JAS Conference 2009!

This week I think I've had the highest highs and lowest lows since being here in Chile. Nicole and I went to Punta Varras for the JAS (Young Single Adult) Conference! 

TUESDAY HIGHLIGHTS!

Nicole and I woke up by our cell phone going off. It was our friend here Nattie, asking us where we where? The bus was there and leaving in 5 mins! Let's just say we freaked out. We jumped out of bed and started packing, because you know why would anyone pack the day before you actually need to leave. Nicole just shoved like everything she owned into her backpack, which really isn't that much to beginning with I guess. I, on the other hand, grabbed my bathroom bag, 2ish pairs of pants and a few shirts. Oh, and my sleeping bag. Then we ran out the door. We made it to the bus station and apparently some of the other kids had also missed the bus so we got on another one with them. I fell asleep to be woke up and told to get off the bus to get off on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. Yeah, I had my grumpy pants off. Then it started to rain. We did eventually find another small bus to take us into town were we met up with everyone.  

Miss took the boys bathroom for the girls when I went to take a shower... no boys came in luckily, until I was walking out! 

Later that night we went to our first Chilean dance. They don't dance in circles like they do in the US. Instead they do it in lines! We danced until like 1 am. And they don't take breaks like in the US, it's continuous dancing. There is like no way to get out of dancing with some. Your pretty much dancing with them for the next half hour weather you like it or not. All the music sounded the same to us too. It was all just different versions of Salsa music. 

WEDNESDAY HIGHLIGHTS!

Woke up at 6 am. Why? Because apparently Chilean girls wake up at 6 to look pretty for the men here. HA. I went back to sleep. We did have fun with Pia and Nattie in the morning though. Nicole and Pia dog-piled on me, so we were all laughing. Pia and Nattie also taught us a song with hand motions that we kept messing up and everyone laughed when we did. (we kept saying water shoes instead of water frogs! :D)

I fell asleep during devotional and apparently Pia tried to wake me up but I swatted her with my hand. Oops. 

Then we all crammed into a small bus and went to a nice soccer field. On the spur of the moment I decided that I would join the girls team. It was great. I mean I was wearing these nice shoes that were horrible to play with, but it was fun! I was even good! I shot a goal and everyone in the stands started chanting "GRINGA, GRINGA."

It was pretty much the most thrilling moment of my life. We won our first game and the championship too! I ended up scoring 2 goals actually. Oh, Yeah- I'm a JAS Conference Champ! Then we came back and played Basketball in the gym. I don't think I've actually played basketball since middle school. Little need to say then that I was horrible, and we only ended up scoring 2 points in the whole game. I did make those 2 points though. ::proud smile:: After basketball we then played Volleyball. Which is like my least favorite sport. We won because everyone else on my team was amazing, but somehow my name was the only name that ended up on the newsletter about Volleyball. 

Nicole and I taught people to say "holy cow" and "winner" because their funny to hear with a Chilean accent. ::hehe:: They taught us to say "paralelepipedo"which they in turn got a good laugh at. 

At night they had a big karaoke thing that we snuck out of because it was crazy. We didn't know any of the songs and people were going crazy cheering and everything. Closest thing I think I've ever been in to a riot. We went out and played cards with Jorge and Anival. They taught us a new game called nervous.

THURSDAY HIGHLIGHTS!

Woke up early again. Went to "classes" on various things. Not that we understood anything. Devotional. 

Pretty boring day. Practiced our Italian dance. Had lunch. 

We preformed our dancing once in the gym and then once for the public community in the area at an open talent show. Did a lot of sitting around and talking with people... we found some English speakers. ::hehe:: Got to know the people in our stake really well though.

FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS!

Devotional given by the one of the seventy. There are actually quite a few of seventy here. We've met 3 already. 

Went to clean a cemetery for a service project. We pulled weeds and cleaned up trash. Pablo gave me a ride in a wheel barrow he called the "Chilean ride." We found a statue that is like the one in SLC and took picture with it. Then we got a little carried away and took some joke pictures in the cemetery. I probably the best time in a cemetery I have ever had or ever will. The whole time Rodrigo called me "Hermana" too. Which means "Sister" and the title they give to sister missionaries. I liked it. 

After the service project we came back and went to the beach (beach of the large lake there) with a bunch of the boys. They all went swimming and I didn't have my bathing suit so I jumped in with my clothes. Then we walked around the town. It's even more touristy than Valdivia! Had a great completo as well. You got to love the hot dogs with mayo, tomatoes, and avocados here. RiGhT? 

Had the last formal dance. It was less enjoyable than the first. First of all it was "love" themed... not a good sign -ever. Actually after/during the dance I have never felt so homesick. 

Nicole and I didn't know any of the songs or the dances. I also realized that they people were moving on with their lives. After another 2 months I would never see these people again. I felt like my life was on hold. I imagine missionaries must feel this way sometimes.

SATURDAY HIGHLIGHTS!

Today we had a testimony meeting on the beach of the lake at 6 am. It was pretty but also cold. I got up to bear my testimony, but in English. One of the girls offered to translate for me so everyone understood. 

We cleaned up camp and took naps in the afternoon. Then we went to the beach for a while and in evening we caught a bus back to Valdivia. The bus ride was the best bus ride ever. I taught Pablo the rhyme "Lose, Double Loser" which in turn he taught us one:

Las manitos, las manitos

donde estan

aqui estan!!! 

Ellas se saludan

Ellas se saludan

y se van

y se van

It was hard to say good bye to everyone.