It's Like I've Learned to Communicate Like an Ape

Hello all!  I need to apologize for not being up to date on my blog.  I should being doing better, and I hope you can find it in your hearts to be forgiving.

First thing’s first: happy holidays!  I’ve been told that this part of the year is the worst for homesickness, but I don’t know that I’ve really been experiencing any thus far.  This might have something to do with the fact that it feels like 104˚ Fahrenheit right now at 4:30 in the afternoon.  (Not an exaggeration, http://www.wunderground.com/weather-forecast/PY/Asuncion.html.)

I continue to feel like I fit in here as the time passes.  I’m extremely grateful to be working at La Amistad with kids who enjoy being around me.  It never fails to make my day when kids yell “TIA SARAH!!” and run over to give me a group hug.  Yes, it’s as adorable as it sounds.  I’m thankful for the abundance of unbelievably delicious (and cheap or free-depending on the type) fruit.  I’m grateful for the beauty around me.  I notice something different every day: trees, flowers, clay roofs in contrast to the blue sky, et cetera.  I’m grateful for being accepted.  I continue to be overwhelmed by the hospitality that I’m shown at home, in homes of others, at church, and at work.  I’m grateful for friendships that bring joy to my day.  People all around me joke and love and care and laugh and share and it’s beautiful.  Life really is good!

Some things aren’t easy, though, when living in a previously unfamiliar culture.  For me, the language barrier has been really tough.  I never fully appreciated being able to communicate with those around me when I was surrounded by English speakers.  I find myself becoming frustrated with not being able to fully communicate with people when I want to and especially when I feel like I need to.  My Spainish improves daily, yes, but it’s not yet self-sustainable (a term I stole from Sam), and I continually wish that it was.  When it’s the worst, I feel insecure, unintelligent, and ditsy.  I feel as though I’m not taken seriously because I speak like a babbling two year old.  To be able to say what I want to say and to be able to fully understand what those around me are saying would be divine. 

I’ve found that I cope with not being able to fully communicate a few different ways.  First, I laugh a lot. Several times I’ve been trying to say something, come to a complete road block, and started giggling uncontrollably.  I suppose in some situations one can choose to laugh or to cry, and I love laughter.  I also use hand motions or make weird noises.  It’s like I have learned to communicate like an ape, and some of the people around me have learned to understand me.  Example: I refer to the blender in the kitchen at school as the ‘eeeerrrrrrrr’ and do a swirling motion with my hand, and Vidalina, the amazingly fantastic cook, always knows what I mean.  Also, I apologize a lot.  People are so forgiving and so patient with me but still I feel awful about being such a pain.  Communication is extremely complex when everyone is fluent in the same language; it’s especially hard when not everyone is confident in saying what they wish to say.

In light of the holiday season, I was wondering if you would all do me a huge favor.  Huge, but simple.  I’m asking you this because I’ve been having such a hard time communicating, and because I assume that I’m allowed to give you all small homework assignments.  I’d like you to be extra patient with the people that you have a hard time communicating with.  I realize that most of you don’t deal with people who aren’t fluent in your language on a daily basis, but I’m sure that there are people in all of your lives with whom you’ve found it hard to connect.  So in this holiday season, try a little harder to understand one another.  Work a bit more at connecting with each other.  Be patient, be kind, be understanding.  If not for yourselves, then in solidarity with me.

Much love,

Sarah

Learning to Live

Last week my Aunt Marga was rushed to the hospital with stomach pains.  She ended up having a tumor removed from her large intestine.  It was 5 cm wide and the doctors said it was hard as a rock. They took it to study to see if it was cancerous, even though they said they didn't really need to because they were already sure it was.  Because of the characteristics of the tumor, the doctors believed that Marga had cancer, and that they should start chemotherapy as soon as possible.

Nonetheless, Marga was stuck in the hospital waiting for the lab results on the tumor.  She stayed in a public hospital for people whose work insurance covered their treatments.  She was in a room with two other patients who had undergone similar surgeries.  The room was painted white, it had tile floors, it had 3 rolling hospital beds, 6 chairs for visitors/care takers, and no privacy curtains.  Being in this hospital was a significantly different experience from being in a hospital in the States.

My host sister, Celeste, stayed with my aunt every day from 7 in the morning till 7 at night.  She would run errands for the doctors and Marga, like bring blood samples to the lab or fill out paperwork.  At night, different family members would watch over Marga in the hospital.  It was pretty remarkable to see how close the family was during this time.  Everyone was pitching in and doing something, and there was an incredible amount of support for each other as well as for Marga.  During visiting hours, when more than just one person could be with the patients, it seemed like the whole extended family was in the hall of that hospital.

Someone explained to me that when a person finds out that they have cancer, it’s usually too late to do anything but buy time.  People were sure that Marga had cancer, which means that they were pretty sure that she limited time left to be with her family.  The heartbreak was visible and devastating.

For a week Marga was in the hospital.  There was someone with her for every moment of every day, and a plethora of visitors when it was permitted.  She continued to regain her color from her previous surgery and became more herself as the week went on.  It seemed, though, that time crept by as everyone looked forward to Tuesday, when we would know what the next step was.

On Tuesday, the news came that the tumor wasn’t cancerous and that Marga could go home and be with her kids again.  It was the best news that anyone could have asked for.  It was almost as though she has come back from the dead.  She’s still recovering from the surgery, but she’s doing a lot better and is continuing to improve.

This was a remarkable experience.  It reminded all of us of how delicate life is, and how we should treasure it.  It reminded me that time is precious and that I want to do something meaningful with mine.  It reminded me of the importance of a good support system of family and friends.

Here’s to you all and here's to Marga,

Sarah

Tia Sarah

This is a picture of La Amistad school.  The second story is still under construction, but there are two or three classes that meet up there.  Fun fact: the roof is built around the trunk of one of those palm trees.

The kids at La Amistad (The Friendship) school call me Tia Sarah, (‘tia’ translates to ‘aunt’ in English).  It’s the most adorable thing since puppies.  

As I’ve mentioned before, my work assignment here in Paraguay is to help out in a primary school.  I mostly lend a hand where I’m needed; cleaning, cooking, doing dishes, wiping kids’ noses, playing, and occasionally helping out in classes as a teacher’s aide.  The most intimidating thing that I’ve been asked to do, though, is teach English twice a week, to five classes of 20 children under the age of 6.

We sing lots of songs and do lots of repetition.  One teacher has asked me to come in every day and sing a few songs in English with the kids, so that they can sing them to their parents.  Thus far, the classes have learned colors and body parts in English, as well as a few songs. 

It’s been a lot of fun.  Here are some pictures, because it’s much easier to show than tell you all what happens inside the classroom. 

Enjoy!
Sarah

Miguel (in back) and Tobias (in front) are currently not at all listening to what I'm saying and are pestering Roxanne to take their picture in the back of the class.  I think I'd have better classroom management if they weren't adorable even when they're misbehaving.



We're learning body parts, and this is the stomach.  Kids more easily learn when they have actions to accompany words, and have more fun when the actions are silly and/or obnoxious.  So do I.

Here we're singing Head Shoulders Knees and Toes.  "Eyes and ears and mouth and nose."  Typically I consider it to be a success when over half of the class is paying attention (notice the two in the back wrestling).



This is what a classroom full of children reviewing colors in a foreign language looks like.  Notice how whatever in the front of the classroom (me, of course) has their rapt attention.



The Spirit Was Among Us

Singing at church got pretty intense today.

It all began with one woman, who went up to the front to kneel and pray.  That’s normal. Usually a few people kneel at the front during the last song and pray.  Pastor Alfred goes and prays over them and then they go back to their seats: usually.

Today, though, it didn’t stop at a few.  Soon it seemed like half of the congregation was standing or kneeling at the front of the church.  Alfred and Edulia (his wife) went from person to person praying with them.  This went on for 45 minutes or more as we continued to sing “let it rain, let it rain, open the floodgates of heaven” or more accurately “haz llover, haz llover, abre las puertas del cielo”.

I stayed in my seat and from there was able to observe what was happening around me.  At one point, Alfred was praying over a woman and I saw him motion to a man sitting close to the front.  The man stood up and went to the woman just in time to catch her as she fell backwards.  She had fainted.  Another woman was shaking violently and shrieking.  A couple people went and held her hands and stroked her face until she was calm again.  Many people were on their knees, many people were praying aloud, and many people had tears rolling down their faces.

I had never seen anything like this before.  The only way I can think to describe it is to say that the Holy Spirit ascending on us.  The spirit was filling each person, one after the other before my eyes.  The energy in the room was so strong; it almost brought me to tears multiple times.  There was amazing power and love.  There was a divine presence.  It was real.  It was there.

 ...

I need to make a correction to my last blog.  I thought my shower didn’t have the capability of being warm, but in fact I didn’t know how it worked.  It turns out I can take warm showers, although recently I’ve been choosing not to because of the heat.  Basically, the hokey pokey shower days are over for me.

Life goes on here.  I’m doing well and really enjoying my work, which I’m planning to blog more about at a later date.  My family has opened their home to me as my own, which is extremely humbling.  I continue to be blessed far beyond my needs. 

Much love from Paraguay,

Sarah

Things To Get Used To

The Metric System

Here, as in every other country besides the United States, the metric system is used.  It’s like I have little to no bearing on how far distances are, or how warm or cool it is outside.  People say that something is so far away, or that the temperature is this or that, and it means almost nothing to me.  I’d never realized how grounded I was in my use of Fahrenheit , gallons, or miles. 

Hokey Pokey Showers

This is the term I’ve adopted to describe the way that I now bathe.  You put your left arm in, you take your left arm out (and soap it up), you put your left arm in (to rinse it) and you shake it all about.  My shower is not super warm; it’s not the coldest it could be, either, but it’s definitely not warm.  From what I’ve learned from talking with other people, my shower is special and other people have warm showers.  I have decided that if everyone in the world took cold showers, water usage would go down by a significant amount.

Wandering Cows

Being from Kansas, I am used to cows being inside fences.  When a cow is not in its perspective fence, common curacy is to call the person to whom the cow belongs so that they may get their cow back into the fence.  I’m not sure cows have fences here; they just sort of wander.  They wander down streets and in the Jardin Botanico, they wander where they want it seems, and no one bats an eye.

Obnoxious Men

It is rare for me to be able to walk here and not attract some whistles, lots of stares and sometimes comments.  Out of all the things to get used to, his has been toughest.  I really just want to tie their tongues in knots so that whistling isn’t an option.  Respect for women is viewed very differently here than it is in the U.S.  I think that it doesn’t really bother women here when they’re whistled at or when men stare.  It’s not that I’m going to say it’s viewed as a complement, but it’s sort of viewed as a complement.  It’s like someone saying ‘hey Sarah, you look nice today’ but more direct and, for me, more disgusting way.  Even so, it’s pretty difficult for me to get used to or get rid of my fantasy of tying tongues in knots.

Mealtime differences

I’m not the biggest meat eater.  If I had an option between a steak and my mom’s black beans and rice, I’d go for the beans and rice most every day.  Here, however, I’d be hard pressed to find someone who’d agree with me.  Every meal that we’ve had so far with the extended family has included a large slab of meat on the grill and chorizo (little sausages).  Meals with the family almost always contain a lot of meat, too.  I’m learning to enjoy meat a lot more, or at least trying to learn.

Much love,

Sarah

Primavera

Yesterday, September 21, was the first day of spring here in Paraguay.  Primavera (spring) is a really big deal in Paraguayan culture.  I think that because of the blisteringly cold winters, spring becomes a bigger deal here than it is in the United States.  JUST KIDDING.  Winters here aren’t very cold at all.

For school yesterday, the kids dressed up as different things, much like Halloween without the creepiness.  There were quite a few super-heroes and princesses.  Both the teachers and kids wore flowery hats and got their faces painted.  There were snacks for everyone, and candy was shared with classmates.  Classes danced and sang songs and people were in very cheery moods. 

Yesterday evening I went to a concert of Paraguayan music with the family.  The concert was in a nice concert hall, and many people were dressed up for the occasion.  Although I didn’t understand much at all, it was a lot of fun.  Songs were sung in Guaraní (the other national language of Paraguay) more than they were in Spanish, which didn’t help me understand what was going on whatsoever.  There were story tellers, individual singers who wore ball gowns, dancers, and a band including two acoustic guitars, an accordion, a flute, a keyboard, and a bass.  During the music, much of the crowd clapped or sang along.  I enjoyed myself; it was a good cultural experience no doubt.

Here are some pictures of the concert, and the requested picture of my family.

Hugs and love,

 

Sarah

Traditional dancers with the colors of the flag doing a beautiful dance that you can't see because this is a photo.

One of the singers doing her thing in a very fancy green ball gown.

A duet.  This was my favorite dress, just in case you were wondering.



More beautiful dancing.

 

My fantastic family after the concert.  From left to right: Laura's boyfriend Manu, Brother Dani, Sister Laura, Sister Janet, Sister Celeste, Mother Mercedes, and Father Francisco.
I should have taken another when Mercedes' eyes were open, but at the time I didn't notice.  Beautiful family, right?

Thoughts on Walks

Today I went on a walk with Roxanne.  We explored a little of the streets around the church and the school, just so we could get familiar with the place.  We were talking about how we were adjusting and how this experience has been for both of us, so far.  She told me that her parents had asked her how she was dealing with the poverty here and how it was affecting her.  She said she didn’t know how to answer the question.  I said that I wouldn’t have either. 

Before that moment, I hadn’t thought of anyone here as impoverished or even of poverty at all.  I had been thinking of myself as an equal; nothing more, nothing less.  Yes, if you think on terms of financial wealth, I have much more than the people with whom I’m in community now.  I think, though, that in terms of wisdom, or culture, or joy I am not better off than these people.  If anything, I’m the impoverished one.

I just think it’s about time we took a good, long look at who’s really underprivileged, and who has what they need.

Love,

Sarah

Settling In

This week I have been working at the school every day.  I go at 7:00 and get home around 12:30.  I really love it.  One of the boys in first grade fell asleep in my lap while watching a movie the other day, and it immediately melted my heart. 

I’m teaching English with Roxanne, the volunteer from Canada.  She and I, together, are expected to create our own lesson plans and execute them.  We decided to start with a song with actions (Deep and Wide this week) and then proceed to learn specific words or things.  This week we are working on colors.  I hope that we’ll be able to be more organized in the future, but for now, both of us and the kids are having loads of fun.

I am constantly reminded of how things are very different from schools in the United States.  It’s more than the fact that in the U.S., foreign volunteers would never be able to teach actual classes with no teaching experience.  For example, in each of the classrooms, there is a large jug of water and a few plastic cups.  The kids, when thirsty, share the cups and drink after each other, which would never fly in a kindergarten classroom in the United States.  Also, the teachers are able to be very affectionate with the kids.  A lot of them refer to the kids as ‘mi amor’ which means my love.  I’ve never doubted that my teachers loved me, but here, that love and respect is tangible.

When I’m not helping in the classes, I help in the kitchen.  The school provides breakfast and lunch for the kids who need it (I’m not sure how all the logistics work), and I’ve been helping out with what’s needed.  Mostly that means that I do what I’m told and laugh when appropriate.  I’ve come to learn that one can learn much more than how to cook in the kitchen.

I also have been taking Spanish classes for two hours twice a week.  It’s a group class with Sam and Roxanne.  We are at different places in our Spanish knowledge, so it’s proven to be a little bit of a challenge for us all.  It’s hard for a teacher to focus on all of our needs at once. We spend the first half of our class learning the language, and the second learning about the culture of Paraguay, which has proven to be very helpful.

I continue to feel more and more like I fit in here.  The language can be very stressful sometimes, but I’ll manage.  I think that in a couple months, I’ll be much more comfortable speaking and understanding Spanish which is exciting.  My family and I continue to connect, and I’ve learned how to joke around with them which is nice.  I feel much more relaxed in a place when I can joke around with the people.  I have started to learn the city a little more, too, which is helpful.  I’m not at the point where I I could figure out how to get somewhere on my own, but I think I’ll get there.

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. 

Much love,

Sarah

Algunas Fotos (Some Pictures)

This is some of my host family in front of a Catholic church in Asuncion.  On the left is my sister Laura, in the middle is my mother Mercedes, and on the right is Janet.

This is my home from the street.

This is the mango tree growing right outside of my house.  SCORE.  I can't wait till January, when mangos are in season here across the equator!

This is a shot of the patio.  My room is right through the blue door to the far right.

This is the what you see when you look down alleyway outside of my house...minus the motorcycle.



This is Celeste, my sister who speaks English (as well as Guarani, German, and Spanish, but who's counting?)

 

This is the living room.  Fransisco, my host dad, made the table in the middle with the intricate patterns in the wood.  Very impressive, I know.  I live with impressive people.

Today is Sunday. That Means Church.

I am attending a Mennonite church here in Asuncion.  Church starts at 9:00, which actually means 9:15 or so.  Sam, Roxanne (a woman from Canada who will also be working in the school), and I were introduced near the beginning of the service.  It was a little embarrassing to be standing in front of a church full of people as someone talked about their perception of what we are going to be doing here for the next ten months in a different language.

The service was all in Spanish, of course, and I really only understood the two or three songs that I had sung before in English, and parts of the sermon that Celeste translated for me.  The pastor, Alfred, is very charismatic, and I could tell that he was a good preacher even though I couldn’t really understand what he was saying.  He told stories and moved around quite a bit.  I think that I will be able to fit in well here once I understand the language. 

Everything is good here.  Your thoughts and prayers are still very much appreciated.  I thank God every day for such supporting people at home.  Stay fantastic.

Love,

Sarah

Home, Sweet Home

I am here and I am safe.  I am also very much at home.  The culture of Paraguay is almost exactly what I expected.  The climate is warm and is going to be very hot, as I expected.  The people are welcoming and kind which I also expected. 

I am living in a room that it sort of detached from my host family’s house, with its own bathroom, which is nice for privacy.  I have made myself at home and have hung up pictures of friends above my head and have put my clothes away and filled my bed stand with my things.  It feels nice to unpack.

 

These are the pictures and notes or letters that I have hung in my room.
 Feel free to send me things to add to it!

 

My host mother’s name is Mercedes.  She is a petite woman with a big smile and a nice warmth about her.  I think that in order to win her over, I will need to help out around the house, which is no problem whatsoever.  She makes beautiful embroideries, and although I haven’t tried any for myself, my host sisters say that she can cook really well.  I hope I will learn to cook some Paraguayan cuisine from her.

My host father’s name is Francisco.  He is also petite and happy and kind to me.  He just 15 days ago had knee surgery and is working in spite of the fact that he is not supposed to be for another few weeks.  He makes beautiful things out of wood.  Above my head when I sleep is one of his pieces of art.  It is simple, yet gorgeous.  He also made the living room table and a couple of end tables.  I am very impressed with his work.

I have three host sisters, Janet, Laura, and Celeste.  Janet is 27, Laura is 23, if I remember correctly, and Celeste is 22, if I remember correctly.  Laura and Janet are also very kind to me, and they speak a little English which makes it easier to communicate with them. I don’t remember hearing what they do for work.   All three enjoy shopping, so I foresee some trips to the mall in my future.  Celeste speaks English really, really well, so it is very easy to communicate with the family when she is around because she acts as a translator.  If I understood what she said her job was correctly, she works with children of the German Mennonite colonies, teaching Spanish and German.

I also have a host brother, Daniel.   He is an artist like his father, but he works with metal.  His pieces are really quite nice.  I hope to take some of it home.  He is quiet, and at first I thought he didn’t like me, but I don’t think that’s the case.  I think he is just shy, and Celeste says he is different because he is an artist.  (Her words not mine.)

My entire host family gets off of work around 5:00, so I don’t think I’ll see any of them besides Celeste, who comes home around 1:00 in the afternoon.  I am here alone, with the dog, who didn’t like me very much when I arrived.  I think now, though, we are on good terms. 

I’ll be working in the school run by the Mennonite church that I’ll be attending.  They teach preschool to third grade kids now, and plan on getting one more grade each year that they are open and running, up to 9^th grade.  Right now, the school is relatively new.  The school day is from 7:00 to noon, I believe, but they offer a daycare of sorts to kids who have working parents. 

I visited the school today.  I really enjoy working with kids.  They say that maybe I will be teaching English with the help of the teachers who are already there.  I am super excited about that possibility.  Most kids speak too quickly for me to understand, but they are patient and kind and are excited to help me learn.  I don’t feel so embarrassed when I work with kids, because they are so willing to forgive my mistakes.

 

I hope that I will learn the language quickly.  Kids on the street sound like noise to me.  I have no clue what’s going on in most situations.  I think that with some hard work, though, I will soon be at home in this language.  I’ve noticed that people are impressed with the amount of Spanish that I know now, which is miniscule.  I think it’s just really appreciated when people use what they know of the language in situations like this. 

I’m not living in the heart of the city, but I could see the really tall buildings from where we walked with the kids at school today.  Where I live it feels more like a small town.  The streets are made of dirt or gravel and the houses are made of cement or brick with tin or clay roofs.  The people are friendly, but I still feel like I stick out like a sore thumb with my height, inability to speak the language, and painfully white skin. 

 

I think from now on, I will try to blog every week or so.  I also won’t give such a day-by-day account of what’s going on in my life.  Thanks for being patient with me. 

 

My adress here is as follows:

 

Tte. Cañete Miño 1706 esquina  Profesora Silvia Enciso

Codogo Postal 1751
Asuncion, Paraguay

 

I believe anyone who would like to may use it.  I have heard that mail, especially packages, can take a very long time to get here, up to two months.  Send things at your own risk.

Love,

Sarah

This is a picture from everyone in RJ.
 From right to left: Steph (England), Nick (England), Sam (Paraguay!), Kristen (South Africa), Anya (South Africa), Me, Abby (South Africa), Nat (South Africa), and Joe (England).

I'll Fly Away

The weekend has been really fantastic, relaxing, and fun. 

Saturday was pretty relaxed, we didn't have any speakers or set discussion times.  It was some nice down time.  The silent retreat turned out to be very nice reflection and thinking time.  By the end of it all, though, I became very frustrated with the social injustice I could see all around me.  I hope with my whole heart that I will be able to do something about it some day!!

Sunday, we went to a nice church service full of singing, dancing, cheering, and clapping.  It Nick's (an RJ member going to England) church.  After the service, there was a delicious meal provided by the members of Living Water.  Sunday afternoon, five members of RJ went swimming in Lake Michigan.  We played in the waves and laughed and talked and annoyed the life guard.  It became some much needed down time: free from thinking or being challenged. 

Monday, we were given the assignment of being hospitable without using any money.  Much like the other members of the team, my immediate reaction to the word ‘hospitality’ is to picture a nice meal shared with two families after church while they discussed the week's sermon.  However, in order to have or make food, there has to be some money exchanged, and that wasn’t allowed.

After pondering different possibilities, I decided that I was going to pass out notes with nice sayings on them in the city.  Anya (an RJ participents headed to South Africa) and I decided to do this together.  We tore up some papers and wrote things on them that were comforting or inspirational, like “one cannot simply crawl when there is the urge to soar”.  It was very interesting and often funny to see people’s reactions as we handed them out on the street.  

We went back to Nick's house for a commissioning service Monday evening.  It was a thoughtful service that included a delicious pasta meal, communion, singing, blueberry cake, anointing, and some responsive readings.  After a day of trying to be hospitable, it was like we were being shown how to do it right.  I really enjoyed having someone’s home so open to us.

Today was simple.  I mostly packed and made sure that my suit case was less than 50 lbs, WHICH IT IS!!!!!!!  In case you don't know, that's great news.  I spent most of the day, when not packing, I hung out with my friends.  I am extreemly sad to be leaving them.  They are crazy, and fun, and thoughtful, and fantastic.  I love them oh so much!

I cannot believe I fly out tomorrow for my new home of 10 months.  I am very, very excited, but at the same time, I’m becoming very, very nervous.  I really hope my family is amazing and we get along well.  I hope that I don’t do things that are outrageously rude because I don’t understand the culture.  I hope I learn the language quickly and relatively easily.  I hope I spend more time being happy than I do being sad.  I hope I make some sort of difference in someone’s life in some way.  And I hope that everything turns out okay, the way I have learned from experience that it usually does.

Love,

Sarah

Conversation, Self Reflection, Preparation

This week has been an intense week of wrestling with what this next year is going to look like for me.

I arrived in Chicago to find my brother waiting for me.  We got to see each other for almost an hour before he had to leave.  He came with the family of one of the girls going to South Africa.  He rode with them from Goshen to see me.  It was a very, very nice surprise.

I am staying in a hostel with the other 8 members of Radical Journey (RJ).  There are five women in one room and 4 male RJ participants and the leader in the other.  There has been quite a bit of bonding time with the group as a whole.  It's been really nice.  I really enjoy being around and being in conversation with these people.

I met Sam, the other member of the Paraguay team.  He just graduated from Eastern Mennonite University.  His major is computer science, and his minor is music.  We both enjoy singing and being goofy, but we are very different people, too.  We approach the world from different angles.  I think it will be a year of growth and learning how to work together using our strengths to make this year an enjoyable one for both of us.

On Monday we began talking about the next year and doing activities to help us gain some skills for navigation in the city.  We did an exercise as a team in which we found different places in Chicago using the EL and the buses.  As and RJ group, we talked about our personalities and how we, as individuals approach the world.  I think that knowing more about myself will make a major cross-cultural experience much easier.

Tuesday we had some leadership training and had some good conversation about racism and white privilege.  I struggle with how I am going to overcome the white privilege that I have and live in solidarity with my neighbors.  There is a lot of asking questions, and not a lot of having questions answered here.  This is frustrating, but good.

Wednesday we talked about finances, blogging, and theology.  We learned how to more effectively blog (I hope I'm doing an okay job) and what keeping finances would look like.  Having Sam on my team is really nice, because he enjoys numbers and financing comes easily to him, which is not the case for myself.  I'm going to keep papers and receipts to be helpful. :) Theology was good.  It's helpful to look at what my beliefs are and why, and how I think about God.  I hope that my ideas and opinions will continue to grow and change, and I expect that they will, which is exciting.

There were more team activities Wednesday evening.  We were to go to assigned public spaces in the city and read Psalm 30, and then talk about our reflections on how it went.  We also shared our faith journeys and our life stories a bit.  It was a nice time to get to know Sam a little better.

On Thursday, we continued conversation about what this next year was going to look like, and watched The Mission.  We were reminded of what true service looks like, and how to change our attitudes to be more Christ-like.  After watching The Mission, which is on my list of suggested movies for everyone, we talked about what was the cause of what happened in the movie and the character's outlook on life and their situations.

Friday we talked about living simply and sustainably, and had some conversation with program alumni.  We also talked about how our beliefs should shape our actions, without being forceful.  We talked about how we attained our beliefs, and why we believe them.  It is something that I've struggled with for a while, and it was nice to continue conversation about it.  Talking with program alumni was really helpful.  I think that it will be really nice to be able to look back on the notes I took as they gave suggestions for the year.  Hind sight it 20/20, you know.

Today, we had a three hour silent retreat.  For all of you who know me reasonably well, you know that being silent for three hours is a pretty hard thing for me.  I walked for most of it, trying to refrain from talking to strangers.  Sam and I are going to go do something as a team, soon.

This weekend we have different activities that we will be doing, you know, to help us figure out ourselves some more.  We all ship out on the fifth.  I will be sad to leave all of these amazing people, but I'm more and more excited to be on location and be learning Spanish.

Love,

Sarah