A little late on writing this post and others. Better late than never, right? Before starting, I have a question: Did you know that Argetina uses a different keyboard? I am going to venture that most of you said no, well neither did I until I got here. So it is a little different typing and some things are out of my understanding currently. If you see anything that is funky, you know why.
This was our first full week on campus. Like I said I was on the Engeneering campus, which was new. This was an extremely frustrating week. For many reasons, but first off because everybody was learning each others personalities still and trying to work together. I dont know if this was just me, but some people approach getting to know people differently than I do. Not saying the way that they look at life is bad, just different. That was an aspect that was not so easy, but it causes us to grow in the end. One of my friends was cut and dry, she was extremely open and honest and if you were not interested in the reason she started the conversation then there was not going to be a long one. Another girl took time in explaining all the details to smallest bit. Both of these have positives and negavites: pointing to the idea that that is why humans were made to work together. One persons strong points will build anothers weak points.
As it is also the first time people have been on the campus, my team has the job of breaking in new ground. Which basically means that we have no prior knowledge of where students like to hang out, what they do for fun, what school looks like for them, if they speak English, ect. For the most part, the students do not understand the idea of going out with friends. They study a lot, A LOT! We asked what they do after class and a typical responce is go to the library, then go home and study more. On the weekends sometimes I see people, but generally I sleep and study. Today I talked to a girl who said that this campus was less popular because it was so difficult to study there. The students dont have time for a job outside of that and the teachers are extrememly demanding. Another important thing that we learned is that there is not a language department at this school. Well there is, but it is online and it cost money. So that means
that there are few students who know English.
Our team was exhausted by the end of the week, thankfully Friday was a national holiday. Technically it was memorial day weekend in the states, so it was extrememly weird to be celebrating another nations independce. It was great to see the Argentine pride in full colors and spirits but it was also scary at some points. Some background on the country is that they have expierienced a lot of political and economic turmoil. So they are very aware of the world and how things are working and have worked in the past. The largest student groups on campus are political. As we know, the United States has done little for Latin America and has a large head. So some of the ralleys and celbrations on that Friday were radically anti-estados unidos(usa).
Thursday was our second bible study and we finished testimonies(stories of how you came to know the Lord). And all I can say about that night is incredible things. Normally people time how long someone can share, but not my leaders. Everyone got to share, they called it windows to the soul or something like that. But we did highlights, hardtimes, hand of God and one other H. I think I have gone over it, but you get the point. Every girls story of course was hand crafted and encouraging but one in particular shined the light of God. This girls story was riddled with hard times, but she told her redemption story-tears and all- confidently and boldly. At the end of the night, I felt like I had known those girls for forever. Such a blessing!
On a more positive note, we went to a little area of town called Boca. This is where one of the major futbal(soccer) teams has their stadium. We were going to visit, but one of our team members felt bad. But the town area was one that historically was a litte rough. So one day a man decided to paint the houses bright colors and bring some life to the area. From that time on it was known as a merchant-tango-place to have fun. After that we went to another tiny market and got to see some homemade argentine products. That was fun because it was the first expierence that I got to see what the markets had to offer and what I would want to buy.
Saturday was a nacional conference sponsered by Campus Crudase called Vida Estudiante here. Josh McDowell spoke at the conference(all in terrible spanish) and it was called La Verdad Desnuda(The Naked Truth). The conference started at eight and ended sometime late that night. So I met the two boys that were also going at 6:20 for breakfast. We left before 7 to tackle the subte-collective(subway-bus) journey. This was the first time we were allowed to take public transportation all by ourselves. We got there and didnt get lost, praise the lord! Also, we ran into Stinters(a group of people who live in another country for a year, basically an extened summer project) from La Plata(another city about and hourish away). That helped us on the second half of our journey. We got there in time and it was at a seminary in a huge room. Never have a felt like such an obvious gringo(term for americans). It was awkard at first because I was at this conferenct on sex, relationships, and something else with two guys. But I ran into an Argentine in Vida name Maria Sol, what a beautiful name. So I had a female friend to share in the awk moments, whoo! Anyway I have never read a Josh Mcdowell book or heard him speak. Keeping this next part brief: there was very little personal connection with him but he had some great points. I will do a seperate blog that expounds what I learned. We were there until 5, and it was far from over. So there was alot of learning and translating in my head. On the way home though we passed a one pese Medialuna place(deliciosly cheap buttery sugary pastries), sooo goood!!! It is like describing Krispey Kreme to an Argentine, there are not words that translate. What a great day though, super long but filled with the lords grace.
Finally Ill end with Sunday because they start their calender on Monday. We went to a church where Josh Mcdowell spoke again, what an interesting man. But that was fun, the Argentines are so nice. The whole culture is open and warm, I have never expierenced anything like it. This was something that I will never forget. At the end, the pastor jumped in to sing the last song. Which might I add is something I love love love. If the pastor can sing and he shares in the worship, my heart melts. But as this pastor is singing about giving praise to the lord and confessing to him that he is not enough, he gets down on his knees and continues singing. The passion of this man blew me away. Kneeling-singing-confessing-leading his church in the ways to come to the father open and honest was a sight that will forever stay in my mind.
A week here feels like a month anywhere else. This is just the bare bones of my week, not even including what the Lord has been teaching me and how I have been growing in ways that I did not know would happen. I promise to include those posts, I promise that I will add more details about what specifically is happening each week. Now it is time to finish though. Ill end with a story about the whole group going to get takeout dinnner at a restruant here. Dinner to Argentines is from 9-11 or anywhere in between that. So our group of 25 at 7 is slightly annoying, but a lot of money. Well the chinese food restraunt landed on the annoying side. People waited an hour to get their food and that last four people got told the restraunt ran out of food. So many funny things have happened to us here. Until next time friends!!!
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