Well, I'm here in Argentina! This is my future for the next 16 months! We were in the air for about 15 hours total to get to Neuquén. We stayed in the mission home for a couple days doing orientation and paperwork. Thursday afternoon we met our trainers and got assigned to our first area! *Drumroll please*...my trainer is...Hermana Sparacino! from Woodbridge, VA. She has been on a mission for 10 months. She's a sweetie, very quiet and calm...not quite like me! Haha but we are getting along wonderfully, hopefully I'll learn a few things about being a calm person. We are companions here in San Martín. I couldn´t tell you where it is geographically other than south of Neuquén. But it is colder here than Neuquén was, we are in the mountains. And it is rainy. What kind of winter is that? It rained nonstop for the first few days and was freezing...but yesterday and so far today, it is clear, cold, and sunny!
Spanish...well, I definitely don't understand a lot! They don't necessarily talk very fast, but what they do do is mumble. Ah! After taking Diction (someone tell Dr. G, she'll appreciate this) I want to IPA everything and re-teach them how to speak their language! Haha I love them though. The people are very kind. Oh and greeting everyone with a kiss is my new favorite thing. As Hermanas we only kiss greet other women, but just saying, when I come home, everyone is getting greeted by me like that. It is the best! I don't know why I like it so much, I just think it is so sweet!
I've done a bit of contacting with Hna Sparacino. Talk about nerve wracking!! Some houses you clap at the gate, and some houses you knock the door. It is fun, but then I never understand what they are saying when they answer... :/ I'll get there.
*sidenote: This Spanish keyboard really cramps my typing...talk about slow!*
We had lunch (lunch is the big meal of the day here) with a family yesterday after church. Oof...if I eat that much everyday, I'm going to have a problem. According to the other missionaries, and from what I have seen, rejecting seconds...thirds...etc. isn´t acceptable. So after two heaping plates of spaghetti and two pieces of cake and helado, I was stuffed! And we have lunch with families every day this week! Yikes! I'm going to really appreciate my 30 minutes of ejercicios en la mañana!
I hope that I don't have any really bad type-o's in this letter, I'm trying to type fast on a keyboard that is oriented differently than what I'm used to.
I love you all and hope that everyone is doing well! I invite you to do something this week to serve another, whether it be a family member, friend, or stranger: find an opportunity to serve someone and tell me about it!
Con amor,
Hermana Christensen
Hermana Hannah Christensen
Argentina Neuquén Mission
Casilla de Correo 321
8300 Neuquén, Neuquén
Argentina
