How nostalgic it was to see things from my childhood, but this time with an appreciation for the things as they are. I went to stay with my grandparents this past weekend in ABQ New Mexico. It was weird for me to see things from 8-10 years ago. Constantly trying to figure out where I was or what I recognized, remembering the small things from my few years of living there. I spent the day in Santa Fe, checking out the art museums and the plaza. Drove highway 14 through the mountains to stop and see some of the mountain towns along the way towards Edgewood NM (where I spent a few years growing up). Along with these things, I was able to spend some time with my grandparents exploring the petroglyphs, old town plaza, and the Indian Pueblo Culture Center, and squeezing in as much hatch green chile as we could.
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So being honest I'm not sure if driving to Omaha from Lincoln can really count as traveling... but here we are and I'm going to let it pass. A few weeks before the concert I talked my dad into getting tickets to see Lord Huron, and thankfully he said yes. Lord Huron was a dream boat. The concert was everything I dreamed and more. The crowd was top notch and the music even better. A wonderful blend of old and new songs, kept me on my toes for what was next. Lord Huron is one of my favorite bands, and it was a dream to see them preform live. Here we go again. I am super excited to have the opportunity to go back to visit Albuquerque, New Mexico! I'm going to stay with my grandparents for the weekend while were there and I'm super excited to see my grandparents, it's been a while! I'm looking forward to reminiscing a little bit of where I grew up for a few years. It will interesting to see what I remember from 7 years ago... hopefully some things haven't changed.
Hello again! So it's been a few weeks since I left Ecuador and came back to the states. It's been an interesting transition back into everyday life while still finding time to reflect and remember the summers trip. I've found myself realizing I know more Spanish now than I ever have in the past. Noticing it now that we are back in the states is a wild realization since it's shown me that I was able to learn the language a bit more than I thought I had. I've continue to find things that we talked about with the host families in Manta and the community there and are sure to keep sending them the pictures that they were curious about, or random things I see that remind me of them and the time spent there. I am are so grateful that I had this opportunity to experience a new culture. Personally, the videos I've made have helped remind me and show me all of the incredible things I was able to experience while in Ecuador, and I will cherish them forever. If you haven't seen the other videos, I've made a quick recap video that you can watch in this post... or feel free to go through and check out all the others that I was able to create during our time there! It's been a while! I'm finishing up my time in Manta Ecuador today and couldn't be more grateful for the time I've had here to build relationships and see God working through the people of La Victoria church. I have had so many new experiences while being immersed in cross-cultural living. I had fish for breakfast, tagged along on pastor visits, and rode in the back of a pick up truck throughout town. I could go on and on about all of the new things I was able to experience with the community here in Manta, but I'll save that for a later date. This month has been truly eye-opening and cherished adventure. Honestly, writing about our trip is tricky for me since I'm not a writer, sooooo I made another video that shows what I've been up to in Manta! Also--- feel free to ask me any questions about the travels! Hi everyone! I am about halfway through the time in Manta Ecuador! It has been an incredible ride so far. Manta has truly gotten me out of my comfort zone and craving the good ol' food we know and love (aka... boneless wings, pizza, ranch, and spicy foods!.) That being said... I did have the opportunity to go out to dinner with Valaria and Manuel (a daughter of one of the host families and her husband), they took me to a place that serves a house-made RANCH! It may seem like such a small thing to miss, but it was 100% appreciated and savored. I am still trying to get comfortable and into a rhythm with my host family, which is honestly difficult for me since communication is still at a minimum, due to my lack of knowing very much Spanish. Throughout these past few weeks I've had the opportunity to see the work that the Buen Samaritano Project is doing in Manta. I've gone to several financial meetings, design meetings, as well as in person meetings with the beneficiaries of the project. It's been incredible to see how the church is working in Manta to provide long-term recovery care for the new business start-ups. Although this trip has been great so far, I've struggled with a bit of food poisoning/24 hr bug. Honestly, that and the language barrier, have been the hardest part about this trip. I have had the time to put together another video that shows what I've been up to here in Manta! This past week I was able to immerse myself into the language of Ecuador. I went with a Spanish tutor to Baños Ecuador for a week! In the mornings I went out to see what Baños had to offer. ~Monday: Arrived into the jungle city and had a short tour of the city and town square. ~Tuesday: Went to the Baños zoo and saw a bunch of exotic birds and other animals. ~Wednesday: Bus tour of the many waterfalls around Baños as well as our zipline adventure (If you haven't seen this yet, check it out in my most recent blog post)! ~Thursday: A long and exhausting walk up and across a mountain to see the city from a birds-eye-view. ~Friday: Returned back to Quito. *After each breathtaking event, I spent 4-5 hours learning Spanish to prepare me for thr time in Manta* I had such an amazing time in Baños and can't wait to see what the rest of the summer, as well as what Ecuador have in store to show me. Update: I had the opportunity to zip-line across a river while we were touring the several waterfalls in Baños! Unfortunately I scratched the case around my camera, so the video is a little blurry. also if you want to see some photos of thr trip, you can see a handful on my portfolio (home--> images --> summer 2018) Here's a short video that shows the first week in Ecuador! This past week has been incredibly eye-opening, humbling, and full of new experiences. I've only been in Ecuador for a few short days but already feel so welcomed by the church community here. I have been introduced to so many kind people just in these 3 days, and can only imagine how many more wonderful people I will have the chance to meet along the way! I have had the opportunity to see a few places while I've been out with the Hoskins. I climbed my way up the mountain to get to the city of Quito and ventured through 3 different malls around Tumbaco and Cumbayá. Some moments seem to move really slow while others are go-go-go. Driving to Quito was a beautiful drive that seemed to last longer than expected, but was worth every minute of it. Coming down from Quito was the exact opposite. I had the chance to ride the bus with Chris back down the mountain. Seems easy-peasy. No. This was something I have never experienced in my life, what a journey it was. Today, I was able to help the Hoskins prepare for a going away party for another missionary family in Ecuador, who are going back to the States for a year. It was a great party with a beautiful food spread, great company, and a chance to test out my Spanish with a group of 5 year old girls. This upcoming week I am preparing for a trip to Baños Ecuador, where I will be doing a week of language classes/training. Immersing myself into the language and culture of the country.
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October 2018
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