Random Info

I figured everyone might want to know some of the stuff I've been finding out about my trip. So here's some random stuff:

I will be leaving August 21 and returning December 5. I should be getting my plane tickets soon, possibly this weekend. I already have a passport, so that's one less thing to worry about.

I will need a one year missionary visa to go. It takes about 2 months to complete the process. To get the process started, I had to send in my deposit for the program.

There are several immunizations that I need before I go: tetanus, yellow fever, Hepatitis A and B. I'm pretty sure my tetanus and Hep B are up to date, so I only have to get yellow fever and Hep A over the summer. I also will have to bring enough of my prescription medications with me to last the 15 weeks that I will be there, which could make going through customs interesting.

I will be staying at the South American Theological Nazarene Seminary or Seminario Teological Nazareno Sudamericano (it's a long name so I'll probably just refer to it as STNS or the seminary from now on). The seminary has students from Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela so I will meet many people of many different backgrounds and cultures. At the seminary I will be staring a dorm room and private bathroom with a Latin student.

Ecuador is located on the Ecuator, to the temperatures are pretty consisten year round. In the highlands, where the seminary is located, temperatures range from 60-75F during the day and 45-60F at night. The temperatures on the coast, in the jungle, and on the Galapagos are hot. I will be in Ecuador during the end of the dry season and during the beginning of the rainy season.

Monday through Saturday, I will be expected to be at every meal served because it is rude to not eat a meal that has been prepared for you. Breakfast is at 7am, lunch at 1pm, and dinner at 7pm. I guess I'll get used to getting up early. I will also be attending chapel 2 days a week and going to various churches on Sundays.

I will be involved in various ministry throughout the semester. I'm not exactly sure what this will include, but I do know that there is one full week devoted completely to missions work as well as things on the weekends.

Since NILI (Nazarene International Language Institute) is a Spanish Immersion program, I will not be allowed to speak English. This will help me a lot, since I tend not to speak Spanish at any great length unless I am forced to. I will be taking Spanish classes and a Scriptures class that will transfer to Olivet. The Spanish classes will finish up my Spanish minor and with a little extra work, I will get credit for a class I need for my missions major (I have permission from the Religion Department and the Registrar at Olivet to do this, but I'm still waiting on some miscommunication to be resolved before it's official). I will also report to a professor here at Olivet on the mission work that I am involved in and my cross-cultural experience to get credit for my Cross-Cultural Field Experience.

There is wireless internet at the seminary, which will be convienient for keeping in touch and reporting to my professor here.

If anyone wants to send me mail while I am in Ecuador here's the address:
Christyn Bell (NILI)
Casilla 17-11-05027
Quito, Ecuador
I can't recieve any packages, just mail up to a 12X9 manilla envolope in size. I'll make sure I repost this address later this summer.

I hope this satisfies some of everyone's curiosity. I'm sure I'll provide more information whenever I get it.