Beauty found in the best places

Another week in the books!

I have sure been learning a lot! I wish more people had the chance to live abroad. I fall more and more in love with the culutre here every single day (except the food-still don´t like it). I love how I get to walk to school, run and see beautiful sites (speaking in kilometers makes me feel more awesome than I am for running distances haha), hear Peruvian life stories, drink Inka Kola on the regular; study Spanish but I am in denial of how hard it is.

I made a new friend! She took me to one of the most beautiful spots in Arequipa. We walked to the top of this tower and gosh was it worth the view! It was breath taking to realize this is home. It was breath taking to realize how big our God is that He brought me all the way here to teach me more about who I am in Him. It was also breath taking to duh-see how beautiful it truly is. 

My new buddy, Isel! 

I am learning a lot about struggling. If you know me at all you know I have come a long ways to be here. If you have been with me for some time you were with me in the midst of my struggle blogs like this. No matter what you are with me now, so I want us to stand in awe of providence-God´s providence. 

It has not been an easy go to say as an understatement the last 2 weeks. God has so perfectly provided new and old friends from back home to be with me, and my new friends here to jump head first into it all. I am astonished at how one teeny tiny medication can make or break my world. *For all the haters in the back who do not believe in medication--come into my world for one day and then let me know your feelings.* But, I got it back and am coming back into the light thankfully. Most of my friends here do not know my life story, but God has provided them to me by encouraging me and keeping me laughing every day. They encourage me in my recovery and don´t even know it! #juicefordays

I am ready to get my own classroom. As much as I like visiting classes, I want my own students. I am ready for my work visa to get in so I can start living it up here!

But. That is about it. Nothing thrilling. Just. Living life--in South America.

I am out of cute titles.

Hmmmmmm. It has been an uneventful but exciting week. 

In light hearted news, I cut my own hair!!

Considering I literally jus went for it I claim a win. 

I went to a Peruvian church--non-Catholic. Yep, it was pretty much a Baptist church. In the middle of Peru-who thought? Lots of missionaries and young people go there. It was pretty cool. My Irish friend, Karen, helped me a little bit; between my limited knowledge and my English bible I could give a brief overview, so I claim a win! (We talked a Deuteronomy 12.)

It was refreshing to my Spirit to be with fellow believers. To talk about Jesus and know we all believe that He is the Son of God that came for you and me. That He saves us not by our works, but because of His marvelous grace. It. Was. Wonderful. 

yep. Looks normal huh?

Some days I forget I live in South America. Then some days I stumble across this scene and get so overwhelmed by how hard I have fought for recovery to live here. I hope to be in this state of thankfulness for quite some time. I don't want to ever relive 2016-2018, but without those years I would not be where I am today. I am not saying it has been easy or perfect here, let us be specific. (By any means.) But I am here to say that this is my home and I adore it. (My dad commented on the steepness of the hill and I honesly forget about it. It is my normal!)

SO PRETTY GAH.

I teach a few classes a day at school, waiting for my work visa to come back so I can have my own classroom. It has been so fun! I am giving presentations about culture. (If you follow me on FB then you probably contributed-so thanks!) I get to teach Peruvians about America, and honestly learn more myself. I get to teach about the fun music, to 9/11-all the topics. They like conroversial topics sometimes, so it is pretty fun to just go for it! 

Over here I am `too old` to like Taylor Swift I learned real quickly. BUT I have a class of high school seniors (mostly girls); of course we jam to Taylor.

This is 27 living in Peru-some of my music taste is equivalent to 17 year olds.

So, Overall. It is a whirlwind of experiences everyday. I thankfully do not feel lonely because I have made so many buddies. Real life messiness of life friends, teacher friends, church friends, random friends; all the people happy to help me aclimate to this beautiful place I now call home. 

Keep on keepin´on

I wish I had a lot to say. Some inspiration that has happened. But alas, not really.
Well, one crazy thing happened.
You see, there´s big hoopla happening in Arequipa because long story short they found gold, copper, and silver-and a lot of it out in the highlands. The government gave the OK to mine it, and the people from the highlands are livid (duh). So, they traveled to the center of Arequipa, where my school happens to be, and protested. They can get violent. They march down all the streets with trumpets, blowhorns, megaphones, flags, and all things loud/sight grabbing.
So. On one of the days there was protesting, but it had stopped for a little while where we were. I needed notecards, so I walked down the street to get some. While I am in this little hole in the wall place, the protests start banging down the street. They have to close the metal doors all the way down, and wait for about 10/15 minutes. So, I ended up getting to practice my Spanish! But all that to say, I was stuck in the picture below with strangers. If I only waited a few minutes longer...

This is the guy peeking out to see what was happening!

Other than that nothing thrilling has happened. I have hung with my American friend, Cecelia. I have gone to Karina´s house (my official Peruvian BFF) to hang with her and her sweet family. She has been such a blessing and bright spot in my life, and look forward to all life has to offer us together.

I have gone running a bit. That elevation will get ya, but so will the hills mountains. See below to see what a typical run looks like. My legs don´t hurt anymore; my lungs say different though!

Blogging always helps me pause and think what the Lord is teaching me. I am learning what community looks like as a newcomer in a new country. I have my Pinelake community still thankfully, because of livestream. I cry every week now because I am so overcome with spending an hour and a half with people who fall on their knees before Jesus, as I do. I have community at school with my lunch club ladies. I am being encouraged immensely by people who think differently than me. I have all my buddies across the country that I met at FH keeping me laughing, and checking in for real life.

Running here!

Real life. THAT is why I am here. I am not here to come and quietly do life. I am here to get into the mess of it all with my friends. I am here to learn the in´s and out´s, share mine, and hopefully show how the Lord is why I am here; here on this Earth still, and here in Peru. That mircales are indeed possible. I am thankful for what´s already happened, and look forward to the life that will be lived.

Overall, nothing crazy to report. Just another week living abroad. Another week to do life, and figure out culture norms. Another week to live life, and be the boring home body I am :D 

Walking in the park

Something pretty monumental happened this weekend. I ´went´ to church as usual (at Starbucks) with my little Pinelake livestream community. Then, I decided to walk to the near by park. This is the park I ran at every day while I was here 5 years ago. 

It was a surreal moment to just sit there and reflect on living here. You see, 5 years ago when I was here, was before my breakdown. When no one knew about Ed. When I lived in behaviors hidden unbeknownst to my friends. I looked like I had it all. I mean, I was studying abroad in a foreign country.

at the park jamming out.

8 years ago I knew I would live abroad one day. When it was all set to happen, 2 years later, God took away the desires. I cried and cried; I had no idea why at the time, but I knew it was right. So, instead I studied abroad in Peru on a whim.

 

If God hadn´t taken the desire away when He did, who knows where I would´ve been when the inevitable crash happened. God is soverign and had my best interest in store (as He always does) but at that moment it all clicked. It clicked that God took the desires away because He knew I would fall-hard. I had to go through treatment and finding myself and recovery to lead me to where I am today-living abroad in recovery. Let us journey back to me going to Fairhaven. It is such a redeeming experience to read, let me be the first to tell you. Take a peek. 

So, I have wanted this life I have now for 7 years. During my crash, I had given up on this idea. That I would never been better enough to ponder it. 

But. God.

I´m even better enough to enjoy me some soda!

The desires started to come back and blindly I followed it, and gosh I am glad I did. It led me here. It might not be the easiest thing ever, but I tell myself that "if I could survive a mental breakdown, going to and surviving eating disorder treatment, and working recovery as best as I can every day, then gosh darn it, I can surely do this."

mmmmmmmm liquid calories. Wouldn´t have it any other way.

"He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." -Philippians 1:6. 

I love reflecting on my journey. It´s definitely something that won´t get old for awhile. God is good. The end.

I choose to praise, to glorify the Name of all Names, that nothing can stand against.

This blog is brought to you alongside the Pinelake Q2 Spotify playlist.

My everyday walk home.

My days have been pretty cool this past week. I walk half an hour to work, jamming to Jesus music. I get encouraged from my US friends. They LOVE carbs here-so thank you recovery, I am alllllll about that. I figure out more about the grocery store everyday. I start my official schedule next week! I frequent Starbucks, and they STILL have't gotten my name right. Maybe one day.

I had the honor to WhatsApp video call my buddy, Tiffany, and her little girl, Brantley, who is my best friend as you can see below. She made me my own scrapbook page. She loves Jesus more fiercely than anyone her age. I miss her sweet spirit, and can't wait for my letter from her! (We are pen pals. lol)

Brantley's sweet scrapbook page about me! <3 nbsp="" td="">

Things that have been difficult:
-I couldn't figure out the stove by my self.
-Needing a translator for many things.
-Not having a set schedule (that changes next week!)
-I am one of the pickiest people around, so I don't like a lot of the foods. Not even eating disorder wise-but in general.

The view from my balcony :D 

I am learning a lot about myself. I am learning that I am not like other 20-somethings here. I like to be at my house, I don't like to 'go out', I like the same boring things to eat (my staples: chicken and rice at school; bread, PB, ramen noodles, and cookies at home lol).
The air here is too dusty for me (I am allergic to dust) so I can't really run outside very much, but I just got a gym membership so I'll be back on Strava soon my athlete friends!

Arequipa's nick name is the 'white city' because
it is the traditional type looking city. The building's
are 600+ years old!

I am reading Hosea now with my 'bible reading buddies' and I really love this story-it is basically about God's everlasting love for Israel-despite them running from Him. God asks Hosea to marry a prostitute, then the prostitute returns to her old ways, but God tells Hosea to go back after her. In the same way, God is with us. God unites us to Him, we run from Him back into our sin, but God still chases after us. What a story of redemption!!
Satan really wants this experience. I easily fall into sadness at any point of the day, missing basically everything about America. But walking outside and seeing God's creation brings me back to how blessed I am here, and my newfound friends here keeping me going.

Casually a view from my walk home. Cool huh!

Overall, moving abroad is an experience no one can prepare you for-no matter how many words. It is something I wish everyone had the opportunity to experience, and I am grateful I get to.