hola!!

well, i got back today from camping, about 30 minutes from Quito (a big city in ecuador)...it was definately good to get away, a little vacation if you will...it was a little weird being with 2 other familes besides my own, but it was nice! we camped in the mountains...it was beautiful! the stars were incredible and almost the best ive seen, second to switzerland! it is always amazing how God speaks to you in simple nature things...i love it!

its amazing how the creator of the incredible universe loves me and you just the same! i was reading in david crowder's book, praise habit: finding god in sunsets and sushi...its about the pslams..and i was reading psalm 96 while i was camping...and it talks about "lets hear it from the sky, with earth joining in, and a huge round of applause from teh sea..." it was neat bc the wind was so powerful there...and i just thought about how creation can worship god too...and maybe thats why the wind is so powerful at times...just a thought :) its cool to think about waves/the sea worshiping God! ill never look at the sea the same again :)

in quito, there are malls, and its developing like the states...its nice to visit there...but as a missionary, i wouldnt want to live in quito ...bc its really similair to the states...i would rather be more isolated in shell, with less distractions such as materialism adn selfishness...etc...i am grateful that i am in shell!

also, i met another couple my age :) who just graduated from valporaiso university and just got married and are staying in quito area for a year! it was great to talk to them...she was also reading the same book i am, through the gates of splendor..talks about history of nate saint and martyrs who basically founded the missionary basis here in shelll...either way, it was great to talk to them..and hopefully catch up with them later!

i finally almost have ALL of my things i brought from teh states...my box of scchool things arrived today! im really excited...i only have a week and a half to get my room and curriculum all ready! im nervous and excited!

today i was able to walk around shell and see things and kinda explore..i was meeting a lady here, tracy who works with MAF , her husband is a pilot...and we went to get hot chocolate and empandadas with aji (spicy sauce)...it was nice to get out of my little apt :) i also was able to call my dad and talk for a little bit! that was nice, it was funny bc i called him on his cell and he was walking a dog :)

well....long day tomorrow...excited to start my life here...i think im going to enjoy it :) god is already teaching me so many things!

hasta luego mis amigas!

well...all continues to go well here! i have my luggage..and have been able to have coffee and go for runs...so all is good :) tomorrow, i am leaving to go camping around quito with the johnsons and a family in quito who used to live in shell! it should be very interesting..but im hoping it will be an enjoyable time before schooL! when i get back, i will have a final week to get ready for schooL!!!!!!! i cant believe it!

i am having a hard time figuring out how i will teach a multi grade classroom...but i am researching...so hopefully i can get a good system down! i am really looking forward to trying something new :)

hope all is well! love and miss you all~!

shell pics!

this is a pic of the bridge i cross from the compound to get to the school...beautiful jungle views on each view...with a river running through also :)view on the right side..if you look close, you can see the andes mtns in the background!

ABOVE IS MY CLASSROOM...STILL IN PROGRESS :)

THIS IS MY APARTMENT :) I LIVE IN A "DUPLEX" :)

finally...i met some people around my age!!

i ran into a girl, laura yesterday who grew up in pike township, right near carmel indiana! we knew a lot of the same places, etc...and her husband grew up in fort wayne! it was really nice to talk to her...and i think she enjoyed talking too...bc she has an 11 month old baby...and she can get overwhelmed...

yesterday was pretty boring...but its ok...i went out to eat with the whitehead family...i will be teaching their litte girl, lydia...at a place called la flor de canella....i had the basic steak...wasnt anything special...it was fun though...

today i am going to a quicha indian church in shell with laura at 8:30...were not really sure how to get there...so i hope we find it ok...and i hope i dont fall asleep...bc i wont understand a bit of the sermon!!! :)

TODAY IS MY MOM'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!

NICK MCCORD PROPOSED TO jAIME!!!!!!!! I AM SOOO HAPPY FOR THEM :):):)

right before i turned on my computer, a cochroach crawled out from under it...and then ran away...i caught it and smashed it in my bedroom doorway with an old lesson plan book...and i dont think im going to pick it up until the morning :) i really really dont like bugs...

its raining hard for the first time today...

spent some good time in my classroom...finally starting to look as good as it can...i still have a lot of work to do...

dinner with the johnsons...and the whiteheads...the family of a girl that will be in my class, lydia..she is really sweet...theyre taking me out for dinner tomorrow night for pizza in puyo...

i locked myself on my deck today :) tiwce in a week! bc it happened in chicago too :) hmmmm....

sorry...turn your head :) this is a pic of my living room :) it looks bigger than it is :)

i have termites...and its very common here!! (in this pic, the mites are right by the wood in the far right hand corner :)) each morning i wake up and see small piles of tan dots on the floor, around wood borders around doors, walls, etc! sometimes in the middle of the floor, which i cant really figure out! i asked what i do with them, and im just supposed to sweep them up...then throw them outside, where they find their way back inside to do some more damage :) bug spray doesent kill them, just slows them down :)

missionaries really live the life here...in shell, the gringos are considered upper class...bc most of them have cars, money (compared to ecuadorians), and nice houses...its kind of a weird feeling, bc i dont want others to think that i think im better than them...its like...whats the point of being a missionary?? theres a lot of politics that go into being a missionary...and i dont know if i feel so good about sleeping in a bed, when it seems like the missionaries should be having not so nice places to live in...mind you, places and things are a little cheaper here....

i went shopping today and bought some random food items at a local place, its kind of like paying 7-11 prices on things you could get a lot cheaper at wall-mart....but there really arent a lot of choices...i mean, there are 3 places to buy food in shell...unless i travel elsewhere...

my luggage is still not here yet, im hoping for tomorrow!

i visited my classroom today and cleared out a lot of OLD junk and random things...i just need to make it my own room...the last teacher was 70 yrs old!!! wow..i cant believe that :) im really excited to teach...were going to have a lot of fun! i think its been awhile where there has been a qualified teacher at nate saint...its weird to think taht i could be getting paid to do the same job in teh states...but i always did say i would teach for volunteer...so there ya go :)

tonight i went to the johnsons to play cinq-o with their daughter hannah...and watched 7th heaven on dvd :) pretty happening night life in shell :) its ok though :)

a great pic of jack and pam EMLY :) at their beautiful and fun wedding :) i am so happy for them!

im here

hello all!!! well, i arrived in quito ecuador on monday, july 18th..about one hour late...to find that my bags were somewhere in the states, but not in quito..so i waited in line for another half hour...and it wasnt bad..i just felt bad bc people were waiting for me to pick me up :) but everything was ok...right now, my bags are at the hcjb headquarters in quito, so i should get my bags on sunday (good thing i packed a little clothes and one pair of extra undies :))

its good to be back in shell..i feel as if i am at home, and feel really comfortable...my apartment is right on the compound with the other missionaries, so im not secluded...which is nice...last night i had dinner with the johnson family...who also led our trip here when i came for spring break! i found out that their son, caleb will be in my classroom starting in january :) which will be interesting, challenging, and fun!

i saw my classroom today! wow...its small...and will seem cramped with only 7 students, really...i will have 6 boys and 1 girl :) it will be a challenge...there are 4 teachers at nate saint and about 25 or less students!! can you believe it?? there isnt much there...but its ok! im really glad i brought some of my favorite things from the states to put in my classroom!

today i had lunch with the hcjb women at the tea planation restaurant (taylor peeps...we went there...its the place with the really pretty gardens) and had cheese fondue! it was really good! i also went to the fruit and veggie market today in shell and bought cilantro, spinach, 2 green peppers, 2 red onions, 1/2 lb strawberries, and 1/2 lb green beans for $1.90!!! in the states, it wouldve cost about 10-20 dollars!
i just had dinner with a couple here, frances and arthur...it was really nice! i wont have to fix any meals for myself for awhile :)

its just a different life here...and im looking forward to having some time to myself and getting to know the community better...as well as getting my classroom in order...
thank you for all of your prayers!! ill post pictures as soon as i figure out how to :)