For lack of a clever title: Wednesday

Mari came over alone yesterday, Eric is sick with pneumonia!  The silver lining to this is that Mari gave us a sign language lesson.  Wow, that was challenging, but so exciting!  She taught us with absolutely no speaking at all.  She used pictures and only hand motions to ask us questions to which we had to respond by pointing, gesturing and moving the pictures around.  I have no idea how to explain that in a way that makes sense!  Perhaps by giving an example...

There was a map of the world, first we learned lots of country names, then she put pictures of a man and a woman from several different nations.  Then she moved them around and...I think...asked us where certain people were, where they were born, what language people spoke, who had to learn a new language, who wanted to go to what country (to be reunited with their spouse)....and all of this with my SUPER limited knowledge of signs.  It was thrilling, but I think I may come home with a permanent wrinkle of concentration from the middle of forehead.

Then I went to the Young People's Bible Study.  I wanted to...but I didn't want to.  It starts so late, and ends even later (which makes sense, there is no time warping going on here, no matter how much it feels like it sometimes!)  However, I did want to go.  Wait!  I missed a small chunk in the middle!  BEFORE I went there....[if you are crunched for time, this next bit may be the part to skip, slightly less pertinent ;) ]

...I went to the mall to mail a letter and to buy lice medicine (just to have on hand to ward of any unwanted attention.  You want to sit here?  Oh sure, let me move my lice medicine for you) and then I tooled around a little.  Again, first time walking alone.  I liked the feeling.  It made me feel more...here.  I don't know how to explain that, but I loved it.  I also liked how it smelled (I was given a little piece of paper with an Armani perfume sample on it...ayaya), the way that the stores are so chic, the creamy, elegant color scheme, all of the people, the 4 levels and the massive glass elevator, and the fact that I didn't have enough money in my pocket to buy even a trinket...so much expensiveness!  I have discovered about myself that I feel more comfortable when I don't feel rich, the way I feel when I am at, Las Bajadas for example.  Maybe I will explain that more later.

Ok, so THEN I went to the youth study.  It was HUGE and I was nervous, but then I saw Romi, the girl from Sunday who had said "see you wed!"  She let me be her own personal barnacle the whole night.  I loved it.  She is quiet and shy, smiles a lot and has crazy curly hair that reminds me of my cousin Rachel.  She is 24 or so and doesn't speak any English.  God was so kind to have her be there for me.  We broke down into small groups and Romi explained everything to me, I would have been so confused.  The study was good and deep and I got up the courage to actually speak!  Of course prefacing it with "Espero que uds. tengan paciencia conmigo...."  (I hope you can be patient with me....) Afterwards I talked with a group of girls and they were very very very uplifting to me.  I think I will keep going back, even though I got home after midnight.  It is good to have a place where I do so much talking, and not just listening.  I get to practice what I hear all week :)

Ah!  I have to run!  It is time for Ladie's Bible Study!  Ciao!