Sunday, June 3

My First Full Day. One Week Left.
I can't wait to get out of here. I can't stop thinking about my parents, Jimmy, & home. I almsot wish they hadn't allowed me to come.
Dawn came quickly & early. I think I woke up around 5 a.m. There were many strange sounds outside. I think they sounds were coming from birds, but I can't be sure.
I'll probably shower tonight. The water still isn't working, so it'll be out of a bucket.
We're walking to church in a little bit. My homesickness wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't so much free time for my mind to wander back home. Only six more full days.
Stephanie forgot church clothes, so she's going to use my shirt. I'll wear a skirt & a t-shirt, something I promised myself I'd never do. But I guess that's what happens when you're roughing it.
I have full cell service here. It's so tempting to call him, but I know I'll loose it if I do.
Breakfast was crepes, mango, raison bread, pineapple, watermelon, & (what do you know) rice & beans. The pineapple was amazing.
I smell like sweat & bug spray. Apparently tis' working, though, because I haven't been bitten yet.
The humidity has already caused the pages of my Bible & journal to start curling.
Mass today will be in Spanish, so I may take my Bible & read by myself the whole time.
I've been sweating since I got here. It's not so bad upstairs, where the girls sleep, because of the fans. There are no fans downstairs, & there is a section of "outside" in the main room, where we eat. So there are lots of flies & other insects.
There is already dirty under my nails & we haven't done anything yet.
I've decided to try to do things day by day this week. Conquer one thing at a time. Today: no crying, less thinking of home, make it through Mass, climb the volcano. I hope I can do it.

I can't believe how much I miss home. Not home so much, by my mom & dad & Jimmy. Maybe God's purpose for me was to show me how much I love these people but how little I show it.
We climbed the volcano today. I went the "easy way," which proved to be very difficult. About 1/2 way pu I decided I was finished. It was raining on & off & it was so hot. But although I wanted so badly to be done & I was seriously crying (though no one knew because of my sunglasses), my group wouldn't let me go by myself, so Mr. Dubus helped me.
We walked through some gross sulfur air. It was hard to breathe. I had forgotten my inhaler.
We made it to the top & it was freezing. Several clouds blew over us & it was like a blizzard, but without the snow. I was suprised to see so many bugs at the top of the volcano, but they were everywhere. I kept having to smack them off my bag & legs.
When almost everyone made it to the top, we went down. I clutched Mr. Dubus's hand, & he taught me how to climb (ski, really) down, sideways, filling my shoes with volcanic ash & rock. I rubbed some of the skin off my ankle from it.
I took my first shower when we got back to Casa Blanca & it was very cold.
I'm so tired & homesick.