22. One-Eyed Deer

Hola de Venado Tuerto!

 

 

Y'all I am totally in Argentina right now. My last week in Oregon was full of goodbyes and hugs and tears, which was hard. I really did love Eagle Point. 

 

 

On Wednesday at 2:30pm I got on a van up to Eugene where I stayed until 2:30am to catch my first flight! I had a layover in Seattle then another one in Atlanta and then I was finally off to Buenos Aires! It was really fun to meet up with other missionaries, I think there were about 50 on my flight to Buenos Aires. 

 

 

From Buenos Aires to the Rosario mission home was a 5 hour bus ride which was both boring and nerve wracking. I ended up arriving at 3pm on Friday so it was about 48 hours of travel total. But then I got to meet my Mission President and his wife!! They were so kind and were excited to see the missionaries so they made me feel at home. 

 

 

I got my assignment and headed out the next day! Me and my Argentine companion, Hermana Martinez, are covering 2 areas. We are in Rama 1 and Murphy, which are about 3 hours away from Rosario. We live in Venado Tuerto, which means one-eyed deer (at least that's what Google translate says). President Tolman says there haven't been Sister missionaries here in years, so the people are super excited to have us! 

 

 

Argentina is different. I don't really understand the language because they have such a different accent and love to mumble/speak quickly. If you have spent even just an hour around me you know I can barely hear you in English... imagine that in a different language. My companion also speaks absolutely 0 English so that part is no fun. 

 

 

Here are some rapid fire things about Argentina:

-they use Addams family style keys EVERYWHERE

-everybody wakes up late, takes a 2 hour siesta, and goes to bed really late (like 2am)

-I have never seen or killed as many cockroaches as I have in the past 2 days

-mate is a real thing and I haven't tried it yet

-do not flush the toilet paper 

-the shower is better than any other shower I've had on my mission though

-the food is honestly amazing, but the only big meal we have is lunch

-Don't drink the water, ask for coca or juice instead. But their bread and little cookies are delicious. 

-There is one Elder here who was serving here before covid and then went home during covid and then came back before anybody else could (idk why but that's not the point). He has been so immersed in the language that he can't remember a lot of English words. I can't wait until I get to that point. 

-Everybody does a little fist bump to say hi, but the women give each other little kisses on the cheek

-it's not adios its chiao

 

 

Well this email is already way too long, but I just have to say that I love my mission. I'm walking down dusty streets and being chased by stray dogs and not understanding anything in the language and killing cockroaches and finding new people to teach every single day. It's so hard to sit in lessons where I can't pick up any familiar words and then realize that they were asking me a question. Honestly, I feel so dumb all the time. But when I look for the good, it's always there and it lifts my spirits just a little more. So how can you look for the good around you right now?

 

 

I love yall, please pray for me haha. 

 

 

Hermana Thrasher