Numero Tres

As most of you have noticed, Libby seems to be posting way more frequently than I. It's mostly because I'm having some internet troubles and can't always find a place to connect to. Either way, I'm posting as often as I can. This trip has been way more challenging to me than I thought it was going to be. This trip has really made me use the (little) Spanish that I learned from the states. I'm learning every single day how little I truly know. At times it can become extremely overwhelming to think that I can barely speak the language of the people in this country, but I keep telling myself that I will learn and that I won't wake up one day and know everything. I'm going to have to work on it. I finished my first homework assignment and to say that it is the most well written piece of literature would be a complete overstatement. For me, I don't think I could have done better at this point, but I have TONS of room for improvement. The way I look at it is, I have the vocabulary of about a four year old trying to do homework that is made for a college student. Sooner or later I'm going to get extremely repetitive and sound like I don't really know anything. I'm not too worried, I think that the teachers will understand, and hey, if I get the worst grade in the class I won't be too worried. If I were to put everyone in this group on a ranking system in terms of how much they know Spanish, I think I might possibly be very last on that list. Libby may argue that point, but I (and everyone else on the trip) know that her Spanish is WAY better than she gives herself credit for. In my mind it doesn't worry me because I've taken a total of one class in Spanish before this and I took French(useless) in high school. At times I wonder how much I can truly help these people if I can't even speak their language (oh ya, btw the people in the town we are working at speak Spanish and Quechua). I try to tell myself that I'm doing good, but sometimes it doesn't quite feel that way. I know that I have to break through this tough period if I want to come out on the other side and be successful. The other day we were in class talking about development. In my mind the development process is not the act of giving people material items that they need, it's giving them the hope and reason to be happy with their life and themselves. What I tried to communicate in class was that, without Love and Happiness, we have nothing. We don't need anything other than that. People can argue about money and material items but I think of it this way. Even if you don't have a home or food everyday, if you have love from another person what more do you truly need. It's hard to really say that from my point of view, because I have so much, but I guess I can try. Without support and love from everyone, I have nothing. Alright, time to head back to my house for lunch. Combi time!! I'll share that story another day. Talk to you soon!!

~Andy