no growth in a comfort zone and no comfort in a growth zone

Well, I can definitely say I'm in a growth zone! I am having an incredible time, but am out of my comfort zone for most of the time! I just want to update you a little bit on my last week or so...

first ikea trip ever! we ate breakfast there overlooking the city :)

 school: so far so good, thankfully! I could get used to doing my schooling this way...it is really great! It is more flexible and originally I thought that was going to be a hindrance, but praise God it is working so nice! I seem to be more efficient this way.  Before leaving, this was one of my worries, so thanks for your prayers and pray it continues! 

life as i know it in the DR: sometimes I feel like I'm in Atlanta and other times i feel like I'm in Africa! the electricity goes out at least once a day (along with the internet), we didn't have water for 6 days and our reserve water almost ran out completely, my computer power chord died so my computer was dead for 2 days until we were able to buy another one (praise God we were able to find one down here, though!), constant activity and noise almost everywhere we go, meeting many great people, attempting to use my broken Spanish!...etc. Life has been very busy to say the least! Between school, church and ministries with that, meeting people, running errands (which takes probably at least 3 times as long here than in the States), and a little bit of sight seeing, we have been going almost non-stop!  It has been great, but pray we stay healthy and don't get too overdone!

It is kind of hard to put in words what exactly i am experiencing (though it is great)!  It is different from any other i have had in my life.  I've been overseas several times, but this has a much different feel.  It's different from short term missions, because those have a daily schedule (for the most part) and a goal for the entire trip. I don't have a specific "role" on a team, we aren't building something (necessarily), etc.

Living here for the semester still has a goal, but it is much broader; it is to experience the culture of the DR, help out with ministries at church, and get a little taste of what it will be like to live life in another culture...oh and school is thrown somewhere in there!  Some days we don't go out much and focus on school (what some may call a day at the office), other days we're out all day and feel we've gotten nothing accomplished (but get to experience Santo Domingo and its people at its fullest :)), while others are spent cooking with our maid (who's Dominican) and trying to catch a word or two of what she's saying!

fiesta after cell group, yum! (us with the pastor's wife)

I guess the main reasons I've been out of my comfort zone is because I don't speak Spanish very well, and also we have been asked to talk/give our testimony in front of churches which is always hard for me! I've always known this, but I'm definitely experiencing this to its fullest, that being flexible is the key! 

give.live.love.