Home, Sweet Home

After learning in God and Nature about ecological homelessness and what it means to be responsible to, for, and with the place one calls home, we took a trip to Barton Creek to visit a community of conservative Mennonites. If anyone knows the value of home, it's them. The families we stayed with spend their days working the land they live on, building their relationships, and studying scripture. They enjoy living a simple life: no electricity, no running water, no motor vehicles, and only plain clothing that covers ankles and wrists. While it was certainly challenging for all of us to adjust to not having some of our modern conveniences, we learned a lot about how it impacts their relationships and their faith. Some of us even came away skilled in milking cows and harvesting vegetables!

With two classes and a homestay under our belts, we headed into reading week, which is devoted to getting started on material that will be covered in upcoming classes. To take a little break and relax, we headed to the pools of Mountain Pine Ridge on Wednesday. Here we enjoyed cooling off, taking in the beauty of the pine forest, and having some fun. After the pools, we visited Rio Frio Cave, which is giant! It was an amazing sight.

Some students have also been finding time to take part in a local soccer team's practices in the evenings. Our cook, Ms. Flora, is on the team and is enjoying having the girls join in. They're looking forward to playing an actual game this Saturday! This has been a great outlet for the athletic of us, as well as a great way to get to know the surrounding community.

Last Saturday we celebrated the Chinese New Year by going to Cayo Twist, a local favorite ice cream shop. What makes this place so interesting is that the ice cream is actually made with soy instead of milk, which gives it a unique taste. They have all kinds of flavors that rotate through, from orange/vanilla to eggnog. It's incredibly tasty, especially on those hot days or after a soccer practice!