Life. It is what it is.

I keep staring at the computer screen, knowing I want to write something on this blog, but having no idea where to start. It has been almost a month and a half since my last post and so much has happened. At the same time, I keep thinking nothing that has happened is really worth writing about. So much is going on in the world, or with the lives of others, things that are much more important – why take the time to read that my life here has been crazy busy, that it is only now that I am able to take a breather?

But, I guess that writing about what is going on in the world or about the lives of others would just defeat the purpose of this blog, wouldn’t it? So, I will attempt at the difficult.

Life has been just, well, life. Working, living life here, and enjoying it. The weather is getting colder by the day and I found myself more in hoodies and boots than I do in t-shirts and sandals these days. As the cold weather comes closer by the day, I find myself a bit nervous about what the change in weather will do to me here – it is so incredibly depressing here during the winter, just gray, cold and wet to the bone 24 hours a day. People are different here too, not quite as friendly and willing to do whatever they can to get where they are going, to get out of the cold. This time of year last year was difficult for me. But, I have to keep reminding myself that I am a different person than I was last year, that this year I am in a better place about where I am in life.

Work on a whole is going great. The last month and a half everything was heightened a bit, increasing my work load. The process for next year’s exchange program has begun, along with preparing to receive students from the United States this winter (their summer). The debate team was preparing for a debate tournament each day. Coordination between the two high schools for the new English workshop was finishing, and I was now up to 30 kids each night for my homework helper workshop at the local parish. On top of everything, I was spending any free time I had putting things into boxes, packing away the last remaining items of the Holy Cross Associates program and condensing my life down from an entire apartment to one single room two blocks away. The move was difficult, especially because I did it all by myself, and there were definitely a couple of days where I felt that I was just swimming, attempting to keep my head above water to prevent from drowning. But, in the end it all worked out and I survived. I am in my new place and most of the things on my list have been checked off as complete.

I am looking forward to getting back to my routine, to getting back into contact with the people who I have lost communication with over the past month or so while life was crazy. No big plans other than that for now - tomorrow I am taking Ely, one of the orphanage girls (and definitely my favorite), to the movies for her 13th birthday, so that will be fun. Next weekend is a four day weekend due to Chile’s Labor Day, so my friends and I are planning a little trip to a small town about 5 hours away. It should be fun and I look forward to taking some time to just relax and enjoy the trip.

Thanks everyone for the emails to check up on me, you all are always in my thoughts. Remember to keep Lily, Cheryll, and Syndey Clevenger in your prayers as well as the Early family.

A big hug to you all – looking forward to writing another blog post soon :-)