Wow, I can’t believe I’m already working on week two in Venezuela!  Can I stay forever, please?  I love this culture; the people, the food, the DANCING. me gusta bailar!

Even after one week, I feel like I have learned so much about myself.  This country is such a passionate and vibrant place.  There is this organized chaos that I feel SO in tune with; I would have never guessed this would happen so soon, but… I think I love you, Venezuela! Haha. 

Yesterday we went paragliding (es “parapente” en espanol), and it was seriously AMAZING!  First of all, we rode up some of the steepest hills I have ever seen in this rickety van, and then once we got up to the take-off point, there were wild horses everywhere! It was SO gorgeous.  Basically, you just get strapped to the front some guy and then you literally RUN off the cliff and take flight!  Then you sit back and you have a little seat that catches you, and then you just glide over the mountains forever; it feels like you are sitting on a rocking chair in the sky.  It was one of the most tranquil and beautiful experiences of my life.  Thank God for motion sickness pills, though, otherwise, I think I might be telling you a very different story. Haha. I should have taken a video, but here are some pictures… (and since they’re worth a thousand words each, I think I’ll let them do the rest of the talking).

120 mph in an extremely sketchy van on the way to parapente! Haha.

The awesome yellow bridge on the way to the mountain-of-death! haha.

Take off!

Oh, you know… just hangin’ out over the mountain tops. No big deal.

Awwww, yeah! (deluxe edition)

Smoooooth landing! (unlike skydiving, haha)

This friday we’re taking a trip to an organic farm for my botany class–should be pretty cool!  Then… well, I’m just not sure!

ps. did I mention that I love this place?

Mandy – Amanda – “La Chistosa y Sonrisa linda”

Location: Merida, Venezuela

So, last night was not only my first time in a Venezuelan club, but it was my first time in a club ever!  The name of the club was “Un Poco Loco” (which means, a Little Crazy, haha, and… it was). So, a few things that different about Venezuelan clubs from US clubs (not that I really know what a US club is like, but bare with me)… First of all, they smoke. A LOT. inside the clubs. So it’s really hard to breathe.  The clubs are also really cheap to get into (I spent like 5 USD the whole night, including Taxi fare) and they give you 2 free drinks upon entrance. I feel weird writing about this, but, honestly, it is a part of the culture.  Many of the students go out to dance and have a good time, and, although it is not really my idea of a good time, I think that to deprive myself of a cultural experience just because it’s not the norm for me is really ignorant. 

 So, I went. At first, I was a little freaked out. We took a cab to the club and then when we finally got inside, it was SO loud (ay! and I already have problems understanding people!)  Most of the night I spent saying “No te entiendo. lo siento!” (I don’t understand you! I am sorry!), and then at one point I just started repeating “estoy en Venezuela! No puedo creerlo!” hahaha, which means “I am in Venezuela! I cannot believe it!” (because I can’t).  At the beginning of the night people would stop talking to me when they realized I didn’t understand, but then there were many people at the end of the night who were very patient with my limited language ability (that was especially limited in that atmosphere), and I also had some opportunities to help them learn English.

 So, as I said before, in Venezuela (and most latin cultures), they love to dance, which is great because even though I can barely understand anyone, we can bond over dancing and music!  One thing that can be kind of tricky, however, is the fact that the chicos here are very forward. One good thing about that is that they aren’t afraid to ask you to dance! However, the dancing is (of course) more sensual here, which is a little weird for me, but I’m a good girl, and, for the most part, they are respectful.  And when they’re not, I leave. 

Despite being a little overwhelmed last night, I definitely did not ever forget who I am and what I believe.  It was very easy to get caught up in the moment, but I think I did a pretty good job of staying aware.  At one point, we went outside the bar (because it was SO hot inside) to stand and cool off, and just over the building I could see a small cross lit up in white lights ( I then realized in the taxi that you can see it most places you go in Merida, just over top the buildings).  It was a good reminder that, although last night was fun, it’s not the main reason I am here. I am here to go to school, to learn from my family, and to speak a lot of  Spanish… but I am also here to grow spiritually. Muy Importante.

So, that was my first club experience in VZ and ever.  It was…good. I’m glad I went. This weekend there is a major rock festival in Merida on Sunday, so my roommates and I (and the other gringos… which is what they call us here.  It CAN be a derogatory term, however, most times, they say “mi gringa,” which is a term of endearment) will probably go to that.  I will update about it later!

Chao!  

This is my school! It’s not vert big, but it’s perfect for the amount of people who go to Venusa.

At the end of this hallway, the room branches out into a bigger room where there are hamoc chairs, a pool table, and tables.

Mis amigas de Venusa y nuestra comida FANTASTICA! haha.

Nuestra Biblioteca!
(our library)

estamos estudiando muchas!
haha… 😉

Location: Merida, Venezuela

Okay, first things first (and then we’ll get to the fun stuff!)…

So. The longer I am here, the more difficult it is to speak in Spanish and then write a blog in English! We only speak Spanish in en casa aqui, so, just so you know, I will probably switch to spanglish a lot (but I will try not to.. sometimes I don’t even notice that I did it).  Also, I think I may have gotten some minor details wrong in my last blog… our classes began today! My class only started at 1:00pm, so that means I got to sleep in today, which was amaaazing.  However, then I had to walk to class by myself. Haha. Not gonna lie, the roads are a bit treacherous, but as long as you keep an eye out, you’re fine.  I mean, the people are so nice that it’s not like anyone would ever WANT to hit you… they can just be a little reckless sometimes.  My class went really well, by the way!  Estoy aprediendo muchas cosas sobre la lengua!

Another thing that I have to get used to is the whole male “machismo” attitude.  Sometimes it’s funny, but other times it’s just annoying.  Last night, my roommates and I were walking home late from class and even in the DARK the men were honking and calling out to us. Most times, it’s just part of the culture and there is really no reason to be alarmed, but last night it was just excessive! Haha.

So, like I said before, I got to sleep in this morning, which provided me with an excellent opportunity to talk with my host family and whoever else happened to be roaming the house.  Normally, there are a plethora of people around to speak with.  We have our Mama, who is actually the grandmother of our “brother” (hermano), Andres, and then the mother of Andres is Maria Andrea.  She is the daughter of our Mama (Sra. Coromoto) and she lives right down the street (we’re not sure why Andres lives with us and his grandmother rather than his mom, but maybe we’ll find out eventually).  Then there is Dulce, our Mama’s sister whose house is connected to ours.  She totally lives up to her name because she is SO sweet (and her house is decked out from floor to ceiling with Christmas decorations! Hahaha.She is SO cute!)  Then there is Manuela, who is the daughter of Dulce (I think), and she lives with us with her two year old, Edgar Manuel. And then, finally, there is our Mama’s maid, Joana, but she is only there on certain days.  So, yes, it’s a lot of people, but we actually still have a lot of room.  The house is pretty big and we have two bathroom and two rooms all to ourselves (Sam and I share a room and Lana has her own).  We use one of the bathrooms for showering (because it has hot water) and the other for teeth brushing, ect. (sorry if that’s TMI, but I figure too much info is better than not enough!)

Like I mentioned probably many times before, I LOVE it here!  My house is already starting to feel like home.  One thing that is very humbling, however, is the fact that I don’t speak as much Spanish as my roommates. Sometimes it is very difficult for me to follow their conversations with our family when everyone really gets going! I really enjoyed this morning, because my roommates had an early class, which gave me some time to talk to Mama y Dulce at a slower pace. They are such beautiful people. I already love them so much. Sometimes conversation is difficult, but, as one of my roommates said, it’s only the second day and I already understand more than I ever did the day before I left, so it can only go up from here! (plus, everyone is always really sweet when I say “No entiendo” (I don’t understand) or “repita, por favor” (repeat, please), so it’s not so bad.  Another phrase that I say often is “mas lenta, por favor!” haha, which means, “speak more slowly, please!”)   

So, that’s pretty much the house situation.  I’ll hopefully get some pictures of mi familia venezolana for you soon!  Until then, I have some pictures of my journey this far….

1. Lana (roomie), Sam, Myself, and Sam (roomie) at the Miami airport at 3am!  

2. Before going through customs in Caracas.
The banners say “Living in Socialism” and then they have facts about what socialism has done for the country (they name all good things, of course).  There was also a huge picture of Chavez hanging from the wall, and he was with a little child, but I couldnt get close enough to get a picture. 

3. This is a photo of “los barios” in Caracas.  You could see them from the windown of the terminal after walking through customs. They are the most dangerous (crime-ridden) and poorest part of Caracas.

4. Pizza y Coca Cola en Caracas! Que Buena!

5.  Finally, after traveling since 2:30am that day, we landed in El Vigia.  I know this photo is blurry, but I wanted to show you how small the airport was. There was no terminal! We got off the plane by stairs and walked across the runway to the building. Ha!

6. After getting our luggage from the tiny carousel inside, we went out side to load our luggage on to this bus. I took a picture, because I was excited my the blue lights! Haha… simple pleasures.

7. The view when I woke up the next morning! Hermosisima! No?

7. Hahahaha… mis companeras de cuarto son locaaaa! Eso es nuestra “TOOL” foto! Haha, translate THAT one!

Yo, Sam, y Lana

OKay, that’s all for today! I have more pictures of la ciudad de Merida, but I have been trying to do this for 2 hours and I’m finally finished… so, now I must go explore con mis amigos!

chao, mis amores!

Mandy

Location: Merida, Venezuela

AHHHH!  Estoy en VENEZUELA!

I will update later in the week with pictures and more stories, but I just wanted to let everyone know that I am here (in Merida) and Ivery much alive!  First, let me just say that it is GORGEOUS here. plain and simple. Yesterday was a very long day – we were up from 2:30am to 12am the next day (Que lastima, no?) 

Quick story: We got into Merida around 10 (I think?) and we were so excited to meet our host families!  Lana, Sam, and I spent a while looking for our Mama, Sra. Coromoto, but she was nowhere to be found!  Next thing you know I here, “Chica!”  and we turn around to this young chico in his 20’s (presumably our host brother).  He then proceeds to lead us to a huge truck with 4 of his friends (ages 20 to 23) sitting on the back! Needless to say, I was a bit surprised and, obviously, somewhat overwhelmed.  Good thing Lana knows a lot of Spanish!  After saying our names and “mucho gusto!”  We got in the truck and proceeded to our host’s brother’s home to meet our Mama (but not before breaking the tailgate of their incredibly nice and expensive truck with our suitcases. oops).

For a moment, I was freaking out because I didnt know if these guys were actually telling the truth about who they were (haha, sorry mom), because obviously we had never met our host brother before, but then he gave us our official VENUSA envelopes and my fears subsided.  

So, like I mentioned before, we arrived at night, therefore on the extremely fast bus ride to merida (fast as in, he ran every single red light! hahaha), we were unable to get a view of the andes that surrounded us. However, that just made waking up this morning even more amazing! As previously mentioned, it is SO beautiful here… in every way.  The people. The Scenery. Everything!  All the traveling and tiredness was totally worth it! So far, I am not sick and today I’m not even tired!  I love mi mama y mi familia y mis hermanas (roommate) – Me encanta TODOS! 

(Oh, and something really crazy and exciting:  at home, we ONLY speaks Spanish!  Que incredible! I am already learning so much! I have had more conversations in spanish today and last night than I have ever had in my entire life!

Today we have a tour of the city, tomorrow is class orientation, and then weds our classes begin!

I love you all! I will be sure to update later this week!  xoxoxox

Mandy (ps. they call me Amanda here! weird. but I love it!)

Location: Merida, Venezuela

1/23/2011

Well, folks, I told you I would have stories! And like I promised last post, this post is not coming from the hot pink and lime green walls of my bedroom.  Right now, I’m chillin’ (actually, more like smoldering in this hotel room) in Miami – I can hardly believe I made it!  Let me share with you why…

The morning went as planned.  My three bffs, boyfriend, and parents accompanied me to the airport (and after I left I heard that a certain BFF took a bit of tumble on a certain Harrisburg airport escalator? HAHA. I have my sources…)  Anyway…

The flight took off as scheduled, and I was on my way to Cincinnati for what I thought was just a lay-over flight.  However, much to my dismay, the flight was actually one of those connection flights (where you actually have to vacate the plane and go to another gate). I thank God that I did not have to get my checked bags, because, had I needed to go to baggage claim, I would have definitely missed my flight. 

So, basically, this is what went down… I walked out of the terminal and into the airport at Cincinnati, only to hear the loud speaker announce the “last call for flight 2367” – which just so happened to be MY flight!  LAST CALL?!  This would not have been such a problem if the freakin’ airport wasn’t like 3 miles long!  And even more unfortunate was the fact that the gate I was walking out of was gate 80-something and the gate I had to be at (oh, about 15 minutes prior to that) was gate number FOUR!  So, long story short, I sprinted.  And I made it. Whewww!

The difference between the two flights was amazing, however.  The first flight from Harrisburg was comparable to a mom-and-pop store, a bit rickety but you tell it had definitely earned its place on the runway. But if that plane was a mom-and-pop than the next plane was a corporation! It had Wifi, TV’s (I watched Glee and slept), and really comfortable seats. 
But,enough about the planes…

Eventually, as you already know, I did arrive in MIA. 

Once I was there, I picked up my baggage, struggled a lot with my thousand-and-one-pound duffle bag, had a nice limo driver help me with my bags on the escalator and then he almost wiped out on top of them, and then sweated profusely while waiting an hour for the Regency Airport Shuttle (because I missed it the first time around). Finally, I made it outside, and I’ll admit, all the cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes, along with watching all the shuttles and cars whiz by me did have me a little… dare I say it? sick.  I nearly puked… but then, miraculously, I didn’t!  And the Shuttle finally arrived.

Once I arrived at the hotel, I quickly connected with one of my roommates (just by cheer chance) and then we headed out with two other chicas to explore Miami…and explore, we did! (I forgot to bring my camera along, sorry).  

Now, I’m relaxing with my Miami-roomie, Sam, and we’re waiting for our two other roomies to arrive.  We’re watching Batman Begins with our hotel balcony door wide open, blowing in nice cool 70-degree air…
Tomorrow, it’s Destination: Caracas, Venezuela at 2:30 AM!

I’ll update again next time I have internet access! Te quiero mucho!

Location: Miami, FL

Wow. Four days. Four days until my world is completely turned upside down and I am hopefully speaking more Spanish than English on a daily basis. Right now, I am in the nerve-racking and time consuming process of packing.  Ugh… there’s never enough room! and I KNOW that I’m going to forget something.

speaking of trials and tribulations, here are some other things that worry me:

-getting sick
-getting sick from the food
-getting sick from the water
-getting lost at one of the many airports

Of course, I have many more fears and nerves than simply what is mentioned above.  For instance, what about my classes? I will be taking two courses in English (Field Botany in the Andes, Cross Cultural Communications) and 2 intensive spanish courses (taught in Spanish). The nice this is that we only go to class Monday-Thursday, which means we always have a three day weekend. The college has sent out a calendar of events to all of us with things like weekend excursions and dance classes listed, which makes me really excited!

Oh! Recently, I received my host family and roommate info! 🙂 

My host mom’s name is Sra. Coromoto and she has two children–one boy and one girl.  Her son is about my age (early 20’s) and her daughter is about the age of my brothers (late 30’s, early 40’s or something).  We won’t have access to internet or laundry in our house, which I kind of like.  I want this experience to be different than my home.  I want to be made thankful for all I have been given, while also cherishing those moments when I do not have such luxuries at my disposal.

As for my roommates (or mis companeras), I have two! Their names are Lana and Sam, and they seem muy fantastico!  Recently, we talked about speaking ONLY in Spanish for the time that we are there.  It’s a scary thought, because I feel like there is so much that I don’t know.  Things will already be so unfamiliar, and then to add in not speaking an ounce of English… ay, dios mio!  But I’m excited!  And the whole reason I am even going to school abroad is so I can learn Spanish and be immersed in it! Most of my blogs will probably still be in English, but hopefully, once I am more comfortable with the language, I can write some in Spanish, as well.

In addition to learning Spanish, my desire to go Venezuela is so much deeper than just a need for adventure and good time (although I welcome both with open arms); through this experience, I hope to learn how to embrace differences cultures and customs, while also learning simultaneously about those inherent things that bond us all as human beings.  I hope to exude love, humility, kindness and joy with the sincerity that only Christ can give.  However, I am aware that this experience is going to be challenging for me spiritually.  I have no idea if I will become connected to any other people who are sincerely trying to live for Christ in Venezuela, and, although I would love for that to happen, I really do have peace about it either way.  My plan is to be in the Word daily (which is hard enough while here at home), and I would also really love to find a way to serve the community in which I will be living.  But, of course, none of this is certain.  Nothing has ever been certain throughout this whole process, and I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that in life, in general, nothing is ever certain. 

So, with all of this talk of uncertainty, fear, and worry, there are two verses that  I like to keep in my mind, and I’d like to share them with you.

The first can be found in one of the letters Paul wrote to the Philippians (chapter one, verse 27). This is what he says:

“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”
“Pase lo que pase, comp�rtense de una manera digna del evangelio de Cristo”

To me, this gives me a clear vision for my actions, no matter where I happen to find myself.

The second verse can be found in both the Gospels written by Luke and Matthew.  In this particular verse, Jesus, in His kindness, is trying to get us to stop worrying so much about everything.  Every time I read it, I am reminded of how very true it is.

He says, “can all of your worries add a single moment to your life?”
El dice, “�Qui�n de ustedes, por mucho que se preocupe, puede a�adir una sola hora al curso de su vida?

The answer, of course, is… no! no pueden! (they can’t!)

Thank you for reading this far! (Especially if you have read all of my other posts, as well).  As you can probably tell, I am a bit long-winded (you’ll thank me later. Heck, I’ll thank me later!).  I hope this post has brought you some encouragement, and, I hope, now that you know a little more about me, we can officially enjoy this crazy ride together!  Next time you hear from me, I will definitely NOT be posting from the confines of my hot pink and lime green wall paper! I promise. J

Adios!

Mandy

Oh, and ps. this is Shadow.  He is simply convinced that he will be joining me in my travels. I don’t have the heart to tell him otherwise yet… 

I am writing today mainly because I have good – no, great – news! I finally received my visa in the mail!  You know what this means, right? It means that there are only a couple hundred miles and a days worth of packing separating me from the beautiful country of Venezuela! 

I know I am writing quite a lot even before I leave the country, but I am trying to get into the habit of documenting my life for my own personal retrospection, and, of course, your enjoyment.  I thought that, today, since I only have to be to work in a few hours, I would give my faithful readers a little preview of what’s ahead for me as far as traveling.  Also, if I am being honest, each time I detail my crazy (and it IS crazy – for me, at least) travel schedule to someone, it gives me that “you can do this!” kind of confidence boost, which is needed to balance out those before-departure nerves.

 So, here it goes… (hopefully, none of my stalkers read this blog; otherwise they will know exactly where to find me once I leave my house on the 23rd.  Just kidding. That was stupid. Anyway…)

I will be leaving my house no later than 4:30am on January 23, 2011.  At this time I will be enduring a probably very uncomfortable ride with my parents, boyfriend, and three BFFs to the airport.  The reason I say “uncomfortable” is because that’s the best word I can use to describe the “we all know why we’re here, but we don’t know what to say” vibe that always you get from your loved ones as they drive you to the airport.  I’ve only ever traveled alone once, but I still remember the feeling.  It’s not necessarily pleasant, but it would be worse if they weren’t there.

So, after saying my goodbyes and NOT crying, I will be departing from Harrisburg at 6:45 (if all goes according to plan). I will then arrive in Miami at 11-something, feeling lost and trying desperately to not to show it.  At this point, I will probably call someone – anyone – to let them know that I am still alive (and to let myself know that I still have people in the world who care about me).

Hopefully, I will then seamlessly take an airport shuttle over to the Airport Hotel and check-in.  Once I am in my room (maybe with a roommate, maybe not? – I don’t know), I will try to update my blog, no doubt with stories.  Because, as you can probably tell, I always have stories. I mean, I’ve just made my imaginary account of my first flight about 3 paragraphs long. Believe me, I will have stories (and pictures!).

Most likely, I will then spend the rest of my evening in my room, attempting to sleep, because the next day is a DOOZY.  My flight out of Miami to Caracas is around 7am, BUT, because it is an international flight, I have to show up THREE HOURS early.  This means I will probably be waking up at 2:30am. Imagine my excitement. Then I will have to navigate my way back to the airport (maybe with other people from my group, maybe not), and to the LAN terminal.  According to what I have been told, a VENUSA rep (from my college in VZ) will be accompanying the group to Caracas.

I should arrive in Caracas at (once again) 11-something (hmm… I should probably get those “somethings” figured out before I leave).  Our group will then get our bags (, try not to get mugged or conned?), go through Customs at some point, and then walk from the international airport to the national airport.  There, we will wait for a few hours for our flight to El Vigia (which means “the lookout” in spanish – that was your fun fact for this post).
Here’s another fun fact: I am so nervous about going through customs! I just hope they’re not mean.

So, then we will fly out of Caracas at 5-something and land in El Vigia an hour from then.  After that, we will take a van from El Vigia to Merida, which could take anywhere from 1-2 hours. Once we arrive at VENUSA, we will finally meet our host families!

We get Tuesday (the day after we arrive) to pick our classes and attend an orientation, and on Wednesday our classes start! Yikes! No rest for the weary, apparently. The nice thing is that we get every Friday off, so we always have a three day weekend.  The school sent me an activity calendar, which looks promising.  It’s filled with weekend excursions, dance classes, and movie nights.

So, that’s that.  There’s my schedule. I’ll probably write a few more times before I leave the states; hopefully, once when I get my host family info and once in Miami.  Because I am a freak like that and I like to document everything. Ha.

Peace n’ Love!

Mandy

—

Photo 1:
“I’m going to Venezuela in nine days!”

Photo 2:
“I’m going to Venezuela in… NINE DAYS?”

Photo 3:
“I AM GOING TO VENEZUELA IN NINE DAAAYS!!?!?!!!”

Location: Lebanon, Pennsylvania

 Yesterday was Christmas (Merry Christmas to you all!), and I’m really starting to think that this whole leaving-my-safe-and-comfortable-corner-of-the-planet thing is finally setting in.  There are few reasons why this may be…

The first is that the majority of my gifts were given to me with my travels abroad obviously in mind.  I received a Spanish-English electronic translator (that I hopefully will not get into the habit of using), a Spanish Bible (that I hopefully WILL get into the habit of using), and bunch of other odds and ends that simply scream “I’m leaving home for 3 1/2 months.”  I was also fortunate enough to get a “fake snow” kit from my brother and sister-in-law, since I will be missing out on some of PA’s colder months.

Speaking of snow, that’s the forecast for today.  We’re suppose to get a good amount, which makes me pretty happy. Some people might consider me lucky for getting to leave the northeast during winter for the sunny beaches of Venezuela, but I have to say that I am a bit disappointed. I really enjoy the drastic changing of the seasons, and I also get bored fairly easily, so, usually, by the time the warm is ready to be cold (and vice versa), I am also ready for it to be that way.

Okay, sorry for the slight diversion.  I do love snow. But, anyway, getting back to this whole “things finally setting in” theme…
On Christmas Eve I got pretty sick.  Okay, scratch that, I got violently ill.  I’ll spare you all the details, but, needless to say, it was awful. It lasted only one day, but in the misery of that one day, I was able to grasp this one very clear truth: If being sick at home is this terrible, then being sick abroad definitely won’t be a picnic. 

Maybe I’m just being pessimistic, but, chances are that I will get sick at least once while I’m in VZ (if for no other reason than the fact that my body is not used to being in South America, with all of its food and flavaaa), and I’m sure that, in that moment, I will only want two things that will no doubt be unavailable: my bed and my mom. I’m not sure how else to reconcile this seemingly doom-laden predicament, other than praying that it doesn’t happen or simply telling myself to just “cross that bridge when I get to it.” (I mean, outside building a germ-free bubble contraption for me to reside within, there isn’t much else that can be done). My first instinct is for the present me to convince herself that the future me will just have to get over it. Deal with it. Sickness happens. However, what the present me fails to realize is that, if I do get sick abroad, it will no longer be the future me dealing with it. It will be me. In the present. In Venezuela. Sick as a dog. And if it is anything like what I experienced a few nights ago, I just don’t know how I’ll react. Really. Just being honest…

I suppose I should wrap this up now, but, before I go, I just have to share some of my frustration concerning the Visa process using a short story:

 A few mornings ago, I was abruptly awoken by a woman from the Venezuelan Consulate in NYC.  Obviously, my first instinct was to panic. What if something is wrong? What if I can’t go?! What if I’m a fugitive without even knowing it!  I answered the phone, half dreaming, and the woman began speaking so fast in English that I was almost certain at one point that she was actually speaking Spanish.  She told me that they needed my medical records.  I gave you those, I said.  “Es too much,” she said, with a laugh. Wonderful. The paper had said I would have to give my medical records OR a note from my doctor.  I went with the records, thinking it would look more legit, but, alas, what they really wanted was the note.  The records were too much to sift through.  All things considered, this is no big deal, right?  At least I’m not Wanted, or something else crazy like that.  So, I called my doctor.  She’s not in right now. Oh, okay, well, when will you be expecting her back?  We’re not sure.

Needless to say, I spent the rest of the day in a small agony over whether or not my doctor was even in the country.  Luckily, they called the next morning.  I missed the call.  I called them back. “Your doctor says she can’t write you a note because we haven’t seen you since January.”  Well, then can I schedule an appointment?  Sure, for when?  ASAP. How’s Thursday sound?

What I wanted to say:    Not good. How’s right now sound?

What I actually said: Are you sure you don’t have anything sooner?  This note is for my VISA and I leave on the 23^rd.  If things aren’t processed by then, I can’t go*.  You don’t have anything else?
“No.”
“Welp, see you Thursday! Merry Christmas!”

*Disclaimer:  I am not a procrastinator, in general.  The reason I couldn’t do it sooner was because I had to wait for my program to send me the info.

    This story is just one of many examples that I have from a process that I feel like I have been going through since my freshman year (you know, with the whole Israel thing, too). The study abroad process is definitely not an easy one. There are a lot documents to sign, a lot of deadlines to remember, and, of course, A LOT of ways to make mistakes.

My advice: Write everything down, save ALL of your emails, make a copy of every paper you send anywhere, and ask plenty of questions.  People will give you the run around a lot of the time, but, eventually, you will find someone who understands and is willing to help.  

Like I said before, the process was not easy, but, honestly, if it had been, I don’t think I would appreciate it as much now.  To be able to say “I’m leaving for Venezuela in 29 days” did not come without it’s tears and nights of frustration, but I can assure you that it does come with a sense of gratitude and true peace in knowing that you did your part in making it possible.

I’ll probably update once more before I leave the states (maybe even when I’m in Miami?)  It probably won’t be as long as these last two…  right now, I’m just on break and I really don’t have anything better to do except read. or sleep. or, now, go play in the SNOW!

chao!

Mandy

Location: Lebanon, PA

There hasn’t been a single semester of my college career where I haven’t thought about studying abroad.

My freshman year at Penn State, I applied for the semester program in Tel Aviv, Israel, however, my hopes were dashed when I was told of my unfortunate timing error. There had been a travel waiver that needed to be submitted, oh, just a few months before I had spent my already jam-packed semester gathering all the necessary paperwork to apply. Go figure.  I thought this was going to be my big moment – Israel! Everyone I talked to about it gave me a face that looked something like a mix between a “WTF” and a “More power to ya.”  But, alas, after applying, I was hit with a big fat REJECTION notice, and adding insult to injury, was the realization that, had I miraculously been able to get every single paper filled out the very moment that I discovered the Israel program, my paperwork still would have been too late.

Obviously, in the moment, that experience was a bit crushing, but I can now see how the rejection letter could be counted as blessing in disguise. I now truly believe that Israel, although temptingly interesting, was not the right destination for me. As they say, hindsight’s 20/20.   

So, now it’s my junior year. I’m a Secondary English Education major about embark on a journey to Venezuela.

How does one go from destination-Israel to destinaci�n–Venezuela, you might ask? Well, I suppose the simple answer would be the most obvious – I have a deep desire to learn the Spanish language.  Israel would have been wonderful place to experience, but the chance to be immersed in the Latin American language and culture is something that is, from my perspective, invaluable. 

That was the simple answer.

The complex answer starts with my seven year involvement in a performing arts prison ministry called Shining Light.  Through this ministry, I have had the unique opportunity to travel behind the barbed wire into over 60 different prisons across the United States, among the more well known being Rikers Island and San Quentin State Penitentiary. Through this long-lasting and impactful experience, I have come to understand many things about myself, other people, and the world.

I’ve learned that there is no way I can see youth who join gangs at age 11 and not want to be a part of those fighting for a change. This is one reason behind my choice to become a high school English teacher.  One day, I would like to teach in a prison, because with all the negativity that inmates face, I would like to be part of the few who can confidently say to them you are not your past and encourage them to use education as their ally for success. Also, it is no secret that within many of our detention centers and inner city schools there is a vast amount of racial diversity. My hope is that by becoming bilingual, I can better serve and relate with a larger population of people who are in desperate need of hope and a new beginning.  

While I have never been outside the United States, traveling in and out of our country’s prisons, rehabs, and detention facilities has taught me that to experience a different way of life, you don’t have to go far.  I don’t think that, by any means, my experiences with Shining Light have fully prepared me for an abroad experience, but they have given me the desire to learn and to be open to different cultures and attitudes.  The most important thing that I have learned over the last seven years is that my world here in Pennsylvania is very different from the world at large, and that the more I allow myself to experience those differences, the more I learn about who I am and the person I want to become.

As a teacher-in-the-making my goal has always been to experience things that will enrich the lives of my students.  The more knowledge I can gain about people and the world, the more I then have to pass on to them when we’re stuck between those four walls for fifty minutes. The more I can instill within my students a sense of wonder, rather than prejudice, when it comes to different cultures, the more successful I will view my role as a teacher.  I want to show them the benefits of stepping out of one’s comfort zone firsthand, and the only way to do that is, obviously, to do it myself.

I don’t know what to say about my expectations for Venezuela.  I’m hoping to come home with a deeper understanding for the language and the culture, and I’ll be the first to admit that I have no idea what I’m in for as far as the host family experience, my classes… anything. Chances are, I’ll probably cry at least once (probably more) while abroad. I know a lot of people in the US seem to have prejudices concerning Venezuela (at least, that’s what I’m finding whenever I tell people where I’ll be studying next semester), but that’s sort of my fascination with it.  I could have chosen anywhere – some place well known and calm, but I wanted to see for myself what lies beyond what people think they know and into the true heart of Venezuela – its people.

In addtion to getting to know the people and the culture, here are some things I would really like to have done before leaving Venezuela:

1.     Teleferico de Merida -the world’s highest cable car

2.     Horseback riding in the Andes

3.     Salto Angel–world’s highest waterfall

4.      Helader�a Coromoto–an ice cream shop in Merida that has over 800 flavors (from chocolate to sausage and onion! Ah!)

I couldn’t be more nervous and excited if someone paid me!  And I think, at first, the experience might be comparable to free falling…

But since I already know what that feels like… no big deal, right?

Hasta Enero!

Mandy

Location: Lebanon, Pennsylvania