's great but also soo frustrating! and not to mention trying to figure out math in spanish!) as well as for other subjects and for Ruhi books (often there are people who need to finish a few sections of a book or need to catch up to a point where they can continue with someone else). So, in large part, this is how I have spent my time the last few weeks - especially with the tutoring as the term of the school came to an end and everyone was studying for their exams. It was a successful term here in these schools - everyone in the colegio (high school) passed and all of the students in the 6th grade are graduating on the 20th!

A few days later (23rd or something) we are having visitors from El Salvador and while they are here we are having a "capacitacion" an intensive weekend of Ruhi. That will be an interesting experience - hosting 20 people to sleep and then cooking for more like 60+ for two meals a day. As a matter of fact, I'm bring up a large (large) load of groceries up with me in an effort to lighten the load a little bit for our trip up with everyone.

Unfortunately I do have some very sad news. A very very dear boy, Adrian, got bitten by a terciopelo (fer-de-lance) snake a few weeks ago. He was rushed as quickly as possible down the mountain to the nearest hospital but even going with all speed it took many many hours to reach any antivenom - much too long. He has been in the hospital for weeks now and we have had little news. He has been stable ever since we heard of the bite (it happened while we were in San Jose last time and didn't learn of it till days later when we returned) and a few days ago we learned that he has had an operation... though we don't know what kind. We heard that Don Jesus (the father) and Adrian were in good spirits so I hope that it wasn't an amputation. He should be coming back from the hospital soon. I have missed having him around - he was one of my very first friends here.

How to Describe Perfection?

2008-11-14T19:34:00.002-05:00

So, our trip to Panama exceeded all expectations. By a lot. To be honest, I did not have high hopes. I thought trying to find all transportation would be a huge hassel, we would all be tired, it would rain, we would stay in dingy places - I thought all the worst was coming. Wrong. It turns out it couldn't be easier - somehow it was all a piece of cake. Buses and taxis right there when we needed them - and when they weren't the people at where we were staying (Both the Purple House in David and Boca Brava) called taxis and arranged everything for us. People are so nice!

The Purple House was fun - internet! and talking to people from all around and shower and sleep. And everything Purple down to my (complimentary) coffee cup in the morning. Best of all, of course, was getting to our destination - the island of Boca Brava (don't ask me why it's called that). Soooo beautiful!! We take a water taxi to the island and go up the steps from the dock to our home for a day. None of us had exact change for the boat taxi, so the man working there said he would pay the man for us and just put it on our tab. We then had breakfast and amazing fruit drinks with milk (my favorite was papaya!). Then we decide to go on a day trip with snorkling. Lets just fill up the day right? Well, our boat taxi friend takes us to an amazingly beautiful beach on an island - it's only us and a couple from England and a girl from Germany who decided to join us. It's absolutely stunning. I can't wait for Laura and Komron to share their pictures!! So, we spend all day on this beach, in the water, climbing the rocks, exploring the forest - eating our packed lunch! Everything just so relaxed and wonderful.

Then we come back to our island and shower and have dinner. After a very tastey dinner with the breeze blowing, the music gets louder and they start dancing.. and we join in!! Oh, I haven't danced for such a long time. Then we all went out and sat on the dock for some good old bonding time. This morning was even more relaxed. We woke up, had some breakfast, and walked to another empty beach. This time, instead of playing with each other, we all chose our own spot - I read, others listened to music or explored. And we headed back to the boarder. And, this may not really be important, but to stay on this Island - room and all meals (5), less than $30.

Okay, time to go - I'll try and put up pictures sometime soon.

Life is good :)

Para Didi

2008-11-13T07:50:00.001-05:00

Rachel, I don't know how I did this but I omitted a part of my story that would give you particular pleasure: In David, I am staying at a hostel called - guess what - The Purple House. And yes the house is actually purple, inside and out. Just about everything inside it is purple as well. Down to the fans and the bunkbeds. Cups, towels, all knick-knacks. Purple. :).

A Holy Day in Progresso

2008-11-13T00:10:00.002-05:00

We celebrated the Holy Day last night at our house. There were about 40 people from the community who came up to observe it. That meant, since Anne had not yet arrived back from her trip to the states, we had to make all the preparations. And we were short on food. Really - like we didn't even have rice and beans. So, we had to walk down the hill yesterday morning to get the beans on the fire so that they could be ready by dinner time. Plus, one can't have only rice and beans to celebrate a holy day, so we killed two of our chickens. Actually, funny story. The standard procedure is to actually catch the chicken the night before you plan to eat it. You see, it is much easier to catch when they go up into their tree at night. Then, you "simply" shine a flashlight on them and hook them with your home-made noose contraption. Then, tie them up for the night and there they are when you want them. Unfortunately, yesterday, the one chicken chosen to be the perfect one (the one that has been laying eggs in the house for the past month and then jumping on your head when she wants to get out from behind the couch) actually escaped at the moment of her death. So, what to do. One chicken isn't enough to feed forty people - even if it is only arroz con pollo. Well, we had to catch another chicken so we got the dogs to help. And within five minutes they had caught the chicken. We were all so surprised that the dog got the one we wanted. But actually, it turned out it wasn't - it was a smaller version of the old one we wanted. Oh well. So, then we had to clean the chicken. None of us wanted to defeather it, so we skinned it. We got started well enough, but then were unsure of how to continue so we had to call in the assistance of Parviz, who apparently grew up skinning chickens - no, I'm making that up.. but he does know how to do it. Anyways, then we served over 40 people dinner and coffee, said some prayers, told some of the stories of Baha'u'llah's life and then sang some of the favorite songs. And, to finish the night off, we brought out the old laptop, gathered around it and watched the March of the Penguins. Not completely connected with the holy day, but on short notice quite good enough. Except, the night wasn't over yet. During the show, we hear from up the hill "Culebra!!" for those who don't know that means "SNAKE!!" Three men run up the hill and a short time later come back down with a 4 foot long ferdelance spiked through the back of it's neck. So the gringos can take pictures :). Which they did. And, today, us youth cleaned up the house and yard for the homecoming of Anne, and packed our own things to leave the country. So, at 2 we taught an English class at the school and at about 3 we started down for our 3 day rompe in Panama. So, here I am. In David for the night. Tomorrow we head for an Island called Boca Chica (I think).

(by the way, Mom, Nathan and Rachel, if this seems a bit familiar, yes, it is exactly what is in the email - I replied to you first, then decided it was a good enough story to share with all)

Love always!

I actually have time.. this might be long

2008-11-07T11:48:00.003-05:00

I am, for the first time in months, on a high speed internet connection and have all the time I want to take on it! As we increase in the number of children's classes we are giving, we have had to make a schedule of who goes where when and all that so, as we were making that schedule, it was decided that, generally speaking, Fridays will be our day off. A prediction of what an average day off might be: wake up at 5 to head down the mountain by 5:30 to catch the 8:00 bus from Conte. That bus stops in Laurel from where we catch another bus or take a taxi to our final destination of Paso Canoas. Paso Canoas is the main boarder town between Costa Rica and Panama. Some people love it because it's sort of a funky place with lots of shops and street vendors and lots of people; there are others, though, that have noted that no one ever smiles here. Sad to say, I've found it's kinda true. But here I am. The main attraction is the fast and cheap internet. Also in Paso Canoas, is a bread shop called Musmani. Yummy. Every time we go to or come back from San Jose I get some new yummy bread (usually a danish or some other sweet yummy thing). Other than that, we'll eat lunch, do some shopping (I should probably get a new flashlight - very important item in the land of little or no electricity) and head back to Conte where we will spend the night in order to be available to teach an English class and children's class in Conte. So, that was the now.

In the upcoming future: On Wednesday, after our afternoon English classes at the primary school, we will be heading to Panama for a few days. Reason? because some of us have to leave the country (Laura y yo) before the 20th. After that... we think we will have Thanksgiving Dinner with some friends of the Ighanis in Panama. December, who knows. There are so many people coming and so many different plans that I really can't keep track. January, though I know we are going to the conference in Managua (sp?) Nicaragua. Apparently there are almost 1000 people coming. After that... nothing with specifics.. but it would be a great time for friends and family to visit! hint hint hint! ;)

That leaves the past right? Well, since last time, Anne has been in the states visiting family, so we've all had to take on more responsibility around the place. Mainly that means cooking. Laura does the most for a couple reasons: firstly, she doesn't like to be idle, but secondly because everything she makes comes out amazing. For weeks I've been meaning to write down the crazy things she does with nothing - a Progresso cookbook. Ok, put that on my list of shopping - a notebook. The rest of us also cook but in my opinion the most I can do is start a fire. Although I am competent at making rice and beans.. and bread. and spaghetti. Well, I try.
Oh, there was a birthday last week - Elias Moctezuma, the husband of a good friend, Besigo. Laura and I went down for the party (to be honest, mainly just a normal night of talking and laughing - but they did turn on the light for us) and good food. And, we stayed the night at their house. Yesterday I dug a ditch along the side of our dormitory because the old ditch had filled up and water was running under our house. Not good on several accounts. One, mosquitos. Two, the posts rot and the building falls down. We've also been working on a floor for the enrichment center.. don't know if I've mentioned that before.

Well, love to all.

Time for some pictures!!

2008-10-26T00:08:00.002-05:00

Below are some pictures of where I've been recently. And some of the scenery I see almost daily - and it is still always breathtaking. Even as I get accustomed to the landscape, the colors somehow never fail to amaze me. Blues and Greens and Grays have never been so beautiful (and these were always my favorite colors! .. well, maybe not always gray - but now it is!)

This first picture is the view of the Gulf of Dulce on the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica - it is taken from "Paul's place" one of the buildings on the Ighani farm. This is where we often have Ruhi classes (which we are taking to help practice our spanish - and because it is quite probable we will tutor this book at some point and it's good to be familiar with it)

These are the people I live with (minus Anne who is taking the picture). Left to right: Parviz, Laura (from Greece), yours truly, Komron (from TN), and Linda (from Iceland).

This spot is about midway through the walk from Conte to the farm. I love the mist!

Below is a view of the sunrise. I've made the walk down to Conte starting at dawn many times now. And it is always a beautiful morning (.. likely because if it wasn't we wouldn't head down - partly because who would want to walk in bad weather but mostly because that usually means the rivers are high and either dangerous or impassable)

One day we walked about two hours in the opposite direction from Conte - heading further into the mountains. We visited the old Chief and his family. This man has an amazing garden and this woman makes the traditional crafts of the Guaymi people. She asked us to put on the dresses - and I am also wearing a hat the Chief made (though usually only the men wear those). And, by the way, the woman in pink is lovely Anne.

And this beautiful place is the beach, Zancudo. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite places on earth. Beautiful soft sand, waves that are fun but not too powerful or dangerous and comfortable lodgings with great food. Whoever comes to visit me definitely deserves a stop here.

My Day

2008-10-04T13:49:00.002-05:00

This morning was an interesting morning. I woke up at my usual time (around 5:15) to the sound of the cat rustling my tent. For some reason I wanted to sleep in... so I tried... and failed. I got up - and I'm always glad when I do because I love my mornings before the others get up. I washed my face and brushed my teeth and then sat in the hammock with my new novel. I have two books that I am reading. One I keep down at the main house - The Prophet's Daughter, and the other I read only in the mornings in my hammock - at the moment it's The Memory Keeper's Daughter. I don't have a watch anymore (my new Guaymi friends like to tease me about it because I wore it into the ocean.. and water proof does not mean saltwater proof) but I am usually exactly on time in the mornings because I have discovered that when the sun tops the tree and the rays begin to shine brightly into my eyes it's 7:00 and time to start the day. But this morning it was very cloudy.. still bright, but very cloudy. So I guessed. I think I was very close to the right time, but when I got up I noticed what the cat must have been occupied with the night before... I found a rat skin and some of the insides left outside my tent. So, I had to clean up that mess. I wonder what happens to the bones because there are never any left there. Strange. So, I made it down to breakfast - I was still first, but I was 13 minutes late (not that we really have such a strict schedule.. we just like to have some bit of order).

Then, a rather spur of the moment idea (at least to me) we decided to take a trip down to Conte to spend some time on the internet. So, we took off right away and spent 2 hours walking down. Near the end of the walk we met Don Freddy who I've heard much about (though, to be honest, I don't really remember who he is) but I was glad to meet him. He said that he has been good friends with Parviz for about 10 years and that we are welcome to visit him at his house anytime. This past week I feel like I'm finally getting to know the people in the community. I'm starting to really remember people's names and their relationships to each other. Before it always felt a little like a blur. Now I just wish my spanish would come faster. I talk with people, but still, at times I'm not really sure I am responding correctly to their questions or if I really understand them or I just think I do. All I can do is keep up what I am doing - continue to read Harry Potter ;) and study with Anne (the youth are doing Ruhi 1 in spanish to improve our language skills) and most of all continue to talk with people.

But back to my narrative: the little cafe only had two computers. So, Laura and I waited at a bar while Linda and Komron used the computers for 1 1/2. And now I'm here, using it myself. I've been trying to follow up with my ideas for the enrichment center of using some of the old Montessori materials for math and reading that I used as a kid to use with the kids up in Progresso. I think I can make a lot of the things - right now I just really need to remember how to get them to use it. What do I have them do? Eh, I'll figure it out. I guess I'm actually getting ahead of myself. I should be figuring out how to make the materials because they don't even have a chance to use them until I make them! So, besides the garden (which we've gotten the first batch of plants in the earth) my other main project will be to get some of these materials ready.

Here we go again

2008-09-29T20:25:00.002-05:00

I'm back in San Jose and leaving again for Progresso in the morning. For some reason I cannot get used to using the extremely slow internet connection that is available at the Ighani house... I guess I just don't have enough patience. So, I write when I'm here. It's not a good system because I haven't felt like posting all weekend - and to be honest, I'm still not sure I do. But this is me trying to keep in touch.

So, a (relatively) quick update on some of my activities, and then perhaps a nod to news from the US. In Progresso it's always an interesting mix of not much going on, nothing to do, and completely occupied. The year of service youth, along with the help of one special neighbor, has started a garden. We have planted seedlings of cucumber, tomato, okra, red pepper, and one or two other things in little containers we made out of paper which we will, once they have grown a little, plant into one of the two plots we've dug up. We are hoping to have a successful little vegtable garden - but it's a hope because it's in the middle of the rainy season and it may be a lot of work to keep all the plants and the soil from washing away. We've dug trenches around the plots in an effort to ward off erosion, but we'll see how it all works.

Also, last Wednesday we started teaching English classes at the local school. Laura and I are teaching the 5th grade class, Anne is teaching the 6th grade, and Komron and Linda will be teaching the 4th grade. I was a bit nervous going in because our spanish is not really all there yet and I'm not sure I've ever really taught a class in the same type of setting - proper chalkboard, students in desks... I mean, it's the whole nine yards. But I think the kids enjoyed it and I know I really did. I am looking forward to planning class and teaching it.

Another project we're hoping to get up and running soon is the, well, to be honest I just forgot the name. But basically it is going to be an enrichment center of sorts. A big part of the culture and of everyday life in Progresso is visiting. Lots of people stop by every day and rather than simply sitting and doing nothing we will be doing something while we visit. Also, it will be the base of operations (there is another building being built where we house supplies or simply be a station for this) for our tutoring. For instance, three of our top priorities at the moment is teaching one little girl to read and helping two boys with their math skills. But it's for everyone. At the moment it's still more of an idea than a plan - but that's one thing we will focus on when we get back.

Other things that take up my time: dishes - somehow there is a never ending stream (ok, I can tell you... we have to cook each meal - there is no refrigerator, so three meals a day; plus, we have visitors - and for each visitor, even the tiny little kids, we serve them either coffee or juice, depending on the time of day, and if they are there during lunch or dinner, or sometimes even breakfast time, we also serve them a meal, so dishes can be, and are done all day long); laundry has to be done at least every other day just in case we have a bad week of rain and clothes don't dry; Laura and I run quite regularly, almost every day; for my downtime I read - I have read Reading Lolita in Tehran, which is a great book about a woman who lived and taught in Iran before and after the revolution, The Alchemist, a great book about a boy finding his path in life, finding his purpose and joy, Anna Karennina, a classic Russian novel about a few aristocrats trying to find happiness, Angela's Ashes, a heartbreaking story of a boy's life growing up in Ireland in the mid-20th century. But perhaps the hardest read - It's the first one I started in July and I am still only halfway through - is the 3rd book of Harry Potter. I kid you not. Of course, it is in spanish. And, to clarify, my downtime is usually between 6 and 7 in the morning, after I wake up, but before it is time to go down to breakfast - and that's on the mornings that Laura and I don't run (sometimes we go in the afternoon). At night, after dinner, Anne and Parviz and us youth have a devotional. At the moment we are reading A Century of Light. So, there you have it.

Bonus: one morning, Laura and I gave poor Puppy a bath. She was filthy and tick and flea infested. I showered directly afterwards.

And I came here to San Jose and whenever I have the remote for the TV I turn on CNN. I saw the first Presidential Debate, and I wish I could be in a position to catch the rest. And I found out about the slight difficulties Wall Street is having - it's crazy how separated I am from that down here. I had no idea. It's funny, when I'm in Progresso I do not miss movies, TV, radio, or even the internet, except at times to be able to keep in touch a bit more. But I come here and it is overload on CNN and the internet.

Well, I need to pack for tomorrow... and think about calling a cab for 4:30, or 5? better make it 4:45 in the morning... hmm.. ok, hasta luego.

I'm a bit behind

2008-09-13T03:35:00.003-05:00

I always feel I'm a bit behind and I keep writing only long narratives - and this one is no different. I plan to briefly describe the last ten days since my last post; but first, I have news to share: the Ighanis have spoken (apparently for five hours) with the counselor and they have decided not to rush the move away from Progresso. A pioneer family from Panama is coming on the 20th of September and we thought we'd leave for Guanacaste a few days after but it has been decided to wait and see. Therefore, for an undefined amount of time I get to stay in the lovely Progresso.

Okay, for the long, but hopefully not boring, sequence of events. Last week, when we all still thought we would be moving at the end of September, Jason came with the hope of helping his parents make the move. So, he came and we headed out on the long bus ride the next morning - but instead of going directly to Progresso we went to a beautiful quiet beach - the beach we see from one of the views from the Ighani's house (hopefully someday I'll insert some pictures because it's absolutely stunning). We had a nice long walk on the beach that night and the next morning we played in the great waves of the pacific ocean.

Then we headed up to Progresso. In Progresso we continued helping Anne go through things - cleaning and organizing and just generally trying to be helpful. But we also had some fun... of sorts. A few times Laura, Jason and I ran down the mountain and back up - I described that beach walk right? Well, yes, we took that path - not the whole hike... just the hardest part - barefoot. Fun, right? But to make up for it we did make chocolate. First we roast the cocoa beans, then rub the roasted beans between our hands to take off the shell. Then we grind them and then we add milk and sugar over the fire. I say we - mostly it was Jason and Laura (there's a picture on facebook - note what I am holding... not exactly helpful). Jason also cut down some coconuts for us to drink one day - yum. Oh, and I would just like to share, Laura made the most amazing Spaghetti. I am constantly amazed at the food here - yes, often we have the rice and beans that I expected, but also, quite often we have amazing tasting food! There was talk of killing a chicken (Laura really wants to pluck the chicken!) but that didn't end up happening - maybe it we'll do that in the upcoming weeks.

Then, all too soon, we left for San Jose once more. For some reason, that particular ride seemed extremely long to me - but we made it to San Jose. Our days here have also been quite eventful. One night we stayed at Saba's (a good friend - she served at the Ighani's a few years ago and decided to return to Costa Rica to study), one night we stayed at Julie's (a pioneer to Costa Rica and good friend of Anne), and a couple nights now we're back at Hesh and Zarrin's. We spent one day at the mall - no shopping, just sitting and talking. We've gone on errands, met friends for lunch (so tasty!), farewell party - that, for a few of us, lasted until 3:30 when they headed for the airport to send Jason away, other party.. well, the one that's always here the the house (for instance, Zar cooked dinner last night and about 7 people just walked in and sat down with us - good times).

So, we leave for Progresso in the morning and we don't know when we'll be back. The internet sitiation (hopefully family members catch that and don't just think I can't spell) is also undefined so I don't know when I'll be writing again - but don't let that deter you from communicating with me - eventually I will read and respond to everything. Nos vemos!

Before we go..

2008-09-03T10:55:00.002-05:00

Well, our week in the San Jose area is almost at an end. We came up to San Jose for a doctor's appointment for Parviz, then we stayed to the weekend because Anne and Parviz had an NSA meeting, and then we were waiting for today because Jason (the oldest Ighani child) is flying in from the states. So, tomorrow we will be heading back down to Progresso. So... what we did in San Jose:

Well, Laura and I have been staying at a young couple's house - and it's been great. Hesh and Zarrin are good friends of the Ighanis and it's not hard to see why. Their house is always open to their friends and almost every night there were people over - whether it was just a night to hang out, or there was a devotional or dinner. Also, lucky for Laura and I, they both speak English and most of their friends do as well. So, we've been having a good time meeting new people and hanging out - at least at night. During the day, when everyone is at work, we've had to think of things to fill up our time. One day we went into downtown San Jose with Anne - we saw the open market and the craft markets and just walked around. One day we went out to a nearby Volcano - apparently it has one of the largest craters formed by a Volcanic eruption. One day we just went to downtown Heredia (the town/subdivision where we have been living) looked around and then when it started raining found a little "Cafeteria" - a coffee shop - and studied spanish. Other days we just hung out here and watched some movies. Unfortunately, Laura and I both got sick two nights ago and we spent yesterday recuperating. But we're better now and all ready for the party we're throwing for Jason's return. We've also been to a few friend's houses for devotionals, dinner and hanging out. Oh, and on a spur of the moment thing - we gave an improvised children's class... with no materials, not even a story in spanish, and little language. Laura has been taking lots of good pictures and has been putting them up on Facebook, so if you want to see some pictures I'm afraid you'll have to check it all out there.

Back in Costa Rica...

2008-08-30T15:13:00.002-05:00

... but we're not settled yet. At the moment we are all sort of floating in Costa Rica. The first week we returned we stayed in Progresso. Anne started going through her things, trying to decide what she should and could take with her when we move. Parviz visited with neighbors and tried to fix some of the solar panel units that either weren't working or weren't working very well. Laura and I did whatever we could that would help them. We've done some cleaning, organizing, cooking and visiting neighbors. One day we walked down to the bay to buy fish (and swim in the ocean). That was a fun day - Anne had warned us that it was a rather difficult hike, especially on the way back. Well, going down Laura and I thought "this isn't too bad." On the way back we decided never to doubt anything Anne says. The walk back is pretty much straight up without stopping - for about 2 1/2 hours. And it didn't help that we walked back in the middle of the day without much water. Another day, Laura and I went to a friend's house to ask her to make Guaymi dresses for us. I don't know when they'll be ready - but I can't wait!

But I'm ahead of myself - Laura is from Greece, but has German parents, and has been working in England for the past few years. She will be staying with us for about 6 months - until she decides where or whether to do her doctorate. She's great... actually we're going for a run at the moment so I'll finish the stories of our adventures another time.

But very quickly, at the moment we're in San Jose and will be for a few more days yet.

Hola Todos!

2008-08-15T13:23:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been about three more weeks and my time in Colombia is almost at an end. I have met some wonderful people, had some wonderful times, and have really learned a lot. The first week here at the institute in Cartegena, Colombia was spent learning about the process - especially the importance of keeping detailed and accurate notes and information about what has been done and who you've spoken to. In addition, we studied Conozcamos (basically the Spanish version of Anna's Presentation) and some other deepening themes to help us prepare for going out to the towns. Which is what we did for most of the second and third weeks. Last week, on Tuesday we went out to the villages, mine was called Santa Rosa, where we stayed until Friday. This was the teaching part of our trip. Our goal was 50 new Baha'is - and we reached that goal in two days. Mind blowing, right? The people are simply ready. The people we shared Conozcamos with were people who already knew a little bit about the faith - they had kids in childrens classes or they were or someone in their family had started Ruhi books - but we simply shared with them some of the main beliefs and a little history of the faith and at the end we ask "so, do you believe in Baha'u'llah" and almost every time they said yes. I think four people total in Santa Rosa said no, they didn't want to sign a card... but everyone that I saw simply said yes. The other two days were spend starting the consolidation process, the deepening the new believers. One of the main things that struck me was the confidence that the other members of my group had in the process. For instance, they pushed me to give part of the presentation, even though I have very bad spanish - they trusted that the message is so powerful that my broken spanish can't mask the truth. This past week was the other part of the consolidation process. We took the bus every day to the village and tutored Ruhi books or deepened new believers. I gave my first Ruhi class in spanish. And now, I have had three different Ruhi classes - alone. Yesterday, I spent an entire day with one family. In the morning I continued Book 2 with a girl, Cindy, who I had tutored the week before. They had invited me to eat lunch with them - so I ate soup with cow stomach.. it was actually quite tasty but I had to not think about what it was. And for the rest of the day, when Cindy had to go to colegio (high school) I sort of tutored Book 1 with an uncle of hers who is not a Baha'i. It was interesting because he kept saying "There's not enough time!" so he wanted to skip the reading (which is my favorite part because that's easy - no thinking, just reading!) and go straight to answering all of the questions. Plus, he wanted to discuss all sorts different topics - especially politics (he is a fan of Obama). It was a good day, but by 4 o'clock, about the time we needed to leave to catch the bus back to Cartegena, I could barely understand him any more. I was so tired - everything he said I would have to ask him to repeat it. That was my first entire day of only spanish. All the other days I would have short conversations in English, or at least know that I could ask someone else to tell me what was said.. but yesterday I was alone with only spanish speakers and no English at all. Good day, but hard.

This afternoon we are supposed to get together with the other members of our countries and begin our teaching and consolidation plans for our respective areas. I don't know how that is going to go for us Costa Ricans, since none of us know exactly where we will be, what it will be like, or who we'll have to work with. But I know that once we get there we'll be doing all sorts of good things for the Baha'is in that area.

A Quick Hello

2008-07-24T19:35:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone! I have been in Costa Rica for... well, I don't know exactly - what day is it? - maybe about 3 weeks. I spent the first two weeks with the Lynda Godwin Road Warriors youth service project (the same one I went on two years ago to Costa Rica and that Rachel went with last summer to Uganda) in Progresso, Costa Rica at the Ighani's farm. We successfully installed 25 solar panels to 25 homes - meaning that we gave light to 25 families where they had never had light previously - it was absolutely great. We did have some interesting adventures in the process, however. I hope that I will have a chance to go into it in a little more detail sometime but this needs to be a quick posting so I'm just going to continue. I am now in San Jose with Ann and Parviz but tomorrow we head down to Panama City to fly to Colombia for our training seminar. We will be there for about three weeks. Hopefully I'll get another chance to write soon! bye!

A New Beginning - but first:

2008-07-08T22:45:00.013-05:00

Hey everyone! It's been a long time since my last blog - what can I say, I've been really busy (and I've loved it!). First as we all know I went to visit Nathan in Israel with my immediate family. It was an amazing three weeks that I'll never forget. There are tons of pictures on facebook that I'm sure most of you have already seen so I don't need to post a lot of them here... just a few of my favorites.

We spent our first two weeks seeing the sites of Haifa and Akka, where we saw some beautiful places, ate some amazing food and spent time with wonderful people.

Then we toured Israel where we had some more amazing experiences: camel riding, ruins sitings, and dead sea swimming (or, more accurately, floating).

Then we were back in Huntsville preparing for a family reunion! It was great seeing everyone again. We had a great weekend together. Here are some pictures from that: the easier to come accross family portrait and the much harder to get picture with everyone (except Nathan, obviously, and Uncle Dave, who is taking the picture)!

And tomorrow I begin one more exciting adventure: my year of service in Costa Rica. I'm not completely sure how often I'll be able to access the internet but I'm going to try to keep in touch with everyone. Hasta luego!

Yay! No more classes!

2008-05-09T12:56:00.002-05:00

Today was my final day of class at Maryville College!! I still have a few papers due next week - and two performances - so I'm not quite done yet, but yay! no more class!

Things I hate

2008-04-24T17:31:00.002-05:00

A while ago I posted about some little things that I like. Well, it's time for us all to get to know me a little better but this time it's about things I really don't like. Mainly it's just one thing, and that one thing mainly because it's been happening for a few days now. Here it is: I hate hearing little rather random beeps - especially when I can't do anything to stop them. For instance, last night someone was watching a dvd of The Office upstairs but when they stopped they left it on the menue screne that replays the same noises over and over. Now, I love The Office (and it comes on tonight - yay!) but as I was downstairs writing a paper I kept hearing these soft strange noises (turns out it was the sound of a phone ringing and then a fax machine). That one I fixed easily - I just muted the TV. This morning a roommate's room phone kept ringing when she wasn't here to answer it. And at the moment a different roommate's cell phone is beeping. Every few minutes there will be this little high pitched beep and every time I hear it it brings me out of what I'm concentrating on. And she's not here and I can't do anything about it! So, a little rant about an insignificant little thing - that I hate.

All Done!

2008-04-11T15:24:00.002-05:00

Yay! Comps are over! They weren't too bad - but don't be surprised if next time you see me I am missing my right arm as I'm pretty sure it's about to fall off.

Now all that's left is about 5 papers and a few more exams. And only one more month!!

One Down

2008-04-10T15:44:00.005-05:00

Day one of comprehensive exams is completed.

Also, I picked up my graduation gown yesterday. It looks something like this (except imagine the tassel color as garnet):

It's April already?

2008-04-03T21:04:00.005-05:00

Wow, I can't believe it's April already. Time seems to be flying past. Let's see, a short update since the last post and then we can get to tonight's slight news.

Well, a few weeks ago was spring break and I spent it all with my family (while some of my roommate took a road trip out west to the Grand Canyon, among other places. See family how much I love you because I chose you over a road trip... or maybe I was just afraid of being pushed over the edge...) Anyways, I went home. Half of it was spent at home and the other half was spent at Grandpa's farm where we got to see the Detweilers again. In short, it was a lot of just relaxing and hanging out with loved ones. Priceless.

Since then I've been back at school, doing the normal school routine with the slight added stress of studying for my dreaded Comprehensive Exams (that will be Thursday and Friday of next week) and practicing quite a bit of piano in preparation for my little part in the student recital the college held this evening. Yes, that is tonight's news - I played 3 movements of a little Sonatina by Kuhlau. It wasn't flawless but it also wasn't terrible - and three of my roommates came to support me so it was nice. Another ten years and no one will cringe when I step on stage - no, I'm just kidding.. it'll take 20. ;) And my other accomplishment of the past few weeks: I finally started book 7 - I'm on my way to becoming a tutor!

Breakfast during the Fast

2008-03-13T09:26:00.005-05:00

As we all know I am not and, unfortunately, never will be a morning person. But even though I do not actually like the getting up early part, I've pretty much always enjoyed breakfasting the mornings of the fast. At home it was quite a production - we'd all get up and have a nice cooked meal. Daddy and Mommy would cook, Nathan would be hanging around, in later years Rachel would be up and sooo tired and I would have to laugh. Someone would set the table; someone else would be cutting up grapefruits. Good family time. And of course, we would all pray together afterwards.

Then I went to college and had to do it all by myself. I had to wake myself up (oh yeah, one of my parents would always come get me - and that's a better way to wake up) if I wanted to eat. But I had no access to a kitchen. I had a microwave but not so much as a toaster to cook anything in. And, worst of all - I was alone. Fasting is no fun alone.

But then the next year Gabe came to Maryville - yay Gabe! And he would cross campus on some mornings and we'd cook a small breakfast in the common room kitchen. And the next year was even better - we actually lived in the same building and I had my own kitchen - much more convenient.

This year was even better because Pooneh, Kamran, and Arianna came over quite a few mornings and I cooked for them (Gabe, of course, is studying abroad). I made all sorts of things - scrambled eggs, cinnaman apple toast, ham, pancakes, omelets, bacon, french toast, bannanas and cream - lots of my favorite things. Today was the best of all (even though it definitely also took the longest): I made crepes! Yum. But I switched it up a little - instead of cherries we had blueberries on our crepes (you see, Danielle does not like cherries). Like I said though - it took a long time... I don't have a griddle where I can cook 8 or 10 at a time. Instead, I cooked them two at a time in a smallish skillet and they all turned out looking like steaks (the shape, I mean) because of the curve the skillet and because the eyes on the stove are crooked. But they were still tasty; at least, I thought so.

In other news, I agreed to play a (piano) sonata at the next Maryville College student recital. Why?

I love real Professors

2008-03-10T22:12:00.005-05:00

I love professors who are the epitomy of the word "professor." The stereotypical crazy-haired, slightly absent minded, just professors. Like there's nothing else that they could ever be. There are some professors who are just teachers; others, like my instructor for my bollywood class, are almost friends you could talk to about, well, movies (for instance, like I did today - I'd mentioned that I'd seen that movie before - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai for anyone who remembers those old times.. the one when they were best friends at college but he loves the other girl who then dies and her daughter finds his old best friend at a summer camp and gets them together in the end - sorry if that's a bit confusing, but it's hard to summarize a 3 hour movie in one coherent sentence. Back to the main topic: good ol' professors.) There are those who make you frantic trying to copy the insane amount of notes down, but then also discuss. Then there are those who can somehow always engage the class completely and who just make the class feel like a college course. I guess, to put it simply, those who make you want to go to class - you don't want to miss the tiny but hysterical comments, or the stories he will tell when he goes off on his little tangents... but that aren't tangents really because he can pull them back and make them fit into anything we were talking about. When you regret not going to class instead of leaving class and wishing you hadn't wasted your time. Oh, I'll miss learning from professors. (ps. look closely, I just described my course schedule... that's my life right now) I'm glad I've had a few professors in my college career.

Actually, here is a picture of the current "Professor" I have. It's a shame he doesn't have the longer and grayer messy hair that he has now - it adds so much to the whole professor thing. Anyways, thanks Dr. Klingensmith (and, of course, to the others I've had over the years).

(I don't know why I came back and added these pictures -- I guess I just thought I needed more pictures)

Traps and Distractions

2008-02-28T14:14:00.003-05:00

I have been introduced to the iGoogle home page - and I am now hooked. I have spent hours creating my new home page. You can choose a background - and they've got some really cute ones (mine is a little cartoon tiger and he's in his little home and we can see out into his yard where he has a garden - and, as the day goes on, the scene changes. Last night he took a bath, then went to bed, this morning he was working in his garden and at lunch time he was sitting at the table eating lunch. Cute!) - and you get to choose other features to put on it as well. I've got quotes of the day, a word of the day so as to improve my vocabulary, the weather, news - all sorts of things. So much fun. So, those hours where I should have been writing a paper that's due next week I instead got pulled into designing this new homepage. I started last night and today I have been rearranging things whenever I want a break from homework - which is way too often. Oh well, I'll really enjoy it - and hey, at least my vocabulary will improve, right?

A new talent!

2008-02-08T15:31:00.000-05:00

Today I had my first guitar lesson! I think I am really going to enjoy playing. He asked me if I listened to any guitar players and I said yes (doesn't everybody?) then he asked who... and I went blank.. I had no idea who to say - so I said I grew up listening to Eric Clapton. So he took that and ran with it and now I'm learning to play some blues! How exciting. This is not just learning to play the guitar - I'm learning some music theory (which I desperately need) and I'm learning to be a bit creative -- he gave me a set of notes (a pentatonic scale, to be exact) and told me to play around with those. I'm gonna be a rockstar! ok, not really, but I am so happy that I will enjoy these lessons.

p.s. - Thanks to Mom and Nathan for teaching me a few chords - he was totally impressed with how quickly I picked up the chords.. but also I hate you because he skipped the 'easy' F chord and went straight to the bar chord - my biggest fear.

I am going to Costa Rica!!!!

2008-02-06T12:01:00.000-05:00

I have been saying for many years that I would be going to Costa Rica for my year of service, but it was always a "hopefully." Today, however, I received an email from Parvis (Mr. Ighani) and it is for sure that I am welcome there!! I am so very excited. I am alone in my appartment at the moment, and it's probably a good thing because I am just bouncing from room to room with a huge grin on my face - you know how I can be. I'm so excited! They want me to come as soon as possible... so it looks like I graduate, travel to Haifa, family reunion in Huntsville, and then Costa Rica!!!

What? I need to go to bed.

2008-02-03T23:48:00.000-05:00

I'm back in the land of the living. For the past few weeks I've been reading a fantasy series but this morning I finished the last of the books I have (there is one more out, but I don't have access to it at the moment, plus she is writing another one so I may as well stop here rather than go to the trouble of obtaining the next book, reading it, and yet still be left hanging). It's been glorious and frustrating at the same time (as always) - I love having another world to immerse myself in.. especially fiction because I know it's not real and completely frivolous (somehow the fact that I know it's frivolous makes it less so... my thought process is something like "this is my unproductive act for the day" so, knowing that, the rest of the day is spent attempting to be useful). Now when I read it will almost always be for academics - which is, of course, just as stimulating and actually more interesting - but it's so much harder. When reading fiction I just skip the parts I don't want to read... when the description of the landscape goes on to long I skip to the dialogue... if a battle goes on for pages I skip to the end and just find out who won. When I'm reading about Plato's vision of a functioning political society (of beauty) I cannot skip a word or else I'm floundering in a sea of incomprehensible terminology. Philosophy just takes so much focus! It's easy enough paragraph by paragraph but pages upon pages continuous dense material is certainly challenging Oh well, it's what's good for me - and why I came to college. That's what learning is right? and there's hardly a greater blessing than that opportunity. But just like the above, knowing that this (this meaning learning/scholarship/erudition - gaining not only knowledge but the ability to think... and the second part is the hard part) is important makes it hard. Eh, I'm just complaining - having books to retreat into is beatific (new word learned at least, so that's good) while they last but then the end inevitably comes and you're left wanting it to continue. Luckily (well, mostly luckily) I know it can and will continue in the future, so I know it's not the end. Plus, since I've been constantly reading for a month I'm a bit tired of it (almost 6,000 pages would get anyone right?). And I actually like (well, I think I like) all of my classes and will enjoy, or at least appreciate spending the time studying. Plus all friends are back in place and I need to spend time with them all.

Wow talk about your rambling. I debate actually posting this.. but why not? It's only other people's opinions of me and my craziness that I'm putting on the line right? Let's see if I can find a picture that equals the above strange bundle of words.

Perfect. I have no idea what that is. Yet it's almost calming too. How interesting.

Black Violin

2008-01-31T23:30:00.000-05:00

It's late, but I have time for one short post:

Tonight Maryville College hosted a group called Black Violin and they were amazing! They mix their classically trained violinist selves with hip-hop beats and songs. They are awesome - I love seeing truly talented people. Anyways, check out their website (blackviolin.net) so you can see what I'm talking about: greatness. Good-night!

A Good Day

2008-01-22T22:10:00.000-05:00

Today was a good day. I woke up this morning, finished my homework before class. Stepped outside to go to class - and found that the sidewalks were frozen! Dangerous, but funny as we slid to class on the ice. Contributed in class (always a triumph for quiet little me). Ate lunch with friends discussing class and a bit about the Bible. Came back and actually began my homework, cleaned my room and just took care of business in general. I began practicing a piano piece I will be playing this semester - and I love it! it's going to be a lot of fun to play. Later, Sarah cooked us all spaghetti and cookies. Then more friends came over and we played rock band together (Rachel, I can now play the drums on medium). A good productive day with plenty of friends and fun. And, though most people would say the weather today was dreary - for it was gray and wet and rainy all day - I loved it. It was cold but not freezing and tonight it is sprinkling so lightly that it's almost mist and it is just a bit foggy accross campus. Beautiful. Just the kind of atmosphere to spur one's imagination.

(Something like this - only imagine it's dark and the lamp post is giving off a soft yellow glow)

Africa overview

2008-01-09T12:09:00.000-05:00

Once I heard someone say that once you experience Africa it gets in your blood and you always want to go back. Not having ever been particularly interested in Africa, I really didn't expect that to happen to me. Interestingly enough, I think it has. All of my stray thoughts seem to turn back to my visit there. And I keep doing little things that they do in Africa - like walking on the left side of the sidewalk instead of the right and I've said things like "even me" or "for me" before a sentence. Needless to say, I am very thankful to have had this opportunity to go to a place I may not otherwise have ever visited. Thanks Rachel!

Still I don't have many pictures to share yet but here we are on our way to the Temple in a matatu - a taxi (and taxis in Africa are small 15 passenger vans that you cram into and they are more like a bus system than taxis that take you anywhere you want to go). Even though both of us look quite tired in this picture I think we both look happy so that's good enough for me.

We didn't actually do a whole lot... like tour Africa and see elephants or gorillas and all that... but we had a lot of fun together. I think I probably preferred it this way - it was a completely relaxed trip for me rather than focusing on getting a lot of things done. The first few days were spent going to the office where Rachel finished up some reports - and we went to parliament to drop off some materials for their library - and then heading to the Temple afterwards to see it and hang out with the youth there. Later days were spent touring Kampala and seeing the local sights and going to some of the markets to buy Ayyam-i-Ha presents for the family. And the final days were spent at an international youth conference held in a town called Mbale that is about 3 1/2 hours away from Kampala. Hows that for a skeleton of an outline?

Meanwhile, we visited the Temple almost everyday - amazing. The House of Worship is absolutely beautiful. The pictures do not do it justice. The colors of the outside are specatular and the sound, the way it echoes, on the inside is just awesome. It is so simple and so wonderful. Plus, I didn't realize this, but the Baha'is own the entire hill, so there is so much land! The grounds are really quite expansive. So, in short, amazing.

In addition to the temple, we went paintballing (unfortunately my team lost, but I did "kill" three people who almost reached our flag and so saved our team from losing that much more quickly), we saw the source of the nile, we participated in some traditional wedding events - the introduction and the engagement ceremony, I learned some drumming (can't remember it now, of course), once tried the traditional ugandan dance.. but gave up very quickly, had choir practice and subsequently sang in the Temple during the Sunday service (wow is all I can say about that), rode boda's (motorcycle taxis), drank tea!!, had a birthday, beat some boys at pool, lost at table tennis (Aqsan, really you are great and I'm impressed), watched fireworks on New Year's eve, but the best part was meeting all the amazing people in Africa. I genuinly loved all of Rachel's friends. Oh, and of course, sharing all of these experiences with Rachel - truly a blessing.

I'm back for the final time

2008-01-06T19:32:00.000-05:00

I'm certainly in a rather melancholy mood at the moment. I have arrived back to the Maryville College Campus to begin my last semester in college. (how and when did that happen?) None of my roommates are back yet... soon it will be loud and fun and we'll all be sharing stories from our different breaks... but at the moment I am just thinking about all the people I'm missing and in a few short months even more people I will be missing.

I miss my family in Huntsville who I saw for a total of 3 days this winter break - so totally not enough time with them. But I will see them soon enough.

I miss Rachel. I had such a wonderful time in Uganda - I loved spending almost every minute with my sister. We had plenty of fun adventures... and one or two rather frightening ones ;)... and some simply annoying experiences... some completely African... some closely resembling an outing here in the states -- and they were all spent with amazing people. I'll expand on these stories another day... soon, I'm sure, but another day.

I miss my brother in Haifa, who I haven't seen in way over a year. I miss my other friends who have been in Haifa even longer.

How much I am missing. And yet, honestly, how could I change my life? I wouldn't want to keep from living my life; and I wouldn't want to keep others from living their life just so I could have them always with me. Oh, "if wishes were wings."

I had a rather different new year's evening this year, and thought about making a resolution but since there was no one to share it with I passed it off to be done at another time. I have just thought of it -- because I am missing so much, and will soon be missing more as my undergrad experience ends, my new year's resolution is to learn how to keep in touch with everyone I care about. I am notoriously bad at correspondence.. but that is what I will work on this year. I have enough people to practice with. Of course, this is one everyone can help me with :).

Last day of Class!

2007-12-07T16:04:00.001-05:00

Yay! but wow. It's starting to sink in that I am a senior in college. Goodness - how did that happen? Some of my friends (and one of my roommates) are graduating this semester.. and others are education majors and will be student teaching next semester... so this was their very last day of class. In celebration of that, in one of my classes (where at least two students will never take another class here at Maryville) we played a prank on our professer. Dr. O'Gorman has a very strict rule about cell phones and will take up (and answer if he can) your phone if it rings in class. So, we got friends from outside our class to call at different intervals, starting out slow and leading up to several going off at once. Much fun.

It is finally cold here in east Tennessee.. not the unbearable kind of cold but the crisp and clear kind of cold that is uninviting (and cold!) but still, walking to and from class you can't help but appreciate the weather. The point is: today would be the perfect day for a cup of hot chocolate, a good book, and a fire in the fireplace. That would be lovely. Sadly, I don't have any of that here - not even the hot chocolate! But that's okay - only one more week to go and I'm home! Granted only for two nights... but I am certainly not complaining! I will get to go see little sister (who's now more worldy than I with her office job and, you know, the little part about living half-way round the globe!). How exciting.

However, I still have a paper to write, a lab to finish, and exams to study for so I'd best get to it. But let's be serious, first things first: Nap Time!

oh, and ps: My Thesis is Finished! (unless I made some grave error that the editor cannot let slide - but hopefully that won't happen)

short and sweet:

2007-11-06T19:20:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Daddy!

My Roommates

2007-10-27T12:44:00.000-05:00

It has been a while since I have posted anything... so I figured I should. But I had nothing interesting to say - no news, no insights into the world, no quirky thoughts to share with the world - so, I thought, what could I write about? Well, most people have not met my roommates - so why not post a picture and talk about them a little bit? Genius! (Actually, courtesy of facebook, most people have probably already seen pictures of them, but some haven't.)

I live with 5 girls in an appartment on campus - it is a great appartment: a living room, kitchen, bathroom, and two bedrooms downstairs and 4 bedrooms, a bathroom, and a little common room area upstairs. It's quite lovely.

Okay, from left to right: Danielle, Sarah, yours truly, Courtney, Cara, and Reba. Let's see... some history. I met Danielle, Sarah, Reba and Courtney freshman year. Danielle's room was right next to mine, and Sarah and Reba lived on the same floor. I didn't really get to know Courtney until second semester when we all went skiing together. Sophmore year, by some lucky chance, Cara was placed in our room when Reba, who was going to room with us, decided to be an RA in a different building and so we had a vacant room. We're all so glad. And so there we are. Danielle is loud and crazy and mean ;). Sarah is so sweet and involved a lot on campus. Reba is training to be a teacher (meaning she only has a few more weeks of real school 'cause next semester she'll be student teaching). Courtney rides in rodeos and is usually quite frank, but never mean. And Cara is a psycology major but will be leaving us in December because she is graduating. With 6 girls all together life is not without drama, but luckily there is never drama between us. What a good group of girls. Oh, and I should say - they ALL have a southern accent. Cara a bit less so than the others, but the others' heavy accents make up for her slight one. So funny.

Anyways, there's a tiny peek into my life. I love living with a big group of people... just like at home there's almost always someone there to talk with.

I need a new book.

2007-10-15T12:26:00.000-05:00

I am in the mood to read... a good book would be so perfect right now.

Happy Birthday Jesse!

2007-10-09T15:09:00.000-05:00

Today, 12 years ago, Jessica Danielle Wolfe (goodness she has a beautiful name) was born early afternoon on a Monday. Daddy picked us up from school - and as soon as we saw him we knew the baby was born because he didn't usually pick us up. So, we all got in that big blue van and went to the hospital to meet her! I was 10 and having one more little sister totally changed my life. She taught me responsability and patience. She taught me how to care for others before myself. I complained about changing diapers, of course, but I absolutely loved taking care of her. And she taught me a skill I value highly: how to put a baby to sleep (though, as she got older she fought me on that one :).

Now Jesse is 12 years old! Throughout the years watching her grow up, I was always impressed with how independent she was. If she wanted something, she would get it herself or figure it out even though she had plenty of people who she could have gotten to do it for her. I have missed so much by being away from college but every time I come home I am amazed by how much she has grown. I love you Jesse!

I'm back in the game

2007-10-03T21:45:00.000-05:00

Ever since I stopped playing soccer I have been wanting to find another way back into the game. I thought I would make a good little soccer coach for young ones so I went to the rec center here in Maryville, TN and offered to be a coach. However, they had enough parents to fill the spots so I thought, oh well. Luckily for me I attend a small college. My statistics professor saw my shirt that said "Maryville soccer" and asked if I played. I said, "well, I used to play." He told me that his daughters played AYSO. I think next I said that I had wanted to be a coach but it didn't work out. He then said that because the season already started they already had the teams and coaches set but that the AYSO league really needed referees so if I was interested I should go get certified. So, I did. It's not coaching, but this will still be fun. And, I'm pretty sure that, now that I know some people, I can get a team for the spring season!

Oh, and they gave me all of my gear - and my yellow striped referee jersey is only about 13 sizes to big :).

I can't close until I have acknowledged the actual special event of the day:
Happy Birthday Brian!

It's the little things.

2007-10-01T22:44:00.000-05:00

These aren't the meaning of life,
but they help to remind me of the meaning of life.

blowing out candles
sunsets
listening to music
perfect coffee mugs
the sound of a library
late night conversations
leisurely early mornings
rain
finished projects
all things Jane Austen
making music
hot chocolate in summer
'happily ever after'

More pictures from Mexico

2007-09-24T13:23:00.000-05:00

Both of the villages we visited welcomed us with a presentation by their children. The children in the first village danced for us, and the wild children in the second supposedly sang for us (why they are in crepe paper costumes I'm not really sure). The dancing was so cute! The singing, well, we got to know that that group of kids liked to be very loud. The school is where we slept - on a blanket on concrete floors. There were no showers. We played lots of soccer and they taught us some new games. The game where we are holding hands in a circle is a really fun game - kind of like duck duck goose with partners. The other is where a kid repeats a rhyme and gets people out when she lands on them. I didn't catch the meaning of it all but at least one rhyme had something to do with sending people to either China or Japan. The little girl I'm sitting down with (I'm afraid I don't remember her name) had a few conversations with me - if you could call them that. She would say something, I would respond and she would look at me like I'm crazy. But we did finally learn how to communicate properly on the soccer field - she is quite a good little player. I'm not sure you can see, but there is one picture inside of one of the kitchens. The homes of these villages are made up of many buildings. One for the kitchen and usually a couple more separate one-room buildings for sleeping (i.e. one for the children, one for the parents, and one for the grandparents). I have a picture of one of the smoky kitchens where we would take our food supplies to be turned into supper (or breakfast, or lunch). And the last few pictures are of the ride home. We got up and left before sunrise - there we are loading the truck getting ready to leave. And then there is a beautiful picture of a mountain as we were driving down the mountain (which takes an hour). And the last waterfall is a park where we stopped to make lunch on our way back to Monterrey.

Some pictures of Mexico

2007-09-22T22:47:00.000-05:00

I didn't take many pictures of Mexico myself but I have finally taken some from others who went with me... so here are some of my favorites. I'll try to give a brief description of each.

This is Sra. Estella Manchaca, the lady who hosted me in her wonderful home for the duration of my stay, and Gina my lovely roommate who made the whole Mexico experience so much fun and completely unforgettable.

Below are pictures of the UDEM campus and some sights along the way. Notice the amazing mountains! I could not get enough of them! -of course, Gina thought that was pretty amazing because she lives in Idaho right next to the Rockies. :).

The international program at UDEM offered a service project - so, of course I signed up! But it wasn't quite what I expected. In previous years it had been something done in the afternoons during the week. However, this year they decided to take us to a couple of villages up on the top of some mountains (5 hours away!) on the weekends. All we did was play with the children there - and beg for the ladies to cook us food when we got hungry! It was hard for us to understand how it was service, but they assured us that the villagers enjoyed it and so that's all that matters.

To the left is the small town of Zaragoza at the foot of the mountains where our villages were.

And below are pictures of El Refugio, the village where I stayed.

So much for the places I stayed in Mexico. This has taken much longer than I thought it would and it's getting late so I'll write again soon to post some pictures of more people I was with and some of our activities.

TGIF

2007-09-21T18:28:00.000-05:00

Whew! This has been a long and tough week - but now that it's over I feel so good! When the week is full one tends to get a lot done and (I'm so proud of myself) I did. I have finished two papers, and figured out the topic of another, I am finally confident in my inferential stats abilities and - best of all - I have an outline for my thesis! Finally it seems manageable. I still worry that I won't be able to find enough of the data that I need, but my advisor assures me that this is more about the process, so if I do all that correctly it is not really necessary to have the perfect info.

I've also organzied my room a bit more and that always makes me happy. I found a bookshelf that fits perfectly between my bed and my window - though it's a bit taller than I had hoped for, and that will help me out a lot. Also, I'm about to make a big calendar so I have everything I need to do in one spot and that'll make life easier. All in all, I'm feeling quite good. Now I have a nice, rather empty, weekend where I can do homework without the stress of eminent due dates.

Oh, and I bought a shirt today :).

Yay for weekends!

Enjoy Your Present

2007-09-17T14:05:00.000-05:00

So, I've been telling my siblings to start a blog so I could see what they're doing in their amazing lives across the world... and I figured it's only fair for me to keep one so they can keep a tab on me too. So, here goes.

I came across this quote a while ago and I cannot remember where I found it or who said it... and although the college trained plagiarism bell is ringing in my head, I think it is a beautiful thought and the desire to share it surpasses my learned behavior of needing to properly cite any thought that is not my own. So, here it is:

Every day is a gift...
That's why they call it the present.
Enjoy your present.

And most importantly for this day, Happy Birthday Mom!!

I cannot say in words how wonderful a person and mother she is, but think of all the complimentary things you can think of and apply them to her - they all fit. But I cannot leave it merely at that so... I figured I would show the world one of the most flattering pictures that will ever be taken of my mother and I. :).