Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Time Takes Time You Know

So everytime I have just a few minutes in the cyber I put off writing in the blog so that I can upload from my flash drive something I wrote a while back to put everything in context. I don´t have my flash drive with me, so this is the best I can do for now. I still haven´t figured out a way that makes sense to do more regular updates but if I ever do I´ll share more interesting stories ya mismo (a very Ecua phrase that literally means know but in Ecua means later or tomorrow or anything they want it to mean...)

I live in a community called Monte Sinai which is on the outskirts of the largest city in Ecaudor, Guayaquil. Monte Sinai is certainly a lot more rural than where I lived in Nicaragua, but my job is in Guayaquil so I get the best of both worlds in that sense. My mornings are spent wandering around the neighborhood getting to know people since we are new in this neighborhood and they don´t know anything about Rostro de Cristo. We try to get to know the neighbors, tell them about Rostro, and accompany them in their lives while they teach us all the wonderful things that they are so simple to them but so foreign to us gringos...like making rice that actually comes out well, or any other ecuadorian food for that matter. I´m still struggling a little with this neighborhood time because the way in which we´re asked to meet people seems a little fake and not the way I would normally go about making a lasting relationship (watch out for that Kairos theme throughout this blog hahaha...) but I´m trying.

I´ve gotten particularly close with one family that I met in a totally natural way through mutual friends. Ia really small house made of sugar cane live the mom - Consuelo, the dad - Miguel, and their 4 kids, Miguel - age 15, Jose - age 14, Maria - age 11 and Ruth - age 2. Someday I´ll have more time to tell you about each one of them but they have totally become my family here and each one of them has such an incredible story and are just overall amazing people. It´s impossible for me to be anything but happy when I´m in that house, but even if I wasn´t happy I know I´d still feel comfortable. I help the kids with homework, we share meals together and if they´re really busy that day, I help them with the chores like washing dishes sweeping or whatever they need. The dad works all day every day and recently the mom has been going out a lot too so I often go over and help out during those times. Consuelo recently told me "when I´m gone, they have to listen to what you say because you´re the big sister" and it made me feel so at home :)

The other thing that takes up the majority of my time is my worksite. I work at an after school program at a center for street kids. We eat lunch together, I help with homework and then we have recess which could mean soccer, basketball, making bracelets, dance, or just complete chaos. I also help out once and a while with the shelter in Duran where the older boys live and go to school when one of my other community mates is out doing house visits and can´t be at her English class. I´ve also started teaching a few English classes / hanging out at work on Saturdays too keeping me pretty busy on the weekends, which I love as I´m sure you can imagine! I´m really enjoying my job and it´s been really great getting to know the kids and other people that work at the center also. I´m totally not doing it justice at all right now, but next time I write I´ll talk more about work for sure...

In the church I´ve continued to be involved with Catechism by helping out with a Confirmation class on Sundays before 10am mass at the big church. After mass the music group, Hijos de David, practices and I usually hang around with them to at least listen to the music if not pick up a few tips on singing or guitar. They´re a great group of people and perform at many various events. They always want to learn songs in English too...their favorites so far as The Reason by Hoobastank and Perfect by Simple Plan...My house has introduced a few others to perform for them including Down by Jay Sean and Baby by Justin Bieber (both of which feature a rap verse for lil jenn!). It´s actually amazing how much EVERYONE down here loves Justin Bieber, girls and boys of all ages, insaneeeee.

We just got back from a weekend retreat at the beach (where the sun didn´t come out the whole time and it was FREEZING!) It was such a nice break from the routine and I used that time to get caught up on some letters and some processing of my own thoughts in regards to being in Ecuador. A lot of people, myself included, can´t help but already think to what´s next and what this year means in terms of what´s next, more on that in entries to come.

peace & love