Ecuador the Beautiful... Im gonna miss you :(

well... my time here has come to an end.. sad face. i have been soooo blessed with the oppurtunity to come here and experience all that i have. i would like to first thank God for blessing me with such an oppurtunity to come and live here for almost 5 months. he is soo good. he blessed me with the means to come here, a love for the spanish language, a beautiful Ecuadorian family, and millions of wonderful ecuadorian friends who love and care about me very very much. next, i would like to thank my parents, Chuck and Debi, for allowing me to come. without you guys, i would have experienced nothing. and i would like to thank mi familia Guerrero. you guys are such a blessing in my life... you´ve all taught me so much... from spanish to cooking to life lessons that i will never forget. you have installed so much in my life that i don´t think i could ever repay you... im sure gonna miss you... but ill call-- i promise!! i will never forget just how gorgeous this place is. with its lush green mountains, its quick, clear, waters, and its face of love that reaches out to those who need it. i mean, thats there culture. for example, one day andrea and i were coming home from church in a metrobus and there were some men from Guayaquil selling chocolate... but they had put on a funny little play beforehand so that way, at the end, people would buy their candy... well it just so happened that their little play was absolutely hilarious... both andrea and i wanted to buy some chocolate from them to support them, but we had no sueltos or loose change... and the man sitting on our left heard us talking... he called the two guys over and paid for two chocolate bars... and gave one to me and one to andreaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was soooooo sweet!! sooo u see, thats how they are. not only will i miss the country and their culture... but also their FOOD!!!! que rico!!!!!!!! its super yummy!! id have to say one of my favorites is when they make their special chicken and put rice and llapingacho and salad all with it!! man is that tasty!!!!!!!! also, the homemade fruitjuice every day for lunch... blackberry, tree tomato, pineapple, grapefruit, maracuyá, and the smoothies too!!!!! let me tell you, there is nothing like a banana smoothie fresh from the blender on a monday morning haha wow. there has been so much ive done here!! i mean, ive gone to Mindo, the beach, Ota Valo, the mountains, Galápagos... and many places more!!!!! ive got to experience halloween, thanksgiving, christmas, birthdays , weddings, and new years here!!!! and its such an incredible place... i mean, like did you all know that if there were no mountains here in Ecuador, it would be a desert... like something to the effect of .. Africa??!! because the sun is so strong here!! but God made it so it would have the perfect temperature, not to hot and not to cold... just right. which is also why i like Ecuador :) although, sometimes the rain can get a trite bit annoying haha. but you get over it. well, today, our class threw us a goodbye party... it was probably one of the most sad moments i have had in my life yet. it was soooo sweet though. they got up and said stuff about us and we all cried... well i did haha. but yeah... so ecuador is truly an amazing place!! you should try to come visit it sometime... i know i wanna come back... for sure!! and i know all of you are like super excited for us to come home... but hopefully you have a taste of just how nice it really is here... love and miss u all!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ill see you in four days!!!

Word of Wisdom: use the time you have as it comes, don´t try to rush things in to the future, nor live stuck in the past... live for today, because yesterday´s gone and who knows if tomorrow will ever really come ;)

God bless each and every one of you!!!

con mucho amor,

Hannah Rosita Peterson Guerrero

Galápagos... simply gorgeous!!

so... we went to the galápagos islands... it was soooo beautiful!!!!!!!!!!! with clear blue water that comes just up the tide to kiss your toes, sand so warm and white, and skies with a none other rich sky blue accented with fluffy pure cotton ball clouds... what more could u possibly want as a paradise??? (besides heaven of course :) but i think that God made the galápagos to give us a small taste of what heaven could possibly be like) well if u wish to take a taxi, it normally means by boat since theres such a bunch of water... and if u want to see some sweet lizards... there they are... dark and vicious looking with that hissing sound of theirs haha... but probably one of the VERY best times i believe ive had in my whole 15 (now basically 16 haha) years of living was going snorkeling and seeing all that incredible sealife!!! swimming with sea lions, sea turtles and a WORLD of fish teaching all of the students in their little schools :) its just breathtaking and very overwhelming in a good way... i wish the whole world could know the galápagos...!!!!! well... we were at an island called Santa Cruz for the first three days, and then on the third night we headed on over to another island called San Cristobál... they are both so amazing!!! Let´s see... in Santa Cruz we went to an underground cave, to this place called Grietas, and on a million and two nature hikes which were truly super cool!!! we got to see all kinds of little lizards, and birds which are native to the islands. unfortunately, the huge flies got to know us pretty well....jaja they bite REALLY hard and man it HURTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but thats okay because they all just happen to be native only to Santa Cruz so thats cool... and then in San Cristobál... we climbed a volcano and saw a sweet lagoon... we went to bunches of beaches... and saw lots of sea lions... we went to the little town shops and bought things like organic galápagos coffee, and other souvenirs... i know ill never be able to forget the majestic waves, the rumbling seas, and the calm sands of galápagos ever in my life, and i hope to visit it again soon...

love and miss u guys!!!

there´s only eight more days left...

take care and God Bless each and every one of u!!!

hannah

Feliz Navidad... or is it??

can i just say how weird it was to spend christmas here in Villa Flora, Quito, Ecuador?? although it was different, it was certainly a beautiful experience. here, material things are irrevelent... its all about the true meaning of christmas and the being together as a family no matter the cost... because in this culture, they realize the importance of being together to celebrate and also the reason why we celebrate christmas... let me tell you, that is not something you can easily find in america... which, in all reality, is sad. because, what i felt spending christmas here is something almost indescribable. such a warmness in my heart and a sense of total belonging, as if i were born into the Guerrero family and not just some little gringa staying for the holiday season. although there was a lack of snow, those wonderful christmas songs, presents, and homemade snowflakes, i barely even noticed because the love and joy that my family expressed filled every nook and cranny that seemed empty. it was priceless. i will never forget how great of a time and what an experience i had spending christmas here in Ecuador. on Chrismas Eve, we all went to my aunt´s house and that ENTIRE side of the family was there to celebrate. we played games games and more games, the whole time laughing our heads off :) then, we all shared a delicious meal of turkey, potatoes, peaches, meatloaf, salad, and soda... all mixed in with a double portion of amor (love). i dont even have words to describe the beauty of this scene... everyone talking, laughing, sharing, caring, and having themselves a grand ole time :) the picture will NEVER leave my mind. we were up until almost 2 in the morning celebrating! but it was WELL worth it. from there, on saturday, christmas day, we went to the other side of the family and celebrated there as well. i know that no matter how far i travel, i will always have a family here in Ecuador... the country of TRUE brotherly love. and they all remind me every day that they´ll always be here for me whether im here or there or anywhere. man, im gonna miss Ecuador. i am so grateful for the oppurtunity that i had to come here and experience a new people with a different culture, a gorgeous climate, and a HUGE heart. thank you ecuador for teaching and helping me with all that you have!!!!!!!!!

love and miss u guys!!

Word of Wisdom: always remember that when u feel alone, betrayed, scared, upset, hurt, depressed, without a home, without a family, or whatever else, u have a place u can run to, and that is the Lord. he is your brother, father, home, family, joy, peace, comfort, love, redemption, and most importantly your salvation. he will NEVER leave or forsake u for u r his beloved. worship and give him thanks for it.

God Bless,

%h@Nn@H%

Michelle´s Wedding

Hey guys!! well its been quite a while since ive been on the blog :( sorry... but i just thought id tell u all who have been waiting how Michelle´s wedding went!! first of all let me just say that i never thought id come to Ecuador and get to see my ñaña (sister) get married... its quite a strange feeling, but its definitely very exciting! her dress was absolutely hermoso (gorgeous)!! and before the wedding she´d gone to go get her hair make-up and nails done so when she walked down that aisle with her daddy, she REALLY looked like a Barbie... i was in the wedding as a bridesmaid (who just happened to ALSO get to be the flower girlie!!!!! the flowers were white and turquoise... awesome!!) our dresses were black with a waistband of turqoise and bubble skirted on the bottom... her colors were turqoise white and black... it was just gorgeous!!!! we had a worship service before the ceremony and andrea, one of my other sisters headed that up with Rafael´s (the groom´s) best friend from the states... it was a really special time and supercool to see Michelle and Rafael worshiping together :)then, the pastor and his wife gave the ceremony and they exchanged vows, but en la manera equatoriana (in the ecuadorian way) where she and the bridesmaids sang him a song and he read her a prose he had written... it was sooooooo sweet!!! then, after the actual wedding came the reception, which also was beautiful. here, people sing songs and play instruments and dance special dances to show their happiness for the bride and groom; so, as i was a dama (bridesmaid) i danced with the other bridesmaids and Michelle a special dance dedicated to Rafael... but also, people sang and stuff and played powerpoints of the two of them... it was a time very special that i wont ever forget and i was so thrilled just to be there and get to witness my sister getting married :)

love y´all!!

Word of Wisdom: "those who wait upon the Lord will find new strength... they´ll soar high on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk but NOT faint." sometimes we are called to do things that will be hard, tiring, or stressful... but we will never ever be called to do something we cannot do. the Lord is faithful and will bless us for these difficult things we endure... so remember: never give up... u have to keep the faith and run your course... and PLEASE keep Michelle in your prayers because tonight she´s going to the U.S. to live there with Rafael...

God bless: h@Nn@H

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas.... not so much

  

Well, today is New Years Eve... wow, no it is not, Its Chrsitmas Eve... I cant even think straight in English anymore.... Anyways, tomorrow is Christmas, and being from Ohio, I look for some snow to brighten and spark the Holiday cheer, unfortunately, no hay nieve aqui... And since there is no snow, and I have, in total, heard about 7 Christmas carols/songs this season, somehow it still feels like something is different. Ive learned a lot from this experience, but most of all ive learned that I can travel over 2000 miles to the middle of the world and have a family accept me as thier own and treat me no differently than as if i was their child... This Christmas Id like to give thanks for being given a chance to travel to a little known banana republic and live for 5 months. Ive realized that if there is a place in the world where you want to go and be accepted unconditionaly, go no further than Ecuador. Sure, you might get called a gringo every once and a while, and if you are tall and blonde dont try to hide it, because you stand out like the random old grandma at a rock concert. But, none the less I have never felt so accepted by a group so large. Of course there are the exceptions like in any place, but 99% show nothing but love and compassion. I can spend  a total of 2 hours with someone and already we are best friends and they consider me nothing less. The whole atmosphere is different, the things we consider so drastically important and vital to life, here dont seem to matter. Here, they look to the heart, they rely on the family and friends, they care about what genuinely is significant. Unfortunately our culture has influenced every corner of the world, in good ways, but they take the bad as well. Dont get me wrong, I miss my home, my family, my friends, and my adapted life more than you can imagine... but i have realized that no matter what I have or what i dont have, that doesnt really matter too much... its more about the things that you choose to take from the life you have been given. I give so much thanks to God for allowing me to be one of the four lucky Ohians who got to travel to south Quito and live, do extremely hard math, and enjoy the adventures of a nother culture. No matter what i am or where i go in life, a part of me, a part of my heart, will forever be in Quito, Ecuador... Feliz Navidad,  Porque nos ha nacido un niño, se nos ha concedido un hijo; la soberanía reposará sobre sus hombros, y se le darán estos nombres: Consejero admirable, Dios fuerte, Padre eterno, Príncipe de paz. (Isaías 9:6)

We stink at this thing

Sorry for the lack of posts, but as the trips end draws near, we seem to have lost the time to write, but all is well :)

thanksgiving...ecuadorian style!!

hey everybody!!!!!!!!!!! i just thought i´d write a little something to tell you all just how our very happy thanksgiving went. first, we left school around 12:00 pm to go eat. we had papa john´s, and let me tell you that was RICOOOOOOOOOOO!! lol but from there, we kinda got a late start to the market, but we quickly bought all of the fresh goods that we needed like potatoes eggs and all the fresh fruit. then, we hurried on over to SuperMaxi (which basically is somewhat like a Wal-Mart, except inside the mall) to get all the OTHER stuff we had to buy. that took a VERY LONG TIME!!! haha but we found things like diced pumpkin for the pie, our flour, ummm cranberry sauce (which made my day:) i really love that stuff and it was the OceanSpray kind too!!)stuffing stuff haha and MUCH MUCH more stuff like my pudding mix for my specialty Hannah-Banana-Cream-Pie which in the u.s. i make every year!! sooooo then, we headed home to make all the goodies before our families arrived, which was a tad bit stressful but REALLY fun!! Nathan, the awesome cook, made the mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and a LOT of other stuff i can´t remember. Kellie made a hashbrown cassarole (which unfortunately here in ecuador there is no such thing as hashbrowns so we just used chopped up fries), apple pie, all the pie crust which got pretty messy lol some rolls, and, again other things i am forgetting. lauren made a tasty green bean cassarole, and other things. and i, well lets just say im the worst a cooking lol so i just made deviled eggs, mac and cheese, and my pie which turned out staying as a pudding haha. but the cooler part than all the food was the fellowship and sharing of gratefulness!!!! each one of us made a card for our family and together made a special something for our dr. torres (who, by the way hosted and paid for the WHOLE thing!!) from there, we gave small speeches to our families giving thanks to them for all and everything they do for us!! they are such blessings and it was really neat to be able to give a little bit back by making the dinner!! then, we made up a little skit of the story of thanksgiving which was quite hilarious! and after all that, each one of our moms got up to say something nice about us and we shared a VERY SPECIAL TIME!! although it was extrememly difficult to be away from my family this thanksgiving, i wouldn´t have traded being here for the world!! it was a once-in-a-lifetime oppurtunity and im so grateful that i could be able to come to this gorgeous country and learn such a beautiful language with such an incredible culture!! hope thanksgiving at home was one to remember!! sure do love and miss each and every one of you guys!! and all though i miss you, i wanna make sure i enjoy what i have left of being here because now we only have about a month and a half until were home again, which is EXTREMELY hard to believe... wow how time flies, huh????!! i guess what im trying to say is that although i miss home im very glad i can be here and right now im not quite ready to come home... but by the time january 15 decides to roll around, im SURE i will be :) love you all and God bless!!

*Word of Wisdom* never forget how much you are blessed. i advise you to go to a place sometime, (or maybe just look up one on the web) that is less fortunate than the place you live now. look at all the sadness, anger, brokeness, and poverty there is. that will sure help you to look at all things in a different light... i know it has for me. :)

note to family: miss and love you guys soooooooooooooooo much!! but i know God has some more really cool things in store for me here!! plus also, (there´s some junie b. for ya mom lol) im coming home VERY soon!! have some fun with christmas and new years, but not too much fun hahahahahahahaha love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!

^^
l__l <- smiley face :)
..hannah..