March, April, May... Oh my!

Hola!

Well, it looks like I have neglected my blog for a little over two months now and I can't believe how quickly time is going by. Not a whole lot has changed for me here except the weather! It's definitely the middle of fall and the cold has hit. We have still been having nice sunny days though.

March: The start of the school year and a new schedule kept me on my toes. It was back to school, uniforms (tunics and bows), the XO computers for each kid, homework, new supplies, clothes and shoes.

Both of my jobs picked up full speed ahead when the school year kicked off, especially because I work mainly helping with homework! After summer vacations and 7 months living and working in Spanish, I have gained a greater confidence in my ability to help and guide the kids in their homework. I am still challenged when I get the task of helping with chemistry, physics and Spanish literature. Not only do I have to remember all the way back to sophomore and junior year of high school, but I have to re-learn the vocabulary of atoms, gravity, force, weight, mass, and chemical equations all over again.
I think that one of the things that I have come to understand about teaching, tutoring, especially in a foreign language, is that you don't have to know everything to be able to help! You just have to know where to look and who to ask. Luckily I have been surrounded by people who have been more than willing to help me help others! I am encouraged daily by the many people who support me through my work here. A special thanks to Virginia in the study center and Viviana at the Hogar Amanecer, for accompanying me through the daily challenges!

April: The first week of April I was blessed with the visit of two friends from home. Marnie and Sarah came down to see what the heck living in Uruguay is all about for me this year. We adventured to the East of the country to a little beach town called Punto del Diablo, where we took in the white sand, surfing contests, and salty ocean waves. The sun got the best of us and we returned to Montevideo a little toastier than we would have liked, but the vacation was well worth it. I was glad to have friends to travel with and to do some of the touristy things that I don't really seem to have time to do in my regular schedule. Back in Montevideo, we made the rounds to the open street markets, eating hamburgers, Uruguayan style, from a cart on the street. They got to meet some of my friends and take in a tango show as good college kids do, standing at the bar sharing drinks with friends instead of paying to sit down at a table and eat expensive food! I was also really excited that they got to take in a traditional Uruguayan BBQ, or Asado, thanks to Rafa and German who were around to do the cooking! I wouldn't have traded their visit for anything. We slept very little, played hard, and laughed a lot... :)

May: And here we are in the second week of may already. I spent the last two weeks pretty under the weather with a cough and stuffy nose that just won't leave me alone!! Tea with lemon and honey have become my new best friend. I was going pretty hard before I got sick, with volleyball, choir, youth group and my new work schedule I wasn't resting quite as much as I should have been. My body decided to make me slow down by getting sick. Soooo, I have taken it pretty easy the last couple of weeks. No practice, a few days off of work and lots and lots of sleeping!

Visit from Nebraska: Last week a group of people from a Lutheran church in Nebraska came down to the Rio de la Plata, to get to know a little bit about the Lutheran Church here. It was nice to see people making an effort to connect in a real personal way with the people and the Church in South America. Often times money is the way that we from the North show our support to the global church community. Once in a while we send out human resources like me to work hands on with the social projects of the church, but as I found out, many of the people aren't really aware of just how much is going on around the world. It was nice to be a part of the conversation, a reminder that we are all in this together! Whether we are teaching english in the Barrio Borro, or if we are attending a weekly bible study in Nebraska, we are the body of Christ, doing His work in this world, and learning every day a little bit more to live in love!

Well, that is a quick attempt to bring you up to date on the last couple of months. I have also sent out a newsletter that tells some other stories and reflects on my adventures in March and April as well.
I'll try and do a better job this month of keeping my blog up to date!

Happy Mother's Day!

With Love,
Kate