~ Thursday, November 20, 2003
We are back in the United States.
It's great to be home... it's weird too. After living in Mexico for 8 years, we are not the same. Little things - like how to greet someone or leave - have been muddled in my mind... do i kiss them on the cheek or hug or shake hands or just stand there or what? In Mexico and most of Latin America when you see a friend or are introduced to someone new, you shake hands if you're both men, you touch cheeks (air kiss) if it's some of the opposite sex or you are both women, and you give them a big hug if you are old friends.
So what ends up happening to me is that i meet up with some old friends here in teh U.S. and i *move in* for the hug or cheek-kiss, but just when i'm about 2 inches away from their face i realize to my horror that they are arching back away from me with an uncomfortable, strained look on their face and it dawns on me that i'm out of order, in the wrong cultural mode and deep into their personal space. I freeze... but it's too late because - as i mentioned - i'm only 2 inches away from their face.
If you've correctly imagined this situation then you understand the awkwardness and get a glimpse of what i mean when i say, "We aren't quite the same."
~ posted by tim at 11/20/2003 06:07:39 AM
~ Sunday, November 16, 2003
Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me....
39! years ago today my Mom was in a lot of pain, and it was my fault. But in the end she and my Dad counted my toes and fingers - which added up to 20 - and were happy.
~ posted by tim at 11/16/2003 10:27:42 AM
~ Thursday, November 13, 2003
Furlough... home assignment... whatever you call it,
two weeks from today we will be doing it... heading back to the U.S.
If you can believe it, January 1st 2004 marks our 8th anniversary in Mexico. Along with the fireworks, we’ll be celebrating with a 2 month home assignment… catching up with friends and hoping to convince people that what we’re doing is still worth investing in. During December and January we’ll be traveling out of Florence, SC -- where Tim’s parents live -- hopefully seeing you if you live near the eastern seaboard. So don’t be surprised if you're walking down the street and bump into us. :-)
We'll be flying into Orlando and in meetings for 3 days, then Thanksgiving week we'll be in southern Florida with Annette's family, then we'll be renting a car and driving to South Carolina where my parents live. Then visiting friends around the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts (don't have specific dates yet). Then we move back down the Atlantic coast to Miami where we fly out to Barcelona, Spain on the 15th of February for some meetings until the 21st, then hope to enjoy a bit of Spain for a week and then return to Miami on the 27th of February and more meetings in Florida til we head back to Mexico on the 1st of March 2004.
~ posted by tim at 11/13/2003 06:38:36 AM
~ Wednesday, November 05, 2003
We just got back from seeing the Matrix Revolutions. The critics are trashing the movie... they hate it.
The 4 of us who went to see it think the critics must be joking... it is fantastic! The conclusion of this trilogy is great and - as a Christian - it's satisfyingly symbolic. I hope you enjoy it too.
~ posted by tim at 11/5/2003 11:23:27 AM
~ Tuesday, November 04, 2003
I found a great resource for anyone who likes culture and public opinion research and statistics. The web site is=> Public Agenda Online: Public Opinion and Public Policy {click there]
It contains easy to understand graphics, data and analysis on subjects ranging from the Family, the United States' global role, and Race to Gay Rights and the Economy.
~ posted by tim at 11/4/2003 11:00:17 AM
~ Saturday, November 01, 2003
Holy Cow! 84,122 unique visitors to www.ParaLideres.org in October... that's a record. It's also a whopping 20% - or 14,000 people - more than the previous month... and the previous month saw 10,000 visitors more than the month prior to it. [click here to see stats]
I have no idea what's happening... but we sure are glad that the web site seems to be scratching an itch.
Yippee :-D
~ posted by tim at 11/1/2003 05:07:00 AM
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