En Todas Las Cosas

Drumroll Please...

2011-11-12T12:15:00.024-04:00

I have been waiting on our wedding photos to arrive from Bolivia so I could post those babies and THEN share some honeymoon pictures...chronological order. Sounds good, right?

However, since our "fb wedding album" has seemingly be viewed by ALL of my blog audience and then some, I figured I'd jump right to the honeymoon!
**Probably at some point I'll pick my favorite wedding pics and post my own collage of that great day. But until then...enjoy our photographer's choices......I know we have:).

So.
Hawaii.
It was awesome.
It was beautiful.
It was romantic.
And, yes, it was filled with typical "megan" luck!

Some flight complications....some rental car problems....some getting-lost-on-the-way-to-the- airport-and-having-to-ask-for-directions-from-people-who-only-use-the-NUMBER OF-STOPLIGHTS-when-giving-directions problems....

Dang....I guess we're a package deal. Me and my traveling luck, we come together.
Poor Esteban.

However, Esteban brought some of his own bad luck into the marriage as well...

Snorkeling turns into protect-your-body-from-the-jagged-reefs.....boogie boarding turns into sea urchin attack..

Esteban reaped the benefits of that one.
Poor guy..thankfully he's the stronger of the 2 of us so we didn't have to spend 1/2 of our time in the hospital as we probably would have had to do it I were the one that had both heels filled with sea urchin spines!

Honestly, it was this on-going process of first being poisoned...then being slightly crippled...then pulling out the spines one by one until September 15th, when the LAST spine was removed! Thank you Lord both heels are looking normal again:)!

So all of that to say, we're basically even.

And now it's picture time....
Kaui....soo beautiful.
We loved just enjoying the great outdoors on this island.

"Looking Hawaiin" in our Hawaiian shirts!

No underwater camera at this point...but we wanted proof that we were actually SWIMMING with a sea turtle close enough to touch!!! I felt like I was Nemo lost in Australia!

Kayaking! River...hear us ROAR!
Yeah....these pictures are pretty priceless when you hear the story of that day!

Long story short....we started off the trip like this...feeling like Kayak CHAMPS ready to cream all of the "older" couples on the river! About 5 mins. after these pictures were taken we started questioning our kayaking ability due to the HORDES of petty tourists that seemed to have NEVER kayaked before PASSING us with such ease while we were zig-zagging our way into the bushes and boat path! Needless to say, after the first trip of complete humiliation, we were informed by a kind gentleman that our kayak was backwards! After our waterfall hike, we were finally able to regain some of our pride and therefore post these pictures with a bit more confidence than we thought we would!

Some "treats" in Hawaii were.......our FREE upgrade because were honeymooners!

....a YUMMY meal right on the water.
As always, I think Esteban ordered better than I did. That's one reason why I married him...he's got good taste!
And then.... MAUI.
Also pretty but definitely more of the "tourist trap" idea.
So we enjoyed that part too:)!

Of course...a luau! (We intentionally dressed for the occasion:)!!)Our 2nd car upgrade of the trip...better than the first!

That's right...Volvo C70.

One day we were CRAZY ambitious and woke up WAY TOO EARLY and drove to the Haleakala Crater to see the sun rise...
...with EVERYBODY and their cousin!
Then took the road to Hana.....

If you're unfamiliar with this road...this IS IT! Crazy windy but right on the water and simply GORGEOUS!

We were EXHAUSTED by the end. But it was definitely our favorite day!

To end this random collection of our honeymoon, we want to leave you with some favorites of our trip!

No caption necessary...

We just LOVED the sunsets....

and fresh seafood..

Choco fell in love with "Sharkie"....

....and I fell in love with Maui potato chips and onion dip!

Thank you Gramie for this wonderful gift!

It was all so surreal, we felt like we were in newly weds...

Oh wait....we were!

Good-bye Hawaii...until next time!

Loved and Missed

2011-11-06T16:20:00.003-04:00

As my Aunt and Dad said, Heaven has a new member!

My Nana passed away this week.
Sad and happy at the same time.

She was truly one-of-a-kind!

One special memory I have of her is when I was working in Charlotte, some of my friends and I spent our Spring Break in Arizona. My grandparents were living in Tuscon at the time so I decided to go visit them for a day.My Nana, Grandpa and I had lunch together and then just sat on their porch and they shared story after story. I loved hearing about how my Nana and Grandpa met, what life was like during the war and more.

Nana,
Thanks for your genuine love for me and for your joy!
You were loved and now you will be missed.
Thankfully I know that I get to see you again in Heaven!

Love,
Megan

HERE!

2011-10-14T23:41:00.004-04:00

Since "here" means a place in Maryland and a job in Virgnia, there will be another set of pics featuring the "School of Smiles" (for REAL my school's nickname is that!). But for now....HERE'S OUR CUTIE PLACE IN GAITHERSBURG, MD (below Marcelo, Sarah and Elianna)!

Welcome!
Walk in our front door...

..look at our FURNITURE that arrived from Idaho! We are so thankful for it:).

*We did however purchase the table for a GREAT price that only "required" me to paint the black part.....which possibly made me question the "great" price at the end of the whole project!

Here's the view...
.....from our bed!
Here's the hallway to the bathroom and our....
..kitchen!

La Paz in DC

2011-10-01T09:23:00.009-04:00

Esteban and I miss La Paz.
It's true.
We are really happy to be living here (I'll share and show more of "here" later) but we miss the sights, sounds, food, and, most importantly, the people of La Paz.

HOWEVER, God has been so kind to give us bits of La Paz over the past few months.

- We live DIRECTLY BELOW Esteban's brother Marcelo, his sweet wife Sarah and joyous daughter Elianna. It's been such a blessing to be here, to have them so close and we thank the Lord every day for them. We enjoy being able to pop in and say hi, talk about the crazy weather lately (seriously....it started with an earthquake, then we had a hurricane, then we had more rain that caused a flash flood, and I'm just bracing myself for the winter to really start!) or other life topics, to share meals together and just to be a part of each other's lives!

Our little welcoming committee (she likes to look out the glass door and smile at us as we walk by to go to our place on the lower level)

- Not only do we have Sarah and Marcelo to keep us connected to life in La Paz, but we also have mini-Bolvia here! In this little group, every man is Bolivian but only 2 women are....guess those Bolivian guys have a way with the American girls:)! One of the families in this "group" was actually Eseteban's youth pastor in La Paz. He and his wife and 2 girls are here for the pastor's college through Sovereign Grace Ministries. We are thankful for this opportunity to see Oscar, Prisci and their precious girls, Abigail and Bianca, on the other side of the equator!

- As I mentioned, the food of Bolivia has been missed by the 2 of us...especially my husband. However, last weekend we stumbled upon a Latino Mercado full of treasures! We bought some choclo (big-kernel corn), queso fresco (fresh cheese) and yucca. So...Sunday night we decided to celebrate el Dia de Santa Cruz with Sarah and Marcelo and enjoyed some chorizos (from Trader Joes....not so authentic but still good) and zonzo! We had this dish at our wedding and just love the yucca-cheesy-yumminess!

We also were able to enjoy some tuna, compliments of Marcelo and Sarah....yum!

- Our most recent gift Paceño was last night when we were able to meet up with 5 other people "from" La Paz that are in the area!
The Kolar family was a sweet gift to my Highlands Community and they left last December. Kathy was my neighbor in La Paz! She is still living in La Paz but is just in the states for a quick month furlough to be with her family. And, Sheldon and Amber both worked with Samaritan's Purse down there and now Sheldon is getting a master's degree in International Development.

Amy and Amber

Kathy and Abby enjoying.....

...this sweet treat of Fall in the U.S. with friends from Bolivia.

Sufficed to say, it was so *sweet* to see everyone and to be together again!

(I LOVE this girl!)

In Honor of...

2011-10-01T09:05:00.004-04:00

I'm back.....and life has brought a LOT of changes that I'm VERY anxious (I know that doesn't SEEM like the most appropriate word to use after the MONTHS that have passed since some of these changes occurred...but I truly am) to share with you after my leave of absence from the blogging world.

However, before I start with the wedding, honeymoon, house, job, and just LIFE updates, I want to take a moment to honor a godly man.

Dan Marks...
a man of God
a husband and a father
a pastor at my church in Twin Falls
a friend to my family
a support for my parents
the pastor of our wedding
a saint with his Savior
You will be missed.

SOME of what I have been doing...

2011-06-20T09:35:00.004-04:00

Hello faithful readers!
I'm back in the lower 48.
And BOY has it been a whirlwind so far!
I feel like there is SOO much to share.
So this is the plan...I will give you the stateside run down in this post.
And then backtrack a bit to share some of the past months in La Paz that are worth sharing.

So, since I've been back, I have....
...not had any real flight problems- just a few slight delays. THANK YOU LORD!
...spent 30 hours in Maryland/Virginia- 1/2 of that was spent traveling to different schools (with my DEAR friend Lauren George) and handing my resume to a...secretary!
Bummer.
The other 1/2 was spent with my future family which includes a new NIECE!

...spent some QUALITY time with my family.
...celebrated my dad's birthday AND Father's Day with hoops&yoyo :)!
...done some MAJOR wedding planning.
And there's still a lot more to go!

So until the next moment of free time.....

April Showers Bring...

2011-05-25T22:40:00.019-04:00

MAY SHOWERS!
That's right!
The month of May has brought a series of bridal showers for me, my middle school buddy who is also getting married this summer (Stephanie) AND 1 for Choco too!

The first was with my lady friends at Highlands. It was a fun time where we played games and laughed a lot.

Some special people from my HIS community....

The second was thrown by the middle school moms. This one had a hat theme....little did I know that my hat was picked for me!
We had a toilet paper dress competition with the moms....

Guess who LOST?!

It was a special time to celebrate our upcoming marriage with these moms that have so much wisdom to share.

The next shower was the one that Choco was able to be a part of. It was a thrown by some of his high school classmates.
We played some fun games...

...pop the balloon with the same part (arm to arm...tricky!)

..answer questions about one another and then be punished for each incorrect answer!

Guess we didn't do very well!!

This outfit totally beats the toilet paper one!

I even have cute shoes:)!..and a groom to match:)

The last was with church friends and was yet another sweet time with the girls!
Drawing pictures blindfolded...
...ooooo, not so good:)!
..and more toilet paper fun!

As I finish this post (I started it in May but I'm finishing in JUNE mind you...) it makes me feel so thankful for my community in La Paz.

There are SO MANY people that have played a special part in my life and I thank the Lord for each of you. I miss you already....thank you for sharing yourself with me!

Birthday Fun..

2011-05-02T01:39:00.002-04:00

As I mentioned before, my Gramie's birthday happened to fall on her last day here in La Paz!
Because her life has been so special, we had to "celebrate" it in 2 days! :)

I took the day off on Friday and we went out to lunch at a French place in the area called "La Comedie." As you can see, it is shaped like a boat....kind of fun!

We had a yummy lunch of stuffed salmon, llama and sardine sandwiches!
Then we headed a few blocks over the La Paz's very own, Red-bus Tour!

Esteban (and of course Gramie) had never done it. So we enjoyed our informative tour of the city complete with historical antectdotes and pretty sights!

One funny part of the tour was when we went to plug in our headphones, the lady informed us that in order to hear the tour in English, we had to plug it into Japanese....of course!

Then on Saturday, her REAL birthday, we had coffee with some of my girlfriends at school.

After coffee did a few things on the internet including introducing Gramie to skype for the first time and hearing Ella sing "Happy Birthday" to her!) and then headed to Esteban's house for lunch.

We had a nice time eating some Bolivian dishes, hearing more stories and celebrating!

After lunch we went to a few more places in the city and then dropped Gramie off at her hotel for a nice rest before getting up at 2 in the morning for her early flight the next day!

Bye Gramie and thanks for celebrating your birthday with us!!

Kings and Queens...

2011-04-29T10:27:00.003-04:00

As I said before, my GRAMIE is in town!
And, as always, it has been so special to spend some quality time with her.

Yesterday, while I was working, she went golfing with Esteban at the world's highest golf course in the world! Here's a picture of the golf course and 2 indigenous women.

Both she and Esteban enjoyed their time and the encouragement of their caddies who, in their broken, Bolivian-accented, English, kept saying "good job."

Then today, on the spur of the moment, Gramie and I decided to have a party in her room at 6am.
Literally.

As you probably know, today was the "ROYAL WEDDING!"

So yes....you guessed it! I drug myself out of bed, called a taxi and went up to her room to watch the wedding on her tv. While watching the ceremony we decided to play cards (gin to be exact) and get room service!

So all in all...it was a morning of watching kings and queens, playing with kings and queens, and feeling like a king or queen (obviously the latter for both of us...but you see the pattern!).

Tomorrow is her birthday and I feel honored to be able to spend it with her. Then she leaves early Sunday morning to head back to California.

Sorry there aren't any pictures of Gramie yet...but I'll leave you with a picture of a VERY SIMILAR wedding dress to her's.

That's right, my Gramie (and then my mom because she wore her same dress) had a wedding dress like Kate (Catherine, the Duchess of York)!

SuRPriSe!!

2011-04-22T16:10:00.003-04:00

A lot has happened since my last post!
But instead of sharing it all...I'll just share some of the "surprises" I've experienced up to now.

First.
March 26th marked the year anniversary of when Esteban and I started dating (kind of crazy it's already/only been a year!!).
Part of his gift to me was decorating my bedroom with stick-it notes filled of memories.....sooo sweet and special!

I love my future husband (who celebrates all holidays with me)....
And his sweet surprises!

Second.
We had our annual Bolivia Day.
Every year the kids practice a dance from a certain region and perform it complete with a traditional costume.

The teachers also practice to perform a dance and dress up as well. This year I had practiced the bailecito as a "boy" because of the lopsided staff...more girls than boys, SHOCKER!!
However, sadly, my partner had a surprise surgery so she was unable to dance with me.
Therefore, I had to conjure up a girl costume (complete with a 4th grade top) and hope that I knew the girls part well enough.

Here is me...wishing I could wear this every day!

Here I am with my last minute dance partner (thankfully he taught us the dance and knew the moves...fairly well). We at least looked like we knew what we were doing....right?

Third.
I am in Brazil with 5 other girls for our "spring break" and we are LOVING IT!
This city has held SEVERAL surprises for us!

1- STARBUCKS!!! We miss this treat in Bolivia.

2- Actual tourist attractions.

4- Beautiful beaches (very Brazilian might I add...)

6- living up to it's nickname...the MaRVelOUs cITy.

Hopefully my surprises give you a little taste of my life.

Another fun surprise is coming soon...
GRAMIE is coming to La Paz!

Stay tuned for more pictures.

GOT IT!

2011-03-24T21:51:00.002-04:00

That's right.
Esteban's visa.
Check!

A few weeks ago we started the process of preparing Choco for his big interview at the U.S. Embassy. There were many crazy hurdles to jump over in order to be fully ready for this interview:
- a medical exam...done by only ONE doctor in the entire big city of La Paz
- a national criminal record report.... usually takes about a month and a half but this "special" time it was expedited to 3 days for Choco :)
- financial information sent from my parents, in the states, that arrived about a week later than the due date!
and more....

But now that we know he got the visa...it was all worth it!

Thanks to each of you for your prayers....God is good!

Rewind...

2011-02-19T09:51:00.016-04:00

So.
As is the usual.
I've been really bad about blogging!
Therefore, I have decided to go "backwards" and tell some highilights of life between approval date and Christmas flying!
HA!
A lot has happened since then.....Laura got married :); Choco learned to board while I took pictures of it on my skis (and our car got stuck in the snow twice while driving there); we went to Maryland/Virginia to spend some time with Marcelo and Sarah and look for jobs; I've gotten a total of 3 new students since being back at school; I went on family vacation with the Del Castillos to a resort in the jungle; Choco and I made a recruitment video for Highlands and I corresponded with a Taylor grad that will be teaching at HIS next year! :); Choco did a puppet show at a friend's daughter's 1-year 'princess' birthday party; a group of friends spent a weekend in the jungle at somebody's house; my light fixture completely fell from the ceiling out of nowhere and shattered all over the floor leaving a rather large shard of glass right on my pillow (sooo thankful i was not in my bed at the time!)...
Yes...a lot has happened!
But I am choosing to expound on the last one....not the shard of glass, although i was soo close to being in my bed at that time that it made me thank Jesus for his perfect timing...but the FRIEND WEEKEND IN THE JUNGLE!

Our friend Sergio has a house that they recently bought (about 2 years ago) that is in the south part of the Yungas (the area of Bolivia that is connected to the Amazon of Brazil). One Friday night we all crammed into our very own mini-bus with all of our bags...and my oxygen! That's right....when we went on family vacation to the Yungas, Megan was soo affected by the altitude that oxygen was brought this time...just for her! Thankfully she did not have to use it.

The drive was not a bad one, but when we got there it was dark and we were tired. So we each got settled into our rooms and went to bed.....to wake up to this!
Paradise!
I don't know what Pablo is doing...but this pic gives you an idea of the pool and it's gorgeous views...
During our days at the pool, there were lots of "creative ways to enter the water" pictures taken....some were successful shots...and others were not so successful:)!
After swimming the first day, we had an AWESOME parilla (BBQ) where the boys had to create some of the tools they needed....hilarious.

Then we just chilled some more....played some poker with our own "chips".....
and then made some pizza to go in their brick oven....also AWESOME!
On Sunday we were able to swim some more and enjoy our last little bit of sun before heading back to rainy La Paz.

It was a relaxing (and very needed) weekend away with lots of sun and reading. But it was also a neat time for me to get closer to some of Esteban's friends.....including LUCY, the daughter of Esteban's good friend, Pablo.
I also was able to practice my Spanish....it's coming along but it still has a way to go:)!

All in all, a nice weekend and I hope we make it back there again!

Gracias Government...

2011-02-16T22:35:00.001-04:00

..y Dios!

So...based on the title, you might suspect that we FINALLY heard back about Choco's (that's my fiancee's nickname) U.S. visa.

This is the story.
On Tuesday, February 15th, I got a message from our landlord, Christian, saying he received a letter for me a few days ago.
It was raining that day and the letter was in a PUDDLE of water when he got home. He put it in the....MICROWAVE...to try to dry it out and thought it was "ready" for me to get!!
I immediately assume it's from the United States Department of Homeland Security (because that's who we sent our request forms to) and instantly become anxious!
I've waited for about 5 months for this letter and the day had finally come where I would figure out if we had been approved or rejected....such emotion!

I went home at my lunch break to find a crumpled, stained envelope waiting to be opened to tell me that....WE'VE BEEN APPROVED!

All of our paperwork was correct and seemed to prove that we indeed are in love and legitimately desire to be married.
YAY! Thank you Lord.

The last steps of the process are that we wait for another letter (PRAY for good weather) that gives Esteban a specific date and time for his interview with the U.S. embassy. At the interview he will asnwer a series of questions regarding the paperwork we submitted. Then, if his story lines up with mine, his visa will be granted at the interview!!

One last shout-out to the U.S. government is that on Wednesday, the next day, our friend Israel had his interview at theembassy for a visa. He photographed our engagment photos and we really wanted him to be able to come to our wedding in the states and to take our pictures. However, if he wasn't granted his visa (which is a common story here in Bolivia) he would be unable to come. However, his interview went WELL and he is officially coming to the wedding! Another YAY!

Thanks to all of you for your prayers...keep praying for Choco's interview.
And thank you Lord for your grace in all things!

WILL I BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS?...chapter 12

2010-12-20T21:01:00.006-04:00

There have been many a jokes about me writing a book about ALL of my crazy travel stories.
And many of them have happened around the holiday season.
So, maybe I've started to jot down a few chapters to this probably-never-to-happen book and have already given this section a title:).

So, enjoy a "sneak-peek" at the LATEST chapter...

For a little background info, Friday morning I woke up not feeling my best. Thursday afternoon I had thrown-up for no apparent reason, but that morning I was realizing the cause.
I was sick!
I spent most of the 1/2 day in the fetal position on our couch in the staff lounge.
I went to the doctor that afternoon and even though there wasn't enough time for a complete diagnosis, she thought I had some kind of infection and I needed to be on the white diet.
Now, if you've ever had any kind of bacterial infection, you know how AWFUL the white diet is.
Basically anything flavorless and white (potatoes, rice, chicken without ANY sauce, etc.) is permissable. Anything fresh or enjoyable is out of the question!

So, 4:15 Saturday morning comes around and I am honestly feeling a bit better.
Thank goodness. This should be a good day....or so I thought.

La Paz security goes well and we wait with many other Highlands teachers for our flight.
However, because of weather problems in Miami, the flight arrived in La Paz late, so we left about an hour late.
THEN when we get to Miami and there's rain and a line of planes waiting to land.
We land after 30 min. of waiting.
Even with the 1 and 1/2 delay, I thought we still had plenty of time to make our 6:10 Continental flight. So, at this point in time, we are SOO HAPPY to be back in the US....and feeling confident about the rest of our travels to SLC!!

But, after waiting for 4 different "rounds" of luggage pick-up and a line at the Continental counter...my worst nightmare starts to unfold.
WE MISSED OUR FLIGHT!
And since I knowingly booked our itinerary through 2 different airlines, we didn't know if Contintenal would help rebook us because of a delayed American flight.

The lady at the counter, without any seen sympathy, quickly sends us over to the American counters to see what they can do for us. "They can't do ANYTHING!" I'm thinking...but we start going to American just the same.

Now, if you have spent some quality time in the Miami Airport, you know that the airlines are all spread out and you actually have to leave the building to get to another terminal.

When we get to American terminal D we see various lines FILLED with people.
We have a tough time finding the line for us and when we finally do, we ask a couple of American attendants if their airline will be able to help us with our specific situtation. They both assure me that there are many flights that go out a day, and we should be able to help you in ONE way or another!

While I am waiting to talk to an American attendant, Esteban goes back to Continental to see what they can do for us.
When I finally make it through the line I hear what I expected to hear....there is nothing we can do for you. I also hear, you should look into the train.
TO IDAHO? I don't think there IS train that runs from Florida to Idaho!!!
Sufficed to say, I leave the American counter in tears, advised to stay calm and not to make a rash decision!

Thankfully Esteban comes back as I'm leaving the counter and has better news to share with me! Continental will get us on stand-by for a flight tomorrow...for FREE! All we have to do is call Orbitz and have them reinstate our reservation.
PERFECT.

So I call Orbitz......for the first time.
They tell us there's nothing wrong with our reservation and we head back to Continetnal to see what we can do next.

Now this is where my mood officially shifts. I've already had at this point some quick fits of anger, but when we return to Continental and they flippantly tell us they're closed (even though they are helping other customers and some attendants aren't doing anything) and just don't seem willing to help, I become my assertive, you-MUST-help-me-get-home-to-my-family self!!

Now this form of Megan doesn't really go over that well at Contintntal and before you know it, I'm back on the phone with Orbitz again.
For probably an hour and a half.
This time I have a very helpful Jim/Jeff (I was calling him the wrong name for a while....guess I still struggle with Indian accents:)!!).
And even though he ended up singing the same "your-reservation-was-not-voided" song that the first guy sang, he WAS super sweet.
At one point I handed the phone over to Esteban while I was on hold, and when Jim/Jeff got back on he said, "Oh Esteban. Yes. Megan is crying. I can hear that. I understand."
While this was all taking place, I was DEFINITELY crying.

One, because our stand-by flight was seeming to slip away from us.
Two, because I was pretty exhausted.
And three, because the only thing we could do at that point was stay at the airport and "enjoy" dinner together. But, I was stuck on the STUPID white diet eating a subway sandwich of chicken. Literally chicken and NOTHING ELSE! So....NOT ENJOYABLE!
Hence the tears.

That night we slept on the airport floor and enjoyed the "friendly" recording tell us every 15 min. what time it was. I wished the instrumental Christmas could just play the whole time. When we woke up the next morning we found that more people had come to join our "party."

We woke up (often, but officially) at 3:45 to get to the Continental counter close to 4.
My anxiety level started rising as we neared the LONG line already formed.
By the time we got to the counter I decided it would be best if I stand by the huge cart of luggage. Away from the crowds. Away from the attendants that I might be tempted to yell at if anything goes wrong! I kept myself busy by shifting the weight of one luggage to another.
It seemed like I was over there for eternity.
At one point I came over to see how it was going and I heard the lady say something about calling Orbitz again.
OH NO.....angry Megan is coming out again!
However, I decide to go back to the luggage. And, after ANOTHER eternity, I witness a Christmas miracle!!
We have 2 CONFIRMED tickets to SLC.

After that, it's pretty uneventful except for the fact that we MADE a stand-by flight in Houston which got us home about 9 hours EARLIER than our confirmed flight!

GOD IS GOOD....as usual:).

The end.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

2010-12-12T17:43:00.009-04:00

CHRISTMAS!

To start off the month, we had our life group girls over for the "annual" putting up of the Christmas tree.

If you remember last year, some of our girls' families do not celebrate Christmas so it was nice to be able to be their "memory" of Christmas again this year!
We of course had to also make the traditional sugar cookies...

and take the timed-group shot...guess who ran into the picture and tried not to look so alone in the front?
Our group has grown a little this year...YAY!
(L-R): Dani, Carolina (who accepted Christ this year!!), Nur, Steph, Jill, Claudia...and me in the front

This is the 2nd year now that we have been having these girls over at our house every/every other Tuesday night, and it's SOO neat to see how each of them have grown during this time. Many of our girls this year are seniors this year.....and 2 OF THEM HAVE APPLIED TO TAYLOR UNIVERSITY!!

If you were here, you would probably hear us wish you (in many different ways)...

Halloween and Thanksgiving...

2010-12-08T15:48:00.016-04:00

As most of you know, I LOVE CHRISTMAS!
But before Christmas can happen, there are 2 "lesser holidays" that must first take place.
This year, both were celebrated and are worth mentioning on the blog.
However, don't worry, after this post, there will be PLENTY of posts touching on the holiday that is fastly approaching!

October 31st is the birthday of a dear friend here in La Paz. And since another friend's birthday is about a week before, we had a birthday/halloween party for them.
After hearing the word costume, Esteban and I immediately went to work on our costume (since he would probably admit to liking costumes as much or even more than I do.... if that is possible) and we came up with....

That's right...in honor of Idaho (Famous IDAHO Potatoes) and Bolivia (the home of over 3,000 varieties of potatoes!)

Here are the birthday girls Jjill and Molly...

And here's the ever popular, timed group-shot...

With the ending of October, we were quickly ushered into the "Thanksgiving Season" as I have come to think of it....at least this year I have!
You would think that since I live in Bolivia and Thanksgiving is traditionally an American holiday, meals with turkey and stuffing would be few and far between. However, I think had the most feasts that I have EVER had in 1 year this year.
3.
And at each one I ate my full!!!

We did a thanksgiving feast with the middle schoolers to give them a better understanding of WHY we didn't have school for 1 1/2 (wonderful) days. Then, the Saturday before Thanksgiving we had an extranjero celebration complete with LOTS of great food....

football...
**Note that my Bolivian boy is playing the "all-american" sport and enjoying it:)

and Happy Thanksgiving Charlie Brown (traditional, even if it had to be viewed on a bity computer screen!)...
THEN we had a staff thanksgiving feast before we all went our separate ways to ejnoy the break.

This year I stayed in Bolivia to enjoy Thanksgiving in Santa Cruz with Esteban....AND HIS FAMILY!
Esteban's mother is from a family of 9 children (a couple have died since then) and they all live in Santa Cruz, except for his mom Tere (yes...his mom's name sounds just like my mom's name....!).

While there I enjoyed getting to know the many tios y primos (aunts/uncles and cousins) even if they couldn't really say the same about me....
People from Santa Cruz are known for their accents and habit of leaving off the "s" sound completely.
Ucha!
Megan was lucky to understand what was being said...adding to the conversation was not in the cards for this trip!
Here are a few pictures from our time.....I LOVE SANTA CRUZ!!

A taste from the great West...mas o menos....

The hats Tia Ana Maria let us borrow for our day at the water park Aqualand that we "happened" to have forgot at the house....bummer!

Our reaction after finding out that Aqualand only had 1 "ride" open and that 2nd best was the rundown Playland with the faded dinosaurs next door....we still had fun despite the less than ideal conditions of this park.

Here we are celebrating Choco's 26th birthday (a few days early) eating one of his favorites....sushi!

And here's a family pic of us with Tere....

...posing by a tree native to the area that grows the fruit guapuru on the bark instead of hanging from the branches. Really cool!

So that is my "Thanksgiving Season" in a nutshell!!
Stay tuned for some more pictures and updates of theChristmas Season!!

Answered Prayers..

2010-11-09T23:20:00.003-04:00

Thank you to all who were praying for Zion Scott.
Today Lisa posted this on her facebook wall:

Our Lord answered our prayers for healing this morning by taking our precious son to be with Him. He passed away in Scotty's arms. We love you and miss you, Zion Scott.

It wasn't the answer any of us were hoping for, but it was God's answer nonetheless. And now Zion is being held by His Maker.

Please continue to pray for Lisa and Scotty.
They are trusting in God, and I am amazed at the visible strength of the Lord seen in and through each of them. But, at the same time, it's still a difficult loss and something that will probably be mourned for a while.

Little Zion with Lisa during his 19 days here...

Another Call for Prayer...

2010-10-23T08:42:00.002-04:00

I know this seems to be a theme in my blog this year, but I would like to ask each of you to pray for the Miser family!
As you may have seen on facebook, they had their little son, Zion, about 9 weeks early.
As far as I know, he is stable, but he is TINY and they need our prayers!

Thanks...

Spring Fun..

2010-10-16T14:51:00.016-04:00

...and even the not-so-fun.

That's right.
This is going to be a "massive" recap of my life in the southern hemisphere season of SPRING!

First, my fiance and I completed the first stage of PAPERWORK for his visa to come to the states...to marry me! Who knew that being engaged to a foreigner and bringing them to the states was such a big deal? The Proposal might come to mind....yep, like that.... except that those interviews are apart of the 3rd stage:)!

Here are the stacks of proof that Esteban and I met each other in person and are legitimately in love! Now that's something else to prove!

After sending the fatty packet to The Department of Homeland Security...yeah, you read it right...I was ready for a little vacation! Thankfully, we had a day off of school soon after so some girlfriends and I headed to Cochabamba for a weekend of sun, pool and food!

Cochabamba is about a 5 hour drive southeast of La Paz. It is seated at a much lower elevation so, consequently, the city is known for its nice "spring" weather all year round. Cocha is also known for its used clothing "canchas" that some Bolivians refer to as Saks 5th Ave!

The weekend was so nice and all aspects were enjoyed...including my FIRST domestic flight (that was SUPER cheap!!) that allowed us to arrive in La Paz in a half hour instead of the 7ish hour bus ride that we took last time!!

My poolside chair with all I needed to enjoy my afternoon:)...thank you to ALL of my sweet friends and mom who sent me some wedding mags to help in the planning of the big day!

Here are the sweet friends I traveled with: Alana, Stephanie, me and Molly!

After the trip, Esteban and I had a "cartoon" costume party to attend. Guess who we came as..

A few weeks later, in honor of the approaching season, Highlands had the annual Spring Festival where we were able to earn money for the school. Even though the weather was NOT very springy, I still enjoyed all of the festivities and my new "job" of paitning faces. Here's one of the "victims" of my ATTEMPT at facepainting... sweet Natty Miser, a precious 2 year-old that helps me when I'm missing my own niece and nephew, along with her mom (Lisa) and dad (Scotty) who have both become special to Esteban and me...

Here is the entire middle school dressed up in anticpation for the Spring Festival! Don't we look awesome?!

To end this catch-up post, I would like to share few pictures from one of our 5 community service trips up to the Word Made Flesh facility that works with prostitutes that are now earning a living by making these awesome purses. It is a neat minstry and I was happy to be able to take some of our middle schoolers and high schoolers to be able to serve these people.

Zion's Treasure..

2010-09-04T09:54:00.002-04:00

Recently I shared at staff devotions a verse that has come to be more applicable to us than I thought.
Both for me and the staff of Highlands.

Isaiah 33:6 -

..and He will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure.

God is our stability...
even when there is more sickness in one week than there was all last year.
even when there is death and hurt.

God is our abundance of salvation....
even when we feel that so many things have been taken away from us.

God is our wisdom....
even when we feel overwhelmed and inadequate.

God is our knowledge....
even when we feel confused.

God is our treasure.
And we do fear His name and praise Him for His sovereignty.

Please continue to pray for the Highlands' staff and students.
These past few weeks have been tough for various reasons.

Yet, still we hold on to our Treasure....and lean on His strength.
I invite you do join us....

Please Pray...

2010-08-29T18:22:00.003-04:00

...for Diego de la Quintana.

He is a sweet HIS high school student who just lost his mom to cancer this morning.
His father is not really involved in his life, and he was very close to his mother.
As a community we are mourning with and praying for Quintana.
I would ask you to do the same.

Pray for his relationship with the Lord....that God would bring him to Himself during this hard time.
Pray that God would surround him with people to comfort and encourage him.

Thank you for your support of dear Diego.

ENGAGED!

2010-08-16T22:42:00.010-04:00

That's right.
Megan Speicher.
MISS Speicher for who knows HOW long is ENGAGED!
GETTING MARRIED.
GOING TO HAVE A HUSBAND.

Here is how it happened!

Saturday afternoon my boy comes to pick me up. Now I know the plan is to go 4-wheeling outside of the city, but I didn't expect him to pick me UP in one! First surprise of the day. I grab my stuff and obliviously jump onto the 4-wheeler and off we go!

We're gone for a while, driving through little neighborhoods in the countryside. On our way back to La Paz we get off of the main road to enjoy some of the scenery and to experience the official trail...or so I thought! We are riding next to these awesome rock/sand formations and go down this fairly steep path. When we get to the bottom I'm ready to enjoy the view and get off the loud 4-wheeler. Esteban "agrees" but ends up pushing to get back up the path. Not realizing the REAL reason why he's ready to go back up, I quickly comply and dont think much of it.

We're about half-way up and he stops. Before I know it he says he has a little gift for me and I start freaking out inside! However, before I can let my imagination run wild, I see a bigger box and I quickly realize my "mistake"....he's not going to propose NOW! It's only August.

We walk over to a little spot next to some taller formations and sit down. He opens the box and asks me if know what "today" is. As usual, I guess wrong and he reminds me that we met a year ago...exactly. Second surprise of the day...I really didn't know!

With that in mind, I open the box to find his computer with a DVD ready to play. I watch the video he made that shares all of the reasons why he loves me...complete with hilarious pictures of me "being" the qualities/characteristics that are important to him. I close the computer still laughing at some of the ridiculous pictures he found of me.....and then things start happening.

A toy helicopter with an indecipherable message attached starts flying above us.
A couple of fireworks go off in front of us.
Some more behind us.
He tells me to stand.
He gets on one knee and has a ring in his hand....
THIRD (and best) SURPRISE OF THE DAY!

And the rest is history!!!!

Here we are minutes after it happened. My dear friend Lisa Miser was gathered enough to suggest a picture!
Since I had to babysit that night and he had to film something, we celebrated the next day!

CHEERS!
Sometimes I feel so blessed when I think of how God has brought us together....and sometimes I'm just shocked:)! But everytime I think of "our story," I am reminded of God's faithfulness and sovereignty!
Thanks for being excited with me:)!

From Summer to Winter

2010-08-08T19:51:00.013-04:00

Yes.
My summer is already over.
Hard to believe.
Sorry I didn't blog much....or at all!
But now I'm ready to catch you up with some pictures and snippets of the many adventures had.
Hope you feel a part of my life again.

Seeing my family.....especially my NIECE AND NEPHEW (nothing against the other members) was a highlight of the summer!

"Little" baby Ian is QUITE the chunker now.
Love it....

Ella is SUPER precious and has stolen my heart all over again....

After Charlotte, I flew to California to meet up with the family AND the boy.
After attending my cousin's wedding, we all squished into 2 trucks pulling 2 trailers and headed to YOSEMITE!
Enjoying this beautiful National Park with the whole family was a bit reminiscent of the "old days" when the Speicher family would go on their annual family vacation. Only this time there were a few more additions to the Speicher clan that made it even more exciting...

The newly engaged couple (CONGRATS sister Laura) joined Esteban and I on the awesome "Mist Trail" ....yes that is the mist that made us so wet!!

After California where basically every family member was seen (lucky Esteban), we made it back to Idaho safely to enjoy the sites and sounds of Twin Falls....

...the bridge...

and the falls....

and that's it!

Then we hopped on a plane to head east to enjoy some DEAR Indiana friends and to celebrate!

After enjoying my 3rd (his 2nd) peice of wedding cake this summer, we headed even farther east to the beautiful and deathly humid state of Maryland!

Here we saw Esteban's brother Marcelo and his wife Sarah. Sadly my camera's battery died (are you shocked Jenny Hunt?!) so I have no pictures right now to document our time there (hopefully I'll get some e-mailed soon). However, it was so fun meeting another family member (and maybe just as nice finally being on the meeting end and not the introducing one...that can be exhausting!) and enjoying 2 days in the great city of D.C.

The end of my summer found me back in Idaho for 2 weeks.
In that time I helped Jenny move (which means we packed, packed, packed...you get the idea) and had SUCH a relaxing time camping with just the mom!!

Then I packed up all of my "treasures" and boarded a few more planes and wound up back in the cold, yet full-of-life city of La Paz....my home right now!

**Sorry for a lack of pictures at the end of this post....the internet is SUPER RIDICULOUS tonight so I was forced to focus on the "snippets" part toward the end.

The Wedding

2010-06-23T00:16:00.009-04:00

From the minute I walked off the plane into the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, I've been reminded of how special the city and people of Charlotte are to me!
Therefore, my time here and the chance to be a part of my friend's wedding has been such a blessing to me.
Since arriving, I have been able to do a variety of things:

a.) attend a shower for her along with other dear, dear friends....

b.) help tie and alphabetize the place cards (with a little bit of help from the classic, ABC song!!)...

and c.) take off the place settings on the tables the day of the wedding only to put a new table cloth on and put the place settings back on each table! But we got it done and the place looked sooo nice!

TADA!

Here's me with the beautiful bride and my friend Brittany! You'll see Britt again soon since we both get to be in another friend's wedding on July 10th!

What Taylor wedding would be complete without a picture of all the guests that graduated from TU?! Love it:)!
Congratulations Paul and Devan! It was soooo great seeing you both and being able to celebrate your happy day together!

Catch-Up!

2010-06-19T13:32:00.022-04:00

April 26^th….ooops!

Yeah…not a lot to say except that I’m sorry it’s been sooo long since I have updated you on my Bolivian life.

In light of the fact that a lot has happened since then, and a lot is going to happen over the next month and a half, I am now going to attempt to fill you in on my life starting from April 26th and ending at the present. May this collage of pictures and snippits succeed in making you feel a part of my life and up to date with it's crazniess!

School:

-As is typical for most schools, a lot of big events were crammed into the last couple of months of the year making it an exciting yet somewhat whirlwindish end!

To celebrate the culture of our “home” country, HIS puts on an annual Bolivia Day where students are able to showcase a traditional Bolivian dance while donning a typical costume. I have to say, my middle schoolers had by FAR the best dance and costumes!

However, like most Highlands events, the teachers also participated, and boy was it a participation! We practiced after school for a few weeks and then beautied ourselves up and attempted to honor Bolivia through our dance. I honestly don't know how well we did out there on that dance floor, but the parents and students were excited to see us dance and we were happy to be a part of the fun!

- I have really come to love my 6th and 7th graders this year! They have a passion for life that spills into all that they do and I see them as a gift to me from the Lord. Therefore, because we love them, the other middle school teachers and I decided to have a little campout/sleepover! It was a night of games (in the dark...always fun), campfire time complete with hot dogs and marshmallows as well as encourage someone else time, and the classic film, The Sandlot! The students seemed to have a BLAST and all of us teachers were touched by their sweet words to one another. So, even though it took me a while to recover from a night of I-love-slumber-parties-and-have-too-much-energy-to-all-asleep-now middle schoolers, it was definitely a highlight of the year for everyone!

- **Do you see the small tree that was used for roasting?!

- As a fundraiser for our newly launched student council, we organized a school-wide talent show. We didn't really know what to expect but were thrilled to see so much participation and YES, some of my middle schoolers won the grand prize:)! They were pretty precious if I do say so myself.

Travel:
Even amidst the busy school schedule, some girlfriends and I were able to get away for some r&r in a city about 6 (bus) hours away from La Paz. Cochabamba is a beautiful city with "spring weather all year round" where we were able to see some sites and enjoy a pool!

- Right after school ended, Steph and I decided to take a 3-day trip to some Bolivian sight while we waited for her friend from the states to arrive! We decided to visit the biggest salt flats in the world, the Salar. Rumor has it that when Neil Armstrong was taking his "one small step" he was enamored by this white glow coming from his far away planet and vowed to visit that location when he was back on land. And that white glow was none other than the Salt Flats in Bolivia!

Life:
- To end my update, I would like to now share another reason why I have been a "bad blogger." I am dating someone!

Esteban Del Castillo and I have been in same circle of friends ever since I've been in Bolivia but just recently started dating. You will be seeing more pictures of him since he will be traveling to the states this summer! So get excited.....I know I am:).

SUCCESS!

2010-04-18T16:21:00.015-04:00

So, it has been SUCH a long time since I have last posted, and I apologize!
The last time I blogged, I asked for your prayers while 25(ish) H.I.S. staff and students ventured into los Yungas.
As you have probably guessed, or previously heard, we successfully made it back and thoroughly enjoyed our time!

Here are a few pictures to highlight the trip that left me covered in bug-bites (as I had predicted) and really appreciating the students God has brought to our school (as I had hoped)!

Enjoying a bird's-eye-view of the awesome Bolivian jungle! Notice the ski mask...

Getting ready for the service where spanish songs were sung, silent skits were performed and a devotional was given...
Passing out tracts at a school...

Trying to stay warm on the first day of the trip....
**Notice all of my life group girls oh how I love them!

Posing next to the repairs we made on a washed away part of our "road"...one of the many roadblocks (literally) we overcame this trip!

One of my favorite parts of this trip was being able to see and experience the remote places and people of Bolivia.

I live in a beautiful country and truly enjoyed the chance I had to see it through the eyes of the high schoolers!

SB 10!

2010-03-25T22:09:00.008-04:00

As I mentioned in the previous post, I am spending my spring break in the jungles of Bolivia with about 15 high school students and about 5 other teachers!
We will be led by a "Bolivian" at heart....Papa Phil. He is a U.S. citizen who grew up in the jungles of Bolivia, spent some time as the mayor of somewhere, and now does a variety of things including leading various medical mission trips all over Bolivia.
Here are 2 pictures I found from one of his past trips.....

Are you excited...or nervous for me?!

Be excited! It should be a neat time filled with many stories.
Below is what my life is going to be come Sunday....or so I predict:

Sunday....leave La Paz bright-eyed and bushy tailed, ready for an adventure and drive about 5 hours to Caranavi.

Monday....get back in the cars anxious to laugh about our puppet-show mishaps and drive to our 2nd stop, Guanay, about 6 hours away.

Tuesday....still in awe with the breath-taking scenery we find ourselves surrounded by, we are back in the cars heading approximately 6 hours into the jungle to stay in Mapiri for the day.

Wednesday.....itching our somewhat raw bug-bites, we are back in the cars heading approximately 6 hours into the jungle to stay in Consata.

Thursday....weary from lack of sleep and somwhat reluctant to get back in the cars that we've spent so much time in, we head ANOTHER 6 HOURS to Aucupata.

Friday....realizing the end is near, we fully enjoy our "eventful" drive to Charazani and play ultimate frisbee with the kids of the pueblito until dark.

Saturday.....with lots of laughter as stories are recounted from the week, we roll into La Paz with a stench of dirt and grime following us!

**Please be praying for safe travels and an impactful time for both our students and the Bolivians we'll be minstering to. My hope is that the students will not only give others an opportunity to tangibly experience God's love, but that they themselves will also be able to experience His unconditional love in a unique way this week!

I will let you know WHEN I safely return and how accurate my predictions were:)!

A Window

2010-03-14T16:50:00.007-04:00

This post is designed to give you a window into my daily life and explain the reason(s) why I have not posted for a while...sorry!

Here are a few highlights from this past week....
Sunday: After church I had lunch at a local cafe with a new friend, Lisa Miser and her adorable little girl, Natty.
Here is a picture I found of them...but if you're interested in seeing more pictuers and knowing about THIER missionary life here in La Paz, check out my link below to Scotty and Lisa's Big Fat Blog!
Monday: After school, Steph, Jill and I reluctantly lugged our bookbags and selves to our 1 1/2 hour spanish class. This usually happens twice a week....and even though it's NOT my favorite part of the day, it's what I NEED and, slowly but surely, it's helping me!
Later that evening I went to choir practice where we reviewed all of our "old" songs from the start of our choir, about 6 months ago, and then learned some new ones in spanish..yay:)!

Tuesday: Staff meeting after school found us talking all about the BIG accreditation visit happening next Friday (pray) and all of the class observations that were going to happen...CMS deja vu!
Life group this week was actually dinner/tea at a cute cafe with all of our girls.
It has been great continuing to build relationships with each of them, and I am really excited that they along with other high schoolers (including the boys in the picture below) will be joining Steph and I on the HIGH SCHOOL SPRING BREAK MISSION TRIP TO THE JUNGLE (more info on that on Wednesday)!
Wednesday: After school I learned more about the jungle bugs and rural pueblos we'll be visiting on the Spring Break Mission Trip (March 28th - April 3rd) and then ran back to my room to tutor one of my middle schoolers.
I ended my busy day with some of the female teachers at a Bible study in the book of Romans with Amy Kolar...a wonderful mom/volunteer/board member of HIS. Below is a random pic of her daughter, Abby Kolar, on Dr. Seuss day...isn't she adorable??!!
Thursday: Steph and I (who will hopefully be joined by some of our small group girls next time) volunteered at an orphange in La Paz, Gota de Leche (Drop of Milk), and found ourselves flying the kids around the play room and then stuffing them full of corn gruel (I enjoyed the former more than the latter!).
Right afterward we headed to a nearby Mexican restaurant to catch up with a Bolivian friend who we've been trying to get together with since last year...better late than never is my motto lately!

Friday: Community Service Friday was a nice treat after all of the observations. My group went to the children's hospital where we drew mariposas (butterflies) and played with Emperor's New Groove action figures brought in by an 8th grader:)!
Steph and I ended the long week by having dinner at some of our students' house. They are a Bolivian/Ecuadorian missionary family that lived in Guatemala for a while before moving here. We enjoyed an awesome meal and funny stories...but were glad to go to head home, even if it was at 11:30!

Saturday: The final day of this week found me rearranging my kitchen to make room for our NEW CABINET!!!!
Steph and I are soo excited for the addition of this new peice of furniture that is sure to make our little casita a cleaner, more organized place!!
In the evening I went to a Jovenes Group (young adults from my church) and braced myself for a good yet challenging book study in spanish!

Thanks for making it through my week...I know I was glad to!

My first Carnaval...

2010-02-27T01:05:00.010-04:00

...and I loved it!
First of all, we started this Bolivian holiday with a water-themed team day.

I thoroughly enjoyed taking my awesome Blue team to all of their various stations, which seemed to make them progressively more and more wet...it was GREAT!
But, for some reason, I wasn't all about the culminating event where we teachers stationed ourselves in the middle of the field, surrounded by our students, and attempted in vain to dodge the 90-mile-an-hour bullets that were hurled at us from all sides!!!! It's a Bolivian tradition to throw water balloons during Carnaval at anyone and everyone who seems too dry whether they're walking on the sidewalk or riding in a car. Therefore, this grand finale was a quick way for me to determine which students had grown up in Bolivia and had a more accurate and rapid throw than I. Were it not for my, rather awesome if I do say so myself, wellies and swim cap, I might not have made it out alive!!! Sorry there aren't any pictures to document this time......it wasn't safe to bring a camera out.

After celebrating this holiday in a typical Bolivian way, we were ready to leave the festivities of La Paz and spend this crazy holiday surrounded by the serenity of the BEACH!!!

Have I ever mentioned how much I really love the beach??!!
It was a nice time to enjoy..
.... the sound of waves crashing right outside our windows,
...a t.v. complete with a news station that actually broadcast the beloved WINTER OLYMPICS,
...fun friends from school who also appreciate my above "likes,"
...and deli meat:)! For those of you who have lived in a place with less than appetizing lunch meat, you understand how AWESOME it is to have real, right out of the oven, sliced turkey breast.

Even though the mountains of La Paz are "breath-taking", I truly enjoyed the "breath-of-fresh-air" I felt as I relaxed at sea-level in Arica, Chile. This small but cute city has made it's way up to "one of my favorite vacation spots" for me and I'm sure/hope you'll read about it again in the near future!

Serving...and more!

2010-02-18T22:39:00.011-04:00

So.
Life has been busy.
Are you surprised?
About a week and a half ago our school did our first of four "service Fridays" where the middle schoolers and high schoolers went to 4 different non-profit organizations around the area and served in some capacity.
My group went to La Casa de Esperanza up in the city of El Alto (the poorest area of La Paz). It is connected to the organization Word Made Flesh and works with the prostitues in the area.
They are in the middle of building rooms for a new sewing program they are offering to the women so they can learn a new skill. Therefore, our job was to "paint" the rooms with primer...
and clear out some of the trash that piled up from their remodeling!
We didn't completely clear the pile, but I was so proud of each student and the creative ways they decided to transport the rubble from the pile to the truck. Filling less-than-sturdy cardboard boxes, dustpans, and our own manos (hands) are a few of the many different ways the work was done!

After coming home (tired) and packing up a few of my belongings, I headed out in the rain to spend the weekend in the "country" of Bolivia making a house for a family.
Un Techo Para Mi Pais is a non-christian, college-studen targeted organization that buses up students/25+ year-olds into a community to build, basically, as many houses as possible in one weekend (or more if needed..).
As you can probably gather, it was a crazy weekend filled with lots of spanish, youngins (high schoolers and even college students seem sooo young to me!), and sore muscles! But, it was an awesome way to see a different side of Bolivia and to work (and I mean, WORK) alongside young people who are choosing to serve the poor of their country!
My 3 teammates....2 Bolivians and 1 Taiwanese who spoke English but practiced his spanish alongside me (with a pretty hilarious accent that made me feel better, if I do say so!).

65 and 75 year-old Marcelina and Benito were the thankful beneficiaries of the new house. They were both very sweet and while Benito worked alonside us, Marcelina cooked us tasty and very typical Bolivian almuerzos (lunch). Even though I was a little worried about the reoccurence of typhoid in my body, I thoroughly enjoyed trying, mostly for the first time, these homemade Bolivian dishes. I only wish they hadn't fed us so much....working after eating was that much harder!

Some of my friends who helped me make it through the cement-floor-beds and the long days of carrying wooden strutctures that wieghed more than me!
To end this post, I would like to leave you with a few of the "ooops" pictures that were taken on our last "night"(we didn't arrive back in La Paz until sometime Sunday night after midnight!) working on the house. Because, even though my camera did a pretty good job acting as a flashlight, sometimes it reverted to it's ORIGINAL PURPOSE, and took a few pictures... or 30 (literally!!).
As you can probably guess by these pictures, we were NOT able to finish the house :( !
But, the house will be finished this month by more volunteers and I was just thankful that I could help and see a new, richer side of this country I'm starting to call "home"!

Prayer and Praise

2010-02-04T22:42:00.005-04:00

We'll start with the....

PRAISE:
I am happy to say that my typhoid is gone and I feel like normal Megan again! I started working last week and even though it wasn't a peice of cake to go from sleeping all day to waking up early and working, my body adjusted well and I have recovered from the crazy disease of typhoid!

PRAYER:
Sadly my roommate, Steph, has not recovered so quickly! She went to see a doctor yesterday and found out that her body has definitely not fully recovered and is in danger of worse symptoms. Therefore, she's had to go back to not working and eating only "white" things....the white diet is no fun! Please pray for her body and a full recovery from the typhoid fever AND ameoba combo....not a the best combination, we're coming to find out!

Also, there was a bad muslide about a week ago in an area called Bella Vista, further up from my house. This devastating effect of La Paz's rainy season has left 70 houses collapsed/covered in mud and about 140 people displaced, without any of their earthly belongings! Therefore, on Sunday a group of my friends, mainly from choir and school, brought donated clothes, food and toiletries to the people of Bella Vista.

After sorting the clothes into bags for women, men and children...

....we took the bags into the tents where many families are living for now.
It was definitely a humbling experience to be surrounded by so many who had lost so much. But I know that God is still present in this tragedy and I'm thankful to be in a country where so many people came from all over the city to share of their abundance with those in need.

God is good....and so we thank Him for what He's done and we pray for what He will do!

Pictures with Papa

2010-01-31T01:48:00.007-04:00

Due to the masses begging for pictures (A.K.A. a sweet friend who actually cares about Rick in Bolivia!), I have posted a few choice pictures from his 4-day trip to La Paz!
Sadly, there aren't very many pictures to choose from since he lost his camera on his last day...and I didn't take many on my camera because he was snapping them left and right! Oh well...at least he was able to make more memories than any picture could.

The double-decker bus tour turned out to be quite entertaining. Partly because of the game we had to play with all of the wires and banners hanging low enough to almost decapitate us at moments! That was just one of the ways we figured out that these buses were used elsewhere before making their way to La Paz!
Here we are at an awesome bird's-eye-view of my city!

Here Dad is enjoying a Bolivian treat....saltenas! Not only did this stew-in-a-pouch satisfy his Bolivian palate, but it also warmed up his body during a rainy-season-style torrential downpour in the middle of a sunny day.
Since my dad is the closest thing I have to a "honey" right now, I made him do a few "honey-do's" while at my casita. One of these was hanging up my newest purchase in the city...

Thanks, Dad, for coming...it was a pleasure sharing my "new life" with you!

Mr. Speicher...

2010-01-26T23:21:00.003-04:00

...is in La Paz!!
He arrived early Sunday morning and is now in Bolivia with me...I kind of can't believe it!
But it has been so nice. He leaves Thursday morning, so it's a quickie, but it's been good!

So far he's...
..seen my church and all of the friends there...
..eaten my favorite dish at my favorite Italian restaurant...
..napped for 5 hours only to go to bed for 8 more about 3 hours later..
..shared "kid-Megan" stories with my awestruck students....and..
..played golf on the highest golf course in the WORLD...that's right!

Tomorrow we're going to take the city tour of La Paz....on a double-decker, red bus! I don't think Big Ben is a stop, but it should be fun anyways. Then we'll walk around the city a bit more before he has to go back to Brazil, and then back to the states.

So far he loves my new city and the wonderful people I get to share it with....and we're both just so thankful for God's goodness!

Cuzco's Curse

2010-01-22T17:23:00.009-04:00

To end my 3 part saga of Peru, I would like to share some pictures of the beautiful city of Cuzco. This city has a rich Incan history as well as a strong Spanish influence.

We enjoyed the cute little cafes and restaurants surrounding the Plaza De Armas.

However, don't be fooled by the outer beauty of this city! As you might deduce from the title of this post, Cuzco carries a curse for the innocent traveler. That curse comes in the form of Typhoid Fever! Yes, while in Cuzco, both Steph and I ate something, we're not quite sure what the "something" was, that was contaminated. Feel free to look up typhoid if you're curious as to what exactly contaminated our food....I don't really want to say! As a result, we have been sick in bed for the past 5 days and have missed the entire first week of school!
We went to a clinic nearby soon after we started having symptoms of tyhoid, unbeknownst to us that that's what they were, where they thought it best to pump us full of this gross-looking-neon-yellow-vitamin-enhanced liquid.

Steph's IV-ed wrist and the huge liter of who-knows-what!

It wouldn't have been so bad except for the fact that we felt TERRIBLE at this point and the nurse couldn't find my "invisible" veins. She kept saying "nada" and slapping my arm, which actually really hurt, and poking the needle in my skin only to find that the vein was NOT where she thought it was. When that happened, sometimes she would just pull it out and try it again. But, sometimes she would move the needle while under the skin hoping, in vain, to locate the elusive vein...I didn't like those times to say the least! Finally, after 7 tries and a smaller needle (that I had to pay for!) I was finally able to receive the takes-2-and-a-half-hours-to-get-into-my-body solution that, when it was all said and done, did end up helping my body! But I honestly think I hated every needle-poked, dry-mouthed minute of it!
Thankfully we are on antibiotics now and are recovering. We even think we can be back at school on Monday....which is great news because we miss our students and can only entertain ourselves for so long!
Thanks to everyone for all of your prayers thus far. God is faithful and has shown Himself to be more than enough...even if one has tyhpoid!

Machu-Picchu!!!

2010-01-20T12:22:00.012-04:00

As promised, here are some of the breathtaking scenes we experienced at the Incan ruins tucked away, high in the Andean mountains.

Because I LOVE learning and am now officially a history teacher, here are some quick lessons for you:
This is an example of how the rocks were cut so precisely as modeled by our Buckeyes-fan tour guide:)!

And, here is where the people would have gathered to hear the great speeches of old!

Yep, I was really there...
...and loved it!

One Last Stop....

2010-01-17T16:45:00.012-04:00

Before work started again, Steph, Molly and I decided to take advantage of our "summer" break and travel South America while we had some time. Last semester we figured out the school year is not as conducive for traveling as we had hoped!
It was not hard for us to decide where to go since both Steph and I have the same life goal ....to behold the ancient Incan ruins of MACHU-PICCHU before we die! (Although neither of us are close to dying...that we know of...we thought this time was as good as any!)
After I arrived back in La Paz....which ended up being a day late because I had yet ANOTHER horrible flight experience where I slept in and had to pay way too much for new flights even though there was NO WAY my seats were already taken. Oh well.....I can add it to my book of traveling nightmares, right?!
Anyways, after I arrived on Friday we made our plans, packed our packs and tried to rest our excited minds for our 12-hr bus ride the next day to Peru! The ride across the border was pretty uneventful except for the featured film, 2012.....a hand-recorded version of the big screen that was dubbed in Spanish with Russian subtitles...and our greeting at the bus station where this sign was plastered against the chain link fence.......
Just one of the many examples of how my name was butchered this trip!

Sunday we drove from Cuzco to the Sacred Valley and saw the unfinished ruins of an Incan village.

On our way, we spent some time at the Pisaq market.

Peruvians markets are very similar to Bolivan markets. Can you tell that I love all of the people and colors?!

Monday was the moment we were waiting for.....and you'll have to wait too:)! (sorry)
Look for the next post that will showcase a few chosen pictures of our day in Machu-Picchu!

sshhhh...Don't Tell!

2010-01-05T22:53:00.005-04:00

There are some definite benefits to having a sister as a nurse:

- she'll answer your "medical emergency" call at anytime of the night
- she can uncover the truth behind the many medical urban legends
- you can use her to help you justify any "bad" habit through an explanation of the excess needed to really make the activity/item truly harmless

BUT, the BEST benefit so far is getting to see your new nephew who was supposedly locked up in the NICU and not to be visited, let alone held, by ANYONE except Mommy and Daddy!

That's right....Nurse Jenny pulled the "gone-in-Bolivia-for-6-months" card and got me into the NICU secretly to spend some sweet time with Baby Ian before I flew out!

He is doing well and is improving quickly. He no longer needs to be connected to oxygen and is on his way to leaving his little incubator! However, he has not gotten rid of all the things poked into his little body.....you might notice the bluish glow eminating from him. No, he was not beamed down from the mothership!

Awww...precious, huh?

I feel SOOO blessed that I was able to change him, hold him, feed him, burp him and just talk to him....we had a great little conversation! Life is a wonderful gift from the Lord and I was so moved by his tiny body and the thought of what God will do with it!

Ian, you are loved and prayed for! May you know and appreciate both of these truths all of your life!

IAN is here!!!

2010-01-04T00:49:00.009-04:00

Yes...you read it correctly!
My nephew who was supposed to be born February 13th decided to come into the world today, January 3rd! And even though I wouldn't have wished him to be 6 weeks early, I was thrilled to have the chance to watch his birth and see him before he was whisked away to the NICU.
So, because I'm a proud Auntie AND because my sweet sister is dying to see some photos....
Ladies and Gentleman, I would like to introduce you to, for the first time, Mr. Ian Kent Jorgensen!

Sorry it's black and white....and a photo of a photo! Oh well...it's the best one of my bunch.

Here we are in the delivery room with the whole hospital taking care of Nurse Jenny's baby! You can't see Ian yet but......

...here he is!

And here is with his mommy and daddy!

Awww...who's Daddy's boy?!

We are all so proud and even though he'll be in the NICU for 2-3 weeks, they are sure he'll come out healthy and ready to keep up with Ella :)! But, this means that, until June 21st, this is the closest I'll get to holding the little guy....

I'll take what I can get!

2009 RECAP!

2009-12-29T21:14:00.026-04:00

Yes, I have been so bad about updating my pictures that I am forced to inundate you all with a plethora of pictures all under the label of "recap"!
So, get ready to jump from one life event to the next and to join the whirlind, otherwise known as my life.

This year has given me a new....
1. classroom full of wonderful students and memories!

Here we are pre-August 10th (notice the sticky note guides?)...

And here we are post-August 10th..

Middle School's wacky Thanksgiving feast...

And our Christmas party!

2. landscape to ooh and awe over...I LOVE the rugged beauty of Bolivia!

Some scenes from the Takesi hike about a month ago...

3. group of high schoolers to mentor and enjoy!

Some of the 8th grade girls on our hike...

Fun with our life group girls (in the picture below, I am what we call the "AFTER-hours" lawyer!).....

Our life group Christmas party...

4. set of traveling adventures...

Assisting the sweet Chilean man while he "fills" up our rent-a-car on the way to Iquique, Chile..

Thoroughly enjoying the beach that ONCE belonged to Bolivia...and don't you forget it (because Bolivians sure haven't :)!!)...
AND....

5. reason to get together with old friends!

2009 has proven to be a year of rich blessing and distinct change. I thank the Lord for what He has done and I look forward to what He will do!

Let's do it again in 2010!! :)

I'M HOME!

2009-12-21T13:09:00.002-04:00

After countless hours in numerous airports, 3 days in snowy Chicago with special friends and way too many minutes crammed into 5-inch heels for "the" wedding, I have made it back to Twin Falls, ID!
I am excited to curl up with my picture folders, a warm cup of something and "go to town" updating you all on the past few weeks of my whirlwind life! But, until that happens, you can picture me happy, safe and sound.
It's the most wonderful time of the year.....truly!

The Past Week and a Half....

2009-11-29T20:18:00.004-04:00

As you can probably deduce by this title, life has been a little crazy these past 11 days!

Therefore, instead of writing separate posts for each event, you get a little taste of my busy yet rewarding life!!

Thursday, November 19^th :

Probably experienced one of 2009 hilghlights....seeing my kiddos share their talents, time and homemade maracas with precious blind children in my neighboorhood! Not only did they show Christ's love to these children, but they pulled off a last minute yet original play of Noah's Ark (omplete with a variety of sound effects) and performed "the cup game" to Prince of Peace....priceless!

Another highlight was seeing them all pounce on my bed immediately after entering my casita for some post-field-trip-cookie-fun!

Friday, November 20^th:

After a ripped contact and a drive that led us to the middle of NOWHERE, we began our Takesi hike with the 8th graders (6 girls and 3 boys), chaperones (4 girls and 4 boys) and backpacks filled with WAY too much weight of who-knows-what!

Saturday, November 21^st:

Exhausted from the day before that was supposed to be "easy", we packed up in the rain and started on the longest, yet most rewarding, day of the hike! Although we had to trek through literal rivers of rain water that were rushing down the rocky paths and one of our boys ended up breaking his leg in 2 places, it was a good day that taught the students (and teachers) some good life lessons....and showed us how beautiful Bolivia is!

Sunday, November 22^nd:

Sore and SMELLY we all made our way into the beautiful city of Yanacachi (after 20 false alarms of "the end," might I add) and piled into the buses that promised to take us back to warm showers, soft beds and Thanksgiving food. A Thanksgiving FEAST, to be exact, complete with homemade rolls, delicious pumpkin cake and "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" projected on a white sheet for all ages to enjoy:)!

Monday, November 23^rd:

Still recuperating from the Takesi, I discovered muscles that I never knew existed and incessantly thanked the GENIUS that made Monday "pajama day" for our spirit week!

Tuesday, November 24^th:

"Twin day" meant that Steph and I came as....inspired by a blonde wig that has made its way around HIS....Miley Cyrus (me) and Hannah Montana (Steph). Pretty creative if you ask us!

Wednesday, November 25^th:

Winter Olympics Team Day = hundreds of paper snowlfakes taped around the school + crazy outfits of yellow, red, green and blue + "ice dancing" high schoolers on pavement assisting elementary students with their arabesque form + a screaming Miss Speicher because her AWESOME blue team won!!!!!!!!!!

Wish you were there?....I know!

Thursday, November 26^th:

La Paz looks different when you're leaving it at 4am in a rented car watching movies and "thanksgiving" tv episodes on the car's OWN dvd player! And, now I have had yet another Thanksgiving meal at the American "symbol" of gratitude...McDonalds...gotta love it!

Friday, November 27^th:

Chile is AWSOME....Bolivia got shafted when they got our beach!

Saturday, November 28^th:

Finally some beach time and, yes, New Moon :)......gotta keep up with friends back home!

Sunday, November 29^th:

4am is becoming an enemy....but my bed, again, feels soo good and I'm glad to be home!!!

The End

For those who made it to this point, thanks for sticking with my 11-day itinerary of craziness!

If you can continue that patience, you might be lucky enough to veiw some pictures to back-up these stories! And if you can't, just check out Stephanie Ainsworth's pictures on facebook:)!

Tell Me How I'm Supposed to Breathe With No Air....

2009-11-18T20:48:00.004-04:00

Yes, I am pulling out a "classic" Jordin Sparks phrase in honor of this upcoming weekend when (I have this feeling) I'll be thinking it a lot!

"Don't you often feel out of breath living at 12,000 ft. above sea level??" you may be thinking.

Yes, I do...because of the altitude, it's common to get winded doing normal things, such as rolling over in bed or walking less than a block to your house. But I'm not carrying my tent, sleeping bag, firewood and food for 17 people!

This weekend my roommate and I, along with 6 other adults, are accompanying the 8th graders on their backpacking final. We are leaving early Friday morning and hiking the Takesi trail, an Incan trail that is about 2 hours away from La Paz. We will return to La Paz on Sunday afternoon dirty and tired....but hopefully inspired!

Even though it is supposed to be a beautiful trek through the wilderness of Bolivia, it is also supposed to be full of bugs, rain and drama-queens! The 8th grade girls have this reputation of crying every time they have to hike the "hills" behind our school....so it should be an adventure!

So if you think of it, you can pray for all of us going...that we would make it out of there alive and the 8th graders would actually enoy the trip:)!

Highlands Highlights

2009-11-14T18:22:00.008-04:00

Last Wednesday was the 1 and 1/2 quarter mark! I cannot believe how quickly the school year has gone by so far. It has been a busy but very enjoyable past 3 1/2 months and I would like to share some of the highlights with you....

One foggy morning, we all donned our new HIS sweathsirts to showcase our ever-expanding staff and enthusiasm for the new year....or something like that!

Often we find ourselves outside of our classroom doing some kind of lesson amidst the mountains and blue skies! This particular lesson showcases some of my 6th graders' acting skills as they act out the story of Siddhartha's journey to Buddah while others dilligently take notes....oh how I love my students:)!

October was the month of our Spring Carnival which entailed a wacky-dress day to gear up for the big event...

...many different games for the kids to enjoy, including a huge blow-up octopus (HILARIOUS!)...

...and teacher-revenge in the form of a pie toss and a "wet jail" where the hose was my worst enemy!

October was also the month of the FIRST annual dodgeball tournament! After months of EVERY recess minute being spent working on their bullet-like throws and out-of-nowhere catches, the students were ready to compete against the teachers for the the coveted title of "dodgeball champion!" Sadly, the intense competition proved to all that, even though I may rule the middle schoolers in my classroom, I am forced to bow in submission on the dodgeball court!

In math class we worked with recipes to create cookies while sharpening our fraction skills. However, reason # 43 why living in Bolivia is different than living in the US, was brought to my attention when the kitchen staff was gone and we were no longer able to use the oven because the gas for the oven was taken with them! Therefore, Steph and I had to use a more creative way to cook the cookies...the MICROWAVE! There were only a few casualties and some of the cookies actually turned out somewhat normal!

Most recently, the 4th graders picked different teachers to write a biography about his/her life and then presented their findings at our very own, HIS Wax Museum! Here's my little twin, Hannah, who is also the middle child of 2 sisters and seems to share my same taste in accessories:)!

Now, if any of these pictures cause you to doubt the fact that we, at HIS, take our job seriously, just look at these "teacher" faces...would we lie to you?!

Sweet Memories....

2009-10-30T18:33:00.011-04:00

Usually I use this blog to share of my life in La Paz; attempting to capture the beauty that surrounds me....the spirit of people here....or the hilarity that I hope others will appreciate:)! However, maybe because it's Friday (finally) and I have a long weekend ahead of me (YAY for All Saint's Day!) or maybe because it's that time when the new becomes old and the exciting becomes ordinary....whatever the case, I find myself sitting on Steph's bed (while she naps beside me), in the dark, perusing old folders of pictures labeled "October" or "November." And, as you probably guessed, I'm missing the familiar smells, sounds and sights of what these above months bring! Therefore, below are some of the sweet memories I found while I laughed my way down memory lane. I am posting these post-facto pictures partly because I think those involved will appreciate them and partly because I'm hoping it will make me a little less homesick right now!

This picture brings me back to TU Homecoming when I was able to visit my sweet sister who chose hilarious decorations (compliments of Croplan Genetics....and our father) for the wing and also thought it was a good idea to take multiple pictures posing with them! Oh, I do miss that girl!
This picture brings me back to my FAVORITE getaway in Charlotte. Yes, this trip to the 'mountain house' did not disappoint between the piles of leaves just waiting to be jumped in and the great company to share in the fun:)!
This picture is a funny reminder of how different my life is from almost a year ago and even though just today my answer to a question regarding the best job I've ever had was my job right now at HIS, I still miss my sweet Charlotte babies and their crazy/beautiful hair!

And, last but not least, this picture just reminds me of what I am missing right now.....vivid colors that paint the sky. For those of you who are experiencing this yearly gift, enjoy it for me :)!

Bane No More!

2009-10-21T21:07:00.003-04:00

Since coming to Bolivia, my roommate and I have noticed that there are many little inconveniences that we have come to live with, and at times, forget that they haven't always been in our lives! But, then there are some things that have never ceased to be the bane of our existences. What are those, you may ask?

Stephanie- a kiln for her ceramics class

Me- internet on my computer at school

I could go into great detail how each has made it's way to this elite title, this dominant status, this obsessive thought!
I could tell you that Stephanie has piles of uncooked clay peices in her art room just waiting to be fired so that they can be used, enjoyed, appreciated by many! I could tell you that she's asked ALL 4 of the people in La Paz that even own a kiln if she could use it multiple times, and everytime the answer is the universal "no!"
I could tell you that everyday I wish I had access to Websters.com when my sweet, ESL babies don't know a word and no dictionary exists (at least one that is easy to access). I could tell you that we are changing to a new internet based program to do our attendance, planning and grades...AWESOME when you have no internet at school!
But there is no need to whine and complain anymore!!! Our existences as we know it have been improved....THE INERNET AND KILN HAVE ARRIVED!
Today both of our problems were solved and we are just so thankful! Stephanie found out that fifth time's the charm and I discovered that window updates are beneficial:)!
So...thank you for all of your prayers, even the general ones. God is faithful and does answer our prayers, even those that seem little and insignificant :)!

Little pieces of home...

2009-10-16T22:08:00.007-04:00

Since moving to Bolivia, I have found communication to be a lot more difficult than I thought it would be! Not only are the 11 million people on skype a hindrance to smooth conversations with Idaho, but the mail regulations seem impossible to overcome.

HOWEVER, many wonderful people have persevered through the postal process to send me little pieces of home that I never thought would make me so happy!

The first package was from my dear friend who recently got married. Between the cinnamon-graham-cracker-fishies and wedding favors sent, I felt apart of life back in the Carolinas and was thankful for the thoughtfulness!

Then came a BIG ol' package from another dear friend! But this time, it contained many wonderful gifts for my students, who were almost as excited as I!

My pencil-happy 6th graders and..

..sharpie-loving 7th graders!

The next surprise package came from yet another sweet friend who sent me some good reads, including pages from my favorite magazine.... complete with comments to bring me back to 10517 Parkhouse Lane! :)

Last, but not least, my sweet mother also joined the package fun! Among the treasures from home came some personal favorites that can't be found here!

I feel very blessed to have so many wonderful people in my life...those that send me packages and those that are just plain wonderful! :)

P.S. If you're reading this, that last line is talking about you!

Copacabana Pt. 2

2009-10-14T21:33:00.014-04:00

So, it has taken me a bit longer than I thought!
But, as promised, here are some pictures of our weekendS at the famous, LAKE TITICACA!

The first time, we were a group of 7, freezing....

The second time, we were a group of 3, sweating....

The first time, we could only see the islands from afar...

The second time, we spent quality time on those islands...

The first time, we gazed up at a cross...

The second time, we looked at a sea of crosses in the beautiful Church of Copacabana...

But both times, we thoroughly enjoyed the lake!

I hope you enjoy our timed jumping picture! 3rd time's the charm....or is it??

It's always fun to get out of the city and see a new side of Bolivia!

Copacabana Pt. 1

2009-10-04T22:56:00.003-04:00

As some of you know, a few weekends ago I had the pleasure of spending a 3-day weekend at the beautiful Lake Titicaca, which borders both Bolivia and Peru. I celebrated the Bolivian holiday "Amistad (Friendship) Day" with 6 other teachers from Highlands at a lake house! A friend of a friend offered his place of us to enjoy, but we had hoped to venture from the house to explore the tourist-trap, Copacabana, and the island where, according to Incan mythology, life itself was born, Isla del Sol. However, partly due to the fact that we are STILL in the process of getting our 2-yr visas and didn't have our passports with us, and partly due to the fact that we were one HUGE vehicle filled with American gringos, we didn't reach either destination.

Therefore, this weekend we decided to try it again.. this time ready for what the Bolivian police would throw at us (passport copies in hand and a group of 3 instead of 7)! What we were NOT prepared for, was what Bolivia itself would throw at us!

Getting there Saturday morning on a massive tourist bus was actually pretty uneventful, except for the tire that exploded en route! But, after a quick 30 minute stop at Bolivia's version of a rest-stop...nature's bathrooms, picnic areas, petting zoos and a dog pound all on a 20 yd by 20 yd grassy patch of land along the side of the road...we were on our way! Upon arrival at the legndary Copacabana, we dropped our backpacks off at a delightful hostal complete with hammocks stratigically placed to enjoy the breathtaking views of the water, and hit the town! After living in Bolivia for more than 3 months but not having a lot of time to be a "tourist" persay, it was quite enjoyable to peruse the wares of the many vendors that lined the streets and just enjoy being a foreigner. Then that evening we were able to enjoy an unexpected dinner with a friend from La Paz and some of her friends who were also in town for the night!

So, Saturday...awesome! Sunday....awesome in a totally different way! Let me expound and then I will post pictures of our weekends at the lake in a "coming soon" post!

What "should have happened" and what "actually happened" Sunday, October 4th. Enjoy! I know I did:)...

10:30 am
Should have happened: the boat drops us off at the side of the island with various shops, restaurants and ruins to explore
Actually happened: the boat drops us off at the side of the island with basically nothing

12:00 pm
Should have happened: we are close to the ruins after hiking for what feels like an hour
Actually happened: we have to turn around after seeing no ruins because we don't want to miss the "early boat" that leaves the north side of the island at 1:30

2:30 pm Should have happened: the boat quickly stops at the south side of the island and then continues on to Copacabana
Actually happened: the boat docks for an hour while we sit on the boat and watch some crazy donkeys

3:30 pm
Should have happened: arrive back in Copacabana, grab our backpacks at the hostal and catch a bus heading back to La Paz
Actually happened: leave the south side of the island with a whole boat, full of people

4:30 pm
Should have happened:driving on a bus that's about 1/2 way there to La Paz
Actually happened: dock at a floating reed island, surprising all of the tired passengers

5:30 pm
Should have happened: arrive in La Paz
Actually happened: arrive in Copacabana

6:00 pm
Should have happened: relax back at the house with a light dinner and start cleaning up the house after a long week/weekend
Actually happened: leave Copacabana in another large, tourist bus

7:00 pm
Should have happened: at Wallyball (volleyball played in raquet-ball courts) with other friends in La Paz
Actually happened: in a ferry full of drunk cholitas and their husbands wondering if the bus will leave us

8:45 pm
Should have happened: back from Wallyball and ready to grade a few papers before going to bed
Actually happened: on the bus that is showing, on 1 miniscule TV about 20 rows up, the Spanish version of Ice Age II...hilarious

9:30 pm
Should have happened: ending our evening by watching an episode of House with my roommate
Actually happened: the bus runs out of gas at the very outskirts of town (El Alto)

10:15 pm
Should have happened: go to bed
Actually happened: arriving home AT LAST after a taxi ride where "Hotel California" was the music of choice

An SCCCYG Update

2009-09-27T08:52:00.004-04:00

Hello readers, especially those under the age of 18 (my SCCC youth group)!
I am excited to share a summary of what God has been doing here on the other side of the equator!

I have lately described La Paz to friends and family as a mix of the foreign and familiar, which I have come to really appreciate.

Familiar because....
..I always have a lot of papers to grade...AND I have a group of students that I really do love!

HIS 6th and 7th graders.....my students:)!

...I get to enjoy the sun (that is more intense here) while participating in random outdoor activities. like running, walking with friends, or competing in a dodgeball tournament (that's right...I've played more dodegeball here in 2 months than I have my entire life!).

...I get to hang out with some awesome high school girls weekly for a small group/life group I'm leading with my roommate.

...I seem to be busy every day! Between weekly bible studies, Spanish lessons, after-school tutoring, gospel choir practice, birthday celebrations (I think I've celebrated at least 10 birthdays since arriving in La Paz!) and the basic chores of being a grown-up, I find myself ready for my bed at the end of every day!

...I have great friends who make me laugh and love the Lord!
**praise the Lord for a great group of friends here

Foreign because...
...I no longer drive...instead I rely on a series of taxis, trufis (like a taxi but with a set list of destinations), mini-busses (like a trufi only bigger and more crowded) and a few friend's cars here where the occupancy limit is always at least doubled. Here in Bolivia seats are just suggestions for how many people can fit in a car!

Here's an example of a crowded car on dodgeball "theme" day:)...in case you were wondering if we always dress like this!

...everyone speaks a different language and even though I'm getting tutored every thursday, I still have a lot to learn until I can fully participate in this part of the culture.
**pray that I would have patience and discipline in this area

...I am surrounded by Cholitas! Bolivia is known for the "chola", a Bolivian woman that has kept the traditional customs of this nation, predomintaly by the way she dresses. They are all over the place and always make me smile:)!

...I get to pray with my students everday and reference the Bible freely!
**pray for those at the school that do not know Jesus Christ personally (some are Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, etc.)

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and prayers!

I love the weekends...

2009-09-11T23:56:00.011-04:00

Hello my faithful readers :)!
As my last post explained, I now have access to internet on my own computer, so posting pictures and such is a whole lot easier. Therefore, as promised, here is an update of my life...

As a teacher in Charlotte, I enjoyed my students... but loved my weekends. As a teacher in La Paz, it is no different!

2 weekends ago, Stephanie and I were THRILLED to have the opportunity to actually leave the city. Early Sunday morning we piled in the backseat of Christian's, our neighbor/landlord, car along with his cousin, Andre. After a slight delay due to the fact that we had to turn around to get the spare tire that was forgotten, we drove out of the mountains and into the jungle!

It was soooo pretty seeing the huge mountains change from the bare and grey to the lush and wild of the jungle! Even though I got a little sick on the ride back, the view was DEFINITELY worth the windy, crazy roads!

Our first destination was this wonderful animal reserve where visitors from all over the world can come enjoy a relaxing get-away in the jungles of Bolivia and experience nature first-hand! Some of our "nature experiences" included...

playing with monkeys (with some fellow visitors)...

..holding snakes..

...and talking to a bear, among others!

Before leaving for our next destination, we had to push the car a couple of times and then wait for a fellow traveler to lend us his jumper cables....yes, we had left the lights on! Guess we should have worried more about jumper cables and less about the tire! Oh well...I had no problem cooling off by the river while we waited!

Our next and final destination before heading home was a small town on the edge of the mountain called Coroico. It was such a cute little town with a breathtaking veiw!

Me with our travel buddies..(L-R) Christian and Andres

We came back that night sweaty (which felt sooo good after a month in the DRY, mountain air), exhausted and totally blown away by the beauty of this new country we have started to call home!

I HAVE INTERNET!

2009-09-06T19:16:00.000-04:00

Yes, you read the title correctly!
Not only is our wireless finally working at the "guest" house of 135 Demetrio Canales, but it is working on MY computer!!!!!
Right now we have some friends over for some cards and pasta, but I just had to share my JOY!
I'll try to post some pictures soon of my wonderful weekends here so far:)!
Ciao....

Mi computadora...

2009-08-26T12:14:00.000-04:00

...es un limon!

When an unknown intruder stole ALL of our laptops in February of 2008, my 3 roommateas and I were on the search for new computers! After, what we thought was, valuable research and wise council, 3 of us decided to purchase the same HP Pavillion. It looked good on paper and seemed to be a perfect replacement for what was ungraciously taken from us. Little did we know that we had been suckered into buying lemons (as coined by one of the frustrated owners!).

Each of us has struggled with various aspects of the computer and last week was my "last" battle! I guess it wasn't satisfied with cutting out my internet at random times or not responding to our school printer because, on Friday, it decided to turn into a black screen that responded to nothing! So, after spending WAY too much time in DOS typing in commands that I don't even know what they mean, I was able to save some of my important documents and then whisked it away to the local repair man (who speaks very little English, mind you)!

Today I will be able to survey the damage done. My PRAYER is that it can be somewhat bandaged-up to last me until I come back to the states. It will be at this point in time that I plan on divorcing this thorn in my side and replacing it with something a bit more reliable! So, if you have a computer that you love and it has stood the test of time (and overseas traveling if applicable), please let me know! I don't want to experience anymore buyer's remorse and I'm ready to be connected to the outside world again!

Thanks for your patience with my lack of communication, and keep my lemon in your prayers!

Highland Livin'

2009-08-15T18:48:00.000-04:00

I would like to begin this entry with an apology! Yes, it’s been a while since I have posted…partly because life is busy, but partly because I can’t really access the internet on my computer at my house yet! So, thanks for being patient, and hopefully this post was worth the wait!

First of all, I am officially a MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER...IN BOLIVIA!

Kind of crazy to me that LESS than 2 months ago I was still teaching 2nd graders at Lincoln Heights. And, now I find myself teaching students that are basically my same height (except the boys…they're still waiting for their growth spurts!), discussing Confucius with a class that actually knows who he is and relating math to the Bible as a part of my lesson! It's a little overwhelming to think that I now have 3 titles to my name instead of one (math, social studies AND grammar...ha ha, the last one is by far the funniest!) and I really do believe that last week (the first week of school) was the LONGEST WEEK OF MY LIFE! But, all in all, I love my job and am so glad to be here! I have a beautiful view of the mountains every day and a great group of students.

my school

my 6th graders and the my middle school partner-in-crime, Stephanie Feagin

When I'm not at Highlands International School (which so far hasn't been that often), I find myself doing a variety of things....

a.) Trying to cook something other than quesadillas and guacamole, since that's about all we ate for the first week! Even though we've succumb to some easy and familiar meals (like top ramen), we've also been adventurous and created waffles in our "sandwich genie." This was definitely the highlight of my first Bolivian holiday....Bolivia's independence day is August 6th.

Here are our Pacena (someone/something from La Paz) waffles!

b.) Practicing my HORRIBLE Spanish on anyone that wants to listen, which is harder than one would think. Case and point, when I was looking for waffle ingredients I tried to explain baking soda to a man who offered his help. But, instead of appreciating my Spanish attempts, he kindly said, "In Enlgish, PLEASE!"

c.) And the latest addition to my weekly schedule is a gospel choir! It is comprised of mostly Bolivian 20-somethings and a few of us Highlanders (teachers from my school). We meet bi-weekly and perform for random occassions. The first perfomance is in September, so I will keep you updated on how the crowd enjoys our assortment of songs, including "O Happy Day" and "This Little Light of Mine"!

I say it's altitude...

2009-07-31T22:40:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the ridiculous font issues of my last post!
No, I didn't mean to have 3 different fonts and 4 different sizes!
We've come to blame many things on the altitude here....this situation is no different!
Oh well....at least you can see the pictures....I didn't know if they would ever load!

Vivo en Bolivia!

2009-07-30T18:26:00.001-04:00

I live in Bolivia!

To God be the glory….I managed to lug 2 (OK…if you count my pillow and blanket combo, 3) carry-ons around 4 different airports in 2 different countries over the span of about 24 hours. And, I am happy to say, there was NO DRAMA to report! Obviously there were MANY prayers going out around the world (or at least the US) and each one was needed…thanks!

Upon our arrival, my new roommate, Stephanie, and I were driven straight from the airport (at 14,000 feet…in case you were wondering) to our new house!!! Some missionaries had come in before to make our place welcoming…so sweet!

Here is my VERY OWN BEDROOM…yes, this is pretty exciting!

And here is 1 of the 2 “catch all” closets for the house…also known as my personal closet “filled” with my Bolivian wardrobe (see Stages of Grief if you want to know how I feel about this!).

Ironically enough, I’ve yet to sleep in my own room once! The nights are just so cold and Stephanie’s queen bed with a movie playing on her laptop is much more invitingJ! Oh well…I’m thankful for my own space just the same!

There is so much more to share, but because this post is already pretty long, I’ll leave you with a few pictures that “typify” La Paz…as I see it that is!

Many people carry HUGE loads and walk up steep hills...they're obviously used to the altitude!

As Logan, our director's son, said "I love La Paz because, no matter where you are, you can always see the mountains." Couldn't have said it better myself!

Explore Idaho

2009-07-23T02:32:00.000-04:00

That's right!
I finally had my first (and hopefully not last) friend come visit the great, yet widely unknown, state of Idaho! Therefore, she was dragged from potato field to mountainside getting the "best of" regarding all things Idaho.

Some highlights include, but are not limited to:

Kayacking the great Snake River in order to view the architecutrally impressive Perrine Bridge.

The bridge and canyon from above....quite breathtaking if you ask me!

Hiking with my sister, Laura, through the "potato fields" (or whatever they were).....

...to go cliff-jumping into a crystal clear lake!

Driving through Stanley, ID....

...to get the LAST campsite...

...at Redfish Lake!

Yes, this was our own, private beach:)!

And, last but not least, viewing the Niagara of the West (A.K.A. Shoshone Falls)...

...and eating at my favorite restaurants with some of Twin Falls' finest:)!

My high school bud and my college bud.....I don't know what to do with so many of my favorites present:)!

I am happy to say that Lauren enjoyed her time exploring this state of mine and found out for herself that Idaho has more than just great potatoes!
Who will discover this blessed truth next?!

Stages of Grief

2009-07-23T01:20:00.000-04:00

Yes....the time is drawing near!
And, even though I'm very excited to start my new life in La Paz, there is a huge hurdle I must leap over....and there are times when that hurdle just seems impossible to pass over!
"What is this hurdle you speak of?" some of you may be asking.

The "p" word.......yup, you guessed it....PACKING!

Please see the amount of clothes that made it through the NUMEROUS stages of purging..and yet, will NEVER fit into only 2 suitcases!

Hence the final rite of passage which included making it by the Pant Nazi (AKA Mom) and her sidekicks (the sisters Jenny and Laura)! Seriously, even though I was so thankful for their help, this was the part that brought out my many different stages of grief!

First I was just angry....how can you NOT let me take my favorite pair of jeans?
Second I was emotional....I've just had so many fond memories in this shirt!
Third I shut-down and became a robot....tell me what to do.
But, the fourth and final stage of MY grieving process was actually accepting this necessary course of action and delighting in the results.

TA DA! This is my (almost) completely packed bags!

Thank you family for helping me through my craziness and making my catastrophe a piece of art!

Déjà vu

2009-07-19T19:33:00.000-04:00

So...I must love the open plains of Kansas because, for the 4th time, I drove across the country. Thankfully, every time I've taken on this great feat I have had a friend accompany me, and this time was no different!

Lauren and I on day 1 of our 4-day road trip to IDAHO!

Possibly due to the fact that we were literally surrounded by ALL of my Charlotte belongings (I was VERY proud of the fact that I fit all/most of the past 3 years in my TiNy Cabrio) or because of the amount of coffee and water consumed in order to stay alert, we had to made a few stops along the way! However, even with our periodic stops, we made good enough time to "take a day off" in Colorado!

We loved the GREAT views of the beautiful Colorado valley....and the company:)!

Amy Jo (a dear TU friend), Jerusalem, me, Lauren, and Esther....loved hanging out with these girls and sharing a wonderful Ethiopian feast!

After 3 years in North Carolina and 3 days of driving, I was happy to finally arrive at our destination....Twin Falls, ID!

Walking in Memphis

2009-07-02T15:10:00.000-04:00

Although Southaven, MS (pronounced: miss-i-pee) is an exciting town full of exotic restaurants (Sonic) and exciting places to buy international wares (Target), I’ve been able to escape to the “big city” to see old sights with new friends!

clockwise from top: Sarah, Shauna, Stephanie, me, Natalie and Lisa

First stop, the Peabody Hotel. Not only is this hotel a beautiful landmark of Memphis, but it also has famous ducks that are escorted daily from the pond to the roof on a red carpet.

Can you find the mallards?

Memphis from a bird’s-eye….or should I say duck’s-eye....view!

Next stop, maybe after some finagling on my part, the Civil Rights Museum. I highly recommend this to anyone who finds himself/herself in Memphis….it was everything I had hoped for and more!

The museum was connected to the actual hotel where MLK Jr. was shot.

I left the museum with a sense of utter respect and gratitude for the bravery displayed by men and women who acted upon the conviction that God’s love for mankind is equal and universal.

Lastly, what would a tour of Memphis be without visiting the home of the King? So, after 2 different tries on 2 separate days, I saw the home of Elvis. Fun Fact: Elvis bought this land from a doctor whose grandmother, Grace, gave it to him; hence the name Graceland.

Our tribute to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll! We love Memphis!

PFO, TCK, ESFP, WHAT?

2009-06-25T13:23:00.000-04:00

Acronyms. Welcome to my life for the past few days.....

PFO
Pre-Field Orientation

As of 2 days ago I have entered the realm of name tags, scheduled sessions, sweet tea 24/7 and repetitious where-are-you-from conversations! Yes, I am in Southhaven, MS at christian school (sleeping on a cot in a math classroom!) for my 2 week orientation for NICS. As I was getting off the exit onto Getwell Dr. (fun fact insert- this street assumed this name because of the hospitals that were on this road during the civil war), I had a rush of feelings similar to those I had August of my freshman year of college…. What am I doing? Will I be miserable?

But, just like college, within the last 2 weeks not only have my questions been answered and my anxieties calmed, but I have been enjoying my time getting to know the other missionaries serving with NICS, especially the teachers that will teaching alongside me in Bolvia!

Zach, Amanda, me, Stephanie, Isaac, Molly, Jill, Vicki, Tammie, Scott

TCK
Third Culture Kid.

The focus of my 2 week orientation seems to be connecting to and teaching these types of students that are most commonly found in international schools. Yes, for those of you who are my friends AND consider yourself one of these special types of people, I have thought of you often and have found myself "pooly" (coined by a friend, a term to define the state of having tears well up in the eyes and create a sort of pool) on several occasions!

Some fellow NICS teachers enjoying a quick break between our sessions!

EFSP
Extrovert Sensor Feeler Perceiver

That's right. After multiple attempts to define myself based on a combination of 4 different letters, the task has been accomplished! 9 different roommates and 25 years later, I am able to answer the questions to the Meyers Briggs personality assessment honestly so to create a profile that sums up (in a lose way) who I am!

Some highlights of my personality include (and I quote):

*you only go around once in life

* good at personal interactions

* generous, peacemaker

* cuts red tape

* juggles multiple projects/events

* becomes distracted and gets off track easily

* getting the task done with a maximum of fun with a minimum of fuss

Sounds about right :).....

Let the Parties Begin!

2009-06-22T09:32:00.000-04:00

During the past few weeks I have become quite the reflector and have come to the realization that God has really blessed me by putting so many wonderful people in my life during this "season"! I mean, I knew I had a great TU community that I would instantly be apart of (10 of us from university moved down here together after graduation), but I had no clue about the other relationships He had in store for me. Therefore, in a way that is suitable for any good friendship, each good-bye was accompanied by some type of party. So...get out the brownie mix and salsa, Megan's leaving Charlotte!

Amanda (Indiana, US), me (La Paz, Bolivia) Erin, (Charlotte, US), Jenny (Kijabe, Kenya)

The first "party" was thrown by our wonderful roommate Erin, who we are all leaving behind :(. She totally surprised us with a special night that started with a video of pictures highlighting some memories of our time in Charlotte and revealing how much we have all GROWN-UP....no wonder some of us were mistaken for STUDENTS our first year of teaching! After the video, friend after friend kept trickling into the house until a good smattering of my Charlotte buds were all there to send me off and wish me safe travels and oxygen at my new elevation of 12,000 feet...bring it La Paz!

Kim, me, Jenny, Cindy and Josh, Nicole, Jamie, Ria and Katie

The second "party" consisted of the lovely ladies from my Target group (a small group of women from my church, Steele Creek Church of Charlotte) and was also a sweet time to glean wisdom from these women and to "remember why we are here" :)!

Amanda, Caroline and Max, me, Michelle, Kelly, Julia and Kaya

Now, one cannot leave Charlotte without a proper good-bye from the "first friends" of the city. Therefore, my last "party" at the Hohensee's was a sweet time to remember the good old days! That's right, the days when my life consisted of playing with my 1 year-old buddy Kaya,explore" the neighborhood, talking with my new friend Caroline to prolong the time in the AC and then joining my cooped-up-in-the-ACed-apartment-all-day roommate Erica and entertaining ourselves with movies from our local library while sitting on lawn chairs in our undecorated living room! Sufficed to say, my life has changed a bit since I first moved to Charlotte, but our friendship has stayed the same and I will truly miss them!

Caroline, Peter, Max and Kaya Hohensee

I am a Tiger...

2009-06-13T21:34:00.000-04:00

A Lincoln Heights' Tiger to be exact.
When I first walked down the blue and white halls as graduate fresh out of school, I had no clue what the next three years would bring.
Thank goodness!
The class of 2016 might not have had a 3rd grade teacher...or any class for that matter!
Instead of scaring me away by revealing the responsibilities and lessons that lie ahead, God knew to surround me with people who would come alongside me.
People willing to hurl their shoes at my shelves in order to scare out the escape artists masquerading as innocent hamsters in my classroom! People who offered me their life-supply of multiplication flashcards and main idea worksheets because my students STILL weren't getting it. People who wrote AND illustrated "social stories" complete with stick-figures making BAD choices and learning the RIGHT choices to make. Some of these bad choices included choking other students, flailing on the floor in the middle of the hallway and running around the school playing hide-n-go-seek with the teacher!
Caring, creative, hilarious, hard-working and compassionate people. People who have all contributed to the special memories I have as a Tiger.
I will truly miss the people of Lincoln Heights Elementary, staff and students.
Here are just a few pictures to commemorate my last year as a Lincoln Heights' Tiger.
ROAR!

Which one is the farmer's wife and where is my tail?

One of the many reasons why I love our administration!

Can you tell we're excited it's the last day?!

Last but not least, my "Taylor Twins". Oh how I will miss you 2!

twenty-FIVE

2009-06-04T18:49:00.000-04:00

Ta Da! I have officially joined the blogging world!
For my first post, I have decided to keep it short and sweet (don't get to used to it) by sharing five simple reasons why I like being the big 2-five!

Reason 5: I'm mature enough to start my own blog!

Reason 4: I can choose my means of transportation. I think this zippy road bike suits me well...especially while traversing the country roads of Davidson!

Reason 3: I've made my way up the Starbucks' Customer Ladder to earn the status of a REGULAR! This newly acquired position not only entails getting your drink without saying a word (because my friendly, neighborhood barista already knows what I want), but it also comes complete with a birthday breakfast (blueberry muffin with a straw instead of a candle and a crayon-colored receipt instead of a flame) on the house and a personal birthday shout-out! Thanks Erin!

Reason 2: I have great friends who know what I need:

...words of encouragement and...

...the Bolivian staples!

Reason 1: I have lived enough years to see the hand of God in my life, but there are many more years (Lord willing) to come that are bound to bring more stories of His faithfulness and goodness!