5.22.2012

Weekend of Activity!

Hello!!!


Wow!! Finally I have some time to sit down and write, write, write. If I were to write in detail every activity I have done this week, my post today would be the longest Ive written.

Let me go back to Friday of last week. On Friday I went out in service with the Ensenada congregation. Tim Arthur conducted the sevice meeting in Spanish. He has only been learning Spanish for 3 months and he still slaughters it, but the effort is what I think counts. Ok fine, he doesnt slaugther it, but his American accent is very strong. Its only been three  months! I spoke with a woman and two men, one spoke English. In the afternoon I dont remember what I did. I had invited some of the youth to join me on a walk to the Malecon or Boardwalk. The invitation was for 7:30 and they showed until 9:15. Everyone has been tellling me that there  is  problem with  time in Ecuador and punctuality. I told them that Mexico had the same problem. Well, we walked to the beach and took pictures. I enjoyed being with them again after so long.
It started to drizzle and we were still out there, but it passed. Ill upload pictures of that.

Saturday morning I wanted to sleep in since I went to bed pretty late. I woke up around 8am anyways and had to be out of the door by 8:30am. I joined my aunt to the Quichua service meeting in another town called Santa Rosa. Our neighbor accross the street named Suka belongs to that congregation and she led there way. We use buses here all the time so we took a bus to that area. It took us about 10 minutes on the bus and cost us each 25 cents. When we met up with the group we only found a sister with her two kids, ages 13 and 9. We prayed and headed off to the stores where we knew they definitely spoke Quichua. I tried to talk with one older woman, but only in Spanish. She igorned me and Im not sure if its because I was a JW or because she didnt understand me. Suka told her why we were there in Quichua and then she told us she wasnt interested. After walking several streets we headed to the towns market. They sell food and candy at the markets here. Once we finished preaching we went to the sisters home and had a snack. Her family has been learning this indigenous language for 6 months. I admire that.

Saturday afternoon, oh I remember what I did Friday afternoon...We went to the beach!! It was my frist time getting in and it felt so refreshing. We saw a dance routine being filmed on the beach for a future show that airs July. I really wanted to join the group, but they all had the steps memorized and I didnt. When it airs, Ill add a clip of the video to the blog. I also joined a sister on a study at 4pm and finished around 6pm. I was invited to go to Guayaquil with her family, but had to apologize and reject the offer since Id have to stay there until Sunday. Sunday I had my first English meeting.

Back to Saturday...

I again did something after service. Oh yes, I studied the Watchtower in the hammock downstairs. I feel asleep too. After studying I came back upstairs and went through my luggage to select clothing for the meetings. My aunt was going to go to a meeting in Ancon, another town about 20 minutes away. In a  bus it would take like 50. Well, my whole family decided to go, but since we left on the bus rather late we knew wouldnt make it on time to the meeting in Ancon. We got off about 20 minutes before in Santa Elena. We went to the meeting there instead and seconds before song began. After the meeting, I saw more friends I hadnt seen at my first meeting there. We went to have dinner with Lucy Paredes and her family. Ive known her since my birth, so shes like an aunt and her kids like cousins. I liked the dinner and took a picture of the soda that Ecuadorians drink here.

Sunday morning I had wanted to go to the ESL mtg since a friend was giving a talk there. Ecuadorian Sign Language  is ESL.  Instead of going to that meeting I joined my mom and my aunt to the largest Market in the area. That one is found in La Libertad and is huge. Its filled with stands selling vegatables, fruit, citrus, meat, rice, more food, cheese, drinks, etc. There is a lot to choose from and as newbies, we had to ask everywhere for prices. We got good deals, I think. I also saw many woman wearing their indigeous attire from the Andes. It was a cultural experience. If I was someone who directed The Amazing Race then Id take them there. After being at that market I went to a cabinas, or telephone booths since Ive been wanting to call friends. It was too much. I wil have to Skype...BTW my Skype name is: iamizmir. Call me!

We took a bus to the Mall and wanted to do some final shopping there, but it didnt happen. We got on another bus that took us home. Actually, my mom and I stayed on the bus and went to another store and bought snacks. We then took a taxi home around 1:15pm. The English group had their meeting at 2pm, so my mother and I rushed into the showers and changed quickly. We caught another busy around 1:50 and made it to the KH abou 2 minutes before it began. We had invited several friends through out the week to join us, and they did go. I met the C.O.'s wife and other couples serving in different towns of Coastal Region of Ecuador. Other single sisters from the States also went. The meeting had a very melancholy feeling for me, since I hadnt gone to an English meeting since Mexico. It just brought back so many memories and the song sang at the end also brought tears to my eyes. The night before, at the Spanish meeting I was on the verge of crying. That song 134 just hits me! :)

Well, the group of those we had invited to the meeting went to our home afterwards. We ate the snacks we had bought earlier and I also shared photos with them and my postcards. It was a pleasant afternoon. I stil sometimes feel akward thought when Im talking in Spanish with my friends. It was good though. Around 6pm I changed into a shirt and jeans since we had been invited to a dinner/party. We left 15 minutes before 7 and all took the bus to Santa Elena. I spoke with my friend David on the way. Lucy's son, aka my 'cousin'. He is studying in Guayaquil, so he only comes weekends.

At around 7:45pm we arrived at the party house. Only two other persons where there. By 9 the dancing started and I had fun. Again thought about who I wouldve normally seen at a party in Mexico, but forgot about that once I started having fun. I was pressured into singing  two songs, one in English and in Spanish. Another sister sang us two songs in Portoguese. It was so beautiful, I took a video.
Oh, and something else I did, was teach my friends 'El Sonidito'. THEY LOVED IT AND LEARNED IT!! I have another video I will have to share. We played the song twice. It was hilarious.

Well, we got home late but I felt happy.

Monday I joined a group of 4 to the pueblitos. Jacqueline and Fernando Rodgriguez (my neighbors) and two other pioneer sisters. It was very hot and rural where we went. Dust everywhere. Pigs in every corner and crickets in every wall. I joined 5 studies and felt very satisfied at the end of the day. It tok us about 1.40 minutes to get there, and anothe 1.40 to return. It was a very long day, but I felt happy too. Jacqueline invited to dinner once we returned and I got home and started to organize. I organized the luggages I have in my room. Then another of Lucy's sons came over and he stayed for like an hour with his wife and toddler son. HES SO CUTE!!!!!
Anyways, I took a shower and then my brother invited Jacqueline's teen son to watch a movie with us. We provided the movie and he provided the DVD player. We watched Nacho Libre. Oh, that movie is a classic!

Today I preached again. Felt strange after hearging some sad news, but regained my positive outlook by the time I got home again. Went to a meeting with the Rdgz tonight and met our C.O. and our  D.O.

Its late here, and I want to write more but Im being told to go to bed now. This weekend we have our CA and on Friday the Pioneer Meeting.

Hope you're all well and plan to visit sometime!!

Much Love!!!

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