A Long Tale For Those Who Haven't Given Up Hope

7 months... a long time to wait. I wouldn't blame you if you have given up hope, because I probably would have also. I feel like almost every blog I write starts out this way: an apology and a promise to do better. I'm tired of being lousy at blogging, and I really would like to be better. I just need the discipline. Hopefully, the discipline to blog will set in this time around. I would like to have a blog appear at least once a month, but as the past has shown, it may be longer.

Once again though, I am sorry. Many of those who still read are supporters either in prayer, monetary giving, or both. I appreciate this support, and I want to share about how the Lord is working through your support both in me and in La Paz, Bolivia. So, let's get started...

Back in La Paz

The last post brought you up to speed with the trip Stacy and I took. The first thing I want to do is wrap the trip up.

We arrived in Arica, Chile late in the morning fully expecting to have to catch an overnight bus back to La Paz, but luckily we found a bus leaving at about 2:00 in the afternoon. Unfortunately, it didn't actually leave until about 3:30. It was a Bolivian bus company, so really it was only about a half hour to an hour late. ;) Our bus came into La Paz just before midnight and we brought our belongings over to the temporary housing for Sheldon and I. Sheldon had borrowed a few cots from his workplace (Samaritan's Purse), which accumulated for all the furniture we had in the place. Stacy went to bed right away, while I went with Sheldon to return the vehicle we had been using and check the Mallasilla apt. for anything we might have forgotten to pack. I took Stacy to one of my favorite restaurants, Charlie Papa's, for breakfast and then I showed her around the city area. When we came back to the apt. we played a few cribbage games with Sheldon, went to eat some silpanchos (meat, potatoes, rice, and eggs), and then went to see Avatar in 3D at the Megacenter in Irpavi. The next day, Sunday, we went to church, which meets at the school, and I got to introduce Stacy to my Bolivian family and church family. We even went to eat some chicarron (fried pork) with my Bolivian family. Stacy wasn't a fan of the chicharron. :) After lunch, we went and chilled at the apt. for awhile with Sheldon. Then, since Stacy was hungry (she didn't have much chicharron :) ), we went out to eat at Charlie Papa's again and then to go play some wallyball. I was able to again introduce her to some Bolivian friends from church and other places. After wally, we went to get some ice cream and then back to the apt. to get Stacy packed up.

We got up at about 3:30 the next morning and caught a taxi up to the airport. We had a small bite to eat and said our farewells. It had been a whirlwind of a trip, but it was good to spend time together, and especially to show Stacy a little of what my life is like living in La Paz.

2nd Semester

Before the next semester started, I spent long hours putting together the 5th grade social studies curriculum guides that I had, surprise surprise, procrastinated on. It felt really good to get them out of the way. Curriculum guides have been the bane of my existence these past three years. :) Second semester with my class was amazing. I'll point out a few special memories.

1. We had a tall tale writing celebration where the students wrote their stories on half sheets of paper staple underneath each other to make an exaggerated and literally tall tale. :) We also bought an Interminable, a pizza with slices that are about a foot long (no exaggeration!). I couldn't believe that students were asking for seconds!

2. I had a student that started displaying a lot of emotional and behavioral outbursts in the classroom. I don't feel comfortable sharing too many details, but suffice to say it was a definite challenge for me. My classroom management skills were put to the test time and time again. I was in constant prayer. On the last day of school, he leaned up next to my crying and begging me to stay at school. He definitely made a lasting impression on my heart, and I'll be looking forward to seeing him again in August.

3. The class also really got into our classroom elections. We had nominations in our classroom to determine the candidates. We then had the candidates give speeches during our lunch with the 3rd and 5th grade classes. It was then the 3rd and 5th grade classes that voted. Despite a landslide victory, all the candidates and participants had lots of fun. I even have 3rd graders begging me to do the same thing next year. :)

4. We had an accreditation review in March that went very well! The reviewer from SACS (Southern Area Colleges and Schools) that had accredited us last year returned to see how things were going that we had said we'd be working on. He was very impressed, which was a huge encouragement to the entire staff, especially for those who had been there when he had come the previous year.

5. Sheldon and I took a three day trip during Spring Break to see the Salt Flats of Uyuni (Salar de Uyuni). It was a great time of bonding and perspective shots. The Salt Flats work well for that. They provide the perfect white backdrop.

I guess that about wraps up my third year. We did have a couple teachers leave our staff, one who has been the second grade teacher for the past four years and has spearheaded many projects to promote academic excellence at Highlands. It will take a lot of pitching in and helping out to fill the holes she's been filling in. We will have some new staff coming in August. 1. 2nd grade teacher 2. middle school teacher 3. elementary principal/academic director and 4. high school social studies teacher. It won't be nearly as big of a group that came this past school year. It will be good getting to know each and every one of them.

Another good friend of mine that won't be returning is Sheldon. Over the past two years, our friendship has grown fast and strong. To celebrate that friendship we planned a little trip to go on after the school year was out. We began with climbing the tallest mountain in Bolivia, Mt. Sajama. It was the hardest thing I've ever done, and I never plan on trying to climb something higher. 21,500 ft is plenty high for me! Most people take three to four days to climb it, but Sheldon and I hoofed up and down it in two! I'll stop bragging though, because I looked pretty pathetic climbing up the last 1,000 ft, but as Sheldon kept reminding me, "The important thing is we made it!"

After our climb, we went on a week and a half long trip through northern Argentina. A few highlights:

1. Being told bussing through Paraguay that we could not buy a visa at the border and we had 24 hours to exit the country. Oops! It's the first time I've been an illegal in a country.

2. Spending two days visiting Iguazu Falls on the northeastern tip of Argentina. I've seen pictures of Niagara Falls. They have nothing on Iguazu! They were extremely beautiful and breathtaking! It was a snapshot of God's beauty and power!

3. Having a steak and wine dinner in Buenos Aires. It was very expensive, but Sheldon and I had promised each other that we'd splurge at least once. It was chilly and windy when we walked out of the restaurant, but neither of us noticed. :)

4. Stopping in Salta for the day, so we could watch in anticipation as the U.S. beat Algeria to advance on to the next round of the World Cup!

5. Playing many games of cribbage, spades, and hearts. We spent over 50 hours of our trip in either a bus or train, so games were a great way to pass the time, even though almost all of our bus trips were overnight trips. Yeah, we didn't get lots of sleep on this adventure! :)

Regarding the Future and Prayer Requests

I have decided to return to Highlands for a fourth year of teaching. I love the school, staff, and students and while I'm pretty sure this will be my final year, it's hard to say it with certainty. I am thinking that after this school that I would be going to another city in Bolivia to spend about three months immersed in Spanish. While I can hold basic conversations now, I'd like to improve to a higher level of fluency. I don't know what the Lord has planned after, but I'd like to be able to increase my skill set to be able to serve Him more effectively. The Lord has given me a passion for children, and I feel called to minister in Spanish speaking countries.

While these two things are helping to guide me as well, I still do not know what comes next. I might stay in Bolivia and join SIM missions and help out in La Paz with their Children's Ministry program, in which case, I better start learning Aymaran too. :) Maybe it means heading to another Latin American country. Maybe it means going back to school in the States or taking online classes to get a more advanced degree. I honestly don't know what He has planned next, but I'm trusting in Him.

After saying that, here are my requests:

1. That He would direct my paths and give me wisdom and understanding in the upcoming decisions I'll have to be making.

2. That He would continue to use me and Highlands to be a light to the students, parents, and the surrounding communities.

3. That He might open up opportunities for close friendships that help keep me accountable and disciplined in the Lord in Bolivia, since Sheldon will be living in the U.S.

4. That He might help me stay disciplined in my communication with supporters, and my daily communication with Him.

5. That even though I've learned to be content with being single, the fact that it's not a desire in my heart makes it hard for me to always be at peace with the notion. So, prayer that He might be my one, true desire of my heart and let my course run from that point. :)

Thank you all again for your patience and support. Hopefully, next time will be only a month away! :)

Last day in Pucon, Chile...on to Santiago!

Hey all so just in case anyone was left out of the loop Stacy (me) made it safely back to the good 'ol USA on Jan. 11th. Praise the Lord! I had a great time sharing this experience with Thomas and thank the Lord for the amazingly great travel we had as well as the time to connect.

Ok so Tom and I have split the responsibility of catching you all up on the final leg of our grand adventure. I will now cover January 5-7th and leave the 8th-10th for Tom. Enjoy!

January 5th,

Ahh our final day in Pucon, Chile :(. I think this was my favorite place on the trip. The overall living space, town, and attractions really appeal to my taste.

Ok so today Tom and I got up early packed up our stuff and headed into town. We went straight for one of the many tour agencies to book our spot on a trail ride with the Hurst Family. Thankfully there were still spots available. We took off for the trail ride at around 10:30 joined by Greg Hurst and two of his girls Kayla and Hannah. His wife Faith and youngest daughter were unable to join in due to an injury.

Our guide was a native indian to the area and was able to inform Greg of many customs of their people and ways of the land, which Greg thankfully translated for me :). Our ride was filled with various adventures. First, soon after we headed out Tom was experiencing problems with his horse. My best guess is that a shoe was bad cause he kept catching one of his back hooves before setting it down. We patiently waited while our guide rode back to get another horse. As we began up the mountainside trail we soon realized that all the rain from the night before combined with the steep incline of the mountainside would make for slow progress. It is safe to say we all were more than a bit nervous in some areas as our horses would sometimes stumble and have to catch themselves to stay on the trail.

We stuck with it and enjoyed a beautiful view of the lake bordering Pucon and nearby Villarrica, as well as the surrounding hills and mountains. We took some time for the horses to rest and to shake our legs out a bit. All of the girls agreed that we would not be comfortable going down the trail on the horses and decided to walk, as did Greg. After the guide proceeded to tell us that no one had ever made that decision before, Tom decided to ride down "Man from Snowy River style" as he would say. In the end we all made it down one way or another and enjoyed some time running our horses in a nearby pasture.

On the final leg of the trip back Tom's horse was getting a bit antsy to get home, as were all the horses. However, Tom wanted his horse to walk not trot anymore as the trot was becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Sad thing for Tom is that his horse did not care what he wanted and continually broke out into a trot all the way home (hehe).

When we returned to town we stopped at a souvenier market and I was finally able to find some small gifts to bring back for a decent price! We headed back to the Hurst's beautiful cabin they had rented for their vacation and enjoyed some time of relaxation. On the property was a clay tennis court that Tom and I decided to make some use of. We discovered we are both equally untalented in the sport of tennis, but were still able to enjoy our time. After supper we joined in for another game with Hannah and Greg. Lots of fun!

Jan. 5th into the 6th

At 10pm on the 5th Greg dropped us off at the Villarrica bus station for our trip to Santiago. I was starting to have a bit of a sinus problem so I tried to stock up on toilet paper before we took off. The bus ride went through the night and we arrived in Santiago at about 7am? the next morning. If you take a similar trip I suggest getting the comfortable bus, rather than the typical coach bus seat...not so comfortable for sleeping.

In Santiago we arrived at the subway station during peak rush hour YAY! We endured a short yet tightly packed ride on the subway from our bus station to our hostel's district area. At the hostel we were told our room/beds were not ready until 1pm so for the next two hours we stored our luggage in a safe place and did our best to occupy our time.

When we were able to get in our room both of us were tired enough to sleep for about 5 hours so in order to accomplish two things at once we put on our suits and headed outside to the hostel's pool. (I specifically booked this hostel for that reason) I managed to fall asleep on my stomach and stayed that way a little too long effectively burning the backside of my legs. That night Tom and I enjoyed some delicious steak at a nearby restaurant and headed to bed early.

Jan. 7th BEACH DAY!!!

Today Tom and I headed back the the bus station to get a ride to Vine del Mar, which is about a 2 hour ride from Santiago. We found a bus easily enough and were soon on our way. Upon our arrival we decided to walk to the beach in order to save on some money. The walk took about a half-hour putting our arrival at around 2pm in the afternoon. Needless to say we were both quite hungry. I was excited to see a Pizza Hut nearby and glad when Tom happily agreed to eat there. I don't think Pizza Hut has ever tasted so good. After pigging out to our stomach's content we headed down to the water.

We spent three wonderful hours enjoying the Pacific Ocean. However, almost all that time was spent on the sand as the water was quite cold. I would compare it to stepping into an ice bath. We were entertained for awhile by a stray dog enjoying playing in the waves and racing up and down the beach. I again effectively burned myself, however this time it was my front side so I evened things out a bit.

We headed back to Santiago and again packed our things up to prepare for our early flight to Arrica in the morning.

More of Chile

January 4th continued:

Okay sorry for the long wait for an update, we got a bit sidetracked. As I mentioned in the previous post we were preparing for a white water adventure today. It was quite an adventure to say the least.

This was a first for both Thomas and I so we were excited and a bit nervous as well. Upon arrival at the company lodge up in the hills we were given wetsuits and booties to change into. Tom had to get another suit as the first one was too short. Turns out South Americans are not known for being tall, cause Tom's second suit didn't fit a whole lot better. Don't worry I have picture :) Anyways after a short tutorial we headed out on the river. We were in a raft with a father and his two daughters the one was young enough to just sit in the middle and enjoy the ride.

Our guide had trouble trying to even out the strength of the sides of the raft. At first Tom and I were on the same side, but together we were too much for the father and daughter to keep up so Tom and the Dad switched sides. I am a bit proud to say the my side was still stronger after the switch :) However, my pride was brought down shortly after when I fell out of the raft. Yep that's right I fell out and was extremely thankful for the year of experience in the water. I grabbed my paddle and was quickly pulled back into the raft with little fanfare. By the end we had covered 30km in an hour.

Needless to say it was a great experience, one that both Tom and I would be up for doing again someday. After the trip we cleaned up at our hostel and enjoyed a great dinner in town followed by an amazing dessert at another restaurant. We have made contact with the Hurst's who are staying in Villarrica about a 20min drive from Pucon. We will join them for horseback riding tomorrow. Chao!

Chile here we come!

January 2: Leaving Ushuaia

Today Tom and I got up around 7 to get ready to leave Ushuaia. We enjoyed a breakfast at our hostel and then checked out and went to Laguna Negra to cash in on a free hot chocolate. The treat was compliments of Tolkeynen Boat Tours, the shop was closed yesterday as were most shops.

While sipping our hot coco we realized that as the top layer cooled it started to solidify. Tom mentioned that he thinks this was straight up hot chocolate without the milk or water added in. Either way it was tasty and warmed us up for the day.

Before catching our bus we stopped into a few shops. Tom found a leather wallet and I finally found a reasonably prices keepsake to take home from Ushuaia.

At 11 am we left Ushuaia and traveled close to three hours on the most beautiful bus ride I have ever been on...and I have been on a few bus rides :) It´s not everyday you get to drive throughthe Andes Mountains. We switched busses in Rio Grande and headed out for Punta Arenas. Along the way we had two stops for immigration purposes. One at the Argentina Border Control and one at Chile´s. Each stop added about an hour to our trip.

Tom and I both enjoyed the ferry ride across the Magellan Straits. It was extremely windy here and you needed to lean into the wind in order to move from place to place. It was amazing to finally find a place that was windier than South Dakota. We both got a little wet from the sea spray that flew up as we crossed, as did many of the cars aboard. We both captured to shots and footage of the crossing that I am sure we be shared upon our return.

I enjoyed watching the landscape change as we traveled from Argentina to Chile. We saw everyting from mountains, coastline, to rolling plains. I was shocked in the plains how some places did not have fences outlining property lines. Here you could see sheep, cattle, and llama grazing right along the side of the road!

We arrived in Punta Arenas around 11pm and made our way Hostel Keoken, a mere 8 blocks away and settled in for the night.

January 3: Headed for Pucon, Chile

Today was another day of travel :). We started with a great breakfast at our hostel, complete with a bit of embarrassment on my part. The table was set with cereal, milk, bread and butter options, along with a plate and coffee cup set for each person. Problem was I wanted cereal and had no bowl. In order to fix the dilemma I decided to use my coffee cup as my bowl. Not a bad idea since I don´t drink coffee. Plus I was encouraged when Tom followed my lead. However, while I was enjoying my cereal in a cup the host came out and pointed the bowls out to me, and said ¨we have bowls for that¨. Oops!

After breakfast we took a taxi to the airport to catch our flight to Puerto Montt. From Puerto Montt we found a bus traveling to Pucon. We had not booked a hostel ahead of time for Pucon and were a little nervous about finding one quickly after our arrival. Thankfully, God went ahead and sen someone for us. Once we gathered our baggage I was approached by a woman asking me something in spanish. I smiled and called for Tom :) She offered us a place to stay in her home which she opens up as a hostel for travelers. Needless to say we are in a nice, quiet part of town enjoying free internet.

We enjoyed a nice dinner outside at a local restaraunt complete with good conversation and a couple extra friendly companions. There are several stray dogs here in S. America. Many are skittish of people, but some have the art of begging down pretty well. Two approached our table one immediatley licked my hand so naturally I took the opportunity to love on him and his friend a litte bit. One was a german shepard mix while the other seemed to have some collie in him. Made my night.

January4: Morning

Tom and I enjoyed sleeping in a little bit today and then had a nice bowl of cereal for breakfast. We went into town and booked two spots for white water rafting this afternoon and our bus ride for tomorrow evening from Pucon to Santiago. We´ll have more info on our adventures following. I am missing home but still enjoying the great experiences of being in all these new places.