This week's workshop, Antonio, Sarah, Me, Claudio, Maria Jose, Katuskia, Rodolfo, Valesca and Maximo.
The last day this week wasn't hard at all. I feel kind of bad about saying that, but the majority of the participants in our workshop were there for the PEF and they were not all that interested in what we had to say. They just wanted to get the three days over with so that they could continue with their application process, so they got about as much out of it as they put in it. I'm not saying they were bad or anything, but they just weren't into it. We had to practically force the phone into their hands to get them to make their phone calls. Two of our students were actually looking for work and still didn't want to make any phone calls, and the funny thing was, the lady was expecting their phone call because it was a reference from one of our other students where they KNEW she was looking for people. Oh well. What can you do?
This is me and Antonio Pena, we served together in Osorno. I didn't really know him in the mission, but we have hung out a couple times since we have been here.
We also had another person join our workshop the last day, but this time I was okay with it. Mainly because he was 6 months old and was the son of one of our alumnos. I held him for part of the workshop so his mom could do her work and Sarah held him for part of it too. It was funny to teach with a baby in my hands. I felt like I should have been teaching relief society or something ha ha.
Valesca with Maximo. Don't worry he only got fussy after the workshop was over. Most of the time he was extremely calm and fun to have around.
When we got to talking about negotiation, we got a little more life out of them as we talked about it. There is a phrase however that I HATE more than anything that people try to tell us. 'Its different in Chile.' Every time someone says that I want to point to the part where it says 'Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints'. This program was designed by the prophets and apostles, if they say it will work, then it will. I don't care what country you live in! We talked about it in that way and I think they understood.
I discovered a new running route on Thursday that is still safe and lets me get some serious milage in. I just kind of took off running and realized that there are about three different parks that are connected so I just kept running from one park to the next until I had gone out a half hour then I turned around and came back. I got to this museum, so when I got done I google mapped it to see how far it was from our house and found out it was 5.5k one way which = 11k total which = 7 miles! I have NEVER run that far in my life. I got home absolutely exhausted, but it felt so good!
I woke up yesterday morning and ran my route again and then went about doing homework. I didn't get a whole lot done, but I finished one paper and realized I am two papers and a book summary away from finishing one of my classes and three interviews away from finishing another. After that I have a TON of reading and a research paper left and I am done. The beauty of it is I haveuntil May 31st to turn all of that in! I love it! My goal is to be done by the time the semester ends for everyone else so that I don't have to worry about it.
We had a going away party for one of our volunteers, Manuel. He is going into his first week in college and he was so cute about it. He was asking about the hazing they do here and what is the best way to avoid it. Our manager said there wasn't any way, you just had to endure it. It is really bad here. They will paint them all, cut up their clothes, take their shoes and they have to go around the streets begging to get their shoes back. I remember seeing them when I was at the bus stations as a missionary during transfers.
Sarah and I went with our YSA group to do baptisms. We didn't want to do baptisms, so we just helped out with towels and what not. President Lyon (the temple president who was also the president of my mission way back in the day and is an AMAZING man) asked us to help out with the closing duties which we did. I really love this temple. I don't know why I feel so connected to it, but I am always so excited to be there and be with the people there. Maybe it is because I know they are all volunteers and they are all here sacrificing their time. It has been really neat.
After that I went to the first FUN YSA dance since we have been here. My companion Hermana Mercado came and so it was fun to hang out with her. We are gonna do things more often which I am excited about and she is an AMAZING dancer. For any of you who know what Samba is, it is really hard to do and I have NO clue how to do it, but she does it so well. She tried to teach me but after a while I had to explain to her that my North American body just didn't move that way. She doesn't go to YSA dances very often, so it was cool for her to be there and to get to dance and laugh with her. She is awesome. There was a ton of people and they played good music you could actually dance to. If I had known it was gonna be so good I would have gotten there sooner! Ha ha oh well. I guess now the dances should be a lot more fun because people are back from vacation and institute starts next week. I am thinking about taking a class, even if it is just for a month and a half.
Yesterday I noticed that our cold water wasn't running, but because we had hot water I assumed they were doing some sort of construction on it. Today when it didn't come back I asked the consierge about it...Apparently we were supposed to have gotten the bill and given it to our manager to pay, but since we didn't know, the bill didn't get paid and they turned off our water...but just our cold water. I am choosing to see this as a blessing because being without water in general would be terrible, as it is we just have to shower really quick because the water starts to come out scalding hot very fast. Sarah and I were really greatful that we had two water jugs in the fridge full of water. ANOTHER TESTIMONY OF FOOD STORAGE! Ha ha I never thought I would actually NEED it, but I am glad we had it!
Sarah with her really good Pastel de Choclo (Corn Casserole...or pie if you are chilean:)
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