Adjustment

I think Bolivia is becoming less confusing...or maybe I'm just getting used to feeling confused. In any case, I'm starting to feel more at home. I can recognize major landmarks and figure out my way to a few familiar locations. Santa Cruz is designed in rings and radials rather than the grid system that I'm used to, and they use round-abouts instead of intersections. Add to this the fact that everything looks the same, and you can see why it's taken me so long to orient myself. I haven't gotten lost on any more micros, which is a definite improvement! My next goal is to learn how to get to the SAM base and the church where I'll probably be attending. I'm also still hoping for Spanish lessons, but am not sure how it will work yet. Here are the highlights from this past week:

Monday

I taught my students the song, "Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar," which they absolutely loved. Carlos Andres told me a very long story, all in Spanish, and when I asked him, "Can you say it in English, please?" he thought for a second and said "Very big house," and when back to his game. The parents are all very eager for their children to learn English...I wish I could say the students were eager to learn it.

Tuesday

We went to dinner at a very fancy Swiss restaurant to celebrate Hans' quincenera (15th birthday). Hans is one of Lidia's sons, the woman I live with. There were sixteen of us! I sat on the "English end" of the table near Laura and Dovanna, the two American girls I live with (Laura is a fellow teacher at SCCLC, Dovanna works in an orphanage), Andre and Hans, (Lidia's sons who also live at the house), Dustin (their half-brother) and Ron (Lidia's ex-husband). It was a very interesting group, let me tell you! Of course the boys kept us in stiches with their antics, and Ron and Dustin told us all about the haciendas they own, which they're fixing up for tourists to come visit. Maybe over one of the holidays we'll go down and visit one.

Wednesday

It seems that I spend my evening dining out! This time it was with Laura and Virginia. After prayer meeting we went to The Feria Alecitas, which is a yearly local fair that offers lots of typical Bolivian products. I got some jewlery and some presents. The we went to Michaelangelo's, an Italian restaurant with delightful decor and very tasty food! It's a favorite with the missionary crowd.

Thursday

I paid for my rich, late-night meals today with an upset stomach and a touch of "the blessing," (to put it delicately). I haven't been really ill since coming here, just a little sick every now and then. I'm told it's just part of the adjustment.

I went with Laura to the Siete Calles (7 Streets) for her dress fitting. It's actually cheaper to buy material and have clothes made here than to buy them off the rack. Her dress is going to be really cute...I think I may have to have one made too!

Friday

The kids were wild...somehow they know the weekend is coming too. It also may have something to do with the weather. We had a random cold front come in yesterday afternoon, and it's stuck around. The call it "the south wind." Guess it's like a north wind, but since we're in the Southern Hemisphere it's the south wind that's cold. Not too bad...I'm still comfortable in a light jacket, but all the kids came to school bundled up!

Tonight we're having one of Laura's friends over for dinner (another big meal), and then this weekend is the school retreat at a "resort" here in town. Hopefully it will warm up enough for us to be able to enjoy the pools!

Keep praying for my sense of direction, and also that I can connect with the ministries that God wants me to get involved in. I feel like I'm pretty well settled, and want to get involved where I'm needed. Pray also for my Dad, he starts his 6 weeks of daily radiation treatments on Monday.