Ecuanews
Got to check in with some of the folks down south tonight. It was SO good to hear from them, but it made very, very homesick. Homesick sounds strange - I know it's not my country, or where I grew up...but Champaign isn't home, and I haven't spent more than 2 consecutive weeks in Virginia for the past 5 or 6 years, so Guayaquil really does feel like home.
Random updates on people you don't know:
I talked to my godsons' English teacher (who's also a good friend of mine). They haven't been doing so great in class. Looks like I need to get back to do some tutoring :). One of them has always been the class clown, so my friend filled me in on his latest antics, which included singing as she tried to take role. Heehee. It's so hard to scold him when he pulls stuff like that - I usually just want to laugh. I have to do my best straight face then come home and giggle.
My goddaughter Natalia is really smart, but a troublemaker. Why am I not surprised? She's in kindergarten, and she's got the abc's down and is spelling every word she hears. And still demanding to get her own way and arguing with her little cousins constantly. Her poor mom is exhausted. I miss her.
In sad news, two young men who grew up on the streets, who we couldn't get to leave, no matter how hard we tried, have been fighting with each other a lot. One of them got out of prison this week. I am really afraid that one of them is going to kill the other before I get back. Both of these guys just really break my heart - I 've known them forever, and remember when they were these cute but disturbed little boys. One of them I thought had a shot at getting out, but for the past three years he's just gone steadily downhill, and nothing I or anyone else has tried has made any difference. Please send some prayers/warm thoughts their way.
So, that's the latest news here. Happy Halloween - only 53 more days until I leave the corn behind!
Random updates on people you don't know:
I talked to my godsons' English teacher (who's also a good friend of mine). They haven't been doing so great in class. Looks like I need to get back to do some tutoring :). One of them has always been the class clown, so my friend filled me in on his latest antics, which included singing as she tried to take role. Heehee. It's so hard to scold him when he pulls stuff like that - I usually just want to laugh. I have to do my best straight face then come home and giggle.
My goddaughter Natalia is really smart, but a troublemaker. Why am I not surprised? She's in kindergarten, and she's got the abc's down and is spelling every word she hears. And still demanding to get her own way and arguing with her little cousins constantly. Her poor mom is exhausted. I miss her.
In sad news, two young men who grew up on the streets, who we couldn't get to leave, no matter how hard we tried, have been fighting with each other a lot. One of them got out of prison this week. I am really afraid that one of them is going to kill the other before I get back. Both of these guys just really break my heart - I 've known them forever, and remember when they were these cute but disturbed little boys. One of them I thought had a shot at getting out, but for the past three years he's just gone steadily downhill, and nothing I or anyone else has tried has made any difference. Please send some prayers/warm thoughts their way.
So, that's the latest news here. Happy Halloween - only 53 more days until I leave the corn behind!