Maestra

     The voice of little children calling me Maestra as they come up to me with questions has created some of the best moments for me on this journey thus far. I love the sound of being called Maestra by these ninos; my  desire to teach and work with children does not stop even though there is a language barrier. There are no words to describe how I feel after I tell a student they've done a good job and we both just smile at one another with a genuine joy and care. This past Tuesday we got to teach English again to ninos in the community. In the morning we only had 4 students but the afternoon we had closer to 25. However this time was different because Katrina was sick and couldn't come and the boys needed to leave early in the afternoon, leaving me to finish teaching 25 ninos and jovenes. It was a bit overwhelming at times but over all it brought me more joy than anything. There would be times I couldn't understand them but it didn't matter, God uses people even without words. (The picture above was drawn for me by Melissa- the nina that I am pictured with in another post. It says "Best friends forever"!)

     A lot has happened since I last blogged about my experience in Mexico City.  We had a two-day basketball camp in Las Aguilas  at which around 10 or so kids came. Basketball here ends up being a mixture of football and basketball because dribbling isn't normally first on their minds or on their minds at all! Basketball isn't quite my sport but it was a lot of fun to play with the ninos and jovenes. I played a little one on one with Ozkar, who was confident that he would win, but some how I won (pictured to the left). It was a good moment!! During basketball camp, a new family came to the church and I got to talk to the mom, Beatrice, the oldest daughter, Guadalupe, and the youngest daughter, Andrea. Andrea was only 2 and she loved going down the slide and we would give each other eskimo kisses. I was really excited when Guadalupe came back for English class! I hope she keeps coming to events and eventually to church. I know they have a taqueria close to the church, I just don't know where it is yet.
   The four of us, Carmello, Zach, Katrina, and I, have also finished our Spanish classes for the summer which is sad because they were really helpful and I enjoyed getting to know Eli and her sister, Angie. Hopefully Katrina and I will be able to spend time with the two of them at some point this summer. Since we don't have classes it has been hard to discipline myself to study the language. I am hoping to start reading a book in Spanish soon, study the verbs and other words out of a dictionary, and begin a language route. The language route is part of the LAMP program in which Katrina and I would go around the neighborhood to the same few tiendas multiple times a week, just to work on our spanish. We would tell them that we don't know much spanish and that we want to practice for just a few minutes with them. This is a system not only designed to help us with English but also to help us develop relationships with people in the area. I am a little nervous to start this route but I think it will be extremely beneficial for my spanish as well as create a different experience for my time here in Mexico. Sometimes we have to go out of comfort zones to grow as people and to allow God to use us in ways we would never expect.

    Another thing we have done is visit HueHuetoca, this is the area the boys are staying in all summer. It is a lot different than Las Aguilas. HueHuetoca is more of an area for the middle class and Las Aguilas is more lower class. HueHue is filled with cookie-cutter homes which you can see in the picture on the left. tell from the picture below. It has a lot of places for people to play basketball and soccer. While in HueHue, we played cornhole and in the dirt with some of the ninos. On the other hand, Las Aguilas is a built on the basura (which in English means trash). Where I live is built on top of trash and the main business here is picking up and sorting trash. The funny thing is when I went to HueHuetoca I felt out of place and I was excited to return home to Las Aguilas. Las Aguilas has become my home away from home. I love walking home from church and seeing Pedro and his son, Eric, working on cars at their mechanic shop. I love standing out because we are the only gringas in our area. I love hanging out in the departamento watching movies in spanish with Joy and Katrina. I love playing card and active games with the jovenes.  Las Aguilas is a joy, better yet the people of Las Aguilas are a joy. They are a burst of love, joy, and encouragement for Katrina and me. (Katrina and I taught the jovenes "Ninja" or as we call it here "Karate"- shown in the picture below)
   There is more I could write and more feelings I could express but for now just know that I am doing well. I am enjoying my time here and learning more and more about the culture, the people, myself, and most importantly God. I didn't know what to expect coming to Mexico and there are still some days I am not sure what is in store but I know that God has me here for a reason and that by the end of this summer  I will have seen God work in my life and in the life of those around me in many ways!

En Tu Cara/ Me Encanta Este Pais

     I am loving my time here in Mexico City! I enjoy the culture, the people, the food, etc... Over the past couple of days I have been able to learn the art of relaxing and of being relational! I am learning that it is not always about doing but it is also about being, which if you don't know me that well... I usually forget to be because I am so busy doing something else.
    So on Sunday, we didn't have church until 4 pm so Katrina, Joy, and I got to sleep in and just enjoy the morning. I read my Bible, did some homework, made some breakfast, and just relaxed... it was a very enjoyable morning. At four we went to church and I got to sit in with los ninos during Sunday School! I got to color, which is always a plus and I tried to talk to some of los ninos. Unfortunately, they were very timid and therefore spoke very quietly, making it impossible for me to understand. But that was okay, I still enjoyed being there! After that we had the church service, which I surprisingly could understand some of it (a huge accomplishment for me). He talked about how Christ is no longer dead but is alive and how our lives were once dead to sin but because Christ died for us we have a new life.
      One thing I have found that I love about this country is that everyone "kisses" everyone else on the cheek (Really they touch cheeks and give a kiss to the air). I really like this tradition because it makes me feel welcomed and cared about even if the person doesn't know me. It is just a polite way of saying I am glad to see you today. They do it when you come and when you go, so you always feel important. For some it may seem weird, I guess, but I think it is a great way of building community. After church, we played more football with a few boys and a couple little ninas. Los ninas are so funny and were pretty feisty on the soccer field. While we were playing this time, one of the boys accidently kicked me in the face and I have a nice little mark between my eyes (it is from that or I did something to myself in my sleep... I guess I'll never know for sure!)
    Yesterday, then the four of us had our Spanish class and then went back to Steve and Kay's house in order to relax and plan an English lesson for los ninos. It was such a great day for my team. I am so thankful to God for putting these people in my life for this trip. We are all different and that makes for a good team. Having a strong team was definitely one of my worries leading up to the summer but of course God provided. We spent a couple hours just debriefing about the week: what we did, how are time with God is going, how are experiences have been, etc.... It was nice to talk to and hear the stories from the boys since they hadn't been with us for a few days. We also got to plan for today's English class, which was 100% up my alley.

    Today was a very, very long day but it has been one of my favorites. We taught English from 10-12, had Spanish class from 12-3, and then taught English again from 4-6! We reviewed animals, colors, numbers, and parts of the body with the students. The early group only had 4 girls and then the later class had 15 students. We played many games, did charades, y sang Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes. It was so much fun and this experience so far has just verified for me that, I want to teach children in a school and I want to work with the youth in the church because both groups are so different but both full of so much joy and in need of a strong relationship with God. One of the girls Melissa (on the left in the picture above) was so sweet and we found out we both like to do artsy things and she loved that. Then she went on to explain to me the movie, "Era de Hielo", which in English is "Ice Age". I am excited to see here again next to Tuesday for English Class.
      After a long day of classes, Katrina and I talked to Cornelio ( a man that works and lives with his family at the church/school/community center). He was talking to us about our lives, how spanish and english are similar/different, pets, etc... He asked me if I played the piano because either he or his daughter wants to learn. I told him I could read music and took lessons for one year but that was it. However, I think I may be attempting to teach them something at some point... it could be an interesting experience for us all! I am thinking perhaps... "Dios Bueno Es" because it is all I know! Then after that Katrina, Joy, and I played Adrian and Oscar in a game of basketball... if we lost we had to watch a movie with them and pay for popcorn... we lost! But Katrina ended up not feeling well and we decided not to watch a movie, but instead, I went out with Oscar, Joy, and Adrian. I was a little intimidated because my brain was done for the day so translating Spanish was a little hard, but it was still fun. At one point I think Joy was telling the boys to guard me from something but I am not sure. I really enjoyed walking around with them and experiencing more of the Mexican culture while eating some delicious ice cream! Also Oscar was trying to teach Joy and I some trabalenguas (tongue twisters). Por ejemplo: Tres tristes tigres tragaban trigo en un trigal. En un trigal tres triste tigres tragaban trigo. You should definitely give it a try! They also have one really similar to Peter Piper.... but I stink at all of them!!
   My time here has been such a great experience so far! I feel closer to God than ever before and I truly believe He is changing me into a better woman for Him. He is an incredible God and I am excited to see what else He has in store this summer for my team and the people we have met so far.

(Oh and the title En Tu Cara is a phrase that one of los ninas would say to the boys whenever we would score... in English it is In your Face.... Katrina and I died laughing when she said it)

Mi Departamento Nuevo

     Katrina and I finally moved into our apartment which is just 3 minutes away from the church by walking. (The picture is taken from the church and is of our apartment. The room Katrina and I share is the third window on the pink side.) We live with the youth director for La Iglesia en Las Aguilas. She is so sweet and very fun to be around even though we have a language barrier. She works with both Katrina and I but I still find myself smiling and nodding a lot which I assumed would happen!!  Being so close to the church has definitely allowed Katrina and I to spend more time with los jovenes and other people from the church.
    We got our first chance to play futbol with some of los jovenes right outside of the church and let me tell you I am really out of shape and spanish is not the only thing that I need to improve on!! One of los jovenes, Oscar, really made me feel welcome on the field; he is extremely energetic and loves to make others laugh! Every time his team would score a goal he would yell my name and flex his muscles! It got to the point where I was talking smack in Spanish.... at least attempting too!! I put up a fight when we arm wrestled too but I wasn't strong enough! I think that the joy that all of los jovenes have is great for this community and for spreading the love of God.
    Today, we also got to experience la tienda (grocery store) because we are making our own food most of the time. We had a good time but it also was a bit stressful for me! When you are an indecisive person, you don't speak the language well, and you are trying to work with pesos, it makes for an interesting shopping experience. But we all three came out alive and with food to eat for the next couple of days. I think that tortillas are either going to become a permanent part of my diet or after this trip I may not want to eat them for awhile, but that is yet to be decided! (Oh and I got to try Mexican helado (ice cream) which doesn't not taste the same as in the US)! Going to la tienda, was definitely a good experience for me! Hopefully by the end of the summer I will walk in there and be able to understand what people are saying and not feel out of place. I know that to do this I really just need to keep praying to God for help and He will continue to provide for my team and me!
   Finally, today we got to play some card games and more futbol with los jovenes before returning home to eat our first real meal of the day at 5pm (all we had eaten was a muffin and coffee but surprisingly I haven't been hungry at all). Then to finish the night off, we watched the movie "13 Going on 30" in spanish to help us practice listening to and comprehending spanish! It has been a great time so far and I am looking forward to experiencing church here in Las Aguilas tomorrow!

(Just a side note, as I type out these blogs it is already hard for me to use only English because I spend most of the day talking and translating words into Spanish)

Cosas Nuevas

    Well it has been a fun first couple of days here in Mexico. I feel like I have been here much longer than 48 hours but it has been so enjoyable. Andrew (also known as Carmello), Zach, Katrina, and I have all been living with the Carpenters since we arrived. We sleep in two different rooms but we have to climb four flights of stairs to get there. But once we get up those stairs, we get the opportunity to look out the window and see a fantastic view of Mexico (shown below). The stairs also help us keep are figure after eating so much good Mexican food.

     Since being here we have had the opportunity to learn about the people, the food, the area, the church, and so much more from the missionaries and the locals. Our team has also been able to paint a wall for the Carpenters and spend time playing games and conversing with them. They are very hospitable and doing great things in the Atizapan area. Today was definitely a great day for my team. After spending the morning talking about what we will be doing this summer, we got to go to an oracion (prayer time) at the church. Although it was hard to understand somethings, it was nice to be immersed into the language. While there, I met a little boy named Christopher, who stole my heart much like a little boy named Christopher I met in El Porvenir. He stole my heart by saying, "Porque No"... my first interaction with un nino in Mexico and he said my favorite phrase which was said to me constantly by una nina in El Porvenir. (If you don't know the story of this girl, you will need to ask me when I return to los estadounidos.)
    Now to finish the day, the four of us and the Carpenters went to eat dinner around 9:30pm and got to try some very interesting different types of tacos. We ate lengua, tripa, cacheta, longanisa, y postor. Can you guess what those are in English?   They would be..... tongue, intestines, cheek, sausage, and then some other kind of meat that is cut from a big carcass looking like thing. And too be honest, I like all of them.... crazy the things you don't know you like until you try them.
   I am definitely nervous about speaking only Spanish and having to rely on the little I know to get by this summer, but I am trusting that God will help me and my team communicate with the people of Mexico and form relationships. I trust him to continuing guiding my team all throughout this summer. I couldn't ask for a better team and I know that is completely God's doing! God is definitely moving in the lives of all four of us as we try and experience new things in this beautiful country!

It Is Finally Here

     Who knew that spending five days with a group of strangers could change one's outlook on life and refresh you in a way that you weren't expecting. Pre-departure orientation (PDO) has been one of the best experiences for me so far this year. Although where we are from spans from Maryland all the way to California, it does not separate us. Our love for Christ has truly united us. As we have been here we have been blessed to hear each others testimonies, get prepared for what will happen while on the field, get to know our teammates better through a ropes course and quality time together, play games, sing karaoke, and work on Spanish.
   Although a lot of this week has been filled with sitting still in one room as we listen to speakers discuss culture shock, spiritual warfare, logistics of traveling, intern etiquette, and spiritual disciplines, it has not been the only way in which I have learned. I think I have learned just as much if not more from the people around me. These people are so excited about spending their summer building relationships with people around the world and spreading God's love through service and time. Their excitement is so contagious and I know that they will be so effective in their countries. CMF is sending people to Spain, Thailand, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mexico, Indonesia, Burkina Faso, and England. I am so excited that God is sending all of my new friends around the world to use them for His good and to grow them into even better Christian women and men.
   Also through out this week I have been blessed to get to know the team I will be traveling with all summer. Andrew is going into his last semester at Purdue University in Marketing, Zach is going into his senior year at Georgia Tech for Marketing, and Katrina is going into her junior year at Illinios State University for Speech Pathology. I am so excited to get to spend the summer with these people. They are such a fun and encouraging group and I trust God to unite our team and keep us focused on our purpose this summer. Each of them have something different to offer this team and I know God has put us together for a purpose greater than we could even imagine. I think the theme for me this summer is to fully rely on God for every decision and become more passionate about Him and his people. Let the journey begin!