Latin America

Since I am on the subject of changing subjects (see last week's Bishop Lugo), I will talk about one of the other main interests in my life: Latin America. I ended up studying veterinary medicine in college, but for some reason always longed to go and live in Central America. I love the Spanish language, and in fact planned to use my veterinary medicine there. But, life happens and I got married (to a previous husband). I sometimes wish I had taken Latin American studies in school. But of course, one can learn on one's own. I read a lot about the history, and watch the news on Spanish TV. I've been to Mexico 4 times now and El Salvador once, with future plans to return.

Who knows why we have the interests we do? We are born that way, I guess, with some input as we grow. I was fascinated by the stories of Latin America on World News as I started studying Current Events in high school. I also took four years of Spanish then, and took a college semester just a few years ago. The countries which have Spanish as their official language are in dark blue on the map, with light blue showing a significant population speaking it in the US and dark green the same for Brazil. (Red and pink stand for French, and light green Portuguese.) I think it is well worth-while for all of us in this hemisphere to speak at least a little of Spanish. Our teacher in college also stressed culture so that we'd have some understanding of what is important to persons from particular countries.

I've found an outlet for my interest in volunteering for English as a Second Language (ESL). I helped one woman go through all her ESL study books, and now I will start this week on helping another to try to get her US citizenship. I look forward to learning what the English requirements are, since I've been wondering about that for a while.

And so I go on with my rather motley group of three main interests: Intelligent Design Theory, Latin America and Women's Ordination (at least as Deacons) in the Roman Catholic Church. Of course, underlying everything in my life is a love for God and His Church and people.

I used to think I could "get somewhere" if I'd have only one main focus to concentrate upon for a career, but I've found this is nothing I can change. I don't think it's just a matter of discipline, because Lord knows I've tried. I can't help getting internally upset if I don't have enough time to pursue a particular question I want to research or do an activity I think is important, and I only have so much energy. I have moved on from Veterinary Medicine to writing, and I guess it serves a writer well to have varied interests. But sometimes I wish mine would mesh a little better. Anyway, I will sometimes be commenting on Latin America and sometimes on Women's Ordination, so if you want to read only about Intelligent Design Theory, click the ID link under topics in the right column. Otherwise, perhaps you may enjoy broadening your horizons by sharing in varied topics with me.

(2013 Update: I've moved on from interest in Intelligent Design Theory to what is called "Special Creationism," the belief that life and different types were created by direct supernatural intervention. Much of the biological science is similar.)