My New Home

New Beginnings

It's been 2 months now that I've lived in this new place. Some days are difficult; others are a breeze. 

Here are some new things I'm having to adjust to:

• New language and culture
• The smell of raw meat permeating the market-place
• Leaving my shoes at the door
• Teaching ESL to students who are much older than me
• Stares
• New foods
• Biking and walking everywhere   

These are just a few of the things that I look forward to everyday. Some days, I find myself in-between a rock and a hard place emotionally. Heck, I stick out like a sore thumb here whether I'm trying to or not. I'm white, I have freckles, I have blue eyes and light colored hair, and I'm just plain different. I'm the stranger and the weirdo automatically. Really, I've never been somewhere for longer than 2 months where I'm THIS different. It's a major adjustment, but this is home. This is where I'll be living and thriving for the next 2 years of my life. Wow.

The elevation is almost 4,000 feet above sea level here. We don't have heat or AC. It cools down at night and can get super hot during the day. For this beach kid, it's strange being somewhere that's completely landlocked. We have 2 seasons here: dry winter and rainy summer. Sorry to my elementary teachers who've been telling me all my life that there are 4 seasons! Now, that's not the case.

You know, the main thing that amazes me here is beauty and simplicity. People have simple lives. There isn't much pop-culture and high entertainment here. No movies, no bowling, no put-put, no Walmart, no mall, no mainstream restaurants, no fast-food, and no high-speed internet. You are left with a very stripped down, basic version of life. You work, eat, and sleep here. This is life. Work in the field or the market, go home, eat, and sleep. Friendships don't have much time to be superficial because of this. You cannot fill an evening with a superficial activity. Most Americans would be blown away by this. I used to say... what's next? We ate at this restaurant, now what are we doing next? Where do you want to go? What do you want to do? Go, go, go. Do, do, do. Might as well kiss that mentality goodbye, Holli! Now, we may just sit outside and talk about the sky or the flowers. We may talk about food, family, and the future. All else is stripped away.

I'm left in a quiet place...
Hush...

Don't think about tomorrow. It's OK if you're late. Take your time.
Steady now...

So, I walk... I ride my bike... I take time to look at people and life unfolding around me. What do I see? I see beauty. I see the value of relationships. I see time in a different manner. I see the hearts and souls of people much faster. And, it's beautiful.
Seeing straight to the heart of life is a bittersweet thing, you know? You may see something in yourself that you don't like. You may see just how lost people really are. You may find yourself feeling more and thinking more about the world around you- not in a nonchalant way, but in a way that sees the individual bigger pictures of the lives of everyone around you.

Is there a purpose? I think so. Build bonds, love the heck out of people, give, and grow. Above all else, spread the truth that sets all people free. Live for something other than yourself, and make this life count. Sell out to truth.