How do you summarize 5 months of your life in one Website?

Flickr.com

That's how

Ok this post is just to let you guys know that after eons, I have finally posted new pictures from the last few months to my flickr account. Phew. Click here to go to my flickr photo site.

www.flickr.com/peruviangillian

Below is just a little tasty sampling of the feast to come. Ok not really, but here are a few pictures from the sets I created.

And we're back...

After a very threatening comment on my last post from my good friend Diana, I decided it would be a good idea to post again. Alright, alright, alright, I know it's been forever and a day since I last posted.

Heather Ferguson, one of the missionary wives, and one of my favorite people in general likes to talk about life through seasons. It's really very helpful to be able to say that the last season of my life was very busy, very....well, to tell the truth, I don't know exactly what it was. It was odd.

The first months of the year was alot of sanctification and pruning through various trials, situations, and just life experiences in general. I keep a sketchbook of my thoughts and drawings about what happens, and I know that will be very interesting later to look back on. I know that for the first 4 or 5 months though of this, I was going through a season of change and general unrest. However, I feel that season has turned finally and for the better.

I know that the lessons I learned through that season were for my good, but they still take something out of you. Something fierce. Through that season I sort of fell off the communication wagon and haven't been able to keep up with some of my US friends and family as well as continuing my relationships here in Peru. Not that I wanted either side to get lost to the other, but it's difficult to find that balance. And while heather often speaks of seasons of life, I am beginning to find that my personal credo is "Finding Balance" Which I guess is applicable in every part of life, but especially when you are adjusting to a new environment.

Isn't that strange how you are thrown into a new environment and it's like you suddenly forget who you are and what you need to function at a good level. For example, I completely forgot at one point while living here that I am the type of person that loves people, yet still needs alone time in order to not go crazy. Why do I do that? Why do I forget? Looking back on it, I think "Man, I would have saved myself alot of stress if I had just taken 30 minutes each day to myself so as not to make myself reach my boiling point.

But that was earlier, in a different season. I am happy to report that things here are just going fantastically well. I've almost been here a full year now and am very content with my life here in Peru. I'm still involved with Music Ministry and hope to write an update soon about that. I of course am still teaching at SALI, am very happy in the classroom and enjoying learning everyday from my students and improving my teaching skills. I also have assumed a new role within Peru Mission as an assistant to the Intern Director in the area of Intern Recruiting and Logistics. All that to say that I try to help people get down here safely (without getting lost in Lima) and try to help them get accustomed to their internship in Peru. I enjoy the recruiting process. I used to work in the admissions office at my university and I always enjoyed answering questions and providing as much information to people as possible so that their transitions are smooth, so I will enjoy doing this on a much grander, international level as well.

And I think that's about it for now, My mommy and daddy are coming in 11 days to visit Peru and I couldn't be more excited. I can't wait for them to visit Trujillo, to see the work of the mission (and even help out a little to) and well...just to see them in General. I haven't seen them in 6 months, which for someone like me whose family is a vital part of my being is quite a long time. I always miss my family while I'm away and so this will be a wonderful refresher for me. We're going to have lots of Peruvian adventures I'm sure, but I have to plan their itinerary before I can write about what sorts of adventures will be coming our way.

Stay Tuned.

Diana and Cassie went to Peru, and all they got was this lousy blog post...

As promised, albeit a little bit later than I would have liked it to be, I am back once again to give you some more updates about the month of March.

This update will be about two of my dearest friends' visit to my dear Peru.

Diana and Cassie are my amazing amazing friends, with whom I lived with for practically all four years that I was at Anderson. Diana was a ceramics major and essentially a painting drawing major. Cassie was a graphic design major. They are two of my favorite people in the entire world because of the high quantities of fun we have when we're together.

We spent some time in Trujillo, they got to know alot of my friends, and we also were able to go to Moyobamba, a city in the Jungle of Peru where we swam in crystal clear rivers, held a baby leopard, walked through some jungle trails, and yes, we did see and pet some monkeys.

Their visit was not only spectacular, but very much needed. It was so nice to be able to have some of my best friends to come down and be able to take part in the Peruvian part of my life.

Ok, ok, enough mushy stuff. let me just show you some pictures.
Diana and I, just like old times

It's U.S. Tourist Diana in Peru!

We rode on these reed boats at the beach in Trujillo. If you come visit me, you can ride one too!

We had fun hanging out with my Peruvian friends as well as having some "old friends" time


Here are some pictures from the Jungle with the baby leopard:

And last but not least, what is a Peruvian journey without some llamas...and some obscenely large llama hats:

Let me explain.

Ok, so the last time I wrote was 3 weeks ago. And It's going to take me a few posts to get you caught up on where my life is right now.

This is mostly to be blamed on the march. Yes, that's right. The month of March.

You know the saying "In like a lion, out like a lamb"?

Well, for me. March was: In like a herd of roaring lions, chasing stampeding elephants. The elephants are then caught up to by the lions, who tripped over their tails, thus creating a large amalgamation of large and dangerous mammals. Then all of a sudden, across the serengeti, a freak cyclone comes through, sucking up the elephants and lions, all the while destroying brush, wild date palms, zebras, and other assorted serengeti flora and fauna. So now we have a holy mess of mammals and vegetation swirling around in a giant cyclone across Africa. So as this cyclone starts to wind down towards the end of March, March then finishes out like lions and elephants and zebras set back down to the earth, safely, but dizzy, where they all re-orient themselves and then lie down to take a nap after a long month spent mostly in a cyclone.



Now, I've thought long and hard about how I could possibly recount to you fine people what the month of march in 2008 has meant to me, and to be honest the previous was the only way that I have been able to come up to describe my thoughts.

So that gives you a little glimpse. As I said, I will be filling you in more about details about that loveable cyclone. It's had its high points and low points. The highs were very high and the lows were very low. The very low low I've already written about (See two posts ago about my precious baby angel mac) And the very high high was having my two friends Cassie and Diana come visit for 2 weeks. I'll fill you guys in more about this trip later, and many many pictures will follow.

The visit from Diana and Cassie ended last night, and left me here in Lima for a few days to sit, reflect, breathe, and spend alot of time at Starbucks, drinking several iced lattes. Starbucks is a rare treat that for me happens about, oh, once every 4 months. I do miss coffee shops. There really aren't any in Trujillo. But they're my escape, so I treasure the few times that I do get to spend in coffee shops every once in awhile. So, I am going to return to my iced latte and my safe haven of this plush arm chair and reflect about all the things I need to write about in the next few days.

Such highlights to be included:

-Easter

-The update on my baby angel mac

-Diana and Cassie's debut in Peru

-My debut on National Peruvian Television (oh yes, it's true)

Tune in next time...