For my first post in June, I met some great new friends today at the Rancho Alegre Mexican Restaurant. We met up for Spanish conversations, cultural fellowship, and great food.

I needed to return to the United States, unexpectedly per se, because my daughter’s Achilles tendon ruptured requiring surgery.  I am so happy I could be there for her as it’s been a blessing how well she is recovery and had very little pain throughout  the event.  She felt bad about my having to cut into my work in Chile so she found me a “Meet-up” group of people who meet to practice speaking Spanish, usually at a restaurant.  Above is a photo of the lovely group of people I met with on yesterday. What a wonderful example of self-directed informal adult learning.  We used printed handouts and collective co-generative learning in our Spanish language engagement as each person asked questions and added clarifications on points of language and learning information.  The food was so wonderful!!  I have sometimes been a little disappointed in my attempts to locate authentic Latin foods in the US that doesn’t taste like Taco Bell.  Rancho Alegre did just that and left me a happy customer at the ranch. 🙂

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I have been saying for some time that the world is getting smaller and I was very pleasantly surprised to see this at the local grocery store in the local Kroger Store in Columbus, Ohio.  They were having a México themed campaign promoting foods ¡Delicioso!  All of the employees were wearing these t-shirts with Spanish language written on them.  Business always seems to be a step or two ahead of society in general as it relates to embracing cultural diversity.  But, it’s more often then not based in bottom-line imperatives versus more social justice ideologies (in my assessment).

I got invited to a birthday party and took a break from my mommy-nursing duties to enjoy my daughter’s new friends.  My little sister wanted to take a photo of my cute new outfit when my nephew below decided to do what he yelled out as a “photobomb”.  We laughter so hard at him and I told him he has earned a place on my blogsite for that move. lol 🙂

Below is my second place prize for spelling the most words using the term “Happy Birthday”.  It was the 28th birthday of my daughter’s boyfriend who was visiting her from Texas, and we had an opportunity for our families to meet at the Cheesecake factory.  This weekend has been great and I am looking forward to my return back to Chile at the end of the month. I miss my office mates.  However, I am so very grateful to God at how well my daughter is recovering as she returns to work on Monday and will begin the rehab while I’m here to help her with the beginning stages.  We are believing that the Lord is going to continue giving her supernatural recovery as she begins her physical therapy.

I am also making application for a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Award this summer to continue my work in Chile this fall.  I welcome any prayers and positive words aimed at my success in that endeavor.  In the interim, while I’m here in Ohio I am going to be conducting my research remotely and keeping up with my Spanish until my return to Talca toward the end of this month.

Mommy and daughter.