Our family of five

Well, with the surprise appearance of Ani and Pedro (two pretty awesome people I met last time I was here) a few days ago, and the arrival of my roommate Luci this morning, we realized last night that our original "family of five" will soon grow to over twenty. Before it does, though, I'd like to introduce you to the people I've been living with!

 (from right to left: Camilo, Abner, and I)

Camilo from Colombia is a philosophy major and at 21 is the baby of the family. His favorite TV show is Sherlock, and "no offense, but I like British English better." If he visits the US someday, he would like to go somewhere where there aren't any Spanish-speakers (good luck with that!).

Abner, Peruvian, is our token extrovert. While the rest of us are content to wander in generalities, he likes to plan and specify everything- kind of amazing and exhausting! He majored in psychology and will be teaching a research methods class at the seminary this semester. Also, if you hear some jazz riffs on the keyboard in the chapel, it's probably him. 

Daniel and Melisa 

Daniel is the deacon/dean of students here, which means he's in charge of just about everything! He is amazingly calm, even when playing futbol, and can make a mean meat and potatoes. He and his wife Melisa (both from Jujuy, northern Argentina) celebrated their first anniversary a month ago, and live in a small apartment above my room. 

Melisa is a God-send in many ways. She works at the seminary and is finishing up her last year in psychology, and is one of the most intuitive, sweet, and kind people I've ever met. She's one of 7 children and a year older than me, so she has been an excellent friend and older sister figure. Plus, she likes to give and receive back massages, so we speak each others' "language" quite well ;)

So, that's the original bunch of us- I'll be sure to introduce you to the rest as they arrive!

One week!

Hey family!

It's amazingly strange and strangely amazing that I've been in Buenos Aires for exactly one week now. So far it has been our little "family of five" here at the seminary (Daniel, Melisa, Abner, and Camilo), until I was surprised this morning to find my friend Ani Wowk sleeping in the bunk below mine- what a lovely surprise! =D There are about 5 more guys, as well, and since I only saw them at lunchtime I don't have their names down yet: Pedro, Franco, and...nope, can't remember the rest. I'll let you know when I do!

So, one week in, what have I learned?
-Icecream here is 80 cents. Waffle cone, one scoop. 40+ flavors to choose from. In the wise words of the Lego movie: everything is awesome!
-Timing is different. I haven't quite cracked the code of what "get down here right now!" actually means, but depending on the context I think it's something like "well, get down here whenever you're ready, or y'know, about an hour"
-Friends are wonderful. I highly recommend them. Friends nearby who can give you hugs when you need them most, and friends 'a la distancia' who write you, skype, pray for you...wait, that's you! I thank God every time I think of you.

If you'd like something specific to pray with me for, it would be for a region of Buenos Aires called Palermo, which is basically an unreached people group. We want to make disciples in Palermo, maybe without a traditional church plant, and are looking for creative ways to minister. On a personal level, pray that I be able to balance the student/teacher/teacher of my fellow students role with grace and humility. (Warning-TMI ahead!!) And on a way too personal level, I'd really like my digestive system to get back to regular. I think my "filter" in English is wearing off the less I use it...oh dear.

On that embarrassing note...is there anything that I can pray with/for you?

Seminary snapshot Saturday

 Well, friends, after not too much delay or ado- here's my room! All it's lacking is a roommate (her name is Lucila and she'll be arriving next week)!

 Proof positive: I made it to Argentina, and spent all morning cleaning downstairs. Dust+humidity=awesome hair. Every time.

 The narrow staircase up to my 'pieza' (with my towel as a banner of sorts)

 The girls' bathroom, which somewhat perplexes me. Yes, that is the shower knob right next to the sink- no curtain or floor dividers.

 The courtyard, complete with an 'urban missions' poster.

 Even though you can't tell, I spent all morning cleaning this room. Count the beds...kinda glad that I'm a girl (minority) and so I get one roommate instead of 5 ;)

 By far my favorite spot in the semi- the terraza (roof space). With blankets from downstairs airing out.

 And of course, no self-respecting Argentine establishment would be complete without a grill to make "holy" asado.

The view from the terraza: Almagro, Buenos Aires. That's all for today, folks! 

Pastel de papas (how to)

Hello, all you chefs out there!

 Can you make mashed potatoes? Can you turn on a stove and an oven? Can you cut an onion without crying?

Even if you can't do the last thing, you can make 'pastel de papas', an Argentine comfort food I made today with Melisa. Here's how you can make it at home, and in asterisks how we made it today!

1. Peel potatoes and boil in a pot of water until mushy
*Peel them with a steak knife, because that's what there is! Light the gas stove without burning yourself with the match.

2. In a separate pot on the stove, fry diced onions with oil and cumin. Add sausage, carrots, peas, and/or veggies of your choice, plus salt and pepper.
*Yep. That's pretty much what we did.

3. Mash the potatoes and add egg, bullion, and spices of choice.
*By hand, of course. And not too spicy! This is, after all, comfort food!

4. Layer half of the mashed taters onto a pan, spoon the sausage (etc.) mixture in between, and cover with the other potatoes
*By pan I mean a cookie sheet-ish thing. We also added mashed hard-boiled eggs.

5. Cover with cheese and bake until the cheese melts.
*But...be sure to light the gas under the bricks on the bottom of the oven at least thirty minutes before so it's hot enough. The cheese was white and really tasty!

6. Enjoy!
*¡DISFRUTÁ!

Mi pieza!

Dear friends,

A lot of you were asking me before I left what my room at the seminary would be like, and I wasn't sure how to answer until I got here. Mundane, but here goes!

My pieza is on the second floor of the seminary (if you don't count the basement), right of a narrow red staircase. The room is bigger than my Nora Chambers dorm at Lee (for those of you who don't know Nora rooms, they're slightly wider than a king bed, and a little longer), and only a little smaller than my bedroom at home, come to think of it. Since I was the first to arrive (my roommate's name is Lucila), I chose the top bunk and my mom's quilt makes it feel much more like home. There's a dresser and a half that needs fixing as soon as I can spare time, an open bookshelf, a rather nice desk, and two chairs. Wooden floors and stained white walls (there's a blotch that looks like Africa- I bless the rains...) complete the ensemble. All in all the feeling is semi-monastic and very simple!

So far there are five of us at the seminario (or semi): Abner from Peru (or was it Ecuador?) and Camilo from Colombia share a room on the third floor, and Daniel and Melissa, a young married couple from northern Argentina share a small apartment next to them. And me, the girl who talks funny and is no good at soccer ;)

Well, that's my pieza! I'll upload some photos later so you can see my new home =)

Love, Jill

P.S. What else would you like to know about my life here?

Argentina Resolutions

By this time next week, I will be in Buenos Aires: fully jet-lagged and fully there. I'll be moving into my dorm room at the seminary, unpacking summer clothes, my Bible and lesson plan resources, and after a round of terere (cold mate tea mixed with juice), I'll hopefully fall sound asleep to the sounds of constant life and traffic. 

The year that I've been anticipating since graduation is about to begin, and it's becoming really...real. 

Reality hit me square in the sauna the other day, and so I wrote a series of resolutions. It seemed like a good idea at the time- maybe the heat was getting to me- but I kept the list and thought I'd share them here. 

Resolution #1: I will be humble. 

In the words of Avatar (the blue version of Pocahontas), "you are like a baby, making noise, knowing nothing." It's pretty near the truth. There's a whole lot I don't know- Buenos Aires, my roommate, Argentina, students, how I'll keep my head functioning only in my second language or how I'll keep my heart thousands of miles away from my family (yes, dear friends, you count as family too).

Resolution #2: I will be teachable.

Fortunately, ignorance doesn't -or shouldn't- last forever. The way I act and talk will be corrected by everyone from my fellow students to the cashiers at MacDonald's (last time I was in Buenos Aires, some fast food workers thought my accent was hilarious, and made fun of the way I said "hamburger"... true story). I will accept criticism and correction as an opportunity to learn- much easier said than done!

Resolution #3: I will prepare, teach, serve, and encourage. 

My mission at the seminary, and other places, in a nutshell. 

Resolution #4: I will trust in the LORD with all my heart, not leaning on my own understanding. 

...Because there will be a whole lot that I won't understand. When I follow Jesus, I'm not going anywhere that he hasn't already been; when the Holy Spirit (παράκλητος) comes alongside me, I don't walk alone. 

Resolution #5: I will write blog posts. 

And take pictures. So help me mom.