So, this is Christmas. I hope you have fun. The near & the dear ones. The old & the young.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... all I can say is that I actually do miss the 24-hour Christmas radio station. It's been almost two weeks since I embarked on my Chilean journey and I feel so blessed. God has definitely given me the best gifts I could have ever wanted (this is in addition to the gift of Baby Jesus). Since I will not be celebrating Christmas this year with my biological family, I will be celebrating it with both my host family and JV community. Both have been so welcoming and warm. My host family (really, my Chilean family) has been incredible. There is not one word that is sufficient enough to describe them. I was stranger in a foreign place and they welcomed me with open arms into their home. They have cared for me and have given me so much love. I am not a visiter and I am no longer a stranger. I am a member of the family. They have given me my space, but at the same time, they bring me along to all family functions and even invite me to take part in some of their activities (yoga, jumping rope... I need to do this because they know that my vice is bread). I look forward to spending Christmas with them. As a gift to them (and I know it is not enough), I will be making them an American breakfast. I am going to make French toast and as a substitute for syrup, I will use honey (got to work with what I got) and powdered sugar. Simple, but nonetheless, it is the thought. I love them so much.

Also, I give thanks to God for the gift of community. This has been such a difficult year for many people and my family is no exception. Although we had some highs, there were also many lows. My grandmother’s health has declined drastically within the year, the death of a teacher and a family member, and my mother’s surgery. They have been great obstacles, but they can be taken on and overcome. Both my community mates have been there to hear me and have lend a shoulder to cry on. The did not have to say a word, but only listen. I love the both of them so dearly and I am fortunate and blessed to be a member of the JVC community. This year may have not been the greatest, but it definitely did have its great moments. I thank God for the gifts He has blessed me with. I thank him for my friends, communities, and my family. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope you are spending it with people who love you dearly and want nothing but the best for you. 

Also, I hope that Santa Claus brings everything that you asked for. Peace and love. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God." 

Jn 3:16-21

And I Think to Myself what a Wonderful World.

Hola desde Santiago!!! I am officially an ex-patriate and I am so excited to finally be in country. It's only been two days and I am already in love with it. My community mates are AMAZING and I am currently doing a home stay. We do not have a house yet, but we are on a mission to find one. The family I am staying with is AMAZING. They are a young couple and have only one child. She is in the fourth grade and reminds me so much of my younger sister. I feel like I am home.

The flight here was great and I had no troubles entering the country. It was weird having out of Atlanta. It felt like I was supposed to be flying to Mobile (the flight to Mobile actually left an hour before the flight to Santiago did) and I remembered showing my community mate on the screen in the plane where I had gone to school (I told him it was near New Orleans). He upgraded our seats to an aisle (He's super tall, but I was not complaining because that also meant extra leg room for me). I was worried and nervous that things were not going to be great, but all that went to away as soon as we took off. The flight here was only nine hours (the distance from Nashville to Chicago or Chicago to Memphis...driving) and the the in-flight movie  was Eat, Pray, Love (perfect, right?). I loved the part where Julia Roberts' character explains the definition "Ruined." Ruined does not always mean that something has been destroyed, but it also mean a change or transition. I am definitely "Ruined for Life."

Ruined for Life is a JV motto. What is means is that once we have entered this program, we can no longer look at the world with the perspective/perception we once had of it. It has changed for the better because we have become more aware of the world around us and of the world and communities we a part of it.

Yesterday, I had gone with my host family to the supermarket. The supermarket I went to is the Chilean equivalent of Wal-Mart. I was so overwhelmed and was uncomfortable. I had thought once leaving America, I would leave behind a world of consumerism and corporations, but then again, I should have remembered that the new Chilean president was a business man and is actually a big supporter of the latter. I still processing that experience.

Onto happier thoughts. I had gone to the center of the city today and went to the Plaza de Armas, the National Cathedral and Restaurant J. Cruz. I am still trying to adjust to having lunch at 2, once, and dinner at 9. I am excited for everything and anything. My community is AMAZING and I could have not asked for anything else. My host family is incredible and so hospitable and Santiago is now where my heart is. I am only looking up and not down and staying optimistic. I know it will be difficult and there will be bumps along the road, but I would not trade this for anything else.

I can only hope to stay in love forever.
CHI! CHI! CHI! LE! LE! LE!

Therefore the Grace of God go I

This is doubling as my late departure reflection and my blog post of the week (sorry to all the late departures out there. It's taken me forever to get something out there to you guys, but better late than never).


I will be leaving to Chile in just a few hours and I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. I have been running around and making sure that I have everything I need. I am so excited to finally reunite with my community mate, Jake and I am excited to finally meet my community mate who is already in Santiago. It is bittersweet. Even though I am excited to leaving, I am saddened by the fact that I am not leaving during a good time. Currently, my grandmother is sick and will be undergoing surgery while I am traveling and we are still in grieving mode due to our lost in October. Sometimes I question if it is still meant for me to go to Chile, but everything happens for a reason. If I had left early, I would have not been present for my family. I am trying to be present to the person in front of me. Life is crazy and we are often presented with many obstacles, but it is with God that we are able to overcome such challenges and difficulties. But, enough with the sadness. It is a time of jubulation because I am no longer an unemployed college grad who is living with their parents. I think my parents are happy to finally get me out of their house (I am quite happy as well).


Also, I am quite nervous. I am feeling the same emotions that I felt when I first arrived at Spring Hill. After my dad and grandfather helped move me in, they left. On the outside I was fine, but on the inside I was freaking out, "What the [insert expletive] did I get myself into?" I was in a new place all by myself and knew no one. Although my roommate was nice, we did not exactly click. The first week was the hardest because everything was so new, so different. It was in that first week as well where I made my two best friends and did not look back. I did not regret the decision that I made in going to Spring Hill. I know I am not going to regret this because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I know there will be many lows, but also many many more highs. I am excited to be living with two incredible people who be there when I need someone to talk to and will not leave me standing alone. I feel blessed being a JV because I have met so many incredible people.


I am getting ready to head off. Just two more hours and then I will be at O'Hare. This time tomorrow, I will be in Santiago with my community mates. I am ready to take on Chile and everything it has in store for me. For the Grace of God Go I.

I have spoke with the tongue of angels and I have held the hand of the devil

Time is going by so fast. It felt like it was just yesterday I was heading off for orientation in Boston and now I am getting my affairs in order before I take off in 18 days. So much to do in such little time. I have been babysitting for a family since last Tuesday and it has been a roller-coaster. There have been many highs, but also many, many lows. When I say that, I mean the kids breaking down, crying, and fighting until there is only one left standing. It has been interesting and I am taking this as a learning experience. It is preparing me for anything and everything.

Expect the unexpected. I have learned that kids are quite amazing when they first wake up, but then by the end of the day, they are not your friend and they will let you know that. Also, I have learned that no matter what I may do to please a child, it is no good. I am making it seem like these kids are terrible, but they are kids and different ages. The oldest is a teenager, one is a pre-teen, and the other is just entering preschool. It's great hearing the preschooler's stories and hearing from her how school went. It's weird having the teenager ask me questions about my experiences in school, but it's cool nonetheless because I can tell him that it's not all bad and that school can be fun at times. I am still trying to find common ground with the pre-teen, but it's going to take some more work.

Their parents are amazing and obviously I can see how much they take an interest in their children. They have their kids involved in different types of sports and push them to go after the dreams. They are supportive and they are their kids' #1 cheerleaders. When their parents are home, they rarely want them sitting in front on the television or the iPad. Instead of video games, they want them to create art or read a book and if they have been in the house for too long, they encourage them to play outside in the yard or go to the park. This is a break from the world that awaits me.

Once this gig is done, I am back to packing for Chile, making sure all of my loans are taken care of and making sure I have said my good-byes. I will leave the comfort of this small town and return to the hustle and bustle of urban life. Instead of the light being lit by the moon and the star, will return the bright orange glow of the street lights. This is has been a good break, but I am excited for what is still to come.

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes. How do you measure- measure a year?

It was a year ago that I was applying to JVC and in a month, I will be taking off for Santiago, Chile. Time has flown by and it felt like it was just yesterday I was running and screaming all over campus that I was going to Chile. I am super excited and at the same time, it feels so surreal. It hasn't really hit me yet that I will be gone for two years. I went away to college (over 900 miles away) for four years, but that was different. I came home for Winter Break and the summer. I was able to communicate daily with family and friends back home and I was in a place where English was spoken everywhere. As much as I say that Alabama was a culture shock to me, Santiago will be an even bigger one.

I will be over 5300 miles from home, living with only two other Americans, still do not know where I will be living (currently my living situation is still in question), and speaking a language that I grew up with, but did not have to speak it for my livelihood. People who me know that I understand Spanish and that I can read it and write it almost without a problem, but speaking it, well, it is another issue. Growing up, my father spoke to me in Spanish, but I would respond in English. Now, I have the habit of wanting to respond in English whenever someone is speaking to me in Spanish. 

A year ago, my worries and concerns were different. I was juggling school, family, work, friends, service for my scholarship, and a new relationship.On top of that, I was in the process of applying to JVC.  I was trying to figure out how divide my time wisely in order to have time for everything that was on my plate, but also have time for myself. Even when I was doing things that were considered "extra-curricular," I was still working on something school-related. For example, when I had gone to the Ignatian Teach-In last November, I was working on Liberation Theology and Senior Seminar during the lectures and working on my Philosophy of Art paper during the night until the wee hours of the morning. It was a difficult time for me, but a learning experience.

This year, I also have a lot on my plate, but different issues. I am currently dealing with my loan providers and trying to get them to defer my payments (I actually have to start my payements on one of them today because they are still not convince that JVC is a good enough reason to defer).  I am juggling two part-time jobs. I am working part-time for my mom and my other job is babysitting for a couple in a town forty-five minutes west of Chicago. If that isn't enough, I am currently splitting my time between my house and my cousin's. I have become a second caretaker to her girls. It was a job that was given to me sunddenly, and unfortunately it was unexpected. Last month, my family experienced a great loss. My cousin's husband, suffered a massive heart attack while working and died. He was only thirty-seven. He left behind my cousin (who is only thirty-three) and three little girls (ages 7, 3, and 1). Slowly, we are all coming to terms with his death. Life is something so great and mysterious all at the same time, and death just happens to be a part of it.

So much can happen/change in a year and it has. I am a different person this year than I was last year. I am more aware of the world around me and the people in my life. As JVC tells us, I am trying to be present to the people who need me most while I am still home preparing for my jounrey. I have learned to love better and to be more compassionate. I have allowed myself to be vulnerable and experience great loss. I have learned to be uncomfortable and let down my guard. I have learned to take on new challenges even though it may be overwhleming and stressful. I have learned some things are not going to be easy and will be complicated. This is may sound a little disjointed, but that is how my mind works. We will see in a year from now how much I have changed, but that is in the future. Right now, I am just trying to be present for the people here at home and trying to convince my loan that I will be poor.

"Improvising...writing from the heart"

Finally! I have created my blog. The reason why it has taken this long is because I could not come up with a creative title. I wanted something original and not cheesy. I actually had to ask for help. ANYWAY, long story short, I have a found a working title (it's a line from a Sufjan Stevens song) and I love it. Time has been flying by and now I am less than two months away from my departure date. I have been getting anxious, but soon enough I will be on a plane heading to Atlanta and then to Santiago with my community mate Jake. I am going to leave this short because there's not much else I can think and I hate rambling on and on. I had to do that for papers in college because, well, the professors set a page quota and sometimes, well, I had to meet that quota no matter if I was putting much thought or not into what I was writing. Once again, I hope you all enjoy this blog and take a little time out of your day to read it.