Sometimes Language Barriers Aren't Barriers At All

It doesn't seem like it's only been two weeks since I got back from Nicaragua. Going there was such a great experience, even though there were some setbacks the last couple days before leaving!

This was the team I went with from Shandon Baptist Church Singles Ministry. We were waiting in the Columbia Airport to begin our journey!

In addition to our own luggage, we brought 11 of those plastic bins with us filled with 200 toiletry bags, Spanish Bibles, toys, games, and other things to give out at the Barrio (which is the Spanish word for neighborhood/community).

This was the altar of the church in the Barrio where we spent a lot of our time.

There wasn't any pavement in the Barrio, so this is what the roads looked like. We went during the rainy season, and it poured down rain every day almost like clockwork. The first day we tried getting the vehicles back there but we got stuck several times and had to push the van out of the mud. So instead of getting stuck all the time, we would just walk from the road back to the barrio. This particular picture is where I got stuck (walking mind you) in the mud, my friend had to pull on me to get me "free"!

This is just a picture from in the barrio. That is someone's house.

Like I said, it rained EVERY day, but that didn't stop the kids from having some fun! We got a big muddy soccer game going!

This little girl was my favorite! I spent a lot of time with her.

This was part of where we stayed. This is where the food and kitchen was.

This was the cabana we spent a lot of our spare time in.

One of the days we were there we held a church service, and then served lunch to 150+ people. These were 2 little girls eating the lunch. There were so many people that we ran out of plates and silverware. We ended up serving the food on frisbees!

At the end of the week, we went to a resort on the beach. This is me with our host/translator, Roger and one of the other translators, Abner on the beach.

It was such an amazing experience! I wish I had enough time to tell you all of the details, but maybe I'll just make this last over several posts so that I share more of the good stuff with you :)

Putting It All Out There

I am going to be totally vulnerable in this post and let you in on the ways of my sometimes crazy mind.

In about a month and a half I am going to be leaving this 'sheltered' and cozy life of mine for a land unknown to me...Nicaragua. Okay, so that sounds a little dramatic since I'm only going to be gone for a week, but hello, it is a third world country! I'm going there on a mission trip as part of an 11 member team going from my church. Shandon (the church I attend) has partnered with Chosen Children Ministries and several teams/people from Shandon go down throughout the year to help out.

Nicaragua is the second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere (second only to Haiti). Nearly half of the population lives on less than $2 a day, and even many of those that are fortunate enough to have work make less than $5 a day. Can you imagine living on less than $60...for a WHOLE MONTH!? From CCM's website, "one-third of the children suffer from severe malnutrition and other chronic health problems. It is CCM’s desire to meet some of these physical needs while at the same time addressing the spiritual needs of the people in Nicaragua with the Gospel."

Now for the part where I let you in to my brain...Lately, I have been in freak-out mode. I did not want to go at all anymore. I was very strongly considering backing out. Before I list my reasons why, I want you all to know while these all may sound ridiculous and irrational to you, they weren't to me. Okay, well some may have been slightly irrational. I guess I should also say that I still have some of these concerns...
-I am afraid I'm going to get Dengue Fever from an infected mosquito.
-I am afraid a natural disaster is going to happen while I'm there.
-I'm scared I may die there.
-I'm worried about the whole it being a 3rd world country thing.
-I'm worried about the heat and humidity.
-I'm worried about the toilet situation and not having hot water.
-I'm worried that since it's going to be the rainy season, there is going to be a flood and I am going to be in it (one of my biggest fears).
-I'm scared something may happen to me, and I won't get adequate medical care.

Crazy, I know. Selfish, I know. However, I have had a change of heart. Yesterday, Shandon held a commissioning service during both church services to pray over all the people going on short-term mission trips. I'm not going to lie, I was a little weirded out by the fact that there would be someone laying their hand on me while the prayer was happening, but it turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would be. After the prayer was over, a man behind me looked me and a couple other people in the eyes and said, "God bless you so much for going and helping." I don't even know him, but he was so genuine and sincere and his words really hit my heart. Then we were singing a song and these words just stood out to me and got me a little choked up. It was like a flashing light from God, and it was just the flashing light I needed.
"I will live
To carry Your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be Your hands and feet

I will give
With the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion
To see the world be changed
By the power of Your name"

Shewww, even just rereading the words got to me!

Also, we had our first big meeting about the trip yesterday, a man spoke to us who has been there 5 times before. Hearing his first hand stories about these children we are going to be with, just continued chipping away at this hardened exterior I put around my heart. 

I am so thankful that my heart has been softened. I am back to feeling excited about this adventure, I'm sure I'm going to feel scared/worried again, but I know it WILL pass.

Your Face Will Thank You

So I recently had avocados re-introduced into my life, and as with all new things I tend to go overboard. I went out and bought several and have been incorporating them into my lunches this past week. So today, as I was cutting up my last avocado, I decided I was a little sick of them and didn't really feel like adding it to my meal. I had already peeled and cut up the avocado and didn't want to waste it, so I googled "home beauty remedies using avocado". A basic summary of the benefits of avocado for beauty purposes: It's rich in protein and fat, also containing Vitamins A, D, E, B6, potassium, and many others. It can be beneficial for the skin by improving the moisture level, softness and health of it. So I thought, what the heck, I'll give it a try.

I decided to try a facial mask consisting of just avocado and honey (original 'recipe' also had almonds in it, but I omitted them since I didn't have any). You take a ripe avocado, cut it up, peel it (whichever order you prefer) and mash it up. I don't have a blender or food processor, so I just used my fork. Then, you add a 1/2 teaspoon of honey and stir that in. Once it has a creamy texture then apply to your face and neck and relax for 15-20 minutes. Once your time is up, rinse with warm water....Prepare to be wowed when you are finished, at least I was. I should note that it wasn't the easiest to get off, so I would probably just leave it on for 15 minutes (I left it on for 20).
Here I am with the goop on my face...

Like I said before, I was wowed with the results. I don't have horrible skin but it is definitely no where near perfect. One of my trouble areas are blackheads on my nose (sorry if that is TMI), this little concoction completely cleaned those bad boys out! I have yet to find a face wash that does that for me, btw. It left my skin feeling so soft, and the mask smelled good too which was a major plus. I also think it may have helped my complexion.
Here is the after picture (sorry I forgot to take a before shot)...

I highly recommend adding this little routine to your weekend, to help your face and to relax you!

One Down, 2 More To Go

I am finished with my first year of grad school!!! Now I just have to wait for all of my grades to get posted.

That is all for now!

Some Beauty Tips Everyone Could Use

I came across this list of beauty tips from Audrey Hepburn, and I thought it was great. There's something on there for everyone :)

1. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
2 For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
3. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
4. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
5. For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
6. People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anybody. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm. As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands--one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
7. The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows. And the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years.

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1580936,00.html

Help!

Okay team, I need your help...to find me a new hobby! Back in the day, anything involving dance was my hobby. Okay, more like my life, but same difference. A set of bad knees and an out of shape body later, and I can't exactly dance as my hobby anymore. I regret to admit this out loud, but lately watching TV has become my "hobby". I literally can feel it warping my fragile mind! For some shows, it has become more like an obsession! Anyway, I want to fill my life (and my mind) with better hobbies. This is where you come in...I am open to and wanting suggestions.
PS-Reading is already a hobby of mine, but sometimes that can get old to me because I read and go through books so fast. So, if you just want to suggest books that's fine too (I do have an entire summer coming up with no school work).

Thanks!

Deja Vu -ish?

Wow, I've been horrible at this lately. Over a month since my last post? Jeez, sorry readers!

Do you ever smell, taste, see, or feel something that takes you back to a different time? I totally had one of those moments tonight. This past week it's been in the upper 80s, and it even got into the 90s today! We'd been opening the windows and using the fan(s) as much as possible, but when it reached over 80 in the apartment today, we resorted to turning on the air. Anyway, a little bit earlier than now, as I was pre-gaming for bed (aka settling down before actually going to sleep), I got this feeling of it being summer time. With the exception of still having classes and schoolwork, everything else to me felt like summertime. It was legitimately hot today and with the air on I just got this feeling like it was summer, and it's only the beginning of April. I was talking to my roommate about this, and she said it is kind of like the beginning of summer here because there is not really a spring in Columbia. Am I ready for summer to be starting? Yes. Am I ready to experience how it's 'Famously Hot' here? I'm not sure.

All I know is that I only have 3 weeks left of classes until my summer officially begins :) I can't wait! One of my friends and I recently made a list of things we want to do this summer entitled "Man Up 2010". Here are some of the items on the list:
-Whitewater Rafting (There's a place in Charlotte with Man Made Rapids)
-Water Skiing, Tubing, Boating, Fishing
-Ice Skating
-Outdoor Concert
-Beach Trip
-Mountains Trip
-Camping
-Bonfire
And many more!

I'll keep you all posted on the adventures of Man Up as they happen. Oh and I'll try to not be such a horrible blogger from now on!

Quit Letting Me Down Hollywood!

I just want to say that I am SO tired of movie endings being the complete opposite of the book it is based on. I get that there are going to be changes and alterations, but is it really necessary to completely change the ending, the overall message, or both (My Sister's Keeper cough cough)?

My favorite books to read are the ones that have a movie based on them. I'm not sure why though because I am rarely satisfied with the movie once I've read the book it's based on. There have only been two exceptions where I have enjoyed the movie more than the book...The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and The Notebook. I feel like the writers in Hollywood must be running out of movie ideas because there have been a ton of movies based on books come out lately, especially over this past year. I only seem to be getting more and more disappointed with the movie counterparts. The one that has had the largest impact on me was My Sister's Keeper. I refuse to watch the movie because the ending (I've heard) is the complete opposite of the book's. Another big upset for me was He's Just Not That Into You. I LOVED the book; it really opened my eyes up in terms of relationships. I loved the message of the book, "you are the rule, not the exception." I loved ALL of the actors/actresses in the movie. However, I did not love that in the movie almost all of the relationships went completely against the 'principles' of the book.

I'm undecided if I'm going to see Dear John. I've heard through the grapevine (aka Facebook) that once again, the movie's ending is opposite of the book's ending. I read that book three years ago and I don't really remember a lot of the details, other than I loved it. I think I might be able to see it and not get so mad at the changes. Maybe that's what I need to do, wait and see the movie until after I forget about the details from the book. Or see the movie first since I generally like the books better, that way I won't be so disappointed. At least I usually wait until the movie is out on DVD, and I rent it so I don't waste my money at the movie theater.

I blame my sister for my love of books with movies based on them. It all goes back to when I was in third grade, and I read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and then watched the British version of the movie. We made compare/contrast charts and did all kinds of fun activities comparing the two, but apparently it only set me up for future disappointment in the movies based on books industry.

I bring all this up now because I am going to watch The Time Traveler's Wife tonight. I really really liked the book, but if Hollywood messes this one up, I don't know if I will ever watch a movie based on a book I've read again. Well maybe I'll make an exception for The Lost Symbol (based on the book by Dan Brown) and The Last Song (based on the book by Nicholas Sparks).

Should All Things Resort To Going Paperless?

As twenty somethings we are at that age where everyone we know (and maybe even you reading this) seems to be getting married or having kids. It can be very expensive especially if you are really close with the person. You have to buy shower presents, wedding presents, sometimes new additions to the wardrobe, and in my case traveling expenses. 

Now for my point...

I understand that our generation is all about computers and technology in general, and we are all about saving the planet by "going green". However, I am, dare I say, old-fashioned when it comes to things like weddings. I am having a really hard time wrapping my head around the idea of having to spend so much money on a person's wedding when they can't even send me a hard copy of things like the Save-The-Date or wedding invitation. I understand that sending out those things can get rather expensive, but I don't want to have to rely on an email telling me to go to the couple's wedding page for the details. What if I didn't have a computer or internet access? Would you not invite me just so that you wouldn't have to send out an actual invite or Save-The-Date? I'm in grad school and am not working, so I put myself on a pretty strict budget when it comes to friends' weddings; so I get wanting to save money! BUT, you want me to travel to your wedding and buy you a gift (in some cases from a rather expensive registry) when you can't even send me a real invitation because you are putting your money towards other things like the reception, the church, the honeymoon, etc.

It is just common courtesy to send them out.

Like I said, maybe that's just me being "old-fashioned", but what's next, a wedding invite via Facebook event?

I Can Finally Say It...

It's almost been six months since I packed up and moved to a city that I'd only visited once before where I knew no one. My life hasn't been easy and has resembled a gigantic roller coaster these past 10 years, but I am proud to say that I am the happiest I have ever been. Actually, I don't really remember being able to say that I was genuinely happy...ever. It has been a big deal for me saying, out loud no less, that I am finally happy!

Some people have said to me that by moving down to South Carolina, away from everything and everyone I knew, I was "running away." I didn't and still don't think that I came here just to run away, but you know what, so what if I did. Moving away has been one of the greatest decisions of my life. I've been working on reading Catch-22 for a while now (I just can't get into for some reason), and this quote seemed to fit my situation perfectly, "There's nothing negative about running away to save my life."

Grad school has not been what I expected, but it is going well. I even got a 4.0 last semester...wahoo! For those of you who don't know, currently I'm getting a Graduate Certificate in Drug and Addiction Studies, but I found out about a month ago that I got accepted into the Master of Social Work program for next semester. I also received a Graduate Assistantship!

My last bit of exciting news...I am going on a mission trip to Nicaragua this summer! I am so excited! I don't know all of the details, just the basics, but I'll keep you all updated!

I've been scared to say all of that out loud because so many good things have been happening that I'm afraid it's about time for something bad to happen. I'm really working on remembering that God has a purpose for me and my life no matter what happens.

Here's To New Beginnings

Happy New Year to everyone, and yes I realize I'm a couple days late. I've been having a difficult time deciding what I want my New Year's resolutions to be. I don't want to make too many and overwhelm myself; I want them to be more meaningful than "eat healthier" & "work out more", and I want them to not only enhance my life, but to make other's lives more meaningful as well. I don't really think that all of my resolutions accomplish those things, but hey, I tried!

So I'm hoping that by putting them "in writing", it will help hold myself accountable to them. 
Here's what I got:
-Stop apologizing for things I have no reason to be sorry for (i.e. my feelings).
-Finish reading the Bible (I'm a little shy of being halfway through) and put God's teachings to work in my own life.
-Start regularly volunteering somewhere I'm passionate about
-Get healthy physically, psychologically, spiritually, and socially
And Finally...
-Sidenote: I have an obsession with books; Half Price Bookstore is one of my FAVORITE stores. I have a bad habit of buying books even though I have plenty of unread books that I already own. 
So my resolution is to finish all of the books I already have before I can buy or borrow any more. According to my last count, I need to read 23 books before purchasing/borrowing any more, which at the rate I've been going, should be a piece of cake!

Hope you all had a great holiday season!