Was taught a new dodgeball-esque type game (I was bad at it)...
Read to the girls from "Harry Potter y La Cámara Secreta" (Chamber of Secrets) for over an hour (reading out loud or being read out loud to is one of my favorite things ever, in any language)...
Was told very mock-concernedly that I should have a third bowl of soup because "Emily, you're too pale" (followed by raucous laughter)...
Answered approximately 800 questions about what "Los Estados Unidos" are like...
Was told that I have to marry a Bolivian man because then I can have half-Bolivian children...
Watched a sweet 13-year-old breastfeed her 5-month-old baby...
Had a conversation with a 14-year-old where she told me that she loves living at Mosoj Yan because she didn't know "the love of God" before and now she does...
Reached to tuck the same girl's hair behind her ear and as I did so saw the scars on her face hidden behind her bangs- she was abandoned as a baby and taken in by a woman who physically abused her for years...
Walked past more beggars than I chose to count, trying not to think about if I'm ignoring them really because I believe there are more strategic ways to help or because I don't want to think about how I don't know what to do with the fact that my God loves them...
Helped with dinner by peeling several potatoes with a knife, each in one long strip (my proudest Bolivian accomplishment thus far)...
Sat on a stool with my host mom chopping said potatoes while Dimelsa (13 year old host sister) stood behind me putting a bunch of tiny braids in my hair...
Watched Cinderella in Spanish with the host sibs...
Read and got comfort from Rilke (and wondered when I turned into such a HNGR cliche)...
Met up with friends of Ryan and Kendra's who are missionaries here for great conversation and a delicious dinner (cooked from the More with Less cookbook, too, yeah!)...
Learned how to say "Mom" in Quechua (my host parents' first language) and started calling my host mother that (Mamai), and heard it returned with the Quechua term for daughter (Wawai).
I realize that this is sort of a random assortment of experiences. Reading Harry Potter and physical abuse; dodgeball and children feeding their children. Laughter and joy, sitting next to pain.
But that's pretty much my time here.
I wouldn't trade any of it.
But that's pretty much my time here.
I wouldn't trade any of it.
This week I realized that I am just under half-way through my time in Bolivia. And wondered- is that only half-way through, or already half-way through?
At times it's felt like both, but overall- definitely already. I would give more than I can count to see certain faces or hear certain voices (not just over Skype), but three more months feels short.
I am thankful.
At times it's felt like both, but overall- definitely already. I would give more than I can count to see certain faces or hear certain voices (not just over Skype), but three more months feels short.
I am thankful.
4 comments:
I'm mucho impressed that you can peel potatoes so well...I want that skill.
I love this post- like all the others :) Thanks for sharing
Heather, I love you.
Matt, Thank you, and... I know, right?!!! It rocks. I'll teach you when I get home. (And I also love you, as well).
I want in on that potatoe peeling lesson!!
Emily, you amaze me...sometimes I wish I could have your mind.
I really enjoyed catching up on all that is going on inside of you! I miss talking with you and now I'm even more determined to get that skype date scheduled asap! I'll be booting some things out to make room ;)
I really appreciated your post about the 2 Emilys...I can relate to that for sure.
Love you and miss you!!!
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