Feliz Navidad a todos! A family from the church has invited me over for a Christmas dinner tonight after Liturgy (Christmas church service). This is the first Christmas that I will be away from family. However, the meaning of Christmas is that Christ is with us. Christ became incarnate and this is the best gift anyone could ever ask for. Although sad and away from home (and SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sad to know that I have a new gorgeous niece that I can't see for a while - congratulations Cory, Christy, Emelia and Gracie!) I have a wonderful Orthodox Church to go to to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas.

Here is a picture of a man who sells Christmas cards on the street. The streets here are sooo crazy and full of last minute shoppers. These cards sell for $150 pesos (25 cents) per card.

It will be weird to have a Christmas full of sunshine and warm weather. Although I would love a little snow on Christmas day I can't complain one bit.

I got my first pay yesterday - $12.500 pesos ($20US)!! I have a small job conversing with people in English. For the moment I enjoy it and look forward to learning more about the people.

December 29th will be my last day in my apartment - it costs way too much and being alone with out Allie has been very tough. (The picture to the right is one view from the 16th floor of my current apartment building - the pool is also up there.) After talking with Matuska Martha, I realized it's not healthy to be without people. People are meant to fellowship with other people. One of the reasons I was so sad is that I would pass most of the days alone. So, I have chosen to live in a hostel type of house with five other people from other countries.

It's in a poorer area. When I was walking through the streets to get there, the spirit of the people was lighter and more vibrant. Not to say that rich people don't have life, but for some reason this area felt more humble, down to earth, and alive. So, I am really excited to share with other people my age and similarly traveling like myself. I can stay there until March when I head back if I want. However, I could change living arrangements one more time.

Anyway, I hope you are all well and Merry Christmas! Christ is Born, Glorify Him!

Yesterday I went to a home for girls. Their parents are very poor, so the girls stay in the capital, are fed and have better opportunities in regards to their education. Father Francisco, his family and the young orthodox group goes almost every Thursday to hang out with them. It was such a blessing to go yesterday.

While I was there I thought one of the girls was shaking my chair, but in fact it was an earthquake between 5.9-6.3 that I was feeling. It was so crazy!!! Also, early this morning I felt 3 more smaller earthquakes. It shook my apartment building, and everything in my room was moving. Thankfully the building I live in is very new and they keep earthquakes in mind when constructing. The security gaurd at my building says there´s more to come. The last huge earthquake in Chile was in 1985.

I will pray that the next huge one isn´t in 2008 or 2009 and enjoy the movements!

Last night I went to a welcome home party for a girl who was in Germany and a part of the church. It was so great b-c they learned our way of playing mafia and it was a lot of fun. Also, we stayed up pretty late talking about the difficulties their church has had and how wonderful the fruits are now. I am so lucky to be a part of this wonderful group. I feel so much at home in this church.

Allie is officially gone. She left yesterday at 5:00 a.m. I miss her a lot. It´s super weird staying here in Santiago in an apartment all by myself. I will miss her a lot and am so thankful that we had at least one month and a half together.

One positive with Allie´s absence is that I pray a lot more. I read a lot more and focus a ton on learning Spanish. Last night I couldn´t sleep b-c it was a Friday night and was watching TV. People who know me know that I rarely watch TV. But, I can watch TV in Spanish and that helps with Spanish comprehension. Anyhow, the things that are on TV are so terrible!!!! For example there was an American reality show that came on. A young man was going on a date with a new girl b-c his mom demanded it due to not liking his current girlfriend. So, while he basically cheating on his girlfriend his mom and current girlfriend are watching his date. While they are watching his date together, they make mean comments to one another. The current girlfriend told his mom that she didn´t like the new girls smile and the mom bickered back at her "well at least her teeth are clean!". This stuff is so stupid, I can´t believe there is even a show like this.

Anyhow, I have done other things than just watch TV. I got up early this morning, went to the gym and realized there was no one in the public lounge-gym area b-c everyone was sleeping from going out Friday night. So, I brought my flute up there and the acustics are AMAZING!!! I even sounded good while playing the flute. I met a guy who makes-sells jewelry the other day named Fransisco. He also is learning to play the flute. he said that he would come with me by the metros to protect me while I play the flute for money. Hahah.... this would be an adventure! I am seriously considering it. I know 2 christmas songs and it´s not uncommon at all to play an instrument to the public to make money. In fact a lot of people travel from restaurant to restaurant either selling or playing their music and later going around to each table to collect money if people feel led to give.

Oh, I have a job conversing with Chileans who want to practice their English conversation skills. I like it so far, just not sure if the company who hired me will pay. They are low on cash flow b-c clients don´t pay, so pray that I am paid!

That´s about it. Hope all is well at home and not having Allie here makes me realize how much I miss everyone at home.

Hugs and kisses!

Our updated address is:

Av. Nueva Lyon 0170
Departamento 416
Comuna Providencia
Santiago, Chile 7510078

Allie and I are eating dinner in our new bedroom in Santiago. The wall we are leaning on is actually our bed. In the background you´ll find out lovely balcony!
Allie is in the kitchen making dinner.




This is our bathroom and seriously that´s all to the apartment. It´s super small, but we have everything we need. It´s been fun b-c it´s the first apartment for both of us. I am looking for a job and have applied for one a the US Embassy. I am learning a lot of Spanish and keep thinking how I could encorporate what I learn here in a Spanish classroom back home. My homesickness has definitely improved now that I am doing what motivates me. Although, it will be super hard to miss Christmas. Our new address is

Nueva Lyon
Edificio 0170, Apartamento 416
Santiago, Chile

Fun stuff!

The room you see is half of our room we've stayed in for the past month and Allie gazing out the window. The wind coming through that window was especially necessary after all the vegetables we ate. You can only imagine how terrible Allie's stinkers were!

Hi everyone from Allie and I. Happy belated Thanksgiving! Here we are at the farm in Catemu, Chile saying we're done here and moving on, we'll see what's next! If you want more details, I have written a book below.......

Here are Allison, Andrea and myself eating our last organic lunch together. Yes, plans have changed. Our schedule for the past month has been good and full of structure. We got up at around 7:30 am every morning, would normally eat organic oatmeal and tea. On Mondays and Thursdays we picked straweberries. Of course we would eat the strawberries if part of it was eaten by ants b/c that wouldn't be a good strawberry to sell to the customers. :) We worked until noon, made a big organic lunch, washed dishes and then rested after. The regular wokers only got an hour for lunch, but Andrea was especially generous in allowing us to rest. Our bodies weren't used to the work, so it was good to rest before going back to work between 2:00 and 3:00. We worked in the greenhouse a lot with cucumbers, green beans, tomatoes, and eggplant. We also labeled jars of jelly, tomato sauce and bags of oregano, dried fruits, etc.

Working with Andrea and at her farm was something I would definitely recommend to people who like this type of work. Andrea is humble, smart, and fun to work for. Her farm is amazing. She has so many different types of crops to work with and the bedroom Allie and I stayed in was down to earth and cozy. However, the plans have changed.

There is a song that describes very much what I am going through right now by KT Tunstall called "Through the Dark". She says, "As I walk away, I look over my shoulder to see what I'm leaving behind, pieces of the puzzle and wishes on eyelashes failed, I used to talk with honest conviction of how I predicted my world, I'm going to leave it and stargaze and see what the telescope says, what's in store for me now, it's coming apart." Parts of the song don't describe my experience to the T. For example, I don't feel that I am going through the dark, rather there's a light that's gone off and I have finally reazlized that farming as a career ins't for me. I have learned so much through this experience that I will take with me, but I feel as if a burden has been taken off of my shoulders in regards to thinking I should be a farmer.

So, Allie has decided to come along and we are going apartment and job shopping this weekend in Santiago. I have missed teaching Spanish or rather focusing on learning Spanish. My new goal for the trip is to learn as much Spanish as I can in the time that's left. I am excited to learn the everyday tasks in Spanish, like going to the grocery store, reading the newspaper, going to church services in Spanish, and hopefully finding a job while working with Chileans. We'll see what happens, but as far as the WWOOF program, it has ended until February. In February Allie and I will visit one more farm for a month. Fishing will be invloved and they are completely self sustainable. We are excited for southern Chile in Feb., but until then we will reside in Santiago.

This is one view of Santiago, Chile. Allie and I met Reda a guy from Morocco. He and I took a bus to the top of one of the "hills" to see this view. I don`t have to describe it, the pictures shows how beautiful it is.
Also, Allie and I stayed a couple of nights at a hostel and met so many people from all around the world. A lot of people quit their jobs to travel the world. I spoke with a guy from England who sold his house and bought a ticket to travel the world for around $2,500. We met some neat people, and also a lot of people who seem pretty lonely. A lot more to say about it, but I have one minute left on the computer!

(Anna typing...) A couple of thoughts of my experience here in Chile:

In life its soooo weird how the grass is always greener on the other side. Here I am in this beautiful country where I get to skip out on the dark winter. I am learning so much Spanish (which I LOVE) and am eating healthier than I ever have. I get to attend an Orthodox service every Sunday and have made some new friends who I will probably keep in touch with forever. What else - so much more! The family whom I am staying with is so great. We have as much hot water a nice bed to sleep in a a great big window to open during the evenings when the wind is blowing - maybe sounds corny, but its one of the smaller more blissful parts of the trip. I have learned 3 new songs on my flute and Allie and I have started exercising and the view is enough to keep me distracted from it being difficult. The work has been good, building new muscles and in nature everyday. I get to eat strawberries and tomatoes while picking the weeds - to add to that organic strawberries and tomatoes.

So, to say all of this - how is it that I still get homesick big time?!?! I miss my friends and family soooo much. I cant believe I wont be there for when Christy and Cory have their new baby! I miss also the little comforts - going to Starbucks whenever I want - I didnt know I was such an addict! The other day I was telling Allie how much I craved Starbucks and I admit I was complaining a lol that day about little things. And, literally while I was complaining Miguelito brought Allie and I fruit to eat and came over just to say hello. Its funny how I am here and have this once in a lifetime experience and I am thinking about Starbucks!!

God is good. I have learned a lot through prayer of how to keep striving to live in the moment. Whether I am happy, sad, excited, bored, etc - to always ask God to have mercy on me a sinner and live in the moment He has given me. Its weird that whever you are - there you are (says Allie). No matter if I am in a wonderful-new country called Chile or in a wonderful-kind of smelly city Indianapolis there I am - all of my good qualities and not so good qualities.

(Allie typing about her experience in general up to this point......)

Yo no sé. Se me olvidó. Confundida.

(I don´t know. I forgot. Confused.)

This is the Orthodox Church we are going to every Sunday. Today we stayed for a community lunch. There is a nice sized group of people our age which has been nice. Everyone has been very hospitable.

The first Sunday we met a couple Carlos and Paulina who are expecting in December. They just started writing Father (now Bishop) Joshua Beecham about the EOC. For those of you who dont know anything about the EOC or of Father Joshua Beecham - Allie and I were part of the EOC (Evangelical Orthodox Church) for most of our lives and converted about 6 years ago to the canonical Orthodox Church. We´ve known Fr. Joshua all of our lives. What a coincidence that we meet a couple in Chile who just started corresponding with a dear friend of ours in Indianopolis!

Here is Allie, Mauricio and Miguel planting peanuts. Notice the mountain (what they call a hill behind them). We are surrounded by hills-mountains like this. When Miguel started guiding the horse to cover the planted peanuts, the horse let out a big fart - it was hilarious!!

Miguel (on the right) invited Allie and I to have `Cazuela' a Chilean soup at their house. Miguel and his family have lived on the farm where Allie and I are working for the past 22 years. They eat outside on this patio when it´s cold, raining, hot, etc. The people in the pictures are his two sons, mother and wife. (Allie typing now) right before this picture was taken Anna was getting up to set up the camera and stepped on the 14-year old dog!!!! The whole family burst into laughter. I think that was the first time I really laughed hard becuase it was the only humor I could understand. Poor dog!

Yummy!

For some reason the pictures arent downloading. But, I wanted to post a picture of some oranges that I just picked from a tree outside the kitchen window and then a picture of the juice we made with the oranges. About 90 percent of what we have been eating is this fresh.

Today while we were working next to Miguels house (Andreas righ hand guy who has been farming since he was 9 years old) cutting onions his wife and mother made us some coffee. So, we took a break and had some coffee with them. Allie did a good job with her Spanish. She asked the grandmother ¨¿Cuántos hijos tiene usted?¨ She replied ¨Tengo 10 hijos.¨ Ay, ay, ay. ¡Muchos!

Allie and I made it safely to Chile. However, we experienced some rough turbulance. It was so bad that we are still finding little pieces of rice stuck in our clothes from the drinks and food flying everywhere. I almost pooped my pants and Allie was the good calm sister even though she admitted later that she was indeed pretty darn scared for her life.

We are headed to a wonderful orthodox church tomorrow. We saw their icon class and a lot of people attend. After church we plan to go to our first farm about 2 hours from the capital. We are staying in a little hotel-hostal where the people are soo nice and speak only Spanish. :) I am trying to speak only Spanish to Allie to her surprise and shes already understanding so much Spanish. However, that does come with frustration and a headache. Lots more to say, but we have to get off the internet. Lots of love from Chile and missing home!

Countdown to Chile...

In less than a week we'll be in Chile- crazy! This Sunday we're having a farewell party and my culo's house and it should be perty tight. hope y'all can make it. four four bobby will be there and she's the coolest of them all. i can't wait to see her. this blog is going to be soooo cool.