Student to Student

How important something is to us determines the plasticity of our brain and function..."  - Dr. Andrew Huberman

Something that you should know about me: I love learning.  Though having grown up predominantly homeschooled, if you put me in a classroom setting, I will THRIVE.  There is something about the prospect of sitting and being in the position of being taught that has always appealed to me. The thing about being a student, however, there is an end goal.  One can continue to be a student forever, of course, but when it comes to a theocratic sense, we have to grow to a point BEYOND staying in that state.  As per Hebrews 5:12-14, there HAS to be some growth seen, with the desire to not just learn but to teach as well.  As the third year of my foreign language learning journey quickly approaches, I have found myself ruminating on this fact more and more. I'd like to share with you, beloved BlueBearies, a small anecdote that recently highlighted this for me.

I was out in service with my brother (the famous Ribz from other blog entries) and a couple from our congregation.  It was our final door of the morning, and the brother leading had us two go out.  Mind you, between the two of us, we have the collective vocabulary of, hmmm, a 4-year-old, maybe a 5-year-old?  Anyways, we got out and approached the door and, lo and behold, the very person we had wanted to speak to was coming out. My brother began his presentation and was doing a fine job at it.  I was hanging back a bit, not wanting to interrupt his flow.  At some point, however, the gentleman responded in rapid-fire Hindi, and Ribz turned to me.  In his eyes, I could see him pleading for help.  I could hear the question, "what did he just say?"

At first, I thought, why turn to me? Then, it struck me like a bolt of lightning: oh...OH! I need to translate for him. Nearly three years of weekly Hindi lessons, asking experienced friends for help translating comments, listening to Bollywood songs, and getting guilt-tripped/bullied by the Duolingo owl led to this very moment.

My inner monologue was first screaming "OH NO THAT'S MY CUE BECAUSE TECHNICALLY I UNDERSTAND MORE SO I NEED TO STEP UP AND STEP IN WHAT DO I DO AHHHHHH!" 

Mood

Do you know what ALSO came to mind?  I was NOT alone.  As quickly as the rush of nervousness came, peace washed over and replaced it.  At this moment, I said a quick Nehemiah prayer, and let Jehovah take the reins.  He truly lives up to His name, not only by "causing to become," but by equipping us to be whatever He wants us to be. 

I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel like a total novice as I fumbled through clumsily translating, but it's not really about us, is it?  Jehovah could make the rocks talk if He so desired.  We are simply the mouthpieces to a life-saving message, with the most powerful Being in the universe backing us up.  This is why I started learning Hindi in the first place.  All the fails and mistakes and oops moments are simply the stepping-stones in this lovely journey.   It is impossible to get anything done without His help, and as was recently brought out in a talk, we are interdependent creatures.  We need Jehovah and our brothers and sisters, and this work MUST be done; this language-learning adventure would be for naught otherwise.  It has been quite humbling to recognize this, definitely. 

On December 19th, I conducted my very first Hindi Bible study.  This was a goal I had set for this service year but had not thought of it being "checked off" outside of going out in service more and trying to find and cultivate interest in our local field.  In a series of events that can only be described as, well, improbable (aka a normal day when Jehovah is involved), the opportunity arose to be able to reach this goal.  When I think about how it came to be, I still shake my head in absolute awe, deeply impressed at yet another stylish feat of our Father.  Maybe someday I will share the story here, but for the time being, please just message me and I'll happily recount it to whoever will listen.

As changes loom over the horizon, may each and every one of you, my dear friends, keep up the fine work.  Times are certainly not the same as they once were but look at you!  You are enduring faithfully and staying strong, giving our Heavenly Father a fine representation.  I'm proud of you.  Thank you so much for reading and accompanying me on this journey.  See you in 2023!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

At the Edge of the Courtyard (Reflecting the Decade)

"For a day in your courtyards is better than a thousand anywhere else!

 I choose to stand at the threshold of the house of my God

Rather than to dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Greetings, beloved readers.

Yes, it HAS been over a year since I last wrote here.  The last time I updated this blog, I had just reached my goal of serving a full year in the Hindi congregation.  I am happy to report that I have continued with the language and am now in my second year.  मैं बहुत खुश हूं।

But this is not why I am writing today.  Today, in fact, marks a very special milestone in my theocratic career, and, seeing as I have been pondering over it, I decided to share it with you all.

The words of Psalms 84:10, as quoted above, have been a mainstay in my life for as long as I can remember.  Growing up within a 30-minute radius of a Bethel facility made this scripture continue to be relevant.  I can recall riding to my childhood Kingdom Hall, gaping with awe at the marvelously large buildings at Watchtower Farms.  I had countless drawings, a few journal entries, and plenty of dreams of someday being able to serve there.  My parents were at the forefront of this endeavor, moving our little family across the country to achieve this goal for my brother and me in the late 90s.  Proximity does not a goal make, however; the parental units kept the fire stoked by fostering friendships with the goal-oriented, the same friends who would encourage us two young ones to keep on a course of theocratic busyness for years to come.

Being young is a funny sort of thing.  It carries with it an impatience that can make you forget that growth and goals take time.  I blush a bit remembering my 16-year-old self, bemoaning at how LONG it was taking to reach particular goals and that it would take FOREVER to make it.

Now, seemingly within the blink of an eye, I've had the privilege of serving in some sort of Bethel capacity for 10 years. 10. WHOLE. YEARS. How....when???

These 10 years of Bethel service have taught me so much about myself, Jehovah, dealing with my spiritual family, and the value of good hard work.  I have been humbled by the experience on multiple occasions, be it running in late for Morning Worship, cutting my finger with a clipper IMMEDIATELY after getting safety training, or sobbing because I didn't want my assignment to change.  I can't count how many lessons have been gifted to me from the examples of my fellow workers, a self-sacrificing visitor, or a wise word at the breakfast table. How the hallways have sung with guffaws and ad-libbed melodies, delighted whispers and stories a-plenty!  Even now, at the point where all I can do is simply admire it from a distance, separated by circumstances, it still feels like home in my heart.  In vain I attempt to not think too hard on it lest it makes me sad, but honestly, sadness does not root itself for long.  How can it, when the memories flood me with such joy?

I do not know what the future will hold in this particular facet of my life.  I would like to think that I would be content to serve and go wherever Jehovah so desires, be it back again at Bethel or not.  I am beyond grateful for the supportive family I was blessed with, the incredibly diverse and wonderful friends I've made, and, most importantly, for the undeserved honor of being allowed at the edge of the courtyard for this past decade. Thank you, Jehovah. The threshold has such a lovely view.

"Jehovah, I love the house where you dwell,

The place where your glory resides."

May each of you stay strong, enduring faithfully in all that you do. 💖

Love,

The Adventurous A.

Ek Saal-ebration!

Gentles and ladiemen, namaste!! 

Today is indeed a joyous day, as you have probably gathered from the title of today's post. For my non-Hindi speakers, "ek saal" means one year. THAT is the big clue of the reason behind this post: it's officially my one year anniversary learning Hindi!!! I can hardly believe that an entire year has flown by so quickly and yet so slowly simultaneously. I am totally abuzz with emotion! I (of course) wanted to celebrate this occasion with all of you beloved Bluebearies, so what better (and COVID-safe) way than through a virtual Q&A?? 

Grab some snacks, pop on a virtual party hat 🎉🥳, and let's dive in!

Let's start off on the easier side of the spectrum with some introductory questions:

Q:  "Muahahahah, will you regret this decision?"

A:  Absolutely not! LET'S GOOOOOOOO!!!

Q:  "Where are you from, sis?"

A:  California originally, but now a long-time resident of upstate New York! We get to experience all the seasons, which is truly beautiful. Being in the general vicinity of the US Bethel facilities is also a blessing without compare. No matter where I may go, this will forever be my home.

(The last Q&A infamously had the "is mayonnaise an instrument?" question. Lo and behold, we've got another offbeat question!)

Q:  "What's a hypotenuse?"

A:  What acute question! (ba dum tss). Anywhos. A hypotenuse is the longest side of a right-angle triangle! The Hindi word for it is कर्ण . In the words of Salman Khan: तो त्रिकोण का कर्ण होगा पाँच*. ⊿ I was not anticipating discussing geometry, but hey! I like surprises. (^.^) 

Okay okay,  now that those are done, now let's move into the other questions.

Q:  "Wow!!! You have a blog?!?!?" Along with the related question, "You have a blog? 😀"

A:  Yes indeed I do! I have met quite a few new people (virtually) through the course of the pandemic who did not know that I have this blog. Granted, I don't post on here much these days, but it has been my tiny ongoing pet project since 2015. I love having a forum to share my stories from past need-greater/theocratic adventures. Someday, when things settle down, I will make good on posting more of those future endeavors...I hope...we shall see!

Q:  "What is a Hindi word that describes the culture well?"

A:  Hindi has some words that are deemed untranslatable into English. This Indo-Aryan language is so colorful and rich in meaning, stories and principles interwoven in its fabric. I don't think I know one singular word that fully encapsulates this beautiful culture, but one word that I love is जिजीविषा (pronounced jijivisha). English will vaguely define it as an intensely strong desire to keep on living. It speaks of human tenacity and the innate desire every one of us has of living eternally. To be completely fair, I do not know the full origins of this word, and Hindi has a funny way of inserting religious ideologies into words, so if any of my actual Hindi speaker friends read this, please feel free to correct me!

Q:  "What was exactly as you expected?"

A:  Honestly, I did not even know what to expect!! This is my first foray into learning a totally new language, so every step has been an adventure and discovery. I did not anticipate the brain aches and bits of class sneaking into my dreams. I was not ready for the day that I almost missed my Watchtower comment because I couldn't count past 5 and it made me cry like a child (with my Zoom camera turned off, of course!). I was not prepared to be gathered into the arms of a small loving congregation and make friends, here and overseas, who want to help me improve and have been cheering along the way. There are ups and downs, but with Jehovah's help, He makes all things an unforgettable experience.

Q:  "What surprised you the most about the Hindi experience?"

A:  That there are some words that are eerily similar to Spanish. Having only ever learned languages of Romantic origin, I would never expected there to be lingual crossroads and intersections. Take for example the word for table in each respective language. In Spanish it's mesa, whilst in Hindi it's mez. Neat, no? Etymology is one of my favorite studies, and it has only increased as time has gone by.

Q:  "How did you learn the alphabet?"

A:  The way my teacher went about teaching me, he would start with 2 vowels and 2 consonants for each lesson until I learned the whole thing. I loved the process he used; it really did allow me to mentally digest the sounds and pronunciations. He would break down the letter by category, pronunciation, a word in English that had that sound, and finally a Hindi word that used it. Everyone has a different learning style, but this one happened to work for me.

Q:  "Is there a good course at all for us as Witnesses to learn fast all we need for small talk and preaching?"

A:  Outside of actually getting lessons (which I personally found VERY beneficial) and/or Branch-organized language classes, I found the JW Language app to be an unsung treasure trove. The sheer amount of presentations and introductions is phenomenal! I only just recently started using it regularly, and it has proved to be an excellent tool. 10/10 would recommend. 

Q:  "What took longer to learn: writing, reading, or speaking?"

A:  100% speaking! My teacher got me to the point of recognizing the whole alphabet within 3 months, and due to Sanskrit being very artistic, it was not too difficult learning to recreate the script. But SPEAKING, oof! Even a year later, it makes me quite nervous to start speaking. In the class setting, it isn't so bad honestly, but sometimes I have let overthinking get the better of me where I shy away from conversations. That is actually one of my goals, which is covered in the following question!

Q:  "What are your goals with learning the language?"

A:  As stated above, as I cross the one year threshold, I am considering what and where to improve. So my goals currently are as follows:

(1) write and give my own part entirely in Hindi

(2) start a Hindi Bible study

(3) become comfortable conversing in full Hindi

(4) go to Pioneer School in Hindi

I am sure that more goals will reveal themselves and will need tweaking along the way, but that's what I've got so far! I heard in a  video recently that your personal reason behind learning another language becomes the fuel and fodder of your efforts. I am determined to keep the goal of helping more people to get to know Jehovah ever-present in front of me. At the points where it'll get increasingly more difficult or challenging, this reason will keep the fire alive.

And now onto the thank you section!

I have to give a HUGE thank you to everyone who submitted questions for this Q&A! This was soooo much fun to do. I appreciate you all playing along and participating; it makes it so much more enjoyable. Even with my irregular blog posting, the fact that you all continue to read and support it warms my little heart.

Thank you to my extremely supportive family who have been behind me every step of the way. It tickles me to hear all of you humming or singing along all of the Hindi music I blast nearly every day. They are the dream team, truly!

To my beautiful congregation, I love you guys so much. I haven't met 90% of you in-person yet, but you've made me feel 100% at home. Looking forward to non-virtual hangouts someday!

And lastly, to my AMAZING teacher: शिक्षक, you have been so very patient and kind through this whole process. Thank you SO SO much; I wouldn't be at this point without you. You've become not just a teacher but my friend as well.

Thank you again everybody for reading! May you all stay happy, safe and sound during these troublesome times. Sending the biggest virtual hugs to you all. Take care and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A

*I have no idea if Salman-ji actually ever said this. I got it from a website. Don't believe everything you read on the interwebs, kids!

Hind(i)sight is 2020 (aka What I Did During Lockdown)

Greetings and salutations, my sweet Bluebearies!!!

Recently, we had the graduation of the 149th class for Gilead. In the middle of January. This would have been an oddity a year ago, but only one word is needed to describe it: 2020. Yes, a quartet of numbers has now become the byword of the world turning on its collective head. I will not bore or sadden you with memories of a year that was, to say the least, not the best of years on a global scale. However, as with any time period, good can grow from it, and as highlighted in another theocratic occasion: expect the unexpected.  And accept the unexpected.

I'd like to share my personal experience on that front, of something that genuinely would NOT happened had it not been for the events surrounding 2020.

For that, we'll need to rewind back to March 5th, 2020. This was (unknown to me at the time) the last time I'd be working at Bethel in-person. I was in the Wallkill dining room looking for an empty seat for breakfast and Morning Worship. As I found a spot, a buddy for mine came up and ordered me a spot at his table. Since we hadn't hung out in a while,  I followed him and took my seat. Kitty-cornered from me was a brother I'll refer to as Dobara. (If he ever reads this, he'll know why). I'd met this brother a couple of times whilst on assignment, so I was familiar with him. He was chatting to some of the other friends seated there about his recent trip to India,  and immediately my ears perked up. Ooh India. 

Uncharacteristically for me, I hopped into the conversation, asking for his advice since my own trip was fast approaching. Among what he told me, he invited me to visit his congregation, which is in Hindi. We will further refer to this congregation as HVH. He advised that since Hindi is one of the national languages, it would be a good idea to maybe attend a few meetings to get an ear for it. I gave a very noncommittal response, not really convinced if I was going to follow through but thanking him nonetheless. 

The following week, THE WORLD SHUT DOWN. 

I highlighted this in my last blog post, but as a refresher: obviously my Asia trip was a no-go and thus began the flurry of flight cancellations and ticket refunds. After the dizziness and surrealism wore off, the question remained: what comes next?

I really had to sit myself down and contemplate prayerfully my next move. I had allowed the first two weeks following the initial lockdown/shutdown to bring me down, but now was ready to figure out what to do. A voice in the back of my head chimed in: hey, what about Dobara's invitation, hmmm? After a carefully prepared email and a LOT MORE PRAYER, I reached out, receiving a response in a matter of days to begin attending the Hindi meetings virtually. 

Within a span of a few months, I went from shyly attending once every 2 weeks, to then twice every 2 weeks, to finally solely attending in Hindi. It even opened up the opportunity to begin learning the language formally with an actual teacher. I was enraptured, thrilled, and completely taken. In September 2020, I switched congregations officially, making it my very first foreign language endeavor all by myself. 

Well, not all by myself. With the variety of difficulties that the past pandemic year has thrown, I've been able to observe how truly INCREDIBLE Jehovah is in taking care of us. He utilizes so many means of reassurance and love (between family, friends, elders, our amazing website jw.org, etc). It leaves no room for doubt that He is our Rock and shelter, and that there is nothing in the world that is strong or scary enough to defeat Him. 

Now, I'm reviewing notes from my first pioneer meeting with my congregation. My congregation. Wow. Jehovah knows that I did not have this on my 2020 bingo card, but I'm so so grateful that it happened. I give thanks to the pillars of support I've been gifted every step of the way; it means more than my poor words can express.

This was a long post, dear friends. Thank you all for reading, I deeply appreciate it. I hope that each and every one of you has a fantastic day and please stay tuned for the next post! बहुत शुक्रिया ।

Love, 

The Adventurous A. 

Change of Plans (a 2020 anecdote)

I have begun this post (in my mind, at least) a dozen different ways. Every time I would start typing, a lump would settle in my throat, the weight reminding me of the change that, with each passing day,  was more and more inevitable. Even now, over two months after the first draft of this post, inspiration has evaded me effectively. 

But no more. This story will be told. 

I had actually projected this to be a very different sort of post. I was planning an intro that would lead into a much-anticipated surprise. Life, as it stands in the times we are living in currently, led a distinctly contrary way than expected. Ideally, I would have been posting this entry on April 2nd or 3rd perhaps, from clear halfway across the world. 

Halfway across the world? Yes. Curious?Are you ready? Let's start!

*inhale*

To capture the whole story, we need to go aaaaallllll the way back to the summer of last year, shortly after returning home from Sorata, Bolivia.

July 2019 

I had fallen so much in love with the congregation and territory that I had decided to move back. I mean, alone the Bolivian visa would last me 10 years; why not make good on it? I began getting into talks with my roomies to return by March 2020.

November 10, 2019

The headlines on my phone app echoed one theme: Bolivian President Ousted. In what seemed to be a blink of an eye, the whole nation turned on a head.

As the political climate changed, tensions between groups started brewing, culminating in riots, protests, and demonstrations. The friends stayed at home as events worsened, keeping safe and busy of course.

I don't think I've ever been so keen on one country's political situation in my life. I watched the updates like a hawk, eyeing cautiously as the international travel advisory warnings started creeping up. Level 2...then 3...then, inevitably, 4. As the States advised, along with talking with the brothers and sisters there and here, the plans fell through. 

It was rough, but ultimately the wiser decision. I set my sights on a pretty normal, albeit busy, 2020, staying within the country at least until a planned late-October trip out to the Bible Lands. That is, until...

JANUARY 10, 2020

I received an unexpected message from my friend Sarah, who shall be called S2 in the blog. Friends and Bethel workmates for many years, we'd kept in contact consistently even after she moved to Cambodia to needgreat. After the Bolivia plans were cancelled, we had briefly talked about maybe serving together, but other things came up. 

This time, however, was a different message. 

Beloved Bluebearies, let me tell you, I was SHOCKED. I had been praying to Jehovah so hard about what direction to go in my service. Late 2019 had seen a number of  changes in my life, so I was ready and available.

Thus began the FASTEST international trip prep I've done to date. What started as a month-long thing turned into a 2 month service expedition beginning in Cambodia in March, serving in India for 3 weeks, and finishing up the rest of May in Myanmar (with my other girlfriend Lajuan). I was mentally prepared to spend a Memorial for the first time away from my family. Tickets were bought, we started learning Indian Sign Language and Nepali, and research into visas and permits ensued. 

I was happy, so very happy and excited.

March 12, 2020

The buzzword was Corona. No, not the beer. Not the Spanish word for crown. In the middle of trip planning (ESPECIALLY planning an Asia trip), this word began to creep into the world scene and sow seeds of doubt. S2, Lajuan, and I held on to the possibility as tightly as we each could.

No one could have told me that March 11 would be the last meeting at my Kingdom Hall. There was no telling how that text message to all of us Bethel workers would resound, telling us to stay put. If you would have told me that I'd be watching Gilead Graduation from my friend's home instead of Wallkill because of a global pandemic, I wouldn't have believed it.

Nobody could have warned me how much it would hurt to cancel all the plans, seeing them slip out of reach.

I will spare you all the genuine heartache that ensued in the following weeks, for this blog is not for sob stories or sadness. What would have been the excitement of buying and packing transformed into the frenzy of calling airlines and credit card companies, buying masks and gloves for protection instead of visas and travel insurance. 

June 2020

As I sit here finally typing this, I can say truthfully (and maybe tearfully) that I am grateful to be where I am right now. The experience taught me lessons that I needed to learn, as well as tapping into strength and comfort I didn't know was there. I relied heavily on Jehovah and the support of my family and friends. This circumstance forced a metamorphosis I did not ask for but so obviously needed.

I only just left my house for the first time in 87 days this past Saturday. I stood on the mountainside, staring out at the cotton-candy sunset sky like a wide-eyed child. The whole car ride up was taken with a sense of awe. The sense of gratitude swelled as I inhaled the fresh air, surrounded by my masked loved ones. Not bad for a new normal, no?

To those who have truly lost, to those who have seen so much more than I might ever will, you are incredible. I see your faith and your resilience, and I desire that for myself. This situation affected us all, but I am privileged to see and be a part of a people whose integrity is solid to the One who loves us so so much. I look forward to seeing you in the flesh some time, but endless Zoom calls will suffice for now.

This time has helped me appreciate time, rest, and renewed focus. Jehovah has taken such fine care of us; the sadness gets squashed by the sheer AMAZING power He possesses and exercises for us. 

Like I said, it only took me 2 months to build up the courage to share. It's been cathartic and relieving to free it from inside my brain. Here is a HUGE thank you for bearing with me spilling my emotional entrails on this post.  You guys are splendiloquent and I love you so much!! Stay safe and stay tuned for the next set of adventures, because they'll be coming (tbd....)

Love,

The Adventurous A. 

Updated Q&A!

Hello beloved Bluebearies!!!

It dawned upon me that since the conception of this blog, I have not stayed quite up-to-date with the whole getting to know you/Question and Answer dealio. That being said, by the time of this post, I (accompanied by my omnipresent companion Mark the Bear) have travelled to 4 other countries since the LAST Q&A! Our last one, which was co-authored by my big brother and other fellow traveller Ribz, was back in 2016!* Time has come and gone, while many more adventures have taken place. I do believe it is high time for another Q&A, I do. Don't you? 'Course you do!

I gathered these questions from a few sources, predominantly my social media pages. You can find Mark and I at the following accounts: @the_adventurous_a and @the_adventures_of_meps. If you want to keep up with our adventures, give us a follow!

Onto the Q&A! I'm answering these in random order; comment if you see yours here!

Question 1: What's the worst thing that's turned out to be the best thing during your travels?

Answer: They say experience is the best teacher. In the negative sense, that really is not the greatest way of learning. However, from my own foolhardiness in some situations, I have learnt to LISTEN. Yes, the adventure is incredible and there is always SOMETHING to do. Nonetheless, I am not as invincible or limitless as I'd like to think I am. Can I drink the water carelessly despite warning? Not unless I want a pet parasite for a couple of years. Can I jump to sightseeing immediately after landing in a high altitude area? Not unless I want to have wobbly lines silhouetting everything I see and the worst diarrhea attack ever. Listen to the wise, listen to the locals, and don't assume yourself to be infallible to common travel troubles. Rely on Jehovah and stay humble!

Question 2: What are your biggest dreams in this life?

Answer: I can go SO many different directions to this question, I love it! In a nutshell, I want to be more than ever like the apostle Paul. He was energetic, ready to do for Jehovah whatever was asked of him, travelled extensively for the ministry,  and was a willing, albeit very imperfect, asset in many respects. However long I am alive for, I want my story to be a good one, one filled with amazing experiences and little regrets. My desire is to live the Isaiah 6:8 dream!

Oh, and I still have the goal of visiting as many (if not all) the Bethel Branch facilities we have worldwide!

Question 3: Which continent has the best food overall?

Answer: To be entirely fair, I don't think I have been to enough places in one sole continent to give a fully thorough evaluation. My attitude towards food is not too different from my attitude towards travel: try at least once and with full gusto(within reason and moral, naturally). Instead, I shall list at least one favorite item from each country!

Canada: poutine (SPECIFICALLY from Montreal)

Bolivia: cuy (you'll never look at the guinea pig exhibits at Petco the same ever again)

Chile: paila marina

France: Argentine steak

Italy: homemade carbonara 

Question 4: When and where did you get baptized?

Answer: Ooh a more personal question, me likey! I was baptized March 5th, 2006 at the Newburgh Assembly Hall in Newburgh, NY. I'm happy to say that I've been baptized half of my life and it is the BEST.

Question 5: Do you have any siblings?

Answer: I sure do! Just one. One big brother who doubles as bodyguard and travel companion. You'll see plenty of references to a "Ribz" in my posts; that would be him! Save for all my Canada trips (which he STILL won't let me live down) and this last South America trip, he has been with me for my other international trips. You can find his travel shots at his Instagram @worlds_worst_anchorman.

Question 6: If someone wants to travel more, what tips can you give to find deals, locations, ideas, etc.?

Answer: I'm honestly no connoisseur of travel deals or any secret hacks. When we're planning a trip, we speak to various friends and visitors to get a feel of which areas have a need in terms of service. Make friends, make contacts! Sometimes things come into fruition in the oddest and most interesting ways. Keep putting yourself out there, and watch Jehovah take the reins. Oh, and don't hesitate to ask veteran travellers their secrets. Each person brings something different to the table.

Question 7: Who is Mark? The cute teddy bear with the bow tie or a "hooman?"

Answer: 100% teddy bear!! If you want to get his background story, check out Mark's origin story

BONUS QUESTION TIME!

To the humorous humanoid who posed this peculiar pregunta: Is mayonnaise an instrument?

Answer: https://youtu.be/A5jnftBQw2U . You're welcome!

Thank you to everyone who contributed questions! This blog is purely for entertainment purposes, both mine and (hopefully) yours. I so love being able to share on this platform all the particularities and peculiarities this life has to offer, and I appreciate that you read along! 

Have a fantastic day/noon/night and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A. 

*Guyana Q&A 2016

An Ode to New Adventures

January 2nd, 2020

Location: a warm Starbucks in a cold upstate NY town.

There's a certain sort of sense that has settled over. It resides within the pages of my calendar, memorialized in confident black gel-pen ink. It is a feeling that is occupying space inside of me that is threatening to burst out. Even on the precipice of a freezing weather, it heats up my core, lighting up a tiny flame that is rapidly feeding.

I do not celebrate the new year; for me it is a pin drop mark in what I hope and pray to be is an everlasting life ahead of me. That being the case, there is a private joy in looking at my omnipresent calendar starting to already fill up with wholesome goodness. To top it off, my beloved family members and dear friends are experiencing great changes and advancements as well, making the ripple effect of happiness grow continuously.

I read an experience recently of a couple who, per the quote, are "known for their remarkable adaptability." When I read that phrase, my heart fluttered in excitement. I want to be like that! I ruminated over that simple phrase, attempting to etch it in memory for later use. It has been stuck ever since, resonating on occasion when least expected. As the kids would say, that attitude is "goals."

I do not know what is lying ahead of me, but I know that Jehovah knows. I'm leaving it in His hands, and I couldn't ask for better hands to leave my life in. If my agenda is any indication of the course ahead, bring it on! I hope for each and every one of you, dear dear readers and friends, that you will experience that and so much more. You are so loved, don't you forget it!

I look forward to bringing you all along for another eventful year of activity and adventure. Thank you so much for your continued support, and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

Thank Goodness It's...Tuesday?

I pose this question to you all, lovely readers: what does Tuesday mean to you? Is it merely Monday Jr., a disappointingly distance from the beloved weekend? Does your mind wander to the promise of discounted tacos and 2-for-1 deals on burgers at TGIF?

Or, just maybe, it's that day in the week that you've set to enjoying a beautiful long day out in service. Perhaps it's your personal study time, precious and faith-building, or it is your designated Family Worship night. For the Sorata congregation, Tuesdays mean something quite positive. Every Tuesday, they have rural territory service. You see, the town of Sorata is quite comfortably nestled at the base of the Illampu and Janq'u Uma mountains. That being said, it is in itself quite rural. However, the friends coordinate a full long service day in their own "rural territory." Interesting, no? I had the privilege of participating in this arrangement for 3 weeks, and loved every single time we went.
Let's break down how they accomplish this. (at least from my memory of it.)

Early Tuesday morning, the group gathers the available cars and fits the participants in accordingly. Mind you, most of the congregation ends up going out in service that day, so the support for this arrangement is fantastic on a weekly basis. Once everyone is settled in, they travel approximately an hour or so up the winding bumpy road. The destination changes week by week, since most of these towns are a bit of a distance from Sorata.

If you're prone to carsickness, THE LAST SEAT IS NOT A GOOD CHOICE! (that's why I was assigned back there)

Upon arrival, the friends are placed in groups to go by foot through the assigned area. Here  in the mountains, the people predominantly speak Aymara, an indigenous language of Bolivia. They are incredibly humble folk, working from a young age in their mountainside farms, selling the fruits of their labour back in town on Saturdays. It's not an uncommon sight to see a cholita, children and cattle in tow, walking along the road. For the most part, they are quite amiable and willing to talk.

Since we're out and about the whole day in the mountains, you may wonder, "But what about food? Is there a way of getting lunch up there?"
Well, when you're as fun-sized a congregation as Sorata, coordinating efforts for service arrangements gets a bit easier, including arranging for food. A couple of days beforehand, the congregation (in an active group chat) figures out who will bring what item to make. Monday is spent prepping for the following day, and everyone has a dish prepared for the entire group. After a full morning of preaching, a clearing is found, the cars are parked, and lunch commences.

After a FANTASTIC group lunch (seriously, all these friends can COOK), it's back to more witnessing. The group usually ends up staying out at least until 4pm. Literature placement is definitely encouraged, as well as starting the study from the get-go. Since these towns are quite far, it may be several weeks until the next time these people are reached, so we make sure that they receive a thorough witness before we leave them. In the time I was there, we went to 3 different towns, and each time was very fulfilling. Honest to goodness, I have never used the sample presentations from the Meeting Workbook as much as I did down there. It certainly makes the ministry engaging and exciting.

In summary, Tuesday, like its fellow days, will be whatever you make of it. We are happy and grateful for another day of life, no matter which day it falls on. In Jehovah's incredible organization, every day is a gift we can take advantage of positively.

Thank you very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this little anecdote! Have a wonderful day and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

Santa Cruz Bethel

There are 89 Bethel Branches throughout the world (currently). This number, of course, may change over time, but that's what it is at the time of writing.

My goal is to visit every single one. Every. Single. One.

In planning for this trip, Gi, Toti and I had the idea of writing the Bethel Branch of Bolivia to see about actually staying there as temporary guests. After several weeks of letters exchanged and plenty of emails, we were finally accepted to stay about 2 1/2 days onsite. We found out, oh, the day before I left for South America. (^-^) timing!

So, remember from my last post the lost luggage debacle? WELL. The idea of potentially having no formalwear to visit the Bethel Branch was admittedly disconcerting for me, but Jehovah stepped right in. Toti lent me a dress to wear for our early morning flight to Santa Cruz, a gesture that I still find heartwarming given the fact that we had literally just met a day or so before.

Still a tad shaky from our altitude sickness run-in, us 3 ladies went from the cool wintry feel of La Paz to the shockingly tropical Santa Cruz. Amidst a political airport protest and no phone reception, our lovely Bethel escort arrived.

OK BRIEF SIDEBAR. DID YOU KNOW THAT BOLIVIA IS HOME TO AN OSTRICH-LIKE FLIGHTLESS BIRD?!? Along the way to Bethel, we passed by a flock(?) of these birds, known as rheas. Unfortunately, in my excitement, I could not produce my phone camera fast enough to capture one. Next time though!

Back to the story.

When we arrived at the complex, we were taken by not only the actual beauty of said location, but more importantly the incredible WELCOME we received. Our next door neighbors had gleaned us food since we arrived past the lunch hour, as well as the friends having set up our own personal guestroom. We had a bit of time to kill before Watchtower Study, so we got a mini tour of some of the common areas like the commissary and caught up on much-needed rest.

The remainder of our days there at Bethel were very pleasant and copacetic, filled with lots of picture-taking, laughter, touring, exploring and meeting incredible new people. Don't just take my written word for it, I'll let the pictures do the talking!

#mood

To wrap up the sweet albeit brief Santa Cruz section of this trip, I shall regale you with a snippet of this well-loved tune...

"Bethel means the house of God
We call this Bethel because this place is His
Bethel, it's the house of God
To serve Jehovah is the best work that there is!"

That's all for tonight everybody! Thank you Bluebearies for reading and stay tuned for the next post!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

A Soprano in El Alto (Bolivia Day 1)

Greetings and salutations!

The last post left us at our final Chile day. That early Sunday morning, I met the final member of our travelling trio, Toti. She had come in from the southern Villarica region of Chile to join the group. Having an EXTREMELY early flight to catch, we quickly packed up and headed to the airport at about 2 am. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, we got in line to drop off our check-in luggage and await our flight. 

Little did I realize that this moment would play quite the role during the trip. Keep this in mind, it'll pop up again.

We had a brief but pleasant flight to La Paz, Bolivia, only a matter of a few hours. Upon arrival, we patiently awaited the check-in luggage at the carousel....

And waited....

And waited...

Mind you, Toti and Gi already had gotten their luggage, and mine was nowhere to be seen. After the carousel stopped turning, I finally ended up going to the airline help desk to report my luggage missing. The lady assisted me, but there was nothing to be done...I had no clothes/makeup to enter into La Paz with. I didn't pay it too much mind at the moment, not wanting to be negative so soon into the trip. We caught up with Charito, our Sorata contact. What a sweetheart!!! She was there waiting with hot cups of mate to help us adjust to the altitude.

Speaking of adjusting to altitude...

We hopped into a cab to Charito's place in El Alto, where we settled down to "rest." After settling in for an hour, we ventured out to explore the local fair, ride the in-air metro system called the teleférico, and adventure around town. What a beautiful, busy city!! We bounded up stairs, ate fried chicken, and took in the fabulous views.

At a price.

After a while exploring, we returned home, where we met Charito's mom and niece and hung out. As time went by, I began feeling a bit of malaise, my body steadily feeling weaker. After the guests left, us 3 girls settled in to nap while Charito went to run errands.

With a start, I woke up in a cold sweat, sick to my stomach. My body decided to rebel against me and manifest altitude sickness. Oh. My. Goodness. I ended up sitting up the rest of the night, trapped between a couch and the bathroom, in absolute misery. To spare you all the disgusting details, here's a handy dandy guide of things to avoid:

DO NOT RUSH YOURSELF. Take your time to really rest up.
DO NOT EAT FRIED HEAVY FOOD. It'll sit in your tummy and ruin you.

DON'T FORGET TO BREATHE. High altitude requires more physically.
HYDRATE YOURSELF. If you get stomach sick, you'll need to pump up on electrolytes.

Fortunately, the worst of it passed that night; it would have been an absolute nightmare feeling THAT sick for longer than I did. We were heading to Santa Cruz the following morning to go to Bethel, the last thing necessary was a flying sickipoo.

Smile, though you're feeling nauseous....

So a word to the wise: no matter how confident/excited/etc you are, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. It's not worth feeling that nasty.

But hey, I got to hug llamas so it wasn't all bad!!

That's all for tonight, hitting the sack after a LONG service day. The next post will cover our Bethel trip; stay tuned for the next post!!!

Love,

The Adventurous A.

BRRR.... It's Getting Kind of Chile in Here (Part 2)

Welcome back!!

If you're coming in from Part 1, EXCELLENT! Please read on. If not....well you'll be dropped in the middle of the middle of the story. I highly recommend starting from the beginning.

Anyways.

We are now at the (technically) second day in beautiful Santiago, Chile. Gi, needing to work, set me up with a delightful early breakfast and service plans with the Korean congregation nearby with a sister named Yanet.

Oh, a word to the wise. MAKE SURE TO ADJUST YOUR CLOCKS WHEN YOU'RE TRAVELLING. When Yanet picked me up, I thought I still had an hour's time to get ready for service, but apparently my phone was still running on Panama time. To be fair, I was distracted by the INCREDIBLE view of the Andes from my bedroom window. Thank goodness I was dressed and ready already!!!

You see how GORGEOUS that is??

Yanet and I crossed over into the heart of Santiago, reuniting with the rest of the service group. Much to my surprise, because of it being Saturday, the group was doing Spanish service. I was geared up to annyeonghaseyo my way through Santiago, but hey, at least it'd be preaching in a familiar language!

We did business territory, which turned out QUITE successful! We started quite a few good conversations; I was already relishing the ease of the ministry out here. After a few hours, our group divvied up, our small clan heading towards Santiago's K-Town for Korean food. 

맛있는!!

After retrieving Gi, we perused the adorable shops,drank boba tea, and bought goodies for the friends in La Paz and Sorata. We then parted ways, heading to one last mid-week meeting in Chile before the Bolivian adventures would begin...

And here we are, at the end of our Santiago leg of the trip! I'll be back later in the month, but for now, the rest of the blog posts will be centered on our goings-on in La Paz, Santa Cruz, and Sorata! Hope you enjoyed these 2 snippets! Stay tuned for the next post! Ciao Bluebearies!

Love,

The Adventurous A.