An Incredible Beginning!

Hello friends and family,

Firstly, welcome to my blog! My plan is to use this resource as a way to keep you connected to my life and what I will be doing in El Salvador this year! Hopefully I will be able to give you an inside look at the culture of El Salvador and we can go through this incredible journey together.

While at orientation this past week, among a series of topics, we discussed having high expectations and how we should try to have realistic goals so as not to get bummed out when things don’t go as planned. So, just as I have adjusted my expectations of El Salvador I require you to lower any high expectations you may have from this blog for three reasons.

1) Regardless of my enjoying English and writing paper after paper for the past two years at Waterloo, I do not consider myself a journalist by any stretch of the imagination. Therefore...do not expect a literal masterpiece. 

2) I expect my internet access will not be as readily available as the wi-fi at home. That will make communication and ultimately blogging a little more strenuous. I am going to try for AT LEAST one blog a month hopefully more frequently. But no promises

3) I don't have a third reason... it just seems like there should be one. So for those who just skim long texts like this, haha tricked you!

I do hope you enjoy the blog; my goal is that it will be informative and fun!

Now that we have gotten through the logistics I may as well fill you in on my experience with SALT so far. 

Since some of you may not know, and because it is so awesome that I'm willing to share again - I made it to my fundraising goal of $5000! This was an incredible blessing to me and I thank God for wonderful people in my life. I was truly awestruck by the generosity I experienced. It was a fantastic send off as I began my journey. 

Seeing such a huge amount of love and kindness made it all the more difficult to say goodbye. Little social gatherings here and there dispersed the “see you latters”. Regrettably a few goodbyes may have slipped though the cracks. I look forward to extra large hugs from these individuals when I return.  You know who you are.

After having made it to $5000, said goodbye to so many close friends and family I had one responsibility left. Pack. I was dreading it...I was not ready for it, and I was putting it off as long as possible. In relation, it should come as no surprise that Tuesday night right before leaving I was running around my house looking for this or that. 

And here I am, in Akron Pennsylvania and naturally I am finding out that...I forgot things. It had been mentioned once or twice that I wasn't going to end up leaving because I would forget something vitally important. Very thankfully nothing that important got left behind. My Spanish 102 textbook was the worst casualty of my forgetfulness. I will survive.

The fantastic orientation week in Akron is coming to a close. MCC has a beautiful set up here and has created a great environment for us to prepare ourselves for the road ahead. With me in Akron there are 53 other SALTers and I believe 39 IVEPers. By now most of you know that SALT (Serving and Learning Together)is a program run by MCC and chooses applicants from the U.S and Canada to fill positions all over the world. IVEP (International Volunteer Exchange Program) is a similar program, but chooses applicants from all over the world to fill positions in Canada and the U.S. 

I cannot tell you how amazing it has been meeting all these individuals. It was a very unique experience that I will treasure and highly value for the rest of my life.  Highlights include, learning common songs from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, playing Spanish scrabble, and learning a little bit more about all four corners of the earth. And not from a textbook!

MCC has a great group of young adults working with them over the next year and I am sure they have big things and exciting things to come!

Today was the final day of orientation, summoning another round of goodbyes to friends that after just one week have already claimed a special place in my heart. Before any goodbyes we enjoyed eating homemade cinnamon buns and having a well deserved impromptu dance party. 

The group will begin dispersing in the early AM, myself included. I will leave for the airport at 3:45AM, be getting on my plane at 6:00AM and arrive in Guatemala at 11:45AM. I am nervous, anxcited (anxious and excited. Tell your friends, it’s going to be a thing), frightened, and am feeling a little overwhelmed, but I know all things are going to work out for His glory! I am pretty excited to see God’s part in all this!

Up next Guatemala city, where I will begin my one month of language training! Yay Spanish!!

Please keep me and the other SALTers and IVEPers in your prayers as we transition to new cultures all over the world! I will try to update you all as soon as I can. Likewise, please keep me updated on your life! :)

(Above is the group of SALTers. Below IVEPers and SALTers together)

Hasta luego mi amigos!