Fun Quotes from Peru

Es lo que Ella Dijo

Nelson Kelly and Co

Nelly Kelson

Was it Worth it

Pee-ness

"ohhh look --It's a chocolate dog bone…wait a minute…."

Ladies Free Massage Ma'am

Go and 'Wimon' Aryanne and Kelly

Cuanto Cuesta??

My girl! My My My girl is in Uruguay!!

"parrot running away from the men"

Hello, Hola, Forty, Can you break that!

"wanna joint---smoke"

100% Alpaca for you lady

Kelly, you're WRONG, Go back to bed

November 2,--Earl is convinced that I'm drunk

November 5—look who is drunk now

All of aryanne's creepers…

"My friend is China he eats everything!"

"Is it really from soccer…hehehe ;) "

Earl Dancing to Gangsters Paradise

Diez y Seis Minutos! ACCION!!!!

November 7^th & 8^th, 2008

Our last day in Cuzco we shopped most of the day away, walked down to the river and just chilled. We had an amazing buffet at a hotel and met a man from Buenos Aires and about 30 Japanese tourists. We then flew back to Lima that night/morning. We then had a fast food party. We went to Starbucks, KFC, Micky Ds, Burger King, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, and Dunkin Donuts. As if that wasn't enough we then went to go see High School Musical 3 in SPANISH. I have to say it was totally worth it. I was shocked at how much I understood and no matter what language that movie would be in its hilarious. We laughed through the whole thing. We flew back that night to Montevideo arriving around 6 in the morning. I think the impact of this trip will stay with me forever.

Man that was hard…Es Lo Que Ella Dijo!!

November 6, 2008

Today we went up to Machu Pichu. It was absolutely amazing. It was almost surreal seeing and being where all the pictures were. The whole time I was just overwhelmed by Gods beauty and his being. We walked all the way up to the sun gate. It was probably the hardest hike I have ever done in my life. I think the primary reason was the altitude we were above all of the neighboring mountains. When I reached the top though I consumed with a sense of accomplishment that I can't even begin to describe, It was beyond AWESOME.

I kept thinking of the lyrics to the song Amazing Grace by Chris Tomlin. We saw so many relics of their ancient religion and we walked through their temples. I saw how they placed their hope in what they could see, the sun, the moon, the stars, the water, the earth. Yet, they were blind to the truth found in God. Only by the amazing Grace of God was a told the story of Jesus Christ and by his mercy was able to see his truth through things I can see. I can see his love through creation rather than seeing the creation as the god. While we were in there the forecast everyday was supposed to be thunderstorms. I prayed that we would have good weather but didn't count on it considering the forecast was about an 80% chance of rain. We carried raincoats and umbrellas everywhere. Yet we had amazing weather the entire time and we always made is back to the hotel before it before it began to pour. The last verse seemed reminiscent of the ruins surrounding me. We can build huge civilizations and be so powerful that people thousands of years later look back in awe but it will all fade away. It will slowly go to waste. But God he will never fade his glory will never lose its radiance. "The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine, but God who called me here below, Will be forever mine." He is forever mine.

We then went to a Chinese restaurant for supper. The food was absolutely amazing. I have to say the Peruvians got Chinese down to an art they are PRO. Abilene needs to take a cooking lesson from them ;)





Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see
'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
My chains are gone
I've been set free
My God, my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love, Amazing grace

The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God, Who called me here below

Will be forever mine
You are forever mine

Look whose Drunk NOW!

November 5, 2008

Its funny how enjoyable museums are without adults making us read things, or write papers. We visited about 4 museums on our free pass card. They were all interesting and fun even though it was all in Spanish. We saw traditional art and contemporary art. Later that day Jade went Bungee jumping. It was pretty funny cause she couldn't walk straight afterward LOL. We took a taxi up there but we took a public bus back down the mountain with the local people. We were able to see another side of Peru that was not touched by the trade of tourism. The poverty was palpable and pulled at my heart.

We then ate lunch at Aldea Yanapay café and bar it promotes cultural exchange. I

t was very interesting had stuffed animals everywhere including Kermit the frog and lamb chop.

Later we went to hotel Earl and Jade hiked back up secsayhuman while I tried to answer all my email and tried to keep from laughing at the Ausies sharing the common area with me. I seriously thought they were speaking a foreign language for about an hour.

Later that evening we went shopping and I bought a few things we were harassed by the vendors on the street asking us to enter their restaurant or store. The funniest was a man who said Hola Lady Free Massage in a very creepy way. I probably said my favorite Spanish phrase a million times "Cuanto cuesta por favor?" much to Jade and Earls delight. Dad you taught me well. I was the bargain shopper of the group. China was a training lesson for great deals. Although I have to say you are still the master by far, everyone was still impressed with my skills. It's pretty funny because everything is 100% Alpaca or Cien Plata ( 1oo% silver) and by everything I mean EVERYTHING. I bought a duffle and they tried to sell it to me for $ 20 by saying it was 100% baby Alpaca…I ended up getting it for 7 -_- .

While were shopping we walked into this store that was playing Reggae music. We walked around a bit and saw a sign that said upstairs we could 'chill out'. The first thought that went through my mind was pot head. Sure enough we met the owner who happened to be a really nice guy with a parrot. He introduced us to his friend who was "China" and ate everything including Iguana. He then proceeded to tell his girl was in Uruguay and once we had confessed we had no plans that night begged us to smoke some "pot some joint" with him. We of course declined but were amused at how open they were. One man followed earl around the store and asked about him about 5 times. This was not the first time we were propositioned. Earlier a man asked us if we wanted Mexican we said no then he asked if we wanted mushrooms upstairs, when we said no again he followed us continuing to act out what mushrooms were in case we were confused.

Earl was the star of the day with about 23 come-ons. ( Yes we kept count, it was fun ) Jade had 5 negative china comments and 3 kind ones including "chinita". I had about 7 long inquisitive/negative stares, 2 interested ones, and one man from an alley saw me and thrust his arms forward as if he was going to embrace me and started singing, "Hola! Muy Bonita, Morena Linda."

Later that night Earl got Cuy ( Guinea pig) and Jade, Kelly, and I got a 4 course meal for $5.00. I ordered Alpaca and it was alright yet nothing special. Our day was crazy fun.

Climbing Sexy Woman

November 4, 2008

We flew in to Cuzco and had a city tour. We were able to see many of the Catholic churches in the area as well as several ruins surrounding the area. In the churches we were able to see some of the indigenous art in the area. There were several aspects of the art that stood out to me. One was the fact the indigenous artists painted the figures with darker skin, and related the virgin mary to the Moon goddess. They did this by showing three levels in the art, heaven earth and hell. This is was done to allow the people to accept the catholic religion. Another interesting fact is that the church was built on the foundation of the Incan temples keeping several of the walls intact. This was a psychological punishment to show the defeat and eradication of the incan temple and beliefs. The most controversial painting in the church was that of the last supper. However, instead of the typical bread and wine they placed Cuy (guinea pig) the native dish of Peru and Chicha the purple drink I mentioned before on the table. They also painted the face of Judas in the likeness of the first conquistador to conquer the area. We visited Secsayhuman pronounced "Sexy Woman" much to everyone's amusement. It was part of the Incan ruins near Cuzco.

Throughout the day we all suffered from altitude sickness. They gave us some Coca Tea which is made from coca leaves which is the same thing cocaine is made from ;) No its not drug or addicting..but you can only bring 10 leaves back with you LOL. Earl was constantly stalked by little 12 year old girls who constantly wanted his picture. We called him the Jonas Brother.

You’re Drunk!

November 3, 2008

Today we went on the city tour. We got on a bus around 9 that Jade thought said Peru Invasion and was thrilled to find everyone on the bus looked like foreigners

. We have discovered that here ironically Jade and I blend in much more than Kelly a

nd Earl. Unlike in Uruguay ,Argentina and even Brazil almost all of the native Peruvians are mestizo which means they are mixed with a little of everything making them all caramel. We were in the park today and Earl was standing by a bench and had man came by and looked at him and then simply stated in a very loud voice "gringo" then continued on.

The first thing we visited on the tour was the Plaza San Martín. It was Inaugurated in 1921, at its center is a large monument to the South American liberator, José de San Martín. NOT JOSE ARTIGAS, although ironically he was from Argentina and was later exiled. We then walked to Lima's grand Plaza de Armas (also called the Plaza Mayor, or Main Square), the original center of the city and the site where Francisco Pizarro founded the city in 1535, The disastrous 1746 earthquake that initiated the city's decline leveled most of the 16th- and 17th-century buildings in the old center. The plaza has witnessed everything from bullfights to Inquisition-related executions. The oldest surviving element of the square is the central bronze fountain, which dates from 1651.

The major palaces and cathedral are a pale yellow stained from the smog and dust. On the north side of the square is the early-20th-century Palacio del Gobierno (Presidential Palace), where a changing of the guard takes place daily at noon. We were able to see part of the process begin around 11:20. They had about 5 horsemen ride by playing a tune on the trumpet. We saw La Catedral rebuilt after the earthquake, making it by far the oldest building on the square, and, next to the cathedral, the Palacio Episcopal (Archbishop's Palace), which had an extraordinary wooden balcony in the Spanish style. Its not typically what I would think of as a balcony it looks like a giant wooden box sticking out from the window with amazing and intricate designs. After that we went about a block north of the Plaza de Armas, behind the Presidential Palace, to the Río Rímac and a 17th-century Roman-style bridge, the Puente de Piedra (literally, "stone bridge").

It leads to the once-fashionable Rímac district. Above the district you can see a mountain with colorful houses which reminded me a lot of La Boca in Argentina; unfortunately it is one of the most destitute areas. At the top of the mountain was a cross and the Peruvian flag.

We also visited several churches. This was one of the most interesting parts of the entire tour. The churches were more elaborate than anything I could imagine. We visited several different branches of the Catholic Church. The Franciscan Monastery was by far the most interesting. Below the Monastery were bones from over 25,000 people. These catacombs are still being catalogued.

We also visited a Dominican Church where its patron was the first black saint St. Martin. He is incredibly popular throughout Latin America and Peru. It is also notable to mention that the only people of African descent I had seen thus far were at the church and most were nuns or priest.

We then made our small nostalgic trek back to America by hitting up Starbucks, Pizza Hut, Burger King, and Dunkin Donuts.

Later that night we went and got some Mexican food at a restaurant called Si Senor's. The food was average but the atmosphere was fun and lively. The highlight of the night was when Earl danced to Gangster's Paradise.

Notable Mentions:

Jade was negatively called "Cheena" ( there pronunciation of Chinese) several times

Kelly got a butt rub and several cat calls

Earl got several stares

I had a man begin clapping when he saw me and then begged me to be the color in his life and then despaired when I refused to speak…calling me his love…he was about 50…yep Good Times

PS. No one was drunk it's an inside joke (mom and dad)

Lima, Peru and Chinatown!!?

November 2, 2008

Finally after a plane ride that took forever long we arrived in Lima Peru. Getting off the pory. It was not until wlane was awesome after being cramped for so long. We went through customs which was a breeze after we went back to get more paperwork. Twice. Then " Kelly Nelson and Company" ( as we were so kindly named by the travel agency) were off the hotel. We arrived and after taking a quick nap ( much to Earl's dismay) we set off towards the Nazarene Cathedral which was the site of a historical event in Peru's history

On the plane we realized that we would be arriving on All Saints Day. As we walked towards the cathedral we were crowded by throngs of people all singing songs of praise. Flags hung from the rooftops and vendors were everywhere selling relics of the saints. It felt like something out of a movie. The devotion of hundreds and hundreds of people so resolute, so blind, and so honest was beautiful, yet unsettling.

We walked into a cathedral and it was even more disturbing. There were statues of saints larger than human beings and people were kneeling before them in tears, prostrate, and perhaps the most disturbing image of all was a statue of the Virgin Mary raised above the rest almost as high as the loft sitting on the alter light illuminating from her being. There was a small photo of Jesus below but the focal point by far was the virgin.

After experiencing that important part of the Peruvians culture we went to China town. Yes, China town, there are over 200,000 Chinese in Lima alone. They make up almost 12% of the population. Before we got to china town we saw over 10 Chinese restaurants just situated along the roads. It bore some similarities to the great China town in San Francisco but reminded me more of the one in Japan. I got some hot buns and an eggroll and some Buble tea. ALL were AMAZING. Later for dinner we went to the same restaurant and ordered dinner. It was pretty good. The food had a little bit of twist but not much.

We had a purple drink called Chicha morada The drink is made from dark corn that is allowed to soak with the peelings of a large pineapple. Peruvians will use the 'meat' of the pineapple for a dish then save all the exterior cuttings as well as the core to use in this drink. Although the drink includes sugar, the pineapple adds a sweet zing to the drink that really sets it apart. It's like the national beverage of Peru besides the Pisco sour which is an alcoholic beverage given for free in almost every restaurant. Later we also walked around Playa de Mayo. This is the center for Museums, the palace, and several cathedrals. It is 9:13 and feels like midnight. So I will end this post. Goodnight.

the Peruvian kiss

Sitting in the Airport

November 2, 2008

6:37 am

We are sitting in the airport doing nothing, looking at pictures on tagged. Earl is talking in my ear about his crystal skull, and Kelly is in her own little world dizzy from excitement her hands are shaking with enthusiasm, Jade is staring longingly into space yearning for more pee-ness. Don't ask. We woke up EARLY, right now it is 6:37am. I am so excited we are going to have an amazing time in Peru and my hopes are high for the great things that are to come. Earl wants to philander through the ruins!!!

Brazil

October 11-18 2008

In Brazil the main thing we did was hike up to see the waterfalls. Words cannot even begin to describe the wonder and the incredible Awesomeness that was created. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. The words I kept saying throughout the trip were the lyrics to How Great thou Art and Majesty. Those were really the only words I could think of to even begin to divulge the incredible blessing I felt being in such a wondrous place. I have been to Niagara Falls and the Iguazu makes it look like a High-school talent show in comparison. One of the most amazing things we got to do around the falls was go on a moonlight walk to the "Devils Throat" The largest fall in the entire park. All the girls minus Jade and I had decided to wear their cute little dresses and were consequently drenched. It was a very funny night. We also went on a boat beneath the falls and got soaked. That was probably one of my more memorable experiences

Majesty, worship his majesty;
Unto Jesus be all glory, honor, and praise.
Majesty, kingdom authority,
Flow from his throne unto his own, his anthem raise.
So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King.
Majesty, worship his majesty,
Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings.

Some other highlights from the trip were our visit to a Guaraní village. The children sang a song for us and were able to see the way of life that they had persevered. We also went to a Samba show which was hilarious primarily because the Walkers freaked out at the "Samba" dancing which was done by girls whose only bare skin was their midsection. A really cool thing about Brazil that I was surprised about was the African influence. The traditional food was black beans and rice and served a dish similar to chitlins. The food was actually somewhat nostalgic and reminded me of soul food. The dancing was familiar as well. Previous to this I never made the connection between the famed Brazilian dance the Samba and the infamous American book "The Little Sambo". Women are also thicker and like to show more skin. I could have worn a bikini and would not have stood out as being weird.

We also went to Paraguay to Ciudad Del Este which is where the vast majority of revenue comes from and got some shopping done. I bought some sunglasses for $2 that I then broke before we left the country I guess you get what you pay for.

On the way back we went to a mission where the Guarani were protected by the Jesuits. Yet in the end they were all destroyed and the majority of its inhabitants were killed or dispersed back into the Jungle or the city. We went to visit one of the smallest yet most intact mission located in Argentina near the Paraguayan and Brazilian border

During this trip I can truly say a saw God. I question how one can doubt his existence when confronted with astronomical beauty that to me would leave one speechless. The fountain life bursting forth from the earth provided strength for so many creatures and humans. The mist from waves gives life miles away. There are animals and plants that can only grow in that in that environment they make up an ecosystem that enabled the indigenous peoples to survive in those areas for hundreds of years. Everywhere you looked there were thousands of butterflies landing on you without fear. Every-time I saw one I remembered my rebirth in Christ Jesus. How he is God of details in the smallest most fragile creature. He is a God of Power his Potency can be viewed in the thunderous echoes from the water crashing of the precipice. His wisdom in the master plan of the ecosystem that connects and protects, there are small birds that look like swallows that make their nest inside the waterfall. They make their nests near the thunderous falls so that the vultures can't attack their young. It's mind boggling to see these tiny little birds swimming so near such a powerful force. His mercy and Grace is exemplified by his acceptance of me, his willingness to transform me in his image. I am convinced he made nature for human beings, not just for our survival but to show his Love. He spoke to me through his creation and allowed me to see a glimpse of who he truly is.

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
and see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou a

Day to day life

Every day….September-December 2008

A lot of people have asked what life is like here every day when I am not traveling somewhere. I do actually go to school although it's hard to believe. .For my Latin America and the Arts class we usually visit a museum or historic site and have to write a 500 word essay sometime before the next Wednesday. This class is actually the hardest because the museum and tours are often in Spanish and therefore I rarely learn any more about the museum by the time I leave then when I entered. For Latin American Studies we have had to do different projects.

We also take weekly quizzes of a book called "Born in Blood and Fire" and sometimes watch a movie. We saw Evita and The Mission; one was to acquaint us with Argentina and the other with Brazil. We also went to a Ballet at the Teatro Solis. The experience was pretty cool. The theatre is spectacular as well as world famous.

Spanish is 8 - 10 hours a week. For class, sometimes our homework assignment is to go out and have a conversation with a local about something. We have had some worksheets to do and about 2 tests so far. We are taking 2 semesters of Spanish in one. I think we would have learned a little more than mike... LOL

We are doing Bible online. It is a short course because the professor who was supposed to teach it stayed home to be with his wife who was diagnosed with cancer 10 days before we left. That class will be online and will be split in half by our trip to Brazil and free travel.

I also volunteer 1-2 times a week at the Alianza which is an English language teaching institute that is associated with the United States. They teach English and classes on American culture, history, etc and they are looking for volunteers to teach their conversation clubs and to be interviewed for classes. So far it's been a lot of fun just to talk about who I am and my culture. Sometimes though it just reminds me of how un-stereotypical American I am sometimes. AND finally my favorite p

art of Montevideo…My aerobics class. I don't think I have had as much fun working out as I have had in that class. Overall that has been one of my most positive experiences and I would strongly encourage everyone to participate in a workout class at that gym or another one.

With the rest of our time we usually go to the beach, walk to Ciudad Vieja and just sit the like the locals in a park on a bench, or watch movies up in the loft. The latter has become the procrastination vice of the entire casa. I think I have seen every episode of the office at least twice by this point. For dinner we usually cook, eat left over, or go to Las Palmas, if we are really broke we will go get pizza for about 2.50 for a half of a meter or a hamburger for a 1.50. Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday we have a chapel/announcement service. We sing praise songs, and lift up prayer requests.

Our favorite part of everyday is lunch because Raquel and Mariella are the most amazing cooks ever. I am a pretty picky eater when it comes to flavor of food. They have never made anything I have not liked. And they bake a new cake, cookies, donuts, or some amazing dessert every single day. It great living in community with others, sometimes it annoys the heck out of me and other times my heart aches when I realize how different next semester will be. So…basically day to day life here rocks! Even when we are really bored we always find something fun to do :)

Dia Del Patrimonio

October 4^th 2008

This is the day when Montevideo finally gets transformed into a tourist city by its native inhabitants. Its so cool because we can walk around with our cameras and suddenly we blended in with the inhabitants. I really enjoyed the Dia del Patriomonio; it was a great opportunity to see a lot of different sides of Uruguayan culture at once. I thought it was cool how everyone in the city went out acted like tourist taking pictures going to museums and celebrating their culture. As a foreigner I was able to experience the various aspects of the culture. I loved the enthusiasm showed by everyone. I visited the Teatro Solis on Saturday. It was beautiful and actually much smaller than I expected but the inside was nothing like what I imagined. It reminded of Phantom of the Opera the way the box seats went up the stairs and the designs were out of this world. I got to go inside of Club Uruguay, it was really neat they had a bunch of the students' and the professors' art displayed inside. The top floor consisted of several ballroom floors, which were absolutely beautiful. Also on the top floor was a balcony, which overlooked the plaza, the view of the festivities, the feria, and the cathedral was stunning. Overall this was a great

weekend. I was able to buy a lot of presents for people back at ACU and practice my Spanish a bit. It was great how everyone got louder and celebrated their history by having ferias and performances in the street. I felt like was able to see a whole new side of Uruguay.

Colonia

September 27.2008

Our visit to Colonia was the first time that we had been out of Montevideo while still in Uruguay. We were all prepared for a boring little town made up of museums. For such was the reputation of the smallest and oldest city in Uruguay. It was about a two hour bus ride and we were all pleasantly surprised. The town was small and quaint and beautiful. I would love to live in a town like that for the rest of my life. It was much more acquainted to tourist then Montevideo was. The people were much more patient and everything there was just "cute". We were able to climb to the top of the lighthouse and view the entire city as well the Rio de la Plata. Later we went down to the beach ( where I broke my camera) There were little marsh islands and the water felt great. The town was full of historical and cultural significance that I was able to relate back to many things we had been learning in History class. The city was founded by the Portuguese and used for many years as a smuggling point. You can almost envision the pirates going through the town with its hanging signs and antique items displayed on every street corner.

Estancia

September 27, 2008

We went to ranch called an Estancia. It was crazy fun. My hopes for the day were not particularly high considering that it was raining the night before. However, its all about what you make of it. We rented bikes and soon decided to dub them "rape bikes" because the seats were angled perversely and painfully.

We then went horse-back riding,

for some reason I got the devil's horse which wouldn't do anything I told it to. EVER!

We also went canoeing. That was probably the most funJ. We were constantly pretending to ram the other canoe just like in Ben-Hur. We tried to go around an island and got stuck in the mud then had to push our way back out. Overall our silliness made it a very enjoyable and memorable experience.

I Wanna Be a part of B.A., Buenos Aires, Big Apple!!

This past weekend we went to Buenos Aires. We left around 3pm on Wednesday caught a charter bus at Tres Cruces then rode for about 3 hours till we got to Colonia. After we arrived there we immediately got on a ferry for about an hour to Buenos Aires. Then we caught a bus to our hotel the Posta Carretas. We then went out on the town and got dinner late that night around midnight. It's so crazy how everyone eats late and the restaurants stay up late. That night Jade and I were so excited we didn't go to sleep till about 4am. Bright and early the next morning we woke up and went on a bus tour of Buenos Aires. It was pretty much awesome and actually very interesting. As part of the art class and INTS we went to a museum. We visited the Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires it had a lot of abstract art. Afterward a few of us walked back, and took pictures of the sights. Later that evening we went to a tango show. We learned about the history of tango and the dance was dramatized. The next day we went to the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Fine Art Museum) for our art class again. Then we went out to lunch with everyone paid for by ACU. Earl and I decided to share our meals. He got the Ultimate Lasagna and I got a Carbonara pasta, but the actual pasta was made fresh that morning from…dun dun dun…squid ink! Both were delicious and one of the best meals I have had in South America besides what Raquel makes. That evening we met with some students from the youth group and after singing some songs and have a devotional we went to play soccer. It was funny because everyone was like oh its right down the street. We ended up walking about an hour and half to a recreational center where they had a bunch of indoor soccer fields. It was a lot a fun and I realized how much I miss playing. Later that night Brandon, Abby, Meg, Jade, and I went to a Thai restaurant yes THAI!!!! It was absolute heaven in Buenos Aires. I ordered curry and Jade got Phad Thai we split the two. The level of spiciness was perfect. We didn't get back to the hotel till about 2. The next day was Sunday and we got up bright and early for church. While we were there about 30 study abroad students from Pepperdine University there are about 60 students studying abroad for a year in Buenos Aires from the school. The music was excellent and the Sunday school/ Bible Study afterwards was so encouraging. I think mostly because it was the first English sermon or message I have heard in several weeks. I met these two very sweet girls Maria Laura and Marissa; they took us to an arcade. There we played DDR which is a universal game of FUN! After rushing back to the hotel we began our journey back home. Yes, Home because even though we are so far away from our families walking into the casa felt "right".

Ole Ole Ole!!!!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

So I love soccer and last week we got to go to a World Cup Qualifier soccer game, Uruguay vs. Ecuador and it was AMAZING!!! Even though I know that neither is a particularly good team it was still super cool. We went with several members from the church so it was cool how they looked out for us. At one point there was this very sketchy guy who sat down by us and kept staring everyone in the group up and down.

They immediately recognized he might be a thief or police officer, but regardless we needed to be on our guard. The game was emotional but there was not a riot or anything like on TV probably because there was only about 50 Ecuadorian supporters and over 50,000 Uruguayans. The national pride was palpable and it was awesome how they would suddenly break into chants or songs to support their team. Unfortunately they never scored which really bummed me out. It was still 0-0 at the end. Overall it was a memorable and exceptional experience. And yes Eric they really do chant "ole ole ole" just like in the Ricky Martin song.

I am going to include a video soon -_- stay posted!