Una Prueba Loquita

10 years ago I was:
Starting high school.
Getting in trouble for having shorts that were more than 3 inches above my knees.
Unemployed.

5 years ago I was:
Mad that I couldn’t spend the next year in El Salvador
Starting my second year at Chemeketa
Working at a pizza restaurant.

1 year ago I was:
Living in Illinois
In classes after swearing I’d never be in “school” again
On a “leave of absence” from work

Yesterday I:
Worked at Great Harvest
Ate pizza
Read a good book

5 things I would do with 100 million dollars:
Pay off the house, and buy my parents a new one so I could keep this one for the future
Sell my car and the red car – buy my mom a new car, and get me a car for Mexico
Move to Mexico
Fix the bathroom ceiling in my Honduran home
Donate at least $90million to various causes and invest the rest

5 places I would run away to:
Tegucigalpa
Seattle
Paraguay
Ciudad Delgado (ES)
The place I used to run away to in Redding :-)

5 things I would never wear:
A bikini (we’re talking REAL bikini, not a modest two piece)
A Swastika
A beard
Blue eyeshadow (except if it were for a joke)
Toe socks (in public)

5 favorite TV shows:
Lost
CSI Miami
CSI
Arrested Development
Monk

5 bad habits:
Interrupting
Being bossy
Cracking my knucles
Drinking Diet Coke at all hours of the day or night
Talking to myself out loud in the car

5 biggest joys:
Taking comfort in the Lord
Taking a nap on a rainy day
Semi-late night talks with Honduran family members and friends
Dressing up all weird and visiting dorms on college campus with about 10 other girls
Reminiscing with Apryl

5 fictional characters I would date:
HAN SOLO!!!!!!!!!!
Indiana Jones (yes, I am obsessed with Harrison Ford in his younger years…)
Warrick (Gary Dourdan) on CSI
Rusty (yep, Brad Pitt) on Ocean’s 11/12
Linus (Matt Damon) on Ocean’s 11/12

Viene Mi Enana Para Visitar?!?! Vamos a Ver!!

I was just talking to my catracha friend Vivian today, and I have known for quite a while that she wanted to try to come the States to visit her mom on the East Coast. Her mom just got married (I think to a gringo) and now has some more money that before, and it looks like Vivi is able to get a visa to come the the States, and that her mom can pay for her to come... So... she is (I should say tentatively!) coming to the States in December!! She also said that her mom would let her come to OREGON to visit!! Now, the big questions are: Will I still be in Oregon then?! and Will Vivi really be able to come to Oregon?! I sure hope so (at least to that last one!) I have been thinking lately that I may just stick around here and not even plan on going to Mexico until January, go to Honduras for Christmas "en route" even though it's not at all en route. If that were the case, and Vivian comes to the States, I'd most likely be here when she comes - I think she goes back home before Christmas... I hope so or else I may not see her for a long time if things don't work out for me to be here and her to come here... Anyhow, it would be really superly awesomeness cool to host a good catracha friend! I am scared though about that, I am to the point with my Hondurans where I feel like they accept me as a member of their social class (lower-middle-ish to maybe lower class), and all that would go completely down the drain if Vivian came here and brought back pictures of my home. So that is scary for me... but I think that alot of my friends there know me well enough that knowing how we live wouldn't have too much of an influence on their thoughts about me... I hope. We'll cross that bridge IF we come to it!

By the way, I'm border-line not admitting to be any kind of fan of football in my state, BOTH Beavers and Ducks put up SHAMEFUL perfomances this weekend. But I haven't disowned my Beavers... yet...

Un Poco de Todo

Well, the huricane is passing, Houston fared well, other places didn't. All part of life I guess.

I had a good day here. Even working at the South store was not too bad! Oh! And this lady from Salamanca GTO Mexico came in with her daughter today, I met them like a year ago at the Downtown store, and I see the daughter every now and then, but the mom lives in Mexico. But when they came in they both recognized me, and I was in the lobby, and the mom came over and gave me a besito (traditional kiss on the cheek)! I think my coworkers were a bit weirded out, but I was happily surprised that she remembered me! I came home and trimmed all the bushes in the front yard. It was like low 70's and sunny today - probably not much of that left for this year. So I feel like I took full advantge of the weather - was outside for a few hours, AND did something productive! I didn't do anything exciting, but it's nice to be at home all afternoon in the nice weather.

Now there is football on tv. Oregon is loosing BIG TIME, and OSU will be playing in just a moment against ASU.

Tomorrow (and next sunday) I teach the 3rd and 4th grade sunday school class. As far as I can tell, it's all boys. Should be interesting.

So, basically, I don't have much to write today, but I felt like writing, so here!

Oh! And you know how they say that in the northern hemisphere (at least as far north as here) you are supposed to be able to balance a raw egg on the pointy part on a hard surface during the autumnal equinox? Well, my mom and I had kind of thought it was bull because we'd always done it on concrete, and kind of balanced it in the texture of the concrete. But we did it BOTH on the smooth wooden kitchen floor AND the tile countertop (no, not in the grout!)
Here:


Ok, in the time it took me to upload the stupid picture, ASU scored a touchdown. Blahhhhhh.

Mas Relajo

If you want a personal account of the badness going on in Houston, click here. (No, not MY personal account! I'm in Oregon!)
It is the online journal of the Boncimino family who lives there. It's been interesting to read the experiences of them, both in helping out with Katrina evacuees who came to Houston, and to hear what they are now going through. He has pictures on there too of madness from today (thursday afternooon).

It's been amazing to see the disasters of the past several weeks, it's stuff we expect to happen anywhere but in our country. And now it's stuff we expect to happen anywhere but the northwest. 'Cuz bad stuff only happens in far away places, and have no effect on the west coast - we're invincible. (<---Insert sarcasm here).

Mi Casa!

If you've ever wondered where I live in Tegus, here is a picture of the outside of my house! Well, mainly the enterance to the yard... our beautiful place behind the ficus trees! I'm assuming the picture was taken from the other side of the highway, we live ON the main highway that heads south out of town. At the bottom of the picture, if it were a little bigger, would be the highway. I like all the trees! Fran sent me this today, I'd always wished I'd had a picture of home, now I do!

Nuevo Diario

If you are reading this, and you are a spanish speaker, I have a new journal in spanish that you can visit. Click the "Mi Diario en Español" link on the right.

Si habla usted el español, fijese que ya tengo un diario en español que puede visitar si quiere. Haga clic en "Mi Diario en Español" enlace en la derecha. No voy a escribir lo mismo alli que en este diario en ingles, pero queria hacer un diario que pueden leer mis catrachos, guanacas, y hermanos de la iglesia. Disfrutelo!

Fin de Semana Muy Maquina

I had a great weekend! How often do I say that? haha! I went to Oktoberfest saturday, hung out with my Iglesia Sunday, and loafed around the house today. I needed to do some loafing.

I never cease to be blessed by my Iglesia. From trying not to appear grossed out when guys eating menudo* intentionally try to gross me out, to laughing for hours about my use of honduran words that they don't know, to hilarious "bloopers" that happen while playing volleyball, to knowing that people care about me and are rooting me on in my journey of preparation for Mexico. I love it!

So, it's been a good 3 days off work. Back to the old grind in 9 hours!

* Menudo is a soup that includes cow intestines, and, yesterday came with a hoof as well! But the guys eating that were pretty grossed out that I've eaten dog, monkey, and octopus legs. hehehe! I stuck with enchiladas al pastor (super good kind of pork) with mole - a sauce that I'd never had until about a month ago.

Oregonianos - Reciclamos Latas de Fresco

We are Oregonians. Summer starts when the weather gets warm, or the beginning of May - whichever comes first - and ends the end of September. Always. The weather has changed for the year, today it was sprinkly and cold. As I walked to the bus after work, I passed lots of people wearing shorts, or tank tops, or sandals, probably people wearing all of the above. Because we don't change to fall/winter clothes 'till the end of the month.

I didn't think I would see the weather change here in Oregon again, at least not for a few years. But it has happened, I am not in Mexico to see the rainy season come, or even in NorCal to see the californians don thier snow parkas because it dropped below 60 degrees over night. I am here watching Northwesterners slosh around in the rain in summer clothes. It's humorous! It's our culture! It's football, Oktoberfest, yellow and orange leaves, Friday Nite Flights at high school games, the leak in my driver's side window, lighting the pilot light in the fire place. I like it, for a while. For today. But I got spoiled by the dry, semi-warm winters in California, even though I miss the rain there. So... here I am in the wet and cold again, that I didn't think I'd see this year. But asi es. Maybe it will be the cold weather when I go to Mexico - December, January - maybe it will be getting hot again - March, April. Maybe I will be in the "cold season" in Central America for Christmas (although I can't imagine El Salvador EVER being cold, we'll see) or maybe I will be here hanging ice-sicle lights in the rain the day after Thanksgiving. Push through it!

Feliz dia de Independencia ayer para mis catrachos y guanacas, y hoy para los mejicanos!!

Futbol?! Hoy No!! Digo FOOTBALL!!

Well, I am not a latina. As much as I like soccer (foreign soccer, I'm not into U.S. soccer at all), I have to admit there's something about good old football that really floats my boat. I had a huge smile on my face today as I saw lots of people sporting orange and black (and unfortunatly some green and yellows) coming into work to grab snacks before heading south for the day. Yep, PAC10 opening day!! I feel sorry for those who actually need to travel south on I-5 this afternoon, like to get to California or somwhere... You can bet that the southboud lane - right about now too! - will be backed up close to Salem even. At least to go to Corvallis... Who wants to go to Eugene on a day like this?! haha!
So yeah, football is better than soccer (ouch! did I just say that?!?!?!) because I am actually a half-way decent football player, and I suck at soccer, although futbolito is a bit better for me. I understand all, or well many, of the rules of football, and am still in the dark about a lot of stuff when it comes to soccer. Don't get me wrong, this July I will be absolutely GLUED to the TV as I watch Brasil defeat the rest of the world in the Cup. But I'll also be glued to the TV (assuming I'm in Oregon...) to watch Oregon State MUTILATE Oregon in the Civil War. It's obvious that Beavers can wail on Ducks any given day, no? Haha!
Here's to Oregon State football, the 49ers, and the Seahawks (between which my loyalties are divided, although I was rooting for San Francisco when I was in Seahawk watching them and Seattle...)

No Somos Tan Desafortunados Aqui...

I was just talking with Emil, my catracho friend who now lives in Mexico City, on the internet. Before even greeting me (VERY strange for a latino) he asked, "Have you seen the news from Honduras?!" Yeah, that is the kind of thing that instills fear in me... Immediately I checked out the "La Tribuna" online newspaper, as Emil told me his family's point of view...

I knew that last week, gas prices rose to over $4 per gallon! Prices there on gas are usually quite a bit steeper than they are here (example: last summer it was about $2.70 for a gallon of diesel which most people use there, and unleaded here was like $1.98) Apparently, public transportation went on strike, and the roads closed down all around town due to protests on the gas prices. Emil's family lives in a nicer neighborhood, on the south west of Tegus, set back in residential areas away from the commercial and industrial areas. My family lives further south, on the outskirts of town, but our house is on the main highway south out of town... Litterally ON the highway, there's about 30-40 feet between our porch and the highway. Anyhow, I talked to Suyapa yesterday afternoon because it was her birthday, and she didn't mention anything about that. I guess lots of people didn't go to work or school today because there were protesters on a lot of the roads - taxi drivers, and others who wanted Pres. Maduro to do something about the high prices. It's an ugly situation.

I was surprised last Friday that things around here were a lot calmer than I would've expected... I drove past a gas station on Thursday afternoon, and it was $2.53 a gallon. The next day, it was $2.63. Stupidly, I waited 'till late afternoon to cash my work check, getting me to the gas station around 5pm, and gas at that same station was $2.73! Over the course of about 24 hours. I was at the furthest-south Commerical Arco, and it was jam packed, but they had things pretty well organized, I was happy to see.


Speaking of gas stations in Honduras, I remembered this picture of some friends in Michelle's truck at the Esso América station. jejeje!

Volver al Huracan

My heart isn't in the whole bread business lately, for like that past 2 months or so. I have almost put in for a week off a few times now, just so I can regroup, but I think that if I had a week off and just hung out here at home, I'd go insane. Yesterday made me wish that I could go to Houston for my week off. I've been in contact with this Houston family who is helping a lot at the AstroDome, and there is so much to do still there. And yesterday, I found out that two of the husbands from the Iglesia went to New Orleans to help out there. I was with Beto's (one of the guys that went) wife last night when he called her, and they were in the airport and it looked like something blew up in there. It was a huge disaster (no surprise there I guess). It would be nice to be able to take a week away and actually go do something constructive. 1,000 of the Louisinanians are coming to Oregon on Wednesdayish. It looks like they will all be in Portland, although I heard news that some may come down here too. We'll see. Anyhow, the wheels are still cranking in my head about going somewhere for several days, but it would have to be dirt cheap. I looked even at airfare to Chicago, as I'd LOVE to go visit Apryl (hey! call me if you read this!!!) but it's a bit steep for me, even though it's less than what I paid this time last year... I looked at Denver too - I've never visited Jess, and that would be nice! - but I think travelling is just to expensive. Airfares to both those cities are really not bad, but I must press on in the support-raising business and save toward Mexico! I know I will leave as soon as God finishes some stuff with me!

Cuando cuando?!

I will leave for Mexico when the Lord finishes the work that He has planned for the "United States" part of my life, which He has apparently not yet finished. But that's ok, because I would much rather go prepared in the way that the Lord wants me prepared than to go on my own strength. That would be unproductive. So yes, I do know when I will be leaving - when God has finished His work in this part of my life!

Nuestro Orgullo

Just so this post doesn't sound terribly apathetic, I want to say that the hurricane that just passes through New Orleans is truly a tradgedy. I pray that things are able to be straightened out from it eventually, even though it will take years.

That being said... Why do UnitedStatesicans continue to act invincible, and/or like our country has everything all figured out and that we should play God to all other nations? We've participated in wars in other countries, and assisted after terrorist attack around the world, but never thought that any of that would ever come here. Well, four years ago, that was proved false, although we've since forgotten that we aren't invincible. We see the Tsunami in south east asia, earthquakes in Japan, huricanes in Central America, and brag about how well we've built all our structures so that natural disasters don't affect us much. Ok, so look at New Orleans, now what do you say? Don't worry, in about a year, most of the country will revert to being prideful about our superoir structures and superior way of living, etc.

I'm not saying that we should immediately go help every needy country and use all our resources for that. Actually, I'm thinking we'd get a lot more international relief accomplished if we'd actually pay attention to what the needs of hurting countries REALLY are, instead of "helping" in the ways that WE THINK they should be helped.

But we continue to be incredibly prideful about our way of life and the way things opperate in the U.S. We won't admit that we don't have everything together, that there are things that the United States doesn't know how to deal with. If we have a problem, we'll get it fixed STAT. I almost wish that something would happen that would take the pride away.

Last night (I can't believe I'm admitting this) I was watching the crassly disgusting cartoon "South Park." As crass as it was, that particular episode hit a chord with me. It was about the kids going on a rain forest tour in Costa Rica. One of the little boys (the super fat one) kept saying stuff like, "It smells like butt out here!" "Ooh, look, there's people's underware hanging outside, hahaha!!" "Sick, the bathroom is a hole in the ground!" But that is sooo what people from here say or at least think. We're so rude. We're so selfish and greedy. I HATE that when I'm in another country, people know where I'm from without having to ask, because I'm tall, large, and light colored. I'm embarassed to be UnitedStatesican. That's sad, but true. But do YOU want to be associated with the gringo mission team in Pizza Hut in Tegus that started a food fight and left it for the Pizza Hut employees to clean up? Do YOU want your good friends' non-Christian dad to not like you anymore because other Christian gringos disrespected him and his culture?? And that now he associates gringo Christians with being mean, rude, and self-centered? These are only two experiences of mine from Honduras and El Salvador respectively, that I have had.

So, I think that it's good that we experience tragedies, maybe we will be more humbled. Or maybe it will just serve to give people more bragging rights because we can recover from disasters quickly. WE don't have earthquake damaged streets and buildings 4 and a half years after the earthquake. WE don't have people living in now-permenant evacuee camps 7 years after a huricane. WE make a big bajillion dollar monument where terrorists hit OUR country. Wow, there are some things to be proud of (insert sarcasm here).

Call me unpatriotic, or whatever you want, but I am glad to have been born in the U.S. But I will never cease to be totally embarassed by the image we portray to other countries.

Mi Niño

My beautiful new nephew, Carlitos Daniel, born on July 5. So, who says only children can't have nephews!? Karlita says I can! hehe! Now, I just have to wait to actually SEE Carlito in person until December...

Bendiciones de Lejos

God continues to provide. I prayed, like a year ago, that God would provide someone who could help me financially for Mexico by giving $5,000. I thought that was a huge request, but I believed God could and would provide, even a whole $5,000! He did. The car that I was given, it sold for $5,000. Stuff like that is cool!

So, yesterday, Marlia come to visit. She brought stuff for me from my Honduran family and the Fonsecas. Among the things that the Delgados sent were six small handmade purses. Six!? Wow, I'll never run out of little purses! Me and Marlia laughed! So today, I actually read the letter that Suyapa had sent, and she said that she sent me the purses to sell so I can raise money for Mexico. Wow! It's amazing how people who believe in me, believe in the ministry, and believe that this is all God's will, do all they can to help this come to pass! Mami can't send a check for me, but she was able to send some purses. And, I believe the purses were made by Carolina, a super-sweet lady from Germania church. It's just amazing to know that people, even outside my country, are behind me in this! Even though I'm going to MEXICO, the relationship between CentralAmericans and Mexicans is similar to that between UnitedStatesicans and the French. Except not as sarcastic. It's interesting to see both sides of that relationship as an outsider - I see Honduran & Salvadoran attitudes about Mexicans, and Mexican attitudes about CentralAmericans.

Anybody want to buy a purse?? They're made out of this sting/twine material that kind of reminds me of a plastic Safeway bag stretched into string. It's pretty cool material. The purses are very small, but cute!

Marlia and I talked, basically the entire time she was here, about stuff about Honduras. Her trip, her team, our mutual friends in Honduras. It was great to hear about my catracho buddies, and to continue to learn about Honduran culture, and interactions between them and us gringos.

Emité Gas!

I was able to fart this weekend.

Pretty crass, you think? Well, let me explain...

My friend Joana from Simpson was in the area this week, staying with my friend Jen in Silverton. Unfortunately, with several people being on vacation from work this week, I was not able to have a day off to hang out with them. But we got together after work Friday and today. Yesterday, I went out to Jen's house and the three of us hung out a talked forever, then went to Jen's relatives' small lake where they had a tent and camping area set up. We roasted hot dogs and marshmellows, and paddled around in a small boat in the lake. It was great to be outside and with two good friends! The whole time we were talking in the house, I really needed to let gas, but, not wanting to be offensive, I just let my abdomen swell and growl. So, when we got out to the lake, I let loose, and boy was it loud. I appologized. And both Jen and Joana laughed and were like, you don't have to appologize for that! Remember at school?! We all farted all the time. Well, times have changed, and, with the exception of my parents, there isn't anyone in Salem who I can fart in front of. The three of us decided that you know you've arrived at the close friends stage when you can fart and burp in front of your friends. Sounds nasty, I know, but think about it... It's so true! Although the same does not go for latino friends - Last summer I went to a church picnic with Germania in Honduras, and I was standing around with Franklin and Vivian, and Vivi went to talk to someone else for a minute. I felt a huge "too much warm pop" burp building up, so I motioned over to Fran like I was going to whisper something to him, and I let out the burp in his ear. He's my brother for-cryin-out-loud. Most close guy friends would make a comment about burping in his ear being gross, but Fran was offended! He didn't laugh, he just backed away with this horrified look on his face like he couldn't believe I would let something like that come out of me! So I won't be doing that again...

But as for UnitedStatesican friends, you know you're good friends when you can emit toxic gasses in front of each other, and not be embarassed. It was good to spend the weekend with my fartty friends! I've missed that!
Jen and Joana in the lake

Bye Abuelita... Y la Maldita Cruise Line

When I picked up parents 1 and 3 at the airport on Sunday, Dan and Karen kept asking me if anything happened while they were gone. No, no, nothing exciting, bad, good, or weird happened while they were gone.

So I saw them tonight...... Uh, HECK YES, stuff happened when they were gone, and I'm a little perturbed to only have found out about it all tonight. Apparently, Grandma Lane died two days after they left for the cruise. Andira called the ship's emergency number to get ahold of them, but it wouldn't go through. So she called Norweigen Cruise headquarters a few times, and she was never even able to get ahold of anyone on the boat ever! The funeral was last friday, and Dan and Karen didn't know about any of this until sunday! I have a few words for that cruise line... A close family death is an emergency if I ever heard one, and it's totally rediculous to not find out about it until a week and a half later. I'm suprised and sad also that Andira never told me about Grandma Lane.

Also, Danny got in a bad car wreck during this time, and broke his arm or hand or something, and got staples in his head.

So, the cruise line can shove it, and I'm now nervous that some day I'll be un-contactable in some foreign country somewhere as my parents are dying, or something else bad happens. But probably not. But, at least that would be more my fault for being gout of reach of communication, and not somebody else's stupid fault for not having an emergency system set up that actually WORKS. Huy.

Atras al Futuro - Fue Como Mi Niñéz

So, yesterday, of course, I spent most of the day with hermanos from Iglesia de Cristo.
After lunch and volleyball, we headed off to donuts on lancaster. I was super tired from having picked up my parents in Portland in the morning (ha! I slept in and was half an hour late!) so I was starting to doze off in the donut shop. Some of the girls and David were sitting outside, and there was a possum or some other rodent out there and the girls screamed and ran inside, and David came in laughing behind them. So, about 10pm, I was ready to leave, when the girls came in wide-eyed again, and we thought the possum had come back. But David came in, pulled the door shut hard behind them, and they were all like, "Whoa! Look out there!!"
Out the window, we could see some guys duking it out, a car speed away in a cloud of burning tires, and a police car zoom into the parking lot. (This is in the Don Pedro parking lot). The guys outside who had been fighting were yelling, and were really angry, and our girls said that this guy had driven up to some guys sitting outside the pool hall and threw something through their car window. That's when the fight broke out. And somehow, a police car had been in the vicinity.
Then, we heard brakes squeallin on Lancaster, and two cars stopped right outside the donut place, and I thought a guy wass pulling out a gun (my face went white and I was ready to dive under the table) but it was just his arm coming out the window motioning to the other car, which apparently was the guy who broke a car window. They sped off down the road dodging other traffic.

North Lancaster after dark. What a party. Sometimes I'm glad I grew up in the neighborhood that I did, so things like this are fathomable - like my childhood.

Dedicado a Mis Queridos Hermanos

You are so special to me.
You bring so much joy to my life.
I can't imagine what it would be like if you were not around.
Only by the grace of God can I enjoy your precious friendship.
How was I so blessed?
How am I so blessed?
You mean more than the world to me.
You've shown me there is more to life than greed
Through all you've given me.
I'll try my best to always be there for you.
That's what you've done for me.
It won't always be easy. Sometimes it's give and take.
But I'll do my best to take less than I give.

From Slick Shoes' Wake Up Screaming album.

Les Kiero mucho - Moco, Peloncito, y Lalito!

El Porque del Porque

I can't fix everything. I can't even fix a lot of stuff in my own life, so I think I should quit trying to fix stuff in other peoples' lives. It doesn't seem like it would be hard to quit that, but it is. Maybe someday I will get a less-compassionate heart. That might be bad, but it would be easier for me. Haha, I suppose that's not what it's all about though - going for what's easiest for me! Just some thoughts for the day about the previous week in my life.

If I ever move to Central America, I think I want to try to get a job at Pollo Campero and be the Pollo during the lunch hour. (See picture on previous post). TACA Airlines has special deoderizers that are pumped into the planes, specifically formulated to combat the chicken smell because everyone and their pet rocks travelling from C.A. to the States goes to Campero 2 hours before the plane leaves and brings a 50-pack of chicken for their relatives in the States. I don't remember who told me that, but that's just awesome.