Bienvenidos a Uruguay

Week 51--

Welp, this is my last Sunday blog post from Montevideo. Gosh... that feels weird to type. As I'll be getting home next Saturday, my final blog post will be coming to you straight from the U.S.A. herself!

This week, my second to last week, has been jam-packed-full (quite like last week!)... and a bit of an emotional roller coaster.

But before I go into the roller coaster... I'll tell you all a few of the fun things I did this week: My friend Flor and I went to go see the philharmonic orchestra in Teatro Solis. It was beautiful! They invited a 20 year old violinist from Paraguay to come play... and he. was. amazing. I said to Flor, "What am I doing with my life...?!" when I learned how old he was. He played for at least a straight hour... AND HE DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT ANY SHEET MUSIC! What a guy! Also this week, my friend Abby (who left today, wahhh!) and I went to our University to take pictures of the campus and say goodbye to the door lady, Betty. She started to tear up as we walked away. She has been such a joy to me since day 1 here... always greeting me with a smile, asking me about my family back at home, and chit-chatting away! Then I met up with some other friends for an ice cream and another goodbye. (<-- can you see where the roller coaster plays in?...it's a bit woven into the story I guess) This weekend my friends Abby, Bridget, Adam, Daisy and I all went out to lunch (to eat the LAST CHIVITO! Noooo!), and then the majority of us took a stroll around the city: stopping at the Palacio Legislativo... aka my most favorite building in all the country... and El Mercado Agricola which is a new (restored) place with lots of little stores selling ice cream, fruit, artisan beer, candy, pizza, etc. LOVED it. Recommended for anyone coming to Montevideo... if anyone is planning on coming here any time soon... Yesterday was the birthday of my good friend Marce, so a couple of friends from my church group and I went to her birthday party. We had a lot of fun together: dancing and talking till 3 in the morning (this is where you can tell that I'm still a "Yankee" at heart, cuz I went home at 3 a.m. while most of the Uruguayans continued on from there to go dancing for real... This Yankee <me> needs her sleep!)

And then that brings us to today... my friend Abby left, I had my last Mass and last young adults group, and I had to say goodbye to some people in the group. Needless to say, it's been a rough day. These friends of mine have helped and accompanied me in my growth, personally and spiritually, and have been incredible examples to me of how to live with an open, serving heart from beginning to end. But my (real) mom reminded me of something, which I find comforting: It's actually a good thing that I am upset, and that I find myself in tears saying goodbye to all of these people, because it shows that I care about them and that I have made wonderful friends here. It hurts because I do care about my new friends... and I am so blessed to have been given the opportunity to form these relationships and grow to truly care for them. So really... I should be rejoicing in my sadness! And I am: Thanks be to God, I have continued to grow in peace and thanksgiving, as I continue to say my goodbye's and reflect on the year I have spent here. <--- THAT'S the roller coaster. I am SO happy and at peace about the friends I have made, the time I have spent here, and about going home to see all of YOU(!! YAY!), but soo sad to leave all at once! It's a good thing I'm a fan of roller coasters...

And with that I sign off for the night! I will be writing one last post when I return--probably on Sunday--to tell you all about my final week and to reflect a little bit about the entire year.