wow

Goodness gracious where to begin! I only have a tiny bit of time so I'll just rabble and you can sort it out.

Today is Thursday and we have almost completed our first week of school! This week with all of the new people and the strict schedule has been difficult in many ways but also very good.

At times it's frusterating because I feel as if I'm being left behind during this 'get-to-know-everyone' phase because it's difficult for everyone to include me and Jesse, the other American girl, in when we don't really get what's going on. But, slowly we are getting to know other people through different groups we are put in and things like that. Many of the students are eager for us to teach them English so that's fun!!

yesterday we had a scavenger hunt all over the city basically. It was so crazy and fun! We ran most of the way, and now I'm sore. Because I also ran yesterday morning. Oh. I just have to tell you about the bay. Everyone has been talking about how beautiful it is, and yesterday I finally got to see it for myself! Absolutely one of the most beautiful sites I have ever seen. Just before dawn it's still dark and brisk. A city landscape in the background of a harbor full of little boats strewn about, all with little glowing lights. And off in the distance huge cargo ships and cruise ships with lights popping on as everyone wakes up and begins their duties. It's by far the best place I've ever went for a jog!

Okay about the school, our daily schedule is pretty hectic. We wake up at 5:30 (5am if you want to run), devotions at 6:30, breakfast at 7:30, class from 9-12:30 and then I have clean up after lunch which lasts till about 2pm then we have another art activity at 2:30 then dinner at 5:30 and class again from 7-9pm and bed at 10pm. Jesse and I have a translator..it's a different person more often than not. Not gonna lie, it's really difficult for me because I can understand quite a bit in Spanish, and so I get caught up listening to the speaker. But then I get lost and start listening to the translator, but most of the translators have pretty strong accents, so they aren't real clear either. Anyway, it's all good stuff, but requires a lot of focus and energy just to listen.

God is teaching me all sorts of things...difficult things to learn! But I'm excited that He is working in my life through these classes and this school, because that means that He will be able to use me even more as I become more like Him. Many times I find myself getting frusterated with the rules here and the way this particular base operates. But today I learned that even though there are things that I don't agree with..it's okay because by dealing with them and working through those things it will make me stronger.

It has been a huge blessing to have another American girl here to talk with. We get each other's funny reactions to things, and this makes me laugh. Today she told me that she was in the laundry room, listening to worship music with her eyes closed, when she suddenly felt something bite her foot. She opened her eyes to see a nasty rat crawling away!! AHHHHHH!!!! there's a rat in the house!!!! And so I told her how today when I was walking with some people to the mall, I heard this huge crash and saw something massive fall out of a tree. I looked over and saw this massive thing. It looked like a mini dinasaur!!! and all the people were like..oh that's an iguana. They are everywhere.   Give me a break! That was a mini T-REX! Anyway, lots of funny stuff like that. 

But anyway, overall things are going well. There are so many weird things here, but it's kinda fun to watch myself adapt to them. :) I love and miss you all so much! Hope you are well!