I was enrolled in a summer Service-Learning Program through ACCD. this blog follwed our adventures in San Antonio and in Oaxaca. It now holds some thoughts on life, and fun as well as comments. I will continue to post Oaxaca information as i get it. you will want to continue checking for updates since we are suppose to go back in March 07!
Ode to my friend : J
Monday, July 31, 2006
i offered to hit my friend today well actually right now its about 11:00 at night i offered to hit her somewhere anywhere.
she was/is in pain. mentally her heart got broken, well not broken but cracked. so i offered to hit her in the face so she could feel physical pain instead of emotional pain. she turned me down.
why i dont know. actually she is sitting next to me, drinking her sorrows away. but what comes after you drinK? she will be extracting her sorrows away. i tell her see as easy as it goes in, it comes out.
as well the pain. it comes in you feel it (like abad hangover) than it goes out. but sometimes you need to feel it to say i will not do that again.
do you ever feel like this is the last time iam going to give someone a chance. last time i am going to let a piece of my heart go to someone?
then your not going to share that with anyone else because the last person took it and broke it so much that you dont think its going to be put back together again?
than you will not allow yourself to care for someone? not let yourself fall in love again?
but why love ?
you love because there is a chance, that out there your soul mate is waiting for you
out there the love of your life is waiting for you
what does not kill you makes you stonger.
and we all need to be strong
if this does not make sense i had to sit here and HAD to share 5 pina colada's with my friend
i dont want her to drink alone....
to my friend: dont always give your heart.. not everyone is worthy of your inner and outer beauty! do you give your all to yourself! do belive in yourself do be happy for YOU .not anyone else ..
the only way you can find TRUE happiness is by finding yourself !
you are the one that is in control...you just need to get in control luv ya -melissa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUmdBSUGnyA here is the link to see the pics from anna maria's visit to san antonio. we met at blue star on wed for happy hour! it was great seeing her again. we can not wait to go back in march! it is a go for us to return than i'll keep you up to date on life, our trip and adventures --stay tune
It seems to me that life is like a stage but that doesn't mean we need to pretend to be something we're not! one of the most basic human needs is to be loved. I see so many of us walking around trying to be loved for something we're not. it's only normal to want to say the right thing to want to make people laugh or to impress others. But the truth of it is, that invariably leads to disappointment for everyone. there's something we're all uniquely qualified to do something no one else in the whole world is better at! we are all unique in our own way. Be yourself, when eveything you say and do is motivated by sincerity than you can't help but be loved and respected for who you are. Life is a stage. How we choice to act determines how great we each are.
Photo by Gail Melanie is my new partner in crime. As if I needed any additional help. I gained so much this summer from our experience. But one of the most important things that
I have gained is friendship from my classmates. So I am going to try and post some pictures of my classamtes, over the next couple of days.
I thought I would start with one of my
roomates and fellow future graduate. We will be taking fall classes together. Watch out!
The final word has come from the chancellor, Dr. Derrico, we will not be returning to Oaxaca in August. The good news is that Spring Break 2007 is in the talks of when to go. Me & Liz-Photo by Jewels We are waiting to hear when we will meet with Anna Maria, our new friend from Oaxaca, for dinner. I'll post pictures of that when we do meet. This should give us plenty of time to get ourself financially ready, as well as apply for passports. I'll keep everyone updated as we move forward to 2007! After all it's just around the corner! Mila, Mel, Melissa, Liz, & Jewels -Photo by Gail March
ok for those of you wanting an update on our return to Oaxaca. Here is the latest. We are still waiting too. We have a yes, but if political unrest continues and if reports from Oaxaca and the teacher's protest show any signs of danger, well the answer will change to a no. It's a little fustrating because we (students) all want to go back, but we do have to wait and see what is going to happen. Just as well tickets need to be purchased and arrangements need to be made. I would love to go back this year, and not wait. Next year is too far, and I am not sure if all of the students would get to participate. It was a challenge this past week just to get everyone to respond to an email. And I am not sure if everyone did. Can you imagine a year from now! Thanksgiving, and Christmas were tossed around as possible dates. The downside with that is that those are two pretty family traditional days. So as of today, Sunday 11:36 pm we are a go. But no plane tickets purchased yet. This is why I have not packed! Stay tune for further updates.
Yesterday we got an email from our professor Denise
Dear All,
Mark Hagen had a long visit with Ana Maria on the phone today, and she said that she thinks that it's safe for us to return! Based on her feedback, we're going to book our flights. I need to know ASAP how many of you are DEFINITE about returning. (We'll leave on August 10 and return on August 18.) Please reply to this e-mail ahorita. Oaxaca, here we come!
I was so excited to see the email, Mark had emailed the day before with a recomendation of yes, but wanted to talk to Anna Maria, who was kinda like our tour guide in Oaxaca. I am still trying to keep myself calm. Not until we are in a plane to Oaxaca will I start my celebration. I'll keep everyone posted with updates on Mexico and Oaxaca as our journey takes flight. It looks like most of our classmates will be returning. We are just waiting for a couple of responses back. We want everyone to go back and complete our journey together.
Ok I added more photos that got emailed in. Plus some additional quotes. I am trying to finish the one with the Oaxaca pictures. This one is proving to be a little harder, becuase I get sad and stop working on it. I need to complete by this weekend though so we'll see. Enjoy this one and let me know what you think, hope you like it.
My baby finally had her birthday party this past Saturday. We had so much fun it was a month late due to my trip and school. My Jessie turned 9 years old.. WOW Happy Birthday Baby
When I started this blog yesterday (Sunday) I was thinking that my hope in returning to Oaxaca was fading. It did not look like we were going to return. I emailed Mark, who is from ACCD and inquired about our return and when a decision would be made. I have to let my work know and make arrangements this time for my children. If we go I'll be missing my 4 year old going to school the first time, my daughter going into 4th grade, and my son into 2nd. Plus our classroom will have a new teacher. So there is a lot for me to plan. This morning I received an email from Mark stating that he spoke with the Embassy in Mexico and consular agent in Oaxaca. And after speaking with them along with reports he read, he fells that we CAN return in August! My eyes had to read his email twice to make sure I was reading correctly. I am excited but trying still to contain myself. Not until we are on the plane than will I be ecstatic. I am scared something will happen from now until we leave to make this not happen for us. So I will continue to pray and keep my faith that we will return . That we will sit and enjoy the Zocalo. And that I will get to eat at Marco Polo, where several of my classmates have raved about their breakfast. Lets see I hope to write to you from Oaxaca once again. ----------melissa
ok here are some phoots of when a couple of us went out the last day of school. We went to Taco Cabana than on to Metropolis .. Mary did the robot?!? LOL enjoy the pics.
Study abroad offers the opportunity to expand ones' education by placing them in a setting that differse immensely from their own.
I was given the opportunity to step outside the mainstream American worldview and experience life in a new perspective.
This is a valuable experience that cannot be taught in a classroom, but must be experienced first hand. From volunteering at the SAMMinistries, to our brief stay in Oaxaca. Through this I have gained a better understanding of international, political and econmic issues.
I have gained an appreciation for the richness of different cultures and traditions and what they might teach us, not only about others but perhaps more importantly about ourselves.
I would recomend that every student do at least one study abroad program. I have a new thirst for knowledge of the world around me, and will continue to try and quence it with more study abroad programs!
Name: Melissa Rodriguez Home: San Antonio, Texas, United States About Me: New me, not the same one that started out in the begining of the summer. Oaxaca and what I saw here in SA changed me. I use to think I did a lot, volunteer for organizations, chair events. blablabla. But there is sooo much more to do! And i learned not to be afraid. Not that I was scared of things before. But not to be afraid to venture out and ask questions. Or to say NO! And to ask why something can't happen. To be in the middle of all that and not knowing what tomorrow held. Finding out who really loved you when you called home, who was waiting for your call.. maybe my last call, that woke me up to what i want for my life....New me ..braver, more aggressive, and more FOCUS than ever on a GOAL!
UPDATE: one goal completed since last updated: i graduating w/ my AA in PR!
2nd goal going to OLLU for my BS.
3rd goal: WE ARE GOING BACK TO OAXACA!!! See my complete profile
