tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29479271692455876892024-03-05T03:18:55.273-08:00Growing While not Growing UPJade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-90342931600825913682011-03-07T21:36:00.000-08:002011-03-07T21:36:14.043-08:00God Will Take Care of You<!--StartFragment--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Hello Worry. You always seem to creep into my thoughts when changes are happening in my life. I don’t even know why I worry. I’m not afraid or fearful of the future; I just like to know and be prepared. But how boring would that be to be prepared for everything? I love surprises. I love planning surprises for other people. Why wouldn’t God like to do that as well? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Just as I began to worry (tonight), the words of a familiar church song came into my head, “God will take care of you, through every day, o’re all the way; he will take care of you. God will take care of you.” If I let go of my own self-consuming thoughts, I find that God comforts and guides me with his words and songs. Isn’t that amazing?! My heavenly father loves me that much! And who better to take care of me? God has an amazing way of making miracles out of any situation. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today I was worrying about my next job. Will I be able to get one? We are moving in a month and still don’t know where. But even if I don’t get a job, I will be fine. All of my needs are taken care of. Maybe I’m not going to get a teaching job. Maybe I could be a better servant elsewhere. I shouldn’t be focused on where I will work next. I should focus on where God can put me to best serve him. God will take care of me! … but only if I let him. And he will take care of you too! He loves us and wants us to be happy. But we (I know for sure ME) are only truly happy when we are doing the will of God.</span></div><!--EndFragment-->Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-60832685745632047852010-12-19T12:47:00.000-08:002010-12-19T17:50:03.916-08:00‘Cause You Gotta Have Faith<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
So I wrote this the same day that Jon contacted my parents to ask to "meet" with them. I had NO idea he was planning to ask them for their blessing to ask me to marry him! God continues to amaze me!!</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span> </span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> Faith 11-01-10<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 31.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">When I step back from everything that’s happened in the past three months, I’m pretty embarrassed by the lack of faith that I’ve given God. For those of you who don’t know, I moved out to Santa Maria, California (central coast) the end of July to be closer a pretty amazing person and things couldn’t have worked out any better. Before moving out here, I worried about where I would live. And when I worry... I worry! Rent is pretty expensive in California and finding a decent place in a decent part of town takes some time. I did find a great place renting a granny house (an attached but separate apartment to a main house) from one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Thank you Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 31.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I spent the first month worrying about finding a job. California is bankrupt, so money for teachers was severely cut. The public schools now have about half the staff they did two years ago. I put my resume out to just about all the public and private schools in an hour’s radius. And again, God blessed me with more than I could ask for. I was hired on August 31 to work for the best public school district in Santa Maria. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 31.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Since moving out here, I have felt completely out of my element and not myself at all. I have spent way too much time worrying and not enough time relying on God. Every day God takes care of me better than I could ever take care of myself. And every day reaffirms my decision of moving closer to that special someone who is dedicated to God. Who makes me laugh more than anyone I’ve ever met. Who can do anything…yep anything. Who makes me think about things from a different point of view; which I have a hard time doing. And I get to be with him. Again, God has proven to me just how awesome he is. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 31.5pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 31.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 4.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: 31.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Isaiah 41:10</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-32089116832040913482010-02-23T19:43:00.000-08:002010-02-23T19:46:27.921-08:00Finding my Groove<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you do not know by now, I am teaching 1</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">st</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> grade in Birmingham, AL now. I started January 4</span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">th,</span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> and I can’t believe I’ve only been there for two months! It feels like a year! I am loving it!! I student taught there on my last placement and was lucky enough to get a job there. I’m slowly finding my groove as I get settled in to my new job.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have learned to take smaller steps when I lead the kids down the hall. At first, I felt like I had to rush constantly to get everything done. When I walked, I walked high-speed. I’d look back and see that my class was WAY down the hall. I’ve slowed down my pace to medium now and my class is doing a better job staying together. I have to remind my students that when we walk in the halls we walk in a straight line. We don’t hop on the tiles, spin in circles, zig-zag in the hallway, or kick our friends. ☺</span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I’ve also learned to do a better job holding my stern face when I’m correcting their behavior. Sometimes I get so tickled, I can’t help but smile. One day, two of my boys were wrestling so I was getting on to them and they both started crying. They went on and on about how it wasn’t their fault while the tears were flowing down their cheeks. I had to cover up my mouth so they couldn’t see me smiling. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They make me laugh all the time. During center time, I have small reading group instruction. If the students at the centers have questions, that they just cannot figure out, then they bring me a token with their name on it (their question chip), and when I’m done or have a break with reading groups, I’ll answer it. If I stopped to answer all the kid’s questions, I would never get anything done! Anyways, sometimes they bring their tokens over and stand there for a minute. Then they’ll pick it up and put it in another spot- kinda sliding it toward me like…. Ummm look…. I have a question. Or they’ll stand there for a little while waiting for me to look up. All the while, I’m ignoring them and laughing with my head down while listening to the kids read. I’ve had to tell myself that I can’t answer everything all the time. If there really is a problem, they’ll make a point to make me listen. So many times I stop to answer or listen to them and it’s tattle telling or something else insignificant. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The first week or two that I started teaching, I tried to write down the cute things or funny things to remember. And that was it…. There are so many things that happen all day everyday, I just can’t keep up! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I praise God that he provided this job for me and blessed me with 16 wonderful (well most of the time </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">☺</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) students. </span></span><o:p></o:p></div>Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-86179600293008149632009-12-21T07:08:00.000-08:002009-12-21T20:06:37.914-08:00Nomad?<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-large;"><br />
</span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Since I’ve been back from Mexico I’ve been living out of my suitcase. I’ve been in limbo waiting for word about where to move to next. I haven’t been able to take my clothes out of my suitcases and place them neatly in drawers; they’re all piled in bags for me to dig through and say to myself, ‘I know that black three-quarter length shirt is in here.’ If you’ve ever been on vacations longer than a week, you might know the feeling. I have the type of personality that likes to get settled before I can feel comfortable beginning something else. The first thing I do when I get back from a trip is empty my suitcase and put everything in its proper place.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Lately, as I move myself back and forth between states, all I do is pack, unpack and wash clothes, and pack again. I’m a nomad basically. Since I started college, every six months I have moved. At first, when I lived in the dorms, it all fit in my car. I slowly added on, but still can fit it all in a moving van. I have moved from the dorms→</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">parent’s → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">dorms → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">parent’s → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">apartment → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Disney → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">apartment → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Birmingham → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">apartment → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Birmingham → <span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">Mexico → and now another apartment in Birmingham…. Whew! I feel that there is no point in even getting comfortable in a place and yet that’s all I really want to do. It drives me crazy that I have my things spread across states-even across the border! I look forward to the day when I can unpack and have no idea when I’ll have to pack it up again!</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">But when I think about things, I know that I always have a home in God. All of these trivial things in life that I spend hours worrying about and crying over won’t matter in the end because the whole purpose of life is Jesus Christ. He could come any minute and instead of praising him or showing others his unfailing love, I’m worried about my next move in life. I will always have a home in him and all of my needs will be met. </span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">My only hope is you, Jesus. My only hope is you. From early in the morning ‘til late at night. My only hope is you.♥</span></span><o:p></o:p><br />
</div>Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-49027194166020549652009-12-11T09:40:00.000-08:002009-12-21T20:06:15.190-08:00What's next...<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0in; text-align: left; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Breakfast is something I enjoy.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I wake up in the morning thinking about coffee.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I like brushing my teeth with my Spinbrushpro electric toothbrush.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I never really thought about how much I would miss the changing of seasons.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">In Mexico, temperatures do get cooler, but the changing of the leaves from summer to fall is absent. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I missed the familiar smell of my house that is filled with all the memories from childhood. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I missed the two most amazing faces that God has blessed me with, always happy to see me.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I am glad to be back home with my parents.</span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">I learned a lot about myself while I was away.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve always thought of myself as an adventurer.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I have told myself that I don’t want to be the girl that stays in a small town and is content with it.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">But maybe it’s not so bad.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Maybe that’s really what I want.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I like routine.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I like to be on a schedule.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I like convenience.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I like being surrounded by friends and family.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">If I could do it all again (go to Mexico), I would, but it sure feels good to be home!</span><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-size: large;">When things didn’t work out in Mexico I wasn’t sure what would happen when I came back home.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I wasn’t sure about the next month of my life, but faith and prayers worked. </span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Today I found out that I will be teaching in Birmingham, AL starting January 4</span><sup><span style="font-size: large;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: large;">; the place where I hoped to be all along.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">It’s easy for me to forget that God does have a plan for me and it’s better than I would have ever thought of.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">He’s helped me out a lot these past few months.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Besides teaching me more about myself, he has really taught me to take things one-step at a time and rely more on him.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">I catch myself time after time fretting over what will happen next.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Lately, it’s been easier to hand-over all my worries and concerns and leave them at His feet.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">Maybe Mexico had a far deeper purpose than I had ever thought.</span> <o:p></o:p><br />
</div>Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-42994308502877027092009-11-04T18:51:00.000-08:002009-12-21T20:04:29.821-08:00Home is Where the Heart Is<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 83pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Home is Where the Heart is…</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 83pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></o:p></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">When I graduated in May, the thought of staying in one place and starting a real job kinda scared me. I wanted to travel and gain more experiences in life before starting a real job and becoming responsible for a classroom full of little kids. So I choose to come to Mexico with a friend and get some different experiences. I didn’t really know what to expect when I moved down to Mexico. I just knew that the first four weeks in Mexico would be consumed with a class to certify me to teach English as a foreign language. I found a job that sounded really great and an apartment that was nice as well. It seemed everything was working out well. I thought that I might even stay a full school year and work at the school. But things don’t always work out that way.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Bethany soon realized what she really wanted to do and it wasn’t work in Mexico teaching English. She’s been trying to decide what graduate program to go into with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and finally realized what she wanted to do while she was in Mexico. Grad school admission requirements would be a little hard to fulfill out of the country. She soon decided to go back home and work on getting all her paperwork in and try to start school in the Spring. I, on the other hand, didn’t know what I was going to do at this point. One of the things I hate most is being alone. I don’t have to have someone at my side doing everything with me but I find comfort in knowing that someone will be there if I ever need anything. I had met some friends while being in Mexico and became quite close with the first two people I met in Mexico. Both of those people had an apartment and were also planning on leaving around November/December. My plan was to try and stick it out at least until then. At this point, my best friend left and culture shock was certainly hitting me big time. I wanted the comfort of family, friends, and the U.S. I was also getting bombarded with work at the school and realizing how hard it would be to actually make a difference there. Schools are run much much differently than what I was used to in the U.S. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I recently got very sick and a couple days to lie in bed. I couldn’t do anything because I felt so terrible. I realized what amazing friends God put in my life. They got medicine and food for me, kept me company while running a fever and coughing, and took me to the hospital to see the doctor. I also realized what I really wanted. After calling work one afternoon to check up on them and hearing how disappointed the school was that I didn’t come to work, I decided I wasn’t going to work there anymore. I had a ticket to fly home for Thanksgiving and I wasn’t interested in coming back. Rent was going to be due again the 10</span><sup><span style="font-size: x-large;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: x-large;"> of November, so I decided instead of paying rent until Thanksgiving I would just move my ticket up to the 10</span><sup><span style="font-size: x-large;">th</span></sup><span style="font-size: x-large;"> and come home. My mom is, of course, thrilled that I’m coming home since I call her crying every night. I don’t know what will happen in the spring, but I’m putting my trust in God and praying for something. </span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">While being away, I’ve come to the realization that I really do want to “settle down” and stay in one spot for a while. I feel like a nomad constantly packing my bags and moving. It’s exhausting! I’m ready to stay in one spot for a while, get decorations for my place, unpack my bags and know that I won’t have to pack them up again for a good while. Working as an English coordinator over other teachers has also made me realized just how much I like being IN the classroom with my students and teaching them. I am ready to get into a school and teach again! I’ve realized how much I miss the U.S. I know that I haven’t given Guadalajara much time and I’ve had a great time here, but I do miss home. I miss the convenience of having a car and being able to go wherever I want. I believe everything happens for a reason. I’m sad that being in Guadalajara hasn’t worked out, but I’m also excited to get home. I’m ready to see my family and friends.</span><span style="font-size: x-large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">In the meantime, Nora (my roommate) and I have a competition going… who can find and take pictures of the most neck-braces before we leave. We're also gathering stuff that we don't want to take home and making a pile for the homeless. We try to take something in our purse every time we walk out at night. Last night I gave a lady a sweater and a cup of instant noodles. It's quite fun.</span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
</div>Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-10806673849062285042009-10-12T12:44:00.000-07:002009-10-12T13:27:51.780-07:00En Guadalajara<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">1.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Neckbraces are a fashion statement. I rarely go a day without seeing someone in one.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">2.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The driving is crazy probably causing statement number one to be true.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">3.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you sold hair gel, you could be a rich kid.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">4.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can ride anywhere on a bus for 5 pesos=.38 cents</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">5.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Guys frequently whistle, honk, yell, kiss, and meow (yes, Bethany and I were </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">meowed at) at anyone who is not "dark"</span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">6.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There are statues EVERYWHERE.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">7.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The gas truck plays a song while it rides through the streets. It’s quite catchy even though I can never quite make out what it says.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">8.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can get just about anything you want if you pay someone for it. Which leads me to my next point.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">9.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I got an hour and a half full body massage for 300 pesos=23 dollars. And no, I didn’t go to a studio; she came to us with music, incense, and everything else.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">10.You would never go hungry here. There is food everywhere! Grilled corn for sale outside the grocery store, taco stands on just about every block, hot dog stands on the side of the road, ice cream carts riding around…. The list goes on…</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><img style="text-align: center;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaSyOoEQE4pj6votNTUAwV4Q3r_rM-5m6i_MOj93vpkHAXF3Bl55xwvMKotUzJTvwatTggUWzXx3Jzq1n5wukvB5pYA8R0-e24wT3dh4xgz37n-v70r-5cWl_5hvEQdiPpYts4n7qEVuM/s320/DSC04426.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391804813297019938" /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Frank found some hotdogs wrapped in a fried tortilla on the side of the street.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">11.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I walk out the door in a tank top and walk past others in parkas and toboggans.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">12.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Parking lots are swept while piles of trash are on the street corner.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">13.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Their “caution tape” for sidewalk construction consists of putting a board over a big hole so hopefully you won’t fall in and break your ankle.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">14.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I have met few rude/mean people while being here.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">15.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Going back to number 10 and 14, if someone is eating/drinking around you, they will most likely offer you a taste.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">16.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Everyday is a new experience. You never know what you’ll see walking down the street.</span></span></span></p> <img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7dwXx1CWpyiT8YypKKY_wlbzCkbwSKCix_lq-gOTA1LBpYdyLmAX5cQkohlAE-6MXvLpE0B5eMq2NFElzlxMG1sDzJs2eOmIUkWi-EAzIr3n5yjShczZOE9K9BlVKO1LU2h7BBzoeYM/s320/DSC04435.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391804846549898514" /><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkXn4y8qoaykJorzoPjUU7CpgFm1E3Z6oZUSk3vXTG66VSDt4AjOLLQ4PcFIhGOamukIP8ymCUop9ikeQ0crky2oDOx7BCtfa4y7HIUaW7ZfbZ2_x0JussTVCjU5lQ62EYUy_lAdfdJs/s320/DSC04432.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5391804833392499026" /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We were driving around and passed a truck full of animals. I think it was a promotion for the circus...</span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">17.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tequila is a common topic of conversation.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">18.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you sold fireworks, you could also be rich. Different churches have different saints days and they set off fireworks to honor them… I think.</span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">19.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In reference to my previous point, nobody really knows why things are done here. Why do they put limejuice on everything? Someone told me it was to kill bacteria. Somebody else said because it tastes good. It’s like that for just about everything.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: left;margin-left: 83pt; text-indent: -47pt; "><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">20.</span></span><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sometimes I think I’m the only person that worries about things here. Everyone just seems to enjoy life and hopes that everything will work out.</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-45102242759678257222009-09-24T19:57:00.000-07:002009-09-25T15:16:17.680-07:00<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "></p><div style="text-align: center;text-indent: 0px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Cowbells</span></span></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><img style="text-align: left;float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0pBo_r1FMv4DnhcYZh62x-OG-dGmb6D30_HiX5U4OXTL8uVZD1qooKmoL6l_QWPPkaBgqKdYQbGAxa2X5iyOzHEE3RZR-9SIXEIUFx-T6ZvJwFlnJjsH2QFaTAPzHVbrMrO2SaC292E/s320/DSC04341.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385235483786218370" /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; ">Welcome to our new apartment.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">As I was chatting to mi padre on the computer this morning in our new apartment, I heard the distant sound of cowbells coming up the street. This is a familiar sound that can be heard in the mornings. It is the sound that the trash men make to let the residents know they are coming around collecting trash. My fingers quickly moved over my keyboard to tell my dad that I had to take the trash out. I hit enter and jumped up from my chair to get the trash together. In Mexico, you separate the inorganic trash from the organic trash and try to take it out every morning so it doesn’t start stinking or attract gnats. I tied the bags up and ran out the door, down the stairs, and opened the garage door to place the bags on the sidewalk for the trash men. As I opened the door to place the trash outside, I saw a man on his hands and knees in the engine of a truck. I gave him a friendly smile, set the bags down, and went back upstairs to finish my conversation with my dad. Now, as I think about seeing that guy in the engine I realize how strange that was, but at the time, I didn’t think a thing about it. Things around here are starting to just become normal.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">This morning I woke up, made my coffee, and got on the computer to check my email before meeting with the lawyer that is doing all my FM3 (working visa) paperwork for me. The school that I will be working at has never hired a foreigner and therefore, is not familiar with the long, complicated process. Usually, companies that hire foreigners have their own person to do the paper work for their new employees. My friend works for one of these companies and gave me the number of their lawyer. I arranged for him to meet me earlier this week to start the whole process. He came to my apartment Tuesday and told me what I would need… well he didn’t exactly tell me that easily. He told me in Spanish. I understood about 40% of it. Then he called someone, said something in Spanish, and handed the phone to me. I said hello and was greeted by a man’s voice with a classic Irish accent that you would hear in the movies. He clarified everything that I would need for the first part of the process while I made notes on a post-it. I gave the phone back and wrapped up the meeting. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">The first letter I would need to get the process going would be an offer letter about the job from the school that I will be working for. I emailed the school and let them know exactly what I needed from them and arranged to pick it up the next day. I set out for school the next morning taking a different route than usual. I didn’t have to get out to the school right away, so I decided I would walk down a couple of blocks to the bus stop where the “nice” bus stops. This bus is much more enjoyable than the other buses because of it’s padded seats, odor free air, and somewhat of a smoother ride. I arrived at the bus stop and waited for a couple of minutes. If you want the bus to stop here, you stand on the side of the street and stick up your arm while pointing your index finger. The Pre-Tren bus arrived shortly after that and opened it’s doors right in front of me to walk up the steps and put my 5 pesos in the coin slot. The buses open their doors just long enough for you to get on or off and then continue on their route. I put my 5 pesos in the slot and walked steadily to find a seat. I took a seat near the back of the bus for the 20-minute ride. Unfortunately, this bus doesn’t take me all the way to the school, but I enjoyed the smoother ride non-the-less. I got off at the last stop on the Pre-Tren’s route and waited for my usual bus, 39-A. I waited about 5 minutes before I saw the right bus approaching. I stuck out my hand signaling the driver that I needed a ride. I paid the driver this time, who gives you change if you need it and a ticket. I don’t know why they give tickets, because they don’t do anything with it. I stick the ticket in my purse to collect at the bottom with all the other tickets to be thrown away later. On these buses, the drivers have what looks like a lawn-chair bolted down for their seat. You know the ones with the different color plastic tubes that weave across the bars. Most of the seats are blue plastic. Those lawn-chairs are pretty comfy if you think about it. Each bus is a little different on the inside. I guess the drivers can decorate the buses however they want. This bus had “caballero nocturno” painted at the front with batman symbols around it. I rode this bus for about 10 minutes and got off at the corner, which the school is on. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">I got the letter from the school and stayed the rest of the day to help out in the office. In the English office, there is the main coordinator, the pre-school coordinator, the primary and secondary coordinator (soon-to-be me), and the secretary. School has been in session for about a month and everyone’s been working double time to cover my position. I’ve been out to the school a couple of times getting paper work done and things set up and stayed the rest of the day to help out. Now that I have the “offer letter” that will be stamped by the immigration office verifying that the FM3 process has been started, I can be official! I’m ready to really get started with the job. Not that I haven’t enjoyed this time off….</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Bethany and I moved in our new apartment and are making it nice and cozy. Well as cozy as we can. It’s amazing what you can do without. We really like our place, but we do have a wish list for our apartment. Hopefully we’ll get a T.V. soon and a wireless router (Wow, I sound spoiled. It is nice though not to be tied down to a desk…). I would also love to get a washer! I’ve been hand washing my clothes. Yes, hand washing. I’m pretty proud of myself… it’s actually a pretty good arm workout. We’ve also been living without air conditioning ever since we moved here. It’s really not bad. Our apartment stays cool most of the day and at night the temperature cools down a good bit. It’s also not very common to have dishwashers here, so we wash everything by hand. I’ve been enjoying having a kitchen. Last weekend, I cooked a couple times and had some friends over. I cooked French toast for breakfast one morning the way my mom always makes it…mmmmm! Our apartment is three blocks down from the grocery store, and there’s also a corner store on our block that sells water, milk, and snacks. There’s a market a couple blocks down that has fresh fruits and vegetables, and if you keep walking, there’s a huge market filled with vendors selling fresh honey, fruits, eggs, bread, tacos, etc. It’s quite an experience! I don’t think we could’ve found a better apartment! Thank you Lord!</span></span><o:p></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-79712757346102835022009-09-09T21:43:00.000-07:002009-09-15T09:09:09.678-07:00Patience is a Virtue<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Patience is one of the qualities that I don’t have very much of.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I always hear, “In God’s time….”.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I hate waiting on answers, but that is what I have had to do a lot of in these past two weeks.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Bethany and I finished our TEFL course and were still iffy about jobs and permanent living arrangements.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">From the time we arrived here, we have lived in a posada.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Many of the residents are students and live here for extended periods of time.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It’s a little expensive for Mexico, so we wanted to find another place to save some money.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">A friend of mine’s family lives down here, and we got an offer from my friend’s aunt to live with her rent free in exchange for helping her out with her two boys and teaching them English.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It sounded like a great deal except her house is about thirty minutes out of town and hard to get buses in and out of.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">At the same time, I also had an offer from a language institution teaching for businesses and groups in the mornings and afternoons and teaching for a Kindergarten for three hours during the day.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That job sounded very appealing as well, but with the split schedule, I would have to choose living out of town or the job.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The company wanted me to decide as soon as possible and so I had to tell them no.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I was really nervous about telling them no because I was turning down the only job offer I had received after graduating from the course.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">School had already started and all the schools that I sent my resumes to had all their teaching positions filled.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">For a couple days I was really stressed out.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I felt like I needed to make all these decisions as soon as possible and didn’t feel a hundred percent sure on any of them. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I finally decided to give it over to God and lay my burdens at his feet.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Bethany and I went to the cathedral two blocks up from where we live and read our bibles and prayed for a little while one night.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">When I opened my bible and started reading, I read, “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.” (Psalms 118:6).</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I prayed and prayed for the Lord to guide Bethany and me and help us make the right decisions about jobs and living.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">My friend then called me and told me about a position at the school where his mom works for an English Coordinator.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I called about it the next day and got an interview set up.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That same day, Bethany came home with some very good news.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">She said she found an apartment about a twenty-minute walk from here.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">She went and looked at the apartment, which has all new appliances, is furnished, and has two bedrooms.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">She said the guy that showed it to her didn’t know how much the owner was asking for rent, so he asked us to call him back later.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We called him a couple hours later and got a very reasonable price for an apartment downtown in a very central location.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Bethany told him that I would like to see the apartment before we commit to anything, so we set up an appointment for Monday at noon.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The next day, Friday, I went to the interview and got a few details about the job.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Basically, I would be a teacher trainer.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The teachers are not native English speakers, so I would observe the teachers during their English lessons, read over their materials for teaching and make sure the grammar is correct, and help them better their teaching in any way I can.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I had to take a test about teaching methods and write a short essay about why I want to work at that school and why I want to teach.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The lady I interviewed with told me to call her Tuesday and see what my results looked like.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I, of course, wanted to know something right away to make decisions about the apartment, and also in case I needed to keep searching for other jobs.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">BUT patience is a virtue.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">All weekend I prayed and tried to relax.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Bethany and I went to a very nice Italian restaurant up the road from where we live, ‘La Dolce Vita’ Friday night.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We enjoyed a very good meal and a nice atmosphere.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Saturday we slept in and then took the bus to the mall.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We did a little bit of shopping and went to the movies to see “La Cruda Verdad- The Ugly Truth”.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We usually take a taxi everywhere, which is getting a little expensive, so we were very proud that we took the bus for only 5 pesos!</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Sunday, they close certain streets down for recreation.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">People can ride bikes, walk, jog, skate, etc.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We usually take a taxi to the church, but since I was feeling more confident in my navigation skills around the city I decided we should try another way.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I looked at the map and thought we would have time to walk it or at least up to the main street that wasn’t closed down.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We ended up walking for an HOUR.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We made it to church though! </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">After church, we took a taxi to the main street to look around for a place to eat. </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">As we were walking, I saw a lady on a bike with a baby carrier on her chest.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">However, she didn’t have a baby in it, she had a CAT!</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">A longhaired cat just chillin in the baby carrier.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Bethany and I laughed sooo hard.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We enjoyed a light lunch at a café and then walked back home.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">A friend that we met at school met us later that afternoon to go to the park.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We took a bus out to the park.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I wasn’t sure where to get off; I just knew it was after a big mall.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We got off a little ways after the mall and wondered around.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I had no idea where we were, so I asked a guy where the park was.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He was an older man dressed very nice standing outside of an auto place.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I asked him where the park was in Spanish, and he answered back in English.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It’s like they know not to even try to speak to us in English because our Spanish is so bad haha.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I thanked him and started walking in the direction he pointed me in.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">As we were walking, a Mercedes car pulled up beside us.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It was the same guy with his wife in the passenger seat.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He said, “Hi, do you remember me?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Would you like a ride to the park?”</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We graciously accepted his offer and pilled into the back of his car.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He told us that two of his children are in California studying for a year right now, and he said that when he saw us, he thought of his children.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We got dropped off at the park entrance, thanked the kind couple, and started walking around the park.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Sunday is the Mexicans day to get out and enjoy life.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The park was packed!</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">There were families having picnics everywhere.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Our friend, Mike, found a tree to read under while Bethany and I walked around the park.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We stayed there for a couple hours and then took the bus back home.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Monday, Bethany and I went to look at the apartment.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It has a garage door entrance, so it’s pretty secure.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The apartment is very spacious and clean.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The guys that live across from us seem very nice.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Everything about it looked really good.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The location is in the center of the whole city.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Access to buses is very easy.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The place that Bethany will most likely work is only three blocks away.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Most of the people we have met live around this area, and the school, which would help us if we ever had any questions, is close by.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Everything seemed perfect.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The only thing I wasn’t sure about was the commute to the school if I got that job.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The school would be about 30 minutes on a bus.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Then I would have to walk 20 minutes to the school, get a taxi-about 10 minutes, or find a bus that goes around that community.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We told the guy that we would try to time the commute to see how long it was and let him know something tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">After that, we decided to time the commute to the school since we had nothing else planned that afternoon.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The bus ride to the main road wasn’t bad.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">There was a lot of traffic, and it took us 30 minutes.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">However, once we got out there it was a different story.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We waited a few minutes for a taxi, which ended up not knowing the address to the school.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He said he was sorry and drove off.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We waited a few more minutes and didn’t see any more taxis.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I decided to just walk for a little bit and see if we could find it ourselves.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We walked a ways and still had no idea where we were!</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I stopped a lady and asked her if she knew the address or the school, and she told me it was in the opposite direction that we were walking (keep in mind that this is all in Spanish which we still understand very little of).</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">She was walking the same way so we just followed her.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I’m kind of a fast walker and she wasn’t at all.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">She was also smoking.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So we were trapped behind her on the sidewalk while she was walking super slow with the smoke blowing in our faces.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We couldn’t pass her though because I felt like it would be rude.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Just a little bit awkward. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">When we got back on the main road, she asked some guys that were close by about the address, and they told us it was only a couple blocks away.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We thanked her and the men and said goodbye to the lady who then got on a bus and left.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We started walking down the road and still were a little unsure of which way to go.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">One of the guys that we asked directions from came up beside us on his bike and must of seen our unsure faces because he kindly told us again which street to go down.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He asked us where we were from.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">And some other questions which I couldn’t comprehend.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He ended up riding slowly on his bike alongside us all the way to the school.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It still blows me away how kind and generous people have been.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">When we were walking back from the school to the bus stop everything was going through my mind about how I would get to school every morning and get back every afternoon.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">A taxi would be too expensive. The bus is fine, but then when I get out there, I would have to find something else, I can’t walk out in the country everyday.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Would I need to buy a car?</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Maybe I could hire a taxi service.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Maybe that would be cheaper than paying for a different taxi everyday</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">.</span></span><i><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I had to tell myself to stop and just pray about it.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">There’s a chance I might not even get the job.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The next day, I went to yoga, which always make me feel better.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I prayed about the apartment and the job and felt a peace with whatever would happen.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">One of my friends from Guadalajara came by to look at the apartment and give his opinion.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He approved which made me feel good about the decision.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I also talked with my parents and anyone else I could about my decisions and decided that I should take the apartment.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We called Carlos, the guy that found the apartment for us, and told him we wanted the apartment.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He set up an appointment for us the next day start the paper work process.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That afternoon, I heard back from the school about the position I interviewed for.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">My hopefully soon-to-be boss said she wants me but just has to go through all the loop holes and paper work before it’s official.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">She also said she wanted to make sure I understood everything about the job before I signed on.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">So we set up another meeting the next morning.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It’s funny how everything just seems to fall in place when we place everything in God’s hands.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Wednesday morning I set off for the school.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I found out all the responsibilities I would have if I take the job.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I would be over the primary and secondary English teachers (12 total).</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I would check all their tests, materials, handouts, anything really for grammar and content.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Make sure the students are where they need to be.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Help the teacher improve teaching in any way they can….and many other things.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">The school is really nice.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">It’s a bilingual private school that is six years old.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I’m really excited about working there and already have ideas bubbling out of my head.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We made another appointment for Friday to iron out some more of the details and hopefully start training Monday.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Nothing is official until I sign the contract… but it’s pretty much a deal!</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">That afternoon, I met up with Bethany whose boyfriend flew in for a ten-day visit.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We met at the apartments to get some of the paper work done.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We told him we would be ready to move in as soon as it was ready.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">He said it could be cleaned and ready the next day.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">We made an appointment with him for 11 to start moving into our new apartment.</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">I can’t believe we are going to have our own apartment in the second biggest city in Mexico!</span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;">Our life in Mexico is coming together! …… patience is a virtue……</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-23030835184731224132009-08-18T20:31:00.000-07:002009-08-19T15:25:00.306-07:00En La Ciudad<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC1qWtcF8wful_lEGrzi23u3J6kiym2FNvwr8nqjl4_oDZiqza__6VoWeJFEns5CrVWYfsV3kmPolIEw8hpaWu2F1DfW7GKTvWZy6gD28nBNmUyfOfwAQEcC_HxgMCz5i5rK6Lfj1-UY/s1600-h/DSC04042.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3D-L8UdU-GnAZlGVk40D0sjnfP89XrVHuG61DmPPW-m1zRH3oXtrHL_CEzzKXOJiV13141-g1RRz3G-2luCRbE9rTNzynBPAZwIc1MHrueslowCRR6K_iU9464Kt3VLHpiTcey93toE/s1600-h/DSC03940.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', -webkit-fantasy;color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span></span></span></a> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Guadalajara is the second largest city in Mexico. The city is located in the middle of the state Jalisco </span></span><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">in the western-Pacific area of Mexico. It is the </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-;font-family:Verdana;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">birthplace of mariachi and tequila.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It is 5200 feet above sea level making the climate quite cooler than the surrounding lower level cities.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The climate is mild year round.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Right now, it usually rains every night cooling off the mornings.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It warms up during the day but without the humidity that we have in the south.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I even wear a light jacket early in the morning because of my thin blood that I developed from growing up in the south.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We keep our windows or doors open a lot of the time to let the cool air in our room.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Just like the south, there are lots of mosquitoes here too.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You could play connect-the-dots on my body from all my bites!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In Mississippi it’s too hot to open the doors or windows, so we don’t have mosquitoes invading our homes.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That is not the case here. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Especially with the traditional house being built with the open center; mosquitoes just fly right on in.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hugo said they must like my light skin…</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhf6E6lwQo-Crl3yYpoQIxcqeoApnHGwKBll1P7rBz7SCG_gahfLYtQKuKmeGQmq73vouREJLSenBS6OkR2yXW9AO9d6r4qks1ZG4t62-8z7joGTOHwR8bkvxnqxMWZ-JSS34BLpYutII/s1600-h/DSC04047.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhf6E6lwQo-Crl3yYpoQIxcqeoApnHGwKBll1P7rBz7SCG_gahfLYtQKuKmeGQmq73vouREJLSenBS6OkR2yXW9AO9d6r4qks1ZG4t62-8z7joGTOHwR8bkvxnqxMWZ-JSS34BLpYutII/s320/DSC04047.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371515392385237714" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3D-L8UdU-GnAZlGVk40D0sjnfP89XrVHuG61DmPPW-m1zRH3oXtrHL_CEzzKXOJiV13141-g1RRz3G-2luCRbE9rTNzynBPAZwIc1MHrueslowCRR6K_iU9464Kt3VLHpiTcey93toE/s1600-h/DSC03940.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3D-L8UdU-GnAZlGVk40D0sjnfP89XrVHuG61DmPPW-m1zRH3oXtrHL_CEzzKXOJiV13141-g1RRz3G-2luCRbE9rTNzynBPAZwIc1MHrueslowCRR6K_iU9464Kt3VLHpiTcey93toE/s320/DSC03940.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371515371161095842" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Being in the middle of downtown, in the second largest city of Mexico, is quite a change from being in a city where you have to drive at least ten minutes to get anywhere.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">On one corner that we live on there’s a sandwich shop.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They sell these sandwiches called tortas.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Guadalajara is known for their special bread because of the elevation of the city and the way the bread bakes.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They’re REALLY good!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">One of the main cathedrals downtown is two blocks away from us.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The church has a big square in front of it with places to sit around a fountain to relax and admire it.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Many couples go there to spend time together and sit as close as they can to each other while they lock their eyes and lips on one another.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you get hungry while you’re making out don’t fret, food is never too far from the eyes.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There are little stands where they sell grilled elote (corn), tacos, and hamburgesas.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It seems that you can always find food wherever you are!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can also find things to buy anywhere you go. You don’t even have to go look; they’ll come up to you.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can sit at a red light and buy water, toys, and/or plastic storage containers in case you have some food in your car that you need to store.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Or you can just be entertained by someone juggling torches standing on a ladder or watch a guy lay on glass but not get cut.. yes… all while waiting on the light to turn green.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We live about 10 minutes walking distance from the school that Bethany and I am going to to be certified to teach English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">In the mornings we walk down the street to everyone starting his or her workday.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is an old man that is in the same spot every morning and afternoon selling fruit.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We always say buenos dias to him; he replies back with some long answer that we never understand.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I told Bethany he’s probably gripping at us for never buying anything while we just smile and walk right on by haha.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you walk down the street in the afternoon, there is much more activity!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">People are everywhere walking along the streets, selling things in the streets or trying to get you to come into their store, relaxing in the parks, or watching street acts.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There is usually a clown that performs in a big open square, which draws all the children in.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">If you don’t want to walk, you can hop on a bus for 5 pesos (about 13=1 dollar) or grab a taxi.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I like to walk and see all the different people and things that are going on.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Bethany and I were walking to the store one afternoon and saw a guy sitting against a building on the sidewalk playing a leaf to make some money.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">That guy had some skills to be playing a leaf.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I have to give him credit for doing something and not just begging.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There are also so many different buildings that you can walk by and never notice unless you actually make an effort.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There’s a little Italian place by the VilaSanta that you would never notice, but one day I heard some music and looked through the windows where I saw little tables with candles on them.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It amazes me how your eyes will only see a little door and behind that door opens up to a cozy little restaurant or up to a staircase that has an entire hair salon on the second floor.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxSD7BooihDetipuYEV1Rw1yGCybA1LtD9LhvKdtmacakTeVikkmN5A6PNg9G0GumtGep-TuAtqDaIjWqLrX5d7MOzJPkAZ6QgvlXKma8_WBwS5YRdR7z4fHEKT_fKbCeah9e8xftLmM/s1600-h/DSC03986.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxSD7BooihDetipuYEV1Rw1yGCybA1LtD9LhvKdtmacakTeVikkmN5A6PNg9G0GumtGep-TuAtqDaIjWqLrX5d7MOzJPkAZ6QgvlXKma8_WBwS5YRdR7z4fHEKT_fKbCeah9e8xftLmM/s320/DSC03986.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371515386930532338" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We’ve only been here 19 days.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And so far we’ve only explored about half of downtown, gone to lake Chapala, and rode a bus about an hour out of the city to see the Guachimontones pyramids. </span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> We've also been to downtown Zapopan, which is like a suburb or Guadalajara. We met our friends from class at a Brazilian restaurant there. We sat at the table which the waiters came around to our plates with meet on a long knife asking if we wanted some. We could eat as much as we wanted. There was all the meat you could think of! We finally couldn't take anymore and flipped the stick, that is red on one end and green on the other to signal them if you want more food or not, to red.</span></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgPvmat71drCoWFjlGtMgQtuhUcIzZA7AglkGv2JYCWyI74QToHT6RfoIzwGagTyplyDDp1yht7BbNwZNwvt7Ekn526KbivofS0NiXuWsD38cTTFKxddtx31UJbnxWnZ7KHCVoamndEE/s1600-h/DSC02410.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjgPvmat71drCoWFjlGtMgQtuhUcIzZA7AglkGv2JYCWyI74QToHT6RfoIzwGagTyplyDDp1yht7BbNwZNwvt7Ekn526KbivofS0NiXuWsD38cTTFKxddtx31UJbnxWnZ7KHCVoamndEE/s320/DSC02410.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371515415015355122" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Lake Chapala was about an hour out of the city.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We were lucky enough to have a friend drive us there and show us around.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was beautiful!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Hugo took us to some neat places, while he was here, that we would have never known about.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He took us to this place that is a car wash during the day and a restaurant at night.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The restaurant is called Las Papas.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They have baked potatoes with meat and cheese and sauce on top.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can also get tacos.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The papas were AMAZING.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I begged Hugo to take me there again the next night!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> He also took us to a soccer game. </span></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC1qWtcF8wful_lEGrzi23u3J6kiym2FNvwr8nqjl4_oDZiqza__6VoWeJFEns5CrVWYfsV3kmPolIEw8hpaWu2F1DfW7GKTvWZy6gD28nBNmUyfOfwAQEcC_HxgMCz5i5rK6Lfj1-UY/s1600-h/DSC04042.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZC1qWtcF8wful_lEGrzi23u3J6kiym2FNvwr8nqjl4_oDZiqza__6VoWeJFEns5CrVWYfsV3kmPolIEw8hpaWu2F1DfW7GKTvWZy6gD28nBNmUyfOfwAQEcC_HxgMCz5i5rK6Lfj1-UY/s320/DSC04042.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371520552789361602" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Chivas, which is the most popular team in Guadalajara, weren't playing and it was raining so the stadium wasn't as crowded but you wouldn't have known it if you were blind. The noise that the fans made was much more than we ever made at our homecoming game in college. The fans didn't just make noise (play the drums, dance, and sing) when their team made a goal. They made it the WHOLE time! Pretty impressive! We were able to get out of the city for a little while this past Saturday and go to the pyramids on a school trip. I had never heard of that civilization and it was really neat to see it. </span></span></span></p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rEE3Euomrk_ABXWCRd3ZdX_YShtmmd-FprjRiLq04BU0aeWjQpYBS99D2kQETGfCYWAuUh6E2Fwk3W5yFJCMrjM-bNrfZs3fIKVbs5tQc0iQVi0O8mq3tJnE2OR_2s23XTYnjlexKVI/s1600-h/DSC04055.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8rEE3Euomrk_ABXWCRd3ZdX_YShtmmd-FprjRiLq04BU0aeWjQpYBS99D2kQETGfCYWAuUh6E2Fwk3W5yFJCMrjM-bNrfZs3fIKVbs5tQc0iQVi0O8mq3tJnE2OR_2s23XTYnjlexKVI/s320/DSC04055.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371515405612719346" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Tonight, I’m sitting in my bed listening to music and thinking about these past two and a half weeks.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They’ve been so much fun, and I’ve already learned so much.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I’ve also gotten really frustrated.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Not being able to speak Spanish very well and living here can be quite challenging sometimes.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">However, no one has ever been rude.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">They try to communicate as best they can.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Sometimes they’ll tell us to wait, and they’ll go find someone who does speak English.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">All the people we live with have become like family.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Dany (the cooking school student) has cooked twice in the past couple days and invited us to eat both times.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was walking upstairs one night and got a whiff of something really tasty cooking up in the kitchen.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I walked down to the kitchen and found Dany at the stove making hamburgers.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He had two extra and made a place for us at the table.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Last night he was cooking barbacoa.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He brought in a crock-pot with meat. I asked what it was and he told me it was cow tongue!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He then cut the skin off the tongue and began shredding the meat.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvVNiQ6sdsroGWJYpQ_w59ZKe4sLlh98-K6CjUSz5Ucpol9gHrgjFNXCnoxmhcqf4LdMa4rohyphenhyphen1nTrnjybxdEq4ufdL7BA4yVs2Plp2CmChG7T1RGDT0S9d7DqsblCCKzRItvTTiJB7k/s1600-h/DSC04080.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvVNiQ6sdsroGWJYpQ_w59ZKe4sLlh98-K6CjUSz5Ucpol9gHrgjFNXCnoxmhcqf4LdMa4rohyphenhyphen1nTrnjybxdEq4ufdL7BA4yVs2Plp2CmChG7T1RGDT0S9d7DqsblCCKzRItvTTiJB7k/s320/DSC04080.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371517531155024850" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Helvetica, fantasy;"><br /></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFm1CoAhwmzVXqfIqXQ09rpbOsb_VFe3VJ-bw4NER_2FAegUzZ5HnADOgq7ZukvZ3zM6ijzCjpBFyxKvKCopKuhuCTMjdQyPaom89UuPMX4rN-5pjMpLraaKBYbTCOtm42iMjehzhA_z4/s1600-h/DSC04077.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFm1CoAhwmzVXqfIqXQ09rpbOsb_VFe3VJ-bw4NER_2FAegUzZ5HnADOgq7ZukvZ3zM6ijzCjpBFyxKvKCopKuhuCTMjdQyPaom89UuPMX4rN-5pjMpLraaKBYbTCOtm42iMjehzhA_z4/s320/DSC04077.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5371518298776621090" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The meat went back into the crock-pot for another several hours.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I went to they gym and stopped at the cathedral on the walk home to sit and take in my surroundings.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I came home and took a shower.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I was about to go to bed when I heard a knock at the door.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It was Dany offering some of his food.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">He had a couple friends over, and we sat around the table enjoying tacos at 10:30!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I still can’t believe how late people eat here!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Frank stopped by just a second ago and shared his day with us along with his pizza with Bethany.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I got him to do some recordings for my class in the morning.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The students need to be exposed to many different accents.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Frank’s Irish accent is much more fun than mine!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style="font-family:Helvetica;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Guadalajara has so much to offer.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can really pick and choose what you want to do and see.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">We have so much more exploring to do!</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-91770249381532319892009-08-16T12:20:00.000-07:002009-08-16T12:52:01.703-07:00En mi casa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkQnKu00YEBf0S5Q_WN1-gj5L4r5bpg3WjBYFChP1Clx9rs-Z3VH0xYCuyXHClJF1KpCxjSlD1Wp10bOWzouMa22LUeptqIRsKML-oKvVz8RMhqMAUjHyUXBaEbCv_FOsw6E4wqUK6zQ/s1600-h/DSC02318.JPG"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Lucida Grande', fantasy; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, fantasy;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEdi1b1K1MBNibmaE74oFwqiiJIc-j6E79sG2EvMw4zX5ZahfJpDrl88NEqJAebdSU5mXRJ1HGzjP99OqNdbZILJoAiuKfWvIbqfJJ1CsnPYUhszhQJT2ZnTSd5gqMdqjnj-FO7F6Z_Y/s1600-h/IMG_2206.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><!--StartFragment--><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">When we walked out of the airport it was like we were saying good-bye to one world and hello to another. My dad rented a car and we took a taxi to the hostel that we are currently at. Yes… we had to have two cars to fit four people and about eight bags. The driving in Mexico is almost as crazy as Italy… almost…. The place we are staying, Casa VilaSanta, is nestled in the middle of the block that we live on in downtown Guadalajara. It’s painted a beautiful blue with a cute little sign and wooden doors.</span></span></p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0F8ahngkyHgX6RgW87lkCyBV4JvxCPGWLKX0uOGEY0Dw4ONxQb36JzO6cVBOEw2YdKkhPADuPtHKmJgK5fWoCthL41j_0q8yDMa4adss4oMTRF8tD9czLjDL8nSYgIBl75gRAYPI6KU/s1600-h/DSC03938.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif0F8ahngkyHgX6RgW87lkCyBV4JvxCPGWLKX0uOGEY0Dw4ONxQb36JzO6cVBOEw2YdKkhPADuPtHKmJgK5fWoCthL41j_0q8yDMa4adss4oMTRF8tD9czLjDL8nSYgIBl75gRAYPI6KU/s320/DSC03938.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370645250929671682" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span></span>The place </span></span></span><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">we are staying, Casa VilaSanta, is nestled in the middle of the block that we live on in downtown Guadalajara.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It’s painted a beautiful blue with a cute little sign and wooden doors.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande', fantasy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiai0ADHjx8cBjCJeRJBq1X5tXKuJLBDtwtX2m7QbSlEonfYzcv3U1ps8nfbXIAZa3ntaAsPc6OMcZ0AUxBoymaebNJXM-IGdbCfFGaVF7UJbxoLW5EtHq7zev6kvMDNOpOh3gth9nIxwk/s1600-h/IMG_2255.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiai0ADHjx8cBjCJeRJBq1X5tXKuJLBDtwtX2m7QbSlEonfYzcv3U1ps8nfbXIAZa3ntaAsPc6OMcZ0AUxBoymaebNJXM-IGdbCfFGaVF7UJbxoLW5EtHq7zev6kvMDNOpOh3gth9nIxwk/s320/IMG_2255.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370644652570163634" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We checked into our room, which has a king size bed and a single bed.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The furniture is stained with a pretty green color.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I know… it doesn’t sound pretty, but it is!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Older style Mexican casas are built with rooms surrounding an open courtyard.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It’s more like a common area.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23gXP7oOCx9_XdnxzrlxrFEYCKMrr8u8WBEfLfxh-x3iVOpUgmK3uhL52HsZb004Qe5-b7BGmUhepQu-RR7FVbxF95WD-g_sCxzdcKZT0-PR4YBpM12BTmljRkZvPv09KyTPbACDaaqI/s1600-h/IMG_2240.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23gXP7oOCx9_XdnxzrlxrFEYCKMrr8u8WBEfLfxh-x3iVOpUgmK3uhL52HsZb004Qe5-b7BGmUhepQu-RR7FVbxF95WD-g_sCxzdcKZT0-PR4YBpM12BTmljRkZvPv09KyTPbACDaaqI/s320/IMG_2240.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370644644508322386" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span></span>There are couches and tables and a television to sit and visit.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There’s also an upstairs with about 6 more rooms and a place that you can sit and relax in the sun.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjkKdxnCiVY_yo8ZctJHt7dDAcq3u5hAfSPlppzRpu6hEoJ4DLW11krcluFjEzZclRQBFalltRjbn50bUwLpkGO6oYS4HOydFaFdxl3OL8EJB4C4EJVyMx0jBKdnYmNzAeHv6EQg4-80/s1600-h/IMG_2235.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNjkKdxnCiVY_yo8ZctJHt7dDAcq3u5hAfSPlppzRpu6hEoJ4DLW11krcluFjEzZclRQBFalltRjbn50bUwLpkGO6oYS4HOydFaFdxl3OL8EJB4C4EJVyMx0jBKdnYmNzAeHv6EQg4-80/s320/IMG_2235.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370644633191096322" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The kitchen area is public and has a </span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7tClB1Y-MfAsSyXt2lyiTrKxlFlJF3jEfobZwkc92QfOcxi0Sxuc76iwrcnYO-qLTh4snGc29EjZaV-rJLRx01nffZBXM_Q-frXqoUxnwWzM0yXrCyIibXVAA7aHlp7j8zMa8pOQc7E/s1600-h/IMG_2237.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW7tClB1Y-MfAsSyXt2lyiTrKxlFlJF3jEfobZwkc92QfOcxi0Sxuc76iwrcnYO-qLTh4snGc29EjZaV-rJLRx01nffZBXM_Q-frXqoUxnwWzM0yXrCyIibXVAA7aHlp7j8zMa8pOQc7E/s320/IMG_2237.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370644637078204946" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">pantry and dining room.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The pantry area has a big fridge that covers the size of one wall.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There are plastic crates available for you to put your name on and store your food.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For dry food, you can put it in another crate with your name on a shelf.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The kitchen has all the necessities.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The stove took a while for me to learn how to light.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The gas has to be turned on and then lit with a match.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">On my first twenty tries, I kept burning my finger.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Then I added one of those fluid lighters to my list of things to get at the store and am now a successful stove lighter.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bethany still can’t figure it out, so I have to help her.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">She will learn with practice </span></span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">J</span></span></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The other residents here have been amazing.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The first day we were here, I came downstairs where my parents we sitting and saw them talking to this guy with red hair and an Irish accent.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He introduced himself, Frank from Ireland, and quickly began giving us the low-down on our new home and city.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He told us that the staff, at the VilaSanta, is so helpful and caring.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEdi1b1K1MBNibmaE74oFwqiiJIc-j6E79sG2EvMw4zX5ZahfJpDrl88NEqJAebdSU5mXRJ1HGzjP99OqNdbZILJoAiuKfWvIbqfJJ1CsnPYUhszhQJT2ZnTSd5gqMdqjnj-FO7F6Z_Y/s1600-h/IMG_2206.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEdi1b1K1MBNibmaE74oFwqiiJIc-j6E79sG2EvMw4zX5ZahfJpDrl88NEqJAebdSU5mXRJ1HGzjP99OqNdbZILJoAiuKfWvIbqfJJ1CsnPYUhszhQJT2ZnTSd5gqMdqjnj-FO7F6Z_Y/s320/IMG_2206.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370644622415825170" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span></span>He also gave us a tour of downtown, telling us where to get things that we might need.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He’s in Mexico because he opened a chain called, Wing’s army, which is like a Buffalo Wild Wings.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">His friend from Ireland fell in love with a girl from Guadalajara and moved down here to get married.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">They decided to open a business together and so Frank came down to get it running.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He’s not sure if he wants to move here permanently or go back to Ireland, but leaning more towards staying here.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He’s been here for about two and a half months and has become like a brother to Bethany and me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Some of our other classmates from school are staying here for the month.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There’s also a really nice guy living here while he’s going to cooking school.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The other people stay for a week or two and move on.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I went into the kitchen one night to try and scrounge up something to eat.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I walked in to this amazing smell and a guy at the stove.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He introduced himself and said he was from Switzerland traveling around Mexico for a couple months.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">He offered me some of his pasta, which I quickly accepted!</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Another time, I was walking around the common area and saw a couple just checking in to the VilaSanta.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">They introduced themselves and told me they were from Australia.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">They had been in the United States for six months traveling around, and then came down to Mexico for a little while.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bethany, they guy from Switzerland, and the girl from Australia, and I went to eat that night. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkQnKu00YEBf0S5Q_WN1-gj5L4r5bpg3WjBYFChP1Clx9rs-Z3VH0xYCuyXHClJF1KpCxjSlD1Wp10bOWzouMa22LUeptqIRsKML-oKvVz8RMhqMAUjHyUXBaEbCv_FOsw6E4wqUK6zQ/s1600-h/DSC02318.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDkQnKu00YEBf0S5Q_WN1-gj5L4r5bpg3WjBYFChP1Clx9rs-Z3VH0xYCuyXHClJF1KpCxjSlD1Wp10bOWzouMa22LUeptqIRsKML-oKvVz8RMhqMAUjHyUXBaEbCv_FOsw6E4wqUK6zQ/s320/DSC02318.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5370649336294020402" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It’s so much fun meeting people from all over and hearing about their journeys.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Everyone is so nice, it’s like you instantly become best friends.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I guess people that are willing to get out and travel the world have to be outgoing and friendly.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It’s just so neat how everyone can connect and share what they have with you.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">People are always offering their food or anything they might have that you could use.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">It constantly amazes me how God will take care of his sheep.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2947927169245587689.post-15523930737822328452009-08-14T15:36:00.000-07:002009-08-14T17:49:50.429-07:007 countries in 30 days<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigsfVcO9AaeIp5Jgu6ZLEA-ITB4bqCRSrIlnHvfjDWo4jC_MSDK9JXXgm9ke3u_3c-QJ47fCe4SaK4l626hASh4zhEenykqyNDwxsS5mGVMMJa9A6i82uvn0Dpg27IyEQvhzpWhARovg/s1600-h/DSC03932.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPErSakLY5kk5UwWSyYF97h80zJeySswgJjIgnjRPMIkxtm2rraScKWlfbLMQIOkoh1RWDdQKoU6TthfHybJOon_TqNd50Y_B6YGHDFC0WzrUy7pq8VJh4-Ttklqse2qDLvGaifYTT4k/s1600-h/DSC03193.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPErSakLY5kk5UwWSyYF97h80zJeySswgJjIgnjRPMIkxtm2rraScKWlfbLMQIOkoh1RWDdQKoU6TthfHybJOon_TqNd50Y_B6YGHDFC0WzrUy7pq8VJh4-Ttklqse2qDLvGaifYTT4k/s320/DSC03193.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369954434538648482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;">July has been the busiest, craziest, most exciting, eye opening, and unique month of my life! I had the opportunity to travel overseas visiting six countries for three amazing weeks. I spent a week with my aunt,who has an apartment in Tuscany, really enjoying the opportunity getting to know and understand the Italians. I found that I love the culture in Italy! I love visiting with the people when we see them in the neighborhood and not just saying the typical American greeting, "Hello, how are you?" My aunt would talk with her neighbors for a couple minutes and find out whose anniversary it was, what they were doing for the night, or whose leaving town. I couldn't believe that they would actually tell her personal things about their life as they passed each other going in and out of the houses. The Italians <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">actually</i> shared their lives with you. My aunt told me that there's just something about Florence and Tuscany that has always stayed in her heart, and I had the chance to experience a tenth of that special something.</span><span style="font-family:Georgia;mso-bidi-font-family:Georgia;font-size:16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination: none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I also had the opportunity to travel to Rome with the Harding University group that was studying in Florence for the summer. My dad's family spent ten years in Florence working with the churches there. The coordinator of the Harding University in Florence's family grew up with my dad's family in Florence as well, and our families still keep in touch. I was lucky enough to tag along with the students and get in on all their tours and sightseeing adventures. I had a great time and met some wonderful people! I remember seeing the Colosseum and thinking about how many times I saw pictures of friends by the Colosseum and longed to go myself.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZtCCKF1JaXhlG19Yd8HSnuV0OZjwUsDnEjNv-TqCivpCB0eWB0-5xlrG_96OOnyzLZNmRmx1PbuYeVORwrnUR55bAVctH_xhszgr1R7ltEDOAA-WiIKNYhYNaSyDFcklLFF5uZ7rGT0/s1600-h/DSC03579.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZtCCKF1JaXhlG19Yd8HSnuV0OZjwUsDnEjNv-TqCivpCB0eWB0-5xlrG_96OOnyzLZNmRmx1PbuYeVORwrnUR55bAVctH_xhszgr1R7ltEDOAA-WiIKNYhYNaSyDFcklLFF5uZ7rGT0/s320/DSC03579.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369954453968441794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I was so amazed at the buildings and the structure of the city. It is a major city, approximately 4 million people. The cars whiz by you along with scooters weaving in and out of traffic going well over our speed limit in the states! As you walk around the city, you will notice that on some of the buildings the bottom of the newest building is the top of a building that was built upon as the city was built up over time. Mamertinum prison, where they believe Peter and Paul were imprisoned, was this way. I was so thankful that I could experience Rome with the HUF (Harding University in Florence) group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We were present day Christians walking where the first century Christians were persecuted for believing. One of the many places we went were to the Catacombs, which are underground tombs that the Christians were buried in because they would not allow them to be buried in the city. There were also rooms that the Christians met in to secretly worship. While we went into the catacombs and explored them, we all gathered in one of the underground rooms. There was a natural spring in the room with water flowing, reflecting its sounds off of the walls and ceiling. Light shone through from a hole in the wall while we crowded in together. We had a devotional from the book of Paul (appropriate) and sang devotional songs. Our voices joined in harmony as we praised our God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The God that suffered an excruciating death for us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The God that the early Christians couldn't stop talking about and sharing with others. The God that people were sacrificed for because they believed in Him. And here we were, present day Christians, free from persecution, worshiping freely. It was such a spiritual experience and something I will always remember!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I also had the opportunity to climb the Sacred Steps. These steps were brought from Jerusalem and are believed to be the ones that Jesus was led up to Pilate on to be sacrificed. They are wooden steps that can only be ascended with on knees. For each step, there is a prayer. The prayers start with 'O my Jesus' and end with 'have mercy on me'.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Of course, you can say your own prayers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I went up them saying the written prayers for each step and found it very touching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It really helped me visualize and put myself in His place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have a scar that starts at my kneecap and follows down my shin a couple inches and is pretty tender.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s pretty uncomfortable for me to kneel or do anything on my knees, but being on my knees saying those prayers as I climbed up one step at a time got me out of my usual comfortable prayer position and feel an ounce of pain that Jesus felt that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So many times I pray to God and thank him for his sacrifice but do I really meditate on it and realize JUST what a horrible death he went through?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmnd95Hdor58o8jaS4DNY1ClG3LAy4qm65Yo8ylAqczO8x3B7nLkrbUKNBHFhy9f9BfRjaulZdDxVPTue5hMyA8EEMlevDFFOm1JCx41wH63yjfc-BbdyeMA7NJbTjlzwKVffu56f95k/s320/DSC03545.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369954442812126258" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>As I threw my coin into the Trevi fountain wishing to come back to Rome, I flashed back to the steps and hoped I would be able to do it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;">After the HUF group left to go back to Florence, I stayed in Rome and waited for my friend, Brian, who was flying in the same day that the Harding group left. It worked out perfectly! Brian and I enjoyed Rome a few more days before moving on to Interlaken, Switzerland.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;">When I stepped off the train and walked out of the train station at 6 in the morning to get my first look at the new city, I gasped and dug my camera out of my purse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The train station was beautiful, the mountains were in the background, and the city was just starting to wake up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinck6vqN69SVh_DdO66NqMvBETp7HKM9o8R92TdSOoFf-73rpDso0CZt_9LAXlahDsl-LxGY1q3atX8OdOLtBIjugwDFvufpsHDu0WIpnLWyOrgqEKxt9CF8U21R-Hikbhbn1iUrZay8w/s1600-h/DSC03667.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinck6vqN69SVh_DdO66NqMvBETp7HKM9o8R92TdSOoFf-73rpDso0CZt_9LAXlahDsl-LxGY1q3atX8OdOLtBIjugwDFvufpsHDu0WIpnLWyOrgqEKxt9CF8U21R-Hikbhbn1iUrZay8w/s320/DSC03667.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369975825590838514" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>There was absolutely nothing going on at 6 a.m. so Brian and I walked around the town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We found out very quickly that Interlaken isn’t big at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we were getting into Interlaken we didn’t know which station to get off on, so we just picked one and got off at Interlaken OST.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When we were walking, before we knew it we were looking at the other train station.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was disappointed because it was drizzling and foggy that morning, but God didn’t disappoint me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>He soon rolled away the clouds and warmed up the temperature to make for a beautiful day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Everywhere we went was picture perfect because everywhere your eyes rested were the beautiful Swiss Alps surrounding the town.</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcYFDmNdYIEZTx0Ax1bI51sy4dgDZaeHiwnjw3dYddYrRj_OaeVMv20GpsB9W5oAi0g5BO3JKOTXzQ5bdtgzITxCmIEC603dEsYTwFQdMEzq2AQEKBYSN_2mLFnJb6SNlY0qspxLUTEQ/s1600-h/DSC_5254.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZcYFDmNdYIEZTx0Ax1bI51sy4dgDZaeHiwnjw3dYddYrRj_OaeVMv20GpsB9W5oAi0g5BO3JKOTXzQ5bdtgzITxCmIEC603dEsYTwFQdMEzq2AQEKBYSN_2mLFnJb6SNlY0qspxLUTEQ/s320/DSC_5254.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369975839979929058" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>That afternoon we went canyoning, which is climbing, jumping off rocks, repelling, and sliding in the canyons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was a BLAST.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Brian had a good time too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I definitely want to go back!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;">We quickly moved on to Salzburg, Austria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was breathtaking there as well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Sooo beautiful… God is an amazing artist!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42UIo5XoTf2doXHBkJWDaXjaDKNoo08Cq1GbTvBwhjznI9_7RXJGnkLOs4Pqn-Gg3Vdq-Rma9Pjou3Abx7jYUpYfT9XqrqO7sFp46clk8DA8kkVTE3Z2KRZWewLRByZJD6nQrqQGhvgY/s1600-h/DSC03709.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42UIo5XoTf2doXHBkJWDaXjaDKNoo08Cq1GbTvBwhjznI9_7RXJGnkLOs4Pqn-Gg3Vdq-Rma9Pjou3Abx7jYUpYfT9XqrqO7sFp46clk8DA8kkVTE3Z2KRZWewLRByZJD6nQrqQGhvgY/s320/DSC03709.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369975852072598082" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>We did the Sound of Music tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Brian tagged along as I sang “Do, Re, Mi” and “My Favorite Things”.</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdqyFQkpBvdKqDnAVBTuFLnj0V_L1C9sYHpMRKs-eHZBj4A1BwG1aCo_7le19ou21rRVJ1wozYBV5O3jFlYgwpG1uMAsa_4oBvrkKZLE2SPf0VJZhOmJ_UCYfUgXUg1pLIRgx9mqMmjU/s1600-h/DSC03720.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdqyFQkpBvdKqDnAVBTuFLnj0V_L1C9sYHpMRKs-eHZBj4A1BwG1aCo_7le19ou21rRVJ1wozYBV5O3jFlYgwpG1uMAsa_4oBvrkKZLE2SPf0VJZhOmJ_UCYfUgXUg1pLIRgx9mqMmjU/s320/DSC03720.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369975861624528626" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>After Salzburg came Paris!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Paris was the first place that I really felt I had no idea what I was doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In most places, the signs had English under their native language.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Well… that was not the case in Paris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>People are not quick to help you either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLm2ilaVdl5wvH3z0spWuxk8BKSqK-9j4EoDLYj_OzV6XqmJKO0lDvMegyvnQkM9uRhtMclskYqP_cOj-cTUj10PF7NU6OUMqqwDll2zMJbhGRTTYxCZj_upCNgnRpen2irfMGTXHU_8/s1600-h/DSC03765.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmLm2ilaVdl5wvH3z0spWuxk8BKSqK-9j4EoDLYj_OzV6XqmJKO0lDvMegyvnQkM9uRhtMclskYqP_cOj-cTUj10PF7NU6OUMqqwDll2zMJbhGRTTYxCZj_upCNgnRpen2irfMGTXHU_8/s320/DSC03765.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369975872689892466" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I met up with Hugo at the train station, and the three of us walked around the town and stumbled upon the Eiffel tower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It was not very pretty during the day, however, at night… wow!</span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiq96teSyYA0wQpF_C89tlgmzR5bxQrBK50yhCIXDu1g6syL9mwS5TXMsd9Ez_xI46Fq2Sb-JvFkvpoHgAFiLrmlXG0PiVVlN471i8ji1NMDAW1n1ig72YW13uoFkM3NnX-uue8YcNn0k/s320/DSC03818.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369956658043029842" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>The city seemed very uniform to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The buildings were all similar in appearance; very classy, but still no match for Tuscany.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I missed the eye-catching geraniums decorating balconies everywhere you looked. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I loved that no matter how small their apartments were, the Italians made their own gardens in their windowsills or balconies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We left Paris after two days and took the Chunnel to London.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJyixxmDTKF3amXYf91MV0vxF53kQxTIYQhJLh0MSTKA7mNppU1SifdwTISYsFdcfmVX7xstaOQmZSvVl1aeBvfXhk3YmxNxehCmm6bMoWSJSraBRf9-8JrKufGQ4ieR_Wa2kIl3QS80/s1600-h/DSC03874.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJyixxmDTKF3amXYf91MV0vxF53kQxTIYQhJLh0MSTKA7mNppU1SifdwTISYsFdcfmVX7xstaOQmZSvVl1aeBvfXhk3YmxNxehCmm6bMoWSJSraBRf9-8JrKufGQ4ieR_Wa2kIl3QS80/s320/DSC03874.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369982021013807154" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>Ahhh English… I could understand people again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I had the chance to meet up with a friend from Birmingham who was studying in England for a couple weeks and my old roommate from Disney.</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74ZAkbI92xyH0k5YyFQwu0tArQnCcSF5JhJJpKYA-xKtmB4g092X0YirJ5bl9AZby_-10jY3AFijr0TNaZJ669bUuFkA822wTgh9tDX4FxgHmosme8X070WwfHwYdf2TmJk_HDmkyF9g/s1600-h/DSC03894.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj74ZAkbI92xyH0k5YyFQwu0tArQnCcSF5JhJJpKYA-xKtmB4g092X0YirJ5bl9AZby_-10jY3AFijr0TNaZJ669bUuFkA822wTgh9tDX4FxgHmosme8X070WwfHwYdf2TmJk_HDmkyF9g/s320/DSC03894.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369982009151395282" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in"><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>England was loads of fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We barely scratched the surface being there three days.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>My trip came to an end all too soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I have learned my favorite thing to do is it eat and try out as many foods as I can!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m not big on museums…maybe later in life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I would rather just walk around the city and people watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I love meeting other backpackers staying in the hostels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I made some incredible memories and could make this entry go on for days!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But I’m not going to because I started another journey soon after I arrived back in Birmingham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I was greeted at the airport with a great big hug that couldn’t be from anyone else but my mommy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I told her all my stories for the next couple hours laughing and reminiscing about the past 22 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was so exhausted!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I took a shower and crawled in bed telling my mom, “I’m kinda tired.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She said she looked up from what she was doing a second later and I was sound asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The next couple days we packed up my room to get ready to move to Mexico!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I said goodbye to all my things and managed to squeeze enough clothes for the next 6 months to a year of my life into four suitcases!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOLQNFPIKusFKse_DhiGCQnhVWwejdkRTmQXuzLz3RtA_lPdRHFvyvSLKLnqJyAo95yIWw9Ge4fEQrn6kSwO-fSuyOFi7yKZK0Q1vX03qLZdksXv5GBzPXOYl_gBo-0Z2Y9xW2LxCJXs/s1600-h/DSC03918.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOLQNFPIKusFKse_DhiGCQnhVWwejdkRTmQXuzLz3RtA_lPdRHFvyvSLKLnqJyAo95yIWw9Ge4fEQrn6kSwO-fSuyOFi7yKZK0Q1vX03qLZdksXv5GBzPXOYl_gBo-0Z2Y9xW2LxCJXs/s320/DSC03918.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369983444019712018" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 320px; " /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"></span>I think I did pretty well!</span></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOLQNFPIKusFKse_DhiGCQnhVWwejdkRTmQXuzLz3RtA_lPdRHFvyvSLKLnqJyAo95yIWw9Ge4fEQrn6kSwO-fSuyOFi7yKZK0Q1vX03qLZdksXv5GBzPXOYl_gBo-0Z2Y9xW2LxCJXs/s1600-h/DSC03918.JPG"><br /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>I spent the rest of my week back in the states visiting my church family in Birmingham, my second family who I lived with for eight months, and then in Meridian with my family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I find that I’m always trying to squeeze as many things as possible into my schedule and often can’t do all of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I constantly have to tell myself to limit my activities.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;text-indent: 0.5in; "><span style=" font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;">My parents decided they were going to come with Bethany and me to Mexico to make sure everything was legit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They took me down to New Orleans the night before we flew out to my new home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I met Bethany and her parents that morning at 3 a.m. in the airport!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Our flight left at 6 and they said to be there 3 hours prior to departure for check-in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being the rule-followers that we are, we showed up bright and early to the AeroMexico counter-1<sup>st</sup> in line and nobody to check us in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So what did I do at dark-thirty in the airport?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Run around dancing and acting crazy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We checked in about an hour later and Bethany said her good-byes to her parents </span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;mso-ascii-font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-hansi-font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-font-family:"Lucida Grande"; mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;font-size:16.0pt;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family:"Lucida Grande";mso-bidi-Lucida Grande"font-family:";font-size:16.0pt;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then we were off to another country, a new home, and completely new experiences.</span></p><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigsfVcO9AaeIp5Jgu6ZLEA-ITB4bqCRSrIlnHvfjDWo4jC_MSDK9JXXgm9ke3u_3c-QJ47fCe4SaK4l626hASh4zhEenykqyNDwxsS5mGVMMJa9A6i82uvn0Dpg27IyEQvhzpWhARovg/s1600-h/DSC03932.JPG"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigsfVcO9AaeIp5Jgu6ZLEA-ITB4bqCRSrIlnHvfjDWo4jC_MSDK9JXXgm9ke3u_3c-QJ47fCe4SaK4l626hASh4zhEenykqyNDwxsS5mGVMMJa9A6i82uvn0Dpg27IyEQvhzpWhARovg/s320/DSC03932.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369985514318821410" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 214px; " /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhigsfVcO9AaeIp5Jgu6ZLEA-ITB4bqCRSrIlnHvfjDWo4jC_MSDK9JXXgm9ke3u_3c-QJ47fCe4SaK4l626hASh4zhEenykqyNDwxsS5mGVMMJa9A6i82uvn0Dpg27IyEQvhzpWhARovg/s1600-h/DSC03932.JPG"><br /></a> <!--EndFragment-->Jade Mobleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01661135915081795337noreply@blogger.com0