Spirit Week BBQ

Spirit Week here ROCKS!

Today's final festivities wrapped up with a field day, early release from school, BBQ and Battle of the Bands. It literally ROCKED! Lots of amazing talent around these parts.

Here are a few snapshots from the BBQ:

Freshman wore green, Sophomores red, Juniors blue and Seniors black. Unfortunately, because my kids are not on Facebook, and that is the way the kids here share school news, they didn't get class shirts.... Irritating...

Whatever, it didn't phase them.

Battle of the Bands

Watching the performances, eating and hanging with friends. 

Alex's friends didn't stick around long, but he had his Kindle - so he was content to just read and listen to the music.

Much More Brutal

The game of 'futbol' is much more intense here in Chile. Pretty much anything is legal. Pushing - fine. Pulling - fine. Elbows - fine. They call offsides, hand balls, and out of bounds. Other than an overly deliberate punch to the face, you're pretty much good. This makes me grateful that my son is in the box; Because I tell you what - if one of those kids started manhandling my kid like that - we'd have words...

However, even the keeper isn't safe:

Here we see Andrew as the goal keeper, stopping an oncoming shot by the other team.

Watch this guy in red

There - see that? See how he is using his HANDS and ELBOWS to try and knock the ball out of my son's hands? Yeah, at home - the keeper is protected. You can't make contact like that without a penalty.

See how the guy is now laying on top of my kid? Back off dude.

It doesn't even phase Andrew. He makes the save and rolls with it (literally).

Here he is again - "sacrificing himself for the ball" (Thanks for that little tidbit of advice Uncle Ryan)

We may have lost by 1 goal - but they sure as heck didn't score when Andrew was in the box. That kid was ON FIRE I tell you! ON FIRE!

School Spirit Week

My kids have adjusted to life here without a hitch. Maybe I am speaking too soon. Maybe I should knock on wood or something...

Seriously, so far so good. They were immediately brought into the fold at church and fit right in there.

They have also found their place at school. They are both involved in out-of-school activities and are busy-busy every single night.

School for them is different here, but not as different as it could be. They attend Nido de Aguilas  (which translates to Nest of the Eagle). As Eagles, they find themselves among a variety of kids.

50% of the school's population are considered Chilean, meaning they have residency here in Chile. That doesn't necessarily mean that they are of Chilean decent. There are about 400 kids total in 9th-12th grades, meaning around 100 students per grade level. They typically have 8-12 kids in each of their classes with the maximum class size being 15.

The kids here are academically focused. All of them. I had an 8th grader talk about the stress he is under to get on the swim team because it will look good on his college application for him to have a "better rounded school experience" apparently "good grades and volunteer work will not cut it". What??? College prep as an 8th grader? Let's just say - it's a major focus here.

Many of Andrew's peers are excited to go to the east coast and tour colleges for their Week Without Walls school trip. Andrew just can't understand that. Why tour colleges when you could go to the Galapagos? I have to laugh, because my husband and I totally agree with him. Touring colleges is important, but the Galapagos is a once in a lifetime experience.

Their friends are from all different areas of the world. Andrew said that he has made friends with a couple of Chilean natives, one boy from the US (Puerto Rico) and the rest of his friends are from all around the world. Australia, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, etc. etc. He said all of his friends speak at least 2 languages. They all speak English (the school is taught in english), Spanish and usually a minimum of one other language - many 2 others.

It has been a great experience for my kids to realize that families relocate across the globe all the time. It isn't just something our family has done. It also helps to have them in an environment where "popularity" isn't really the focus. Grades and learning about one another's cultures are a big part of the experience here. The kids accept each other openly and freely. They don't have the luxury of being 'clickish' because they aren't here that long.

I know - it's high school. Status and clicks are a part of the school. You can't put a group of teenagers together and not find that. Here however, it seems to be less of a focus. They all worry like crazy about their grades, about preparing for the IB exams. Academics is the focus here and that, my friends, is a great thing for my boys to be a part of.

Yesterday, Andrew played on the Varsity team for one of the tournament games:

and Alex had swim practice:

Today is 3D Printing Club for Alex where they will continue printing 3D objects. Being involved in these out of school activities has been a real help in the transition process. They have made friends and feel a part of a group. 

This week is also spirit week for the High School. It is a week full of grade level competition. Monday was skit day. Each grade level was given the theme "High School Musical" and the junior class had Andrew be the main character. I am hoping a video will appear on youtube soon so that I can see it.

Today is birth country spirit day (our kids are wearing red, white, and blue). They had a pizza eating and karaoke contest at lunch. Alex sent a video. You'll have to follow the link to youtube to see it: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjRozjFn_1U

Tomorrow is speech day. The kids will rotate through classes listening to presentations given by students - all day. No 'real' classes tomorrow. 

I'm not sure what Thursday will bring, but Friday is the high school BBQ sponsored by the PTA. School is released an hour early and students enjoy food and a "Battle of the Bands" competition. What a fun week.

Nido does a great job of bringing the kids together in a safe and fun way. Cheering on your classmates as they stuff their faces with pizza builds much needed unity in a school that is constantly changing. We are grateful to be a part of this amazing community.  

Time Flies!

I had another little 'moment' last week. On Thursday night, after getting visas and ID cards all afternoon, then sending Greg off to work to only discover that he'd invited some people to come "see our house" on Saturday - I had a bit of a meltdown. Meltdown isn't the right word. Meltdown implies a melting into the floor - mine was more of an explosion. It was a ranting and raving, crying fit. Big difference. But I got that out of my system. We made a better plan (the mom does everything plan wasn't working for me) and moved on with our weekend.

Friday night, we sent Andrew off with the missionaries, Alex stayed home playing video games with cousins online, and Greg and I went for sushi. He even let me go to MY favorite sushi place. Honestly, we go to my favorite sushi place every weekend. The waiter knows us - they even bring us a different little appetizer/tasting plate each week 'on the house' so that we can try new things. I love that! Plus they have this "sopa de dia" that is TO DIE FOR! It's a fish soup with shrimp, salmon, etc. etc. I'll know that I've got the whole spanish thing under my belt when I can go to this place and order this soup to go - I would eat it every day for lunch. It is that good. 

We try new sushi every time we go. This time, we got this type that was rolled in cucumber. It was pretty tasty. 

On Saturday, the whole family pitched in (mostly Greg) to clean the house. We needed it "can we come look through your house so that we know what to expect when the company moves us to Chile" clean. My rant last Thursday included the irritation that Greg has yet to call and schedule the nana... but I'm sure he'll put it on his to do for this week. Needless to say, he offered to help pick up the slack. So we got the house in order and headed to the grocery store.

I shared the story from last week, when I went to the store alone and this happened:

Remember that? When I couldn't remember how to ask for a half kilo of lunch meat, so had to order a full kilo --- keep in mind 1 kilo is just over 2 pounds. I put the stack-o-meat next to the salt shaker so that you can fully grasp the enormity of this pile. It was a lot of meat. Needless to say, I can get some things alone at the store, but I'm not quite at the point that I can do my "big shopping" alone yet. Baby steps.

Saturday night brought our second Chilean BBQ. Last week we had a BBQ with Ignacio and his family. Saturday's was with a family from Greg's work, Roberto and Ignacia. [They were kind enough to start it early to accommodate the families from the US - we met around 8:30pm.] You might remember Roberto and Ignacia from our trip to the beach.

With the arrival of this family that may be the next to move to Chile and another US employee, it seemed only fitting to get everyone together. We were joined by three additional couples from the office down here.

This BBQ was quite different than the one we attended last weekend. It was less 'traditional' in the sense that he used a BBQ grill that you would find in the states. The food was a little different. Rather than just sausages around the grill, we had appetizers that included ceviche and a sweet peppered cream cheese on crackers. The sausages were not the same fat stumpy ones served last weekend, but rather a small thin little link. Very good - just different. The sausages were still however, served as part of the appetizer. For the main meal, we all went inside and ate in the dining room on glass plates with cloth napkins. A vast difference from standing around the grill and eating with your hands. The thing is; I love both ways!

I loved the family feel of standing around a warm fire and eating together, but I also love to sit down to a nice gourmet dinner. It was a wonderful evening.

I must admit, that I find myself feeling left out. The family that may move down here next speaks spanish. The wife, Lorie, is Mexican and they only speak spanish in their home (even though they live in Minnesota). Their little kids speak spanish.

I find myself longing to talk to people. Most of them speak enough english to carry on a decent conversation. However, only shallow - pleasantries. This lady, Lorie is a very nice person. She speaks perfect english, so she and I had some real conversations about what it's been like for me here. (It will be easier for her, because she speaks the language.) But Saturday night, as she sat there and laughed with everyone telling the story about how she and her husband met, talking in depth about her family (her brother is a bullfighter in Mexico); I found myself jealous.

Sharing intimate details about yourself is what establishes closeness - friendships. There she sat after only one hour, becoming friends with these people. I've been here two months and they know that my kids are adjusting well. They don't know my story and I don't know theirs. I am still the outsider. I hate feeling like the outsider. I want to be friends with these people, too...

*Sigh... It will come. Maybe. Maybe not. In the scheme of things, it doesn't matter. But in the moment, it stinks. We wrapped up about 1:00am and headed home. I was exhausted. Trying to follow the spanish is mentally exhausting, and 1am is waaay past my bedtime!

Sunday started with the regular church meetings and then another Chilean BBQ with a great family from our ward; the Clarks.

Henry Clark. The most US sounding name for a full-on Chilean man. His family has had open arms from our very first visit here back in April. I felt an immediate connection with his wife. I adore her. She speaks very limited english, but is always willing to try and ALWAYS has a genuine hug and big smile when I see her. Henry is a crack up. He speaks quite a bit of english. He is such a character. I love the way that they adore each other. He introduced his wife to us as "the most beautiful woman in all the world, and I am so lucky she lets me be her husband". I hear his voice as I type it with it's broken sounding english. She blushes and slaps him on the arm. They are adorable. They have 4 little girls and a baby boy. We were excited to get to know them better.

Dinner in their apartment was vastly different yet again. Their apartment is tiny and inviting. We sat at the table as there isn't a sofa of any kind. Baby corn, bamboo shoots, rice, black beans,  avocado slices, guacamole, pealed and sliced tomatoes (completely Chilean), a salad were all out on the table when we arrived. The fat little sausages were brought out from the kitchen with hot toasted bread. Then a huge silver disposable metal pan (like what you put in chafing dishes) was brought out and sat in the center of the table. It was filled with meat. Pork, roasted chicken, bbq chicken, peppered chicken, ribs, and more sausage. It was a feeding frenzy. The missionaries were there and ate a ton. My Andrew ate a ton. We all ate until we were stuffed to the gills and there was still food left.

Then came the desserts. This amazing layered raspberry cake, brownies, and these amazing little pieces of heaven:

I'll be completely honest. I've never tasted something so delicious. Apparently, both the husband and wife work at the place that makes these little delights. She sent me home with a box. It is a graham cracker filled with manjar (that carmel/dulce-de-leche stuff) and dipped in very good chocolate. When I cut one in half and went to get the camera, it was all I could do to not take a bite. My mouth watered while I walked in the other room to grab the camera. Usually I take one or two pictures, and maybe rearrange the plate to be sure I get a good shot. Not this time. This was the only picture I took then dove in. I promised myself I would only eat one a day. OK, maybe two...

It was such a great weekend. We finished up with an adult meeting at church. I don't get much out of the meetings (the whole spanish language thing) but I find that if I put myself in the right places, I get something out of the meetings. Thoughts and impressions come to my mind that I need to know. Last night, I came away from the meeting with the impression that I need to think about our time here in Chile like you do the time you have with your children.

When you have little kids, it seems like every single day is an eternity. Not a day goes by that there isn't some type of 'event' that make you laugh or cry - sometimes both at the same time. But then you blink and they're 14 and 16 year old and in high school. Our stay in Chile will be gone before we know it. I need to enjoy our time here - good and bad. I need to savor every minute and appreciate everything, because before I know it, this to, will be just a memory. 

Dirty Shoes

 Dirty "church" shoes are pretty symbolic.

They show that you've been out on the streets. They show that you've put in some time walking. They show that you have been laboring in the Lord's work.

We belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In our faith, young men leave to serve a full-time mission for 2 years when they turn 19. Here in Chile, the age for departure is 18 due to various reasons that I won't delve into here. Young women who are desirous to serve the Lord, can also serve full-time missions at age 21.

My oldest is 16 1/2. We are only a few short years away from that launch date. If we remain here in Chile, that date just becomes that much closer.

As a mother, you want more than anything for your children to serve the Lord in this capacity. It is an opportunity for them to grow and learn. It is an opportunity for them to devote 100% of their life to doing the work of our Heavenly Father without any distractions from the world. To walk in His shoes, doing His work. It makes young boys become men. Through blessing the lives of others, they receive so much in return. They become stronger in their faith. They understand how to rely on the Lord for daily decisions. They learn independence and become confident that they can do whatever the Lord lays out for them. *That doesn't mean that as mothers, we aren't completely terrified to send them off. It takes just as much faith on OUR part. We have to trust in the Lord and in His plan, too!

Preparing to serve a full-time mission is a life-long process, but as you get closer and closer, the preparations take on new meaning. At 16 years of age, these young boys have the opportunity to go on "splits" with the full-time missionaries. Missionaries are always in twos. Always. You may have seen them on the streets, walking or biking, white shirts and ties with the recognizable black name tag on their chest. However, sometimes, they need to be in two places at once. So they invite other men from the ward to go as their companion for the night.

Andrew was invited along last Friday night.

I took him over to the church building at 8pm where he met the missionaries outside. The Elders, which is how we refer to the male missionaries, in our area don't have a car. Many areas do not.

There are a few things to note at this point. When we first drove to the area in which our church building is located, where I am dropping my baby off at 8:00 at night, my kids thought it was "pretty sketch". It is more of a traditional Chilean neighborhood. It resembles more of an area that you would think you would find in Latin America. It doesn't look that different than a main street in Mexico.

All night and day, there are lots of people out walking in this downtown area of Lo Barnechea. Dogs wandering around. Homes that are much more humble in comparison than those we are used to seeing. People carrying their groceries. I love everything about it. My kids feel very "gringo" when we are in the area. There, we stick out like sore thumbs. Around the city, there are quite a few "european faces". In these more humble areas, it's mostly dark hair and olive skin.

I was surprisingly calm dropping my son off on the corner in the middle of this unknown area of town. But there was peace that came with placing him in the care of the Lord. He was paired with Elder Reiber. I like to call him "Justin Beiber". He's a blonde guy from Utah with a great sense of humor. Absolutely, NOT Chilean. His companion fits in a little better. He's from the US too, Texas,  but his mother is Mexican, so his dark hair and darker skin sticks out a little less. The other two elders from our ward are from Chile and Nigera, but the two of them do not speak any english. So Andrew was paired with Reiber.

They went to three appointments. The first was with a family that was very humble. They lived in a lean-to type home. Andrew said that it was one big room with a fire in the middle. He talked about how warm and inviting their home was. Andrew explained it as a lean-to version of a town home, as there were three homes connected by adjoining walls. Other members of their family lived in the other two adjoining sections.

Andrew immediately loved these people. He said that they really wanted to know about him. They spoke in very simple, slow spanish and he was able to understand and answer them "with one and two words".  They had a great visit with this family and then headed up the mountain to another appointment. He said at each place they fed them. The final appointment was back at the same lean-to, just at the opposite end. This place fed them homemade pizza.

He had such a positive experience. Elder Reiber's enthusiasm is contagious and Andrew caught the missionary bug. They've asked if he would be available this week and he was eager to join them again.

What a great experience this move to Chile has been for him. At home, in Arizona, we have one pair of missionaries for our entire stake. This means that they come to our home for dinner about once a year, if we're lucky. Here, we have them at least every-other week. My boys have a personal relationship with these Elders. They are there in the Sunday school class to translate for them so that they can understand the lessons taught. What an amazing service these missionaries have given to our family. They talk to my boys about the joy that they feel serving the Lord. They encourage them to take advantage of this time in Chile and what an amazing opportunity it is. They are still 19-20, so they're not too much older than my boys and for some reason, that opinion sometimes means a little more.

They talk to my boys about how you think you have priorities and a plan for your life, but then when you go on your mission, you find out that none of that really matters. Serving a mission helps you to KNOW what direction your life should go. "Prepare yourself now" they say. "Don't worry about those little things" they say. "Serving the Lord will bless your life in more ways than you can count" they say. What a great influence they are and have been in the lives of my teenage boys.

My future missionary:

What next?

We went downtown with our entire family to get our visas yesterday. (Yes, we had to pull the kids out of school) If I ran this country, things would be a lot simpler and make a whole heck of a lot more sense. I'm not sure who came up with this system - but it's ridiculous.

We've already waited in line at the RUT office when we first got here to apply for our RUT numbers. We were issued a temporary number and when our permanent RUT arrived, our Relocation Specialist, Paz, picked them up for us and delivered them to Greg's office.

Now that we have our permanent RUTs, we have to go get our resident visas (the kids and I are currently here on travel visas). This means that at 7:15am, on one of the coldest days since we've been here, snow-flurry-cold, we have the cab drop us off at the visa building so that we can stand outside waiting in line before the place even opens. When we got in line, it was already around the side of the building. They open the doors at 8am to let people file inside and wait in chairs. At 8:30, their official "opening time",  we were given numbers and sent to different rooms.

We then wait for our number to be called to get our visa. Unfortunately, they were training an entirely new staff of people today. 1st day for all of them. The lady put my visa sticker in Alex's passport among other things. Finally we get it right and then we have to wait again for a stack of passports to form and justify someone running slowly walking while visiting with her friends, them up to the 'man upstairs' who signs them and then they bring them back to us.

We're trying to hurry as fast as we can because there is a scheduled protest at noon in that area. So we decide speed walking to the next location, 7-8 blocks away will be faster than a cab. We arrive at this police station type place, get another number and wait again. We then get to the counter, get our photos taken and this lady makes a mistake on my paperwork. That gets fixed and we head to the next location.

**Thank goodness for our Relocation Specialist, Paz. We wouldn't have known where to go, or even what mistakes to look for. She saved us hours upon hours of time.

Paz is continually checking and rechecking the paperwork. We take 2 cabs (they only hold 4 people and we had 5 with Paz) to the final building and it's just after 11. While in line, she goes through the paperwork for like the bazillionth time and finds an error in Andrew's. The last lady at the police place, made a mistake on his. So she takes him back and we remain in line. They take a cab, only to be told that he will only go so far because of the protests. So he drops them 2 blocks away.

They then hoof it the remaining two blocks and see the protestors beginning to gather. Andrew said that there were several SWAT vans that pulled up and several police officers completely surrounding the protestors with shields.

They get Andrew's paperwork fixed and head back to us. We're still in line. Finally it's our turn. We sign paperwork. I say that yes, I'll donate my organs if I am to be killed here, blah, blah. Then have to be fingerprinted in another area = another line.

This lady inked my fingers from the middle knuckle up - all 10 - then hands me 2 paper towels. You are supposed to go out of her office and use this lotion stuff and your 2 puny paper towels to get 65 gallons of ink off your hands. Not possible. I've smeared this lotion on my hands and am now a black mess. Thank goodness I had a pack of tissues in my pocket and the tissues are actually multi-folded napkins. No bathrooms at this place. No sink. I do my best and help the kids with their blackened fingers.

Then Paz comes and tells me I need to resign some paperwork because the lady has made a mistake. Again? So I go back, still blackish, and re-sign. We get out of there around 12:30. The protests should be well underway. Paz recommends taking the subway and staying out of the streets. So we follow her advice and ride the subway through 10 stops before getting out and hailing a cab.

We later learned that this "protest" was the worst in 30 years. They are basically just destructive. They destroyed everything in a 5 block radius. Windows all broken, street signs torn down - cars beaten. What a mess!

We are so grateful to have had a knowledgable guide. Without Paz to walk us through and check our documents, we'd have been sent back so many times after waiting in enormous lines. Then we'd have gotten trapped in the middle of the protests. That is not something we want to get caught in. Apparently, the police pull everyone and check their documentation. A run-in with the Police is not our idea of a good time.

We celebrated our new visa status with lunch at Burger King:

What a Day...

You know those days. The ones that seem to never end, but go by in a flash all at the same time? That was my yesterday. It wasn't all bad - there were good points - but the crazy just seems to have outweighed the good.

Seminary was good. I moved a few kids around to allow for better participation in class. I have a sleeper (one who can sleep sitting up in class) and a wiggler (one who needs redirection). I think moving them a little closer to me helped. A soft touch on the arm easily refocused and woke up my two new neighbors.

I attended the first Booster Club meeting and met some great women. I also signed up to chair the Booster Club, which is essentially the PTA presence at the High School. It is more of a coordinator role. There are several subcommittee chairs that handle the hard stuff. Someone heads up athletics, academics, aquatics, concessions, merchandising, etc. I just coordinate them, their budgets and sit as the Booster Club rep on the PTA board. I am looking forward to getting to know more of the parents and teachers around campus. I am a firm believer that involvement directly correlates to a student's success.

Anyway - so far so good.

Then I went to the school cashier.

I needed to pay for Alex's swim team. It costs 5UF. UFs are some kind of currency that doesn't fluctuate or something - I don't know. It just seems confusing. We're in Chile - ask for pesos. Annoying. So 5UF is actually $112.797CP (yesterday), so about $230USD. Which is fine. We pay sports fees in that realm all the time in the US. But for some reason, when I am spending $60,000USD a year for a school, you'd think they would allow your kid to be on the swim team for a little less than that. You'd also think that at this $60,000USD ENGLISH speaking school, that they would require their MAIN STAFF to speak english. I don't care if the gardner or lunch lady isn't fluent, but the cashier - should be required to speak at least some english.

Well, she's not. And she doesn't. And she closes at 3:00 - regardless if people are in line. Keep in mind, the dismissal bell doesn't ring until 3:10. So she closes BEFORE school gets out. Really?

Monday, I attempted to pay this 5UF bill. I stood in line (3 people in front of me) only to have her close the curtain on all three of us. We were all astonished. We couldn't believe it.

So day 2, I went after my meeting and got in line at 2:00 - plenty of time. As I stood in line, I realized that there was an Asian woman in line, translating into spanish for an english speaking woman. It is at this point, I think that this cashier's english must not be very good. After a lengthy transaction, they finish up and the woman in front of me gets to the window. Only she's not there to use the cashier services - oh no - she's there to personally purchase something from the woman who works as the cashier! So the cashier comes out, they look over these skirts that look like bottom half of a chicken costume and talk and laugh and talk and laugh (repeat, repeat, repeat). FINALLY, the lady pulls out cash and pays the cashier. They talk some more and then the cashier goes back to her little office with the window.

I've now been standing here for 20 minutes. In line. Annoying.

I get to the window and realize that this woman speaks NOT A SINGLE WORD of english. Nada. So through sign language and pointing at the calculator, she informs me of my total. I give her cash, she gives me a receipt and then motions to me about some paper she has in her hand. She then leaves the office. I'm standing there all "what the heck?" am I done, do I wait? I was told I would be given a card that I would need to laminate and have Alex show the guard. Only because of this do I wait. 5 minutes later she comes back with my card signed by some wizard behind the curtain.

My plan to run to the grocery store before coming back to get the kids is shot. It's now 2:45 and I have to sit and wait in the car until 3:10 to get the kids. Great.

So I decide to go to the store with Andrew while Alex is at his 3D printing club meeting. All is fine and dandy until I get to the checkout. Where I can't get my card to work. I felt blessed to be rescued by an english speaking woman in the lane next to me. She helped me understand what was going wrong. Apparently, my card didn't work. I tried another one - and we were all good. [I was trying to use the wrong card all along] Andrew was humiliated and not very happy by the time I left. I was relieved to have finally figured it out and to be able to walk away with my groceries.

We gathered Alex, unloaded groceries and I made dinner. Greg got home in time to eat and then we left. We had a high school open house last night. Greg took Andrew's schedule and I took Alex's and we went from class - to class (all 8 in 2 hours) all over this crazy campus. We got home at 9:30 to find kids on video games, dinner still out on the table and no showers. I was livid. Not only had we discovered that kids had tests around the corner and in the past day or so that they didn't tell us about (and didn't study for) but also that they should be doing waaaay more than they currently are.

We had a sit down with each kid and in his tiredness, we had one that got very lippy. "Why do my priorities have to match yours?"

You know that silent prayer that you say when you're ready to fly off the couch and lay into your teenager? Yeah, I said one of those. He's tired. He's tired. He's tired. I kept telling myself. But I'm tired and irritated and my patience is gone! I felt like throwing just as big of a fit as he was...

And I still have to prepare my seminary lesson for 6am tomorrow. Man I tell you, when my alarm went off at 5am - I felt like a character in the movie "Ground Hog". Really? Again?

I know my today will be crazy-cray. Soccer game an hour away, swim team, 2 hours of Spanish tutoring, homework...  I have to take a minute and use this time today to prepare for that and try to make it as smooth as possible. Prep dinner as much as possible. Get bags packed, snacks prepared, clothes set out. Preparing for the storm...

Or I could just take a nap. A nap sounds really good...

Tammy Schick: The Translator

We have friendly neighbors, some who try to speak english to us. Others who just great us with a friendly "Hola" and wave when we see them. We've had these cute little girls come to our door selling orange juice. It was like a door-to-door Kool-aid stand. How could we not buy some? I believe those same sweet little girls left this little note under our door yesterday:

It was folded in fourths and had a sticker on the top. So cute and girly! I believe that it is trying to say "Amigos" but we're not sure. Maybe AGNIMOD stands for something - or someone. Maybe it's like a Pokemon... We don't really know, but we like to think it says "Amigo" in phonetic little girl world.


Greg had to speak in church yesterday - in spanish. I think he did a great job (who's to say really - I can't understand him). He went through the talk with me the night before, so I knew what he was talking about. Being the first time he spoke publicly in our ward, he gave a little introduction to our family. He mentioned that I don't speak or understand spanish. He told them that my smiling and nodding does not in any way indicate that I understand. It just means I am trying to be polite and trying to understand.

That is what he had written in english... but I don't know what he said in spanish because that afternoon, I had more people asking me to translate than ever before. WHAT???? NO HABLA!

I did my best. My sweet friend Angela taught our lesson in Relief Society. She's married to a guy from the UK and waiting on her visa to go through so she can move there. So she is VERY eager to learn english, and anticipating being in my shoes very soon. She wrote something on the board and asked me "Tammy, how you say in english?" I don't know... Another partial english speaker said, "like last dinner". "Last Supper?" Cheers around, "ahh si, Last Supper!"... They were so excited that I made the connection. Really - I only expounded upon what the woman who said 'last dinner'. But whatever, they clapped for me ( I LOVE these women!)

Then they were talking about an activity that is coming up. One sweet lady turns to me and asks if I can understand a little spanish - "Muy un poco" was my response. VERY little. She then tells me about the upcoming activity and nods to the other two english speakers seated next to me and wants me to tell them. Pppffff... Please. They both speak better spanish than me.

But whatever. I was not only able to understand what she was telling me, but I was able to share it with someone in english. THIS IS A BIG DEAL PEOPLE! I am understanding more and more every day. Two months ago, I wouldn't have been able to understand her when she asked if I understood spanish. I understand more than I can speak, but understanding is a step in the right direction.

I can't wait to learn more.

A Chilean BBQ

We had a fantastic weekend!

Our Saturday started out with my boys heading back up to the slopes for some time in the fresh powder. They had a fantastic time!

They couldn't stop talking about how perfect of a day it was. The sun was shining, the powder was soft. Andrew taught Alex how to plow and he had a great time spraying his dad with snow.

They stopped at the delicious Kabob place again for lunch. Several of our friends were heading up to Valle Nevado and they were hoping to make a connection with them, but they weren't able to. They didn't seem too disappointed, the day was absolutely perfect for them.

They arrived home just in enough time to shower and head over to our first ever Chilean BBQ. Ignacio invited us and the Smith family over, but due to small children, and the length of the Chilean get-togethers, we opted to have it at the Smith's home so they could put their little ones to bed. Ignacio brought the grill and all the supplies. We were in charge of sweets and the Smith's had some yummy guacamole for us to snack on while the grill got started. 

I have to tell you - this Chilean grilling event (and it is an event) is delicious. I gained a full kilo that night. Not kidding one bit. I weighed myself. Greg said he gained a kilo too, so it wasn't just me.

The "parrilla" or grill is a metal barel cut in half lengthwise with legs. They use those huge natural chunks of charcoal and get it started without lighter fluid. They use a plank of wood to fan the coals and move things around as needed. Apparently, your ability to fan the coals enough to get a flame directly correlates to your manhood. :)

Here is the only photo from the night: Greg, Ignacio and his son, Gabriel. One of Ignacio's daughters is seated in the background. Such a great family!

Once the coals were ready, the chorizo (short fat sausages) went on. When they were ready, the choripanes (the hotdog bun type fresh bread) were sliced in half (like a hotdog bun) and placed cut side down on the grill for a moment to toast. They were then passed out to everyone as we stood around the grill. You top it with ketchup and OHMYGOSH is that divine! 

Next the pork and chicken went on. The only seasoning used on the meat is salt. ONLY SALT. They wouldn't dream of putting on anything else. But honestly, they don't need to. The secret I am told is the timing of the salt addition. Once the meat begins to get juicy, you flip it. It is at that point - and only then - that you add the salt. Otherwise, it would dry out the meat. 

Grilling Chilean style is an art. Ignacio moved the pieces of meat around the grill in a delicate dance; from the intense heat to the outer edges and back again, rotating and turning. He'd declare a piece finished by slicing off an end and passing it out to someone to try. I was seriously full after the sausage. Add all the little samples of meat while it was cooking, and I was stuffed before it was time to sit down for dinner! 

In a truly traditional Chilean BBQ, families stand around the grill eating as they go. No plates required. But we added our gringo twist and sat at the table for the meal at the end of the marathon grilling. As the meat finished cooking, it was placed into a clay pot. I wish I had taken a photo of this little clay contraption. It is essentially a large clay bowl with legs that you add a few charcoals to. They another clay bowl fits on top of that creating a place to put your meat. There is a lid that tops it and this little handmade clay creation keeps your meat warm while the rest of it cooks. Ingenious! We'll be making the journey to the clay area of Chile (only 2 hours from here) to get our own little clay treasurers soon. It was too cool. I need one of those little guys at home. 

It was a great night. I don't speak spanish and Ignacio's family doesn't speak english - but we managed. We made plans to get together again (the wives) so that I can teach them to make cinnamon rolls. Apparently that is one gringo dish that every Chilean loves :) 

We've been invited to a different family's home next Sunday for another Chilean BBQ. I can't wait! 

Yummilicious!

All done! Yes, I am completely aware that it isn't the most appetizing looking thing. I am completely aware of what it looks like. Trust me, I thought all those same thoughts when I first saw it.

But, you know when someone makes something, and they are so proud of it - and they are handing you a spoonful of it - asking you to try in (in spanish) - you HAVE to at least take a bite and smile. It's only polite. But once this goo landed on my tastebuds, it was all I could do to not grab the bowl and run. It is so so so good!

I am not quite sure how to serve it. They gave it to me in a spoon. They gave some to Greg spread on top of a slice of loaf cake (something that resembles a pound cake). It would be good as a cookie dip for a mild sugar cookie. 

I'm not sure if I'll take it tonight or not. We'll have to see. The presentation is not the best for people that I am meeting for the first time... Besides, once the kids and Greg get home from skiing, it may just disappear. They love it too.

2 Months!

We've just crossed over the 2 month threshold. The magic number that expats tell you to look forward to. At 2 months, you feel more at home. You feel like you have a handle on the important things. You get into the new routine. Well, they were right. We hit our 2 month mark yesterday. I would be ungrateful if I didn't stop for a minute and appreciate the things that I love about this place. Things I already know I will truly miss...

Door-to-Door Service: 
At home, you can get pizza delivery, some grocery stores will deliver. If you're lucky, you'll find a Chinese place that will deliver. UPS, FedEx and USPS - Other than that, I can't think of a single company that will come to you with things you want to buy.

Here, if you want it, there is someone, usually several someones that will bring it to you. Need a vet? They make home visits. A doctor? Also home visits. Out of dog food? The dog food store will bring it to you. Need a manicure? Massage? They come to you.

There are delivery services that will pick up any food item from any restaurant and bring it to you on their little delivery motorcycles. Sushi, Peruvian, Johnny Rockets, whatever.

We have a friend from church, Ignacio, who owns a produce market. His market also delivers. We just call him with our order and magically it appears the very next day. Andrew had to intercept the first order as I had to run and pick up Alex from his after-school activity. We talked about how much money it would most likely be and went over the different pesos. I told him if it were about this much, tip the guy this much. Well, luckily the delivery guy was Ignacio's son, who is one of my boys' church leaders - who also speaks just a little bit of english. Andrew gave him what he thought was just a little bit more than the bill, and the guy went through the money and pulled out what he needed and gave the rest back to Andrew. Andrew wasn't sure if he tipped him or not. Sweet guy. We'll have to double up the tip for the next round of order. We'll probably have them come a couple times a week. The strawberries right now are to-die-for! I love having fresh from the farm produce in my house all the time. I will miss that!

I also found a lady from our "English-Speaking Moms in Santiago" facebook page. She makes and sells fresh sausages. We ordered a pork/apple and sweet Italian. She made them Thursday and delivered it to our door on Friday. It looks amazing. Fresh, never been frozen sausages. Delish! I can't wait to try them. They are on the menu for Sunday. I think we'll eat the pork/apple ones on buns like hotdogs and I'll cut the sweet Italian up into a spaghetti. I'm sure I'll report on that later in the week.

I also had one of my seminary students bring me a bag full of avocados from the tree in their backyard. They are different than the ones you buy in the store. They have this beautiful deep purple skin and taste divine. We've eaten more of them than I care to admit since sweet Ellie brought them to us yesterday. Ohmygoshyum!

Here they are in my fruit bowl. The ones from their tree are longer and purple - the other green ones are from the produce delivery guy.

The variety of foods available at the stores:
Sure, I have a little trouble finding my 'staples' around these parts, but I've managed to find a pretty decent group of products that allow me to cook similar to the way I do at home. But I LOVE trying all these new things. I haven't been a fan of the sweets here. They aren't very sweet. I did find a big 'ole bag of Majar yesterday and will be making a batch of that carmel-y goodness this afternoon for a dinner we have tonight with some friends.

Here are the 3 simple ingredients. Majar, crema (creme - which by the way is not refrigerated just like the milk), and soda crackers. No bake and yum... I can't wait. The only mixing bowl I have is in the dishwasher, I'm waiting for it to finish cycling then I'll get started. Yes, I could wash it by hand. But I'm not going to do that. I'll just wait.

I also bought a Ricotta cheesecake. We'll have to see how that tastes. I'm in charge of dessert. I may still make some brownies (my fall back) just in case the cheesecake is gross.

I will truly miss my friends:

I have made some great friends here already. Several of the ladies (the US ladies) from church meet every couple of weeks for brunch/lunch. I've enjoyed their stories and getting to know their personalities. It's fun how we can be so very different and yet form such a tight bond through this adventure south of the equator. A few of us also sit in class together trying to follow along. That is a funny little moment every week. "Wait. Did you get that?" "What did they just say?" "What hymn number is that? I can't count above 10" "Forget it. I'll just read the lesson on my iPad" "Do they know that this was supposed to be over 10 minutes ago and our kids are running amuck in the halls?" It's a funny little interaction.

I had lunch with one of my seminary student's mom last week. She called me up on Friday morning and said she not only had a car, but had a free afternoon. She is the mission president's wife - so her schedule is quite tight. We went to the mall and ate at a fun little crepe place. I had the Crepe de Mexicana. It was so good. She has been here 2 of the 3 years she has committed to serve. She has missed the birth of grand-babies and sometimes struggles with the language. I LOVE that she is so real. She and I hit it off instantly. I truly enjoy her.

I also love my 'friends' at church that I can't yet communicate with. These spanish-speaking women are adorable. They are so kind and generous and loving. They make me feel at home even though we can't talk to each other. They try their best and will talk to me through a translator. I can't wait to get to know them better.

I will miss my 'crutches'. There are 2 women in the ward that speak english that help me all the time. One is the current YW president, she will help me (and my boys) anytime she is around. The other is Angela. Sweet Angela. She just married a man from the UK and is waiting to move back with him. She is in the process of getting her visa. If I keep on the subject and speak slowly, she can help me. She's desperate to learn english (she'll move to the UK as soon as her visa is approved) and has offered to come teach me to cook Peruvian food. (She's from Peru) We're figuring out a time next week that works for both of us. I can't wait!

Strangely enough, I think I will also miss the spanish. I love to hear it. I love the kisses on the check as a greeting. I love to hear "Chiou Hermana" and the occasional "Choita!" (Adding -ita to the end indicates that you are speaking to a close friend) I love to hear them giggle when I try to speak spanish. They are so tickled that I try. They clap when I use my spanish words. Like you do to a child who is learning to speak. It's so cute. I love these women!

We've been blessed to be here. The boys are snowboarding again today with friends. Andrew is loving soccer and participating in a school mini-production of the High School Musical for spirit week that a group of his friends are putting together to represent the Junior class. Alex has been asked to be a part of the Swim Master's program and is working with the 3D Printing club and the Robotics department to build a 3D printer. They both have a group of friends. They fit right in at church and are doing very well here.

Greg and I are making friends. We're finding our way and getting into a routine. He's speaking in sacrament tomorrow - in spanish. We're getting it. We're doing well. Wheew! I wasn't sure it would actually happen - but it did. Life is not uneventful - there is always something happening. We're still learning as we go. But at this, the 2 month mark, things are going pretty good.

When the Rains Stop...

It is beautiful here. The mountains, the colors. Beautiful. But in the winter it rains. Gloomy dark days and I are not the best of friends. I'll take one every now and again, but a week gets to be daunting. I love the sun -

But the rain this week has made the area exquisite. What I thought was stunning landscape last week:

Became unforgettable this week:

I couldn't help but get out in the neighborhood and take these few last beauties before the sun set. Living up here on the mountain has its perks - the views being the biggest:

The rain has cleared the smog from the air, added a fresh coating of green to the lower parts of the Andes and a blanket of snow at the peaks. Absolutely stunning!

Preparation is Key

We had a Relief Society meeting last night at church (for the women in our group) about emergency preparedness. This is something that we talk a lot about in the states, but it takes on a different meaning here.

Probably because at home, I have - well, had - enough food to sustain our family for a few months at least. Here - I could MAYBE make it until Wednesday of next week. Yes, less than 1 week and we're completely out of food. This causes me a little bit of stress. We do live in an earthquake prone area; and as civilized as it is here in big city Santiago, I don't quite trust their emergency response preparedness. Mostly because I am uneducated about it. But relying on the Chilean government to help me if there is a major disaster - isn't my idea of a fall-back plan. Sure we have registered with the US Embassy, but still. I need some supplies for my family in the meantime.

The subject has been on my mind lately. I've spoken to a few expat families that have recently arrived here (within the last year) and asked how they are working on preparing their families. Many brought the contents of their homes with them - food storage included. We did not. But the one piece of advice that I hear over and over: Get water. If there were an earthquake, you'll need water. So I've been stocking up. Grabbing a few extra liters every time I go to the store. I've been filling empty water bottles with tap water and labeling them as such. The tap water is drinkable, but it doesn't really agree with the kids and I. Greg, with his stomach of steel, doesn't have any trouble with it. Worse case, he can drink that :)

Back to our Relief Society meeting last night. I (obviously) don't speak a lick of spanish, but was able to gather the idea. They had put together what I assume to be their 72 hour kits for each member of the family. I've seen all of this before - but there were a few little tweaks on the basic kit that I learned and loved. I wanted to share those ideas with you.

First: Pack your food into empty 3-liter soda bottles. Now granted the 3-liter soda bottle is something you don't typically find in the states, but this was too cool. They cut around the top portion of the soda bottle, just before it starts to taper to the lid, and filled it with lipton soup packets, broth packets, packets of tuna, medication, money, everything you'd need for 72 hours if you had to grab and go. They then took the top of the bottle and with clear packing tape, put it back together. This is such a great idea. It's slender and easily fits into a regular sized backpack. They labeled the outside with the contents and listed the meal combinations. I couldn't read that - but they said to find the list of ideas on lds.org. Very cool.

Second: They made something called "Eternal Bread". Apparently, it's good for eternity - it NEVER goes bad, doesn't need refrigeration, or freezing. I know, I was skeptical too. Anything that is mold/spoil proof must be gross and made of cardboard. But I am telling you - this was yummy! I'm going to attempt to share the recipe here:

Pan de Supervivencia o Eterno (Bread of Eternal Survival)

2 cups regular oats
2 1/2 cups powdered milk
1 cup sugar (brown or white)
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons water
40 grams gelatin powder (Whatever flavor you like - I preferred the unflavored as it tasted like honey. I also tried strawberry, it was a little too sweet for me, but still yummy)

In a bowl, mix oatmeal, powdered milk and sugar.

In a pot, stir together honey, gelatin and water. Bring to a boil, the immediately remove it from the heat.

Add dry ingredients and stir. You will need to use your hands to mix it well. Shape it into two loaves. Place bread on a cookie sheet cover with butcher paper (to prevent sticking) and bake for 20-23 minutes in a preheated oven.

Remove from the oven while bread is still slightly soft. It will harden as it cools. You can cut it while still warm into 2 1/2 inch thick slices, or keep it as a loaf. Wrap it in foil and place in an airtight container.

In an emergency, eat a portion in the morning and another in the afternoon, plus a glass of water. This can serve as a daily ration to sustain life.

If you save this bread, it can be used indefinitely, but to take advantage of its nutritional value, it is recommended to be used within 6 months and then immediately replaced.


AH HA!!! So it IS good forever - but only good FOR YOU for 6 months. This makes a little more sense... Still, not very expensive, easy to make and really tasty.

We also had the Young Women teach us how to make two very tasty desserts. The one that I loved looked a little yucky in the pan - but tasted like heaven. Serious heaven.

It was a jar of majar which is a carmel like yumminess. A small box of creme and crushed up soda crackers. I know - gross right? NOT AT ALL> this was the yummiest thing I've had in a long time. Granted, it is a beige colored, chunky mess in the pan (it's a no-bake dessert) but one bite and you're hooked. I'm going out tonight to get a jar of majar. So dang good! I'll have to take a photo for you when I make it. My mouth is watering just thinking about it...

ERMAHGERSH!!!

We ended up heading out yesterday to check out a fun mall not far from here. It is HUGE - but not even close to being the biggest around. We invited the kids - but of course, they declined. So Greg and I headed out.

I was waiting - coat on - in the front hallway while Greg prgramed the GPS and the camera was right there, so we took some pictures.

I will really miss my scarves when we go back home. There is never a need for scarves in Arizona.

Anyway, Greg and I had a great evening checking out all the holiday sales and familiar stores. We had sushi for dinner and came across this little beauty in the food court:

I sent that photo to the kids and got this response:

"ERMAHGERSH. TERCO BERLL"

Yeah. They're just a little stoked about Taco Bell. They also had a Subway, Kentucky Fried Chicken and something that VERY closely resembled a Panda Express. We figure we could just take the kids there, hand them each 10.000 pesos and let them go at it. It might be as much fun for them as Disneyland...

Exciting Opportunities for our Kids

There are so many exciting things happening here for our kids.

WEEK WITHOUT WALLS
This is unbelievable. Apparently here in Chile, it is customary for each grade level to take a class trip. It's called "clase de disparo". They go all together at once to a single location. Our school takes this a step further and has smaller groups of students go to a location of their choice. They prepare several options and students list their top 5 choices. They are then placed by seniority (12 graders get first dibs) and then by date of form submission.

The 9 grade students are given 3 "out of Santiago" options to choose from and the 10-12 graders have like 15 options. All are given several options within Santiago where they would meet at the school everyday, go to their location (some classes are even held at the school) and return at the end of the day.

The Week Without Walls is a requirement of all Nido students. There are costs to consider when applying for each trip. Every trip, even the "in Santiago" trips involve some cost for supplies and/or transportation.

We have been very excited for this opportunity from the moment we started researching this school. These trips are unbelievable.


Alex's top choices are:

Rafting on the Maule River
Where students raft and camp down the river all the way to the ocean. It is 5 days of backpacking, camping, learning about the environment and visiting with native tribal people that live along their route. The area is lush forest with sandy beaches. The water flows rapidly, but only rapids at a level 1 to 2. Nothing too scary for moms.


Los Pellines, Volcano Traverse
At the foothills of the volcano complex Nevados de Chillan. Horseback riding, biking, hiking relational skills, cooking, camping, etc. Incredible scenery between the Andes, native forests, bonfires, stories from native people and other exciting events.


The Woodcrafter
Work under carpenter and boat maker Regan McGrath learning fine carpentry and wood crafting skills. You make a coffee table or other type of smaller furniture to take home at the end of the week.


Pro-Cinematography Workshop
Join a crew of professional cinematographers (including make-up artists) for a 6 day workshop. Produce an actual short film by the end of the week.


Rock Climbing
Indoor climbing for 3 days and outdoor climbing for the final 2. At El Canelo to work a high rope course and El Manzano for "graduation".



Andrew's top choices are:


Galapogos, Naturalist Expedition
Last year they were diving with small sharks and sea turtles in addition to all of the unbelievable wildlife and landscapes.


Amazon Jungle
Visiting scientific stations, practice cervantana (blowgun) shooting with the Uagua indians, fish for piranhas and learn to call the river dolphins. They will live in the middle of the jungle, play with local children, help with research and volunteer at the local school. (yes, additional shots are required to be in the Amazon Jungle)


Eco-Surf Camp
Learning the fundamentals of surfing and understand the lifestyle of the people that live near the ocean. Passes through Maitencillo, Salinas de Pullally and Pichilemu.


Patagoinia, untamed rivers and icefields
Enter the magic of the Ice Fields through the Soler Valley. 8-days traveling on foot, by rafts, boats and over ice of the Nef Glacier.


Easter Island Culture & History
Hike, bike, camp, and swim with sea turtles. Eat sing, and dance Rapa Nui style.


Cochamo Trek and Kayak
Cochamo and Puelo Valley. Hike into Cochamo Valley for 3 days, using horses/oxen to carry your gear, crossing 3,000 year old forests, cross crystal clear rivers, ride natural water slides and waterfalls. Sea kayak 3 of the lakes and paddle to big waterfalls. Share with settlers and sleep next to their houses.


The kids can only choose 5 and only get to go to 1. HOW DO YOU CHOOSE? Really you can't go wrong with any of these options. If only parents could chaperone....

Trips range in price from $100USD to $2,000+USD, not counting the supplies that you may need to buy to prepare yourself for the trip. But really, the experiences are priceless.

The trips will be the end of October. The kids will know what trip they are going on by the first of next month. So exciting!!! Greg and I have decided to plan a trip for ourselves that week too. We don't want to be left out!

Asuncion del la Virgen

The Assumption of Mary

Today is a holiday (yes again) here in Chile. Apparently, this is THE year to be in Chile. Here, if a holiday falls on the weekend - too bad. You don't get the following Monday off like you do in the US. But this year, all of the holidays fall during the work/school week. So AWESOME! Lots of days off!!

The kids and Greg are all home today. We talked about doing something fun - but we all just feel like lounging and doing a lot of nothing. They boys and Greg will probably hit the slopes again this weekend. We've had a little bit of rain and they are hoping for some fresh snow.

It is overcast and cold today. The wind is blowing and even though the temperature isn't really low, it feels like it is. The damp air and wind make it feel colder. It doesn't help that the houses here are not sealed up very tight. You can feel the wind blowing in around the front door, and coming through the single-pane sliding glass doors that line the back walls of the house. Brrr!

So it is a sweats and slippers and cocoa kinda day. PERFECT! Lounge and bundle. It's good for the soul every now and again.

Futbol!

Andrew's first futbol game was Friday night. He played starting keeper for the JV team. There is some discrepency about his school year and birth year. He's a junior, but'96ers play JV. It doesn't really matter. The more he can play the better. They will choose players for the SAAC team at the end of the season. He's hoping to earn a spot on that international traveling team. We'll know more about that later.

The game was at home and it was a beautiful day. You can't go wrong with soccer futbol in the mountains. The land behind the school is used for cattle and horses. I guess the maintenance people keep horses/cattle back there. We were able to watch them herding during the game - lasso and all.

There were some fun Nido fans in the stadium. They brought one of those big ole' marching band drums and were chanting for our team. (in spanish - so not sure what they were saying) At one point, I think they were singing the Nido school song. Fun to play with an excited crowd.

They lost 0-1 but really, with only 2 practices under their belts, playing a team that has not only played together for years, but has been practicing for a while, they did FANTASTIC! I can't wait to see what they will be able to do when they've actually had some time together. The teams at Nido turn over quite a bit due to the population of international students, so this was a promising start!

Pre-Game pep talk. Andrew is in yellow.

He had a few nice saves - and nobody scored on him. They have a great defense, so he didn't have to work too hard.

Here is the view from the bleachers. A beautiful backdrop for the national sport!

Ala'deen

Aladeen is how "Aladdin" is pronounced here. The boys' big production was this weekend. For my Mormon friends - think "Roadshow". It was so much fun.

At the final dress rehearsal on Thursday, I wasn't 100% sure it would all come together. Andrew didn't have his part memorized and Jasmine wasn't singing her part of the song all the way through. Kids were everywhere on stage.

Keep in mind everything with this group takes twice as long. You have some spanish-only speakers, some english-only speakers and 1 dual speaker. So you can imagine: explain in spanish, now explain in english. Spanish kid has question. Answer in spanish, repeat in english. English kid has response. Translate back to spanish kids. All night long, every single day. It's the blessing and curse of our ward. The leaders are so patient and so very good with these kids.

By then end of that rehearsal on Thursday. I wasn't sure how the performance would actually go. But truly, these type of things ALWAYS come together. Always. The only explanation - lots of prayers :)

And true to form, these amazing teens pulled off a fantastic little mini-musical. Andrew memorized his part of "A whole new world" in espanol. He did fantastic. The only downside was the fact that his mic didn't work (he had a cordless clip-on mic) so we could barely hear him through Jasmine's microphone.

Scene 1 was a street scene to "Arabian Nights". The group of the kids did a fun little dance number. Alex juggled for part of it while everyone gathered around to watch. In the background, Andrew (as Aladdin) was stealing fruit from the stands and passed it out to the judges in the front row. A little fruity bribery never hurts. Seriously though, Alex is an amazing juggler. Everyone is so very impressed with his skills and that he has REAL juggling balls. We'll have to look into some juggling pins next...

Scene 2 was Aladdin and Jasmine singing "A whole new world". The leaders put together a 'magic carpet' that was so fun. It was a piece of plywood with large caster wheels and heavy-duty eye hooks on either end. A rug was stapled to the wood and a rope attached to either end. With a fog machine pumping fog on the stage and people pulling the rope back and forth - it appeared to be 'floating in the air' well, kind of. It was cool none-the-less and you totally got the idea. The two of them did a fantastic job.

Scene 3 was a group number "You've never had a friend like me". Yes, this is out of order of the real movie, but it made more sense to end with a fun, big group number. The genie was played by one of my seminary kids, Sam. He was awesome! Perfect for the part. Blue face and all. Alex juggled across stage to "can your friends do this" there were kids doing backflips, dancing, it was all so much fun!

Our ward won an award for what translates to be something like Best Screenplay. Everyone received some type of award. It's less about the competition, more about getting there, but it was fun to acknowledge each group up on stage. They also handed out goodie bags for each performer.

I am so proud of these kids. They really did work hard to pull this off and I think it bonded them all as a single group. They are more comfortable with each other now than ever before. They are working harder to try and communicate with each other. This activity couldn't have happened at a better time. It really helped my kids integrate right away.

The trophy was a beautiful engraved crystal piece. A REAL trophy. My kids were impressed.

Two little super funny side notes about the night:

#1. When Jasmine was goofing around shortly before the start of the show, she jumped up on the 'magic carpet' and it split in two. Right down the middle. So all the dads were frantically scrambling to put it together at the last second. Not so funny for them in that moment - but pretty funny after the fact. She's not a big girl - just hit it in the wrong place.

#2 It was so funny for us 'gringos' to be at this production. There are 6 wards and the stake went all out to make it a fun night for the kids. A real DJ was there. The emcee was really entertaining (well, the crowd really liked him - I couldn't understand a word he said). The whole thing was a blast. The only problem, most of the songs were in english. And most of the songs were NOT appropriate for this venue - but nobody knew it. There were kids up on stage lip-syncing the "F" word. When they announced that Grease would be next I cringed just a little. Nothing about that music is appropriate. So yes, there they were singing about getting 'down in the sand' and then the ever so fantastic "Grease Lightening" with it's T & A and on and on... NOT APPROPRIATE! Even the songs in-between by the DJ were not good. "Sexy and I know it" is a favorite song of mine, but maybe not something that you want to play in a church building. Good times! A conversation was initiated by our english-native speakers (the leaders) and the coordinators. To prevent this type of thing in the future. But seriously - it gave Greg and I a good laugh. My kids would get all wide-eyed and look at us with that "holy cow can you believe this?" expression on their faces.

Awesome memories!