Wooooowwwww.

I am a really good blogger.

Big Booty

Today we had a few classes. During one of the classes, we decided we needed to do a "spiritual exercise": a rousing game of Big Booty followed. It was amazing. God is good :)

Me pican las piernas

So much has happened since I got here! Let’s take a journey into yesteryear, shall we? Saturday: the day of arrivals. Sunday: the day of arrivals for other people but not for me!! I got up nice and early, 5:30 never hurt anyone, right? I finally fell asleep again after having to try heartily for about an hour. And then I woke up again! So Irena and I made our way down to breakfast and coffee. We went to a local church, and it was AWESOME!!! The service was very cool. They actually had someone get up and translate the service because they noticed all of us gringos there (naturally, I tried to ignore the translator and rely upon the Spanish). The service was challenging, encouraging, and (most importantly) air conditioned. I met the base security guard at church (whom I later impressed with my sarcasm and natural wit), his name is Alfredo, “like Alfredo sauce.” I currently have about 1.98 x 10³⁶ mosquito bites on my legs, and it is taking every ounce of strength in me to not scratch the heck out of them right now. Grandma, we don’t have bed bugs, but apparently we have mosquitoes. Sunday continued with a nice run along the boardwalk ( in the middle of the day in Mexico.. I was really using my brain when I decided to do that!) and a lovely time at Los Pinos with two girls who are traveling from YWAM base to base until December (Sharon and Ashley). I really enjoyed myself. Then we had dinner and eventually made our way out to the plaza for coffee. On our walk back, we passed a huge hangout area for local families. On the weekends it is super crowded. Clowns, dancing, boys jumping off of a cliff into the water with little torches, all the good stuff. Oh! And a crazy man who would lean back and yelp, “Ayayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyeee perros calientes!!!!” It was super fascinating and a great chance to see into the life of a local. We went to bed (sleeping- my anti-drug) and woke up every few minutes as the air conditioner would kick on. It is a lovely thing.

Monday was a great day, too. It started like the others: waking up much too early, breakfast, and then wanting to be in bed. At 9 we had an all-base worship session; it was a really cool time to praise God and get to do so with the rest of the base. Heather, the director of the base, prayed with me (talk about a really moving time). After that two hour time, we students had our first “class.” I love this kind of class (to an extent): ice breakers, talking, and doing some sweet trick with a  broom. Then we had lunch and a good chunk of free time. Naturally, I zipped down to the beach as soon as I heard the words “free time.” I read a book there for a good hour (I’m turning into my sister!) and came back… and read the book for another hour in the pool (suffering for the Lord… with an in-ground pool). All of us students met up at 4:30 for a tour of the city. Again, gotta love walking when it’s beastly hot out. However, it was really good to get familiar with the area. I love it!!!! We came back, had a fabulous dinner, and then had registration night. I don’t know what I love more than paperwork. Except everything. Then, we hit the hay pretty early (my dream come true!). And so begins the eternal process of sleeping, waking up to the air conditioner, sleeping, hearing the lovely machine, and, of course, trying to force myself into more sleep (naturally, I kindly agreed to the idea of more sleep). Seriously, my legs are driving me nuts. I am actually denying myself turning on the fan as though that is weakness and will lead me to scratch my legs. Oh. My. Word. ¡Me pican las piernas!!! Well, breakfast happened, and this blog-writing happened. Now, I feel you should all know that, although I am an excellent specimen with particularly great attributes, I will likely give in to my itchy legs in about 17 seconds… and itch the heck out of them. I love you all. But more than that, I love having not itchy legs. 

¡Viva México!

Obviously, we have a rapist in Lincoln Park. But really, did you expect me to not reference Antoine Dodson in some way? Even more obviously, it was difficult to say the final good byes to the world I know, the family that I love so much. Still, while I am sad to not be with my family right now, I cannot help but feel incredibly excited for what lies ahead. Now, I must put some of myself into this and therefore must include some frivolous details in everything i write. The first flight of today, Green Bay to Chicago, was quite the experience. While it only lasted 36 minutes, I gained at least 42 minutes of memories. In typical Kealey (actually, Andrea) style, I was the final passenger to board the plane- gimme a break, why would I need to be on the plane any longer than 13 minutes before take off? So the lead flight attendant is doing her announcing thing as I make my way onto the aircraft carrier (that’s official air plane lingo). I am not the tallest person I know, but I am relatively tall. Well, picture me walking onto a plane that is certainly no more than ten feet wide in the interior with my enormous (and incredible- thanks, Grammy Squeeze!) backpack while the flight attendant is trying to perform her official duties. Basically what I’m saying is that I looked super cool. Then she stops announcing, leans over to me, and says, “Maybe we should put that beneath the plane.” Really, ma’am? Does it look a little large for this midget-mobile plane? However, it was quite a bonus for me because I didn’t have to proceed to hunt own an open cabinet and then attempt to shove the mammoth backpack into the tiny space. I found my seat and began to settle in, which is a process and yes, quite necessary. I quickly sorted through what I would need for the flight and what could be placed beneath the seat in front of me (see? I am a good passenger sometimes.). Across the aisle from me, which in this plane is a few mere inches, sits a man about Grandpa’s age in a bright purple golf polo. And judging by the vibrant red shade of his skin, he was headed down south for some golf (important detail? Oh, you just wait and see.). He begins to look at me in a very analytical way, as though assessing whether or not I am fit to be flying. Sir, I can so do this flying thing. Maybe not gracefully, but still. His quizzical gazes kept making their way over to me for the entire trip (yeah, the whole 36 minutes). Now, if you grew up in a family like I did, you simply assume that all people employ common courtesy, things like “ladies first” and such. And now for some stereotyping, I totally assumed that this older man would be traditional or polite despite my lack of poise when entering the plane. But he slid his little tan foot out into the aisle right when we landed, slowly moved his belongings into the aisle, looked at me, and stood up long before it was actually time to exit the plane in order to swiftly exit. I talked to Dad after, and he suggested that the man may not have even known he was staring. Either way, I really hope he wears sunscreen wherever he is going; melanoma is no joke. Moving on, I exit the tiny-town express and make my way to the next gate. Thanks to Mamma’s passion for moving and going (it’s a good thing!), I spent my layover time wakling back and forth in the concourse. And passed about 6 Starbucks stores. And I only went through concourses F and B! Crazy stuff, that coffee. Makes me think of my Laura. I love you! And to all of you Wisconsin friends and family members, I imagined passing your home or dorm as the plane soared above the lovely state. And I blew kisses to a select few as the plane began the descent (you special few, you know who you are [you see, the trick is to not tell anyone you blew them kisses, because then this comment applies to everyone who reads it and thinks it applies to him or her] {but really, one kiss was for you}). Then I hopped on the plane to Houston (en route now) and found that a flight attendant had been missing (apparently that’s an issue for airlines?) which caused a fair amount of fluster for the other workers. It was a mini-comedy for the first few minutes, hearing the gentleman firmly suggest over the intercom that we all keep moving quickly and get the heck out of the aisles. Another flight attendant told a lady in front of me, “Listen, I have worked very hard to make this flight amazing, so just sit down.” Now there’s a man who takes his work seriously! Here comes the drink lady; I could so go for some ginger ale.

What if the whole airplane broke into dance? But not just dance, and not just a free-style dance party. I mean all out: choreographed, singing, and Jai Ho as the song. Seriously, that would be the best experience of my life (on a plane, anyway). Think about it. Consider it. Write a letter to the airline and propose it. Because I really would love to see that. And be a part of it. For real.

It is incredible here. I got off the aeroplane, went through customs and grabbed my luggage, and came out of the gates to meet Jared and Montse (two staff from my DTS!)! They are both incredibly cool people. Then we proceded out into real Mazatlan: unbearable heat and instant sweating J. We waited for another student, Susanna, to arrive and then headed to the base. It was so cool to see the city from the eyes of a local as opposed to a tourist. Two guys came up to the car at a stop light, hopped onto the hood of the car, and started scrubbing down the windshield! Well, all we had on us was a couple pesos and a quarter. So hey, happy quarter to those guys! The base is awesome, the staff is so cool, and there are about 13 of us students (a small school for the base compared to the typical 20-some students). I am finally (mostly) settled into the room. It is gonna be weird, but that is what is so exciting about it! Today Lape comes; she is our sixth girl! The best part about our room: I have the bed next to the air conditioner (so from the hours of 9 pm to 7 am, you can expect to find me in my bed right by the beautiful thing). I wanted a different bed that was by the window and was all bummed to find that someone else wanted it. But God is good; He knew that I would do so much better by the air conditioner J. Irena, a German student (yes, I am pulling out every stinkin’ German word I know), told me that if I was too cold I could turn off the air conditioner… these girls don’t know me yet: cold is not a problem for me (Grams and Gramps could attest to that!). I love you all and will do my best to actually fill you in on things you care about as opposed to the trivial things that make me so excited J I love you all! [Insert stylish “sign off” kissy face and hand gestures like Glozell does]