Is louse plural for lice?

Delousing yesterday. Yes you read me correctly. So the first time I noticed lice on a kid was yesterday, it was really bad. I was hugging her close for a bit because she was. As soon as I saw it my head started itching. I don't know if it's all IN my head or just all ON my head. (Funny because I'm pretty sure it's the same either way in Spanish).



A guy short changed my $0.05 (no 'cents' button?) on the bus. He kept arguing with me that it was the right amount, but I've ridden (?) this bus like a million times, he's soooo wrong. Okay, I know doesn't sound like a lot but that's one fifth of my next bus. Jerk.





So I'm starting to not be able to remember English words. They say that's a good stage in learning another language. Only problem is I usually don't know the Spanish counterpart. Uh...



I'm in a weird place right now. No, not Ecuador. I mean in an odd transition and I feel like maybe (or for sure) I bit off more than I can chew. Ministry stuff isn't working out the way I thought a few weeks ago and everything is up in the air. I want to explain but I honestly don't really know yet myself. More on that when I find out.



Got a unexpected trip to Columbia. Sorry mom they didn't have any coffee for sale or I would have bought you some. It was pretty cool. Probably one of the few times blonde Californian girls were smuggled over the border. Oddly enough we were searched a few times coming back into Ecuador, but never asked for papers.

I feel like a rollercoaster

One minute I'm up and the next I'm in a complete loop (or am just loopy). I'm probably like this back at home but I can hide it better.

This last week has been awesome, God's really answered prayers! So where to start? So I met this couple, with I'm pretty sure are the cutest kids in the world, who's been living in the downstairs apartment in the ER building and was chatting with them about their plans for Ecuador. They are helping their aunt and uncle at Casa Gabriel, a ministry here in Quito for street boys. They also want to start a girl’s home for girls rescued out of sex trafficking and similar situations. Right now the only one that exists is secular and it's only for a 3 month period. They have a vision to start one for these girls that is Christian based and that would educate and help them learn a legitimate trade. The girls currently there range in age from 12 to 18. I asked if I could join them in going on Sundays (the only day they are allowed to talk about God). It was perfect because that's the day I have free in the afternoons. Only now I have a hang up, I am no longer able to stay in the ER building which is closer to where this place is and by the time we'd be done I wouldn't be able to bus back to the house I live at. I know it's going to work out, I've been praying about helping in a ministry like this for about a year now. I’m just not sure how it’ll work out yet. I'm so excited to see what's going to become of this! Once I go visit I’ll be able to really tell you all about it.

I wanted to join this 20's Bible study on Tuesdays in the north but again have no way to get back to the house. So on Saturday I was at a party for Day of the Child (I swear they have days for EVERYTHING here) for children with disabilities with one of my friends. I happend to meet someone who goes to the same church and he offered to give me rides! Praise God! So when the group starts back up after summer break, I'll be able to go and get home safely.

Oh and the party for the kids was great. I was asked to be with the hardest kid there (of course, I always have to do things the hard way) but he was super cute. He was a BIG little guy and wasn't really aware of everything around him, social cues and what-not, couldn't really talk, but man could he dance!!! I had a blast with him! We almost won musical chairs but I didn't want to be to completive and squish the other kid, so we let them win.

It wouldn't be blog of mine with out a good bus story. Sorry but the only thing I can think of is that a guy was picking his nose right before taking the money yesterday. Sorry I know that story kinda blows. But please don't be snotty about it, ok? Next time I promise I'll pick a better one.

Still teaching. Still doing house visits. Still have to scream my head off, and yes I did take all the advice given to me, but I have the feeling that people in charge don't really give a crap. Not sure if that's about my class or just in general. Whatever. It's just something I'll have to endure through. House visits, as it turns out, aren't always with single mothers, but some of their husbands are out of the city or country. They are hard to do, it's really hard to sit and do almost nothing for 3 to 4 hours... believe it or not. I don't know how much longer I can do it... or not do it? LOL. Any ways, I was feeling really bad for myself today, and after calming the ocean pouring from my face I went into to teachers lounge to sit and wait for my companion for visits. This week is spiritual emphasis week and the teachers were in there talking and crying. Not sure what was said before I entered but listening to the prayers that followed, I figured I'm not the only one having a hard time. I mean how does one deal with kids whose parents aren't there or who's teeth are visibly rotting out of their heads?! How are those kids supposed to pay attention? I feel like some of the problems are so easily fixed, but where does it stop? There are so many problems that could be helped a lot with just so little. And some only God Himself could help. How much am I supposed to do? After all I can't help everyone... right?

Poverty sounds awful, but it looks even worse.

Random Day

Workers day today. People were striking in the streets, I would think today of all days you'd want to not strike... just saying. We had the day off, well sorta. Long story, you wouldn't like to hear it. Ran it to this random guy we meet last month, Kelsey said he was totally into me. Apparently he asked us out dancing but said that he had a friend for her. Then some guy tried talking to us in English, while following down the street. So I thought it'd be super funny to start talking in French. So then he starts talking to us in French, we don't respond but I was laughing my head off! Who the heck is this guy!!! So much for trying to be clever. So the class I was supposed to teach (even though I was scheduled off today... ?) got cancelled so we went to a little cafe to get some coffee. And EVERYONE kept staring at me! Then the really drunk old lady who was chugging half a gallon of yogurt with her bread was really into the stories I was telling. She kept laughing and making motions to me when I would tell an interesting part. I'm also positive she knew no English what-so-ever! She also started waving at me at one point, for no reason. Then this guys walks in to the cafe with a dried cow head, you know the kind you'd mount on a wall? He sets it down and ordered some bread... I was telling a really creepy story but couldn't help busting out laughing. Then we arrived early to pick up the teenagers for the sleepover we are having right now. Don't ever, ever arrive early in South America. Especially when you are wearing sandals and a skirt and it is raining. 1 hour. I still can't feel my feet. The "wedding singer" just got done shouting his songs so now hopefully I'll be able to sleep.

Hospital

I guess I should give you a little back ground as to how I got there. Oh and by "there" I mean Vosandes, a big missionary hospital in Quito. So you remember the "death soup" right? Well after eating that, I never quite fully recovered and combined with a few other sketchy meals must have been what did me in. But who really knows?

This last Tuesday I started feeling funny, not like I wanted to tell jokes but more like I wanted to throw up on the guy smoking next to me. He would have deserved it too. We were at a soccer game, Quito vs. Uruguay and apparently every sports fan in Quito loves to smoke. I might have had a fever then but it was cold and raining in the outdoor stadium, so I couldn't really tell.

The next morning I dragged my self to work and got dragged to this lady's house so she could make breakfast, we were supposed to be doing house visits. Then she showed me her garden and guinea pig farm. I fell on the muddy mountain side. But what else is new? That was the 5th time falling for me last week, a record even for me. Well by this time I was really feel bad, pretty sure I had a fever. Asked to go by a store for medicine. We didn't. Went on one house visit but I sat in the chair and had no energy to get up and play with the little kid. So I went home early and suffered through one of the worst colds I've had in a while.

Next day, Thursday, I went to the doctor. But in my sickened stupor didn't think to ask for an English speaking doctor. So not every thing was really taken care of just the main cold but not the underlying stomach stuff, which wasn't so bad (or so I thought). Friday, woke up before my alarm, sicker than a dog! Oh and Friday I was supposed to go to Manta to visit Nick and the orphanage he's working at. So off to the doctor's I went, again. Worst day ever. Fast bumpy ride there. Sick all over again upon arrival. Then from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the worlds smallest exam table. After jabbing me several times to find phantom veins I'm finally IVed and a few tea spoons short of blood. Then after not being able to get my fever down (which took them until mid day to finally catch with thermometer) they sent me over to the hospital for over night observation and to figure out what was going on with me. Oh yeah, I'm sure you've guessed by now but I didn't go to Manta.

Get to the hospital. It's perfect, like out a movie. I'm looking down the halls filled with sick and well people walking or being pushed up and down it. All that's missing is some tinsel and some huge tacky Christmas ornaments hanging off the walls. A nice woman helps me when something falls over of mine. A baby walks around for 5 mins whispering "papa" the whole time. I mention this to the clerk who gets up looks around then sits back down uninterested, oh Ecuador. Baby found by mother. I want a coke at this point, I think "I hope I can have coke with this." Mayra rolls her eyes at me because she's more frustrated than I am at how long the sign in process is. Guy walks in with two pizzas and a coke. A cold coke. They never had cold coke here! I sighed. Then off to my room in a wheel chair, I kinda liked it, not going to lie. My room was alright, normal but no T.V. I was glad, it'd probably more annoying that any thing. Didn't sleep much that night, monitor kept going off and the buzzer was out of reach, nurses, blood drawn, in and out or pain, fever/chills, medication, roommate that sounded like Darth Vader when it slept, yes it.


Now Christine has reassured me that I'm not strange for thinking this, but I've always thought it'd be kinda exciting staying in a Hospital! But she did bring up a good point, in all of these day dreams being sick isn't really the main point. Well Christine, it's not worth it, I'll tell you that right now. They don't always come when you want them to or bring you want you want and you're still sick the whole time. In fact once I told a nurse that I was very cold and wanted another blanket, so she promptly pleaded off the warmer of two blankets off my bed and started to leave saying I had a fever and needed less heat! I swear if she was on my IV side I would have choked her out!!! I begged and got my old one back but no new one's.


Friday was the worst, Saturday not much better. It was pretty much the same as Friday night's list of events sprinkled with a visits from the family I live with. Mayra looking after me all the while.

Sunday was better, I wasn't as bad but still not better. They said I still had to stay. Got moved to a new room with better chairs and a balcony and a roommate from the states who had a worse time of it than I did! So apparently I'm not good at resting because I bent my IV needled in an L shape inside my elbow. So because they ruined every other part of my arms they had to insert a new on in my hand! Every finger movement brought a shot pain up my arm. You should see my track marks and bruises now.

They let me go back to the house on Monday. I'm not perfectly well but on the mends, I guess. I guess some good things that came out of it. I got to practice Spanish, although the vocabulary I picked up I hope I won't have to use in very many social situations! I'll never wonder what it's like to stay in a hospital, ever ever again. Probably never prayed "God help me" more times in one time period, I really had to depend on Him not just talk like I do. And the best thing of all: I GOT THREE HOT SHOWERS!

My life, it's kinda like a bad movie with some funny parts

So I just had the most awkward situation ever. I came back to the house after working and one of the workers here (they always seem to be having construction of some kind) was trying to talk to me. I thought he was trying to tell me something about my room and when I walked in to ask him what's up, he followed me and closed the door slightly and sat down and started to chat away! So I got my stuff to make lunch and walked out, then he heard the "boss" coming and told me to "shh" and walked quietly back to work! Then after that he came back and wanted me to sit down and talk with him. After asking my name and saying it was nice to meet me officially he reached over to give me what I thought was a customary greeting (a kiss on the cheek) but he gave me an awkward hug and tried to hold on for a bit. Then I didn' t know whether I should laugh or run away... so I pushed away and asked for his name and then promptly got up to make lunch while he talked to me, instead of doing his work. So here I am hiding in my room (oh by the way I have my own room with a bathroom now, if I forgot to mention that) waiting for 6 o'clock.



I saw a old guy with really swollen hands on the bus today. Well mostly just the fingers, but not like when a person has arthritis. I wonder what it was? I always see such strange things on the bus. I need to keep a bus journal.



So on Good Friday I ate this soup that they only have for Easter (Pascua) called Fanesca. It's 12 ingredients to represent the 12 disciples of Christ. I helped make it but mostly sat around and watched a Moses cartoon in Spanish. Well the soup was great. I loved it when I first ate it, but about 10 mins after eating it I pretty much hated it. So after praying and taking one Imodium I sat through 4 and half hours of church (a total of about 5 and a half hours of being there altogether). One of the worst days of my life. The poor kid that walked in while I was in the bathroom after eating what I now call "death soup" is going to have nightmares for life. I couldn't even yell at him to get out right away because I was puking. Such is my life.

And a strange life it is at that. I mean I've been thinking about it and it almost seems like it's not really my real life. Just a fake one for the time. I mean it's a year. I kinda started a new life here but then go home and restart all over again. It's a weird concept. I don't think this makes much sense.

I need to get motivated to speak Spanish, I've gotten lazy. I think was in a bit of a funk. Feeling really out of place here not sure how I fit in being white and not speaking much Spanish.

Oh and that's another thing, being a minority. Such a strange experience. I mean there is no settling or feeling normal. I get mistreated or worshiped. I'm not sure which is worse. I stick out like a sore thumb, and I'm always conscious of that fact. People rip me off, cut me off in lines, or ignore me because of how I look. The other day I blew up a cab driver because I thought he was ripping me off (turns out he wasn't) because half of them always try. I won't even mention the stupid cat-calls and whistles. I hate it.

I hate Big Mac's

To give a little bit of back ground: I just got back from Peru last week and was pretty sick and unfortunately as of today I'm still not any better. When I don't eat I feel O.K. but then that has it's problems too. So at the project this morning, after not eating or sleeping much for 4 days in a row, I started to feel pretty tired, dizzy and couldn't see to well. I felt like a useless blob there because I just sat around for like 5 hours doing nothing. So finally I got my test results back so I could get some medicine for whatever it is. And as I was having the family translate it for me they simply said "oh, it's nothing." Well I can tell you all for a fact that it's not "nothing" and hearing that made me reply (spoiler warning: this gets pretty graphic), "but I think I might at least have worms!" to which was replied, "oh that's normal here, everyone has that." And fuming words not to be re-uttered under my breath, I almost replied "WELL! In The United States of America WE DON'T have worms!" Luckily, I thought about how ridicuals that statement sounded and didn't say it. I was given a medicine for the second time this week that I'm even sure what it is or if it'll work, don't think I'll die from them but don't be surprised if I come back home with an extra toe and side burns. Then the person who was to take me to the class I was waiting all day to teach (the only reason I even stayed at the school) was late (not a surprise, just annoying). So he decided that we wouldn't go. But I had had it and asked if we could go anyways. We did. I taught and got out two hours later than I should have but I just couldn't take not being on schedule today. I just couldn't be flexible!!! I just wanted to fly home for the day. Because in America "WE DON'T have worms!"!!! So what did I do? I went to MacDonald's and bought a Big Mac so I could take my mystery pills. I hate Big Mac's. In fact, I don't really care for MacDonald's either. Any hoo, I'm sure I'll be back to being more agreeable tomorrow, I was just really over it all today! :)
(And don't feel bad for me, I'm laughing at this all now).

This story is a a testament of how much I've been adapting to living here. I mean I would never in my right mind share in a large group anything pertaining to my intestines... but I think once you become a missionary down here it becomes dinner conversation. And I'm not even kidding!

In all seriousness, I am doing so much better than I have been (besides being sick)! I really see that God has been helping me with my attitude internally and I have gotten a chance to practice being thankful in situations you wouldn't think to be thankful in. I think God's amazing because there is no way I'd ever be able to pull positive out of the situations that I normally get frustrated about (even today I was able to praise God for things in an "off day" but it made a better story to leave them out!). God is really blessing me and sending me rest and stuff to look forward to. Example, I'm getting more days off this week for Easter (Semana Santa) than I first thought!!! Also, I'm understanding way more Spanish. I finally feel like I'm warming up to people and that I'm starting to get my personality back with them. Even today when I was feeling so useless I got to just hug my adorable little girls. Perhaps that's what they really needed, but I think that's what I really needed today. So thank you God for rest, little kids, having to be dependant because I don't know anything, and even for being sick (because I realize how lucky I am normally).

I'll try to spell check this with an "English speaking" computer so it's easier to read, but no promises, just love me for the bad writer and speller I is. ;)

Peru

So I just got back from Peru yesterday. Extreme Response took a team from Canada to another Remanso in Trujillo and we helped construct part of an unfinished church there. The place was called New Jerusalem and we were building on sand, which was challenging. We did a lot of work but mostly pouring foundation and it kinda looked worse once we left than when we started! LOL. But it was the hardest part so hopefully they'll (the church members in Peru) be able to do the rest before the group comes back to finish it next year. They almost finished to roof, so all in all it was a successful week.

I've been sick for the last four days, but what else is new?

I've been doing a lot of praying and soul searching to see exactly what God wants me to do here with the challenges I'm facing while teaching English. So far I haven't gotten any answers, so I'm just hanging in there and looking for ways to use gifts I do have and incorporated them into my teaching. So hopefully I'll have peace or direction. I pray I can at least make it the rest of the new quarter with out going insane, just three more months!

Other than that life goes on the same here, lots of adjustments. Getting use to doing things illogically or the slow way... well I don't know if I ever will really get used to it, but I try to be patient at least. And I still hate 5:30 a.m. LOL.