Happy.

I had a Harry Potter experience on the bus. Dread locks and all. I think the people of this city might be muggles. And the bus drivers are wizards on vacation. Watch this video and you'll understand. (And yes, people here do seem to drive as crazy as that!!) And then in class the next day, the next room over was playing the Harry Potter theme song.  It was wonderful.

Jokes. 
Two sausages were in a frying pan. Sausage 1 says “Man, it’s hot in here…” And sausage 2 says “AHHH! A TALKING SAUSAGE!”

Dos chorizos estaban en un sartén. El primer chorizo dice a otro . Y el segundo chorizo dice chorizo que habla!!>

I would like to tell you that I successfully told this joke in Spanish today. I’m grasping the humor faster and communicating much better already.

You gotta put yourself out there. You have to go with life. Que vaya con Dios... And wobble as often as you can. 

Home. Living in a loving environment changes everything. Spanish is base language in the house. It’s great. I think I speak more Spanish now that I’m in classes than I did when I was here all day. I can’t wait to talk to them when I get home.  Speaking of family, I do miss my family. Happy birthday, Matison. And I miss my friends. Congratulations on all your weddings and baby bumps; I can’t wait to congratulate you in person.

Academic:

I am enjoying my classes immensely! It’s difficult. But the University is beautiful. My professors are Australian and strange, Mohawks and British hair included. (I'm starting to think and talk to myself in a British/ Aussie accent because of them.) Yet they are brilliant and know how to teach teaching. I’m incredibly impressed.

Pray for my professors.

My classmates are… vulgar, brilliant, and incredibly normal.  Ecclesiastes 3 shed some light on my understanding them… they’ll do what they deem best: being happy in life. Yet God set eternity (and wonder!) in the hearts (yet they cannot understand it). I feel that they understand that we’re all just passing through this life. I just wish they know the truth.

Pray for my classmates,
Pray for one American student in particular...
he and I thrown much together in group work. Pray he sees Christ in me.

 I am the youngest in my group by 10 years. I have made a very sweet friend there, the only other female in my group. She’s probably in her 40s. I like her very much.

Pray for Marta.

The class work is intense. I think a lot. I absorb a lot. And then I have to do a lot. And that’s just a lot to keep up with! (Note the redundancy of my speech- a grammatical error.)

Pray for endurance. And the ability to do my class work with excellence.

Physics.

I’m doing alright. I’m starting to grow tired. Achy body. Stressed mind. I walk and ride the bus everyday… I try and wash my hand a lot. (My throat does hurt a bit from all the germs). On a break in the day, I take a siesta in the park just to relax my mind.  Sometimes I get ice cream. (Mom, thanks for teaching me the importance of ice cream and how it provides so much scope for the imagination.) Ice cream makes the world a better place.

Overall I’m eating well and drinking enough water (hear that, mum?). My body is adjusting very well and I haven’t had hardly any problems (GLORIA a Dios!).

I’ve made some very sweet friend here. There’s a core group- about 7 who attend the church here. They are servants, eager huggers, and cherished friends. I feel this beautiful and unconditional community has been bestowed upon me. I’m so undeserving of their grace. I’m so thankful for them, immensely thankful.

Adventuring in the mountains

Adventuring in the sand

The "rocky" sand

Spirit.

It’s hard to get in to The Word… my brain is full of classes. I’m gone from home basically sun up to sun down. And I’m not sure I want to read and dwell on Scripture at school. I feel strange enough already around my peers. (Ironically this is new- being around non Christians.)

Lake wandering (Cool candid credit to Sara).

Heart.

I’m genuinely happy here. I’m got something to focus on (academics). There are things to hope for. There is always someone to talk to, who cherishes me. (This country has really rocked my self-esteem in a good way).

Pray for opportunity to serve and practice humbleness.

Immense love, 
And much gratitude, 

Rachel

 Life is louder than thunder. I'm thankful for every moment. Ps 34:1.