Twilight

Almost forgot...went and saw New Moon and loved it!!! Can´t wait for the next movie!! Love Edward...especially everything he says to Bella but I also love Jacob...he is way more buff and I do love the dark skinned boys more than the pale ones...oh its soooooo hard to choose!!!

I´m exhausted

Wow!! A lot can happen during the time you forget to stop in and blog about life. So last I blogged it was in September and now it´s December. I´ve moved, got a boyfriend, got dumped, got my hair choppped off and now the semester is over and it´s vacation time. Yah that´s the sum of it all. So at the beginning of October I was told by the lady I was living with that I needed to move out because she thought I was a Lesbian...dead serious here people...and I know...me a lesbian??? Ok now that you all have had a good laugh let´s move on. So I moved into an apartment/house. It´s basically an apartment but I call it a house because it has three big bedrooms, kitchen, living room, dinning room and a huge full floor patio upstairs. It´s really nice. Right now I live here by myself and have lived here since October 15th. But my best friend Mariela will be moving in when I get back from the states in January. So then this boy that I met at the temple, oh I´m a temple worker now and love it!!!, and I started dating and I was way excited because he was awesome and everything I had hoped for. We had met back in August when I saw him in the temple and then tried to meet him and find out who he was. Well I did and three months later he was my boyfriend and I thought we would live happily ever after but no he decided he wasn´t ready after only a week...I know it was only a week...and he broke up with me. Now I get literally sick to my stomach upon seeing him and I have to fight back the throw up...hope the visual isn´t too bad. So now I am playing it safe not even thinking about anybody and just trying to get over the stupid boy that broke my heart and soul. Stupid boys do they even realize what they do to us???? So three days after he broke up with me, about three weeks ago, I did something drastic. I chopped my hair all off, well not all, I didn´t go Britney Spears on yall. But it is the shortest it´s been in 8 years. Think Victoria Beckam. I love it!! A lot more then I thought I would. And I must say I look awesome!!! So here I am with a new hair do and feeling great and the semester will be over this week at school and Saturday I´m on my way to Los Angeles where I will be till the 31st. Looking forward to being state side for a while. Going to see if I visit people in other states since I have the benefits of having a Dad that works for Delta. So that´s it in a nut shell!!! Hope everyone has an amazing Christmas if I don´t post before then. Love yall!!

Guatemala Independence Day and being sick

So the 15th was Guatemalan´s Independence Day. It was a lot of fun. I spent the whole day at the church stake center with the other young single adults from my stake. We got Pizza Hut..yes they have Pizza Hut here. I played volleyball and had a lot of fun with the guys. I was so sore the day after because I haven´t played in so long. After we danced and I went home about 6pm. What a long day!!! But way fun!! If you want to see pictures go to my facebook page. I´ve been sick for two weeks now and on friday I decided I was not going to work because I hurt everywhere and I couldn´t breath. I went to the doctor´s and she told me I had a lung infection!!! Yah for me!! So I´m pretty upset with the school becuase Guatemalan law states that if a teacher is really sick they are supposed to send them home. Well they wouldn´t let me go home and for two weeks I worked and now I have an infection. Argh!!! So I´m taking my antibiotics and praying that I feel better. It´s been really boring staying at home all day friday and today, saturday, and all I have is facebook and whomever wants to chat. On Wednesday I went to a soccer game for what´s called 90 minutes against violence. The players were national league, local leagues, political leaders and big wig business people from the capital, where I live. It was pretty cool. My first game here in guatemala. So even though the week was pretty cool it did end up sucking with me getting this infection. Oh well. Cest la vie as the French say.

New news

Well since my lasst post a few things have been happening. I moved in with a sister from my new ward in Mixco. Its a suburb of Guatemala City and it is definately more my style. Not that I´m dissing on anyone that lives in Carretera a El Salvador. This sister is really nice and she is a widow. I live furthur away from the school but I don´t mind it at all. I live closer to my friends and have a ward that is really awesome. I met with my bishop yesterday and he really made me feel like he is looking out for me. I am going to become a worker at the temple and I am so excited. I already go every Saturday after the university and this way I will feel even better serving the wonderful people at the temple. There have been a few dances with the young single adults and they have been fun. Nothing too important to report from them. I did meet a young man that was working at the temple and he is so nice. He even asked me for my number!!! Yay!!! But he hasn´t called. Oh well!! He is really nice though. School hasn´t been too bad. Actually last Saturday was really nice. Very relaxing and not too much work. I actually felt like I was learning something. Tomorrow is the Independence Day for Guatemala so I don´t have to work...yay!!! My first one here. I´m very excited. Also I will be coming home to Idaho for Christmas and I can´t wait!! Even though it will be freezing cold I am excited to see everyone!!

What I´ve Been Up To

Well its been awhile since I posted, not that I haven´t wanted to, so I thought I would take the time right now. It´s almost 1:30 in the morning and since I took a nap this afternoon I´m not tired, that is also the reason why I don´t take naps!!! Augh!!! So school started Aug 3 and I am teaching the 5th and 6th graders. Loving it!! They are really awesome and I realize everyday why I´m here in Guatemala. My friends here are really awesome, especially my best friend Mariela. I just got back from the weekend in Suchitepequez and I hung out with two guy friends Franz and Leonel. They were fun. We went and saw G.I. Joe which was totally awesome!!!

I also saw The Proposal last week and loved it!!

Ryan Reynolds is super hot!!!!I also have seen recently the new Harry Potter and it got me so excitedfor the next ones to come. The next movie I look forward to is New Moon in November.

Although I am sure I will go see a movie between now and then. Also I am going to school here and it is very hard. The university here is very different from university in the states. Lots more work!!!!! The teachers think we learn better my repeating everything we learned that day and writing a report about it. I don´t but if I want to graduate I have to pass my classes and that means I have to do the work. Augh!!! I am excited about coming home in December for three weeks!!! Can´t wait to buy my tickets!!! I´m holding out for the free tickets I will be getting thanks to my Dad´s job but its not 100% guaranteed so if they don´t come by October I will be buying them. Oh well. Well that is what´s up in a nutshell. I have some new photos but I will post them later when it´s not 1:30 in the morning and I want to go to bed. Oh I did want to say that I am watching this new show on Lifetime, I love internet because I can watch shows from the states, and it´s called Drop Dead Diva.

It´s absolutely wonderful and I recommend it to anyone!!! It´s hard to wait till the next Sunday for the next episode!!!

Las Colinas...friends from Guatemala

Ok so here are some pictures of when we went to the church owned camp grounds. It´s called Las Colinas. I´m with a lot of my friends from Guatemala. I´ll have more pictures soon.


Our group. My neck hurt after that!!

Me, Jose(one of many), and Annaby.
Our group.


Me and Annaby.
Me, Meda, Morales, Mariela and Jasmin. In this one we are at a dance. All but Morales served in the Honduras Tegucigalpa Mission.

Weekly Email #4

How is everyone doing this fine June day?? I hope you all are great. So it´s still raining here in Guatemala...and will be for the next few months but doing the sun is out and it´s beautiful. So school is out till August but I am still here till the 26th. I won´t be teaching summer school since they canceled the class I was going to teach. I´m not too sad as I am looking for to the vacation. I´ve been having fun going to dances and hanging out with my friends here. I also have been going to movies...I do this a lot...well I did it a lot even when I was in the states. Last night I saw the cute movie UP. You that have little ones should take them to see it. Oh I went to a wedding last week and caught the boquet. I think I am very good at this as it has happened two times this year and alot when since I was a young girl. So much for the promise that your the ¨next one¨. Well I don´t have much else to tell you all so I hope that you have a great week and take care. Love you all!!!

Weekly Email #3

I hope all of you are doing good and enjoying the summer. Here in Guatemala it is the rainy season and therefore it rains alot. Living in the capital during this time is not fun because it is a cold rain and not a warm rain like in the south where I have always come to visit. But all the same the farmers need the rain for there crops that are very important to this country. So for the last couple of weeks I have not been able to leave the house except for school as my car has been on the outs. But!!!! I had it fixed yesterday and I am so happy!!! I can now go visit my friends! So the first thing I did was go spend almost the whole night with a family of one of my guy friends. They finally let me go home at 11pm!! But I love them and they are fun! The end of the year here at the school is coming fast but I may be working during summer vacation giving summer school. I´m not too sad as I really wasn´t going to do anything other than sleep. So now I can make some money only giving a couple classes each day. I still don´t know if it is for sure but I will let you know. Other than these events there really isn´t much else to share. I love all of you and hope that you are happy and doing well. Take care and I hope to see some of you soon!!!!

Weekly letter #2

Dear Family & Friends,

I hope everyone is doing well wherever they may be. I missed sending out my update last week so there will be alot to mention in this email.

As I had mentioned before we had a Young Single Adult activity two weekends ago that was alot of fun. It was at a campground that the church owns north of the capital. It is huge! For those that know Pinetop in Idaho City it is about 3 or 4 times the size. President Clark the Area President came and spoke to us. He is a very nice man. Then we had activities, lunch and a dance. I am glad I went because I made a lot of new friends.

The last two weeks in school was great because I have been teaching a group of 1st graders. They are a lot of fun and I really enjoy that age group. Actually I like all the age groups. For me they are all really great! This week I will start with the 4th graders. It should be interesting. I went and saw Wolverine with a friend and absolutly loved it!!!!! Can't wait for the Deadpool sequel.

The following weekend I went to a wedding of the sister of a friend of mine and had a blast. Met new friends again!! My group of friends is growing and guess what???... they are all guys! I have a lot of guy friends and it is a bit frustrating. But when you have lemons make lemonade!! So this last weekend I went to Xela becuase they were having a dance there and I made more new friends...guys! Hahaha. But I had a lot of fun and I was able to see Mariela and the rest of the family. Also I received three letter from the states. One from my friend in Utah which was actually her wedding announcement but nonetheless I was happy to have it. Also I got the birthday card from Dad and Gramama with the pictures. Thanks!!! It only takes a week or less for the mail to get here but then it travels to Suchitepequez and since I'm not there I have to wait till I can go get it. As soon as I have an address here that I can use I will let you know. Until then keep sending stuff to the adress I have given out. And if you don't have it and want it let me know!!

I finally have an official calling as the area institute teacher. Augh! Can you believe it? When they called me I couldn't believe it but I have really enjoyed it.

Hopefully, though I will be able to get my car fixed, the brakes, or I won't be going anywhere since I live on the far outskirts of town. Hopefully I will be able to do that tomorrow because I can't drive my car due to the horrible grinding noise!!! How annoying!

Well, life is continuing on as I sit here typing and I must go. I hope all of you know how much I love you and pray for you. Take care!!!

Melanie

Weekly Letter #1

Hello to all my family and friends!!

I have decided to be better about letting eveyone know how I am doing since phone calls are way too expensive. You may get a phone call for your birthday, that is if I have a phone number and birthday for you. So if you are on this list please feel special and know that I am thinking of you all.

First of all I want to wish a very special birthday to my sister Mariah and neice Abby whose birthdays are today. I wish I could call you today but alas I have no minutes so it will have to be next week.

For those who may not know or who have forgotten I am living in Guatemala in the capital of Guatemala City teaching English at a school called The Village School. Right now I am with 1st and 2nd graders and it is wonderful!! I will be going to the University here in July to get my Professorship in English Degree. It is not a PhD but it is equivalant to a teaching degree especially for English. Lets just say it will be the easiest degree I've ever gotten, oh wait I don't have a degree in anything, hehehe. It's requiered for me to teach here so I am doing it.

So last weekend I went to Xela with my best friend Mariela. It was nice to get out of the city for a couple days. We went to an activity for the young single adults and had a really good time. I danced with my friends there to every type of music including the Macarena!! Yah silly huh? Then on Sunday there was a fireside at the institute and they asked me to say the closing prayer. It was all of a sudden and I was not expecting it. The institute director requested me specifically, I thought it was funny.

So this week at school has been crazy with the outbreak of the swine flu. We haven't gotten any "confirmed" cases yet but with our proximaty to Mexico people are very nervous and paranoid. I think we need to just remember that our Heavenly Father knows more than us and to place our trust in Him. Please don't worry about me because that is not healthy and may lead to other sickness. I am fine and have faith that we will all come out of this just fine. School ends today this week because tomorrow is Guatemala's Labor Day. So yah!!!

Because of Labor Day tomorrow there will be an activity for the Young Single Adults in all of the capital and an area in El Salvador. We will be going to what is called the Colinas de Chimaltenango. It is an area the church has bought for members to use as in Girl's Camp and the Young Men's camp, they don't have Boy Scouts here. So we will be going where we will hear from our Area President Elder Clark and then there will be games and then a lunch afterwards there will be a dance!!! I'm always up for a dance. I invited some friends some Xela and I am hoping they will be able to come.

Oh and news about my ward. It is not an official calling yet and I am hoping it doesn't become so because it makes me very nervous. But the Relief Society has asked me to accompany them in our class. So lots of prayers that I will be able to play will be most welcome.

I hope you all are doing very well and I just want you to know that I love you very much!!! Take care and throw me an email sometime to let me know you are doing well also. This should hopefully be a weekly thing as long as my life doesn't get too boring.

Love you all!!!

Melanie Rivers

New posts

So I am going to post two emails that I sent to family and friends and all future ones as well. I think it might be easier to keep this site updated. And as soon as I can I will get some new photos up so you can all see how much I have changed....its not alot. Also something that happened that I did not write about was the passing of my Grandma Rivers. So both grandparents on the Rivers side have passed this year and it is very hard to think when I come home to visit in December they won´t be there. At least I have the gospel!!

OMGosh...has it been that long????

Ok so I can´t believe that it has been this long since I last wrote. How horrible!! Ok so quick update. I am still in Guatemala and loving it!!!! I am now in the capital teaching at The Village School and loving it. I am working with 1st and 2nd graders right now. I was in Malacatan for a couple months but that didn´t work out...for the best! So I turned 29 on the 7th of April and its just so hard for me to believe it. It was a great birthday and my first, finally, in Guatemala. I was able to go to the Temple and do a session. It was amazing becuase I was able to feel the prescence of my dearly departed Grandpa Rivers that passed away on the 1st of April. So I have been on one date.....yah for me, right? He is a nice guy and maybe we will go out again. Since watching the movie ¨Maybe he´s just not that into you¨ I have learned not to be too overbearing. It´s not that I din´t know that before but it sure helps to have a good kick in the pants as a reminder. So I am learning French and hopefully will be going to Paris, France in December. Ok so I don´t know what else to say and hopefully I will get some pictures up soon and I will try to be better at letting you know what´s going on in my life here in the country of the Eternal Spring. Oh yah while all you suckers were enjoying??? the snow and cold I was having a great time in wonderful weather. Don´t be too jealous!