The end of the journey to the Journey

So since we haven’t had internet for a week here at the house this is an update of last week while tom you will probably get one for this one.
Tuesday of last week I worked with the hogar and it was HOT and it was uncommon for this time of year which is good and bad to here. I was so fed up that I was verbally wishing the rain would already come. A good amount of sweat and none stop winds raising the dirt and sand sticking to you is not fun. So around 4am when I heard the rain coming down in sheets I was fairly excited and went back to sleep. The next time I awoke I was startled by the amount of water in our interior yard. The water had gotten itself into the girl’s room and the kitchen as well. I get ready to go out a light sweater my umbrella and my galoshes and leave the house. When I reach our outer gate I am once again startled by the amount of stopped honking traffic. I reach the corner and on the sidewalk the rain was up my galoshes, I couldn’t even step into the street much less. There were deserted cars everywhere and no buses. The ones that were out were practically floating down the road. It was crazy. I returned home, tried again later, and then found out two people died trying to get where they were headed and just chose to not work that day and called it in. Everyone thought that the freak storm was sort of funny and became the topic of conversation in the city for a couple of days.

 On Friday was the first day of spring, the day of love and friendship (Valentines Day), day of the doctors and day of the students. Most schools were closed and parades and dances were visible all over the city. I had to go the center but was at the cathedral in the morning and enjoyed some of the festive. That night we had a sort of party here at the Casa to acknowledge all of this so the cook went all out and made four awesome deserts for us all. We all decorated the dinning room with balloons and signs and had a great time. The kids danced traditional and not so traditional dances. I was asked to dance to some Dominican music that they love to hear and we all participate in some pretty funny karaoke most of the night. It was a great bonding time for the house and everyone enjoyed there day.

Well everyone told me I would get sick and I thought not but sure enough Sat I went to bed and tossed and turned with stomach aches all night and was really sick till about noon on Sunday. It was not fun and the worse part is that I don’t know what did it to me. Feeling slightly better I headed out to Montero around two that afternoon to meet up with my fellow SLMs there. I was really excited to be out of the center of the city and to see other areas. I arrived to the marketplace and first I noticed that I wasn’t very comfortable there and second how much more attention I got there then I did in Santa Cruz. I searched with no luck for street names and finally gave up and called to be picked up. After I arrived at the compound it was a lot easier to locate everything and figure out the town layout. Montero is poorer than the city with many dirt streets and just a more rural, smaller feel. I liked it though with its large market, many mototaxis and the lovely community at the compound. So it consists of a compound, an institute, a hogar and the area where the volunteers live. There is also a daycare and kindergarten and pre-k. The institute is pretty impressive and the hogar is one of the better run ones I have seen. I really enjoyed my time with the volunteers there (there is SLMS, VIDAS, and a British Salesian living there). I got to spend sometime with the girls at the hogar doing arts and crafts and at there dinner time. Later that night we had dinner together really enjoying the company and talking about everything. Still a little light and exhausted from my ordeal that morning I took it easy with all the great dinner options and the desert (brownies a la mode!) but still was really happy to be with them. I tried to get a feel for how everyone was doing although the roles there are still not set in stone since two more volunteers are coming in. I also had a chance to talk to someone here (in Bolivia) about the sort of things going on which was really great for me. Bouncing off someone makes things a little better.

Final Thought
 I don’t know why but this weekend makes me feel like things are just beginning for me here like I’m officially settled in and I am not the only one that still doesn’t know what is supposed to be going on and doing in there roles or location some of the time. I know fairly how to get along and people are getting used to having me around. My year is just starting and I have so much to experience and enjoy still! This time next year I may be headed to New York or already there and getting used to ‘my life’ all over again but on the route to that God has plenty to do through me and I’m just letting him in and letting him shine through me to what he wants in Santa Cruz and why he put me here.