Random snapshots

I know we talk about how changable the weather is in the States, but we've got nothing on Bolivia. The temperature can literally drop 20 degrees in 10 minutes when a south wind blows in. The day I took this picture it was gloomy and rainy all morning, and fairly chilly. Then around 2pm the sun came out and it was hot, steamy miserable for about 20 minutes, until the clouds rolled back over and we had a terrific thunderstorm! I'd never seen a sky so dramatically different...brilliant blue with black clouds. The picture doesn't do it justice.



On Saturday Laura and I discovered some A&W Root Beer at the Hipermaxi - usually root beer doesn't exsist in Bolivia. So we bought enough for everyone in the house (plus a few extras) and treated everyone to root beer floats! It's amazing how taste is so closely connected to memory. If I'd closed my eyes I would have felt like I was home!

Hans Laura Lidia Dovanna Andre

Last week we bid a very sad goodbye to "Miss Tricia", a high school student from the States who had come to spend a semester of her Senior year with a missionary family. She'd volunteered twice a week all day in Kindergarten. I don't know about the kids, but I know that I miss her terribly!!

Where do you go to buy the prettiest, cheapest flowers? The cemetery of course!! Seriously, that's the best place to get boquets, plants, loose flowers...anything you might want to give as a gift (or to decorate a grave). The front of the cemetery, just outside the wall, is lined with flower shops. The Kinslies stopped with me on the way back from church (which was hotter than a dutch oven, by the way...I felt like a baked potato) and we bought some potted plants for them to decorate their new garden. Isn't this flower seller adorable? I wanted his hat! =)

This was just a smattering of randomness...kind of like my week has been! Yesterday was especially long...kindergarten until 12, Spanish class at 2 (which was completely exhausting...as I'm sure you know if you've ever tried to learn another language!), then to a birthday party for one of my students (we were an hour late, but the party was just getting started when we got there), left the party before they cut the cake to take a taxi to Bible study, then back home again at 8:45. I was so exhaused that all I could do was take a shower and crawl into bed. Lesson (re)learned - It's a good idea to say "no" once in a while!

Spanish was actually really good. I really like my teacher - she's very nice and doesn't go too fast (yet). Still, 4 hours a week is a very long time! Please pray that I can do my best to learn without exhausting myself. Also pray that I will stay strong and dependent on Christ. I've been a little homesick the past few days, and I think culture shock is setting in a bit. I'm so thankful for any and all comments and emails!!