In the last few days, I have been surrounded with some of my absolute favorite things. I've been surrounded by colors, bright and beautiful, people, sweet and simple, and nature that shows God's finest handiwork. Cobblestone streets, crazy drivers, and Spanish constantly surrounds me as I yearn to learn. It's funny how the language has struck me since I arrived. In the States Spanish is so easy to drown out, but here, I have no choice but to try to pick apart every piece of it, hoping that one day I can speak as they do. I'm completely overwhelmed with gratitude, peace, confusion, and information overload. I have learned more in the last 4 days than I did in the last month I spent in the States. I've been sucking information in like my life depends on it (because it does) and trying my best to live and breathe the culture as if it was my own. It's not as hard as I thought it would be. I'm not as nervous or sad as I thought. I'm just me, living in the place I like to call home.
The family I am living with is precious and absolutely wonderful, yet it is in that house that I have found my biggest frustration: not knowing the language. I feel stupid most of the time because I have an answer to the questions they ask me, and I understand full well what they are saying, but for the life of me, I can't find the words to respond and so I just smile meekly and say, "Si", "Esta bien", "Gracias", or "Okay", and most of the time a complete combination of the four.
Today was the first day I had access to the internet since I got here. It's funny how much I didn't really miss it. In the time between getting on the plane and now, I have learned to play chess, tried loads of new foods, learned to drive a standard in Guatemala, watched movies, walked around town just for fun (does that ever really happen in the States?), visited the places I have come to love the most, laughed with my dad and brother, and experienced my new life to the absolute fullest. I love it more than I may even know. Though it is my job to communicate with people in the States, I really don't want to spend my life on my computer, at least not for the first little while. I'm trying really hard to adapt to this new culture, language, people, etc, and english, and the internet isn't much help in that situation, so balance is key.
I know many of you have a million questions that you want answered about my life here, but the truth is that I don't really have the answers yet. I'm a huge jumble of emotions. I am content. I am relieved. I am thankful. I am free.
engadiministries.org
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