Geez! Can you believe it??! Not sure if you heard, but ALL blogs were under construction for the last 4 months and so I was unable to start one up! Hmphh...well despite these unfortunate difficulties, I have decided to not let that stop me from creating my blog now.
Alright...so that's more or less true...the "more true" part being that I am finally starting up my blog! =D
I thought that I would start off by talking about my purpose for coming. So this first entry is addressed to family and friends...hahaha, who I imagine is you.
The first real thing that hit me after deciding to come to Bolivia and that continues to amaze me is the support from my family. I have never doubted how blessed we are to have one another, but I think it really took coming here to realize the extent of that. Having so many people gather together to have a going away party before I left was a bit overwhelming for me to be honest. I felt odd getting that attention thinking "I'm only going away for a year!" But afterwards, I was awestruck. I realized that my mind was in the wrong place and it really wasn't about "me" (minus the cake and song, are birthday gatherings in Chando and Maki households ever really about the person being celebrated?? =)). It was a day for family and friends to get together and have a good time showing their support and it reminded me, and continues to remind me, that I am never alone. Geez! I move across the world and I still can't get away from you people! ;)
Well there have most definitely been times here that I have felt lonely: at the end of the day when I am tired of trying to communicate in Spanish, scaring myself while sleeping in a house alone, struggling with understanding the different social norms and beliefs etc....but then I almost feel selfish when I am reminded by my beautiful letters written for every month hanging on my walls, or when I read a new poem written for me by Gramps, when I open my inbox to find messages from family and friends at home asking about my experience, when Eric flies in to visit for the holidays, and when he's carrying an entire suitcase (and a half!) of little girls' handmade dresses and other clothing and medicines sent in from my aunts to help out here, when I get a Christmas package from the Virgin Islands from Jeff and Lacey, when I hear from Sor (Sister) Nora that my relatives have donated money to aid us in transportation, when I talk to Tony and my parents about their plans to visit, when I open letters and care packages sent in the snail mail from friends and family...well, I imagine you get the gist...=)
Your support and love is what inspired me to come in the first place and I am encouraged and strengthened by you all every day. I feel that I was so blessed to have been raised in a household where I didn't have to look further than my own family to see what love looks like. When I was home with friends and family in the years before this, I think it was hard to not take these blessings for granted, but separating myself now, I realize that it is you who has implanted in me a desire to find ways to share that love with others.
My purpose for coming here is to love in whatever way that I can. And as you know with love, I have seemed to receive ten times more than I have been able to give. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart because if it had not been for you, I wouldn't be here and would not have this opportunity to grow and experience so many life-changing things. <3
Oh, and here is my personal reminder to keep you all informed at least once a month via blog...let's see...=)
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