Number 21

Ramblings.  Because I have not blogged in forever and I just have a bunch of thoughts floating around.

The big two-one in the States.  I'm ready to hit up IHOP and Denny's tomorrow--as for my other meals, who knows?  I have coupons that can be used for a bunch of other things, but they don't have to be used tomorrow, so I'm more or less open to anything.

My time back in the States has been good.  I've been blessed to be able to relax a bit and just do more or less whatever I want.  Unfortunately, my iPhone broke today (I guess the dock somehow broke, probably from attaching it to my speakers) and just wouldn't charge.  But fortunately, my phone was due for an upgrade, so I just got the same iPhone 4 (unfortunately for $100).  But since I haven't even updated to iOS 5 yet because my computer hasn't been able to recognize my phone (maybe due to those same dock problems?), so it has basically been like getting a new phone.

I am so blessed.  So so blessed.  It's crazy in so many ways.  Just looking at how I'm comfortably sitting alone in Jeff's spacious house, with food and whatever I could want to eat basically available, with mountains of clothes spilling out of my luggage (I only bought a week's worth of clothes to Bolivia, and so now I've come back and opened my luggage that held the rest of my closet).  I have a nice new Bolivian haircut (and I look GOOD, if i do say so myself, haha), I have nice new shoes and a new backpack.  I was able to be on another continent for 10 weeks just doing volunteering... not even working to get by... just volunteering.

Why is it that I hit this genetic and environmental jackpot, and so many others don't?  I think back to the sermons that were preached in the church I went to down there, about prosperity.  About how God wants to prosper us so that we can in turn pour out our prosperity to others.

So I know that's what I need to do.  In the same way that Christ saw his equality with God not something to be grasped and held tightly to, I need to have that same attitude about all the good things, all the positions, all the wealth that I have been graciously given.

Stephanie H. posted last Thursday about Urbana having their exhibits up, and I went and clicked on the first link that sounded medically-related and relevant, Hospitals of Hope.  Turns out that their main placement is sending volunteers to work at a hospital in Cochabamba, Bolivia (although not city-proper, a city that's just on the outskirts, Vinto.  Interestingly, the same city i went to go paint that school at with Projects Abroad and where I first met the nephew of the perhaps future Bolivian president).

That's absolutely crazy.  I teared up at that, just thinking about how clear it seems to me that God wants me to go back to Bolivia.  I then read the story from one volunteer's experience that was linked to on the front page, and they talk about an organization, Cristo Para La Ciudad, that I went to their English-speaking group once (I found out about it because one of the workers, Kattya, goes to my church).  I went the next day, on Friday, to their group, and talked with Kattya about Hospitals of Hope, and she said that they do have a placement with them, and as for medical placements, they have a couple other clinics you can work at too.  Maybe i'll do that for a month next summer?  It's only like $500 for room and accommodation for a month, I think.

I then told her about how I found out about Hospitals of Hope and that Cristo Para La Ciudad was involved with them because of this mission conference that put up their exhibits recently.  I told her how it was a mission conference that was happening at the end of the year that I was going to, and then she asked when it was, and I said, "Dec. 27th - 31st," 

and she was like, "I think I'm going to that conference!"  

And I was like, "Whaaat!?? You're going to Urbana??"  

And she was like, "Yeah!"  and we briefly held hands and jumped up and down and sorta screamed in excitement.  haha.  But that's just crazy.  She's going to the States for an previous volunteer's wedding, and she's getting everything set up and paid for by another mutual friend of theirs.  So we'll see if she is able to actually get a visa and everything, but man, that's just crazy nonetheless.

So perhaps for all those going to Urbana, I might be able to introduce you all to her.  haha.  That'd be awesome.

Well, it's officially my birthday in this time-zone.  Officially legal to go out and buy some alcohol if I so pleased.

I was always worried that I'd become an alcoholic.  But I realized in Bolivia after drinking at various points that

1.  I don't like the taste of alcohol.  blech.  Beer's not too bad, but for most drinks, including wine, it's just like, oogh, have to force myself to drink it down.  I don't really want to, but heck, since I paid for this, better finish it.

2.  I dislike the feeling that I'm losing control of my mental facilities.  Having my thinking slowed down, my actions a bit sluggish, ugh.  It frightens me a bit too.  The one time I drank enough to get buzzed in Bolivia, I was like, ugh, I don't really like this.  A lot of times, I just feel lightheaded/dizzy/tired, which is quite uncomfortable.

So I guess chances are, I won't become an alcoholic.  phew!

Most of my friends who are of age are either doing camp or busy.  A couple people asked someone to take me out for drinks ... we'll see how that goes... =\  It's a person I kind of half-jokingly suggested, but secretly wanted, but then secretly didn't want, but now that he's said yes, I do actually want, but then at the same time, not really.  err, in other words, I guess I'm overall excited, in that sort of butterflies-in-stomach schoolboyish giddyness way.  sigh.  It's complicated.  Better that I tell people in person than write all of it down here, so just ask me about it.

Still behind on a few Loewenstern entries.  Need to get those up!  Also, secondaries have fallen so far to the wayside... bah, priorities.