Imagine Delightful Freshness

Oggy, Jared, Michael, Ben, Chelsea, Isabella, Marcos, Unidentified Flying Stranger

Our sojourn to Chiapas was a mystery box full of treats. From dancing the night away in San Cristobal to waiting the day away at the border crossing in Tapachula, each place had it's moments of splendor and squalor. Among the splendid things were the company.

The Boys (Jared, Ben, Marcos, Michael)

& The Girls (Isabella, Graciela, Chelsea)

Among the squalor was the 60 peso ($4.69) per night hostel in San Cristobal. It wasn't so bad, it simply inspired me to stay out of doors and go for long country walks. And of course, I took the advice found on this discarded refrigerator box:

There you go. In the middle of the ngiht, when the bedbugs bite...Imagine delighful freshness. Don't worry, I haven't got bedbugs. Yet. While some of the others went to Palenque and Agua Azul, Ben and I stayed in San Cris and went in the ministry. Jaqui, (left), and I had an instant bond since we are both "grandotas" (super tall girls). People don't hesitate to call it like it is in Spanish. If you're huge, you're a grandota, if you're fat, you're a gordita, if you're ugly, you're el feo. And that's the way it is, and people will yell it at you from across the street, as if physically unable to resist stating the obvious. GRANDOTA!

While most Spanish speakers have trouble pronouncing my name ("Chucky" and "Chesty" being among the attempts) Jaqui got it right straight away. Apparently, there is a Barbie-like doll named "The Amazing Chelsea". Who knew? Should I sue for copyright infringement? Speaking of Barbies, many Mexican families here have very 'ecclectic' decor. I tend to err on the side of minimalism, and would definitely not be able to handle stuffed animals, statutes and Barbie dolls lurking on most surfaces and corners. 

The "Take Refuge In Jehovah" Special Assembly Day was fantastic - it was the first English assembly in Tuxtla, and there were a little over 300 people there. There was a table set up with maps and information sheets about where in the circuit there is a special need; the English field is growing so fast that needs are constantly changing. What all the congregations need most is stability - a core group of elders and pioneers that are here for the long haul.

My bus left for the Tapachula border crossing at midnight. Us singletons got caught up socializing when I got a call from Jacinta telling me they were on their way to the bus station. Oh right, going to Nicaragua for two weeks. Forgot about that. Completely unprepared, a little bewildered and full of crepes, I grabbed my backpack and hopped into a cab to the bus station, where Vince, Jacinta, Kirstie and Kent were waiting.