hatiban

Tomorrow Amber and I are planning to hike Hatiban, a small "hill" just outside the city. Keep in mind that hills here are mountains in Virginia. Anyway, this one really isn't too bad, but it does have a nice resort and beautiful view waiting as a reward for those who huff and puff up the face. We're planning to pass the day there and spend the night, too. It's our mini-spiritual-retreat before the mountains. Sunday we'll shop until we drop for Amber's birthday, and then get a 2 hour, full-body massage at a sweet spa run by believing national women. I'm so ticklish I'm a bit worried about the massage, but don't want to avoid it just out of fear I won't like it ;)

This week we're looking to see wonders. Our visas are due to expire while we're in the mountains, so we're asking for Father to move things along at the university that is reviewing our research visa applications. We're tentatively scheduled to leave May 1 for our first village trip, and the visa process from this point generally takes 3 weeks. Thankfully, this isn't as daunting to Him as it is to us!

These days have been packed with opportunities to share, teach, and . . .ride in taxis. I'm so ready for my scooter, but we won't be able to learn to drive here until probably the fall now. When I first arrived, the thought of driving in the madness called KTM traffic was quite intimidating. It still is. However, I've gotten to the point (as was predicted would happen) that I'm so tired of taxis that I am more than willing to give driving in a major city (a first) on the left side of the highway (ditto) on a scooter (also a first) that is manual (yep, another first) a try. Whew, sorry that was an obnoxious sentence.

Today we made cookies with our ESL class, I'll try to post them soon.