One year ago...

The AWESOME ladies that were able to make it for the 5 year reunion....

I love this picture. Even if all 46 of us weren't physically together....we shared memories through photographs of everyone...lots of laughter and smiles...and in that way, everyone was present. :)

Doug and I in the mountains...Necia (one of my favortie people in the world) took this.

This is a bad quality photograph, but I just love this moment. All of us in the Boulder cabin sharing photos, letters, memories....together...beautiful.

A year ago last year.....Doug and I headed to Boulder, Colorado for my Latin American Studies Program five-year reunion. For those of you who know me well, you know just how much that 4 and a half months changed my life. Living and traveling throughout Latin America in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Cuba, and a short trip to Panama. Yes, part of the reason of being there was to learn Spanish, but that is the least of what I remember. There were 46 of us from all over the country that studied the social and political aspects (government, history, economics, etc.) of Latin America. It felt like a family reunion being back together last year....we were comfortable around each other and continued the tradition of sitting in a circle and once again..."The Processing Group." :) We have been through a lot of growing together....and we will always have that in common.

Our dearly appreciated professors, Don Eric, Don Alex, Don Trevor, Don Geraldo, Don Anotiono, and the lovely Raquel pushed us to QUESTION QUESTION QUESTION---"LIVE in the questions" they would say. It was, in a way, comforting considering that I left Latin America with MANY more questions than I came with, I think most all of us did. I also believe that all 46 of us were changed....all differently....yet still together. And, I also know that for most of us the experiences we had, what we saw has haunted us in different ways, for better and for worse because "you can't unsee what you saw." And, I will forever know that I have a great responsibility with the great opportunity I was given....now...six years ago.

"Hay cuarento y seis mas que saben." -Don Geraldo, Guatemala

So, with this blog, I want to say thank you again to my LASP colleagues and professors whose conversations, challenges, laughter, adventure....played a great part in forming who I am. I love you dearly.

I am going to be sharing with you some organizations that I believe deeply in regarding this part of the world in another blog. I hope that in some way by grace, I can be some sort of bridge connecting these two parts of the world together....

Here's to hope.

Kate