Holy smokes this week has been nuts. I am in a little town out in the middle of nowhere. In the province of Entre Rios, in a city called La Paz. The city is about 35 years behind in technology and so we are using the computer of one of the more well off members. The keyboard is insane......so please forgive my punctuation and grammar.
President Giuliani gives us only 1 hour on the dot to write our letters, and there is just no way I can write everything that I saw and experienced this last week, but I will do my best. My journal is staying caught up, so dont worry!
Travel to Argentina was good. The plane was nice and big and I just slept most of the time. We landed in Buenos Aires, went through immigrations and customs which was relatively painless, and then gathered in the airport to wait for the other missionaries. It was fun to see my MTC district. Then some nice lady who works for the church offices out of B. A. gathered us up and put us on a double decker bus for a long day of visa paperwork. She didnt speak English so understanding her instructiosn got tricky sometimes, but we got it all done and I think I am good to go. I should get a card sent to the mission home soon that is my official visa card. After all of that paper work we finally got to go to Rosario. Its about a 5 hour bus ride from BA, so we didnt get there until super late.....but it was good to finally meet president and his wife.
All day Wednesday was interviews with president, learning about the money, how to not get robbed, how to do reimbursements, and so forth. It was a nice day of rest to be honest. We just sat there, ate, and spent time with the office Elders and president and his wife.
Thursday was the day I got my companion and area! My companion is Hermana Sainsbury (another Hermana who served in DC South too) and she is awesome. She has only been in Argentina for one month longer than me.....so we have a lot of fun adventures up ahead, but its going to be fun. My calling as a missionary so far seems to be sent to one of the most isolated parts of the mission with a companion who has only one transfer more of experience than me. But she is really great, and can speak spanish pretty well because she spent 8 months in DC. She is an experienced missionary, just not so much in Argentina. We are going to learn a lot together. Our area is way out in the country....where we see cows tied to trees, chickens run around like squirrels, dirt floors (I dont know if I will ever be able to describe what these houses smell like), and motorcycles everywehre. We live off of a dirt road, wash our clothes by hand in a bucket, and when it rains electricity is on and off.
I have learned that drinking Mate is the most Argentine thing you can do. They do it ALL THE TIME. At church acitivites, at the store, and basically everywhere. Did you know that Argentines are the best motorcycle bike riders in the world, because they pile 3 or 4 people on one bike, assign the guy in the back to be the thermal man with the hot water, another to hold the sugar, another to hold the mate leaves grass stuff, and they pass the thing around WHILE RIDING THE BIKE...pouring stuff in as needed. Its awesome. Really grateful that we arent allowed to drink mate, its gross looking and I dont think I could share a straw with the world. People invite us sometimes, and its nice to just say our president has said no because of the time commitment....but in reality its also probably becuase of the germs (but we dont tell them that part)
Rain rules the world here. My very first day in La Paz it rained soooo much. I have never seen so much rain or mud in all of my whole life. It was nuts. When it rains, school is cancelled, shops close, and everyone goes home.
Siesta is nuts, and is insanely long. Argentines sleep so much. I dont know how they make any money to pay for anything because they dont work early in the morning, or during the siesta which is from noon to 5, or late at night....so basically the whole day. But the pace of life is really slow here, and people just take their time, and are soooo kind. I dont know how much of this applies to other parts of Argentina, because we are pretty isolated (I had a 6 hour bus ride from BA) and before I left missionaries told me that La Paz is one of the most unique areas and also one that all the missionaries want to serve in. So I am going to enjoy it while I am here!
My mission debit card got stuck in customs, so my money is being sent to my companions card and I just make weekly withdrawals. Hopefully it comes soon.
President told us to tell you guys not to put Hermana on letters or packages because the governemnt is offset by it. Getting anything from America into Argentina can tricky if anything looks suspicious...so just so you know!
Dont add any of the people you listed from facebook, I dont know those people. Crazy that Rachel DeVoe is engaged, people are having babies, and that Rachel Hobsons baby is deaf. Life carries on back home! I love seeing pictures of you guys, and reading your weekly letters. They are the best.
I can get dearelders at the very latest every month when zone leaders go for monthly training, sometimes sooner. Letters apparently take about 1-2 weeks to get here (just send them to the mission home) and about 1-2 weeks for a response to get back to America. So about a month in total!
I am healthy, and so far food hasnt made me sick. Although one lunch with a member was soupy rice with mystery meatballs and the whole thing looked questionable but they stood nearby the table talking and watching us eat (it was sort of bizarre) so I had to eat it. I prayed really hard that the food would be blessed and not make me sick, and it didnt. I felt kind of funny later that afternoon, but am just fine now.
We walk a ton, and bikes would be nice to cut down on walking time...but my shoes are holding up well.
Before I forget to tell you, I saw Thomas and it was awesome. I saw him at the bus station before my trip to La Paz. He is doing well, He gave me a big long hug ( had to explain we were related to a few missionaires) and I have pictures but no time to send them. Next week for sure.
I dont have time to write much else, but know that I love you sooooooo much. I am well and love this work.
I love you more than all the dead frogs in the road when it rains (nastiest roadkill ever)!
Hermana Withers
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