Tips for the WWOOFer

1. Sunblock
2. Bandana: perfect for pirateness, can get wet and put on your head to cool off, use as towel (my fav usage since I lack one)
3. Sleeping bag and extra blanket
4. Good hiking boots or walking shoes
5. Work gloves
6. Water proof jacket with hood
7. Kaki pants/shorts
8. Dark t-shirts/long sleeves

Thoughts in Argentina

So on Monday I had my cash stolen from me totaling 300 US dollars. It was in my backpack not out in the open in a bandaid box. I assumed it would be fine, but when I returned to my room that evening my money and crackers oddly enough were missing. I was upset obviously and have no idea how it disapeared. Then I started thinking, well I have my passport and debit card, and my health and family. Then I continued pondering, it's just money right? God will provide whatever I need, and while this sucks, there are many worse things to have happen. I could lose a member of my family, or get seriously hurt. Here I am in another country with a savings account that has enough money to keep me going until I get home, and then I have the oportunity to work to get my missing money "back," and I feel I'm selfish. I remembered my friend Nichole, and how her brother Logan drowned last summer, and I know she would pay $300 or even $1,000 to have him back, and exchange getting money stolen to have him back. I have all my family and my little brother. How can you price a life, or even a trip. I never have thought of myself as a woe is me person but I had that moment, and there is not a reason. Nichole even keeps moving on in life, and is one of the strongest people I know. There isn't always a reason for bad things happening, but it is important to keep moving forward, and hopefully whoever took my money turns their life around.

Argentina Blog Numero 1

Well update and notice that my blog now has a new section about Argentina. My time in Valdivia was absolutely wonderful, and I really miss everyone. The highlights of my last week was going to the beach with Pablo and playing cards, Christmas with my host fam, New Years in La Union, and my last night at El Bunker with my awesome Chilean friends. I successfully sent 2 boxes to the US and ate some delicious ice cream that was chocolate and vanilla mixed at a side shop on the street in Valdivs. Last night I had this weird feeling and was unsure of where I had felt it before cause it was familiar. Then it hit me as the night before the first day of school, and I haven't felt that feeling for years. But with my awesome Spanish skills and the aid of Consuelo and a yummy chocolate cereal for breakfast I made it to El Bolson to where I am going to be WWOOFing and I am excited. I feel it will be so much fun. I lost my sleeping bag though somehow, so I'm frustrated about that but now I have to go buy a new one which sucks, but what can you do right? At least I still have my pasaporte so I can get to the other countries. I LOVE ARGENTINA and can not wait to see where my adventures lead me until I depart to Peru. I miss you guys. But here is a little info about where I'm staying in Argentina. I am staying in a mudish adobe house with another girl volunteer named Ericka. She is wonderful and from Portland. We are talking in Spanish, and enjoyed a salad and tea together for dinner. We are going to be going to bed soon cause we have a lot of work in the morning, but I'm excited to see where it leads. Really I'm just on God's good humor and it's wonderful being away. I don't have my camera chord anymore, so you have to wait till I get home to see them but I'll continue I promise. hearts.

New Years In La Union

Well the year 2011 has finally come. And where was I to celebrate the beginning of the 3rd decade of my life? That's right, I was in Chile. In La Union to be precise with my friend Pablo and his family. I had a lot of fun and it was probably one of the greatest New Years I have had for awhile. First of, this family is one of the sweetest and most welcoming family I have met abroad and in the states. I felt like another daughter and absolutely love them all. I loved hanging out with my friend Pablo and meeting his friends too. Great practice with my Spanish and new oportunites to meet cool people. We had a delicious dinner on New Years Eve as a family complete with strawberry wine and lamb. Which when cooked on the bbq is my lover. I am going to miss it when I go back to the states. We talked and laughed and put on masks to watch the celebration count down in Santiago on TV. It was so pretty watching the fireworks and everything. When the countdown ended 5 hours before western washington and we hugged and toasted to the new year with champagne and pineapple icecream in it. So good. Or en Espanol: Fue rico. Then we sat and Pablo and his oldest brother played the guitar and they sang. I didn't know much of the songs but the singing was so much fun, and everyone joined in to sing and it was just lovely. Spanish folk music is my other lover. (Pablo likes using this phrase.) We then went to his friend's house and met up with the other people and drank some more and talked. Then they sang for like 3 hours and we were up until 8 in the morning. Then I went to sleep and woke up and we had lunch and talked and relaxed all day. Then in the evening we watched a movie, but I went to bed before it was even 30 minutes in it. I taught the boys how to play cribbage, and they thought it was fun. I loved my time with the family, and can't wait to visit again.

Also an interesting fact about Chilean New Years is it is very superstitious. There is a custom Maria Pablo's sister did was she took her luggage and ran around the house. This symbolizes good travel for the new year. There are others, but I am failing to remember them. All in all very fun.

Important Announcement!

Ok everyone. This blog is the inside of my heart and mind and I'm clearing some things up that you might be wondering about. First of all, making the decision to travel abroad was one of the best decisions, I have ever made, and also the best and hardest thing I have ever done in my 2 decades of life. In all honesty I don't really know what I am doing. There have been many options available to me that I have thought about doing. It was very hard for me to decide what to do. I know at first my plan was to study in Valdivia, then go to Santiago for 2 months to help out with the missionaries, then return to Valdivia to study. Then I decided to not return to school until fall so that opened up more time for me to do stuff. Then because I was lazy my opportunity to work with the missionaries passed and I had to figure something else out. I looked into a program in Ecuador where I would work in a hostel. They however never responded so I had to figure out something else to do. I came across a program in Peru to help out in an orphanage, and am for sure doing that. Then I decided to sign up with WWOOFers to help out in organic farms in Argentina. I never meant to seem like a lier with these changes and I apologize or any issues it might have caused anyone reading or in my life. I believe I have a final outline of what I am going to do. Here it is if you are interested; On January 3rd I am leaving Valdivia and going to Argentina to work on an organic farm until the end of January. Then I am going to fly to Peru and work in the orphanage from February to April. Then I am unsure what is going to happen. I am not returning to the states until June. But as I figure out what I am doing you will all know. Once again I'm sorry for the confusion, and thank you for your support in my adventures abroad. hearts.

Christmas in Chile

Yumm

The Table

 Feliz Navidad! Yes today is Christmas, and currently I am listening to "Celtic Christmas" and various other christmas songs on ITunes. As many of you know I had the opportunity to celebrate it in Chile with my host family. I did not have much idea what was going to happen, and at times neither did my host family. But, it ended up being very fun and I want to share with you all what I did these past few days. Yesterday was the 24th and we did not do much during the day. Then in the evening we had a very nice dinner. Then after dinner we opened presents. I got my host family some really neat things, and they got me some pretty earrings and a beautiful artesan necklace. I saw them all the time at markets, but never bought one. So I am please to have one now. It was a very relaxing evening, and we watched Hook together. That was fun and then Cecilia went to sleep, and I watched The Grinch and Rudolph in Spanish. Twas very fun. I also played cribbage against myself and won. Haha I need to find people to play with. My family in the states really knew what would make me happy. Even though I am very far from them, I know they still love me, and the reality is Christmas is about love and celebrating the greatest expression of love. God gave us Jesus so we could live forever. Wow. That's pretty lazer in itself. Tonight I'll be going out probably with some Chilean friends so that should be nice, but I am not forgetting the reason for the season. And the kindness should last all year. Lets do little acts of love each day to help the world. That's the best way to be like Jesus. Love people for who they are and help. Happy Christmas everyone! Feliz Navidad, prospero año y felizidad. hearts.

Cecilia y Gustavo

Table with food

Cecilia y Yo

Chile Blog Numero 8

School is officially finished! And my grades were not that bad actually. I passed all my classes with C+'s to B's. Pretty good for a hardcore semester. Now I get to chill in Valdivia with my friends and host family. Yesterday was really fun when we went to the "campo" Gustavo's dad's mother's home in the country of Valdivia. It was hermosa. A spanish word for gorgeous land that describes the country side best. It was huge and had a beautiful view of a blue/green lake with the mountains, and green trees surrounding the lake. It was peaceful, and I loved just staring at the lake for long periods of time. We had an "asado" a bbq of sorts and I had lamb. It was different but good. I rather enjoyed it. And I listened to a lot of chilean spanish. They thought I was one of them until I told them I was from the states, but they enjoyed asking me about my travels and about Washington. I really miss it and my mountain. Also I'm listening to Dosed by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, and it is a really good song look it up. I love going to family events because it makes me feel like I'm home. I miss my family so much. But soon I will see them. We also had the most epic storm ever.  It rained and hailed so hard a little smaller than a penny in size. And there was thunder and lightening. I love storms so this made me excited. Also Strawberry Wine is delicious.

It's funny because it is summer here, so I'm celebrating Christmas in the summer and I just have to say X-mas songs in the summer, weird. haha But it should be an interesting celebration. I've got to do some shopping, but think I'll go look at the street venders and their crafts or something. Thanks again for the support everyone. hearts!