I haven't blogged since I got home from Puerto Rico or Creation. Myohmy, how two weeks changes everything.
Obviously when you go to two God-related things for a long time worshiping, serving, and meeting new people, you're gonna leave pumped for God. Which definitely happened. Like, alotttt. I think I'm gonna write two seperate blogs on both things, sound cooool? Kgood. (:
So...Puerto Rico was cool. And crazy. And different. Realllly different. I went with one of my closest friends, Hallie. I've known her for...ever? :b We've grown up in the same church together. Anyways, everyone else in our group was from all over the US. One girl, Abby, from Washington. Aaron from Maryland. Abunch from Virginia. Some from Pennsylvania. I don't remember everyone else, but there was 18 of us total. We lived in the poorest community in Caimito. There was a huge iglesia de los hermanos (Church of the Brethren) community center in the middle, which is our denomination. We stayed ina little house, with no air conditioning of course, and crappy water. It was about 100000000 degrees at all times, which was probably the worst thing to deal with. That & bug bites. :(
It was a huge culture shock, not everything being in English. In fact, nothing was really in English. And only a handful of people could speak it. That was really weird, and kinda frustrating for both sides at time. Pretty much all the spanish I'd learned at school didn't help. It was way different, and they didn't use half the words I did. Hah, one little boy thought I was speaking English when I asked him a question in spanish. It was that baddd.
I absolutely loved our group. I grew so close to everyone, even those I wouldn't have expected to. We were like a family. A really weird, messed up family, :b. From David's racist comments to Troy's swagger, to Clara's heavy southern accient, to Stephanie's ptyeradactyl hiccups, to Aaron's Bin Ladden book about Saudi Arabia's politics. Some drama happened down there involving me, and they really helped me through it. Dr. Phil time with Phil, talks with David, and todas chicas circle helped so much. I love all of them. (:
So many memories, I know I'll never forget. Almost dying in the Puerto Rican's insane game called Rescue. Almost missing our flight home, and getting stuck all by ourselves at the airport. The last night when Ramone kissed Abby, :). Malo boy. Waiting two hours to get our food at this blue restaurant. The beautiful views in Old San Juan. The awkward fight between Mark & Clara. ME OWNING AT THIS AWESOME GAME CALLED FARKLE :). Troy getting hurt, every single day. Saying a prayer for whoever had bathroom trash that day. Finding the cockroach in the shower the first day. Feeding and almost adopting Jorge the chicken. Fighting off the crazy kids that attacked our house and broke our window. Crazy community water balloon fights. Our failed attempt at singing in spanish. & So many more. <3
It's just kinda sad, ya know? When experiences that are super awesome are over, it reallly sucks. But you get to go back to what you're used to : friends, air conditioning, working toilets, a bed. Most of the children and families there don't get that. We get to taste what their life is like for a week, then go back to ours like nothing happened. Those people are so amazing, and don't deserve to live like that. I definitely miss them, and I hope to be able to see them again. & I do plan on going back, hopefully in December. <3
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