i'm a midianite

I’m only allowed to upload two photos today, says my connection. Like I said in the last post, Mon through Wednesday this week was spent in Santa Cruz doing visa stuff. Lots of waiting, lots of back and forth. One of our stops included a urine test, bloodwork, weighin, height measurement (i’m still short), lung xrays. The medical exam paper directly translated to ‘physical exploration,’ causing a lot of laughter with my colleagues and myself. In our defense we were also very tired, and perhaps just needing a light moment. While in line at this physical exploration, we bumped into an English speaking man, who asked what we were doing there. We told him we were missionaries teaching at a school, mostly with Mennonite people. A conversation followed, during which he said, “Midianites? Wow, that’s even in the Bible!” Mennonites have become Midianites.
Boliva Tip #3: Bolivian pee cups are not waterproof.
Thursday and Friday were spent in teacher training workshops from 8 to 3. About 30 teachers, Low German, Spanish, English and High German altogether, from different Christian schools in the area. Lectures are in Spanish, with 3 different translators speaking to different areas of the room. These are informative, but exhausting on the brain (mostly the language part). I have definitely improved in my ability to understand low German already.

This is the back of the school. My music classroom is in the upper right, along the back wall. The gym (aka wide open green or dirt space) is right behind us.

One shot of my classroom. There’s still things from the previous year to move out, and a lot of work that needs to happen before it’s ready to use. First day of class is Feb 10!

This morning was a very loud thunderstorm. I woke up hoping to see some cool clouds and lightning bolts, but alas, it just all gray and sheet lightning. Tonight I am moving into a different guesthouse, for the next week or two, as my current room was prebooked. I do have housing from March till Dec though, a house that I’ll share with another teacher! So only during the month of Feb will I be floating around a bit.

As I’m about to publish this, a little cute gecko popped his head up on the wall beside my desk

some shots

if these photos didn't transfer, i'll insert them at a later date.

The side of the road shortly after leaving the airport. 38 Celsius, approx, palm trees and humid.

The view from my parents yard a couple days before I left. Maybe a 60 or 70 degree difference

I read the book The Invisible Children shortly before I came here. About a doctor and his experiences with street children in La Paz, Bolivia. Many of them deal with their very hard life with assistance from sniffing paint thinner. Sure enough, here was one on the side of the road.

Half motorcycle half U haul?

My temporary place to stay. The guesthouse is on the left, I’m sharing a room with another teacher (from a different school, but here for training), and there have been a couple guys from Winkler that were working on moving some school buildings staying in the other bedroom. The house on the right belongs to my hosts.

Went to the market in Pailon on the 23rd. You can buy DVDs in bags. This one has 4, all Sandra Bullock movies.

The last few days have been a lot of taxiing around to Santa Cruz and back (my mode of transportation for the next year) which is a little different than North American ways! I’ve been working on getting my visa here, which involves a whoole lot more than I anticipated. Mostly it means lots of driving and lots of waiting, without being able to understand anything. I’ll share more about that once I get further in the process, right now it’s just chaos.

I went to the school for the first time today, and got into my classroom. Lots of cleaning and moving instruments/supplies to be done. It is REALLY exciting to see where it’s all gonna happen, see the schoolyard and soccer field. I love it

Thank you for all your prayers, I feel like I’m being smoothly guided through everything and I know that’s not me at all!

its hot

Well hello from Bolivia! I left Manitoba bright and early on Jan 20th, went through Montreal, Miami, La Paz and finally got to Santa Cruz morning of the 21st. Flights and layovers were good, I didn’t sleep as much as I hoped. I did finish 3 books though. I was picked up by a missionary couple, we went for breakfast (yes, beans and rice were in there), then ran errands for a while as they don’t get into a big city that often.
Bolivia Tip #1: [When driving] “Just close your eyes and go.”
Bolivia Tip #2: The red light is more like a suggestion.
Police stand outside banks with shotguns. We paid a man to keep my suitcases safe in the back of the truck while we ate breakfast. Toilet paper does not go in the toilet. People put on sweaters when it gets down to 30C.
Annnyways, I got to my temporary place around 2 pm, where I immediately went to sleep. I woke up later on to drink some whatever, but slept till around 1 pm the next day. It was great. I am extremely thankful that my room has AC. My apartment in MB was usually kept somewhere inbetween 16 and 18 C, here my room feel very comfortable when I get it down to 28. Perspectives! My hosts are very busy with multiple things, including attending a wedding, so I only met them for the first time today (the 23rd). Their children and another teacher were my hosts in the meantime, and they were very welcoming. I haven’t done much since I got here, slept, read, drink water. Things like visa paperwork and teacher training will start up next week!
Tonight 2 teachers and myself took a taxi to Pailon, the nearest town, for supper and to walk around the market areas. Very South American/spanish/warm climate. There were bright colours everywhere, all varieties of motorbikes, dogs, the orange roofs. It’s beautiful. It was a wonderful evening.

Prayer requests:
I haven’t actually done any lesson planning prep yet! This is a stressful thing in my brain.
A place to put my head down at night. I’m currently staying in a guesthouse but it isn’t a permanent situation.
That I’ll learn Spanish overnight? Doing everyday things like grocery shopping will require me knowing some Spanish, so I hope I can learn some quickly!

Thankful!!:
Safe travels everywhere I’ve gone.
Everyone I’ve met has been so extremely welcoming and friendly.
Our Father is a good, good Father.

the beginning

What am I doing?

That’s a really great question.

I’ll say what I know. On January 20^th, I’ll be heading south to Bolivia. It’s a teaching position with Misión Evangélica Mennonita, a mission organization working among the Mennonite people in Bolivia. One of the things that has made this opportunity absolutely perfect is the subjects I’ll be teaching; Physical Education and Music, two things which I love and have been involved with a lot throughout my life. There also might be a chance to be teaching adult English classes in the evenings. The school is in Villa Nueva, which is in the Santa Cruz area, with about 150 children attending from K-12. The school year typically runs from February to November, but I’m told “This is Bolivia” meaning it could go into December. This specific school is taught mostly in Spanish, with some Low German and English courses. With me not being able to speak either of those languages, their gym and music programs will also be taught in English.
To be honest, I don’t know what it will all look like yet because it’s all come up very quickly! I’m really REALLY excited about this next year, I think the way God has made me with my specific set of gifts and passions is just a beautiful fit for this job. I am eager to see what will all come about, the relationships to be built, and witnessing the very unique way that God will work in my life and the others around me.
I’m hoping to keep some sort of regular updates on here, as well as just how my day is going or whatever I want to write, we’ll see how that’ll go. Please feel free to talk to me, email or facebook is perfectly safe. Also, I would greatly welcome prayer. Right now my concerns are getting all the last minute details done in the next 3 days; that I could be culturally sensitive and at the same time not be timid or retreat by myself; that I will be willing to fill the needs there to the best of my abilities and not just bring my North American thought process and think it’s the only way. I am extremely grateful to our Father for how different friends, family, and church family have come together and  purchased things I need to go, helped me pack up and move furniture/household stuff (something I struggle with so much!), straight up given me money, covered fees, and helped me make decisions when my brain has reached the end. I’m also thankful for how supportive everyone is. It is quite affirming to have so many people be so excited and on board with what I’m doing, without a question or a doubt that God is clearly conducting this choir.
For now, I’m finishing up my last weekend in Canada playing at a youth retreat with my worship team. It’s been a crisp -35C for the last few days and it is beautiful out on the lake.
Goodnight all