Friendship Day here is very important, and this year, it was celebrated last Sunday, July 20th. In all the shops, little friend's day gifts are sold - there are even cards specifically made for this day! I thought it was such a great idea and wondered why we don't have friendship day in America. After some research, (and I hope my sources are correct), in 1935, the U.S. Congress established the first Sunday of August official "Friendship Day," and who is our friendship ambassador? Why none other than our very own...Winnie the Pooh!
I felt like friendship day lasted more than a week, but I enjoyed it =)
Two Thursdays ago, I went over to Julie's house after work. Julie is one of the secretaries in Fundacion Causana. I met two of her brothers and her mom, who has an awesome mate collection. Her 10 yr old younger brother is so cute! He had his friend over too, and he told me how he was learning English in school and seemed happy to be talking to me with the ltd English that he knew =) He even showed me his English grammar and vocabulary tests! Anyway, then Julie and I walked to Andrea Franchescini's to get some ice cream, which is supposed to be muy rico (very rich)! We met one of Julie's friend's on the way, Gino, who is Argentine but lives in Miami and was just on vacation in Argentina at the time.
On Friday, I went with Jorge downtown. Jorge is a volunteer at Fundacion Causana who used to work at Causana, but now he works at a school. Anyway, Jorge knows a lot about the city of Cordoba, and we just walked around downtown and he told me some history. No one knows if this is true, but it is said that there are many escape tunnels underground Cordoba, but why - I can't remember. We ate a delicious meal at Il Gatto, and then I met UT students up at Angeles. From there, we walked to Sha's, a restaurant and then went to a boliche for Brandon's birthday. Oh my...what craziness. I believe there were more than 20 UT students there and we also met some other U.S. kids. I got sleepy, so I slept for a little bit. Yeah...I don't know...the music didn't bother me? But I believe Jeb, Shivani, and I got home at about 6am?? Never again. I realize, I like my sleep, and I like being proactive during the day =)
Then I woke up at 11:45am. Shivani and I had lunch with another Argentine friend, Jessica, in Patio Olmos at El Hombre que Fue Jueves. Since it was the Saturday evening before Friend's Day, there was a lot of activity going on that night. Some students had dinner at Sushi Club, but I went to spend the night at Karina's place. She had about 7 friend's over, most of who were about 30 yrs old. Her father and one of her friend's were cooking an asado...yummy...lots of roast meat, lol =) When I was eating some salad, her dad came and put fish on my plate. He cooked fish for me after realizing that I don't eat meat! Isn't that sweet?
After dinner, we ate Grido's ice cream =) Mmmmm. I love ice cream. Then we played pictionary/charades, women vs men. I had to draw "La Aldea" or "The Village" and act out "El Juego del Miedo", both of which my team guessed! Obviously, the women won, haha. We talked for a little while, and then slept at about 4:30am.
8am. We all went to church (Manatiel de la Vida) early the next morning. The service started at about 10am, but it was about 1/2 hr from Kari's house. I got back to my house at about 3pm. Then Vale and I ate at Betos...mmmm!!! Delicious! I ate lomito vegetal (vegetarian sandwhich with eggplant and vegetables). And I tried a little eggs and fries. In the evening, Jeb, Shivani, and I went to watch Batman. Ok, that movie was crazy. El guason was psycho!! And I only found out he was Heath Ledger after the movie.
It was a wonderful friend's day weekend.
During the week at work, we all had one Amigo Invisible. There was a box at the front desk in which we put our "pista" or hint for our friend. Everyone just gave some little candy with a note attached to it. My invisible friend wrote his note in English, so during the week, I tried to figure out who could speak English. The grammar wasn't perfect, so I knew it wasn't my boss. Anyway, then Friday was our celebration at work. Everyone brought their friend a present. Each person had to guess who their invisible friend was before opening the gift. My invisible friend was Misael and he gave me mate with a bombilla and containers for yerba and sugar!! I thought that was very nice and and thoughtful. I only started liking mate with sugar at work. Mate amargo is without sugar. It's like a very bitter green tea. Shivani came with me to my work party, and I went to spend the night at her house after we got back.
Yesterday, Saturday, I woke up at about 12pm. Gosh, Shivani and I had such a relaxing day. Shiv made french toast for us, which was mmm - delicious. We watched "She's the Man", and then took a VERY long walk. I believe we left the house at about 5pm, and got back at around 9pm? We stopped at places on the way that looked interesting to us. Our goal was to get to Caseratto, which was supposed to have scrumptious desserts. On the way, we stopped at Disco and a baby store. On the way back, we stopped at an empanada place, and had two vegetarian empanadas. Empanadas look like samosas, but the choices for the filling inside included cheese and tomato, roquefort and albaca, and cebolla and cheese. Later on at night, Ashley, Alicia, Shivani and I went to El Arrabel, where tango shows are held Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. The show was fantastic! Although, I realized that the tango dance is not that entertaining to watch. I prefer salsa =) The singers had such strong voices, and the dancers were sophisticated. The place was elegant and there were visitors from Brazil, Canada, Holland, France, and many other places. My friend from Holland was there also!! After the show, we went to meet up with some UT students at Mitre. After getting a little tired of techno, Shiv and I came home and drank some suave coffee before going to sleep. For some reason, coffee puts me to sleep...
It is now Sunday! I'm uploading some photos, but now Shiv and I are going to do some yoga. (Her mom is a yoga instructor and has a yoga room!) Tonight, Shiv and I are going to go to church with David and Vanesa, y despues vamos a charlar en un restaurante (we're going to chat in a restaurant!).
Ciao!
domingo, 27 de julio de 2008
My typical day
The past two weeks have just flown by. Everyday is packed from morning to night. So typically during the weekdays, M-F, I wake up between 6:30 and 7:30. Then I either go to the gym or go straight to work. If I don't go to the gym in the morning, then I force myself to go after work - which can be hard. By the time gym and work are finished, I either have to go somewhere or I go talk to David and Vanesa at the kiosk. By that time, it's between 9 and 10pm, and Vale finishes work at 9pm. I set the table, and we start eating between 9:30 and 10:30. (People eat reallllly late here). Then I usually talk to my AMAZING family and do a little reading, and alas, it's time for bed.
Now you know about my typical weekday =)
Now you know about my typical weekday =)
martes, 15 de julio de 2008
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. ~William James
So, I'm pretty sure when the bus stopped and a guy bumped into me, he said, "my bad!". English!! I was surprised and wanted to ask him where he was from, but I was too sleepy - it was 7:50 am. I know, that was random. But that's ok, that's what I am - random =)
More important, when I was writing my industry paper for my internship, I came upon this website
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=18. It gives some statistics about our disabled population in the world. I didn't realize that about 10% of the world's population is disabled -making them the world's largest minority. Many of us have disabilities. Not having perfect vision is a disability. Not being able to speak the language of a country you're inhabiting is a disability. However, when it comes to encountering people with more severe disabilities - those that prevent one from living a normal lifestyle - we tend to feel a little more uncomfortable. Why? Because we don't encounter people with severe disabilities daily. You know, I was scared at first - but I've been so fortunate to have wonderful friends and family that have encouraged me so much!
I think my dear friend, Lisa Khan, has been an angel on helping me with encouragement:
"I want to tell you something about the kids that scare you sometimes. I was thinking about it, and you should always remember that they never mean to scare you. They have the best intents in their heart and to express a single thought may be hard for them. The way they express their thoughts or personality may be different from yours, but you must work on being empathetic. It's so easy for us to let people know how we feel or what they think, but it's so hard for disabled children to do so. Imagine how difficult it must be to not properly display that you're happy or something scares you. Empathy is different from sympathy. You must be actively trying to understand and conquer your fears in order to be empathetic and truly understand. You're a brave girl, and I know your heart is big. Keep working on it! Part of their comfort is knowing that you're trying as hard as they are instead of standing and watching. =)"
She's absolutely right. For the past week, I have been trying to put myself in their shoes. Trying to understand how they feel. Trying to imagine how it may frustrate them that I don't always understand what they want or how they feel. I really have to pay attention to their actions and sounds.
About me...I don't mind messy, but dirty has really never appealed to me. Every morning the kids are given baths. Someone brushes their teeth and combs their hair. (Like I mentioned earlier, they are really taken care of). Almost gourmet food is prepared every day. None of that frozen stuff. The food is also very healthy. The other day, I watched Maria prepare hand-squeezed orange juice! However, while being fed/trying to feed themselves and throughout the day, the kids dirty themselves. They put their hands in their mouths; they can't blow their nose, but we try to clean them up as much as possible. Nevertheless, no matter how dirty the kids get, none of this bothers anyone who works with them. The kids are showered with hugs and kisses. I, on the other hand, have kept a little bit of distance.
Anyway, yesterday, I helped out Marcela with group 2. We played handmade instruments =) Well, there is this one boy, Nicholas, who would not stop crying! He was all wet with tears and saliva. But even so, Marcela took him in her arms. She was just like a mother - soft but strict. I thought - I would feel so uncomfortable. I'd probably be worried about getting dirty... Then I thought of Lisa's words and "WWJD" -and as he cried, I comforted him, putting aside my fears of getting wet/having mucus on my clothes, and just held him. And I felt an instant peace. This is what God wanted me to do, and what He wanted to teach me.
Yesterday, I helped Genaro, a little boy of 12 years, walk to the kitchen. I felt him really leaning on me, and I was touched. That's what we do in this world - we lean on each other. Friends help friends, and we are there for each other in times of happiness and sadness.
More important, when I was writing my industry paper for my internship, I came upon this website
http://www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=18. It gives some statistics about our disabled population in the world. I didn't realize that about 10% of the world's population is disabled -making them the world's largest minority. Many of us have disabilities. Not having perfect vision is a disability. Not being able to speak the language of a country you're inhabiting is a disability. However, when it comes to encountering people with more severe disabilities - those that prevent one from living a normal lifestyle - we tend to feel a little more uncomfortable. Why? Because we don't encounter people with severe disabilities daily. You know, I was scared at first - but I've been so fortunate to have wonderful friends and family that have encouraged me so much!
I think my dear friend, Lisa Khan, has been an angel on helping me with encouragement:
"I want to tell you something about the kids that scare you sometimes. I was thinking about it, and you should always remember that they never mean to scare you. They have the best intents in their heart and to express a single thought may be hard for them. The way they express their thoughts or personality may be different from yours, but you must work on being empathetic. It's so easy for us to let people know how we feel or what they think, but it's so hard for disabled children to do so. Imagine how difficult it must be to not properly display that you're happy or something scares you. Empathy is different from sympathy. You must be actively trying to understand and conquer your fears in order to be empathetic and truly understand. You're a brave girl, and I know your heart is big. Keep working on it! Part of their comfort is knowing that you're trying as hard as they are instead of standing and watching. =)"
She's absolutely right. For the past week, I have been trying to put myself in their shoes. Trying to understand how they feel. Trying to imagine how it may frustrate them that I don't always understand what they want or how they feel. I really have to pay attention to their actions and sounds.
About me...I don't mind messy, but dirty has really never appealed to me. Every morning the kids are given baths. Someone brushes their teeth and combs their hair. (Like I mentioned earlier, they are really taken care of). Almost gourmet food is prepared every day. None of that frozen stuff. The food is also very healthy. The other day, I watched Maria prepare hand-squeezed orange juice! However, while being fed/trying to feed themselves and throughout the day, the kids dirty themselves. They put their hands in their mouths; they can't blow their nose, but we try to clean them up as much as possible. Nevertheless, no matter how dirty the kids get, none of this bothers anyone who works with them. The kids are showered with hugs and kisses. I, on the other hand, have kept a little bit of distance.
Anyway, yesterday, I helped out Marcela with group 2. We played handmade instruments =) Well, there is this one boy, Nicholas, who would not stop crying! He was all wet with tears and saliva. But even so, Marcela took him in her arms. She was just like a mother - soft but strict. I thought - I would feel so uncomfortable. I'd probably be worried about getting dirty... Then I thought of Lisa's words and "WWJD" -and as he cried, I comforted him, putting aside my fears of getting wet/having mucus on my clothes, and just held him. And I felt an instant peace. This is what God wanted me to do, and what He wanted to teach me.
Yesterday, I helped Genaro, a little boy of 12 years, walk to the kitchen. I felt him really leaning on me, and I was touched. That's what we do in this world - we lean on each other. Friends help friends, and we are there for each other in times of happiness and sadness.
sábado, 12 de julio de 2008
Ay, que linda dia! (What a beautiful day) Updates
Rachel's coming in August!!
Weather
July is supposed to be the coldest month.
This morning I wore shorts and a tshirt and I was hot! Apparently, the weather is behaving oddly. The glaciers in Patagonia, down south, are breaking. It's supposed to be absolutely gorgeous - but it's happening at the wrong time.
I'm loving the weather, but I'm not sure if it's actually a good thing that it's warm right now? Global warming? I don't really know.
Church
Last weekend, my very sweet friend, Agustin, told me that they were having a special night at his church (which I've been to a couple of times), and asked if I wanted to sing a song with him in English. We sang "Amazing Love", which he later told me was one of his favorite songs. Agustin and I sang while his brother played the guitar, and afterwards I explained the song in Spanish. What I thought was so awesome was that everywhere in the world, we sing these praise songs to the same God, in so many different languages, but they all have the same meaning and we all just want to show God we love Him. Sometimes we have different "feelings" because we're not necessarily comfortable in a different setting that we're used to (for example, a different church). As I started the song, I was a little scared - maybe because I wasn't singing in front of OneWay people, but then I remembered that I'm singing for God. Not for anyone else, and not for the "feelings".
I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.
Amazing love, How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love,I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.
You are my King
Jesus You are my King
-Chris Tomlin
Swimming
I started swimming this week, and it's been...fun! I always thought swimming was such a hassle, but I figured if I'm going to take a conditioning class in the fall, I better start swimming in the summer. (Plus, I think I put on a few pounds here, and I really don't want to return to the U.S. feeling guilty.)
People
I've realized that everyone is going to have really different cultural experiences while they're here in Cordoba. I'm always so tired at nights and don't feel like going to centro to do anything. I felt kind of sad that I live so far from centro - although I absolutely love living with Valeria. But I'm quite content now! I've gotten to meet so many people in the gym, stores, buses, mall, etc. I love it. I think I spend most of my time talking/listening to people. Almost everyday now, I visit my friends, Vanessa and David, at the kiosk by my house. They are such sweet, God-fearing people, and I hope to come back to Cordoba for their wedding =) I'm trying to teach David a little bit of English before I leave so they can come to the U.S. one day.
Jessica is a girl that used to work at a store near my house. She studied abroad in Canada for about a year and speaks perfect English. Also a sweetheart.
Kari - my speaker partner is still an angel. I went to her house a few weeks ago and met her dad, and we all ate ice cream together. =) I love ice cream.
Movies
I used to sleep in almost all movies. But now, I love watching movies. I actually stay awake through all of them! I thought that dubbing would bother me, but Shivani and I have watched a few English movies dubbed in Spanish - and it doesn't bother me at all. (Although I still like Spanish subtitles - it's easier to read!) Chicas Malas (Mean Girls) was the first movie we watched in Spanish with Veronique and Kim. Others include Encantada (Enchanted), Diario de una Pasion (The Notebook), The Lizzie Mcguire Movie (I can't believe I'm admitting that). Ok - I gotta go meet Kari now, more updates to come!
Walmart
Weather
July is supposed to be the coldest month.
This morning I wore shorts and a tshirt and I was hot! Apparently, the weather is behaving oddly. The glaciers in Patagonia, down south, are breaking. It's supposed to be absolutely gorgeous - but it's happening at the wrong time.
I'm loving the weather, but I'm not sure if it's actually a good thing that it's warm right now? Global warming? I don't really know.
Church
Last weekend, my very sweet friend, Agustin, told me that they were having a special night at his church (which I've been to a couple of times), and asked if I wanted to sing a song with him in English. We sang "Amazing Love", which he later told me was one of his favorite songs. Agustin and I sang while his brother played the guitar, and afterwards I explained the song in Spanish. What I thought was so awesome was that everywhere in the world, we sing these praise songs to the same God, in so many different languages, but they all have the same meaning and we all just want to show God we love Him. Sometimes we have different "feelings" because we're not necessarily comfortable in a different setting that we're used to (for example, a different church). As I started the song, I was a little scared - maybe because I wasn't singing in front of OneWay people, but then I remembered that I'm singing for God. Not for anyone else, and not for the "feelings".
I’m forgiven because You were forsaken,
I’m accepted, You were condemned.
I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me,
Because You died and rose again.
Amazing love, How can it be
That You, my King, would die for me?
Amazing love,I know it’s true.
It’s my joy to honor You,
In all I do, I honor You.
You are my King
Jesus You are my King
-Chris Tomlin
Swimming
I started swimming this week, and it's been...fun! I always thought swimming was such a hassle, but I figured if I'm going to take a conditioning class in the fall, I better start swimming in the summer. (Plus, I think I put on a few pounds here, and I really don't want to return to the U.S. feeling guilty.)
People
I've realized that everyone is going to have really different cultural experiences while they're here in Cordoba. I'm always so tired at nights and don't feel like going to centro to do anything. I felt kind of sad that I live so far from centro - although I absolutely love living with Valeria. But I'm quite content now! I've gotten to meet so many people in the gym, stores, buses, mall, etc. I love it. I think I spend most of my time talking/listening to people. Almost everyday now, I visit my friends, Vanessa and David, at the kiosk by my house. They are such sweet, God-fearing people, and I hope to come back to Cordoba for their wedding =) I'm trying to teach David a little bit of English before I leave so they can come to the U.S. one day.
Jessica is a girl that used to work at a store near my house. She studied abroad in Canada for about a year and speaks perfect English. Also a sweetheart.
Kari - my speaker partner is still an angel. I went to her house a few weeks ago and met her dad, and we all ate ice cream together. =) I love ice cream.
Movies
I used to sleep in almost all movies. But now, I love watching movies. I actually stay awake through all of them! I thought that dubbing would bother me, but Shivani and I have watched a few English movies dubbed in Spanish - and it doesn't bother me at all. (Although I still like Spanish subtitles - it's easier to read!) Chicas Malas (Mean Girls) was the first movie we watched in Spanish with Veronique and Kim. Others include Encantada (Enchanted), Diario de una Pasion (The Notebook), The Lizzie Mcguire Movie (I can't believe I'm admitting that). Ok - I gotta go meet Kari now, more updates to come!
Walmart
miércoles, 9 de julio de 2008
Iguazu Falls, Dangerous Mountain climbing, zipline, Point of three countries...
Ahh, at last. I sank into my ever-so comfortable front seat of our bus. We were on our way to Iguazu!! Well...at least I hoped so. I didn't want to get my hopes up. You know, just incase we didn't get there for some reason or another. The roads were supposed to be clear, but you never know the future.
Shivani and I sat on the top level of the bus. Our view through the huge windows infront of us was spectacular. It was more comfortable than the seats in the plane, and much cheaper. So, they decided to show August Rush, one of my favorite movies, in the morning. Unfortunately, we got to Misiones before the movie was even half way through =( Ok, enough about the bus.
When we got to Misiones...22 hours later, we walked in the rain to our little hostel. (I was quite happy - 55 pesos per person for 2 nights). The toilet worked when it decided to. There were 7 beds for us kids - Denise, Colin, Albert, Jenny, Spencer, Shivani, and me. The only thing was - I found either droppings or a few bugs in my bed. Yep - so I decided to sleep with Shivani.
After a nice lunch, we went to this forest place for some little tour. We learned a little bit about animal traps, and then we had our adventures...
As I looked at the dangerous mountain in front of me, I almost wet myself. I was about to climb it. We all were. Those jagged rocks were eager to tear through my jeans and leave scars on my legs and arms. Would I have the strength to climb it?
Ok, it wasn't that bad =D It was like 75 feet high, and took less than 5 minutes to climb. And we had protective gear. I actually didn't feel like I climbed it at all. (I'm pretty sure the people who worked there pulled us up most of the way!)
Then we did the zipline twice. That was thrilling. I almost felt like Tarzan, screaming through the jungle.
The boat ride. Serene. We cruised the river with Argentina on one side, and Brazil on the other. The sky was again streaked with pink and baby blue with white cotton candy interrupting the flow. Shivani and I stood at the head of the boat feeling the cold air rush past our faces. We got to the the Triple Point - well, I think it was the Triple Point in the river. Argentina was to our left, Paraguay in front of us, and Brazil to our right. Amazing.
The next day was reserved to see the falls. I had absolutely no idea what the falls were going to look like. I knew that I love waterfalls, but I was not prepared for the magnificence of what I would encounter that day.
We took the Great Adventure tour. So first, we went in a bus like vehicle with a tourguide telling us about the forest...I think. I actually don't remember anything she said. I was too excited about the falls.
When we got to the boats, we were given waterproof bags to put our belongings in. This was some serious water prevention. I wondered how wet we were going to get...
I believe we were in a speedboat? But I could be wrong. In any case, it was a fast boat.
We sped through the river with beautiful greenery on either side of us. An occasional little water fall spurted from the forest. I was not prepared to turn the corner.
I almost stopped breathing when I saw the magnificence of the falls. I wondered what the first people felt when they discovered these falls. Pictures that you may see will not do it justice. Only God could do this.
The beauty cannot be described. Even now, I have a mental picture, but feel it was only a dream. I see shades of deep green all around me with rapidly moving white streaks- the water fell so fast; it was almost competing to reach the bottom.
God is mighty.
Shivani and I sat on the top level of the bus. Our view through the huge windows infront of us was spectacular. It was more comfortable than the seats in the plane, and much cheaper. So, they decided to show August Rush, one of my favorite movies, in the morning. Unfortunately, we got to Misiones before the movie was even half way through =( Ok, enough about the bus.
When we got to Misiones...22 hours later, we walked in the rain to our little hostel. (I was quite happy - 55 pesos per person for 2 nights). The toilet worked when it decided to. There were 7 beds for us kids - Denise, Colin, Albert, Jenny, Spencer, Shivani, and me. The only thing was - I found either droppings or a few bugs in my bed. Yep - so I decided to sleep with Shivani.
After a nice lunch, we went to this forest place for some little tour. We learned a little bit about animal traps, and then we had our adventures...
As I looked at the dangerous mountain in front of me, I almost wet myself. I was about to climb it. We all were. Those jagged rocks were eager to tear through my jeans and leave scars on my legs and arms. Would I have the strength to climb it?
Ok, it wasn't that bad =D It was like 75 feet high, and took less than 5 minutes to climb. And we had protective gear. I actually didn't feel like I climbed it at all. (I'm pretty sure the people who worked there pulled us up most of the way!)
Then we did the zipline twice. That was thrilling. I almost felt like Tarzan, screaming through the jungle.
The boat ride. Serene. We cruised the river with Argentina on one side, and Brazil on the other. The sky was again streaked with pink and baby blue with white cotton candy interrupting the flow. Shivani and I stood at the head of the boat feeling the cold air rush past our faces. We got to the the Triple Point - well, I think it was the Triple Point in the river. Argentina was to our left, Paraguay in front of us, and Brazil to our right. Amazing.
The next day was reserved to see the falls. I had absolutely no idea what the falls were going to look like. I knew that I love waterfalls, but I was not prepared for the magnificence of what I would encounter that day.
We took the Great Adventure tour. So first, we went in a bus like vehicle with a tourguide telling us about the forest...I think. I actually don't remember anything she said. I was too excited about the falls.
When we got to the boats, we were given waterproof bags to put our belongings in. This was some serious water prevention. I wondered how wet we were going to get...
I believe we were in a speedboat? But I could be wrong. In any case, it was a fast boat.
We sped through the river with beautiful greenery on either side of us. An occasional little water fall spurted from the forest. I was not prepared to turn the corner.
I almost stopped breathing when I saw the magnificence of the falls. I wondered what the first people felt when they discovered these falls. Pictures that you may see will not do it justice. Only God could do this.
The beauty cannot be described. Even now, I have a mental picture, but feel it was only a dream. I see shades of deep green all around me with rapidly moving white streaks- the water fell so fast; it was almost competing to reach the bottom.
God is mighty.
lunes, 7 de julio de 2008
update...
it's been a long time since I've updated, even though I have so much to say! Unfortunately, I can't right now - but in the next couple of days - I will write about the last couple of weeks.
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