Getting Everyone Caught Up!

We are sorry we have not been able to blog the last 3 days. We still have not gotten the phone situation worked out at our home. We trust that it will get worked out soon. For those of you who have been asking, as soon as we get the phone/internet set up at home we will post pictures of our home, school, friends and community. We thought in the meantime we will give you a few more stories of our first couple of days.

So much of the last couple of days has been trying to put a home together. The school was extremely gracious in providing a refrigerator, washer and dryer, kitchen table and beds for us. The school family has been incredible. Of course, a home with 3 kids tends to need a few more things. Anita, one of the secretaries at the school has been gracious enough to take us out to help us get some furniture. Yesterday we went to a place called Tonala on the edge of the city. This is an artesen community on the out skirts of town. For those of you who are familiar with Brown County or Shipshewana. This was about 25 times bigger in a very crazy big Mexican City kind of way. We were able to get a couch and chair making things a little more comfortable.

Through this whole move we have thought a lot of money. This continues to be the case. Now we question how much to spend to get a new home. Here we have also questioned our idea of buying things. Every time you stop for a red light here you are bombarded with about 10 vendors who want to do everything from washing your windows to selling you gum, cups or even rugs! This is how they survive as the unemployment rate here is unofficially I have been told over 30%. We greatly desired to simplify our lives by moving here, but we also understand by buying from these vendors that we help them to survive. Should the our idea on "stuff" be effected by how we benefit the lives of those we aquire it from? By buying we encourage work and not simply provide charity. We don't know. Being here challenges many of the basic frameworks we have developed.

A note for everyone reading: I used to think I insulted a foreigner when I spoke slowly to them like they were a child. Don't think that! We need it. I can just imagine what we must look like everyday as we go into stores with broken Spanish saying things that translate like "I drive to here for later this". Picture that! We so greatly appreciate it when someone takes the time to patient and help us. Some do and some don't. Generally the patient ones are those who want us to buy things from them or friends from the school who only speak Spanish. I encourage you to be patient with those in the states who speak with difficulty. My guess is that they desire to communicate as badly as we do just lack the ability to do it. Like us, they probably find themselves tired and at times frustrated with their inability.

In some ways this world is not so far from mine (Brian) in the states. One of our closest new friends is a sales rep for McMillan McGraw Hill who sells English learning books to colleges. We talk business occassionally and he already brought up the idea that some of his customers would enjoy a presentation from a native English speaker. Go figure Pearson is his biggest competition. On another note, I left my job which would have been selling Science books this year and now it looks like I am going to be the 6th grade Science Teacher at the school. Pray for me in this!