So.... Can it be that Thanksgiving is passed and Christmas is on its way? It must be the case as we lit the first Advent candle at mass on Sunday, but I think maybe it´s all one big trick, because the weather´s only getting hotter, and my little mind doesn´t understand. On Thursday I helped hang up Christmas decorations at the dispensario, which actually did increase my excitement for the coming of Christmas. Now we just need to have a snowflake making party at our house and start decorating our casa.
Now that we´re beginning to tackle our 5th month in Ecuador, I´ve got my routine and my work and my neighbors and my housemates and, well, life in Ecuador, and I´m living it. And now that we´re into it a bit, I´m accustomed to a lot of things that used to seem like such chores. I´m learning more Spanish, though there are still daily language frustrations. With an increase in understanding of Spanish comes a deeper understanding of who my neighbors are and how they live. Their situations are becoming a little more real to me, and I´m giving more and more of my heart to this place and these people. Our neighbor Wellington told the retreat group a few days ago that he loves everything about Ecuador. The only thing he doesn´t like is having to say goodbye to the volunteers every year. It´s tough knowing that as soon as we build these relationships we´ll be leaving, but there´s a reason for it.
Ok, so here it is, what I´m learning in Ecuador:
-how to fend for myself -how to think about how my decisions will affect others with every little choice I make -often failing to be selfless but still learning to remind myself to be -Spanish -some cooking skills -what it feels like to be winged by a live turkey on the bus -the joy of warm bread in the morning -to be thankful for a shower whether it´s long and hot or short and cold -that there´s no such thing as a quick run to the corner store -the quirks of my housemates -that "dame-ing la mano" (the sign of peace) at Comunidad de Base really makes me happy -the absurdity of life sometimes -patience (again and again and again) -how to push myself and give more than I thought I could -how to think of the other first even if, again, I often fail to do so -the joy of relationships and conversations -what´s really important and what´s not -that hearing little Rosita try to pronounce "Jennifer" brings me joy -How funny occassional hilarious miscommunications as we gringos try to communicate can be (I just want to order a pizza!) -that kids charging me with open arms and huge smiles ALWAYS makes me smile too, no matter how I was feeling before that moment -that I really like using the word chuzo -that my neighbor Walter knows some darn funny riddles -that I need to remind myself over and over that it´s all a journey, it´s all poco a poco.
There are many reasons to be joyful and thankful and many reasons to celebrate. There are also plenty of things to be sad about and angry about. But we´ve got one common hope, and there´s reason to continue. Siga no mas.
Jenny
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."Gal 5:13-14
Posts
3 years ago