And...this is my new life...?!?!

I settled in late last night to my apartment in Calicoto, La Paz.  It's very nice and I already know I'm going to really bond with Sarah and Bekah, my roommates.  They're super sweet and Sarah has been so helpful.  She is the third grade teacher and going into her 4th year at Highlands.  She knew no Spanish coming in but is now fluent...there is hope for me!  Our apartment is really nice!  I have my own room with big windows overlooking the city and mountains...I love it!  I've had a great day first day so far.  It's a little overwhelming and different streets and parts of the city are confusing to keep track of, but I know I'll get the hang of it.  I'm going to take a little nap before I go over to a barbecue at the guys' apartment tonight--I definitely need to recharge for a little bit. 

Quick rundown of today:  We went to a missionary family's house this morning--Scott and Lisa Meisner (sp?) and they have a 2 1/2 year old Natalie.  Scott graduated from Taylor!  He gave us a rundown of Bolivia...kind of a mini orientation.  They help lead the spanish-speaking church that meets at Highlands on Sunday morning.  There's a connection group every Saturday night for Highlands teachers and missionaries like them in the area or whoever wants to come that speaks English!  They're meeting this Saturday night at a pizza place.  I think we're going to that.  Then we went and saw the school!  It's so cute and the mountains are literally RIGHT there surrounding it.  It was fun to see my classroom and I noticed lots of curriculum books/materials on a bookshelf, lots of random things in boxes that I'll look at later, desks and chairs, and a guitar, which I was excited for since I didn't bring mine!  The walls are cute with some painted animals and a tree.  I took pictures that I will post soon.  Scott (the director) talked to us all for awhile about Highlands and working together as a staff and various things.  Sarah and her boyfriend Scott are the ones kind of orienting the newbies.  They're great.  I'm so glad to have Sarah as a roommate!  After seeing the school, they took us all out to lunch at a Bolivian restaurant where I split Picote de Pollo (I think that's what it was called...something like that).  It was chicken with a kind of spicy sauce, chunos (sp?) which are dried potatoes that had some kind of sauce, a regular potato, and some kind of fried ring..I guess a little bit like an onion ring but more bready...I'm not sure what it was.  We split pitchers of limonade and had empananas and bread as appetizers.  It was all muy delicioso! (sp? Joy taught me that. haha :) )  (Sidenote: I am happy that Jess, the 2nd grade teacher doesn't know any Spanish either so we can take classes together!)  Then Sarah took Bekah and I (the really newbies) to the grocery store where we followed her around while she bought things and instructed us and then she gave us a tour of San Miguel on our walk back to our apartment in Calicoto.  San Miguel is a section of Calicoto which she said is kind of like the "5th avenue" or "Michigan avenue" of La Paz.  She said we live in a very rich part of town, and it's good since it's safer.

More to come. I'm tired so I'm sorry this was choppy and brief.

Final sentiment: It is CRAZY that this is my new home! I am pretty positive I will fall in love with this place and these people I've met and will meet.