Southern CHILE

So we've been backpacking down in SOUTHERN CHILE.  Pretty much the prettiest place in the world.  Here is a sneak peak of Valdivia, Chile.

Ah!  Having the best time ever!  I feel like a real gypsy getting on and off busses, sleeping where ever we can, hitting the beach.  I love this country...so beautiful!

My favorites in Chile

AHHHH!!!   We made it here to CHILE!!!  It is soooo good to be back.  I am LOVING  it being with the people I love again.  

This is Ximena.  When I had only been here two days as a missionary, we went to her house and taught her family.  It was raining so hard and we had been walking all day.  Her family let us in and fed us and then we taught them.  She is like my sister.  She started coming to church and later in my mission she decided to go on a mission.I I was so excited for her! When my parents came she went to the temple and they totally loved her.  They helped her with the money so she could go.  She went to Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I am so happy for her, she is so rad!!!  

Anyways, she came to get us at the airport.  So good to be with her again.  She was the only one that knew that we were coming. It was a surprise for everyone else.

Here is the hostel we are staying at.  We love the hostel!  We got a private room and bathroom and free internet. What's not to like?   Of course we took the micro(bus) and got sick.  Only once though!  There is a metro now in Santiago so we have been riding that...it's SO nice! Typical Chile.  Dogs in the streets looking like they are dead.  Random things, store signs etc. The smells and the feeling and the streets are just the same. Ah!  Just eating it all up! Of course we went straight to Ramon's house.  I LOVE HIM!!  He was so excited and surprised.  to see us.  This is  a mug that is for 'HERMANA HUGHES ONLY!'  I always drank herbal tea with him out of this cup.  He had it all clean and ready to go waiting for my return.  In his fridge he still has my water bottle..from 5 years ago!   CON FUERZA RAMON!!

AHHHH!  I have many memories here in front of his house.  This is were we taught him the gospel.  It was about this time of year (summer in Chile) 6 years ago!  When my parents came to pick me up after the mission, he painted his whole cute little house blue for them.  He borrowed dishes so that he could have MATCHING dishes for when they came to eat with him.   He was so excited about this and my parents loved it.  He is just so sweet and my 'Chilean dad'.  

Of course he still had EVERYTHING (the photos and notes) that we had given him up on all of his walls!

We then went to see FLOR and GENARO GENARO, Chitymoya, mura, crema! They were so cute and excited and surprised!

Then she fed us a HALF of a watermelon each.  Oh boy, back to the mission eating again.

They have all their stuff we gave them up on the walls too.  This is their sealing document that they got when they were sealed about 2 years after I left. Genaro was freaking out, so excited.  "It is such a blessing to receive you here in my home.  I give thanks to God. "  He ran to the store and bought this big chicken and fries to feed us.  They are so hospitable here.  It reminds you of that we should be more like them.  

Then to Jesana's house.  This is her patio where we met for the first time.  An amazing story.  She was praying all night long for God to bring her the true church. She was in the shower the next morning when we knocked on her door. She threw on some clothes and ran out all wet with shampoo still in her hair crying and said "I've been waiting for you."  It was amazing. 

Her kids are so  big now!!  She was pregnant with this little one when I left Chile.  

I love these people and this country!  I'm having the best time ever.  So grateful to be back here again...and the weather is PERFECT as well.  

Day of Love

How did I spent my 'dia de amor'?  This is what they call St Valentine's day...day of LOVE.  Sorry to worry you Kels and Rose ...and also my parents I'm sure.  But they are in Russia, so they have no room to talk.  Well, we DID go out into the dangerous city of MEXICO CITY!    Don't worry, we took a cab from the airport and tried our best to be safe.  This city scares me a bit too..especially after the movie 'Man on Fire'.  A boyfriend snuck this movie in trying not to let me know it was Restricted (R)...and it will scare your pants off about this place!

Alot of Mexico city is just what you think it would be:  Smells just like you think it would.  No one is exaggerating on this...promise.  

Of COURSE there's random naked people driving around in VW bugs.

Of COURSE there's floor food displays on the street with random man banging the drum.

Of COURSE we stopped for some road side tacos.  Diarrhea anyone?  Por favor!
HOWEVER, there were some really great things we got to see.  Like this Cathedral in the center.  

Very pretty.  Lots of gold.
A Valentine's day dinner with our amigo Victor.  He was our driver.  Very nice, took good care of us.  This food was way good.  Can't beat fresh Mexican, straight from the source. 
We met these Chilean teenagers in the Mexican airport.  Chilean teenagers are the best because they don't have that attitude of 'too cool for school'.  They just do funny things and don't care about being cool.  They had been in Mexico for the summer doing like a service mission.  They were way funny and of COURSE we danced the Cueca with them in the airport (a chilean dance).  Good times. 

We finally got on the plane to head to Chile...safe and sound.  This is the thing that I wanted MOST out of Mexico city.  No robbing, no shooting...safe and sound to the airplane.
Ok, more updates later....I am loving life having a blast!!!

What does SNOW in ATLANTA = ?

Let me tell you that snow in Atlanta = ALL FLIGHTS ARE CANCELED!  

This is my old mission companion and tight friend Tracy and I all ready for our flight to leave this morning to CHILE!!!  Yes, that is right.  I was putting my time machine to good use and trying to get back to Chile.  We were all packed and ready to go this morning and low and behold..canceled!!  EVERY time machine has it's proper troubles.  I.e.  Back to the future.   

We waited for hours in this long line waiting to get rerouted for another flight to Chile.  Everyone was bugged and not happy about the situation.  

No worries, we met this lady in line who did the honors of befriending us.  We even got double stuffed Oreos out of it.  Wasn't half bad!

This is Dan the man at work frantically searching for a flight for us.  They said we couldn't leave till WEDNESDAY  now.  GOOOD ONE...nice try.  Dan was looking all over the globe to find us a flight but so many were booked and canceled.  We were freaking out when he mentioned

"Well, let's see.  We could send you to PARIS and then go to Chile tomorrow from there."

We were FREAKING OUT!  Please bless we get to go to Paris!!!

I think he liked us because we were laughing and taking pictures of him instead of mad and cranky and yelling at him :)

A little video of the airport...

Well, no such luck.  The Paris flight was sold out.  So the solution ( a close 2nd to Paris of course).... MEXICO CITY!!  

We leave tomorrow morning to Mexico city and then go down to Chile.

So what should we do to kill time on our 'Stay-cation'?

How bout the best french toast ever at...THE OTHER PLACE RESTAURANT!  

It is so good.  Check it out on 5th east and 3rd south.  

Oh I know what we should do!  Why don't we highlight your hair?....with a home highlighting kit..smart!
BEFORE:
DURING:
AFTER:

Ok ok, it didn't turn out as bad as the movie makes it look :)  I actually am WAY proud of her.  She is like a professional!  Loving the color and the free du!  Just the front was a bit of a challenge but then it turned out just fine.."it's fine everybody"!!

Ok ready, set, go....we are ready for the plane, Mexico city and then FINALLY CHILE!!