Sometimes my heart hurts a little though. The people here are SOO humble. The small portion of the city where we live is paved roads, but most of the residences are dirt roads. Most houses are small shacks with concrete floors that just hold their beds, and then they do everything else outside. Laundry, cooking, everything. The rich houses have everything inside- but even those are TINY. One of our investigators hadn´t eaten in a few days and her kids were hungry because they didn't have the 14 pesos that buys a GIANT bag of bread for a family. 14 pesos- that´s less than $2 in the U.S.!!!
There are 4 hermanas including me in our apartment, and Hermana Acosta of Colombia didn't filter hér water and got an intestinal infection. We had to take her to the hospital and it was WAY scary. You could hear children screaming from the outside, and pretty sure our house is more sanitary. I hear in other parts of the mission there are really good hospitals. So, lets hope I don´t get sick here. P.S. (She is totally fine now!)
Cleaning and cooking here is WAY different. We did a lot of service this week. First off, you have to get dirt floors wet before you sweep so that you don't erode their house.´ And for insides, you dump a bucket of water and then use like a window squeegee to push all the water out. Also, recipes don´t exist here, so the first time a member asked me to make abolndigas she was really confused when I just stood there. But I learned how to fold empanadas!
I had the chance to take a 2 hour bus ride to Salta to finish paperwork for my visa. It´s a real city. It was crazy´,I almost had shell-shock- i'm so used to my area here!
Now to answer your questions:
Things I wish I had brought to Argentina:
A washer and dryer. The first time I did laundry here, it was really fun. We have this giant open top ice cream maker thing that you put our clothes in, then add soap and it really slowly wooshes them around. Then you pull them out and put them in this basin and hand scrub the dirt out like old time movies, then rinse them, wring them, and hang them to dry. Its very tiring. ´
Miss most about the USA:
Milk that doesn´t come in bags. Animal control. Reliable utilities (our water and power go out a lot). And paved roads, no good with skirts. Sometimes I think I´m getting really tan, but then I go home and bathe and realize I was just dirty.
Foods I will miss the most:
Everything. The providence I'm in doesn´t import ANYTHING. Everything ís industrial Argentina. There is no variety, and we eat the same things a lot. There is one kind of cereal. The biggest grocery store here is smaller than our house. The fruits are really cheap, and really good. I eat them every day. Sometimes oatmeal. I feel like grandma and grandpa Shumway!
Wish I had brought more of to Argentina:
Hand Sanitizer (Soap dispensers don´t exist)
Photos. Everyone wants to see pictures of my family. When I show them the picture first thing they do is comment on Marissa. Then how beautiful Nicole is. Then, its a tie between ´Dallin´s(Nicole's fiance) beard, or how tall we all are. Everytime.
I love you all! I´m doing great. I don´t have the language perfect, and things are hard sometimes but I´ve never felt the Saviors love so strongly in my life.
- Hermana Shumway
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