Lessons Learned

We’ve been living in our village full-time for two and half weeks. During that time, the learning curve has been steep!

 Things that I’ve learned:

• Studying a third language is exhausting! We use Spanish as our bridge language, so our brains are working overtime between ZK and Spanish. And of course, we use English in the home, mixed with Spanish and ZK! Poor Matthew is just learning to talk with a mix of three languages and we usually don’t have a clue what he’s telling us!
• I can’t “out-give” our new friends and neighbors! One of our neighbors has given us hand-made tortillas and tamales three times in the short time that we’ve been here! In exchange, I’ve given her homemade brownies and cookies!
• We are on exhibit anytime we leave our house. Or anytime we leave our front gate open. Crowds will gather!
• Sometimes the obvious solution to me isn’t obvious to those around me. I have to remember that I have a different world-view, with different problem-solving techniques. And then I have to step back and let others solve the problem in their own way. And sometimes, I can give a suggestion. Like, when you clean the bathroom (which involves a broom and a bucket of water), please remove the bath mat first.
• When the lights start to flicker, grab a candle and light it. Just in case. (That theory has proven true every time, so far.)  Candlelit dinners have a whole new meaning to me these days…and I can’t say that it’s romantic. On the other hand, I think my kids may become experts in shadow puppets…
• Butter and margarine are NOT the same. (Yes, I already knew that.) Only margarine is sold in our town. And I’m pretty sure that it has sugar in it. Lesson: buy LOTS of butter during trips to the city if you plan on baking.

I know there are many more lessons to be learned. I pray that we can look at all of them with good humor, at least in hindsight. I pray that we can LOVE our neighbors and that they can LOVE the LORD with all their hearts.