Monday, August 31, 2009

First Impressions

1. Michael Jackson as background music for our first breakfast with our host family. He really was universal.

2. "Crazy driving" is relative. Sure no one stays in their lane & most streets have no stopsigns/stoplights but Kenya driving still wins the prize for scariest rides of my life.

3. Movies are 12 soles (4 dollars)...jealous?

4. Nuns in beautiful blue habits. As soon as no one is looking, I'm taking pictures :)

5. Though Peruan coffee has been rated as some of the best in the world, locals still drink instant at home. Hmmmm...

6. So far, I love Peru, but I do miss you :)

Sunday, August 30, 2009

READY OR NOT!!!

In training we played a game where we chose a side of the room depending on our preference. One question was ¨ready¨ or ¨ready or not!¨ And I realized that I am totally a ¨ready or not¨ kind of girl. As much as we can plan and think we know how to handle situations, life is pretty unpredictable and there is no such thing as being ¨ready. Ask anyone who plans to have a baby, has one, then discovers there is nothing that can really prepare you for the ups and downs of parenthood.

When I was preparing for my journey to Peru, I thought and tried to plan, yet two days before I was to leave, had a total meltdown and didn´t know if I could do it. But, being the ¨ready or not¨ girl that I am, I lept, and can I just say how glad I am that I did?

There will be bad days, there will be days I will wish I was at home in Hawaii, but today I am filled with an overwhelming peace that I am exactly where I should be, ready or not.

Aloha Means I Love You,
Melissa

Thursday, August 27, 2009

The Climb

If you know me at all, you know I openly mock all High School Musical, Jonas Brothers, Hannah Montana business. Don't have anything against those kids but unlike some people I know, it's just not my cup of tea ;)

Then, a couple months ago, I heard this song on the radio and it grabbed my attention. It talked about overcoming obstacles and that life isn't about how we get through things, but about the journey...good stuff, right? To my surprise I learned it was a Miley Cyrus song & I didn't want to admit I liked it. One day I was brave enough to tell my friend Eick that I actually liked that song...Since then, 'The Climb' by Miley Cyrus has been added to my guilty pleasure list.

Fast forward to 'Concert for Suthee' where some of my dearest friends got together and blessed us all with their musical talent in order to raise money for my move to Peru. One of the performers was the beautiful Tali Silva, a former student, who said some very kind words about me then proceeded to belt 'The Climb' better than Miley herself. It was powerful & I get teary eyed just thinking about it...

Which brings me to today. My last day in L.A. The busy-ness of the past 6 weeks has not given me much time to think about the enormity of this move. I was walking around, questioning whether or not I should do this, whether or not this was the right thing, feeling very alone and very confused, and I prayed for a sign. Whether or not God controls the radio, when 'The Climb' started playing on the radio, I took that as my sign...

"It's not about how fast I get there, it's not about what's waiting on the other side, It's the climb"

I have no idea what awaits, and I'm sure there will be days I want to quit, but I am gonna do my best to remember that this is much bigger than me, and it's about journey. I hope you will as well.

Aloha Means I Love You,
Suthee (Mel, Melissa, MJ, Sissy etc...)

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Aloha Oe...

It's my last night in Hawaii. Wow. I can't even believe it! I don't really have time to write this blog, but wanted to make sure it was up and running before I leave tomorrow. So here's my only thought for today...

I'm going to miss the bamboo :)

You may have heard me talk in detail about my love for this amazing grass (that's right, it's not a tree, it's grass). In moments of quiet through the last weeks I've thought often about bamboo. How it struggles so hard beneath the surface for years before it breaks through the ground and shoots up in a matter of days. This thought remains: it must have the ability to grow so fast because of the strength it acquired in the struggle beneath the ground.

May this be true of all of us as well...

Aloha means I love you,
Melissa