Today I celebrate my 7th-mes-versary (that's what you call such things, right?) here in Buenos Aires. In other words, I've been here a month longer than most study-abroad students, 6 months more than a Lee cross-cultural trip, 6 months and 2 weeks longer than the average "short term mission trip", and still 3 years less than an international university student and several decades less than a full-time missionary.
It's an interesting cross-road for sure. Depending on who I talk with, I get told that I've been here for a "quite a while" or "not long at all!" (the second response is more common with people who think I learned castellano here- my Spanish is more 7 years than 7th months in the making!). I have a foreign accent, although most can't quite place from where exactly (Germany? Paraguay?) and the seminarians have started teasing me about talking too porteña. I know the cheapest place to buy yerba but still haven't figured out the postal system. I can do full exegesis of an obscure text in my second language (and third, if we're going to count Koine Greek) but still can't keep my size 43 feet out of my mouth. Funny, eh?
There are moments when I feel like I just arrived and moments when I feel that I've always been here, and that the only reliable way to mark time is the growing water stain on my wall or the rising price of popcorn (which is the ultimate litmus test for the economy, although if you really want to know, the dollar has about doubled in value relative to the Argentine peso since I first arrived- qui tal?*). Either way, I can't imagine being anywhere else right now. After all, to misquote 'All the Places to Love', where else could tea and a class on the terraza make all the difference in the world?
Where indeed. When I embarked on this adventure 7 months ago, I mentioned that there were several things that I didn't know, and the unknown was frightening and daunting. Now I can see that the unknowns have been a blessing and an adventure.
I didn't know how I was going to "survive" in my second language, but I also didn't know that one of my favorite activities would be our bilingual theology kitchen chats. Language, thank God, has been a source of fun and not frustration.
I didn't know if I could live and teach with the same people, but I also didn't know that I could be the same person- and just as good of a teacher and student- in and out of the classroom. I didn't know how much they have become part of my heart.
I didn't know I'd watch so many of you get married from afar, that I'd go crazy over almost winning the World Cup, enjoy and conclude my first 'relationship', or learn that mayonnaise actually is pretty flavorful. I didn't know I'd come to know God's goodness and presence as I have.
...And, before I get too nostalgic, I'll leave it at that ;)
*'Quí tal?', or properly, '¿qué tal?' is an informal way of saying 'how's it going?' or 'how about that?' It also works as a filler when you don't have anything else to say. Huh- qui tal?
It's an interesting cross-road for sure. Depending on who I talk with, I get told that I've been here for a "quite a while" or "not long at all!" (the second response is more common with people who think I learned castellano here- my Spanish is more 7 years than 7th months in the making!). I have a foreign accent, although most can't quite place from where exactly (Germany? Paraguay?) and the seminarians have started teasing me about talking too porteña. I know the cheapest place to buy yerba but still haven't figured out the postal system. I can do full exegesis of an obscure text in my second language (and third, if we're going to count Koine Greek) but still can't keep my size 43 feet out of my mouth. Funny, eh?
There are moments when I feel like I just arrived and moments when I feel that I've always been here, and that the only reliable way to mark time is the growing water stain on my wall or the rising price of popcorn (which is the ultimate litmus test for the economy, although if you really want to know, the dollar has about doubled in value relative to the Argentine peso since I first arrived- qui tal?*). Either way, I can't imagine being anywhere else right now. After all, to misquote 'All the Places to Love', where else could tea and a class on the terraza make all the difference in the world?
Where indeed. When I embarked on this adventure 7 months ago, I mentioned that there were several things that I didn't know, and the unknown was frightening and daunting. Now I can see that the unknowns have been a blessing and an adventure.
 |
| Me, thinking about the things I didn't know I didn't know... |
I didn't know if I could live and teach with the same people, but I also didn't know that I could be the same person- and just as good of a teacher and student- in and out of the classroom. I didn't know how much they have become part of my heart.
I didn't know I'd watch so many of you get married from afar, that I'd go crazy over almost winning the World Cup, enjoy and conclude my first 'relationship', or learn that mayonnaise actually is pretty flavorful. I didn't know I'd come to know God's goodness and presence as I have.
...And, before I get too nostalgic, I'll leave it at that ;)
*'Quí tal?', or properly, '¿qué tal?' is an informal way of saying 'how's it going?' or 'how about that?' It also works as a filler when you don't have anything else to say. Huh- qui tal?
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