no lo puedo creer...

Still in a state of unbelief down here in UY. A week from this moment I will have been in Texas for almost 12 hours already. Nuts.

Just wanna give a rundown of this week. We have been so busy with preparations for finals, dinners with friends, and activities with the group. They are keepin' us busy down here. Jessalyn and I both have already started packing things up and setting aside piles of things to leave here. Today Andrea came over and I happened to be putting some things in my suitcase. She made a sad face with eyes pleading me to stop, so I quickly kicked the suitcase back under my bed. Jessalyn told me today that she's really hurting for Andrea because Andrea told her that she doesn't even want to meet people anymore because they always leave. I don't claim to know exactly how she feels, but I do know how it feels to leave many relationships. Leaving Oxford, to name one, was extremely hard. Yes, some of those people I went to Oxford with are still some of my best friends and all of them will remain close to my heart, but the reality is that things are never going to stay the same. You get close to people, learn beautiful things from each other, and then take those things you've learned with you and sow them into the next relationships and the next places you go.

This time last year I did NOT want to leave my house on Canterburry. It didn't even seem fair that people would move into MY home, only a week after I left. They shouldn't get to call it home...They surely could not feel about this place the way I feel for it...These are the thoughts I had. But the truth is, it was someone's home before me and it would continue to be after me. It's crazy how, in four months time, I can be so in love with a place and a people I hardly knew existed before my arrival. But that is how I felt about Oxford, and that is how I feel about Uruguay. I call them both home. And though things and circumstances were very different, they are both places I will never be able to completely separate myself from.

Okay...we need to quit talking about these things for a bit. I can only handle so much. I need a break from my mind because I seriously think about these things all day long. It's rough. Today was especially bad because I went out walking. Note to self-don't go walking while listening to your "chill" mix on your ipod while in an emotionally unstable state unless you want a bunch of strangers to stare at the tears rolling down your cheeks. Especially if you have no sunglasses to cover them up.

By the way, I wrote a song yesterday morning. Also, I decided I am going to record some of my songs and the Spanish versions of them on CDs to give to some of my friends here. Shout out to Garage Band!

This blog is a whole bunch of randomness, but that's how things get when you are about to leave home. Things get hectic and crazy and if you don't make notes to yourself as you go throughout the day, you will never remember everything you need to get done. That's how I feel about this blog. There is no theme. There are only things I do not want to forget to say. So I will deliver them as they come. If the lack of fluidity bothers you, get someone else to read it and summarize it for you or something. In fact, I'll just go ahead and outline some of the highlights.

LAST NIGHT- we had an evening tea at a fancy little tea parlor and we invited all of our teachers and lab professors, as well as Raquel and Mariella. They all looked so beautiful and so did all my little classmates. We all joke that we are not going to recognize each other around campus because we will actually have make-up on and wear clothes other than our PJ's to class. And if we are feeling really crazy we might even take showers and do our hair. Okay, so we're not that gross down here. All the time, at least. Anyway, all that to say that everyone looked lovely last night. Not that they don't always. But... uh....ok I'm diggin' a ditch.

TODAY- was dia de muerte. DEAD DAY. Yesterday was our last day of classes and today was our prep-for-finals/cram study day. Just kidding. We college kids never cram for anything. We are always efficient with our time. But seriously, it's been a fun day. I have been sitting right here on my bed for most of it, editing essays to submit in my Travel as a Narrative English portfolio. We have all been sippin' on coffee and maté all day long. I try to like that maté mess because I think it looks really cool and legit when people drink it, but I'm afraid I don't enjoy drinking something that tastes like grass (sorry Uruguayans... and Jessalyn). Go ahead and dump a handful of sugar in it and I'll sip it down like water, though (Here they say that only women and babies drink maté like that- "con azucar"-Well I'm proud to be a woman, thank you). I did buy a maté gourd but I'm afraid I am only a poser, and I'm pretty sure I'll be sippin' coffee out of it when I go home.
ALSO TODAY- we had a special lunch for Mariela and Raquel. Wimon and Rosalinda, with the help of many vegetable-choppin' maniacs, cooked up Beef Curry as a way to bless Mariela and Raquel for cooking for us all semester. Zanessa made rice crispy treats for dessert (don't worry, Mom- yours still win, hands down) and Lawson saranaded the ladies with a beautiful Spanish song he had learned. What a sweetie.

TOMORROW- we have FINALS! wahoo! Not only that, but the whole town is basically shut down. It's Labor Day here. Uruguayans do it right. Literally NADIE works and NADA is open. Raquel and Mariela made Shepherd's pie for us to heat up for lunch tomorrow since they have the day off. Wimon and Rosalinda volunteered to cook us all dinner if we'd pitch in. They are cooking up some kind of African Stew. They sent us an email telling us not to worry because they would be make a less exciting, more bland pot for the not-so-adventurous eaters in the Casa. So thoughtful, those Walkers.
ALSO TOMORROW- night we have a pajama party at the Casa! There will popcorn, bonding, lots of laughing, and a slideshow that Lawson put together from pictures that everyone submitted. I forgot to submit pictures. But I can imagine myself in most of the pictures- I know pretty well what I look like because, believe it or not, I have lived with me for my entire life. Crazy, I know.

Well, that's about as far as I will go for tonight. I need to get back to revising my essays and then get some good shuteye.

Paz y Amor,

~Face

no need for coffee this morning

This morning I went with Halie and Kortney to the little private school around the corner to teach English. Turns out this 6th grade class knows a good bit of English. I was quite impressed. Many of us here at Casa ACU have gone to help teach and play English games with the kids at the elementary school and have had good feedback from the school teachers. Though we had to wake up a bit more "temprano," the kids were certain to wake us up. I had forgotten how much energy such little beings are capable of exerting. Kortney, who had been to the school three times before, said this was one of the calmer classes- I sure am glad I picked today to go. En serio, this morning was loads of fun and, not to mention, an enjoyable way to earn service hours.

One of the requirements of study abroad is volunteer hours. I think the purpose is to make sure students are getting involved in the community and it ensures that we will work side by side with the Montevidean/Oxfordian people. Some students have volunteered teaching English in an institution called the Alianza. Others have helped with conversation clubs with the Iglesia de Cristo next door. Sweet Sarita has been spending time with a young boy with Downs Syndrome. I have been helping with a church youth group, which unfortunately started only two weeks ago, so I have only just barely scratched the surface with these teens. I wish it had been going on all semester because I would have been able to establish relationships and trust with the girls I've met.

Anyway, this short video shows just one of the many opportunities we've had to get involved in our community. That's right. OUR community.


SCHOOOOOL from Kara DuBose on Vimeo.

From my home on Colonia,

Kara "Face" DuBose

por fin...por FIN!

por fin! tenemos un video! Finally, we have a video. It isn't the best quality upload but hopefully you will allow it to suffice and grant me forgiveness for my insufficiencies. :) !!!

lugares que son hogares.

OK, I've made some changes to this post- and its going to be a long one... Last night Kara and I were obviously on the same page. We both posted and when i went back and read hers i got a kick out of their similarity. We're so cute. I'm going to combine both of our posts from last night.

(Kara)
I'm sitting upstairs in an empty classroom with my laptop, my guitar, and a Pepsi. Que mas necesito?
I have been playing my guitar a lot this week. I think it's a comfort thing. I can be alone and sing sappy songs like "leavin on a jetplane" without anyone judging me. Seriously though, playing and singing this week has been theraputic. Two weeks from today I will already be on a plane back to Texas and as much as I want to be there, it is getting harder and harder to want to leave. I didn't expect to feel this way and I think there's a few of us others who feel the same way. Our nights out with friends have been incredible and I feel like we are just now getting comfortable enough with each other and with speaking Spanish to each other and it is hard to want to leave them, knowing that I very well may never see them again.

Andrea asked Jessalyn and I to spend the night with her tonight. We couldn't tonight because it was such late notice that we didn't get to ask Wimon and Rosalinda for permission, but I think we are going to stay with her on saturday night and then we will all come back here for church in the morning. I can't believe she asked us to come over! Here, it means you are very close friends if you are invited into a home. Jessalyn has said a few times this last week, "I could just kick myself for not inviting her over more." We feel that way about all of our friends. We could have spent more time with all of them. Andrea has come to hang out every day this week...even without Martin (her boyfriend). Andrea doesn't speak any English and she is a little shy so it has been fun to see her come out of her shell. We have really enjoyed getting to spend time with her.

Tonight they had an English speaking conversation club at the church and a bunch of the Casa ACUians went next door to help our church family with their Inglés. I didn't go, but it is something that the students are quite enjoying (they had one last Wednesday night too). One of the cute little old men, Ruben, is an artist and he brought everyone little keychains he made with Scriptures on them. He is so sweet and happy ALL THE TIME. He actually looks a lot like my great uncle Jim...but a little más tan.

I went to a different church tonight. I usually go with Zanessa and sometimes Carolyn and Sarita on sunday nights and wednesday nights. It's a church, but it's almost like a rehab of sorts to help people get off the streets and to become free from addictions. Zanessa and I always stay afterward and talk with our friends and I usually play guitar and sing with my friend Andrés. Rosalinda helped me translate a song into Spanish so I could teach it to Andrés and once I had taught him the Spanish version, he wanted to learn the English version. He speaks zero English, so it was fun trying to teach him how to pronounce English words-so cute. I enjoy being with my friends from that church so much, and I feel like I am just now becoming really close friends with them too. After church tonight, one of the worship leaders was talking to me and telling me how much they were going to miss having us there and how blessed they feel. It was so ironic to me, because they don't even have a CLUE how blessed I have been by watching them serve the Lord with such glad and sincere hearts. They have truely shown me the love of God. Let me offer you a brief example of the type of things they teach me every week...

Primero, a little background...Since I have been here, God has really been teaching me about giving and also showing me what it looks like to follow Jesus, not worrying about clothes or money or any of those things. Side note-I could do a whole series of blogs on this subject alone. He has taught me so much through his Word and his people here. I am constantly being challenged in many areas and I pray that he gives me the grace to be able to put into action the things I have learned.

Okay, so last wednesday night I was sitting next to my friend Laura (Andrés' sister) and thinking that when I leave, I want to give her a few shirts. In my head I was going through the clothes I have here and for almost every option of what I might give her, I thought, "well...but I'll want to wear that at home," or, "mmm...maybe I could find something I don't like as much." And even as I was thinking those thoughts I thought how silly and selfish of me to be thinking that way. It was like a mini-battle in my mind. It's ironic how stingy I can be, when I have been given so much. Anyway, once the service was over I was talking to my friend Gabriel and he had pulled a shirt out of his bag and I mentioned "oh me gusta tu camisa" (I like your shirt). It was a nice pearl snap that looked brand-spankin' new. He said "this one?" I nodded. He said "regalo" and handed it to me. I tried to refuse it and told him that I just like it but I wasn't asking for it. He kept shushing me and just saying "regalo- es un regalo para ti"- it was his gift to me. Again I told him he didn't need to give it to me and he just kept right on saying "por favor" JUST EXCEPT THE GIFT! He gave me his new shirt. May I remind you that he lives at this church and hardly has any clothes. Yet, he gave it to me like it was nothing. Nothing. Wow. Talk about a SLAP in the face. Now THAT, friends, is a disciple of Jesus Christ. These are the kinds of things that happen here all the time. This is just one tiny glimpse into the way God is teaching us things through his Uruguayan people. They are precious. Irreplaceable. Unforgettable.

Friday night we are having an "Open House" here at Casa ACU so we can invite all our friends to come share our home with us. We are going to whip up some snacks and even put on a little "show de talento." It should be lots of fun. I'm sure there will be pictures and/or video footage of the event. We have some funny and albeit extraño (strange) characters living in this house, so it should be one interesting talent show. Maybe I'll write a funny song in Spanish...I would hate for my hilarity to be lost in translation ;-)

Jessalyn has aquired quite the fan club from the little girls from the Iglesia de Cristo next door. It's pretty precious. She has a gift with these kids, that is for sure. I'll let Jess tell you more about the girls, but she has invited the little twins over a few times this week and she lets them play "Barbie" on the computer and draws with them. I love the pictures they draw for her. Maybe she can take some pictures of the pictures and put them up here for you. I bet she would do it if I asked her to. I mean, I'm only the best roommate she's ever even thought of having.

Well, once again, it is past my bedtime as I click "publish post." Luckily, I don't have class tomorrow morning, so I can sleep in. Oh how I love to sleep. OH! And tomorrow is hot breakfast day! I love to sleep, but I really do love food. Tuesday we had banana pancakes. Jealous? Should be. The sooner I close these eyes, the sooner morning will wake me for some good home cookin'

Hasta pronto,

~Face~

(start jessalyn)
there is still no video. It already feels like so long ago. Tonight i am sharing my journal entry for our class. Usually it contains a cultural observation about what we learn or see or feel or stub our toe on in Uruguay. Tonight though, I had a little trouble coming up with something observant.


my thoughts instead, posted as such-

I don't really have a cultural observation to commentate this week. I am however very much fighting the feeling of the unstoppable end quickly approaching, not necessarily with dread but with a healthy mournfulness brought about by change. I had to turn down a friend's invitation to stay with her for the night, morose doesn't make for a good house guest.
I left Europe after 6 months and felt like it made an impact on me and I loved it ever bit as much as I love Uruguay, it was a very different love, a much more complicated love, but love all the same. However I knew that after I left there wasn't but one or two people who would even know that I was gone and they probably didn't even know my name. I gave months of my life to England and I know that when I make it back there, there won't be a soul who will even know that I ever called England home. I loved England, but England never loved me.

Knowing that I can leave Uruguay and Uruguay will miss me just as much as I'm going to miss it makes leaving much more like cutting off an appendage then simply letting go of its hand. I've done this twice now but I've been pulled between two homes for a long time. I've done it every year since the third grade. I dream of one, find it and then miss the other. I see the same things happening with some people who come to Zambia with us that I've seen happening with the study abroad experience. (I feel like in my experience I'm warranted an opinion, and in my opinion) There are many people who come with ACU to live in Uruguay or England or visit one place or another and leave profoundly impacted, but they leave and the place that they leave behind continues on without them as if nothing ever changed... like England continues on without me.

I realize that not everyone gets the opportunity to be pulled between the five different countries that were called home in one year or the chance to make more of their time in Uruguay this year than they did in England last year, but my advantageous life situation makes me feel no less accomplished for what I see as being one great accomplishment. That is to have really lived in Uruguay, to have not simply visted for four months wishing that I could find somewhere that sold Heinz ketchup. I feel like there is more I could have done, and things I could have done better, but even now I am sucking my last moments dry because I didn't just come and stay in this place for a while and love it as an outsider, but I met Uruguay and I'm going to miss it when I'm gone not as a stranger but as a friend.
Some people are counting down to when they can leave this still foreign place to return to their friends and their lifestyles, but I count the days only so that I don't miss a single grain of sand that siphons through the neck of the hourglass that's end will for me once again mean packing up the the heart that I haven't given away or left along the way... and ripping in half as part of me stays on the runway while the other half thinks about seeing my granddad's face.

Such is the life of an itinerant. Así es la vida de un ambulante... but better an itinerant than just a stranger.

wait for it...

ok listen. there will be a video within the next two days. Once again it's done but there are problems with the upload. It's because where I am, there they (technical problems) will be.

nada mas.
Chau
j

Diego

Today we have a special treat for you. For Kara's 'Travel as a Narrative' class Prof Shelli Sanders had them all write a profile about someone they've met here in Uruguay. Kara wrote about our cooks here at the casa. Our lovely housemate Lawson Soward is also in the class and he chose to write his profile about one of our good friends from the adjacent church, Diego. Lawson very generously is allowing us to use his profile about Diego for the blog. Kara and I thought that it would be good because Lawson did a good job showing the impact our friends here have made on us... and even it barely begins to show the depth of it.
Note: remember that all quotes from Diego have been translated from original rapid Uruguayo Spanish for your enjoyment.



Lawson Soward

A Mountain Next to a River

“Happy Birthday, dear Diego! Happy Birthday to you!” and the chorus died to resounding applause. In true Diego form, he pulled out his lighter and blew out the flame, smiling and bowing to the friends that surrounded him. People began eating and Diego eventually retreated down the hall and as I followed I saw that the typical maté group had been whittled down to the bare bones. Jessalyn, Stefanie, and Emanuel were all assembled near the entryway steps talking, making Diego the even fourth and me the fifth wheel. Nonetheless, I exploited every chance I got to go spend time with Ema and Diego, my best Uruguayan friends, regardless of group makeup. Our group assembled, we walked out the door towards the statue of Artigas.

We walked past three hamburger stands, without stopping once unusually enough, and arrived at our typical two benches next to the weathered statue of the Uruguayan hero. We began chatting and passing Diego’s maté around, taking refreshingly warm sips of the from his perfectly crafted, green-tea-esque yerba drink. Diego’s matés were always more tasty somehow. He had it down to an art. “A mountain of yerba next to a river of hot water.” I could remember his instruction but never get it quite right. He was Uruguyan to the bone. His tanned skin looked darker under the streetlights, but his ever wet half-mohawk-half-mullet glistened in the poor lighting as well as anywhere else. He was a solid guy of medium height, but you could barely see him behind his Jessalyn-shaped shield from the cold.

Conversation continued. “My dad called me today.” It was a rare occasion where I was able to understand part of Diego talking to Ema at native speed. “He told me happy birthday and couldn’t believe that I was 19 and that it had been so long since we last talked. “ I asked him when the last time he saw his dad was. “Christmas. It was a lot of fun having everyone together. I miss him sometimes but it’s not a big deal.” Diego lived with his two brothers, two sisters, and grandparents. His father lived in Barcelona, Spain. I asked him about his mother. “She left about two years ago. I don’t really know why or where, but she left.” He went on to discuss how she now lives back in Montevideo, but they didn’t seem to be in contact. Momentary pensions out of the way, he put his arm around Jessalyn’s shoulder and talked about how glad he was to be out with friends.

We talked about friends back at home, how crazy the weather was in Uruguay, how we should all probably exercise more, and everything else that popped in our heads. I actually took a moment to remove myself from the situation. As I took a warm sip of yerba; I was struck by the realization that I was hanging out with friends – real friends, not just people who I lived near in a foreign country – goofing off, and talking about whatever. Holding Diego’s maté I realized how at home I felt in an entirely foreign place because of the friendships I was sharing on a cold bench near a rusty statue.

Diego was hungry and I was glad that his usually omnipresent hunger had returned. As we approached the stand and warm blood began flowing through my veins again, I told him that I would buy him a hamburger. All the stores were closed by the time I got out of classes and I had not been able to buy him a present, so I insisted that a hamburger was the least I could do. He laughed, gave me a friendly shove, and refused. I insisted; it was his birthday and he had bought me food at the football game over the weekend. “It doesn’t matter that it’s my birthday, I can pay. Plus, I bought food for everyone at the game, so you don’t owe me.“ I stood amused, impressed, and frustrated by the unwaveringly generous force that was Diego and his equal stubbornness to accept the generosity he so freely gave out. Less than two minutes passed before Diego asked me if he could buy me a hot dog. All I could do was laugh.

I decided I wanted some chocolate so we walked to the store and I bought the biggest bar I could find. Sharing with friends was a subtle way I could get him to accept a gift. As small as dessert was, I was desperate to do something for my friend who had done so much for me. I was sure to divvy the chocolate in waves so that he would be inclined to accept more without hesitation. I was finally able to give something to my friend, from whom I was always receiving.

When we got back home I asked him for a few insights into his life. While every question revealed more about a man who filled his life and the lives of everyone around him with joy, one stood out more than the rest. When asked whether he viewed life as half full or half empty, Diego had the following to say.

“Full. Above full. It’s overflowing. I am lucky enough to have many friends, a happy life, and to enjoy studying [the culinary arts]. I love and have felt loved in everything that has happened in my life, everything I have been able to do, and the people I have been able to do it with. I have never felt forgotten by anyone.”

Hearing his answer, the rest of my questions were of little consequence. I knew why he never felt forgotten and why he would never be forgotten by me.










Emanuel & Diego

From left: Rodriquez brothers Martin, Mathias & Diego

it's that same time of year

Easter Sunday from Kara DuBose on Vimeo.

Video by Carolyn Howell.

Here's a short video of our Easter Sunday Festivities here at the Casa ACU. It is important that you know that Carolyn Howell filmed and put together this video. It was neither Jessalyn nor I who constructed such a beautiful project.
THANK YOU CAROYLN HOWELL!

Also, here are two blogs you can look at to see professional videos and pictures of our trip to Brazil. This crew was sent to capture footage with legit cameras. Don't worry- we're making a video too. Though ours may not be the same quality of video, it is undoubtably quality footage!

http://scottinsouthamerica.blogspot.com/
http://ronnieruizblog.com/

Three weeks. That's virtually all we have left in this peach of a place. I'm in a weird place- and by place I am not referring to location. Oh no, folks- I am referring to a state of mind. I've been here before and I remember the feeling well from Oxford. I am looking forward to what's ahead (Texas soil, Harold's Barbeque, TexMex food, family, friends), but overwhelmed by the sad reality that this time in my life will never be repeated. This time last year I was in Oxford in the backyard of House 9 on Canterbury Road eating a cajun chicken sandwich from On the Hoof, drinking a strawberry juice box from the "9 to 9" convenient store, enjoying the company of some of the best ACUians I've ever met just playin' guitar and singin' improv songs about each other. Oh man. Those were some good times. Even then, I missed the same things I am missing right now. Yet I was torn between two worlds, both seemingly knowing nothing of the other.

Three weeks left. Have I said that already? Well, this year the things I am going to miss are different from those of enchanting Oxford, England. I am going to miss the precious people I have met here- the Uruguayan people and all the things they have taught me. I have loved being a part of their lives. I am so blessed by them and I don't even know how to show or communicate how much they mean to me and how thankful I am for them. I'm sure I will give you guys a list of things I have learned from them and from being here on the last week here or the first week I'm home. But if I go into it now, I'll get all mushy and nobody likes that. Plus, I am sort of trying not to think about it so much just yet. Which is also why I am watching a marathon of "The Office" tonight. Some of us in the ol' Casa ACU (including both professors and spouses) are on season 3 of The Office and loving every bit of it. I never have time to watch TV at home, so it's been fun to have Office parties. In fact, Shelly and I were talking about that tonight-- the fact that it's been so nice here to not have to juggle a million different things or balance hanging out with friends and family. At the same time I do miss all those different activities to be involved with back in Abilene and going to friends' houses and getting to see me brothers and cousins whenever I want.

We've had some great community things here at the Casa since Brazil. Raquel, the fabulous cook we've mention many-a-time, invited us all to her house this last Saturday to have a cook-out. We got to meet her husband, one of her sons, 2 of her 5 dogs, and see a traditional Uruguayan house with the Asado pit built into the backyard. Some of the kiddos then went to the Uruguayan rodeo that was in town. They all really enjoyed themselves as well as the Latin American fair foods such as churros and tortas fritas. I wish I would have gone, but at the time all I could see was mi cama (my bed) eagerly awaiting me. Nap time always seems like a good idea, but in retrospect often seems like time waisted. Anyway, I think it was something like $4 (that's US currency) to get into the fair. Add that to the list of things I am going to miss about this place.

Side note- Raquel has a son that lives in Fort Worth. COWTOWN! My home sweet home. She told me that she'll be there on May 10th for Mother's Day. It gives me joy to think that if I keep in touch, maybe we can get some Latin America Study Abroad Alum to road trip to Forth Worth the next time she is in the States. Zanessa has a lot of Raquel's recipes written in a notebook because she often helps Raquel cook in the mornings. I have only helped a few times, but Raquel is so eager to teach and so patient with us. Anyway, tonight Morgan is typing out Raquel's recipes and she's sending me a copy. If thou art wise, you will get in touch with me when I get home and get the recipes from me.

Tomorrow some of us are going to the zoo with nuestra profesora de español- AMELIA! She recently discovered that a bunch of us do not have classes on Wednesday afternoons and so she invited us to hang out with her. The week before Brazil Stefanie and I went out with her. She took us all around the city to different museums and interesting historical sites and told us stories of her childhood here and how different life is now in Uruguay. Then we went to a little outside café and she treated us to El Chaná coffee (El Chaná is the name of the coffee factory that used to be where Casa ACU is today- same brand of coffee). She really is a rare and precious treasure of a woman. We decided that every Wednesday until we leave, we will do something with Amelia. Hopefully tomorrow more people will come to the zoo with us.

Today a handful of us reregistered for the YMCA for our last 3 weeks here. It was fun because we saw our friend Mauro's mom there- the lady that first signed us up- and she was so happy to see us. We talked with her and she congratulated us on our Spanish improvement. She was very helpful today. It felt good to be back at that gym. I can't wait para escalar (to climb) again! Hopefully I can go Thursday night. Also, on Saturday they are taking a rock climbing day trip. If someone else will go with me, I am definitely not going to miss that. Or maybe I should just brave up and go by myself- it would be a challenge, but I would get to have a lot of conversations in Spanish and I am sure Mauro is going, so I would at least know him and a few other people from the Wall.

Well, it is now 12:30 a.m. and I am a bit tired. Plus, I haven't seen Jessalyn in like 2 hours and I'm starting to have withdrawals (this summer is going to be rough) so I'm gonna post this sucker and head back to the room. (Side note- Stefanie is cooking dinner. Just now. Did I mention it's half past midnight?). This is another reason to hurry to bed because the smell of fried rice is now permeating the loft, so conveniently over the kitchen. Ok...Maybe just a bite ;-)

Once again, Shout out to Carolyn Howell for making an INCREDIBLE Easter video!

stay tuned

So it's 4 a.m. and we are BACK from BRAZIL! We would have written while we were there but I'm afraid Jessalyn and I decided at the last minute not to lug our laptops along. We heard that there was no Wifi in the hotel. We were wrong. Wifi there was. Anyway, because of the current time, I will not be narrating our "viaje" just yet. I will, however, have you know that we once again have a smorgasbord of photos and video for you fine folk. Our lack of blogs in the past week is in no way directly proportional to the amount of blogs to come. So stay tuned because were are definitely lista para asombrar with our tales of Brazil. Oh, and also- you guys missed Jessalyn's birthday. It was April 9th. This was her second birthday in a row to be in transit from one country to another. Last year we were one a train from Paris to London, and this year we were on a 20 hour bus ride from Brazil to Uruguay. Rough lives, we know.

Anyway, we will be posting early this week, but maybe not this weekend because we have LOADS of homework to catch up on. I guess they have to make up for the time we aren't in class by giving us readings and essays. Oh well. I don't really feel like I have much room to complain. Others in the house may disagree, but to each his own.

I said it once, I said it twice, and yes I will even say it thrice. STAY TUNED. or else!

con mucho amor

Kara Dawn

PS-As beautiful as Brazil was, it feels good to be home. Uruguay, dulce Uruguay.

The video lives.

It's here! whew, just when I was about to get angry. :)



You can thank Kara for this video.

happy birthday to me.

It's a week for doting on Raquel and Mariela I suppose, because it just so happens that at Casa ACU today it was my birthday and man... they did good. Really it's not today it's the 9th but we're going to be in Brazil then and so today was my day of celebration and choice foods from our lovely cooks. I wouldn't expect much but it was definitely more than I did expect, and of course our visitors from ACU added to the fun. If you're not jealous you should be. :)

Here we have two wonderful helpers Kara and Sarita rolling and cooking tortillas. (and not pictured-Zanessa. Who constantly is a HUGE help around the house... if you don't do your dishes you're really a jerk... cause you KNOW that Zanessa will do them for you.) I chose fajitas for my lunch because there are three things that you really can't go wrong with when it comes to Raquel y Mariela... Fajitas, chivitos, and chocolate. Actually... there's really nothing you can go wrong with but I was under pressure to make a decision.

(that's Zanessa in her pj's... hehe)

The lovely and wonderful Raquel and a lovely set up.

... ok, ok so we might have set up this nice little display because the ACU guests were here, but you can't discredit how awesome that cake is and I'm sure would have been just as wonderful simply to celebrate how awesome I am. Right?...
Raquel came to get me when it was time for the desert and singing part of lunch... but she told me I had to wait "porque Mariela fue a obtener una cosa especial" because Mariela went to get something special... it just so happened to be small rockets to top the cake. Wicked cool.
I told them I didn't really want to use the birthday song for celebration but they sang it anyway. However, Stefanie and Kara did make good on their promise to sing the Fresh Prince of BelAir song after I blew out the candles. I was pushing for a song from the Cranberries but I was denied. Oh well, I was definitely satisfied on my fake birthday.



Whoah... just whoah.


I've never been thanked so many times for being born... so thank you God for making me, but more importantly for making Mariela and Raquel who made this cake.

Now I have a short video of the other night at the Uruguay vs. Paraguay World Cup elimination game. The video from Peru is coming... please have patience. :)
oh... and Please do not watch this if you are a victim of motion sickness. Neither ACU, Kara and I, or Study Abroad Montevideo will be held responsible for any illness that occurs from watching my poor filming skills.


¡SOY CELESTE! from jessalyn massingill on Vimeo.