Looking back...

I haven’t blogged in far too long. If I were a person who made New Year’s resolutions, I would say my resolution is to blog at least once a month in 2014, but as I don’t make resolutions (since they’re never kept) this statement may not come true. None-the-less I will try to make a better start by writing this first blog of 2014!

A lot happened to me in 2013, I mean a lot; a bunch of great things and new experiences, and also some times of tears and loneliness. Such is life, highs and lows are an integral part of the human experience.

To start off 2014, I’d like to share a few of the highs from the past year. This list is not in order of importance, nor is it exhaustive. I find it impossible to rank and summarize a comprehensive list of the ‘best’ experiences, and instead offer these few snapshots of some of the many things I’m thankful for from 2013.

Worship service at Berna Mennonite church

• People. One word with so incredibly much meaning. I really cannot find the right way to describe how thankful I am, how much it means to me, to have relationships with people who share their love and support. My family and friends at home who sent me with their blessing to Colombia. The MCC and MWC community who received me. The new relationships I started in 2013 with so many wonderful people in Colombia. It changes everything to have friends, to have close friendships, people I care about and who care about me.
• Church. Intrinsically tied to people, as the church is people. I want to mention it on its own, because it is such an important part of my life, my faith. God has chosen to work through his people, his church. Being a part of a church community has always been a huge part of my life, and the encouragement and love I get from Eben-Ezer means so much. And finding a church community in Bogotá has been a great change for me. Now I have a church family here, one that I can’t wait to see every week.
• Colombia… the land and its people. I’ve been blessed to have already seen a number of different parts of Colombia. Each region is beautiful in its own way, and has its own cultural differences. Some of my favourite trips have been when people from the area hosted me and showed me around, though being a tourist in other places was fun too!
• MWC and the YABs committee. When I took this position in Colombia, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go to the YABs committee meeting in May 2013, in Pennsylvania, USA. I knew I would have to leave my position on the YABs committee, and I really loved the work we did, and working with that wonderful group of people. That was actually one of the hardest parts of my decision. I never could have imagined that in my new role with MCC and MWC that I would still be able to go to that meeting, and stay on helping the committee as a consultant. Now I’m far more involved in MWC and I love it!
• Being Creative. My life here in Bogotá has a different rhythm than it did in Abbotsford, and because of that I’ve been able to spend times doing things that I hadn’t done in years. I’ve crocheted more than I ever had in my life (warm crocheted things are great in the Bogotá cold!). I’ve done more creative writing (though more does need to find its way to this blog) and I’ve started painting again. I’m also thankful for new skills and experiences, like learning salsa, merengue, and bachata.
• Feeling at home. It took a while, but after many weeks my apartment has turned into a home. I really do love living here. It feels wonderful to come home after a long day, or to invite people over as we have a great space for hosting. The kitchen is amazing and has lots of room to cook whatever ideas I get. And my roommate is pretty awesome too.

Once I start going I can write a lot, and this post is already longer than I planned. So let me finish by saying thanks be to God for all these blessings. I have much to be grateful for and thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me on this journey. Hoping you all have a blessed 2014!

One of the beautiful views in Boyacá

Lessons in Salsa and Humility

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to dance, more specifically to swing dance. In Abbotsford I’d been going dancing for years! I’m not that great, but it’s fun and I just enjoy it so incredibly much. Unfortunately, as expected I can’t find any swing dancing in Bogota, but salsa is everywhere. So I decided I want to learn salsa. Fun!

I've gone salsa dancing a couple times in BC, but I know I have a lot to learn, so I looked for classes to take. The host family I was staying with took me to salsa lessons for beginners very close to where I live. I've gone several times with a colleague from the office. It’s been fun, great aerobic exercise and a very humbling experience.

Humbling, you ask? Well yes. With swing dancing I had passed the beginner stage a while ago. I knew there was still a lot that I didn't know, but I was at a comfortable middle level. The instructor in these salsa classes is very exact in what he wants. It’s not just memorizing some steps, but everything about how you move your body. I know this is the best way to learn a dance, to get it all from the beginning, and he teaches a much better foundation than most lessons I've seen in North America.

But it’s so frustrating! Just when I think I’m getting something, he shows me I’m not stepping forward properly. ‘Point your foot,’ ‘don’t step so hard,’ ‘smoother,’  ‘posture: pull your shoulders back,’ ‘stop jumping,’ etc. I can feel swing movements coming out, without trying. So I need to start from the beginning with salsa.

I keep telling myself that I know this is good to learn, I want to learn this, but it requires a lot of patience. I one of the last classes a little discouraged. Will I ever get all these small things down? I can go dancing without them, but I want to dance well! And to dance well I need to practice and learn this stuff. And that’s why I’m going to go again. I know the instructor will correct me on the same little things, countless times, but that’s what I need if I want to learn it.

And yesterday I got to practice salsa with a different teacher, and it was a great time! I started to feel like I’m getting it a bit more J

So here is where I can transition my story into some sort of life lesson or teaching moment, right? I have been teaching and sharing in church settings for a long time, so…

Let’s just say that salsa is an obvious example of lessons in humility I’m having in learning and getting used to a new city, a new country, a new culture. What I've learned before can help me pick up new things here, but I still need to go back to the beginning in a lot of ways. Especially to learn the small intricacies that makes a good foundation for a new way of doing things.

Random update: My apartment has had repairs made! All the bills are paid and internet has been installed. And I have new furniture, including a bed and couches. The apartment finally feels more like a home. I finally finished the blanket I was crocheting! Can you believe this is the first blanket I’ve ever crocheted and finished? It’s really warm and I am very happy to use it in cold Bogotá J