So its Saturday, our day off, and I was just sitting here on the internet waiting for my travel buddy to finish on the internet and remembered that I´ve been tagged by two people and haven´t posted anything yet! One of them, Dianna, tagged me a long time ago and I just never got around to it. Sorry Dee Dee! Anyway, I combined the two questionares and made one of my own...
4 Favorite Places
1. Newport Beach
2. Disneyland
3. Provo Canyon
4. El Salvador
4 Things I can do
1. Speak Spanish!
2. Art
3. Critique movies
4. Cool, weird body tricks ( sing w/mouth closed, double jointed shoulders,etc)
4 Things I cannot do
1. Wake up without pressing the snooze button
2. Arrive on time to class or church
3. Go a few days without communicating with my family
4. Ignore the smell of smoke on my clothes or in the house
Favorite Foods
1. Peanut butter
2. Basically anything that my dad makes
3. Salads
4. Really good Mexican food
4 things to do before I die
1. Go to Europe
2. Get Married/ Kids etc
3. Make a Difference
4. Live in California again
Things I love about life
1. Family
2. The church
3. Friends
4. Memories
4 people I tag
Basically everyone who I would want to do one has already been tagged!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
A Hearty Hello
My sincere apologies for only doing one update while being in El Salvador. But, who knows maybe you really haven’t been missing it. but, if that’s the case you don’t need to share that with me. Anyway, things are going great down here! I’ve been here for two weeks already and cannot believe that I’m a third of the way done. Things like bus routes and stops are finally becoming more familiar and I am getting more and more involved in the various projects we are doing.
The big project we´ve been doing this week is a painting project at one of the orphanages we work at. We are painting two murals one in the “preschool” which is basically just the room for the 3-6 year olds (this one is already completed) and the other will be in the special ed room. It has been really neat to see something that was nothing turn into something special because of what we have done.
It also was the 24th of July this week. To celebrate, we picked up about 40-50 dollars (which here is a ton of money – when I buy lunch it usually costs me less than a dollar) worth of some pretty sweet fireworks. I´m positive that all of them would be completely illegal in the states. But, they were awesome! My favorites were the ones that looked like little artillery shells that when shot up into the air made huge and colorful explosions while simultaneously setting off about five car alarms. By the way, car alarms go off all of the time and they all have the same sound.
Well, things are going really great down here. I love it more and more everyday. There are the occasional spells of homesickness, but I think that’s pretty normal for a girl that loves her fam so much! Also, I did have an unpleasant visit from the flu fairy last week – not fun. I ended up sleeping for about 36 hours in a couple of days! Other than that and discovering that the “bichos” or bugs are munching on my ankles, everything here is marvilloso!
I hope that everyone is having a great summer!
The big project we´ve been doing this week is a painting project at one of the orphanages we work at. We are painting two murals one in the “preschool” which is basically just the room for the 3-6 year olds (this one is already completed) and the other will be in the special ed room. It has been really neat to see something that was nothing turn into something special because of what we have done.
It also was the 24th of July this week. To celebrate, we picked up about 40-50 dollars (which here is a ton of money – when I buy lunch it usually costs me less than a dollar) worth of some pretty sweet fireworks. I´m positive that all of them would be completely illegal in the states. But, they were awesome! My favorites were the ones that looked like little artillery shells that when shot up into the air made huge and colorful explosions while simultaneously setting off about five car alarms. By the way, car alarms go off all of the time and they all have the same sound.
Well, things are going really great down here. I love it more and more everyday. There are the occasional spells of homesickness, but I think that’s pretty normal for a girl that loves her fam so much! Also, I did have an unpleasant visit from the flu fairy last week – not fun. I ended up sleeping for about 36 hours in a couple of days! Other than that and discovering that the “bichos” or bugs are munching on my ankles, everything here is marvilloso!
I hope that everyone is having a great summer!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
In need of a few suggestions...
Hello Everyone!
So this blog is not so much of an update (on of those will be coming shortly) as it is just a call for any suggestions that you might have. I am starting to work with an organization down here that houses teenage girls who have been either abused, lived on the street, or have children already. Anyway, what I want to do with these girls is just do simple activities that will increase a feeling of self worth, or encourage self expression. I have a few ideas, but if you guys have any that would be great! Think back to your high school or young women days - any favorite or memorable activities? If you do please share! I would greatly appreciate it!
So this blog is not so much of an update (on of those will be coming shortly) as it is just a call for any suggestions that you might have. I am starting to work with an organization down here that houses teenage girls who have been either abused, lived on the street, or have children already. Anyway, what I want to do with these girls is just do simple activities that will increase a feeling of self worth, or encourage self expression. I have a few ideas, but if you guys have any that would be great! Think back to your high school or young women days - any favorite or memorable activities? If you do please share! I would greatly appreciate it!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Estoy Sentando Aqui
Hello All! Like my dad´s favorite phrase in Spanish explains, I am sitting here. Only, I´m sitting here in an internet cafe in the San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador.
Wow, I can´t believe I´m here. Just the other day I was headed out in an airplane not knowing anything to expect, and now I´m in a totally different country learning bus routes, customs, the language and how to use this different keyboard! Everyone told me that I wouldn´t know how it was until I got here, and now I totally understand. Another thing I understand is why missionaries letters and emails are sometimes short and lacking some of the details! THere is so much to tell, but I´ll try to summarize what has happened so far because I want to share this awesome experience with all of you! ( I apologize in advance for the many grammatical and spelling errors this will have)
Well I arrived on Thursday and haven´t really stopped going since then! All of the volunteers here divide up into different "projects" throughout the week, so us new girls are taking this week to test them out and see what we want to focus for the duration of the trip. I´ve only been to three but so far I really like teaching english at the LDS employment center ( everyone does this on M, W, and F) and helping out at a place called CISNA. Thats where I went today. Its a place where orphan boys and boys who have been in trouble with the law go. They are all so sweet and really receptive to any love or attention you show them. I made a couple of friends there today who kept asking me if they could give me kisses. Don´t worry I told them no :) Sometimes they can be a little too affectionate, so we have to keep that undercontrol.
On Wednesday I´ll probably go to a place called CIPI for troubled girls, their children, and other children with special needs. I´m really interested in teaching the girls somekind of literacy or art class, but we´ll see how that goes.
Anyway, thats a little report of how all of the projects have been going.
Its so awesome to be here! I love all of the greenary. We go everywhere on the crazy, but fun busses and so I get to see a lot of the city, which i really enjoy. Even though its really dirty, it has a lot of personality, especially because everything is in Espanol!
Well internet time is up! Thank you all for your love and support!
Wow, I can´t believe I´m here. Just the other day I was headed out in an airplane not knowing anything to expect, and now I´m in a totally different country learning bus routes, customs, the language and how to use this different keyboard! Everyone told me that I wouldn´t know how it was until I got here, and now I totally understand. Another thing I understand is why missionaries letters and emails are sometimes short and lacking some of the details! THere is so much to tell, but I´ll try to summarize what has happened so far because I want to share this awesome experience with all of you! ( I apologize in advance for the many grammatical and spelling errors this will have)
Well I arrived on Thursday and haven´t really stopped going since then! All of the volunteers here divide up into different "projects" throughout the week, so us new girls are taking this week to test them out and see what we want to focus for the duration of the trip. I´ve only been to three but so far I really like teaching english at the LDS employment center ( everyone does this on M, W, and F) and helping out at a place called CISNA. Thats where I went today. Its a place where orphan boys and boys who have been in trouble with the law go. They are all so sweet and really receptive to any love or attention you show them. I made a couple of friends there today who kept asking me if they could give me kisses. Don´t worry I told them no :) Sometimes they can be a little too affectionate, so we have to keep that undercontrol.
On Wednesday I´ll probably go to a place called CIPI for troubled girls, their children, and other children with special needs. I´m really interested in teaching the girls somekind of literacy or art class, but we´ll see how that goes.
Anyway, thats a little report of how all of the projects have been going.
Its so awesome to be here! I love all of the greenary. We go everywhere on the crazy, but fun busses and so I get to see a lot of the city, which i really enjoy. Even though its really dirty, it has a lot of personality, especially because everything is in Espanol!
Well internet time is up! Thank you all for your love and support!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Me llamo Maclaine
Well Today I left at 4:00 am to go to houston then El Salvador! The next time I post it will be from there. I don't know exactly when that will be, but be watching out for it! El Salvador, here I come!
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Clinton, Stacy and a little bit of Tyra
The last week or so I have found myself frequently tuning to a few good shows. The more I watch, the more I know that it is a complete waste of time, but become more addicted to these fascinating programs.(Wow, its even more pathetic that I'm writing a blog entry about it). It all started with "What Not to Wear". This one has been a favorite for a while; I love Clinton's sassy sense of humor and Stacy's fashion advice, not to mention her random gray streak of hair.
Then, I saw a new series called " I've got nothing to wear"; this focuses more on fashion design. They take a person's somewhat out-of-style wardrobe to "the chop shop" where "design prodigies" (gotta love the names) make a new wardrobe only using the fabric of the old clothes.
The last on TLC is "Take Home Chef". Who wouldn't want to watch a sexy Australian cook make dinner for a random stranger?
Even though it is basically just drivel, I have learned a few good pointers about cooking and fashion. In fact as I was getting ready for church today I didn't know what shoes to wear. But then I recalled an episode of "What Not to Wear"...
P.S. The modeling pose was inspired by "America's Next Top Model". Tyra Banks is so wise...
Then, I saw a new series called " I've got nothing to wear"; this focuses more on fashion design. They take a person's somewhat out-of-style wardrobe to "the chop shop" where "design prodigies" (gotta love the names) make a new wardrobe only using the fabric of the old clothes.
The last on TLC is "Take Home Chef". Who wouldn't want to watch a sexy Australian cook make dinner for a random stranger?
Even though it is basically just drivel, I have learned a few good pointers about cooking and fashion. In fact as I was getting ready for church today I didn't know what shoes to wear. But then I recalled an episode of "What Not to Wear"...
P.S. The modeling pose was inspired by "America's Next Top Model". Tyra Banks is so wise...
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