Three New Things I Did Today

Have you ever started worrying about something small until it became something so big and scary you weren't sure how to handle it? I realized this week that there are a few things that I've been allowing to build into huge scary things. Last week I started reading about another Katie, about my age who felt called to forgo college and move to Uganda and start an orphanage. So she did.

In her blog she touches on the subject of fear several times. In the end it was this that struck me: For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power, love and self control – 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV).  I know that God has given me a spirit of power and love with some self control in there somewhere. It just took me a few days, and a lot of prayer to be reminded of that. I’m sharing three things that I've been scared to do. I did them all this week. And it’s only Wednesday.

1. Took a taxi by myself.

This is something that might not seem like a big deal to most of you. So why is it a big deal here? First off, my staff house pretty confusing to get to. After 2 and half months here, I’m finally just starting to figure out where I live. I’ve been worried about leaving the staff house and being unable to get back because I have no idea where it is. While that’s still a bit of a concern, I’m a lot more familiar with the city now so generally I know where I am.

My Apartment

I know when I left the US I didn't have very many definitive answers about where I was going to live. By now I've figured it out. (Don't worry, I've actually been living here since the beginning of October). Anyway, this is my apartment. I share it with one other girl, although there's an empty room so I think another girl is going to move in when she gets back from the job she's on.

It's a three bedroom, two bath apartment. I have to pay for toilet paper, lightbulbs, and food. I can have someone come install the lightbulbs, but I have to buy them. There's also a maid that comes 3 times a week. She does my laundry as long as I buy laundry soap. It's a pretty sweet deal. 

My bedroom. Pretty basic. I haven't gotten around to buying very much, although new sheets and comforter are high on the list.

5 Reasons to Head Back to Base

I realized recently that I haven’t written very much about Villahermosa. Part of that is because I like being on the rig so much more than being at my Company's Base here in Villahermosa. However there are some perks of being in civilization. Here are my top 5 reasons to head back to base:

1. Hot water in a real shower –It’s not that I don’t have hot water on the rig. I just have to choose between washing my hair all the way clean or conditioning my hair. There’s just not enough hot water for both! Also, RV shower. Not exactly luxurious. And, I have to share with boys. Eww.
2. Food magically appears at your door – Some rigs I have to feed myself. Other rigs I get fed. Either way, there’s not a huge amount of choice involved. I eat what’s in front of me, plus whatever junk food I’ve smuggled with me. In town, everything is a phone call and 20 minutes of ‘Por favor, hables más despacio y le dices otro vez’ away from my doorstep.

Working hard or hardly working?

Hola!
After almost a full month of hanging out in Villahermosa on the base I was finally allowed out into the real world. AKA, a drilling rig. Because I know how many people are curious about what I do and what it's like, I've taken some pictures to show the world. How am I doing so far? I'm loving it. Alright here we go.

My new temporary home. Note the two other rigs in the background. There's another one behind me too. This is how I see the rig 80% of the time because I work from 8 pm to 8 am.