Well its been two weeks since my last update. Its hard to keep this updated without having internet. As I sit and type now, I am using the wireless internet of my missionary neighbors, but my own modem is still blinking, which according to the telmex company means there is still not a connection. Hopefully today, tomorrow or Monday they will be able to activate my account.
Much has happened in the past two weeks. Mostly I've been working more and more to get adjusted to living here. I am now officially living in my home, although its still largely a mess, and with little furniture. Slowly but surely it is coming together.
Some big "milestones" are that I now have a mexican phone line in my name! This alone is a miracle since you usually have to be Mexican to get a phone line in your name. I don't know why, but the lady accepted my passport as ID and did not even ask for a Mexican national ID card. I also now have a working washer, dryer, fridge, and stove, as well as working lights! Those appliances and lights took about 2 weeks to get and get installed right. I had to have a man come and rewire a lot of the gas lines and electricity in order for the washer and dryer to work, and also a new gas line to the stove. Life is so different here. I've never had all gas run appliances. Now I have a gas stove as well, so it will be interesting to learn to bake and cook again with gas and high altitude. I also got all my curtains and blinds hung up. I've been cleaning some nasty stains off the tile floors and getting that done little by little. It takes me about 2-3 hours to do maybe a square meter of floor the stains are so stubborn. Tomorrow a floor polisher guy comes to do some of the floors that are special type of floor and cannot have normal floor cleaners used on them. My landlord offered to pay 1/2 so that will help a lot.
I got good news last night that Darlene Gabler, fellow ABWE single missionary is going to move in with me in February (end of this month!) rather than July. Sure will be a blessing to only have to pay 1/2 rent starting next month, as well as have the company of a roommate to share all this empty space with.
Other great news is that my best friend Jessica Bryant is arriving in Mexico February 15 to stay one year to work with the Latin America Mission. I am so thankful to God that Jess is finally being able to complete this goal and dream. We both have envisioned working and serving in Mexico for the past 4 years of our lives. It is neat to see God has almost always put Jess and I through the same life circumstances at the same time. Even now, we will both be in Mexico and going through this initial adjustment time at the same time. God really is blessing.
Another item of praise is that I was able to go furniture shopping for Mexican "rustic" style furniture (very simple wooden furniture that is very nice and hand made) with my close mexican friends, the Gomez family. Thanks to the help of Mr and Mrs Gomez, I was able to get a large dining room table, 6 chairs, and a china cabinet for $500 for all of the above! This is very solid, totally wood, heavy wood, beautiful furniture as well. Originally the guy wanted around $800, but my friends talked them down to the lower price, as Mexicans are very good at bargaining and wagering for prices. My furniture will arrive Feb. 11 and then I will be able to start using my home more and having people over for meals. Right now I am eating either on my study table where my computer is, or in bed, since its just me:)
A not so great thing that happened was getting pulled over for the first time by Mexican police. It is bound to happen many more times, I just pray that God protects me as much in the future as he did last Friday. It turns out I was misinformed as to which day I should not drive. Here in Mexico City, you are not allowed to drive one day of the week depending on your last liscense plate number. I was told I could not drive on Wednesdays, but in actuality, it is Fridays I cannot drive. So, I ended up having to pay quite a bit that I was not expecting to have to pay due to driving on Friday when I wasn't supposed to. The cops were surprisingly nice and did not seem too corrupt, which from all I hear is the exception. Just last night we talked as a team about being careful with police and just general safetly. Daily now the news here show that nearly all of the crime that is happening is being done by ex-cops or active cops. We talked about how as Americans our first response to a police officer is respect and trust. But here, you need to show respect but you cannot under any circumstancs trust them at all. My teammates have already been robbed this year at gunpoint by 2 real policemen. I am so thankful that the police I delt with on Friday were seemingly honest and doing their job. God really protected me. Now I will make Fridays my day off since I cannot drive on Fridays.
Please continue praying for me as I adjust. Especially pray for my health. I have not had any major stomach upsets or problems yet, but my stomach has definitely been telling me it is uneasy as it adjusts to all the new bacterias and foods here. Also pray because I have had a nagging cough since week one here and I am still fighting it, if anything, I feel worse now than 2 weeks ago. I wake up horse in voice and have a lot of coughing that I cannot control. I am sure it is due to the dust here and all the dryness and pollution, but seeing as I have asthma, I do not want to develop a chronic cough or chronic condition. My closest friends, the Gomez' have all been sick with the same cough so I know I contracted it from them, but please pray I will be able to rest and get over this cough.
Very soon I hope to post pictures of my house!
Thank you for reading and praying,
Bethany
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