OKAY. so yesterday morning i called my best friend ali to check up on her and to say hello. we were just chatting about my time here, and about how things were at home. i started to tell her how i was trying to convince my parents to send my little brother here to visit, but i didn't really think it would happen (which it isn't, but it's okay), and i had the brilliant idea that ali should come down! yes just a brilliant idea. she loved the idea, told me she'd talk to her parents and see if they'd help (since her 21st birthday is on May 16th). she told me she'd talk to them in the afternoon and for me to call when i got home from shift.
i went to shift thinking... i wonder if this is really going to happen, i really really really hope it does. it would make this trip just that much better.
i got home and called her. the first thing she said was, when is the best time for me to come, and when is your flight home. she was at the computer trying to get a flight. she's really coming!!!!
wow. i can't believe how excited i am. it's going to be so much fun!
4.28.2008
4.27.2008
brain dump
life here has made me realize many things, appreciate many things, and grow to love many things...
-i try to talk to my family about once (if not more) a week. i have always cared for them so much, but being here has made me love them much much much more. being around these children everyday, who have no real family, who have been abandoned, neglected, or parents who don't have the necessities to take care of the children. family is the most important thing in my life. i will never ever take them for granted. my grandma and grandpa lewis, and my auntie glenna, they are lights in my life, amazing, caring, loving people. i love them.
-this week we lost a baby and got a new baby at one of the orphanages. the little baby boy, six months old, passed away wednesday morning. when i got home from shift at another orphanage one of the girls told us what had happened. i was in complete shock. i thought i'd start crying, because that is usually what i do when i am sad, but really i am happy for his little soul. sounds opposite, i know. BUT- he is in a happier place, a celestial being. life here wasn't headed in the happiest direction. being abandoned as a newborn, he didn't have much to look foward to. r.i.p. in peace little one. this last monday we the police brought a new baby to the same orphanage. he turned a week old this last friday. he was three days old when the police found him in a trash can. i had night shift wednesday night after the news of the death of the baby, but i had the opportunity to take care of new life. i have never done this before, but his little body, and spirit, put me on the edge of tears. it was a feeling i will never forget.
-i love my friends. the words and support they give me comfort me. ali, i know you have had a rough last few weeks, but i love you girl, and i'm grateful for you! hillary, you are such a happy person and it makes me happy, i love you girl. to any other friends i haven't mentioned, you know who you are, you have made me a better person, and i appreciate that.
-living with thirteen other girls has been sort of a challenge for me. i have never lived away from home, or with roommates for that matter. i've learned paitence, forgiveness, and how to just let people be who they are.
-i try to talk to my family about once (if not more) a week. i have always cared for them so much, but being here has made me love them much much much more. being around these children everyday, who have no real family, who have been abandoned, neglected, or parents who don't have the necessities to take care of the children. family is the most important thing in my life. i will never ever take them for granted. my grandma and grandpa lewis, and my auntie glenna, they are lights in my life, amazing, caring, loving people. i love them.
-this week we lost a baby and got a new baby at one of the orphanages. the little baby boy, six months old, passed away wednesday morning. when i got home from shift at another orphanage one of the girls told us what had happened. i was in complete shock. i thought i'd start crying, because that is usually what i do when i am sad, but really i am happy for his little soul. sounds opposite, i know. BUT- he is in a happier place, a celestial being. life here wasn't headed in the happiest direction. being abandoned as a newborn, he didn't have much to look foward to. r.i.p. in peace little one. this last monday we the police brought a new baby to the same orphanage. he turned a week old this last friday. he was three days old when the police found him in a trash can. i had night shift wednesday night after the news of the death of the baby, but i had the opportunity to take care of new life. i have never done this before, but his little body, and spirit, put me on the edge of tears. it was a feeling i will never forget.
-i love my friends. the words and support they give me comfort me. ali, i know you have had a rough last few weeks, but i love you girl, and i'm grateful for you! hillary, you are such a happy person and it makes me happy, i love you girl. to any other friends i haven't mentioned, you know who you are, you have made me a better person, and i appreciate that.
-living with thirteen other girls has been sort of a challenge for me. i have never lived away from home, or with roommates for that matter. i've learned paitence, forgiveness, and how to just let people be who they are.
4.20.2008
party party party
this last thursday we attended the Mana concert here in Quito. they are a pretty popular latino band. it was a bllllast! everyone (including the fam) have asked "is that really safe?", well it was. i didn't feel indangered at all. we went with our directors, who actually had the idea to go. not all the girls went, but seven of us did go.
when we arrived there were SO many people! we waited while Angel (one of our directors) went and found the fastest possible way for us to get into the stadium. we stuck out like a sore thumb... most of us being blonde, and Lindsay being 6'2" and me being 5'9". we finally got in, they had american music playing so we all started dancing. we got some great looks from every SINGLE person around us. it was great. lindsay tried to talk one of the security guys into letting us up closer, he wouldn't do it!
the concert finally started. i LOVED it. it was such a grrrreat time!
these are our directors, the Chicaizas. amazing people!
this last thursday we also got new girls... i will have to admit it has been hard to train them. i'm now feeling what the girls felt when i first got here. one thing i have most definitely learned while i've been here is patience. i do like my roommates, one from the OC, and the other from blackfoot, idaho. they are both cuties.
this next half is going to go fast i feel... but i know it's going to be a good time.
when we arrived there were SO many people! we waited while Angel (one of our directors) went and found the fastest possible way for us to get into the stadium. we stuck out like a sore thumb... most of us being blonde, and Lindsay being 6'2" and me being 5'9". we finally got in, they had american music playing so we all started dancing. we got some great looks from every SINGLE person around us. it was great. lindsay tried to talk one of the security guys into letting us up closer, he wouldn't do it!
the concert finally started. i LOVED it. it was such a grrrreat time!
these are our directors, the Chicaizas. amazing people!
this last thursday we also got new girls... i will have to admit it has been hard to train them. i'm now feeling what the girls felt when i first got here. one thing i have most definitely learned while i've been here is patience. i do like my roommates, one from the OC, and the other from blackfoot, idaho. they are both cuties.
this next half is going to go fast i feel... but i know it's going to be a good time.
4.17.2008
much too long
it's been much too long since my last post, and i apologize about that. i've finally decided to sit down and update.
life over the last few weeks has been very hectic. i've been pulling 60 hour weeks. wow. we've been to the jungle, Mindo, a little town about 2 hours away. while there we went ziplining, hiking to a waterfall, and white water rafting. it was absolutley incredible!
the ziplining was a thirteen zipline course, and there were babes that worked there (i'm having boy withdrawls, ha!). the course ran over the jungle, over the canopy, it was beautiful! we then hiked to a waterfall, through the jungle. after that we white water rafting, it was a interesting, yet thrilling experience to say the least. it was a great day trip.
now moving on... life here is great. i'm used to being here, i've come to realize how much i really do love these children. i don't even know how to explain it. we took the babies on a field trip to go swimming, on the way home, the little girl i took fell asleep on my lap, i can't explain the feeling i had. these children love everyone, a love that i've never felt. i guess i felt the love of a mother... they are amazing!
i've come to love the girls i live with more and more. yes i have had many frustrations with the way they may treat the others in the house, but i've tried to do my part in being a good roommate and friend. i've definitely learned some patience. our "old girls" leave tomorrow morning early, and "new girls" come tonight. i'm nervous for new girls, but i will know how they feel, i've been in their position. it's my goal to welcome them, make them feel good here, unlike i was treated. i will miss the girls i've been here with. i've made new friends.
well i'm half way. been here five weeks today. craziness. life is good.
life over the last few weeks has been very hectic. i've been pulling 60 hour weeks. wow. we've been to the jungle, Mindo, a little town about 2 hours away. while there we went ziplining, hiking to a waterfall, and white water rafting. it was absolutley incredible!
the ziplining was a thirteen zipline course, and there were babes that worked there (i'm having boy withdrawls, ha!). the course ran over the jungle, over the canopy, it was beautiful! we then hiked to a waterfall, through the jungle. after that we white water rafting, it was a interesting, yet thrilling experience to say the least. it was a great day trip.
now moving on... life here is great. i'm used to being here, i've come to realize how much i really do love these children. i don't even know how to explain it. we took the babies on a field trip to go swimming, on the way home, the little girl i took fell asleep on my lap, i can't explain the feeling i had. these children love everyone, a love that i've never felt. i guess i felt the love of a mother... they are amazing!
i've come to love the girls i live with more and more. yes i have had many frustrations with the way they may treat the others in the house, but i've tried to do my part in being a good roommate and friend. i've definitely learned some patience. our "old girls" leave tomorrow morning early, and "new girls" come tonight. i'm nervous for new girls, but i will know how they feel, i've been in their position. it's my goal to welcome them, make them feel good here, unlike i was treated. i will miss the girls i've been here with. i've made new friends.
well i'm half way. been here five weeks today. craziness. life is good.
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