My birthday in Argentina

These are pictures from our first day in Buenos Aires. We left friday night at 11:30 pm and arrived in Buenos Aires at 6 am. The kids kept it lively. We had brought microwave popped popcorn and all the kids loved us! I have really cute videos of them. The highlight of my birthday was being able to go to the temple- first time in a month!!! I was so happy to be inside! It was special because two of my companions got to be there with me. We got picked up by Allen -clary's relative (clary- is the other girl on the internship with me and has family in buenos aires). We went to their house and they fed us lunch- it was amazing!!! This family is my favorite family in all of argentina- they remind me a lot of my own family- and are so HILARIOUS!! Even grandma! After dinner we went and checked our stuff in the hotel and went out sight seeing. We got to see some really cool things - like two ships that are museums and down town buenos aires. We met up with my companions again and we had dinner. 10 bucks and all the meat I could eat- but kidneys, and other weird things weren't my favorite part of the meal.. haha. My birthday ended and I truly enjoyed all of it! We went to bed late and the next day started another adventure!....

Birthday Song video

Click on this for the birthday song video! After one of the workshops the students sang to me!!!

Santa Fe North Graduating Class

I love these people! They even sang happy birthday to me after the closing prayer! Clary and I grow very attatched to the groups we teach. I'm glad we still have 2 months here so we can still see their progress. Juan (left back row) just got baptized four months ago and already teaches seminary. Mirta (front row left) got baptized five year ago and is a single mother with a ginormous heart. Rosana (in pink) is a return missionary. Gladis (in green shirt) sows for a living. The tall man in the back, Mario, is a painter and he knows how to bbox- I have it on video! Jorge and Mariela (back middle and second row third from left) just got sealed/married in september and they sing beautifully ( I have a video of that too). Ileana (right middle row) is an amazing young adult. She has been on two mini missions and is a powerhouse when it comes to knowledge both scholastically and religiously. She helped us out a lot! These are the types of people I get to meet and rub shoulders with every day. There are so many more stories!!! I am keeping a journal...so my kids can read about them someday!

I ofcourse got us lost

Well- the moral of the story is "never take the #5 bus". Clary and I decided to take a self guided tour of Santa Fe. We left at about 10:30 am and started walking to the museum of fine arts "museo de bella artes". We walked and walked and walked (almost like the pioneer song), and sweat and sweat and sweat some more. (If I haven't mentioned already, it is recordly hot here in Santa Fe- it should be winter, but it is no where near winter weather- how lucky we are to mostly have brought winter clothes). Well we found some cool stores on the way, and I tried on a one piece bathing suit (that looked like from the olden days). We checked out the "casa de gobierno" (government house) full with pigeons and people. (The picture is taken from there). We finally made it to the museum at 12:20- and guess what time it closed- 12!!! Haha, well we heard it closed at 1- but Rita (our new friend) let us in anyways and gave us a tour. She liked saying "yes" and everything else she said was in spanish. We learned a lot from her, but what we didn't learn correctly was how to go back home on a bus. I led us astray and we took a #5 bus heading way far out of the city, so we realized it, jumped off, and found our way back to a familiar bus stop- but the #5 was coming so I said, hey lets take this one... (again we got lost)-so we ended up just walking home! No more #5 buses for us!

We love SANTA FE NORTH

What has been so fun about this second group is we knew half of them before they came to the workshop. It has been a lot of fun teaching them. This picture is not the best, but it kinda shows me teaching the class. The girl looking at me is Ileana (cookie) and she is amazing in the workshop. She is one of the younger ones, but she is very knowledgable. The exciting adventure is the dry erase markers we have are poor quality, and the overhead projecter had to be brought to this stake center (they don't all have one). We probably won't use it except for in Santa Fe. The other exciting thing, was waiting for the bus afterwards (about 10:30 at night) in a bad neighborhood, so we went back to the church and called a taxi (remis)- which costs us 15 times what is would have cost to take the bus (hopefully we get reimbursed). Everything we do, every moment is an adventure. Making copies, buying bus tickets- it's not that easy- it takes time and planning. No jumping in the car and running around to Staples and walmart. I love these people. The three people on the bottom picture are amazing. Claudio on the left is a bishop here. Jorge in the middle is a branch president. Mariela is Jorges wife and for her to get baptized was a big leap of faith- her family still disowns her to this day. (This is a common story for many who get baptized here, because if your whole family is of another religion, you are looked down upon if you change to being "mormon"). Be grateful for the family you have you accepts you no-matter what religion you are! Mariela has a voice of an angel and she sang some Mariah Carey to me (she doesn't know english, but can sing it). Her husband and her sing duets and it is beautiful! The red and green cards are for when someone does something good they hold the green one up and if someone says something negative they hold the red one up (we applaud more than we use the cards).

They love their futbol

When the local soccer team looses, then so do the church's windows. This is what happens when Union doesn't win it's soccer game and the locals attack the church building. They throw things at the church and try to break the windows. Not very nice!

JAS (Jovenes Adultos Solteros or YSA)

The young adults in Santa Fe North are so good to us. They teach us how to drink mate and talk in "vos" (informal way to speak). Both of which we still have problems with! I burn my tounge every time I drink mate (an herbal drink with hot water and sugar, a metal straw is used). We are going to a family home evening tonight with them. They have done good about taking care of us!

(From left to right Cookie (Liliana), Cynthia, me, Belen).

Mug Shot

These are the signs that are posted in all of the chapels with our mug shots on them. We didn't know that the picture we sent our director would be used and posted all over the country side. Last night we had a meeting with all of the bishops and the stake presidency in Santa Fe North. We showed up very casual becames we also went to play with the young single adults. Luckily we weren't frowned upon for wearing jeans to the meeting. We got to present our selves and these lovely signs were given to all the bishops. This is what we are doing a lot of- getting the word out that TAL (Taller de autosuficiencia laboral or Career Workshop) exists.

We played volleyball with the young single adults and did a lot of explaining of what the perpetual education fund is at the same time. An exciting part of the journey was on the bus ride over to the chapel a little girl threw up right in front of my eyes. I have this habbit- to bring toilet paper with me (because you never know when you will need it). So far that has been the second time I've needed to give it to someone, and I'm so glad I had it. Don't leave home with out it!

Santa Fe 1st Graduating Class

We are so proud of these eight!! They attended three days of four hour classes given by second language spanish speakers (Clary and I). Three of them were trained to be teachers after we leave and the others all gave strong interest in also being teachers. The lady next to me is getting baptized next week. The young tall guy in the middle back is applying for the perpetual education fund. We loved this group. There was a lot of laughing and joking around with this group. They all have a great sense of humor. The last day (when this picture was taken) we ask them to all share their experience, or testimonies, with the class of how this class helped them. There were tears! It was amazing! The common response we get is "We have been waiting for this to come here". It is so neat to be a part of this program! The church is true!

Trip to Wal-Mart

YES- there is a walmart about 15 minute bus ride from where we live. So- like any good North American, we went and scoped it out. It is definately not as busy as the ones in the US, but most because the upper class shops at it and it is kinda far. Better if you have a car. On the way to Wal Mart we crossed the famous suspended bridge here in Santa Fe. There are two rivers that are on both sides of the City. We won't be shopping their regularly, but it was nice to see peanut butter on the shelves and I was able to finally buy a pair of American style Jeans that only cost me $25 (but they aren't that great of quality). I had tried to buy jeans at other stores, but they are all really tight and tapered. Not my style. Wal-Mart was a success and we bought micrwave popcorn because we have a marvelous microwave. Really- no roughing it too much.

First Dance In Argentina!!!

Last night we got to go to a Young Single Adult dance for the neighboring stake here in Santa Fe. It was a lot of fun!!! I am so happy I finally got to dance in Argentina! There was a small group, but it was just fine for me and Clary. They were all suprised that we had heard a lot of their music before. I think the overall thought is that in Utah we country dance, but I quickly showed and explained, there are latins from all over the world there- so even at BYU we dance salsa, merengue and cumbia. None of them had ever danced bachata (which is from another latin american country) so I taught them. That was fun! We made a lot of great friends and did some publicity for the workshops we teach. The main focus they want us to have is with the young single adults and the Perpetual Education Fund. So we are going to go play sports with them tonight and tomorrow we will be attending their family home evening they have on sunday nights. FUN!!!!

Our House

Oh how we love our house. It is really growing on us. The shower I think is the funniest part. Notice the shower head is not at the head of the shower, but rather in the middle. This means there is very little space but if I was really wide to my left and right it would be genious. The beds are nice and narrow. We are extremely lucky to have a shower and a bed- so we don't mind their funny qualities!

Today we ran a lot of erronds. I finally found my toaster I needed (that sits on top of the gas stove). We finally found one piece of tupperware that cost five pesos (like $1.75). We were so happy to finally have a piece of tupperware. We made a lot of friends too. Our neighbors have a fruit and vegatable stand and the lady down the way sells chicken. I also met a sweet little man at the hardware store who helped me find the electrical store. I got photo copies made of a letter I am sending to the missionaries serving around here whom I taught. That took awhile because his machine wasn't working. We bought our bread from the "panaderia" and later we made our way to another store to buy a map, so we won't get lost. It amazes me all the little speciality stores. I love it! And inside each one is someone knew we get to explain who we are to. Many have thought we are here building houses and others thinking we are here studying. It is so fun! One of the knew adventures I have found fun is running BY MYSELF in the mornings around our neighborhood and finding new little places close to our house to buy what we need. (While I was on a mission here, we didn't go anywhere by ourselves, so this is a new thing for me- but I do it safely!).

First Sunday

Don't let the comfy looking couch fool you. This is our house and yes- it is nice, but I am sitting where I am because to the left of me is a giant spring that stabs you and where I am sitting is not much better (couches are to be looked at here, not sat on) :)
Today was our first sunday in Santa Fe and going to church. We walked in and the first two people we saw were the missionaries! A comforting sight! They told me that one of the sisters I taught in the MTC is in Santa Fe! I plan to find her and maybe go out to some teaching appointments with her and her companion. It happened to be fast and testimony meeting, because they had stake conference last week and there is a new bishop. We were a little suprised by how few were in church. There were 30 maybe, and that includes a investigator family who were 6 of the 30 in the chapel. Clary and I shared our testimonies. What an amazing feeling to be back in the same country and environment where I lived for 18 months. After the Sacrament meeting I peeked in while another Sac. meeting was just starting and the whole chapel was full. Hmm.. we have some work to do! Everyone thought we were missionaries, so we had to explain over and over that we weren't, which was fun! We wrode the bus home, but had walked to church. We are getting aquainted with the streets and bus routes. We came home and made lunch (rice, squash and beef). It was an adventure using the oven and cutting all the fat off the beef. We are staying home today because we are in need of a relaxing sunday (last sunday we were in the airport all morning and didn't get to go to church). This blog is already long enough... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Super Saturday

Today was Super Saturday for the youth of the Santa Fe North Stake. We went to meet the youth and the leaders and they put us to work cutting the treats. The ones closest to the viewer of the picture are called "facturas" and they have this creamy jelly stuff that is yellow on top. There are cakes with Dulce de leche and you can see the box of Tang packets for juice. The second picture is of us stirring the Tang with forks. We didn't have spoons!

It was incredible the amount of youth that were there- and they said it was only half of the youth in the stake. We met this great lady who immediately glowed when we met her. Her name is Mirta and her story is incredible! She is in the photo with me. She is a single mother of 4 and she was baptized 5 years ago. She has helped 8 other families in her neighborhood get baptized and many others. Her children are awesome too! Kevin is in the photo with us and the missionaries bring him with them because he knows the first vision by memory (and even some stuff after the first vision). He is great! Mirtas husband left her a long time ago and she used to have lots of problems with drinking and smoking. She met the missionaries and was baptized within a month. Everyone in her family rejected her, and to this day only one brother visits her. One of her sisters did get baptized and she is so happy because of that. All her kids are active and she is inspiring! Her energy is amazing. You love her the minute you meet her. (She is in the Stake Young Womens presidency).

Santa Fe - ¨Holy Faith¨ in english

That is exactly what I will be going on while I am here. We drove with our manager and his wife in their car today for 4 hours from Cordoba to Santa Fe. The trip went really fast- I slept most of it and the other part we talked a lot about all the factories there are on the way. Guido (our manager) is just like my dad and has a wealth of knowlege and is a very good tour guide. We arrived in Santa Fe and met some of the leaders. We dropped off our bags at our house and we ended up stepping in dog poop and tracking it in all over. So we also ended up cleaning the floor! Well- we have a fully furnished house complete with an army of crickets. I caught the first one to let it free, but soon found out everyone else was just killing them. Well anyways... no more crickets in the house. The town is a VERY old and not as industrial as other cities. It is very flat here and so far reminds me of Santiago del Estero. Our manager took us out to eat with his wife, but NOTHING was open during the siesta so we went to McDonalds (not my favorite place- but it was food, and is a treat for the Argentines here). We plan on going to bed early tonight and tomorrow we are going to hang out with seminary kids for their big (scripture mastery day) called Super Saturday. There are no pictures today- because I´m in a Cyber- so patience and I´ll get some up soon. Hasta Luego!

FIRST Career Workshop

Today our first Career Workshop graduated! There were lots of hugs and ofcourse kisses on the cheek. It was sad to see them all leave. The blonde in the foto (not me or Clary) but the one in the front she is one of the teachers (Carolina). She is amazing! The other teacher is Alberto (the older gentlemen with glasses). We obeserved them this past week and next week we will be teaching in another city (Santa Fe) our own classes. AHHH!! We are excited!!! One of the things the participants are trained on is making phone calls to business to find out more info and talk with the person in charge. One girl broke a record for the center- she called 20 people in one day and talked had amazing success (she is a nurse). This is what my life will be like for the next three months- seeing people get interviews and jobs left and right!!! I love it- the attitudes change drastically after they see they are of worth and obtain the confidence to achieve employment. In this group only one of the participants is a member of the church. Amazing services for free to the general public!

Carlos Paz

Today we got to teach part of the workshop. Clary and I gave an example of what not to do and what to do in an interview- so we acted! I was the person being interviewed and I chewed gum, put a jacket around my waist, fiddled with the chair, and gave horrible answers. It got a good laugh. We stayed afterwards and I got to help someone with a resume. After our 6 hours in the Employment Center we came back for lunch at the hotel and then we jumped on a bus to Carlos Paz. The picture is of one of the bridges at Carlos Paz which we hurridly crossed over so we wouldn't get mugged (as suggested by the lady also on the bridge passing quickly). Notice the fanny pack- I am a real argentine now! (But I don't wear it on the fanny).

TAL= Career Workshop

Today was our first day in an Argentine workshop. We didn't do much teaching, but rather observed and helped out. The workshop is for three days from 9 am- 1pm. There is so much to teach! We are loving every minute. I even bought a fanny pack today, so I really feel argentine. We are getting used to (again) the fact that you don't get free water or side dishes with your meals and wearing sandals in the showers. Those are just a few of the things that we take for granted in the US. Security is a major topicc of discussion here. Not to worry though- we don't stick out as much as we did in dresses and with name tags, so we aren't such an easy target.

La Primera Semana - The First Week

The first day I went to the Employment Center here in Cordoba Argentina I saw an old friend. His name is Rodrigo and he is living here now rather than in Salta where I met him about two years ago. It was amazing to see someone I know 12 hours bus ride from where I first met him. I used to eat at his house and his mom was the choir director which my companion at the time played the piano for. A tender mercy to see someone I recognized. I feel extremely blessed to be in Argentina again.