Catch-Up Post

Hey everyone,
I realize it's been a while since I last posted. Did you know they make us do homework down here? Imagine that. I've also been busy trying to organize the hundreds of pictures I've taken so far. More on that later.

Last weekend our whole group went to Buenos Aires. We've spent quite a bit of time learning about the history of Argentina and its current issues. One of the issues that has only come up in the past year directly effected us. Apparently, Buenos Aires has recently developed a shortage of coins in their currency. It was hard for us because it took 1 peso to ride the bus (about the equivalent of 33 cents) and the ticket machines only take coins. So anytime we were about to go somewhere on a public bus, we had to make sure everyone had some combination of coins that added up to a peso. Most of the time we ended up buying gum just to get change.

The coolest thing we did in BA was a tango show. We all got dressed up and went to a place where they served us an AMAZING dinner. After dinner, they served out espresso and started a tango performance that encompassed all the different styles of the Latin dance from its beginning. Here's a clip:

The next day we took a tour of BA which included somewhere that I've always wanted to go: La Boca. This neighborhood is at the mouth of the River Plata and draws tourism. Every building on Caminito street is painted all sorts of different colors, which makes for an awesome place to take pictures. There were also lots of touristy things to do there...like pay to have a tango dancer pose for pictures with me!

On Saturday night we went to the church there in BA and met some of the Porteño youth. They were absolutely hilarious and walking through the streets of Buenos Aires with them was a trip. We walked a good ways to a fútbol complex and played around for a good long while (even though it was FREEZING).

Yesterday we went out to an estancia (ranch) a went canoeing, horseback riding and swimming in an indoor pool. Well, we didn't canoe or ride horses in the indoor pool, but I'm sure you figured that out already.

Our next big trip will be to Brazil. The other day we had to start the preparations for it by getting vaccinated for yellow fever. We took taxis to a clinic, which ended up being a little sketchy. Everything was fine and safe, but the clinic was way out by the docks and shipping yards...yikes.

Ok, I know you all want to see more pictures. And I wanted to put them somewhere you could all see them. So I did. I have a Shutterfly site set up that already has hundreds of pictures on it, and there are plenty more to come from this weekend. The site houses all my pictures, and also imports feed directly from this blog at the bottom of the main page so it'll be easier to get to one site from the other. If you want to see what I mean, here's the link: http://jehovaprovee.shutterfly.com Enjoy!

Un Día de la Aventura

Well today has definitely been a day of adventure. Last night, I was extremely tire from walking all over town, so I went to bed around 9 o'clock. Well, this morning, I wake up and go downstairs for breakfast. The food was great, but I had just starting eating when I looked down and noticed hives on my arms. YIKES! So I told Rosalinda, our director and house mom, and she called the doctor.

While waiting for the doctor to come, I noticed the hives were even worse on my legs. Let me show you what I mean...(Click on it for a bigger picture.)

Not the way I wanted to start my day, as you can imagine. The doctor came and did all his doctor things, sticking the say-ah down my throat and whatnot.
Then the fun started. He tried to give me a shot in my arm, but he couldn't find a vein. (Thanks, Dad.) So we had to resort to other measures. AKA, taking the shot in the butt.

All in all, it was quick and virtually painless, but the medicine has made me sssshaky all day.

We've been here for a week now, so this is the beginning of many adventures, I'm sure. As soon as the needle went in, I was thinking, "I'm going to have to write on my blog about this."

Salúdense Unos a Otros con un Beso Santo

Already we have met a lot of people here in Uruguay. However, we have not shook near as many hands. That's because they don't really shake hands in Uruguay. No, they kiss. When I first heard this, I thought it was going to take a lot of getting used to but it really hasn't been that bad. It's real simple, just touch cheek to cheek and make a little kissing sound. We've had to do it a lot, especially yesterday at church. In fact, (probably because of the verse in I Corinthians) you're not supposed to leave church until you've kissed everyone there. Luckily, the congregation next door is not that big.
So whether you're going or coming, in church, or just meeting friends on the street, you better be ready to pucker up.

Our First Outing - Success!

Well Tanner, Erin, Lindsey, and I all just got back from our first time on the streets without a guide. ¡Que emocionado! (How exciting!) We were going to go shopping for some little things that we needed, but we needed some pesos first. We walked to Tres Cruces, the nearby shopping mall. There's a cambio (money changer) and ATM across the corner that's open on Saturdays, so we each made sure we had enough money to buy what we needed. Lindsey even used both the ATM and the cambio because the ATM gave her a large bill, so she asked for "mas pequeño dinero" from the man at the cambio. He broke it up into smaller bills and we went into a store called TaTa (like a big Dollar General) to buy snacks, soap, shampoo, etc.

The only mix up we had was that we didn't know you're not supposed to walk into TaTa with bags, so we had to figure out how to get a locker at the front of the store. Other than that, it was a smooth trip to the store. We walked all the way there and back to the Casa without getting lost, and everything. I think Lindsey even knew where we were most of the time!

Well, I gotta go take pictures of the house, Chao!

Bienvenidos a Uruguay!

We're here! Everything is kind of surreal at this point but we're getting along just fine. I took pictures on the way there so enjoy!

Goodbye ACU...

Hello DFW!

"Nine hours on a plane? Are you sure this is worth it?"

Nil Santana taught us how to take pictures of the unsuspecting...

Heaven forbid one of them ask the other what time it is.

Waiting for the plane

They weren't very informative in Miami.

The view from outside our window

At this point, we've already spent quite a while walking around the streets and getting to know the city. The food is ASOMBROSO...that means amazing. And living expenses are pretty cheap. You can take a bus to just about anywhere for 13.50 peso uruguayos (which is about 70 cents).
Tonight, we went to Montevideo Shopping, which is pretty similar to any shopping mall in the US. We ate Uruguayan pizza for dinner, which is technically "muzzarella." If you order "pizza" down here, you'll still get a pizza, but it won't have cheese on it.
Speaking of which, this town eats LATE. Last night, we had dinner at 7:30 and the restaurant was empty except for us. Apparently, it's not uncommon for Uruguayans to eat at 10 or 11.
Some of my classes will be starting on Monday. I'm taking Intermediate Spanish at the Universito Católico and sitting in on Advanced Spanish Conversation. However, my Spanish is already better from living in it.
Tonight some of us made a friend who worked in one of the clothing stores at the mall. Between our bad Spanish and his bad English, we had quite a conversation. We stayed and talked for about half an hour.
All in all, its been an amazing first few days! I love you and already miss you all!
(P.S. - In the comments let me know what you want to see pictures of or what things you wonder about.)

The Pilgrimage Has Begun

Well it's official. I have left home and will not be going back until December. Thursday Dad and I drove to Arlington to hang out one last time. (We went to see "Swing Vote" at Studio Movie Grill. (AAAAmazing.)) Then Friday morning my friend Brandon Tripp picked me up and we came out to Abilene...an exhilarating journey which involved rocking out to Patrick Park and spilling a medium Dr. Pepper down my entire right leg.
So now I am enjoying my last days with the friends I have here who are helping with Welcome Week. Already we have played Apples to Apples, screamed at the TV when Michael Phelps was swimming, and played around in a big field of mud.

Several of you have asked just what exactly I will be doing in South America so let me tell you. Mostly, we'll just be living there. Sounds simple, but there's a lot to be learned about how the rest of the word thinks and lives. I will be taking 16 hours of classes (on paper) that are designed to enhance my experience abroad, like two intermediate Spanish courses, Intro to Global Studies, and Ministry in Latin America. While this isn't a mission trip or internship, I will have the chance to work closely with the Church of Christ connected to the ACU campus. I mean, it is physically attached to Casa ACU, the building where we live, eat, and have class. So we will no doubt get to know our Family there well.

My homework for the semester is already in full swing. In fact, I have several short papers about Uruguay and intentions for taking this trip to complete before we leave. I also have some special vocabulary to learn, mostly the things that are different from what we learned in high school or picked up in Texas. For example, since Uruguay is not Mexico, they do not have Mexican food. (I know, I know, it came as a shocker to me, too.) That being said, if you were to ask for a "tortilla" you would not get a round, flat bread. Instead you would get an omelette. And whatever you do, DO NOT ask for a "taco" because then you will not even receive food...just funny looks. Because in this dialect, "taco" means heel.

Why The Name

Hey everyone! If you're reading this it probably means that you're either family or considered family. In either case, I'm glad you were able to find this site and hope you'll check back often to learn about my adventures throughout my time in South America.

I have a lot of things to explain, including what I've been doing this summer and how I've been getting ready to leave, as well as all the plans we have for the next four months.

But for my first post on this blog, I think I should explain the name I chose for the site. "Jehová Provee" is a Spanish phrase that comes from Genesis 22 when God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac.

"Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham called the name of that place the LORD Will Provide."
~ Genesis 22:13-14a

If you look closely in the title picture, you can see Hebrew text behind the Spanish phrase. This is the Hebrew of the name Abraham used for that place. In the KJV, it's transliterated Jehovahjireh.

God has had me endure some really confusing times but He has not failed to give me everything I need and more. Because of His rich blessings, and them alone, am I preparing to leave for Uruguay for an unforgettable semester. If it wasn't for His provision, I wouldn't even be at ACU at all. For these reasons, the words Abraham used to remember how God stepped in there on the mountain have really come to be a theme in my life. It's just so applicable. So real. So true. "Jehová Provee" means God provides. Because that's really all I need to know.

"Those who know your name trust you, O LORD, because you have never deserted those who seek your help."
~ Psalm 9:10