This is definitely one of the coolest things that I have found lately. This lady takes pictures that children have drawn and makes plush toys out of them! What a cool gift that would be!
Check her out at Child's Own Studio
02 February 2012
groundhog day? groundhog day.
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Something quite mind blowing has happen. I'm working with kids. And I am enjoying it!
Now if you know me at all, you know that it's not that I don't like kids or have something against them... but at least my first choice on where to spend 8 hours out of my day would not be with a bunch of children.
But alas, I had the opportunity to work at a daycare/preschool. And here I am , spending eight hours a day being spit up on, rocking babies and changing diapers, holding toddlers hands as they learn to walk, and helping after school kids with their homework.
And it is all working out really well. If you can imagine me feeding and rocking one baby while bouncing two others with my feet on bouncers... that's how my week has gone. Some of the kids don't notice me, and some of the kids are in love with me. And I love each of them. In just a couple of weeks. I think some monumental bridge has been crossed. Officially. I realized it a few days ago when it wasn't so scary to change a diaper. Then again yesterday when I was helping a little boy learn to eat his cereal. Then it really set in today when I got to help a few kids with their homework and their English. The place I am working is probably one of the only places in our area with a concentration of kids that don't speak English at home. And even though I don't speak their languages either, (I haven't found one yet that speaks Spanish) when I told them about how lots of people called me July instead of Julie in Peru, they looked at me with big eyes that made me think they thought I could understand them. And then they taught me how to really pronounce their names and let me help them understand their homework.
I've made myself agree to work on not showing them too much special attention though. Even if they make me feel giddy and at home and not lost, I don't think the other kids would understand that.
Today one of the kids was very skeptical about a groundhog having a day and him deciding if we were going to have Spring or Winter and why everyone was so excited about it and him having to color a picture about it. I tended to agree with him but I tried not to let on.
Now if you know me at all, you know that it's not that I don't like kids or have something against them... but at least my first choice on where to spend 8 hours out of my day would not be with a bunch of children.
But alas, I had the opportunity to work at a daycare/preschool. And here I am , spending eight hours a day being spit up on, rocking babies and changing diapers, holding toddlers hands as they learn to walk, and helping after school kids with their homework.
And it is all working out really well. If you can imagine me feeding and rocking one baby while bouncing two others with my feet on bouncers... that's how my week has gone. Some of the kids don't notice me, and some of the kids are in love with me. And I love each of them. In just a couple of weeks. I think some monumental bridge has been crossed. Officially. I realized it a few days ago when it wasn't so scary to change a diaper. Then again yesterday when I was helping a little boy learn to eat his cereal. Then it really set in today when I got to help a few kids with their homework and their English. The place I am working is probably one of the only places in our area with a concentration of kids that don't speak English at home. And even though I don't speak their languages either, (I haven't found one yet that speaks Spanish) when I told them about how lots of people called me July instead of Julie in Peru, they looked at me with big eyes that made me think they thought I could understand them. And then they taught me how to really pronounce their names and let me help them understand their homework.
I've made myself agree to work on not showing them too much special attention though. Even if they make me feel giddy and at home and not lost, I don't think the other kids would understand that.
Today one of the kids was very skeptical about a groundhog having a day and him deciding if we were going to have Spring or Winter and why everyone was so excited about it and him having to color a picture about it. I tended to agree with him but I tried not to let on.
30 January 2012
Settling In
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In order to know what it means to become American, you must know what it means to have been something other than American.
- Meri Nana-Ama Danquah
Becoming American
Becoming American
I found this book at a used book store pretty soon after arriving here in the US. It is a collection of personal essays of first generation American women. And is really interesting to read. To read what they went through/experienced their whole lives. To compare it to what I felt living in Peru and moving back. It's helpful in processing Julton and mine's own feelings about being in the US.
We've been here a little over two weeks and very busy for all of it. Julton jumped right into his studies and I into looking for employment. Of course, we've had a lot of fun in our spare time, too :)
Julton is a natural at shooting a target with a gun!
11 January 2012
in between
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Waiting in an airport for 10 hours for your next flight is not so much fun. Especially when there's only one option for food, and their mayonnaise has no lime, and their ketchup sucks, too. That's when you know you are caught in the middle. Oh, Ecuador.
At least there is free wifi here, they've got that going for them. And some fun earrings that I found that are made out of the seed from a palm tree. They look like the bone or elephant tusk jewelry except vegan friendly. Very cool.
We are nearing the end of our long stay here in the airport and about to head out to Miami! Immigrations here we come, we've got a visa and we've got a sealed envelope just for you.
Since I've had plenty of time I was able to upload the pictures we have been taking the past few weeks. Meeting up with friends, visiting some new places and saying goodbyes...
At least there is free wifi here, they've got that going for them. And some fun earrings that I found that are made out of the seed from a palm tree. They look like the bone or elephant tusk jewelry except vegan friendly. Very cool.
We are nearing the end of our long stay here in the airport and about to head out to Miami! Immigrations here we come, we've got a visa and we've got a sealed envelope just for you.
Since I've had plenty of time I was able to upload the pictures we have been taking the past few weeks. Meeting up with friends, visiting some new places and saying goodbyes...
There used to be enough beach there where the waves have covered, to play and lie on. They are working on it now, or are in plans to, to restore it.
Christmas puppet show.
Christmas fireworks after Christmas dinner complete with hot chocolate at midnight on a summer night, at a friend's house. (Thank you, Rosa!)
Zanax meeting one of her new roommates.
It rained A LOT in moyobamba. Everyday.
But we still went fishing... and after Julton tried and tried to "help" me because he was convinced that I wouldn't know what I was doing... I caught the biggest one! 800 grams.
Our fearless guide.
Julton's little cousins pretending to be natives, playing in the yard and eating aguaje, a jungle fruit.
Father and son waiting for our luggage at the airport. Julton's dad traveled to Lima with us.
We got to meet up with and go out with our good friends from Trujillo that now live in Lima. I met Katy on my first day here, when I couldn't speak a bit of Spanish. And we have been best friends since. I wouldn't have been able to buy anything, walk anywhere or speak to anyone had it not been for her.
01 January 2012
new year!
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Happy New Year!
We brought in 2012 peacefully at home while the street outside not so peacefully celebrated the new year. The street in front of Julton´s family´s house has been built up with bars and clubs over the past few years. So even though we didn´t actually go out, we still felt like we were in the party.
But we actually spent the night at home baking a turkey! I`m not exactly sure why but Julton´s mom was convinced that I´m an expert on turkey cooking. I´m not sure where that came from. But thankfully it all worked out! And it was my first to bake. I also made sweet potato casserole. It was Julton´s family´s first time to try, and they liked it!
It has rained every day if not two times a day here, so it is making it a little difficult to make plans. We have been trying to get out to hike up one of the popular mountains that you can see from nearly everywhere in the city, but it has been raining too much so far. i have no idea how people get their laundry done here, everytime we turn around Julton´s mom or grandmother are bringing the laundry back in because it is raining.
But, even in the rain we went fishing yesterday. We were determined to go fishing, even though it started raining. We calmly waited for the rain to pass, which is did. But 5 minutes later we looked up and saw another wave of rain coming in our direction, literally. So we waited it out and looked for the owner of the fish farm. which was a scavenger hunt in itself. Then we were handed our tree branches with a hook attached and a piece of styrofoam as a bobber, and set out to fish. Julton was really worried that I didn´t know what I was doing and was trying to do everything for me every few seconds. Apparently my fishing history has never come up as a topic of conversation in our relationship. He didn´t believe that I knew what I was doing, that is, until I caught the biggest fish of the day! About 2 pounds! Pictures to come soon.
We brought in 2012 peacefully at home while the street outside not so peacefully celebrated the new year. The street in front of Julton´s family´s house has been built up with bars and clubs over the past few years. So even though we didn´t actually go out, we still felt like we were in the party.
But we actually spent the night at home baking a turkey! I`m not exactly sure why but Julton´s mom was convinced that I´m an expert on turkey cooking. I´m not sure where that came from. But thankfully it all worked out! And it was my first to bake. I also made sweet potato casserole. It was Julton´s family´s first time to try, and they liked it!
It has rained every day if not two times a day here, so it is making it a little difficult to make plans. We have been trying to get out to hike up one of the popular mountains that you can see from nearly everywhere in the city, but it has been raining too much so far. i have no idea how people get their laundry done here, everytime we turn around Julton´s mom or grandmother are bringing the laundry back in because it is raining.
But, even in the rain we went fishing yesterday. We were determined to go fishing, even though it started raining. We calmly waited for the rain to pass, which is did. But 5 minutes later we looked up and saw another wave of rain coming in our direction, literally. So we waited it out and looked for the owner of the fish farm. which was a scavenger hunt in itself. Then we were handed our tree branches with a hook attached and a piece of styrofoam as a bobber, and set out to fish. Julton was really worried that I didn´t know what I was doing and was trying to do everything for me every few seconds. Apparently my fishing history has never come up as a topic of conversation in our relationship. He didn´t believe that I knew what I was doing, that is, until I caught the biggest fish of the day! About 2 pounds! Pictures to come soon.
29 December 2011
rain rain rain
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After finally having rested up from our bus ride, I´m realizing and remembering why I love the jungle or at least Moyobamba so much.
So many fruits. So many foods. So many trees. So many nice people.
A pijuayo is a fruit from the amazon jungle and this is the first time that I have tried it. The trees it comes from are very tall and skinny. And it is difficult to eat. I don´t believe that it gets eaten raw. You have to boil them first. Then peal and eat the fruit that tastes a little like nuts and a little like something I can´t put my finger on. It gets made into drinks and ice cream too!
Aquaje is another amazon jungle fruit. It has a hard shell that resembles fish scales that have to be picked off first. It is a little messy. You can eat it raw plain or with salt or sugar. It also gets made into drinks. It´s pretty delicious. And apparently good for female health.
We have been eating a lot of pijuayo and aguaje. Amongst a lot of other things. And Julton has beein going between his parents house and his grandparents at each meal time... which would explain his stomach ache!
Yesterday we went to visit a smaller city just outside of Moyobamba where Julton has some relatives. One of the daughters is studying tourism so she took advantage of the opportunity to show me around. I learned a lot. Including that there was a legend that there were dwarves that would come out of the river to make people disappear into the woods, at one place we were visiting. As I looked around she said, but not anymore!!
It rained on our way back and I woke up last night to hear it raining heavily oustide. Zanax doesn´t know what to make of that. She is still hiding under the bed. She tried to catch the birds in Trujillo but I think the quantity of birds in Moyobamba scare her. Julton´s sister´s kitten is so curious about Zanax´s litterbox and likes to play in it, which she doesn´t like one bit. The poor little guy really wants to be friends with her but Zanax won´t have it.
Today Jultons mom took me over to the stadium to meet her niece that works there and to let me go into run. But the running didn´t work out so much since it rained so hard last night and the track is made of mud. So Julton took me out to the other side of town to a tiiiny concrete soccer field , where I could run. I nearly crushed a frog in the process and was nearly trampled by a horse since the soccer field was literally in a field where horses were grazing.
So far I am loving our trip in Moyobamba. As always. It´s so easy to relax here. If you don´t mind getting rained on. But the rain is a good thing, since that means there will be water to take a shower. This is the second time that I have been here and the water has been turned off for one reason or another, so it is either bucket showers or wait until it rains! Or go to the thermal baths, instead!
So many fruits. So many foods. So many trees. So many nice people.
A pijuayo is a fruit from the amazon jungle and this is the first time that I have tried it. The trees it comes from are very tall and skinny. And it is difficult to eat. I don´t believe that it gets eaten raw. You have to boil them first. Then peal and eat the fruit that tastes a little like nuts and a little like something I can´t put my finger on. It gets made into drinks and ice cream too!
Aquaje is another amazon jungle fruit. It has a hard shell that resembles fish scales that have to be picked off first. It is a little messy. You can eat it raw plain or with salt or sugar. It also gets made into drinks. It´s pretty delicious. And apparently good for female health.
We have been eating a lot of pijuayo and aguaje. Amongst a lot of other things. And Julton has beein going between his parents house and his grandparents at each meal time... which would explain his stomach ache!
Yesterday we went to visit a smaller city just outside of Moyobamba where Julton has some relatives. One of the daughters is studying tourism so she took advantage of the opportunity to show me around. I learned a lot. Including that there was a legend that there were dwarves that would come out of the river to make people disappear into the woods, at one place we were visiting. As I looked around she said, but not anymore!!
It rained on our way back and I woke up last night to hear it raining heavily oustide. Zanax doesn´t know what to make of that. She is still hiding under the bed. She tried to catch the birds in Trujillo but I think the quantity of birds in Moyobamba scare her. Julton´s sister´s kitten is so curious about Zanax´s litterbox and likes to play in it, which she doesn´t like one bit. The poor little guy really wants to be friends with her but Zanax won´t have it.
Today Jultons mom took me over to the stadium to meet her niece that works there and to let me go into run. But the running didn´t work out so much since it rained so hard last night and the track is made of mud. So Julton took me out to the other side of town to a tiiiny concrete soccer field , where I could run. I nearly crushed a frog in the process and was nearly trampled by a horse since the soccer field was literally in a field where horses were grazing.
So far I am loving our trip in Moyobamba. As always. It´s so easy to relax here. If you don´t mind getting rained on. But the rain is a good thing, since that means there will be water to take a shower. This is the second time that I have been here and the water has been turned off for one reason or another, so it is either bucket showers or wait until it rains! Or go to the thermal baths, instead!
28 December 2011
Christmastime
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Christmas this year for us was very fun and special.
A few weeks ago we had sold our Christmas tree/decorations since we knew we would travel right after Christmas. Then about a week before Christmas we had everyting boxed up and sent to Moyobamba, early to make sure it got there with no problems.
So we were sure that we would spend Christmas in an empty apartment, eating whatever food we could find in the supermarket since we didn´t have a stove anymore. A far cry from last year when we cooked Christmas Eve dinner for ourselves and a friend that couldn´t go home for Christmas.
But we have such generous friends and this Christmas was more than we could ever have imagined.
Saturday evenign we went to a special service in our own church to celebrate Jesus` birth. Everyone shared in paneton (a special christmas treat made of bread with a few pieces of fruit) and chocolate milk while we watched a fun presentation a friend made for the kids with puppets and lots of characters from around Peru and the world.
We then went over to visit the service of the catholic priests that I have been teaching. It was a very interesting service for me. The music was beautiful.
Then we went over for the midnight Christmas dinner with a friend, Rosa`s family. We loved spending that time with them, getting to take part in their traditions and food! As the clock struck midnight we all hugged each other to say Merry Christmas, and drank hot chocolate and eat paneton. then we set off fireworks.
The next day after going to church we went again to a friend´s house, Jamesson´s, to have lunch with his family. And later got together with the missionary families for a Christmas dinner.
That was a lot of food! And we loved every bit of it. We are so thankful to have so many people that care about us. It was a really special and unforgettable Christmas.
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