There was a slight timing issue the other day so we didn´t go to our dance class. We went this morning instead. What an experience!!!!!!!! To start with my outfit hadn´t been improved unpon so I did end up in my pyjama bottoms which is not a good look for the gym.
I was the only white person there which made stand out quite a bit. Plus, of course, when hot and excercising I go red but nobody else does here. I was this one bright tomatoe in a mass of dusky beauties! :(
Latin dancing is very different to Europeans. Our time seemed to involve a LOT of pelvic thrusts and shaking my "booty" and assests! You remember that car advert with the song " I see you baby, shaking that..."? Well, this morning between 8-9 that was me!
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Friday, 25 March 2011
arobics here we come
Guess where I´m going this afternoon? Classa de bailatherapi! Which is a dance & Arobics class. Should be fun and I (sadly) certainly need the excercise! I just hope I can understand the instructions, ah well I can always fall back on the classic "copy what everyone else is doing" technique :)
A slight hitch, I have no sports clothes. For obvious reasons (I´m allergic to excercise) I didn´t pack any. I´ve cobbled an outift together of a vest top and pj bottoms. I´m hoping this looks like a relaxed summer European version of leisure wear. I have a horrible feeling though that I just look like a weird white woman in her pyjamas!
A slight hitch, I have no sports clothes. For obvious reasons (I´m allergic to excercise) I didn´t pack any. I´ve cobbled an outift together of a vest top and pj bottoms. I´m hoping this looks like a relaxed summer European version of leisure wear. I have a horrible feeling though that I just look like a weird white woman in her pyjamas!
Thursday, 24 March 2011
that which we are, we are
"It may be that the gulfs will wash us down:
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
Tho' much is taken, much abides; and though
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."
Ulysses
One of my favourite quotes and it never fails to encourage and inspire me.
united
“it really doesn’t matter much
what you do here. What matters to us is that friends...chose
to send you, and that you have come to be with us.”
what you do here. What matters to us is that friends...chose
to send you, and that you have come to be with us.”
Tuesday, 22 March 2011
Santo Domingo
I am moving in 10 days!!!!I am settled here now, I´ve got my life in a nice routine and I know people. The idea of movng and starting all over again is daunting. On the other hand I am excited about finally moving on and I am eager to get to work! I am eager but also fairly nervous. I know nothing about disabled kids and the work with teenagers and Laura Flores is hugely important and therefor terrifying. I know it is God who will achieve stuff not me but even so the work is so great and I am so little and insignificant.
Laura Flores is a pretty foul place (in every sense of the word.) Caroline is a 14 year old girl who got pregnant and then her baby was killed. I heard that story in England and it helped me decide to come and work here. Well now she has a "boyfriend" and he drugs her and makes her prostitute herself. On Sunday it was her family we went to visit. Jill had found out the mum can report (doesn´t have to be the girl) him to the police. Sadly we came too late. The bfriend has taken Caroline away to Quito where she´ll permanently work as a prostitute now. Everyone here seems to feel she is "lost forever" . She´ll probably end up murdered. It´s so awful! Teenagers think they´re adults but she´s still a kid. The horrible thing is Jill says this story is not a rare tragedy. She isn´t "called" to work with teenagers (lucky her) but se feels the girls are hugely in danger. They all get pregnant at 14 even the "good" ones. Jill is madly keen on my starting up a version of GIGGLE here to connect and help the girls. One group for kids in church and one group in GIGGLE. Must be some serious beadwork that will keep girls away from sex!!!!
Nothing is set in stone obviously but the idea for work so far is, I´ll do Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri mornings helping at the school. Wednesday morning I´ll do English session and bible stories at the PEPE playgroup in Laura Flores. Tuesday afternnon will be prayer group for womens ministry. Free time might be working in an orphanage for children orphaned by AIDS and perhaps a clinic for the terminally ill. Plus some stuff for the abused womens work.
The living arrangments are pretty good. One big building. The school is downstairs and upstairs are 2 flats. Jill and Katy live in 1 and the pastor and family (and me!) live in the other. Couldn´t be much closer to the school could I? Plus I have Jills apartment on tap for decent tea and English dvds whenever I want not to mention support etc. I´m pretty pleased to be honest. I haven´t seen much of them so I can´t declae them lifelong friends but pastor William and his family seem nice. It´s him, his wife Jenny and their 2 children. 14 Year old daughter and a 12/13 year old son called Israel.
Laura Flores is a pretty foul place (in every sense of the word.) Caroline is a 14 year old girl who got pregnant and then her baby was killed. I heard that story in England and it helped me decide to come and work here. Well now she has a "boyfriend" and he drugs her and makes her prostitute herself. On Sunday it was her family we went to visit. Jill had found out the mum can report (doesn´t have to be the girl) him to the police. Sadly we came too late. The bfriend has taken Caroline away to Quito where she´ll permanently work as a prostitute now. Everyone here seems to feel she is "lost forever" . She´ll probably end up murdered. It´s so awful! Teenagers think they´re adults but she´s still a kid. The horrible thing is Jill says this story is not a rare tragedy. She isn´t "called" to work with teenagers (lucky her) but se feels the girls are hugely in danger. They all get pregnant at 14 even the "good" ones. Jill is madly keen on my starting up a version of GIGGLE here to connect and help the girls. One group for kids in church and one group in GIGGLE. Must be some serious beadwork that will keep girls away from sex!!!!
Nothing is set in stone obviously but the idea for work so far is, I´ll do Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri mornings helping at the school. Wednesday morning I´ll do English session and bible stories at the PEPE playgroup in Laura Flores. Tuesday afternnon will be prayer group for womens ministry. Free time might be working in an orphanage for children orphaned by AIDS and perhaps a clinic for the terminally ill. Plus some stuff for the abused womens work.
The living arrangments are pretty good. One big building. The school is downstairs and upstairs are 2 flats. Jill and Katy live in 1 and the pastor and family (and me!) live in the other. Couldn´t be much closer to the school could I? Plus I have Jills apartment on tap for decent tea and English dvds whenever I want not to mention support etc. I´m pretty pleased to be honest. I haven´t seen much of them so I can´t declae them lifelong friends but pastor William and his family seem nice. It´s him, his wife Jenny and their 2 children. 14 Year old daughter and a 12/13 year old son called Israel.
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Santo Domingo
My weekend is going really well, in fact I'm staying over an extra night and returning tomorrow.
Yesterday I was driven down by Katie. I visited the school (for disabled kids) and walked into town and had luch with Jill. Afterwrds we had tea and had a long talk. Most productive; we've vaguely mapped out the work I'll do here and set a date for my coming! School re-opens on Monday 4th April so I'll start then. Only 10 more days in Quito!!! No more post to Quito please! Today I've met the pastor and his family who'll I'll be living with. Was publicly introduced and presented to the church this morning and met tonnes of important people. This afternoon I went to Laura Flores to do a house visit, assist in sunday school and get a feel for the place. Quite productive I'd say!!!
Guess what? I've eaten chicken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that I'm moving here I cannot be a veggie. Thought it best to try meat whilst with symathisers. Feels weird to actually eat the stuff after 17 years of strict abstinence.
Laura Flores is....well...dreadful is the word I'd choose. Filthy, dark, and over crowded slum. No running water, people live in hovels, and don't get me started on sanitation or lack thereof. Family we visited lived in 2 rooms-4 kids under the age of 5 and their eldest daughter has left to become a prostitute in Quito. Other family had their son murdered. Apparently there death by violence is frequent and fairly normal. Girls are all pregnant at 14. Just tragic!
Yesterday I was driven down by Katie. I visited the school (for disabled kids) and walked into town and had luch with Jill. Afterwrds we had tea and had a long talk. Most productive; we've vaguely mapped out the work I'll do here and set a date for my coming! School re-opens on Monday 4th April so I'll start then. Only 10 more days in Quito!!! No more post to Quito please! Today I've met the pastor and his family who'll I'll be living with. Was publicly introduced and presented to the church this morning and met tonnes of important people. This afternoon I went to Laura Flores to do a house visit, assist in sunday school and get a feel for the place. Quite productive I'd say!!!
Guess what? I've eaten chicken!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that I'm moving here I cannot be a veggie. Thought it best to try meat whilst with symathisers. Feels weird to actually eat the stuff after 17 years of strict abstinence.
Laura Flores is....well...dreadful is the word I'd choose. Filthy, dark, and over crowded slum. No running water, people live in hovels, and don't get me started on sanitation or lack thereof. Family we visited lived in 2 rooms-4 kids under the age of 5 and their eldest daughter has left to become a prostitute in Quito. Other family had their son murdered. Apparently there death by violence is frequent and fairly normal. Girls are all pregnant at 14. Just tragic!
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