My Last Week

As I sit here in my room at 6:00 on my last morning in Tegucigalpa, unable to sleep because of the early morning sun streaming in and the sound of horns honking and roosters crowing, I quickly realized that those are not the only reasons I can’t sleep.  My mind is swimming with all of the events of the past several days, and I can’t even begin to take them all in and digest them!  The days were jam-packed full of things I needed to get checked off from my “To Do” list, joy-filled surprises, and tears of sorrow.  

As is often the case, so very many of those oh-so-important things that I needed to get done are still not checked off from the list.  Somehow they shrank in importance when held up against something even more important: spending time with my community here.  Nevertheless, I am happy to report that, even though it took me up to my very last minutes on my last day working at the school, I finally was able to complete my biggest project!  All of the donations that the school has received from mission teams over the past couple of years are now sorted, inventoried, neatly stored in plastic bins, and tucked into slots on a floor-to-ceiling shelving unit!  It was a thoroughly satisfying accomplishment!

On Tuesday I wrapped up my English classes, and while the number of students attending has dwindled this year, the few faithful have blown me away with their persistence and progress!  Listening to them read entire children’s books couldn’t have made me prouder, but I was brought to tears when I received my first surprise of the week.  Johana wrote and read to me a good bye note all in English!  Was her grammar, spelling, or pronunciation perfect?  No, but the sentiments were, and that’s all that matters!  What a blessing to work with such a dedicated student!

Tuesday also brought the surprise of a farewell dinner outing with my Honduran family.  My host parents, Reina and Saúl, have really become like parents to me, Emily and David have become like siblings, and their two boys like nephews.  We went to Pizza Hut so the boys could enjoy the play structure!  I couldn’t help but get all misty-eyed as Saúl prayed over our meal, mentioning how I have become like the daughter they never had.  Hearing that is all the more meaningful knowing that Reina and Saúl lost several children during or shortly after childbirth; David is an only child.  I was also blessed when 7 year old Anthony, all sweaty from playing, came and plopped himself on my lap and said, “I’m going to miss you Miss Amy!”

In all my times of extended stays in Mexico and Honduras, it always seems like new experiences happen in the last couple of days.  This was true of Wednesday when, for the first time I left the school not in my “private" taxi spilling over with little girls and not in Emily and David’s car, but on foot.  I finally got to walk down the dusty road, umbrella in hand to keep off the sun, praying I wouldn’t get run over by a moto-taxi, down the hill to the taxi stand to wait for the next taxi to arrive.  But, don’t worry; I wasn’t alone!  My friend, Brenda, and I were heading out to the mall for food, conversation, coffee, and maybe a little shopping!  This was all planned out, but the surprise came when we first ran into Austin, the Orphan Outreach director, and his wife.  Then, not five minutes later, we ran into Mireya, another leader for Orphan Outreach!  I got to know both Austin and Mireya quite well last year when they brought mission teams to work with us at Jubilee, and I was sad that I wasn’t going to get to say goodbye to them.  God’s amazing how he works out even the smallest of details!

Wednesday’s surprises didn’t end there, however!  After Wednesday night’s church group—and after I tearfully shared a few words of love and appreciation for being a part of such a warm and compassionate church family—we were all served vegetarian tamalitos and ice cream, clearly in my honor because Hondurans aren’t big on food without meat, and they definitely don’t eat much ice cream!  I’ll never understand how anyone living in such a hot climate could NOT eat a ton of ice cream!  Anyway, that’s another story!  What followed were many tearful hugs goodbye and lots of pictures!  

After many cloudy, humid days, Thursday’s early morning sunshine put a spring in my step, and I was anxious to finish up my organizing project when I got to school!  I knew there would be a farewell gathering in my honor, but I figured it would be in the afternoon.  Therefore, I was totally caught off guard when I was asked to come outside at 8:00 a.m. where all 270 kids and their teachers were gathered!  After a prayer, Paola led everyone in a praise song, and as I gazed out over the sea of faces, I locked eyes with so very many precious children whom I have gotten to know over the past 15 months, and I just fell apart.  The tears gushed out, and I cried outright on the shoulders of my dear friends Belinda and Brenda who unashamedly cried with me!  Lord wiling, I will see these little ones again, but they may not be so little, and my heart aches just knowing a portion of the horribleness of their situations.  They haven’t told me their stories in words, but they’ve let me read them in their eyes, and they are heart-breaking.  

After I pulled myself together, I humbly received the kind words of farewell from the courageous students who came up to speak into the microphone.  And, then there were hugs, oh-so-many hugs!  And, hand made cards.  And, group pictures.  My heart overflowed!

As I finished up my organizing project, I couldn’t help but notice that it sounded like the kids were leaving school in the middle of the day.  I thought that was strange, but when I also heard rustlings in the multi-purpose room, I figured maybe we were going to have a farewell luncheon at school.  Then Emily came and told me to get ready to go.  "What?!  Go where?"  Sure enough, there was a mini-bus just waiting to whisk the Jubilee staff off to Valle de Ángeles for the afternoon!  Known locally as just “Valle,” this quaint little tourist town perched up in the mountains has been a place I’ve enjoyed going to with all the different mission teams, and I didn’t think I’d get to go again!  We were given a private, open-air, balcony eating area looking out over the lush, green mountains and manicured gardens of the restaurant, La Casona.  As we waited for our food to arrive, a few people spoke such kind, affirming, loving words to me of farewell and see you soon!  When David asked me to pray before we ate, it was then that I realized that the Spanish verbs orar and llorar are synonymous for me because I can’t pray without crying!  After that, my tears seemed to dry up a bit, and I was able to be joyfully present for a little time of shopping and socializing with this amazing group of women before hugging them all goodbye—for now!

As I write, it’s now going on 7:30, and ahead of me lies one final goodbye—to my host parents.  Reina and Saúl are going to take me to the airport and see me off in just a few hours.  The Lord alone knows when we will see each other again, but I know that when we do, it will be a heartwarming reunion!  And, like Saúl always says, "If Jesus comes back before then, then we’ll see each other in heaven!"  I can't wait for the day!

Behind the Scenes

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 

James 1:2-3

It can be so easy to read someone’s blog and Facebook posts and think, “Wow!  Everything is going really well!”  In the midst of reading those messages, how often do we stop to think, “I wonder what isn’t being said? What’s going on behind the scenes?”  This post is about that because, well, I’m human, too.  Even though I’m focusing on being grateful for all the blessings God has been giving me, they haven’t come without challenges.

So, let’s rewind to early March when I found out that my renters wanted to extend their lease, and then I got a donation that would allow me be where I am now: back in Honduras.  What I didn’t share with you in my last post is that just days after deciding to come back to Honduras, the devil attacked.  He showed up in the form of someone whom I have called friend for many years.  This person strongly objected to the change in plans and let me know about it in the most hurtful of ways, slinging slanderous words at me and attempting to feed me lies.  I chose to not partake in such a poison-filled meal, but it hasn’t been easy to deal with the situation.  I don’t tell you this to ask for sympathy, and I certainly don’t want pity.  It’s just the unfortunate truth, and it’s a reminder of what happens all the time.  When God’s at work in our lives and we’re being obedient to Him, the devil doesn’t like it, and he’ll try anything to stop us from following God’s path.  Clearly, I was not to be deterred!  I mean, when all of your closest friends and family are supportive of your decision and can see God’s hand in the midst of it, and just one person opposes you, who are you going to listen to?

In the midst of that arose another little snafu.  Shortly after arriving back in Michigan, I found out that my renters had changed their minds and no longer planned to extend their lease.  Little did I know that they had never signed the paperwork to extend the lease.  I accept responsibility for not confirming that it was signed before buying my plane tickets, but my property management company also graciously accepted partial responsibility for not being in communication with me.  This was a life lesson for me!  In the long run, it’s not a big deal, but the extra rental income would have been nice!  I confess that this change in plans did cause me to doubt a little bit, but I have to believe that God has a purpose for me to be back in Honduras once again.  

Going back and forth between Michigan and Honduras in such a short amount of time has been another challenge.  Eight hours of travel time is not sufficient for the heart and mind to catch up with the physical body!  It took some time to adjust to being in Michigan again, and now I’m feeling the challenge of adjusting back to life in Honduras.  I’ll probably just be feeling all nicely settled in again when it will be time for my semi-final farewell!  I say semi-final not because I have concrete plans for another return trip but because I can’t imagine not ever coming back to Honduras at least for a visit!

As I reflect on these bumps in the road, I really get how very minor they are.  In my short time back here, I’ve already heard of an elderly woman who just buried her oldest son and whose granddaughter is dying from lung cancer, leaving behind a husband and three little sons.  I’ve heard of a woman with three children whose husband continues to be unfaithful and a drunk, and she’s taking the courageous step of leaving him, trusting God to provide for her.  I’ve heard of siblings who lost their mother in a car accident last year, and just recently they lost their dad in another car accident.  

Truly, I have much to be thankful for!  But, just like I always told my patients who realized their situations were minor compared to others around them, what they are going through is real, and their struggles still matter.  I think just having that insight and the perspective of thankfulness in spite of life circumstances—knowing that they could be so much worse—says a lot!  What are you thankful for today?

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

"Before they call, I will answer..."

With some members of our first mission team of the  year.

First, I want to thank all of you have been praying for me, and specifically for those who prayed for God to guide my next steps.  Shortly after I wrote my last blog post, I was able to discern God’s next direction for my life (or, so I thought!).  It became very clear to me that I was to return to Michigan according to plan on March 18th as opposed to extending my time in Honduras.  It wasn’t as easy of a decision to make as some might think, but I had peace about it. Even though I felt nervous about re-establishing my life in Michigan, I felt confident that God would lead the way.

And, so it was that with just two weeks left in Honduras, I started to prepare my heart and mind for a big transition.  That Saturday, I received an e-mail from my property management company that informed me that the people renting my house wanted to extend their lease until they could get into their new house…on May 16th (they were supposed to be out on March 31st).  My heart just sank.  Of course I could tell them, “No way!  Get out of my house!”  But, really?  Who does that?  Make a whole family go through the stress of moving twice?  I felt frustrated but resigned myself to a few more months of living with friends and family because, even though the thought crossed my mind that perhaps I was to stay in Honduras, I still felt strongly that I was to go home to Michigan. Even so, my heart felt so unsettled as I thought about this change in plans!

Getting ready to visit the Taulabe Caves

On the following Monday morning, I mentioned to Emily what I’d found out about not being able to move into my house until May.  She didn’t miss a beat in saying that perhaps I should stay longer in Honduras!  We discussed various options including, “What if you still go home as planned, but then come back?”  That seemed like a great idea!  If I had the money.  Which, I didn’t.

Monday afternoon when I got home, I received a message from a former patient: “Amy, are you still in Honduras?  If so, could you put a donation to good use?”  I’m pretty sure my jaw hit the ground, and I felt hesitantly hopeful as I replied, “Yes and yes!”  With supposedly firm plans to settle back into Michigan, I sure hadn’t been doing any fundraising, so the only way to explain this seemingly random donation is that God was working through his people!  As I messaged with my former patient, he informed me that he was inspired to give after seeing a video on a friend’s FaceBook page encouraging people to do random acts of kindness in honor of her birthday!  

Because the donation was made on line, within an hour I found out how much had been donated: enough to cover another plane ticket and then some!  I think I knew right then that I’d be going back to Honduras for a third time, but it was such a quick change in plans, that I really had to sit with it a while.  I ran it all past friends and family and prayed a lot!  By Thursday, I felt confident that God was definitely opening the door for me to return to Honduras!

Cutting into my "hasta pronto" cake!

I stood—and still stand—in awe of how God’s been directing my steps as I learn to trust him more and more!  Not only does this change in plans allow me to move into my house in Michigan before starting a new job, but it also allows me to finish several projects that I didn’t have time to get to in Honduras.

I remember going through my teen and young adult years feeling like I didn’t have a testimony.  God has redeemed that lie and has shown me that, indeed, I do have a testimony.  It’s a testimony of how mightily he’s working in my life and guiding my steps all for His Glory as I learn to trust him more and more! Hallelujah!

"Before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will hear." 

 Isaiah 65:24

Tug-of-War

Cutting into my Welcome Back cake!

 In my last blog post before I went back to Michigan in November of 2015, I wrote about the meaning of “home.”  Coming back to Honduras a couple weeks ago gave me a whole new appreciation for what it means to come home, and what a joyful homecoming it has been!  How beautiful to have my host mom greet me with a warm embrace and to share happy tears with me!  How comforting to settle back into my room and to know where to put everything as I unpacked in my sleep-deprived stupor!  How heart-warming to have students run exuberantly toward me, shouting “Miss Amy” as they wrapped their arms around me!  Oh, indeed, it has been so good to be back in Honduras and to know where I fit in the puzzle of life here!

With some of the teachers and friends from Michigan

So, if I fit into the puzzle of life here, why am I going back to Michigan so soon?  Three weeks have passed all too quickly, and having just five left does not seem like enough time.  And, these are not just my sentiments, but those of everyone around me.  Students, teachers, and the ministry’s directors almost daily fill my ears with, “Why do you have to go so soon?”  and “What are we going to do without you?”  It’s so easy to get caught up in this flood of appreciation and feeling needed, and I find myself daily having to turn to God for his guidance and direction for my life.  Like I’ve said to so many people, I feel like my heart is in the middle of a tug-of-war game—Michigan vs. Honduras—and either team could win!  While here listening to the pleas from Team Honduras, I must not forget that back in Michigan, there is an even bigger team routing for me, and their voices matter too.

I'm so glad to have this cute elf on my Michigan team!

We all face uncertain futures, but I feel like I’m at a point where I really need to set aside my own desires and to discern God’s will for me.  Should I stay longer in Honduras, and if so, how much longer?  Should I return to Michigan as planned, and if so, where will I find employment? I’m praying for God to make it absolutely clear in which direction my next steps will take me.  Will you please join me in praying for guidance?  Thank you…your prayers mean so much!

"In this great time of change, help me, God of tomorrow, to trust your guiding presence.  Inspire me to follow in the footsteps of the ancient desert nomads who wore tiny lamps on their shoes to give just enough light for the next step.  All I really need."

Be Careful What you Long for: A Glimpse into Retirement

With my sisters and dad at the airport!  What a great homecoming!

A couple of years ago as I was working more than 40 hours per week in a stressful, fast paced job while going to graduate school and also trying to keep up with a house, family, and friends, I remember thinking how wonderful it would be to be retired.  I envisioned the endless possibilities that would stretch before me with each unscheduled, unplanned day, one right after the other.  I could sleep in or get up early, go for a walk, or just curl up and read all morning.  I dreamed of spending my afternoons volunteering somewhere, shopping, visiting friends and family, or cooking up a storm in my kitchen.  What bliss!

Family Christmas

In some ways, this period of time since returning from Honduras and before going back, has been a little bit like a mini-retirement period.  No job, no school, no schedule, and lots of time to relax with family and friends!  Sounds great, right?  Well, what never occurred to me in my ideal vision of retirement, however, is how my body would be feeling at that stage in life.  Unfortunately and unexpectedly I have had a taste of what that may be like, too!  This is thanks to the fact that a little mosquito decided to oh-so-generously share with me a virus called Chikungunya.

Family Christmas

Chikungunya is similar to Dengue fever and is transmitted by the Aedes mosquito.  I was bitten just before I flew home to Michigan and within a few days after arrival, I became sick.  I had all of the classic symptoms:  painful, stiff, sore, swollen, and achey joints, weakness, a fever, and an all-over body rash.  Thankfully the fever, rash, and swollen joints were pretty much gone after a week, but, as is typical with Chikungunya, the painful, stiff, sore, and achey joints and weakness have lingered.  I have read that this part of the virus can continue to rear its ugly head for anywhere from two months to a year with the aches coming and going and attacking different joints at different times.  

At the Jubilee Celebration Event with friends!

This experience has certainly given me a whole new appreciation for raised toilet seats, grab bars, and stair railings!  I am also very thankful for my background in therapy since, depending on what’s hurting me at any given time, I have to modify how I get dressed or get back up from the floor!  My therapy background also has helped me to keep things in perspective and remind me that what I’m dealing with is so very minor compared to what so many other people face.  Nevertheless, it has been a bit frustrating to not be able to move around as I am accustomed to doing!

Besides growing in empathy, perhaps having a stiff, painful body has also forced me to slow down and rest more than I might have done otherwise during this season.  I am so grateful for the quality time I’ve shared with family and friends, the freedom to go for walks and to go shopping, and for the stretches of unplanned time that have been filled with cooking, reading, and crocheting!  This early “retirement” has been a gift, but I am looking forward to getting back to work…and to sunshine and warmth!  See you in a couple weeks, Honduras!

A little crochet project

My walking partner, Tora

Thoughts before Heading Home

You who know me know that I’m a bit of a word nerd.  As I reflected on what exactly I mean by “home,” I confess that I turned to the dictionary.  The definition that struck me the most was the use of “home” as a verb: “(of an animal) to return by instinct to its territory after leaving it.”  I started to envision myself as a homing pigeon preparing for its return flight with a message tied to its leg!  That makes me laugh!  But, my serious side can’t help but wonder, what does that message tied to my leg say?  Surprisingly, no words come to mind, and I realize that the message I’ll be bringing won’t be spoken with words.  Like a butterfly’s wings, it will slowly unfold and brush gently against your cheek as a breeze, discernible only if you seek it out.  

This isn’t to say that I won’t be coming home with lots of stories to tell; I assure you, I have MANY!  But, the message isn’t really in the stories; it’s hidden in my heart and whispers of how God has shaped me throughout this year by stretching me, growing me, and teaching me oh so many things!  Even I have so much more to discover about what my message is, and I know that it will be revealed to me as I settle back into life at home.

But, still, what does home mean?  In my life I’ve learned that one part of making a place feel like home is having my stuff there!  It’s also the place where I lay down my head at night. Above all else however, it’s the place where I am surrounded by friends and family—even when they’re not my biological family.  It’s the place where I am loved, accepted, and included in all of the inside jokes!  Praise God, I have encountered all of these aspects of home here in Honduras.  I have a community, I have friends, I have a family—I have a home here.  Never has this been more evident to me than at this time of saying goodbyes. 

In one of my first blog posts, I wrote, “I am so thankful for painful goodbyes because they signify my ability to love others deeply and to be loved in return.  What greater blessing exists?”  The events of this past year have come full circle.  As I count down my last days in Honduras, I find myself in the same situation of having to say painful goodbyes, and they remind me of how I have grown to love so many precious people here.  And, of how I have been loved in return.  Thank you, Jesus!

God has been faithful with the promise he spoke to me before I left Michigan to come here: “The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.  Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!  He who goes out weeping bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:3, 5-6). I am absolutely so excited to be coming home with shouts of joy!  I will be carrying my sheaves with me in my heart as precious treasures waiting to be carefully unwrapped and discovered.  Thank you God for blessing me so richly this year!

Different: Michigan vs. Honduras Part II

I'm sure I'll discover more differences during my last week here, but these will suffice for now!  Once again, I don't really have corresponding pictures, so I threw in some random ones!  Enjoy!

This little red hen is smart for a reason!

1. When you arrive at work, church, etc, or are leaving, you must acknowledge everyone around you with the customary cheek-to-cheek air kiss and hug; it would be rude not to.  
2. If you are part of a church community here, it is how you spend most of your time outside of work with events nearly every night of the week and parts of Saturday and Sunday, too!  At least, that is what I’ve heard from many of the teachers with whom I work!
3. Food here is packaged differently.  Milk comes in shelf-stable boxes, or is sold in bags in the refrigerator section.  You can buy bottled water, but most people buy it in 12 oz. bags; it’s not uncommon to see people walking around or sitting at a desk with bags of water hanging from their mouths.  Condiments like ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise are not sold in bottles; they are sold in bags.  The brand name varieties have a re-sealable cap on the bag at least!
4. Every school here, whether public or private, has its own uniform for students to wear.
5. Bilingual (Spanish and English) schools are very common here.  I wish they were in Michigan, too!
6. It’s totally normal for vendors to stroll or parade in trucks up and down the neighborhood streets shouting out what they’re selling, ringing bells, or muttering through loudspeakers.  While this is a convenient way to buy anything from fruit and vegetables to toilet paper and soap, the noise can be very disrupting!  It’s like the ice cream truck on steroids!

   

   Excuse me while I herd my cattle down the street!

7. I think it’s safe to say that big city-dwellers in MI typically do not have farm animals at home.  Here, however, it’s not uncommon for people to have not only chickens, but cattle and horses.  What better way to get around the crowded streets than on horseback?
8. Trying to get just about anything done here takes at least twice as long.  You need a carpenter to come fix a piece of furniture?  Plan to call him for several weeks or months before he makes it over to do the work.  You need to buy new bathroom fixtures?  Don’t plan on the store having what you want in stock or even being able to get it shipped in time.  The only business I’ve witnessed provide good service is our internet provider.  I am thankful for that! 
9. In Michigan, the power goes out because of a storm with high winds or because of an ice storm.  Here it just goes out for apparently no reason.  Just like with the water, I think a higher power enjoys cutting off the power at random.  Sometimes it is off for a good chunk of the day.  Tonight, as I write, it’s been on and off all evening, and while talking with my host parents, I learned why: we are on the same circuit as the news station that broadcasts the TRUTH about the corrupt Honduran government, so whenever something has been going on that they don’t want publicized, they turn off the power so the station can’t broadcast their reports!  WOW!
10. I remember learning in Spanish classes that even body language can be different in other cultures.  Here it is considered very rude to point with your finger, so instead you use your lips.  Yup, your lips.  It’s like you’re puckering up to kiss someone, but it’s a quick gesture in the direction of the person or object you’re indicating while raising your eyebrows at the same time.  If your mouth is busy eating, use your elbow or your head, but never your finger!

    

    My dear dad received a lesson in hand washing his clothes!

11. Laundry:  I think it’s safe to say that the majority of people in Michigan have access to washers and dryers even if it means just within their apartment building.  Of course, some people do have to go to the laundromat, too.  Here, however, very few people have washing machines, and almost no one has a dryer.  What just about everyone does have, though, is a pila, a water holding tank and scrub sink combo for hand washing clothes.  Not only is this the way most Hondurans wash their clothes, they actually prefer to wash their clothes this way, swearing that it gets the clothes so much cleaner.  Perhaps stranger still, many women I have talked to sincerely enjoy the process of hand washing their clothes.  Now that I’ve been hand washing my own clothes for quite a few months, I have to agree on both accounts: my clothes are cleaner, and there’s just something satisfying about the process of hand washing them!  Now, if I had to wash clothes for a whole family, I think I’d feel differently….!
12. Basic medical care:  no matter what ails you, here, there is an injection for that.  And, you can probably buy the injection at your local pharmacy without a prescription and have someone at home give it to you. If you have a cold, you absolutely should not drink or eat anything cold, no matter how hot it is outside.  Of course, I’m a rebel, and I do it anyway!  Thankfully, I am not well acquainted with the medical care here, but when I went to a neighborhood clinic to get drops for an ear infection, my whole visit plus medications cost me just $3.50!  Lastly, you can buy some antibiotics over-the-counter.  That isn’t a good idea!
13. On the same theme, hospitals here are only for providing medical care.  Hospitals rely on a patient’s family members to go buy the prescribed medications for staff to administer, to bring in meals, provide bedding, and help with self-care tasks.  Maybe they hold the solution to lowering our healthcare costs?  (Said tongue-in-cheek!)
14. Auto repair:  Just as hospitals do not provide medicines, auto shops do not provide auto parts.  Your mechanic will diagnose the problem, give you a list of parts to buy, you go and buy them, and he’ll fix your vehicle once you bring the parts back. On the up side of this, car repairs are MUCH cheaper here!
15. Skin color: Historically this has been a big deal in the US, and it continues to be so for some reason.  Here in Honduras, however, skin color differences are no big deal.  Lest you think, “Yeah, well, they are all the same color!” let me tell you, you’re wrong!  The influence of the Spaniards, African Americans, Chinese, and Arabs is evident here.  The great thing, though, is nobody cares what color you are, and, culturally, people just call things as they see them.  Your wife has a darker skin color than yours?  Well, it’s OK to call her “mi negrita” (my little black one).  Or, you’re trying to describe a co-worker—who is a little on the heavy side—to a friend, so of course you describe him as “el gordo”—the fat one.  No worries!  From my US culture perspective, this honesty seemed offensive at first, but now I find it quite freeing!  You don’t have to be constantly on your guard lest you offend someone!

    

    This is a picture from my visit in August 2014.

16. Ants!  In Michigan, who hasn’t had ants invade their house in the summertime?  Well, since it’s always like summer here, we always have ants. Thankfully, the bigger ones are harmless, but the itty-bitty ones in the kitchen are enough to make me crazy!  They occasionally are so audacious as to chew through my bags of cereal and have a veritable feast.  If this were to happen in MI, I would, of course, throw out the bag of cereal.  Here, however, we don’t waste food, and my house mom knows that if you put the cereal on a tray out in the sun for a few hours, the ants will all leave, and then you can still eat the cereal.  Yup.  I’ve eaten ate-chewed cereal and lived to tell about it!
17. Rules of the road: I know I’ve touched on this a little bit already, but recently I learned the rules for letting emergency vehicles pass.  Like in the States, on a single lane road, you are supposed to move to the right, but here, on a two lane road, both lanes of traffic are supposed to move to the shoulders allowing the ambulance to pass down the middle.  Here, pulling over doesn’t mean slowing down or stopping, it just means moving over!  

    

    The Catholic church in Santa Lucia