La Chureca

Today I’ve been thinking a lot about my last and only other trip overseas.  A drastically different experience than this trip. I know this is a blog about this adventure, but I wanted to share a little bit about that one.  So last summer I took 1 week off of work and spent it in the city dump of Managua, Nicaragua. When I first decided to go and gave my deposit I hadn’t even yet mentioned it to my family, coworkers, or had any idea how I was going to pay for it..  I didn’t have any friends going and had never in my life stepped foot out of the country. I just knew this was something I needed to do. Similar to this trip I had no idea what to expect, and any preconceived ideas I did have before arriving were blown away by what I saw and experienced there.  Essentially there is a community of over 800 people that wake up every single morning with no hope of a better life. They spend every day women and children included digging through the trash to find anything of value. Food, shelter, recycling for money, anything.  

While the extreme poverty was overwhelming the poverty of the mind was the most heartbreaking. Although Most of the adults have no resources to dig their way out they at least recognize the situation that they are in and long for a better life.  The children on the other hand often seemed content since the time they were born they have never known any other life.  You can literally feel the darkness over this place. Which is why although the trip itself to those that were not on it seemed non-traditional since we didn’t build or bring anything, was never the less powerful.  Simply giving a hug to a little girl, and having no idea when the next time she would be shown any affection again moved me to tears.  This insignificant significant moment impacted me.  Ultimately having to pull her off of me made me realize that no matter what your life story is, love is universal. To a little girl that didn’t need shoes, didn’t need toys, didn’t need snacks, she knew somewhere inside that needed love.  

"Surely children weren't made for the streets and fathers were not made to leave, surely this isn't how it should be... but i will live to carry on compassion, to love a world thats broken." -Power of your name by Lincoln Brewster

American Dream

I’ve been challenged lately to rethink why we do the things we do. Why we say the things we say. Why we wear the things we wear. You get the idea.  Your probably sitting there thinking one of 2 things. Either that I sound like that 5 year old kid that asks too many questions (yes I was that kid) or that I sound like a silly girl trying to sound deep and philosophical. Either way, we decided I would be real didn’t we? Okay so back to the matter at hand. 

My eyes have been opened to different perspectives on so many things, and I don’t say this with a condescending tone that you too should look outside your own little world, because you can only live why what you know, and you can only know what you experience.  This experience has certainly challenged what I think I know, and I’m sure will ultimately inspire the way I live.  “I have come that you may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10 I’m so excited to see what’s instore! or better put by Despicable Me’s Gru “I have pins and needles that I am sitting on.” 

Oh yea and one fun little anecdote of being “Aussed in translation” I’ll share with you from the amazing retreat I just got back from. So I was entertaining little Hannah (she’s 3) during dinner by being the voice of her little Barbie, when suddenly a girl I had just met says to me “You are really lame aren’t you” after staring at her with a look of both confusion and offense she decided it best to explain herself. APPARENTLY lame here means corny rather than sucky, and we all know I am totally proud to be called corny!

Todays blog songs brought to by incredible dancer, singer, and girlfriend of beautiful beautiful Chuck Wicks.  Julianne Hough’s Hallelujah Song “Look at me can’t believe I finally made it here feeling like I’m where I belong Singing my hallelujah song!”

Dolla dolla bills

Okay, my goal this week has been to learn to become more thrifty. This vision may quickly spiral downhill toward grungy as I forsee a lot of dirty clothes being worn with laundry here being $6 a load. It is a fine line btween the 2 and involve 2 key components.  Staying on the good side of frugality involves not only trying to still buy things I like rather than living off of ramen and cereal for 6 months, but also brainwashing myself into thinking its fun to waste lots of my time “shopping around”, and learning/remembering when things are discounted during the week. Maybe I can pay someone to do this for me... 

Aussies also seem to be much more “green” than us gas gusslers in the states. I say this like I am environmentally friendly or something… Let's put it down for next weeks goal. Anyway, they have the half flush/full flush buttons everywhere (no the toilet water does not spin backward).  They also supposedly take 4 minute showers but there is no chance I’m conceding to that! They have on/off switches on all the outlets and have roundabouts at many intersections to save energy (I’m fully convinced the roundabouts are put in for afternoon aussie entertainment watching all of the internationals frantically facing death as we try to get across them).

One of the street performers yesterday was singing Mumford & Sons so enjoy that as our song of the blog “Where you invest your love, you invest your life" - Awake my soul

Routine Ready...

So contrary to popular belief I am actually not that extroverted… The majority of the people at our first orientation had at least one friend on the trip with them, that person in many cases being their significant other. Needless to say that had left me feeling a little homesick. More so just wishing to fast forward these next few weeks past this awkward knowing noone and having no form of communication with anyone.  Fun let me tell ya! On the bright side I explored a lot during that time! I have been terrible at remembering to take pictures but there will be lots more to come! Even though Melbourne is a big city I haven’t felt unsafe once. Haven’t run across any “dodgy” people as they say.  There are HEAPS of coffee shops, which if you know me you know is like heaven for me and hell for my bank account… On my run this morning I stumbled upon an entire 4 story shopping mall. That was a new experience. Like, you’d never know it was there unless you walked in because the front just looks like every other store front.  This running phase might pass soon though as i swear we have ben walking like average 6 miles a day. Granted "miles" means nothing to them.  I've seen lots of cricket in passing as well. I learned not to ask who to root for because that apparently means who to have sex with hehe.

Top 10 things I miss

1 razzy fresh. Oops did I just say that outloud? just kidding but it is up there!

2 The sibs (and yes even the rents/ roomies haha)

3 Northway!! This includes everyone I love there.

4 Living in the number 2 most wireless city in the US.. not so much the case here…

5 Caribou. Oh shoot another establishment probably frowned upon for making the list!

6 Police officers. Look at you making an appearance on the blog! ; )

7 Driving/ free transportation.  Can’t complain because walking around in this beautiful weather could be worse. But I don’t foresee trying my hand at this driving thing, gives me anxiety just watching people make right turns!

8 My puppies… well really just Dakota. Squiggles on a particularly bad day. And Maxx… well maybe that will happen someday, maybe.

9 Being able to speak in Chay-ism’s… Not widely accepted yet here. I tried. 5 times. Evytime Either it doesn’t care or they Can’t know.

10 77kids! I mean I spend the majority of my time for the past 10 months with these folks! I love em!

cheers!  Oh yea today's song is Valentines Day by BOSC "I'm sorry that i couldn't be there for you...I'm goin, gone."

From the Most livable city in American to the Most livable city in the World!

Well, I had my first elecronic catastrophy  Lets just say I will be buying a new hairdryer tomorrow. Converter shmonverter! So far I have been at study abroad orientation with all of the American Students studying all over Australia. There’s about 100 of us. The first stop was out to the wild to see hundreds of Kangaroo’s it was unreal! Everywhere you looked out into the hills and valleys were packs of them.  We were like maybe 20 feet from about 30 and they didn’t care at all. From there we went out to a sleepy beach town in Victoria called Sorrento.  We did a ton of boring seminars where I probably retained like 5 fun facts that I will tell you all about later. 

We also went on a boat cruise and saw a bunch of dolphins and even more seal! We ate shark that night J  I went for a run along the ocean during some down time we had in the afternoon and literally had tears in my eyes at how beautiful God’s creation is.  

We’ve finally made it into Melbourne city, but I don’t actually move into my apartment for about 5 more days. Living out of my suitcase is beginning to wear on me.  

I’d say the weirdest thing to adjust to here in the city is how they drive.  The steering wheels on the left side of the car, and the cars are on the left side of the street. Everything is also heaps more expensive (they say heaps all the time, I don’t think I used it right haha).   

Now, of course I had to pick a Aussie singer for my first post down under. Missy Higgins: Steer “freedoms surging through my veins”.

cheers!

Parting thoughts from the airport.

[sigh…] so the moment you’ve all been waiting for. I am beginning to fight the early signs of nervousness… You know the feeling when FDR’s classic “there’s nothing to fear but fear itself” holds absolutely no meaning whatsoever.  You’ve pulled out the big guns like Isaiah 41:10 and John 14:27 and yet still feel a ping of overwhelming desire to know what lies ahead…

Now this is the part where normal human beings probably are in agony avoiding this feeling at all costs, I on the other hand am thriving on it!! Ah to be completely dependent on the Lord. Oh to put my beliefs to the test and let go… Yes, my name is Gabrielle Salvador and fear is my friend.  I surrender. I yield my life to the one who is life. ( warning: i'm pretty sure i just plagiarized that from something)  For at least a few months I’ll know that I am not just going through the motions, living what’s easy, what I know, whats comfortable… It's not like after 21 years he’s going to fail me now, it is not in his DNA (okay, I admit I’m not sure how that works if God has DNA but you get the idea.)  

I am sitting at the Pittsburgh airport waiting for my first of 4 flights to board. I hope its smooth sailing. (does that saying still work when your flying?) If your looking for the logistics of this travel experience next is dallas (yes the day before the Superbowl in dallas, should be interesting yins!). dallas to LA. LA to Sydney. Sydney to Melbourne. Depart 1:25 PM  on the 5th.  Arrive 11:35 AM on the 7th. WHAT?! no that is not a typo!!!

Today’s Song: The Motions- Matthew West because i am NOT going to spend my whole life asking, what if i had given everything....

Sister. Its what i do.

Dear Conscience,

Why are you so overactive and self critical? Illbeit often inaccurate. If you treated anyone else this way, noone would like us.  Your unrealistic demands of me must come to an end.

Love,

The rest of me

If you are wondering what on earth I am alluding to, I will tell you.  If not then I’m not sure why you are still reading this, weirdo.  So, today I have been feeling slightly guilty about my trip.  I mean the money things is one part of it, but mostly it’s that if you know me at all you’d know that my family is one of the most important things in my life.  Being the second oldest (and second tallest) of 8 kids, they depend on and look up to me a lot, and leaving for 4 months seems selfish.  Of course none of them actually feel this way, hence the cordial letter to my conscience.  Regardless, I still can’t help but feel a little bit like I’m abandoning all of my responsibilities and relationships in the states.  Maybe everyone could just put their life on hold for me, that could work... Good thing there is this brilliant mastermind that gave me a book full of remedies for these silly thoughts in my head; like the truth in Luke 18:29 that says “Truly I tell you, no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”  Its funny that something that simple can make me feel like my heads back on straight.  Todays song is dedicated to the sibs for “this bond between us can’t be broken, I will be here don’t you cry” -You'll be in my Heart, by Phil Collins