un email a Marissa

Lo que sigue es un correo electrónico que envié a Marissa hace unos días. Lo adjunto porque resume todo lo que hemos hecho en estos días...
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Hey,

I was glad to get your email. That’s crazy about the lightning storm and the whole bit about the modem. But thankfully, from what it looks like, the computer is up and running again because Mom emailed me yesterday too. Are you all thinking about switching the Internet service or staying with the dial-up? I'm sure that in the midst of everything else that is going on that is probably among the least of your worries, but I was just curious.

It’s just after 5pm here, and I'm waiting on Ester to meet me here at the house. The church has set up a food and clothing donation center particularly geared towards Moroccan families. Of course the main purpose behind the effort is to evangelize, which from what I’ve been told is beginning to bear fruit. Yesterday Ester and I were working to organize and sort through all the piles and piles of clothes that are at the center and today we’re going to continue with it. Tomorrow morning Pedro (Vera’s dad) is supposed to be coming in with a truckload of food that has to be set up at the center and I agreed to help out with that as well. I think that Arabic would be another language that I would love to learn. There's something about seeing people who look like you but speak a different language that is intriguing.

This past week has gone by really fast so far. Chechu and I have been up and down and up and down again with preparations for the wedding. On Monday we went to Malaga to get the certificado de soltería taken care of for me, and this morning we went to Extranjería to find out more information about what exactly the process for me getting residency here will entail. The man who finally waited on us at the office said that we would have to go to the police station to get an extension of my tourist visa before the three months expire (end of August), and that with that extension I would have another three months under the tourist visa, allowing me to be here until November which of course would be after the wedding. He said that once we get married we'll have to go back to Extranjería to apply for a "tarjeta de familia" which basically is to show that I'm married to a Spanish citizen and I guess that would begin the process for applying for the permiso de residencia. So after speaking with this guy we walked to the police station to find out more about the visa extensions. The man at the front desk who waited on us initially was very adamant about the fact that they did NOT grant extensions for weddings because, and I quote, more than 70% of marriages to foreign women have proven to be false. Bullshit, but anyway. But God willed us to be there at the right time because in the middle of this man's speech about immigration, etc. Chechu's uncle who is a police officer just happened to walk by us and stopped to find out what was going on. And to make a long story short, he brought us upstairs to speak with the Chief of Police, who didn't even blink before saying that all we had to do was stop by during the last week in August to see him directly and that he would grant the extension with no problem. Amazing how God has things fall perfectly into place…

On the 21st of the month we'll go to the Registro Civil with all of our documents and with Javi and Mariel as our witnesses to process the marriage license. Afterwards we made arrangements with the Hotel Vincci Mediterraneo to set up the taste test (like we did with June) for the food for that very afternoon. Practically all of us will be going-- Chechu and I, Javi, Mariel, Charo and Doña Aurelia.

So things on this end are going pretty well. I have to admit that I'm in my culture shock phase again and I’m trying as hard as I can to fight through it. Remember how we felt during our first few weeks in Santo Domingo ? Well, I pretty much feel the same. I remember back then thinking to myself “how will I ever fit in here?” and “When will I no longer feel like I’m on the outside looking in?” But just as real as those feelings were then, I also remember how God brought us through. And before it was all said and done, we left the DR practically kicking and screaming. So in the midst of my irritation, I know that this too shall pass.

The diet is actually going well. I think I may have lost about 5 pounds or so, give or take a couple. We’ve been doing a tremendous amount of walking since we've been here, and I think that in sticking with that plan, everything will turn out well. I have to admit that the dieta mediterránea is much better than the “every man for himself” set-up that we have in the States. Having your meals set up where you eat at the exact same time every day is a huge help, because your body gets accustomed to the schedule and you find that you’re not hungry in between meals. I'm actually quite amazed with how I've adapted to the meal schedule here-- I don't snack at all and I’m positive that it has to do with being on a set schedule. So I recommend that you and Mom try to set that up. As far as exercise is concerned, don’t kill yourself. Get out and walk and be active, and you'll see that the weight will come off. And most of all don't beat yourself up about the weight loss issue. Just stick with it and you'll see how everything will turn out great.

Have you decided about the Memorial Service for Uncle Bill? How is everyone holding up? I had my breakdown yesterday, pretty much all day. Adding that on top of everything else that I’ve been feeling has been very difficult. Everyone here has been praying for the family. I have more peace about it today, and I'm sure that as time progresses it will get easier. I do miss him a lot. How did Gram take the news?

Did you get the email about scoring? Apparently we have to do the test again. This time I'll go through slowly and thoroughly so that I can pass :P That will be a great addition to supplement my income here.

I paid the AT&T bill for 0.57 the other day. And as far as the Quest Diagnostics goes, I'll have to give them a call today. Thanks for passing along the information.

Let me know when I can call you guys. You know, with your laptop you can download the latest version of messenger and we can talk through there as well. I should have left you with my camera because Chechu has one here :P Did you buy one?

Anyway, let me know how things are going.

Love,
Nan