Home, Sweet...Home? (or, The one that takes place in the US of A)

Hello everyone! You may notice that I am greeting y’all in English. Well, that is because I am still in the United States of America!

That’s right, I have arrived in Bellflower, California for the last three months of my volunteer service! (I actually arrived on Tuesday – but ignore that, please.)

I’m living in the Formation House with the young women who are in the process of becoming Salesian Sisters. There are three postulants and one aspirant currently living here, plus now me! They are super awesome, I'm not gonna lie, and we are already preparing a Singin' in the Rain performance for Gratitude Day coming up. Apparently we also get visitors that stay with us, pretty much always young women who are discerning religious life.

So yeah, it’s going to be pretty busy! We worked out my schedule and my main duty will be assisting the second grade along with math tutoring after school for fourth and fifth graders. Hopefully, my math is up to par. ^_^

Also, since it’s spring break here (which, what???), the Sisters are currently on break. Which meant we got to go to the beach today! Feel free to enjoy these awesome pictures (which in the process of taking, rendered me slightly sunburned).

THE BEACH

Sister goin' surfing...kinda

Working on that tan!

Contemplating the mysteries of the deep maybe?

Formation House #squadgoals

And the obligatory jumping pic! (We did our best)

I’ll keep you updated as I continue my volunteer work (as if I would ever not).

Until next time!

Tying Up Loose Ends (or, Yes, I know, it's been a while and this is actually just pictures, I won't lie)

Bonjour y’all!

I know it’s been a while since I posted, but we’ve been winding things down here at the office and slowly preparing things for the next interns, who will start arriving next week. As of now, it’s just me and Gabby finishing things off!

We’ve had a few random things happen over the past few weeks, some visitors who wanted to learn more about what the IIMA Human Rights Office does, a huge amount of Sisters came, and nice walk at the Botanical Garden, and a visit to a chocolate festival! (Even though very little of the chocolate was free L.)

So for this blog post, I’m just gonna let you enjoy some of the many pictures that I have taken. Mostly because I need to do a deep cleaning of every place in which I have lived or worked. Which is gonna take awhile. ^_^’

So we all went on a lovely walk around Veyrier before Pedro abandoned us

I just thought this house was a little weird with the two doors (and bench?)

Oh! And we accidentally wandered into France!

Way easier than you might imagine

These were our young visitors getting a bit of orientation

Of course, we had to take them to the UN

AND THEN CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL!!

ALL ABOARD THE CHOCOLATE TRAIN!!

CHOCOLATE SCULPTURES!!

So here was my favorite dinosaur sculpture...

and here was my favorite non-dinosaur sculpture!

AND HERE IS SOME FREE CHOCOLATE FOR ME

Also caricatures...using chocolate to draw

AND CHOCOLATE GELATO!!

This sign was just super funny

Off to the Botanical Garden!

Ah, just like being home again

Pretty orange flowers

AND A LIZARD

I'm just really proud of this pictures of Maria Rita, I don't know why

Ah, the random leaves of North America

Another pretty flower

This one looks like those flowers from Alice in Wonderland

BUMBLEBEE!!

AND...sheep?

Flamingos??

This chicken with it's RIDICULOUS haircut???

Also, Maria Rita's slippers now look like a screaming face

And last, but not least, Happy Palm Sunday everyone!

So I leave Tuesday morning super early, but since I'm going back in time that means I'll be getting home Tuesday afternoon! Just in time to buy a ton of chocolate for Easter!

I'll actually only be home for a week this time as I'll be flying off to California to volunteer with the sisters there for my last three months of my volunteer year. Honestly, I can't wait!

Until next time!