Arriving "home" at PDX!
Hanging out in Seattle!
Enjoying a Mariner's game!
We are looking forward to the next several weeks, visiting more friends and family, and getting to do (and eat!) some of our favorite things in Oregon!
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
We're HERE!
It's been good to be back in the US for the past two weeks! We spent the first several days in Georgia, and will be in Oregon until the end of September!
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Milpa Alta
We got be be tourists this week in Mexico City... a place that doesn't at ALL look like Mexico City - Milpa Alta. This is a part of the city that has a very small-town feel to it, in fact, it's a lot of farm land. Nopal cactuses and chiles are grown in Milpa Alta. It's also well-known for it's mole (MO-lay) sauce, which is one of my personal favorites!
Here we are looking out over part of Milpa Alta
And these were probably the best mole enchiladas I've ever eaten - black, green, and red moles!
Then we were randomly in a mall by JP's dad's house one afternoon and Kikin Fonseca - who used to play soccer for the Mexican National Team - was there... So of course we had to get a picture! hehe!
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Living Life Together
A big part of discipling others is learning about God's Word together. Our Thursday night studies on the Life of Christ is exactly for that. We enjoy going through Christ's life chronologically, and seeing how His teachings apply to our lives.
Another part of discipling is just living life together. This means walking together through the good and the bad, the fun times and the sad times. Thankfully, we've had the opportunity to share a lot of fun times with our discipleship group! Going out for tacos, to the movies, to play "futbolito" (fooseball), to hang out in the homes of the other group members, etc.
Another part of discipling is just living life together. This means walking together through the good and the bad, the fun times and the sad times. Thankfully, we've had the opportunity to share a lot of fun times with our discipleship group! Going out for tacos, to the movies, to play "futbolito" (fooseball), to hang out in the homes of the other group members, etc.
Some of us drinking hot drinks on a cold afternoon
Having an improptu fooseball tournament after watching Avengers!
We are thankful to be able to have these good time with this group of people that God has allowed to become great friends!
Monday, June 1, 2015
Championships
The first half of the final game (it's a 2-game final) was held on a Thursday night at the same time as our discipleship group, so we used the night as a time to just hang out and watch the game!
The Gallos lost that first game 0-5, yikes! We won the second game 3-0, but it wasn't enough, the Santos Laguna team was champion. But it was fun to see the local team in the finals, and to get a chance to scream at the TV for 2 hours with friends!
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
El Animooooo de Queretarooooo!
Animo (AH-nee-mo). It's a hard word to describe in English. "Encouragement" is a close approximation of what "Animo" means.
There is a man in Queretaro named Pedro who goes all around town throughout the day screaming at the top of his lungs "ANIMOOOO" He's some crazy guy (although people who don't know him think he is), he just decided many years ago that there was enough sadness in the world so he would encourage others. People who don't know "El Animo" as Pedro is usually called, may get scared by hearing him scream ANIMO almost in their ear while walking down the street. He also has a habit of not letting people continue on their way until they have scream ANIMO in unison with him! He's a funny guy!
Not everyone thinks El Animo is funny, he's been arrested on several occasions for driving down the street with flags hanging out of his car that "obstruct the view of other drivers," (the current governor of Queretaro paid his bail for that one), and for yelling Animo at President Fox several years ago. The president's body guards don't take kindly to some random guy screaming at the president. haha!
El Animo was JP's neighbor for a few years before we got married. So we know him fairly well. One night, JP had parked a borrowed car in front of his house and someone came and pounded on his door saying the car was on fire. JP stepped outside, and saw that it was actually the Animo's car that was on fire, but that was parked right next to the car that JP had borrowed from a friend. Photographers from the newspaper soon showed up and took pictures of the Animo standing in front of his fully engulfed car smiling and holding up peace signs (his typical picture pose). Someone who didn't like his cheerful attitude came in the night and set his car (that was painted bright yellow with the word "ANIMO" painted all over it) on fire.
Anyone who's lived in Queretaro for a couple of years or more has certainly had a run-in with the Animo. He's like Queretaro's answer to Portland's Uni-Piper. Lisandro, a friend from Costa Rica met him a couple years ago when the Animo picked him up and yelled animo at him when he wasn't expecting it. (I couldn't find that picture!) And my parents met him a few months ago, he didn't try to pick my dad up though, haha! He's quite a character!
There is a man in Queretaro named Pedro who goes all around town throughout the day screaming at the top of his lungs "ANIMOOOO" He's some crazy guy (although people who don't know him think he is), he just decided many years ago that there was enough sadness in the world so he would encourage others. People who don't know "El Animo" as Pedro is usually called, may get scared by hearing him scream ANIMO almost in their ear while walking down the street. He also has a habit of not letting people continue on their way until they have scream ANIMO in unison with him! He's a funny guy!
Not everyone thinks El Animo is funny, he's been arrested on several occasions for driving down the street with flags hanging out of his car that "obstruct the view of other drivers," (the current governor of Queretaro paid his bail for that one), and for yelling Animo at President Fox several years ago. The president's body guards don't take kindly to some random guy screaming at the president. haha!
El Animo was JP's neighbor for a few years before we got married. So we know him fairly well. One night, JP had parked a borrowed car in front of his house and someone came and pounded on his door saying the car was on fire. JP stepped outside, and saw that it was actually the Animo's car that was on fire, but that was parked right next to the car that JP had borrowed from a friend. Photographers from the newspaper soon showed up and took pictures of the Animo standing in front of his fully engulfed car smiling and holding up peace signs (his typical picture pose). Someone who didn't like his cheerful attitude came in the night and set his car (that was painted bright yellow with the word "ANIMO" painted all over it) on fire.
Anyone who's lived in Queretaro for a couple of years or more has certainly had a run-in with the Animo. He's like Queretaro's answer to Portland's Uni-Piper. Lisandro, a friend from Costa Rica met him a couple years ago when the Animo picked him up and yelled animo at him when he wasn't expecting it. (I couldn't find that picture!) And my parents met him a few months ago, he didn't try to pick my dad up though, haha! He's quite a character!
Pedro the Animo is standing on top of his truck behind a cardboard cut-out of his preferred candidate for governor. Me, Marcia, JP, Luis, and Cynthia are in the truck bed
Friday, May 15, 2015
Elections
It's that time again, election time. It comes once every three years - every six for president, senators, local and federal representatives, and mayor, and every six years (three years difference of the other elections) for governors, mayor, and reps (mayors and representatives serve 3-year terms, everyone else serves 6-year terms). This year is the governor elections.
There are two main candidates (there are NINE political parties here!) for governor, and they both have their fans/campaigners out in full force in the stop lights doing songs and dances in front of the drivers. I'm not even kidding.
Above you can see the people dressed in red are supporting one candidate, and people in blue another. The good thing is, all the posters, signs, people in the streets have strict dates that they are allowed to be in campaign. Campaign time last for three months every three years, June 1 every poster, sign, bumper sticker, etc. must be taken down. Voting happens on the first Sunday in June.
We have had the opportunity to meet and be in contact with former government officials and current candidates from four different political parties. It's interesting the way the Lord has put these people in our lives. The two former officials are from two of the main parties, and they are still heavily involved with those parties. We pray that the Lord continues to allow us to share with them. They (and the current candidates) have the opportunity to have some influence on our city and state. It's common to hear Christians basically give up on anything political - our whole government system is so far in the toilet it's hard to want anything to do with any candidates or anything. But PEOPLE are not un-redeemable.
There are two main candidates (there are NINE political parties here!) for governor, and they both have their fans/campaigners out in full force in the stop lights doing songs and dances in front of the drivers. I'm not even kidding.
We have had the opportunity to meet and be in contact with former government officials and current candidates from four different political parties. It's interesting the way the Lord has put these people in our lives. The two former officials are from two of the main parties, and they are still heavily involved with those parties. We pray that the Lord continues to allow us to share with them. They (and the current candidates) have the opportunity to have some influence on our city and state. It's common to hear Christians basically give up on anything political - our whole government system is so far in the toilet it's hard to want anything to do with any candidates or anything. But PEOPLE are not un-redeemable.
Monday, March 9, 2015
Blessings from Costa Rica
In 2009, a few people from International Teams Costa Rica came to Queretaro and did a short training on the Life of Christ discipleship (which is where we are pulling our chronological study of the Life of Christ from for our discipleship group). Among those who came were Luis and Marcia. They are near our age, and we became friends with them. Ever since Luis and Marcia were in Queretaro the first time, they have had a burden to come back long-term/permanently to disciple men and women here. As I know we've mentioned many times, there are very few people in Queretaro who have a relationship with Christ.
The beginning of 2014, Luis and Marcia began meeting with JP and I going over the Life of Christ study and discipling us. Well, the end of February 2015, God allowed them and their daughter Valentina to move to Queretaro! They are working with another I.T. team in the coffee ministry, and we are so happy that they are here! They will be a blessing to the coffee team, and we are excited to be able to meet with them face to face too!
Over the past year, JP and I have showed MANY pictures of our FAVORITE taco place to Luis, Marcia, and Valentina... This past Sunday, we got to go there with them. They said the pictures we showed don't even do the food justice, it's WAY better than they could've imagined! haha!
They also accompanied us to celebrate Judith's (JP's mom) 75th birthday. Judith has been praying for this family for the past 5 years that the Lord would allow them to come back to QRO!
Monday, March 2, 2015
When My Parents Came!
A few pictures from when Rick and Barb were here in Queretaro with us in February!
Judith (JP's mom), Barb, Rick, Me, and JP at Bernal!
Mom and I on the hike up the rock.
In the mouth of the Santa Brigida Mine in Pozos Guanajuato
We both turned 34 in February!
My parents and I in downtown Queretaro
As always, we had a good time with my folks, going to cool places in and around Queretaro, and eating WAY too much yummy food!
Monday, February 16, 2015
La Casilla
"La Casilla" is the polling place for elections in Mexico. The process for staffing las casillas is similar to jury selection in the US - you get chosen and you go serve. If I understand correctly, each election year they choose a letter (or a couple of letters) and people who's last name begins with that letter get hunted down and told that they're serving in la casilla. Ok, "hunted down" is an exaggeration, but that's what it feels like...
This year is election year for governors (at least in Queretaro) and federal representatives. Once every 6 years we have presidential and senate elections, and once every 6 years (three years removed from the presidential elections) we have governor elections. Every 3 years we vote for representatives and mayors. It's nice because we don't have to deal with elections ever TWO years, AND commercials, flyers, and signs for candidates can't go up until the beginning of April (elections are the first Sunday in July), so we only see all that stuff for 3 months.
Anyhow, las casillas. If you get selected, you go from 5am until whenever all the votes for your casilla are counted (voting stops at either 8 or 9pm). About this time of year, a person from the election commission will stop by your house and let you know you are selected. Every Mexican over 18 should have a voting card (which is our main form of ID) and your address in on that, so they know where to find you. The only thing is, SO many people never change their address that the election commission doesn't know where to find them. JP and I actually have our correct address on our cards, so we're a little nervous that one of us may be "it" this year. But we'll survive! haha!
This will actually be the first time in my life that I go to a polling place to vote - Oregon started using mail-in ballots about the time I turned 18! So that will be a new experience.
This year is election year for governors (at least in Queretaro) and federal representatives. Once every 6 years we have presidential and senate elections, and once every 6 years (three years removed from the presidential elections) we have governor elections. Every 3 years we vote for representatives and mayors. It's nice because we don't have to deal with elections ever TWO years, AND commercials, flyers, and signs for candidates can't go up until the beginning of April (elections are the first Sunday in July), so we only see all that stuff for 3 months.
Anyhow, las casillas. If you get selected, you go from 5am until whenever all the votes for your casilla are counted (voting stops at either 8 or 9pm). About this time of year, a person from the election commission will stop by your house and let you know you are selected. Every Mexican over 18 should have a voting card (which is our main form of ID) and your address in on that, so they know where to find you. The only thing is, SO many people never change their address that the election commission doesn't know where to find them. JP and I actually have our correct address on our cards, so we're a little nervous that one of us may be "it" this year. But we'll survive! haha!
This will actually be the first time in my life that I go to a polling place to vote - Oregon started using mail-in ballots about the time I turned 18! So that will be a new experience.
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Yo No Entender...
I've been in Mexico almost 9 years now. And I wouldn't trade the experience of living here for anything! But there are still those moments that are so unbelievable you just have to laugh.
For example, I don't particularly stand out in a crowd in Queretaro. Yeah, I'm "blonde" (read: "don't have dark brown or black hair"), and I'm a little taller than a lot of women, but haven't reached the magic 5'9" that makes you "freakishly tall." People generally know that I'm not a native-born Mexican once I start talking - my grammar isn't perfect, and people tell me I speak Spanish with a German accent (what's with that?) Anyhow, in general, people don't focus on the fact that I was not born here.
But a few times per year I'll get a totally different response from people. I may be going to a small store that I'd never been to before, or using a service that I haven't used before (new dry-cleaner, etc.) And it's like the person attending the business sees me coming, and they must think ahead of time that I am a foreigner so they won't be able to understand me. Because when I walk in and ask a question (and it always seems to happen on a "good Spanish day," when I know I spoke grammatically correct, AND without much of a foreign accent), they give me a blank stare and say in Spanish, "I'm sorry, I don't understand." I'm confused as to why they didn't understand "how much do the tomatoes cost," so I repeat myself. I know they understood this time, but they still kind of stare for a moment before responding, "Esteeee ("um" in Mexican Spanish) 12 pesos per kilo." It used to really bother me that people would like mentally freak out upon having to deal with me. But now it's just funny. I still don't understand why this happens. Especially when people from other parts of Mexico assume that I'm from maybe Northern Mexico, or somewhere that isn't where they're from. This has only happened in Queretaro. In fact, no one bats an eyelash in Mexico City when I'm asked where I'm from and say "Queretaro." They just know that I'm not from Mexico City.
It's just a funny thing that comes with the territory of living in a country that you weren't born in!
For example, I don't particularly stand out in a crowd in Queretaro. Yeah, I'm "blonde" (read: "don't have dark brown or black hair"), and I'm a little taller than a lot of women, but haven't reached the magic 5'9" that makes you "freakishly tall." People generally know that I'm not a native-born Mexican once I start talking - my grammar isn't perfect, and people tell me I speak Spanish with a German accent (what's with that?) Anyhow, in general, people don't focus on the fact that I was not born here.
But a few times per year I'll get a totally different response from people. I may be going to a small store that I'd never been to before, or using a service that I haven't used before (new dry-cleaner, etc.) And it's like the person attending the business sees me coming, and they must think ahead of time that I am a foreigner so they won't be able to understand me. Because when I walk in and ask a question (and it always seems to happen on a "good Spanish day," when I know I spoke grammatically correct, AND without much of a foreign accent), they give me a blank stare and say in Spanish, "I'm sorry, I don't understand." I'm confused as to why they didn't understand "how much do the tomatoes cost," so I repeat myself. I know they understood this time, but they still kind of stare for a moment before responding, "Esteeee ("um" in Mexican Spanish) 12 pesos per kilo." It used to really bother me that people would like mentally freak out upon having to deal with me. But now it's just funny. I still don't understand why this happens. Especially when people from other parts of Mexico assume that I'm from maybe Northern Mexico, or somewhere that isn't where they're from. This has only happened in Queretaro. In fact, no one bats an eyelash in Mexico City when I'm asked where I'm from and say "Queretaro." They just know that I'm not from Mexico City.
It's just a funny thing that comes with the territory of living in a country that you weren't born in!
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