hola!!!!! i'm in cochabamba!!!!

the first thing i saw when i walked out of the airport in cochabamba was a huge SAMSUNG sign. it was huge. it was five billboards put together. and the atmosphere was very dusty. this was my first impression of cochabamba.

it is my fifth day in cochabamba, and my second day at my host family's house.
i have so many stories...i don't know where to start!

i'll start from the beginning; it will be a quick summary.

during my five days of training in chicago, i got to hear a lot of guest speakers talk for hours and hours on asset-based community development (abcd) which is the main philosophy of the ngo i am working with. then, i flew to miami. from there to la paz, where i got hit with altitude sickness. i laughed at my bolivia info packet when it described all the effects of bolivia's high altitude. but it ain't no laughing matter any mo'. i had trouble breathing and couldn't walk, so i sat in line as i waited in the visa line. after i got my visa, i entered legally into bolivia, ran into the bathroom and threw up. oops. and the toilet wouldn't flush. i still feel a little guilty about that. but, i felt so much better.

then, i sat in line with my luggage to check-in for my flight from la paz to cochabamba, but the airplane had no more space for luggage. so they moved my flight so that i would have to fly to santa cruz first, and then cochabamba...which meant more airplanes and more sickness. i was struggling so much on my flight to santa cruz, and fell asleep with a bag near my mouth after this lady next to me gave me candy. i woke up when the plane landed and was sad because i knew i was only in santa cruz. but! miracle: i was in cochabamba. how did this happen? God. seriously, God. everyone was confused because we were in cochabamba and arrived earlier than my original flight. only few people on the plane had to go to cochabamba...basically us kids from chicago and one missionary family. funny thing is one daughter of the missionary family was throwing up too. so i believe God was helping us both. anyway, i was so happy and felt so much better because cochabamba has lower altitude than la paz.

(sorry for any grammatical errors. this is my first time on Internet for more than three minutes! and two girls are waiting (and glaring..politely at me) because they need to use the computer too..hehe) anyway!

for the first three days in bolivia, i was at an hostel and had orientation with my ngo, the foundation for sustainable development (fsd). we had the opportunity to visit JESUS!!!!!!!!!!! the largest Jesus figure in the world (yes, bigger than brazil's) anyway, so that made me very happy because Jesus literally looks over the whole city of cochabamba. you can see him from every angle of the city, and people can find their way home by describing their location to others in relation to Jesus! i will post pictures later :)

after the three days, i met my family! while we were waiting for our parents, someone in my group described us as dogs waiting in a pet shop, waiting to be picked out. and yes, i was the last dog. my family came last. almost one hour late. bolivian time wins over asian time. it was just me and my luggage (and my director comforting me). and finally my "mom" arrived. she is 58 years old. my dad is 65? years old. my sister is 20 years old. her husband is 23 years old. their son is 1.5 years old. we are going to church together this sunday! they believe in Jesus (just found out today).

what else...(wow...one girl just looked at me and smile and said, " you're taking a while.....")

work is good...the walk to work is dangerous (i have to cross two freeways; it's possible!), but i'm falling in love with the staff and kids. they kiss you endlessly, and they ask you when you're leaving because they don't want you to leave. that makes me sad because i think i do them more harm by coming....and just leaving. ahhh. i'm learning so much...really inspired...really humbled. really grateful. i will describe more in another entry. but! i think i should leave and let these girls use the computer...but before i go, the organization i'm working with has this posted on their wall "te esperamos Jesus" which means...we are waiting for you, Jesus! it was the first thing i saw when i entered the building for the first time.

so i really feel like in Jesus is with me wherever i mean...despite these obvious things...i'm really learning a lot...and am so thankful for His Spirit...and your prayers..seriously..there is no way i am doing this without your prayers...the first night sleeping alone was pretty bad. i kept turning my lights on and off...i felt so silly...i put a towel over this ugly, old tv in my room because the screen was bothering me ahhahah (ah know..crazy..i didn't even watch the ring..but i'm still scared) but yesterday..i just turned the lights off...and prayed...and slept...and it was good.

i have so much more to say..but i am journaling...so no worries..i will share and update more soon.

before these girls hate me, i will go.

much love to everyone..seriously...much love.

enjoy clean water, clean air, clean bathrooms, and have a wonderful day and sweet sleeeep!

i am praying for you too...praying..talking to God continually is rejoicing continually. i am learning...also am experiencing how first will be last and last will be first in little ways every day...people hate to be last! and are surprised when you're willing to wait and do everything last..anyway..
okay!

bye bye mi amors!!!
may the Force be with you ;)

<3,
ak

adios home sweet home

nope, today did not go by slowly.
i'm 90% done packing with the help of the Great Packer of all packers, my mom (^0^)v
and i'm leaving in 4 ish hours.

WEIRD....

i hope my suitcase isn't over 50 pounds.
i wanted to pack as light as possible, and i don't think i'm really packing a lot at all. but then again, i am trying to pack 2 months of stuff in one suitcase.

i'm actually going to miss this fat Dell i'm typing on.
although you've been pretty stressful to deal with, flashing your blue screen of death on me whenever you feel like it, and you're pretty much non-portable because you're just...so big and wide (why medill why) i'm going to miss you a little...but it will be good to be away from technology too.

this entry is pretty pointless.

i'm writing this entry mainly to remember how i am feeling before i leave for this trip.

currently, i feel a little relaxed because i took the longest shower, imagining how my future showers will not be as good as this one.
and now, i'm feeling a little rebellious because i didn't do any of the readings that we were supposed to do before we arrived.
but no one else in my group did :)
wait...that's not good.

so i am catching up now...so i don't feel too guilty, but i'm sure i'll have time tomorrow before classes start on sunday.

now, isn't that so inconsiderate...how can they start classes on sunday?
Lord, they know not what they do.........

and sunday is father's day too!!!!!!

Happy (early) Father's Day, daddy!!!! You are THE BEST!

all righty...ms. scatter-brained here is going to go catch up on some readings (or fall asleep)

pray that i am a brave girl as i separate with my family (which is...always always hard every time) and that i endure my flight to chicago (because i...have two lovely stops...eeek!)

okay..i'm really going now.

i don't know when i'll write on this again.
it would be really sad and terrible if this were my last entry...hahahaha
but i'm sure i'll be able to leech off someone else's laptop somehow, and i'll have access to the office computer at work in Bolivia...i hope!

may God provide!!

okay...bye bye my beautiful friends and family~

<3,
ak

WARMI

this is the website of the place i'll be volunteering at:

http://www.centrowarmi.org/

this week at home went by too fast.
i am sending prayer support letters right now...bolivia seems so far away though!
i don't know how i'm going to pack everything in one suitcase tomorrow.
please let tomorrow go by very slowwwwwwwwwly.

three more days 'til california

i just received my summer schedule from june 18-june 23.
one week before i go to bolivia, i will be taking classes and training in chicago for a week. i will be taking classes in northwestern's downtown campus and living in a hostel. but not to worry, the hostel was voted "best in america" and is supposedly better than some of our dorms. here is my schedule:



it's weird to see every day of the week squeezed into that poor, little box.
8 hours of class daily. lovely.
the cherry on top: i have to do all the assigned readings before i come to chicago on june 18. yeaaaaah right. i'm going to be busy eating with my family and friends :).

i even made a list, mark of a true fatty :)
here is a sneak peek...kinda predictable though.

10 things i must eat before bolivia (in no specific order...i love them all equally):

1. 영동 순두부
2. 짜장면, 짱뽕
3. 아범순대
4. daikokuya ramen
5. innout
6. colima burger
7. 부대찌개
8. 김치찌개
9. 된장찌개
10. coconut baybay

oh, the things i do to procrastinate.
as i stare at this list, my eyes twitch.
my left eye has been twitching since last week. i feel like..edgar allan poe.
i checked the causes of eye twitching online. they were:
stress
lack of sleep
fatigue
caffeine
eye strain
dry eyes
no wonder my eyes are twitching!

three more days...!!!! pray a prayer for your sista.
thank you Lord for sustaining me.

<3,
a

5 W's

who: ashley (and three girls i have never met in my life from northwestern)
what: will be working with the foundation of sustainable development and bolivian women of WARMI. according to the WARMI website, the project "was founded in November 1982 as a center for women of Villa Barrientos to gather and help one another in weaving and sewing so they could make some money to support their hungry children."
when: june 24-august 18
where: cochabamba
why: i don't know yet...hahaha we will find out together :) but i hope to finally put my spanish into real use, love on those women, change the world ;), and above all, learn more about the Perfect Love that casts all fear.

<3,
a

20 more days

i should be studying for finals, but i can't concentrate because i'll be done with junior year in one week. and in one week, i'll be in home sweet home california. and a week after that, i'll be back in chicago preparing for my summer in bolivia. and a week after that, i'll be in cochabamba, bolivia.

i'll be in cochabamba for about eight weeks, from june 24 to august 18.

i honestly can't believe i'm going.
i don't know why i'm going.

but in the midst of busyness, worryness, work, decisions,
this is the door that i believe God opened very widely for me.
so i happily stepped in, trusting that every step i take is in the Lord.
because if i remain in Him, He will remain in me.
and apart from Him, i can do nothing.

i'm the biggest scared-y cat, for the lack of a better word.
which is why i suck at being the good journalist i want to be.
which is why i still get annoyingly scared in the dark and of being alone.

but i believe wholeheartedly that God is answering my prayers of wanting and knowing the perfect love that casts all fears.

so He is taking me away from every possible thing i find security in, so that i can only turn to Him. no family, no friends, no church, no computer, no korean food...

i'm excited for this time of refinement...
and i just ask King Jesus...that i may not burn in the fire as if i'm dying...but really burn with passion for your Name...as a real living sacrifice...that is so fragrant to everyone you allow me to meet, and above all, to You.

i don't know how often i'll be able to write in this.
i don't know how often i'll be able to spend time at the internet cafes there.
but i hope this will be a space where i can remember the little moments that stick out to me during my stay in bolivia. and that when i look back to this blog...and this post...i can say once again...that God is good..that God is faithful...He never ever fails me...and i am forever grateful.

so this first post...just helped me realize that i'm really..going to bolivia.
really scared...really excited...
please keep me in your prayers...your prayers strengthen me...hold me up.

i'll try my best to be loyal to this blog to keep you..myself..updated.

thanks for reading...haha

<3,
a