La Vida Simple

It´s easy to tell you all that I love it here. The hard part is to explain why. I have been here a month already. I honestly cannot believe it. I just took the final to my first class and have officially finished that class. I really am enjoying myself here, and I´m not sure I can attribute it to just one factor.

Maybe it is the fact that I get to speak the language that I love. I´m a language person. I love to translate and understand the different ways to say different things. My favorite part of the day isn´t when I check my facebook that is in English or talk to people who speak English. My favorite part is when I can sit down and talk with my familia tica or a friend that only speak Spanish. I love shocking people when I suddenly bust out in a language that they assume I can´t understand due to my pale skin and red hair.

Maybe it is the fact that I have met some amazing people down here. My friends down here from the states are by far amazing. My familia tica cracks me up because now we are past the awkward stage of getting to know each other and can now joke around and tell stories. I just found a local bar where they only speak Spanish and made best friends with two of the owners who are more than happy to joke around. I pass by different people everywhere I go and am able to smile and converse. Honestly, the people have made this past month for me.

Maybe it is the fact that here my life is simple. Back in the states, there is something wrong if I am not doing something from the moment I wake up to the moment I place my head on my pillow. I am an expert at being overworked and exhausted from classes, work, clubs, ministries, and whatever else I pile onto my plate. That is just how I have always been. Here, though, I get up everyday and sit down for breakfast with my companera de casa and my mamatica. I go to class in the morning and then have the afternoons free. I sometimes to go the orphanage to volunteer or to various bible studies or dance classes. I meet up with friends, go to the park, or just sit and soak in the culture here. My only real commitment is dinner at 7 with my companera de casa. Weekends are free too for excursions or day trips. I don´t have any long standing obligations here. I´m not in charge of anything or anyone. If I decide that I just want to watch El extrano mundo de Jack (Nightmare before Christmas) in Spanish, ningún problema. Even though sometimes I do really miss those days where I feel accomplished because I did 15 different things in a matter of hours, having a break is amazing.

While I may not be able to put my finger on one reason that I like being here, I do know one thing: I am a ok with just going with it and living la vida simple.