I MADE IT!

Well, I made it.

It is Sunday morning and I am writing this post from a room in the church building that I am staying in until I have an apartment to rent. We were delayed about an hour leaving Miami but all is well I am now in my new city of La Paz. This is surreal. And turns out it is NOT a dream after all. It is a reality. I woke up this morning and I am STILL in La Paz.

The hospitality that I have experienced so far has been amazing. Three people picked me up from the airport and we took some photos. Then they brought me to this room in the church where I am staying and in the room waiting on me was some bottled water, lots of Christmas cards that were handmade for me by the youth and children of the church, and a little small Christmas tree with lights on it. (My little “arbolito”)

I took an altitude sickness pill about 45 minutes before we landed and that definitely helped me with the altitude adjustment. Also, I have already had several glasses of Coca tea which helps with the altitude and helps settle my stomach.

Willy (the pastor of Cristo Rendentor Church), Giovana (His wife) and Estéfani (their daughter) treated me to some nice soup for lunch. There goal is to start me out light to get my stomach used to some of the foods here. Apparently, New Years Eve is going to be an all out food fest so they are going to work me up to that. Also, there is an amazing Bolivian woman, Dina, who lives here and takes care of the place and she prepares food for me as well. She had breakfast prepared for me this morning. She wants me to teach her kids English.

I spent the afternoon yesterday with the youth of the church here. I broke out the Nintendo Wii and I also got to join them for their talk. It is cool to meet them and experience the strength of their faith in God. It puts me to shame. And they are fifteen.

The biggest thing that I have already noticed is the pace of life here. It is just so much more laid back than I am used to. I knew it would be but it hits you square in the face. You cannot rush things here. Granted, I just got here this weekend and I am trying to rest but still you are forced to enjoy the passage of time here. I dig it. I am not comfortable with it yet but I dig it.

I will attend church today and then tomorrow I will hopefully purchase my cell phone and start looking at a few apartment options. There is nothing else that I can do except take it one day at a time.

Oh, and it has been non-stop Spanish since I arrived. I have hardly spoken any English at all since I got here and it is exhausting. Don’t get me wrong, I see my Spanish improving quickly but it was just like someone pressed the “SAP” button on my life or something.

But all that being said I have a smile on my face from ear to ear. It is true joy. This is exactly where I want to be. I think that God might have brought me here just so that I would fall more in love with Him.

Thanks for your prayers and support to get me here.

Miguel