Just got my car back, it was just the battery! whew! Now I am gearing up for a rocking weekend in MD...then I will be in PA next week. I talked with Tiffany and Daniel Lashbrook (my students of my host family) the other day and it sounded like it was time for me to go up there and continue teaching them. What is so cool is that the week we left Haiti I went ahead and did weeks worth of lesson plans, and they are just now running out. Perfect timing! Props to the big G for sure. So I think my mom is doing a lot better and it's time to go up and do some work, ya know. Lots of driving, but lots of fun to be had for sure! If time allows, I hope to swing by Cleveland to see my old roomie Janay so we can laugh and pretend we are roomates again- we always miss each other! Well, not much else is going down here. Getting ready to make 'breakfast' for dinner...and then I have to pack! :) This is just to let you know what state I'll be in~ crazy traveling gal.

A strangly warm November day in Dayton, OH. It was definately a nice surprise when I set out on my jog, but the fleece pants that are usually my 'winter warriors' to the cold I guess were a bit premature. It's been nice to be home and hanging out with my mom. I've had a lot of time to help her, but also to just do things I like that are healthy for the mind, body and spirit. I'm glad to have this time since culture shock coming back from Haiti can take a toll on a person. It's better to be able to chill out and think it through before being thrown into our crazy busy society. One thing I loved about Haiti was time. No one had a watch, or an agenda...or anything really. Haitians were notorious for being late, and it was always okay. No rushing around was nice...so I'm glad to relax at home. Plus, the fall is beautiful here!
I had an amazing weekend at BG- got to see a lot of friends that I miss all the time! I also got some much needed cafe mocha's that you can only get at Grounds, and a chai tea made by Ben at Cosmo's! You gotta love the college life! I had some good talks and good laughs...and I think I was totally rejuvinated! Though I am sad that many are on there way to moving somewhere else or have already moved...and I just wish I could take y'all with me wherever I went!
So my car 'The Box' is being awesome and not starting unless its jumped, as it always does recently. But I love her, unconditionally, and refuse to get frustrated! My dad had me take her to this place way out in the middle of nowhere. WHere does he find these places? He loves them. I try to fight it because it seems like such a hassle to go so far to see if this one guy can work on my car...but sometimes you just gotta listen to the man, and hope he knows what he's doing. I'm thankful for the help so we went out to the boonies tonight and I left the box there. Hopefully she'll be like brand new when I get her back...and don't worry Brad and Ben if you read this- I have all the faith in the world that it is NOT the starter! Because you two pros put that one in. :) I am supposed to drive to Maryland to see Eric, which is going to be so much fun, and then I'm heading to PA after that, so I'm really hoping for her speedy recovery, but I'll get to use my mom's sweet mountaneer if she doesn't work.
Tonight it's going to be a girly night, I have 3 friends from high school coming over and we are going to watch a movie on the big screen. One just got her first nursing job so we are kinda celebrating that. I'm so pumped because I haven't been able to catch up with them for a super long time- Should be a good time!
That's all that's happening in D-town tonight. Peace!

Hellooooo! I don't think anyone will be reading this for awhile because I totally haven't been on it. Turns out- had no internet in Haiti! whoops! So much for keeping you updated via blog. Here's the low down as of now: I am back early because A.My host family's Dad got sick and needed some medical help from the U.S. We tried to stay in Haiti and stick it out while he was here, but it looks like the recovery will be till at least the end of December, so since the family came out- I did too to keep teaching the kids. And B.My mom had to have back surgery. So even though it's crazy, the timing ended up good- I am currently at home in Ohio taking care of my mom, but plan to go to PA where my host family is at- to continue my commitment with them.
WHEW!
Haiti rocked! I really cannot explain it via online journal, but it was so awesome. Living in the orphanage with 11 little orphan boys was so great, and I loved learning about the culture and the language of the people in Haiti. They really accepted me with open arms there and the people just wanted to be around me and learn English. Teaching didn't end up being too hard at all, my host family (the lashbrooks) kids were great students. And I ended up helping teach english class to Haitian adults which was so much fun. English is a hard language to teach because there is no explanation for half the the things we say! I picked up a little Creole, at least enough to talk to kids and so I was thankful for that. The transition of living without the ease and comfort of the stuff we have here, really wasn't hard, and actually it was rather satisfying. I liked living the simple life- where I was excited when we had electricity but didn't sweat it if we didn't have it. This sounds odd but it felt very real. The odd thing is that 70% of the world lives in poverty like that, we are the unusual ones. I think it's easy to forget that everyone doesn't live like we do. In fact, most don't! For now, I don't know if I'll go back with the Lashbrooks or not...trying to figure that one out. But I think I'll definately go back sometime. If anyone wants to go, let me know because dude...you'd love it!