This weekend was lots of fun!!! Went to Guatemala City and saw Heroes in concert...awesome!! But, itś a dangerous city. There was a bit of an episode, but thankfully we all got back safe and sound, and are back in ES. We went in a microbus full of rockers on a 4 hour ride with no sleep and much anticipation. We ate McDonalds and hung out there for several hours, trying to rest a bit before the big she-bang. It was fun, but cold!!! Such a difference! I had a sweater, but it did little good against the wind. But, much better to be cold than hot...good times!! Good news is that Ramfis shared his pics with me, so now there are a few to share with you!! I think I m a fan now of this group...you should all check ém out...even though its in Spanish!! The stage setting was probably the biggest I've ever seen in an outdoor stadium, with several different lighting tricks and lots of big screens with videos and photos and some really good graphic design pieces...it was great to have that type of a show being so far from the stage. The thing is, they were a group like 10 years back, and they split up. This is their first tour since then, and is their last. So, it was packed and my peeps were especially emotional. I didn't realize how big of rivals ES and GA are, but it was pretty crazy to see the flag running and the fights break out and the guards with paint guns...really crazy. Thank God we were high up and far from the chaos. So, good times and great oldies...Heroes Rocks.

Isn't it amazing how God works? Yesterday I had a full day of one-on-one Spanish classes. My teacher, Angelica, at one point said she heard I tell good stories and wanted me to tell one to show her my conversation skills. I was like, well, what kind of story do you want to hear? So, she wrote Religion and Politics on the board. I said, ooooh, my 2 favorite topics! So, she said, bueno, tell me a story about the religion in your canton. I was like, oh girl, where do I start?!? Well, one story led to another, and eventually, I was giving my full testimony and the saving power of Jesus Christ and how God changed me, and how I went from being religious like the people in my canton, and seeing slavery to religion and tradition in my own country, to being free in Christ and realizing it's not a list of laws and rules, but a life change that gives me new desires to serve and love and a Guide for wise decision making. Well, she said she's Catholic and told me her similiar experience. We were getting so excited to be sharing in the Faith...we were like little school girls. Well, she shared her time of speaking in tongues and how she's never been the same, and then I shared the Peru experience about the girl who was demon-posessed, and then we both talked about God's power and how it's a shame so many "Christians" deny that part of God and say it isn't Biblical. We both were like, hello! We've read it in Acts and in Corinthians!!! :) Anyway, it was a blessing to have that time with her...not only to share, but also to vent to a fellow Salvadoran who understood my frustrations. Good God Times.

I'm at such a strange place right now because I'm doing very well...projects and work are going well, relationships are going well, I'm learning more and more Spanish, I'm learning more and more of my God, etc. But, for some reason, I'm extremely homesick. I always get this way in the Fall. The last years in CA were the same, because I would have this longing to be with my family, have cookouts, go on hayrides, go fishing, go to football games (even though I'm not a fan), carve pumpkins, see the beautiful leaves change, eat lots and lots of food. I don't know., it seems like the fam got together much more in this season. Plus, there's nothing like a Tennessee Autumn. So, I'm attributing this ache to all of that. Plus, I talked to Sheena Monday for a long time, and we laughed and did our usual, and I just miss her and miss sharing stupid SNL sketches with someone or quotes from a movie, or lines from a song. No one gets that here. I've tried explaining it in Spanish, but it just doesn't work. Plus, I'm convinced that our point of humor is distinctly different. I also had a craving the other day to just go to a grocery store and buy some Moose Tracks ice cream and watch a movie....well, that's not a possibility. Plus, sometimes I listen to my i-pod at night before I sleep, but lately it's just been making me sad because most of my music is jazz or blues or rock-a-billy or swingy stuff, so it just makes me want to dance, or remember Lindy Groove, or etc. It almost brings tears to my eyes because I miss dancing so much. So, I'm making a mental list of what I want to do in December. 1. Watch a ton of movies. 2. Eat a hot dog and chips/dip. 3. Eat Moose Tracks ice cream. 4.Go swing dancing. 5. Go Salsa dancing. 6. Go to Pancake house with G-Daddy. 7. Go to Memphis and see some blues. 8. Go to a GOOD coffee shop. 9. Ride the 4-wheeler. 10. Bake and bake and bake Christmas goodies. 11. Play in snow. 12. Eat lots of homemade biscuits (molasses, honey, jam, sausage, whatever else to accompany). 13. Drink lots of sweet tea. 14. Get my back popped. 15. Buy a camera. :) 16. Play the piano. 17. Spend endless hours with my family and friends, laughing, talking, playing, shopping, etc. Love you guys and missing you!

So, the land buying process is finally happening! I´ll be travelling a lot, though. Today I went to Usulutan to try and retrieve the extratada, but I have to go back Friday. Then, tomorrow I go to another city for Spanish exam and classes, and then Wed. to another city for a meeting with the United Nations Agriculture program. Then, it´s a possibility that I´ll be going ot GA (country not state) on Sat. and Sun. with some friends for a 2 day short vacation to see a concert! Crazy, huh??

On Friday, I had my first "arguement" with my host sister. She´s 14, and she was being snappy. So, I told her that she was in a bad mood and was being haughty. You would have thought that I´d told her she was the worst person in the world! She wouldn´t talk to me the whole day, and everytime I looked at her, she´d roll her eyes. Then, I saw her crying to my host cousin Ester, and she came and asked me why I called Ana "brava". I said, well, because that´s how she was acting. Anyway, I went and apologized and hugged her, but she still didn´t talk to me until like 8:30 p.m. when I asked for her help to move the couch. She said no, because she´s still mad at me. I said, still?? Then, she laughed and helped me, and that was that. Teenagers are so strange sometimes, and what´s funny is that I feel like one in my house because there´s just the grandma, the aunt, and the teens and I. I´m telling this story, though, because even though it made me crazy the day of, and it actually really bothered me that she was angry, I realized that I have true family. I mean, that´s what sisters do, right Sheena? We´re so comfy to say what we want, that sometimes we hurt feelings, but we get over it and are right back to comfy again. So, basically, I´m settled in. I like it. I just hope the girls´mood swings don´t get worse!! Yikes!

Also, on Friday I gave a "charla" on Cervix Cancer to about 50 women from the community. It was a great turnout, and I think mainly because of the refreshments! We had popcorn, cookies, and ice tea. I ended feeling satisfied because I could see the looks of shock and concern on their faces after the info. was presented. Then, several asked where they could schedule gynocological visits. That was super exciting! Little by little, I think progress, education, and change are definitely attainable!