Like I mentioned in my last entry, Kila Leufu stirred up many thoughts and struggles on the country-city girl in me. By request, here are some of my questions, struggles, and thoughts related to beauty and living simply...
PRIORITIES. More than once a week, I have to sit down with God and re-establish my priorities. My priority list usually looks like this: God, keeping myself healthy, family/close friendships, school, important responsibilities (in the past things like Capture, or sports teams, or an activity), and other people in my life. Within that list are levels of importance, and I often have to write out even those details. (I'm pretty organized and visual...haha.) Why do I have to be so concrete with my life? For some of you, this routine may seem boring and over-the-top, but I´ve found if I don't do this, my life gets pretty messy -- I get pretty messy, and then all else suffers. Because I forget to take care of myself, I become dependent on my own weak abilities instead of on God, I neglect relationships that are most important, and I waste time and energy (both of which are precious to me) on things that don't matter.
When we spoke with Sandra at Kila Leufu, I realized that she lives *so well* priority-wise, and I'm sure she never has to sit down with her journal and make lists. Why does she live well?? Because she understands that her responsibilities, her priorities, are given to her -- unlike me, she doesn't feel the need to go out and save the world; instead, she cares for the people God brings to her, and for the things she has been given -- the hostel, the farm, her daughters and husband.
How would that look in my life? What if I didn't go searching to save the world? What if I only cared for the people and things that God gives to me? I think I have more than enough...
More than that, her lifestyle is attractive because she isn't forced to choose priorities -- hers are very clear. Mine aren't as clear, so living well requires more energy. At least twice a week, I check in with my best friend to see we're choosing the right priorities. And sometimes, I have to make difficult decisions about where I invest time. It's exhausting sometimes!
With all that said... I'm challenged once again to ask God to prioritize my life, and to consider listening to Him instead of heading out on my own pride to save the world...
What are your priorities right now?? Where do they come from?? How are you living well??
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Mud, Street Corners, Volcanos, Country Girl
We are back in Santiago for a few days... I have so much to tell you... Hmm... which story?? How about a highlight paragraph and then the real deal?
HIGHLIGHTS: We went to hot springs and went into a mud bath under the stars... I got in without hesitation, but I didn't remain in the thick, black, chunky goo for very long. Salsa dancing in a barn (literally) in Pucón until 4 am while people sat on the gravel floor with pillows and listened to the 7 person Cuban band. Hanging out with this guy we met in the barn - Roberto - until 6am - and drawing many looks from people... people looking at two gringas on a street corner at 430am, why HE was the Chilean with us, why why why... we laughed a lot about it (sounds shady, I know, but it 26 wasn´t). Rafting on a level 4 river (goes up to 6) -- super exciting -- what they didn´t tell us beforehand was that we had to jump from a 2-3 story cliff into the gushing river below. Staying Sunday night at Kila Leufu, a Mapuche-influenced farm 23 km outside Pucón. Our rafting guide´s wife (surprise!) met us at the door, and their two daughters introduced us to the pigs, chickens, cows and turkeys. The four year old girl showed us which apple trees were the sweetest to eat, and the twelve-year-old walked us through the herb and vegetable gardens. Kate and I sat and drank coffee while over-looking the volcano outside our window and the asado hut. We ate a homemade dinner with travellers from Germany and Switzerland, and woke in the morning to cows´noises and homemade bread and mermelada. That day we hiked to a private laguna in the mountains to swim, and stained our fingers and tongues with wild blackberries.
REAL DEAL: There was something so appealing to me about the farm, and Sandra´s family´s life... it was so simple... she could enjoy the beauty and slowness of life while still being in touch with the greatest of the world through the travellers who came through each day... her priorities were clear (it´s difficult for me to keep priorities in check): love her daughters and family, care for the people who come through Kila Leufu, breathe in beauty, learn about the world... Being there and talking with her stirred the country girl within me and inspired a few hours of conversation for Kate and I... There is no 'better' way of life -- it´s a choice... but it seems that hers would be less of a struggle to live WELL.
HIGHLIGHTS: We went to hot springs and went into a mud bath under the stars... I got in without hesitation, but I didn't remain in the thick, black, chunky goo for very long. Salsa dancing in a barn (literally) in Pucón until 4 am while people sat on the gravel floor with pillows and listened to the 7 person Cuban band. Hanging out with this guy we met in the barn - Roberto - until 6am - and drawing many looks from people... people looking at two gringas on a street corner at 430am, why HE was the Chilean with us, why why why... we laughed a lot about it (sounds shady, I know, but it 26 wasn´t). Rafting on a level 4 river (goes up to 6) -- super exciting -- what they didn´t tell us beforehand was that we had to jump from a 2-3 story cliff into the gushing river below. Staying Sunday night at Kila Leufu, a Mapuche-influenced farm 23 km outside Pucón. Our rafting guide´s wife (surprise!) met us at the door, and their two daughters introduced us to the pigs, chickens, cows and turkeys. The four year old girl showed us which apple trees were the sweetest to eat, and the twelve-year-old walked us through the herb and vegetable gardens. Kate and I sat and drank coffee while over-looking the volcano outside our window and the asado hut. We ate a homemade dinner with travellers from Germany and Switzerland, and woke in the morning to cows´noises and homemade bread and mermelada. That day we hiked to a private laguna in the mountains to swim, and stained our fingers and tongues with wild blackberries.
REAL DEAL: There was something so appealing to me about the farm, and Sandra´s family´s life... it was so simple... she could enjoy the beauty and slowness of life while still being in touch with the greatest of the world through the travellers who came through each day... her priorities were clear (it´s difficult for me to keep priorities in check): love her daughters and family, care for the people who come through Kila Leufu, breathe in beauty, learn about the world... Being there and talking with her stirred the country girl within me and inspired a few hours of conversation for Kate and I... There is no 'better' way of life -- it´s a choice... but it seems that hers would be less of a struggle to live WELL.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Por bus al campo
Yesterday was an emotionally crazy day. We took a bus at 645am from Achao, Chiloe, to Puerto Montt, and caught up on sleep and rest... Once off the bus, we heard ¨Megan!¨on the street and turned to find two of our Loyolan friends (whom we had left in Puerto Natales) across the street. That happens here. Everyone goes to the same spots, so we have run into fellow travellers and friends in multiple cities... super fun! Anyway.
The four of us walked through artensan stands, fruit stands, and dodged the hanging clams and mussels at seafood stands to arrive at El Mercado. Friends, I was in heaven. Absolute heaven. It´s a crazy, cramped farmers/fishers market with tons of people, tons of food, good (and rank) smells. I LOVE outdoor markets. We wove through people, raw fish and foreign fruits to arrive at Los Cocineras. These are very small restaurants crowded together and sitting over the water. They all serve the seafood of the markets, and we watched the fishing boats from our tables. We ate curanto, which is a local specialty. We were told it cooks in huge pots, so we assumed it was stew. WRONG. We received plates piled high with clams, mussels, fish, meat, potatoes, weird bread, more fish, more... holy cow. heaven. I´ve never eaten so many shellfish.
After some frustrations and difficulty at the bus terminal, we were exhausted and even more in culture shock. However, a super nice bus man helped us and gave us his cell phone to make calls to the US, and a guy our age helped us out. Long story short -- we arrived in Pucon at 1145pm with no place to stay. The guy, Rola, had his girlfriend give us a ride to run an errand, and then she picked up her family. As they handed us our backpacks, the mother offered their house for the night... Ladies and gentleman, this was another miracle. They own this beautiful cabin in the country with a river and horses and mountains... they cooked us a meal at 100am, lit a fire in the stove in our bedroom, gave us hot showers, this morn cooked breakfast and brought us to Pucon. INCREDIBLE experience. There was the mom, and five kids and us. Perfect. Yay for hospitality and goodness... and curanto.
The four of us walked through artensan stands, fruit stands, and dodged the hanging clams and mussels at seafood stands to arrive at El Mercado. Friends, I was in heaven. Absolute heaven. It´s a crazy, cramped farmers/fishers market with tons of people, tons of food, good (and rank) smells. I LOVE outdoor markets. We wove through people, raw fish and foreign fruits to arrive at Los Cocineras. These are very small restaurants crowded together and sitting over the water. They all serve the seafood of the markets, and we watched the fishing boats from our tables. We ate curanto, which is a local specialty. We were told it cooks in huge pots, so we assumed it was stew. WRONG. We received plates piled high with clams, mussels, fish, meat, potatoes, weird bread, more fish, more... holy cow. heaven. I´ve never eaten so many shellfish.
After some frustrations and difficulty at the bus terminal, we were exhausted and even more in culture shock. However, a super nice bus man helped us and gave us his cell phone to make calls to the US, and a guy our age helped us out. Long story short -- we arrived in Pucon at 1145pm with no place to stay. The guy, Rola, had his girlfriend give us a ride to run an errand, and then she picked up her family. As they handed us our backpacks, the mother offered their house for the night... Ladies and gentleman, this was another miracle. They own this beautiful cabin in the country with a river and horses and mountains... they cooked us a meal at 100am, lit a fire in the stove in our bedroom, gave us hot showers, this morn cooked breakfast and brought us to Pucon. INCREDIBLE experience. There was the mom, and five kids and us. Perfect. Yay for hospitality and goodness... and curanto.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Tears in the streets.
Okay, so I´ve told you all the fun stuff -- I think I should give you a piece of real life, too. And, I don´t get to a computer much so I will give you a treat and do two in one day!!
So yesterday I hit exhaustion and culture shock-frustration.
Let me explain Latin America for a minute. Here, life is slower. One main reason is because everything is spread out. At home, I go to Walmart or Walgreens or a grocery store to buy an alarm clock, dinner food, an electrical adaptor and medicine. Here, you go to a panaderia for bread, a fruteria for produce, a carneceria for meat, a relojeria for a clock, a pharmacia for medicine, and you try multiple stores for an adaptor. Everything takes more time, more energy, and more new vocabulary. I like the slowness, but...
For those of you who have lived with me or have been around me behind closed doors, you know that when I hit exhaustion, I also cry. But never before. :) So yesterday I was exhausted from traveling, and from not much sleep (two nights before we were in a club until 540am... I only know 540 because when I heard it was that late/early, I was impressed with myself). All I wanted to do was make two phone calls to my family and a friend, and it was NOT working. I really needed to hear their voices BEFORE everything went wrong -- so then when it went wrong, I was a mess.
I bought a phone card for $3 for 40 minutes two nights ago. After searching the streets for a phone, I found out I can only use it at a street phone. So I tried that but it wouldn´t connect me, and it charged me without telling me for each attempt. By the time I figured it out, I had lost half my minutes and couldn´t even reach voicemail. Then the internet wouldn´t let me send emails, I couldn´t figure out how to type the arroba (@), and the little boy at the computer next to me couldn´t figure out why the gringa next to him was in tears as she furiously typed...
I still haven´t found a phone. I haven´t spoken with my family or my friend. Because we couldn´t find a clock yesterday, and because a request for a wake up call got lost in translation, we missed our bus this morning back to Chile.
Good things: God arranged a miracle so that two seats magically appeared for tomorrow´s bus while we were sitting frustrated in the terminal at 9am this morning. Seriously, a miracle. I had a good cry. I sat and drank tea and journaled today. I figured out how to type the arroba (alt 64). The hotel man gave us tonight for free, and we weren´t charged for tomorrow´s bus. I found two alarm clocks today. Katie reminded me to give myself grace -- this is our first big travel stop on our own. We´re doing a really great job figuring things our amidst a different language and culture...
I still need a phone though.
So yesterday I hit exhaustion and culture shock-frustration.
Let me explain Latin America for a minute. Here, life is slower. One main reason is because everything is spread out. At home, I go to Walmart or Walgreens or a grocery store to buy an alarm clock, dinner food, an electrical adaptor and medicine. Here, you go to a panaderia for bread, a fruteria for produce, a carneceria for meat, a relojeria for a clock, a pharmacia for medicine, and you try multiple stores for an adaptor. Everything takes more time, more energy, and more new vocabulary. I like the slowness, but...
For those of you who have lived with me or have been around me behind closed doors, you know that when I hit exhaustion, I also cry. But never before. :) So yesterday I was exhausted from traveling, and from not much sleep (two nights before we were in a club until 540am... I only know 540 because when I heard it was that late/early, I was impressed with myself). All I wanted to do was make two phone calls to my family and a friend, and it was NOT working. I really needed to hear their voices BEFORE everything went wrong -- so then when it went wrong, I was a mess.
I bought a phone card for $3 for 40 minutes two nights ago. After searching the streets for a phone, I found out I can only use it at a street phone. So I tried that but it wouldn´t connect me, and it charged me without telling me for each attempt. By the time I figured it out, I had lost half my minutes and couldn´t even reach voicemail. Then the internet wouldn´t let me send emails, I couldn´t figure out how to type the arroba (@), and the little boy at the computer next to me couldn´t figure out why the gringa next to him was in tears as she furiously typed...
I still haven´t found a phone. I haven´t spoken with my family or my friend. Because we couldn´t find a clock yesterday, and because a request for a wake up call got lost in translation, we missed our bus this morning back to Chile.
Good things: God arranged a miracle so that two seats magically appeared for tomorrow´s bus while we were sitting frustrated in the terminal at 9am this morning. Seriously, a miracle. I had a good cry. I sat and drank tea and journaled today. I figured out how to type the arroba (alt 64). The hotel man gave us tonight for free, and we weren´t charged for tomorrow´s bus. I found two alarm clocks today. Katie reminded me to give myself grace -- this is our first big travel stop on our own. We´re doing a really great job figuring things our amidst a different language and culture...
I still need a phone though.
Amusement and men.
Warning: There are some things I really want to tell you, but they might not paint me in the best light – or, you might not care, so consider yourself warned… haha. Read with humor and lightness…
So I have tried to notice a bunch of things that I love or dislike about each day, and I might share them with you sometimes. For today:
I am extremely amused by men´s reactions to us here. Argentine men DO show their appreciation of women in various ways – classic whistles, hollers, the always uncomfortable up and down look (which is done without any shame here), the despised hiss, a very warm ¨hola¨, kissing noises, or just walking right up to us and offering to take us out for chocolate. The last one is my favorite.
While we know it´s just a tease, and have heard from everyone that Argentine men will say anything, I must admit that we use it to our advantage almost daily. Argentine and Chilean women intimidate us (although we´re learning how to crack their stares), so we pretty much always 19 ask men for help, directions, language questions, food or music suggestions, and, well… everything. Even cheese.
Before leaving Santiago, I was in a grocery store and had questions about cheese. Without thinking, I scanned the store for a man, and told Katie I would go ask him instead of the woman, who was closer. As I walked away, I realized how automatic my decision was, spun to face Katie and said, ¨Katie, this is horrible. I´m using my sexuality to buy cheese!¨
Bad news. I know. But it´s super-humorous.
Other thing on this subject: While hanging out with female travellers is great, we´ve met more fun guys - again, the women we´ve met here are intimidating! (Except our Israeli friends who were both just so cute and fun). So we decided instead of ignoring guys on the streets, we should try to meet them (but only if they aren´t creepy)! This morning we spent a good amount of time working on smiling as we walk down streets, making eye contact, and saying a friendly ¨hola¨ to people who pass and take note of us as gringas. Bariloche is filled with fun travellers, and we want to meet them! Haha… don´t worry. We´re being safe. And smart. But we´re amused by all this…
So I have tried to notice a bunch of things that I love or dislike about each day, and I might share them with you sometimes. For today:
I am extremely amused by men´s reactions to us here. Argentine men DO show their appreciation of women in various ways – classic whistles, hollers, the always uncomfortable up and down look (which is done without any shame here), the despised hiss, a very warm ¨hola¨, kissing noises, or just walking right up to us and offering to take us out for chocolate. The last one is my favorite.
While we know it´s just a tease, and have heard from everyone that Argentine men will say anything, I must admit that we use it to our advantage almost daily. Argentine and Chilean women intimidate us (although we´re learning how to crack their stares), so we pretty much always 19 ask men for help, directions, language questions, food or music suggestions, and, well… everything. Even cheese.
Before leaving Santiago, I was in a grocery store and had questions about cheese. Without thinking, I scanned the store for a man, and told Katie I would go ask him instead of the woman, who was closer. As I walked away, I realized how automatic my decision was, spun to face Katie and said, ¨Katie, this is horrible. I´m using my sexuality to buy cheese!¨
Bad news. I know. But it´s super-humorous.
Other thing on this subject: While hanging out with female travellers is great, we´ve met more fun guys - again, the women we´ve met here are intimidating! (Except our Israeli friends who were both just so cute and fun). So we decided instead of ignoring guys on the streets, we should try to meet them (but only if they aren´t creepy)! This morning we spent a good amount of time working on smiling as we walk down streets, making eye contact, and saying a friendly ¨hola¨ to people who pass and take note of us as gringas. Bariloche is filled with fun travellers, and we want to meet them! Haha… don´t worry. We´re being safe. And smart. But we´re amused by all this…
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
¿Bears?
Guys, it is Wednesday and I still don´t know who won the Super Bowl FOUR DAYS AGO. Yes, I am on the other side of the world. 7
Sunday I realized that it was Sunday. I had seriously no idea. Then I realized that it was SUPER BOWL Sunday. I freaked out. Surreal.
And now it´s Wednesday. I still have no idea. No one tell me and I won´t look. Let´s see how long I can go without knowing. This truly is a miracle to me.
Sunday I realized that it was Sunday. I had seriously no idea. Then I realized that it was SUPER BOWL Sunday. I freaked out. Surreal.
And now it´s Wednesday. I still have no idea. No one tell me and I won´t look. Let´s see how long I can go without knowing. This truly is a miracle to me.
The Commencement of a Very Rigid Search
Puerto Natales. Wednesday. 15:56.
From Friday until yesterday, I have: hiked over 50 km; climbed more than ten mountains; fallen into a river; stood at the foot of a 10,000 year old glacier; hung food in trees while sleeping so pumas wouldn´t kill me; eaten lots of tuna; drunk only glacier water; hiked past avalanches; showered only once; seen hundreds of llamas; gotten lost, climbed a mountain without a trail, got to the top to see the sun rise over mountains beneath me, and then prayed to survive the descent; survived; discovered that it really IS possible for every muscle from mid-back down to throb with exhaustionat the same time; and have seen more natural beauty than I thought existed. This has been my life for five days. This is Torres del Paine.
Torres del Paine is a national park in southern Chile. It was formed over 10,000 years ago when the Ice Age ended. It is a geologist´s dream in that some of the mountains´rock is 150 million years old. It has lakes that are robin´s egg blue, pampas, huge glaciers, snow capped mountains, mountain valleys with crashing rivers, waterfalls... completely breath-taking every second. Check out photos here. http://marcelo.ubb.cl/perl/gallery.pl?id_zona=17&npagina=1
Two highlights:
1. The second day there, Katie, Dan (the guy of the group) and I woke to hike a short trail to see the sunrise and turn the mountains orange. Somehow we got lost, climbed a mountain and saw rocks crash off the side beneath us. It took an hour and a half to climb to this high place. Once there, it was breath-taking, but I discovered one of my greatest fears is to be on an edge from which I could tumble and die. I don´t fear insects, or heights, or really much of anything, but now -- edges and falling. But we got over the other side of the mountain and found the normal place and the usual trail, and were so glad... and then we felt super hardcore.
2. The second night (same day as above), Katie and I were hanging out with four guys outside the lodge at the campsite. Two of them, cousins Diego and Nestór, invited us to hike with them the next day. Our American group was exhausted and was going to skip the middle of the W hike, and Katie and I so wanted to do it. We woke up, found Diego and Nestór, hiked two hours, set up tents, dropped our bags, and hiked the 3.5 hours to the lookout point. That night, we got back and hung out with these two, and two other guys from Santiago until 100am, drinking tea outside our tents and conversing in Spanish. They were all so patient with our Spanish, and such interesting guys. We laughed constantly with them, and they taught us a lot about the language and culture... It was great to hang out with people from South America who are our age. Last night we got into Puerto Natales, walked to their hostel and cooked dinner with them.
Now Katie and I are off to El Calafate, Argentina, to see a massive glacier, and then to Bariloche...
From Friday until yesterday, I have: hiked over 50 km; climbed more than ten mountains; fallen into a river; stood at the foot of a 10,000 year old glacier; hung food in trees while sleeping so pumas wouldn´t kill me; eaten lots of tuna; drunk only glacier water; hiked past avalanches; showered only once; seen hundreds of llamas; gotten lost, climbed a mountain without a trail, got to the top to see the sun rise over mountains beneath me, and then prayed to survive the descent; survived; discovered that it really IS possible for every muscle from mid-back down to throb with exhaustionat the same time; and have seen more natural beauty than I thought existed. This has been my life for five days. This is Torres del Paine.
Torres del Paine is a national park in southern Chile. It was formed over 10,000 years ago when the Ice Age ended. It is a geologist´s dream in that some of the mountains´rock is 150 million years old. It has lakes that are robin´s egg blue, pampas, huge glaciers, snow capped mountains, mountain valleys with crashing rivers, waterfalls... completely breath-taking every second. Check out photos here. http://marcelo.ubb.cl/perl/gallery.pl?id_zona=17&npagina=1
Two highlights:
1. The second day there, Katie, Dan (the guy of the group) and I woke to hike a short trail to see the sunrise and turn the mountains orange. Somehow we got lost, climbed a mountain and saw rocks crash off the side beneath us. It took an hour and a half to climb to this high place. Once there, it was breath-taking, but I discovered one of my greatest fears is to be on an edge from which I could tumble and die. I don´t fear insects, or heights, or really much of anything, but now -- edges and falling. But we got over the other side of the mountain and found the normal place and the usual trail, and were so glad... and then we felt super hardcore.
2. The second night (same day as above), Katie and I were hanging out with four guys outside the lodge at the campsite. Two of them, cousins Diego and Nestór, invited us to hike with them the next day. Our American group was exhausted and was going to skip the middle of the W hike, and Katie and I so wanted to do it. We woke up, found Diego and Nestór, hiked two hours, set up tents, dropped our bags, and hiked the 3.5 hours to the lookout point. That night, we got back and hung out with these two, and two other guys from Santiago until 100am, drinking tea outside our tents and conversing in Spanish. They were all so patient with our Spanish, and such interesting guys. We laughed constantly with them, and they taught us a lot about the language and culture... It was great to hang out with people from South America who are our age. Last night we got into Puerto Natales, walked to their hostel and cooked dinner with them.
Now Katie and I are off to El Calafate, Argentina, to see a massive glacier, and then to Bariloche...
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