So if you’re interested, I finally got around to writing an update about how life has been in Argentina and how Spanish is coming along.
Honestly, the first few months here were pretty rough, adjusting to the language and culture all at the same time as being on the other side of the world from everyone that I knew and cared about. After the first three months of not understanding very much and struggling at times to communicate basic things. I’m now in my fourth month here and this month I finally feel that I have the confidence to engage in conversations and am able to understand (almost) everything that is going on. There’s obviously still a ton of words that are new to me every single day, but I’ve realized lately that I finally know enough Spanish to usually figure out what the mysterious words mean or at least how to ask the right questions to figure out what it means. I look back and see a very different me here that arrived argentina than when I left the US. The first couple weeks here were fantastic, everything was new and cool and interesting (I think that’s called cultural euphoria or something..haha) But after that I became very shy and introverted (which isn't all that abnormal, ha) but it was much more than normal because of the limited amount of Spanish that I understood and my lack of confidence to step out. But despite all of that, every single day I was learning new structures, words, and ways to think that now I’m able to begin to use more. This weekend was one of the best I’ve had in a long time here and we didn’t even do anything extra special. and this weekend isn’t even over yet i might point out ;) Sometimes the simple is the absolute best :) A few long conversations with friends about their memories and experiences from the past and then talking about the Bible and wrestling through some issues by talking through different perspectives and examples. These conversations encouraged me so much. Not only have I made stronger friendships, and grown in my understanding of God’s creation, but I look back and realize that as of even a month ago, I probably would have either struggled miserable through such a conversation or checked out for at least half of it. and yeah, today we still had to play some word games because there were some words I had absolutely no idea what they referred to or how to say what I wanted to express. But we made it. And I absolutely love deep conversations that make you think. So that’s what’s been happening for me down here on this side of the world lately, nothing huge or earth-shattering but the simple things are really the best.
