Memorable Moments in Oaxaca, Mexico (From Days 7, 8, & 9)

On past missions trips, our team would meet together at the end of each day to regroup & decompress, with what we called "Highs and Lows" ~ this was a chance to share what God had taught us that day, what really made us smile, OR what made us cry, or was bothering us.
I decided that I'm going to share with you my HIGHS & just keep the "lows" to myself (only to be shared with God & with those who ask).
So, these posts of HIGHS are for:
     * those who want the "short" version, instead of reading each day's diary page I've posted.
     * those who are interested in the HIGH points of my trip so far
     * those who just want a quick glimpse of what it is like being a volunteer missionary here in Oaxaca, Mexico

HIGHS of Days 7, 8, &9:

* Julie made DELICIOUS Belgium waffles, served with strawberries!
* Watching a Scottish Terrier prancing up & down the street, fighting with a cat, while I was waiting for my ride to school
* Eating my very first Mexican tamales
* Being blessed to be here for the Oaxaca Christian School’s Cultural Arts Festival ~ it was SO amazing ~ the kids’ artwork was stunningly beautiful, so varied, different mediums = just amazing

* experienced my first grocery store shopping trip (including super cheap carrots, an entire wall of yogurts, only 2 kinds of cottage cheese, BEAUTIFULLY decorated cakes, & a variety of fruits & veggies I’ve never seen before)
* a big charcoal-grilled hamburger, complete with all the trimmings
* seeing a mannequin hanging from a wire across the sidewalk

* was blessed by being taken to the movies to see Dear John with Julie, Roy, Nate & Abby ~ was even treated to a large Diet Pepsi
* getting to know missionaries Nate & Abby (and Roy & Julie) more over Red Baron frozen pizzas with extra cheese and mushrooms added & nice cold Coke Lite
* realizing it has been exactly one week since my plane landed at 8:15pm
* getting a high score of 415 on a free trial of Yahtzee on my laptop
* trying some kind of cantaloupe drink that was absolutely amazing
* getting my picture with Harry Allard, who has been in Oaxaca, Mexico for 21 years

* buying a bag of hydroponic lettuce from a lady at church for 35 pesos, already carefully washed & disinfected
* the sermon of Rev. Steve at the Anglican Church ~ his shared his experience that week with the taxi strike, & reflections on Psalm 23
* finally getting caught up on my journal when I had an hour and a half to sit with nothing else to do