Yo No Se Manana

I dont know about tomorrow.

The title of the blog is actually a really cool song here in South America. Its by a guy named Luis Enrique who from a few web searches seems to be "the man." To put it in a way that everyone at home could relate, I think he is the Latin American version of Sting. He certainly went through some narly haricuts (the Kid and Play hightop to the spanish Fabio mess) and some weird outfits (gotta love the sweater vest with no shirt underneath), but after just watching his music video for this song, the man is a pimp (Mom- not in the way where someone takes money from hookers for providing care and protection- but its actually an endearing term)!

While I may not understand all the words to this song, and i'll kind of ignore the line where I think he says something like "from the cafe to the couch," I certainly have been digging the killer salsa beat and rhythm of this kind of music. Do I love it so much to get out of my bed at 11pm and show my Santa Ana neighbors my true Colombian rhythm and footwork...not so much. Yet, I appreciate their consideration to serenade us "gringos" with the all the hit records of South America at times where I believe that even my donkey friends are sleeping!

I don't know about tomorrow! So every day here I have tried to make it memorable. In the mornings when I head off to school I know that I wont have to do anything personally to make it an adventure. Something is bound to happen that will give me an awesome story to share with my fellow American teachers at lunch. I know I have said this before, but more details to come.
For all my teacher friends, I think i'm heading to the Bronx to teach after i'm done here. Woah.

Both during and after school, I have become a regular at the panaderia (bread shop),which is actually out of this families home, (helped him move a new dresser into it the other day) across the street from the school. The first time I met them they said laughing "usted no entiende nada" which lovingly means "you don't understand anything." While they are correct, they love me because I bust out my 50 mil (25 cents) and routinely buy 1 pastry and 2 cookies from them like 2-3 times a day! Gotta support the local economy!

The midday is me, sweating that pastry and 2 cookies away, laying on my bed with a fan full blast aimed at my grill! Hoping no one busts in my door without knocking because I may or may not have many clothes on. This is when I get the opportunity to have some quality God and me time. I like to think that me being almost neked may enhance these moments. He certainly had Adam and Eve walk around without shame, so im sure He won't mind if reenact this during our time together (i mean its like 98 degrees here...everyday!).

During the early evenings I try and do some form of exercise. Funny story: so the other day i'm running down 1 of the 2 dirt roads I often frequent here. Its about 4:30 pm which still means its smoking hot but not as bad as earlier in the day. Its swear I am in Africa on these runs. There is nothing but fields of cattle, donkeys, and weird looking trees. But I have to admit its really relaxing minus when a truck comes and im covered in dust. So anyways, I turn this corner and there are like 4 huge cows. This is nothing new, but for some reason I forgot to walk past them and my running startles the little one. So they start running down the road infront of me. No problem but there are fences the line the road for miles! So for about 5 minutes I feel like I am in Pamplona, Spain running with the bulls (yet they are kind of infront of me). Funny gets hilarious when as 1 unit we turn the corner and we meet my other friends, the donkeys! There is a small family of 4 who also gets wigged out at the 3 tons of beef and the 150 lb gringo that is running at them. So they decide to join us and we become quite the site for another 1/4 mile until a legit (not an uber mutt) guard dog comes out of nowhere and thankfully changes the direction of my herd. If the farmer who owns all these animals happens to learn how to use that fancy box gringos always seem to carry around and reads this blog...I am sorry!

The evenings have been about culture! From learning new ways to perfect patacones to making empanadas, I just upped my stock just in time for dating season (starts tomorrow until Halloween...another blog in itself). I am also doing a language exchange with a really cool young man named Luis. I truly feel that God had his hand in us meeting each other as I believe there will many cool ministry opportunities that may come from this. And of course, I regularly play with my South American Sandlot crew. The other teachers I work with have been coming with me more regulary (to play of just hang out) and its been a pretty fun time. The crew is growing and I am considering finding a new spot- which means a serious clean up project!

The night is about chilling out with the great group I am here with, getting ready for another day of classes, and spending some times talking about all of you to Him! At the end of the day, I double check the walls for man eating mosquitos that have rocked me in my sleep a few nights last week, and then pull the covers over my already 99.8 degree body.

For those who made it this far in todays blog always lovingly ask yourself this: While life is always full of adventure, can you say it always has purpose? What makes my day so awesome is that I know I am doing the things God wants me to do here. I have never felt His presence in such an amazing way and that makes me both excited and terrified in what He will present next! And so why I have do not about tomorrow, I will walk with Him and make the most of all He gives me today!