Day 5... Exploring and Learning More!

Buenos Noches!!!

So here we are again. Lasted another day. :P I make it sound so bad! It's actually really great! Wasn't too sure towards the beginning but now that I'm immersed in the culture and language (starting to dream in Spanish) I'm having more peace about it. Now. About today.

  This morning I decided to take on the adventure of finding a famous coffee shop that our hosts said was the best. Well, with map in hand, backpack on, and sunglasses, I set off.... 45 minutes later I'm wandering the streets just trying to find any cafe with internet. I finally found one that had a delicious mango chai. So. Good. Just sayin'. I then had a few precious minutes to finish my homework and try to skype my family before going back to the hotel for classes.

  Speaking of classes it went so well today! It just keeps getting better and better praise the Lord! I mean as we jumped right in on Tuesday I really wasn't feeling it because I was really slow in picking everything back up. But God was gracious enough to give me the memory and wisdom to pick these new things up. So thank you everyone so SO much for your prayers in that regard. We then spent the rest of the day studying and then left for dinner and church.

  Before I continue there's something you need to understand. We were hoping to go to an orphanage today to put on a program and play with the little kiddos. Well... for some reason that is unknown to me the teachers in the area were protesting something... and proceeded to block all the roads today from 9-5. So we couldn't go. Sad day. But God used that situation to give us all more time to study which I was extremely grateful for. So He is sovereign in everything!

  After dinner we took a taxi to the house where the Bible study was at. That was fun! We all tried to converse with the driver in Spanish which he actually loved! One little thing. The drivers here have got nothing on the drivers in Ecuador or Colombia. Just sayin'. :P Then began our little adventure after we got dropped off. The number to the house was 24 but once the driver dropped us off we couldn't find it. We asked one person who pointed us in one direction... then another one... then another one... until we got back to where we started. We were actually in the right spot all along. But hey! We were going off Mexican time were everyone is later in getting started with events. :P It was actually a Bible study for 20+ but whatever. It was interesting trying to listen and decipher words from Spanish to English. Afterwords, while everyone was eating and visiting, we chatted with people and then I taught one of the musicians how to play violin... a bit. :P Just the bow but that's the first lesson really. We decided to keep the adventure going and walk home which is about a 20 minute walk. Really fun at night. :P

   So now I'm on my bed writing to you all and wondering what I'm going to dream in Spanish tonight. :P Luv you all so much! I can't stress enough how much I need your prayers. Me and the team actually. Just for wisdom, discernment, and grace with each other and ourselves. Steven Curry keeps reminding me that learning a new language doesn't happen over night but it's hard to remember that. I'm encouraged to know that I'm not in this alone. God has my back and always has.

Ash-Bash

Day 4!!!

Hey y'all! So today was a good day. Good meaning that it was productive! However, I've got a God story that absolutely needs to be told.

  So yesterday I said that we went out for tacos. What I didn't say was that after that we went to the ATM to withdraw some money for the team expenses. Well, the ATM ate the card and wouldn't spit it out. We prayed that God would work a miracle then proceeded to make a game plan. John and Kim stayed at the ATM machine to wait and try to figure something out while Max and I went back to the hotel to ask our host what to do. We found out that we had to wait til morning to do anything since the bank was closed. We decided that the girls would have their lessons first while the guys went to the bank. In our lesson, while talking to our teacher, we learned that it would be impossible to get the card back. It was lost. However, we found out once the guys got back that our host knew someone at the bank and low and behold they had the card waiting for them when they got there!! We couldn't believe it!! We've been praising God all day for His kindnesses to us!!

   In our lessons today I was actually able to keep up! Which is saying something because normally it takes me awhile to comprehend ANYTHING. :P It was also really great because first: I wasn't sick. Second: We were actually talking in Spanish. Third: I was understanding it ALL!! :) I then proceeded to spend 30 minutes at a coffee shop going over verbs... until I got a text saying I needed to come back to go to the store with our host.

  Let me tell y'all one thing. Our hosts are amazing. Truly. Steven Curry and his wife Grace are wonderful and Gabby is such a great friend! For at least 3 hours we were out at the store having a grand old time with me trying to talk in Spanish and Gabby laughing at my "funny moments". :P OH! One thing that I got SO excited over was the mangos!! I. Adore. Mangos. Sadly I learned I'll have to wait for a bit to get them... but it's worth the wait so I'm good with that. :P Anyways, I spent the rest of the day engraining Spanish verbs and their conjugations in my head. With Steven and Gabby there to help me how could I go wrong with such wonderful, understanding teachers?!

  Funny moment. After I made dinner and we were all sitting around the table talking about the day, Kim turned to me and said something in English... but in my mind I tried to translate it into Spanish... and it made NO sense! Lol!! I finally realized my mistake a few moments later and we had a good laugh over that. Another funny moment. We were doing dishes and Max said "How do you say por favor?" We couldn't get over that one for quite some time!

  So as you can tell we are getting Spanish in our heads one way or another! Pray that it gets into our hearts as well. Pray that God continues to give us His love for these people. Pray for the Curry's and the Hotel, that God would bless them.

 

Our beautiful Mexican sunset

We tried to bond over playing footsies under the table...
didn't really work out too well but we got some good laughs!

A day wouldn't be complete without Devos. <3

Day 2 and 3

I'm super exhausted but remembered my brilliant plan to keep everyone updated... did I really say that? :P
  Well we all got started in on our lessons which was a bit harder than I anticipated. Learning verb conjugations is hard in English let along Spanish. Just sayin'. Anyways, We got to see the town a bit, which reminds me a ton on Colombia, and went shopping for our food. Can't wait to try this coffee shop called Oh La La. I've heard it's famous for it's pastries.

  Today, Wednesday, we basically did everything over again, devos, classes, studying, then went to church. It was completely different than what I was expecting. In Ecuador its not unusual for people to clap their hands or even dance. Here it was actually very orderly. It wasn't what I expected but good just the same. After church we went to this taco place that was... wow. Words escape me. For all y'all who think Taco Bell is good... yeah. You ain't seen nothing yet.

  God has really been pulling at my heart these 2 days already. Trying to keep me humble in my Spanish and let me tell you... it's working. It's only by His strength that I'm going to be able to do this. But that's the point isn't it? To learn Spanish so I can become a better vessel for Him to use. Granted God doesn't need me to do anything because He's that powerful He gets things done on His own. It's by His grace that He wants to use us.

  I won't be surprised if any of this doesn't make sense. I AM kinda tired. But I really wanted to let y'all know whats going on. Please continue to pray for us. We really need it!

  Ash- Bash

I'm going to be coming here quite often. <3

The roomie and I!

These stairs were just calling my name... another day perhaps :P

First official team selfie!! Even if it is blurry,

I couldn't take my eyes off this guy! He would cut the pork,
cut the pineapple and place it on the taco. Soo cool!

Language School Day 1

Hello mine people!

  I thought that it may be a good idea to start up my blog again for those of you who are even remotely interested in my life. :P For those of you that know me you know that I often say things with the full intention of fulfilling them... and then a year later. Meaning this blog. It may or may not continue after this grand adventure. I can only promise that while I'm here in Mexico I will do my utmost to keep you all informed. With that being said, lets jump right in!

  Yesterday I was up at o'dark thirty to get to the airport only to see 6 inches of snow on the ground and hear that my plane had been delayed 35 minutes. Now, I'm a pretty calm person... sometimes. I have learned in these situations to pray. Hard. Which is what I did. God was gracious enough to get me up in the air and make it to my connecting flight in Atlanta. I met up with our team leader, John Shoemaker, and found out that one of our teammates was stuck because of the snow and we would see him the next day. We then proceeded to board our 4 1/2 hour flight to Mexico City. With two kids watching Frozen in front of me I was bound to get a little airsick. :P I mean really?! Even going out of the Country I can't escape it. Figures. Anyways, we got to Mexico City just fine, minus our Frozen encounter, met up with the 3rd team mate, Kim Krause, and... here's where it gets interesting.

   I have always been conscientious about being on time. Call it what you will. Maybe coming from a big family I grew a bit tired of being late to things. :P But I mean especially with International flights (Thanks Daniel Cavanaugh and Liz Fox) I know enough that we need to be at our gate pronto. Well, we get to our gate and are wondering which line we should get into. Keep in mind that only one of us can speak Spanish well. We then learn that we're late to our flight and if we want to make it then we'd better run. So. That's what we did. Through the airport to the bus terminal where no one wants to talk to us or help us. Finally, a very nice, friendly, young man decides that we poor Americans need some help. He then proceeds to talk to an official, tell us the plane was actually late not us and, when it was time to go, helped us get on the right bus. Talk about relief!!

   We made it to our final destination without any further interruptions and sat waiting for our host to pick us up. I had brought my violin along and, not one to waste and opportunity to perform, decided to warm up a bit. How it turned into the airport people and taxi drivers all calling out songs, getting out their phones to record me, I've no idea. :P I've gotta say it was pretty fun though!

   So that makes it to today. My roommate Kim is pretty fabulous and I think we will get along perfectly! We are now waiting for our Spanish evaluation to see what class we should be placed in. Which is why I have time to write my first post! :) Please be praying for us. I covet your prayers greatly especially for peace, wisdom, strength, and health. God is going to do an amazing work here! I know that because He already has! I luv you all so much... for reading this. ;)

  Ash-Bash

St. Louis... Meh.

Mountains Gandalf!!

First selfie in Mexico!

        Why do people like Titanic so much???