Famous Canadian Model

Yes that's right ladies and gentlemen, I am now officially a famous Canadaian model. I am currently in Mexico to put on a charity show to help out the poor children of the city. Okay so maybe I'm not THAT famous... okay maybe I'm not even a model, but on Thursday night I was for about fifteen minutes! The people that attend our Narnia book club are in an English class together and are doing a project that they video-tape... so I played the role of famous Canadian model for the "fashion segment".

Friday I went for a picnic with a family from the cell church. It was raining though so we spread out blankets on the floor and ate there. That was a lot of fun.

Saturday I went on a "thrift store" hunt with two of my housemates Sara and Maria. We walked arond downtown for a while, which made me feel almost as if I was back home in Calgary. I felt much less like I was in a new country. We headed towards the main square called the "zocalo", watched some tradional aztec dancers, and some modern street dancers. Then we headed into a market that takes up about ten square blocks to one side of the zocalo and it felt like I was constantly moving through a zoo of people in there. It felt like something out of a movie about a major city... then it hit me "I am in a major city"... its still sinking in somedays. After an unsuccessful attempt at finding the thrift store (we never even found the street its supposed to be on and had looked it up on a map before leaving) we went and had tacos. Then we went to another market one metro station away. I liked that one a lot as it was very artisan Mexican things that were sold there. However I didn't get a chance to purchase anything yet so I will probably make a trip back there soon.

Sunday was cell church. I led the prayer for communion. Heather translated what I wrote out into Spanish for me. Then as we had three children we were able to do a children's class which was great for my heart. From there Heather and I hung out with two of the kids for a few hours as their mom was busy. Then Heather and I caught the end of a mass so that I could see what most of the people we minister to, hold as either their original faith or current faith.

Today is a "fruta fiesta" with my house mates. I'll fill you in on that someday soon. I was sent pictures of the snow in Canada, and I just want everyone to know it is 18 degrees out today, bright and sunny. Have fun with your snow!

October Update

Hi Friends:
I have just sent out my October Update and if you did not get one, but want one, send me your email address and I will send one to you soon.
Thanks, Amanda

Perfectionism

I realized something today while carrying my groceries back from my trusty local Wal-Mart supercenter here in Mexico City: Canadians are perfectionists. Yes this came to me as I mentally tore apart whoever build the sidewalks here. They are different shapes in different places... different levels constantly and in different states of disrepair or newness. But really, they get you where you need to go, without getting hit by a car. I was thankful for that, and then there in my path, parked on the sidewalk was a car! I have many thoughts like these every day, constantly comparing Canada and Mexico, trying desperatly to remember the phrasing "different" and not strange or wierd or crazy.

I went on a spider-killing rampage in my room the other day. I got three of them. I am suspicious that there are more, but have decided to allow the next few I find to live. As last night there was a fly buzzing around the room and I found myself praying for a spider's web to catch it so I didn't have to go trying to kill it. I could just imagine what my house mates would think that the Canadian is up to as they hear me standing on things and smacking the walls over and over again.

Yesterday I went to the Pantitlan cell church by myself. I think I posted about how the last time I went there I got lost. So this time I had someone from the host family meet me. They took me back too. Mexicans are very hospitable. The host family have a dog named Cobe and he is an overbearing chiuaua who likes me and I like him. However I was warned that once he starts liking people he might "lover" them. Yes, I too am scared to find out what that truly means. So Cobe is going to be keeping his distance for awhile.

I met a guy in my class today who is from Calgary. That brought back memories. We discussed the c-train and then laughed at how Mexicans believe we have finally hit winter because its 10 degrees outside!!!

Keep in touch.

Spanish Classes

My Spanish Classes started yesterday and it was good. I had to hold back tears at some parts becuase the main instruction is in Spanish and as I still understand close to nothing about Spanish I usually have no idea what she is saying unless there are hand motions involved. Luckily there are a few people in the class who understand better and can show me what we are actually doing. Sometimes though the professor gets upset in we use english as we are supposed to only speak in Spanish in the class. So we just wait till she walks away to explain things to each other.

At the school, I love hearing everyone's accents as I have met a Scotish girl, an Irish guy, a German girl, a girl from Denmark and a guy from Lebanon whose mother was Mexican. Also there are many Asians here learning Spanish who I feel more sorry for as its an extremely new alaphabet to learn besides just putting it all together.

So my conversations with my landlady continue to amuse me and make me really happy to be living where I am right now. Yesterday she seemed quite concerned when I was eating my lunch in the kitchen. At first I thought she was upset with me about something having to do with the door, but then it turned out that she couldn't figure out why I was the kitchen table and not the diningroom table. So in order to make herself feel better she at least went and got me a placemat and napkins. Then last night when I came back from the English Book Club she was baking something and we talked about it. This morning when I woke up there were cookies with my name next to them waiting for me at the table. Yes she is becoming more and more like my grandmother everyday.

My Days

Sometimes people ask me what I do on an average day so let me tell you. It changes everyday. Although tomorrow I start my Spanish classes so that will lead to a more scheduled life, as that will be 9-12 every morning Monday to Friday. Also once my mentor gets back from vacation, which she deserves greatly, I will be going to do evangelism training/work with her in Pantitlan (the region she works out of) ever Tuedsay afternoon. Also during that time will be my mentoring. Thursday evenings I help out with an English Book Club that is in this region (Coyocan) which is how I will describe as either the white ave. or 17th ave for all of you Edmonton and Calgary people. The book club is studying 'the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' and is in essence an outreach, as well as a service for people wanting to learn Spanish. Then on Sundays I am back in Pantitlan to attend the cell church there. In my spare time I have been and will be doing a lot of reading, cutlural books mainly to try and help me understand the culture I know live in. As well, I try and visit internet cafes daily to keep in contact with everyone from back home.

The language barrier is seeming less danting lately as me and my landlady Conchita (who is taking English lessons at eighty-two years of age) have a few conversations back and forth in the languages. Just this morning we discussed how I had a good sleep, how my classes start tomorrow and that the maid is coming tomorrow morning to clean my room. Two days ago we had a discussion about how when I go up to the roof to hang up my laundry I should take keys with me as you never know when Conchita will take off and look all the doors behind her.

Culture Shock

Yes it was a term that I never really considered before. The phrase culture shock was something for textbooks, mainly cultural anthropolgy classes. It was even the theme of a mentorship talk a few days ago. I have a whole book on it in relation to Mexico that was lent to me. Through all of this though I never truly understood what it meant.

Now I do.

New Home

I have now officially moved into the home Ill be living in for the next two months while attending Spanish classes at UNAM. It is a large bedroom and my own bathroom, and then I share the kitchen with everyone else who lives there. The language barrier has been really noticable lately though as I haven´t been able to connect with my landlady or the housemates either, but I know that that will come in time. Im still busy, but also have quite a bit of alone time now, which does actually lead to the feelings of lonelineess and some culture shock too. Everyone has to go through it though, so I am just trying to stay as positive as I can.

Last night I attended a cell church in an area called Cuajimalpa... can you pronouce that? The host family is very lovely and I feel so welcomed by them even if we cannot really speak to each other. They have a four year old grand-daughter who lives with them named Yoshi. As children dont speak very good spanish either I feel more drawn to them than ever before. She taught me the spanish words for Chicken, table, and put me in my place when I used the wrong word for her sweater. We then played an interesting version of peek-a-bo with her putting her place mat in front of her face and waiting until I lifted it up and said hola yoshi!! Then she would burst into laughter and do it again. Yes its a good thing I came here to work with the children as they are sooo accepting of my poor language.

I know people see me here as a white girl... theres no way I can really blend in. Thats different because in Canada there are so many different colors that you can pretty much blend in no matter what race youre from. Here though its Mexican and a sprinkling of white people. Although yesterday I saw a black couple on the metro and practically lept for joy. I suppose I can´t really blend in if Im leaping out my seat everytime I see someone that is a different color.

Ill upload some pictures the next time I get the chance. I took a fun one yesterday of a lizard taht was crawling inbetween the window and the blinds in the dining room of my house. I wanted to name him, but I´m not allowed to have pets :)

Mexico City eh?

(A picture from the top of the valley of the largest lake in Mexico... taken on an old dirt mountain road on the way to Guadalajara where I went last weekend to work with missionary kids there)

Well, I have been here in the beautiful and large city of Ciudad de Mexico (that's Spanish) for eight days now. They have been busy, challenging and exciting days for me. I thank God for the strength He gives me each day as I believe I am doing well for the first time ever being out Canada. I mean, for someone who has the gift of crying I've only done it like three times so far!!

I have a strong desire to throw myself into the language learning which will begin this coming week as then I would feel I could communicate with these very friendly people around me. Just yesterday three different people offered to me that their house was my house whenever I was in the area. That is something that boggles my mind as a Canadian. I know there are hospitable Canadians, but Mexicans are so giving and open with all that they have, even if its not much.

Probably one of the biggest surprises to me since coming here is just the extreme difference there is between the rich and the poor in the city, even though they may only be seperated by a few blocks (or very high walls). To begin my time here I'll be living near the UNAM... the world's largest University where 300,000 people attend. I will be taking language there and even two cultural classes. Then in January I will move to an area called Pantitlan, which is a poor area, definantly by Canadian standards. Most people there live day to day, not really knowing where the money for tomorrow will come. My mentor Heather is invovled in Church planting there. The family I will possibly live with, are right next to a park where many of the neighborhoods children go to play. I am excited at the future and what God has for me in that area of town. I know I will be out of my comfort zone a lot, but really that is what I came here to do. I also realize how much I have to learn about the world, myself and my faith too.

Thank you all for reading this blog... let others know about it as the more people I have interested in what I'm doing here, the more likely I'll have the strength to make it through the next ten months.

I´m here

Well I´ve arrived safely to Mexico City. My trip was rather uneventful, which in my case was definantly prayed for as it was my first time traveling internationally let alone... alone. So yes, I even made it through Mexican customs without any major checking (something I was worried about as I do have a lot with me for the next year).

I met with three of the Fusion missionaries today and am actually staying at one of their places tonight. They are great and welcoming which is fantastic as I´m wide-eyed at the world around me. Its kind of crazy just how Americanized it is here, but I can definantly still tell I´m in a brand new country. Tommorow I meet with the CMA regional developers for Latin America, then do more orientation and then from there I will get settled at my place near the university.

Well although I will not have jet-lag with this one hour time difference I am exhausted as I woke up at 3am today so I think I might go have some Jesus time and then crash. Please keep praying for me as this adjustment time is going to be challenging. Thanks.

p.s. you have to throw toilet paper in the garbage, not in the toilet here... just so you know!

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Well this week of final preparations has flown by. Now it is time for me to fly bye-bye. :)

I'm going to do my very last minute chores and then take a nap before getting up at 2:45 a.m. in order to make it to the airport on time to catch my 6:45 a.m. plane to Pheonix. I have a 30 minute layover at Pheonix (hopefully enough time to make it to the next plane) and then I'll be on to Mexico City. After a full year of preparing first to go somewhere internationally and then specifically Mexico, I can hardly believe that tomorrow is actually the day. I think I'm ready, but I'm sure I'll find if that's true once I'm there. I am excited though to get this adventure started... even if it is sad to leave this life behind for the next 10 1/2 months.

Here I come Mexico City!