the trip and life on the other side

The journey from our old home in the States to our new home in Argentina started on Tuesday night and didn't end until early Thursday morning. It's now Friday, and we are feeling a bit more rested up and settled in. Well, as much as you can be settled in when you're homeless, and living out of suitcases, and other people's houses, in a foreign country... you know.

Tuesday night some friends  - who have a van big enough to fit us, them, and our 10 suitcases + 5 carry ons - drove us to JFK Airport, about a 3 hour drive.

We grabbed a few hours of sleep at a hotel near the airport (also compliments of friends!), only to get up at 5am for a long 24-hour day of travel.

We traveled TAM, a Brazilian airline (one way tickets, by the way:)). It was kind of nice to be waited on, with nothing to do but watch movies and TV - something I, um, let's see... never do. The kids were in their glory, each with their very own TV on the seat in front of them; they were glued to it the entire time, and we hardly heard a peep from them. It was also neat to practice my Portuguese, be able to understand everything the flight attendants said, and watch some Brazilian TV shows - I forgot how good (in a wordly way) they are.

Keeping the toddler busy and out of trouble was not easy - and we were praising Jesus when she finally passed out while eating lunch, after having been up since 5am.

Our connecting flight from Sao Paolo to Buenos Aires was on a smaller plane, this time full of Argentinians instead of Brazilians. The plane was so much noisier than the big airbus we had been on - that, plus the stress of travelling that far with kids - gave me a migraine, so I was not a happy camper the last leg of our journey.

Finally, after 13 hours flying time, and almost 24 hours awake, we made it to Argentina. We woke the kids up at 2am to shuffle them through Immigration and Customs. It went well - except for the $420 they took from us: the "Entry Fee" for North American, British and Australian citizens. Fortunately, when the cashier saw on our son´s passport that he was born in Buenos Aires (which makes him an Argentine citizen), she didn't charge him the $120 Entry Fee - even though he was entering with a US passport. God saved us some money again - sweet!

Tony's brother-in-law and family were waiting to pick us up. Everybody was tired, one was bawling and just wanting a bed - but, of course, some of Tony's family was still up and waiting for us when we pulled in at 3:30 in the morning.

They had been cooking all night for the following day's festivities.

I struggle with having to be nice and smiley and chatty at that hour - but we survived and were finally able to hit the hay at 5am.

The next morning family started pouring in early to say hi and stay for a huge meal. It worked out that several people had off work, and the kids didn't have school because all the teachers in the country are on strike. Apparently a mom and a student beat a teacher up somewhere, so all the teachers in the country went on strike... or, at least, that's what I understood. lol Welcome to Argentina.

homemade ñoquis [gnocchis] with tomato sauce, all made from scratch

beef stuffed with garlic and parsley... so tender

bife con relleno... mmmmm

juicy, moist, beef empanadas

Since I woke up with a mild migraine the first day, all the noise and commotion was a little challenging. To make matters quickly and exponentially worse, the 2 year-old almost immediately fell from the 2nd story of the not-baby proofed stairs... see how wide those slats are??

I was a nervous, sleep-deprived wreck that first morning. I still can´t take my eyes off her here. We're doing better now - she knows she's not allowed on those stairs alone. I don't know how my sister-in-law raised two boys with those stairs!

My boy also electrocuted himself trying to plug one of these 220-120 converters in...

and I offended my brother-in-law because I yelled at him (I'm good at that here - offending people. I don't mean to, I just always end up doing it.). I couldn't help yelling at him, though. He was showing the girls the patio on the second floor, and he picked my baby up to stand on the ledge so "she could see better". But he was holding her... so that was silly of me to yell Noooooooooooo!

Which I did.

Loudly.

(sigh)

Not a great way to start our first day.

Things did improve by dinner, though. The Aleve kicked in and many more warm and lively family members descended on the premises with hugs and kisses and laughs and cameras.

Some good news: the kids have already started speaking  Spanish:

What is wrong with this picture?
Why, absolutely nothing.
I always keep my eggs on top of the fridge,
don't you?

Hola, tia. [Hi, aunt.] 

Hola, tio. [Hi, uncle.]

Bien. [Good.]

Si, por favor. [Yes, please.] 

Gracias. [Thank you.] 

Un poquito de puré de zapallo, por favor. [A little more mashed butternut squash, please.]

Me gustó mucho la pizza. [I liked the pizza a lot. My boy really said that! All by himself!]

...and so on and so forth. It's ador-a-ble. Here they were so worried about not being able to speak Spanish, but I can tell they will be just fine.

Today, our second day here in Buenos Aires, we woke up to birdies chirping (spring has sprung here), the sound of a horse trotting down the street, several dogs barking, and somebody yelling over a loudspeaker advertising something. Welcome to South America. lol

gratuitous happy pic

my favorite thing about this picture? there are no kids in it!
and we're faking the happy-in-love thing incredibly well :)

Tony and I are celebrating 12 years of marriage! Hard to believe we were flaming pagans when we bumped into each other in an elevator 13 years ago in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (God's blind date, I always say).

Marriage is hard work, but we're so glad we've stuck it out. I tell Tony he's one lucky guy I never ditched him - because between the time I got saved and he got saved, we almost didn't make it - many times almost didn't make it. He just tells me I hit the lottery with him, then flashes one of those smiles that has saved him more times than I can count.

It's never boring, and always an adventure with Tony. Who ever would have thought God would hook us up, save us, then send us back to South America to share Christ with others? His mercies amaze us, and we are forever grateful to the Lord for all He has given us. We haven't deserved a bit of it. And if He wants to send us to the ends of the earth for his purposes, then we will happily and thankfully go.

Happy Anniversary, bebé! ¡Te amo para siempre, aunque me vuelvas locaaa!

Argentine slang word of the day

a full (pronounced 'ah-FOOL') = full; at full power; as much as possible; completely (into) for the time being: "Estoy a full con el estudio" = "I’m absolutely focused in study."

[thank you argentinaslang.wordpress.com]

Another fine and highly applicable example: "Estoy con el café a full." = "I am at full power with the coffee," or "I am completely into coffee for the time being."

You know, because I'm moving my entire life transcontinentally in a few months. With 3 kids. High maintenance toddler included. I need energy.

So, yeah... so much for life after caffeine. It was nice while it lasted. A nice, mellow, 8 months. That I don't remember.

So bring on the high-octane, baby. I'm gonna need it. {insert histerical, highly caffeinated smile here :D}

the need in the north (of Argentina)

When Tony and I talk about Argentina, he will often mention how he really wants to go to the north. That's where he says he really wants to go. I ask him to just please ease me into things. I think I could handle it only after first getting over the culture shock of moving my squishy, pampered first-world body all the way to Argentina, you know, at my age. The north is very poor and very third world. Very. Like malaria and washed out roads and mud and children dying of malnutrition kind of third world.

I just read an article about the two year anniversary of a landslide in the northwest province of Salta, Argentina, in a town called Tartagal. The Toba live in this region. Since the article is in Spanish, I will just tell you that since the landslide, the problem there now is malnutrition. Five children have died in the past two weeks from hunger. One was an 11-month-old baby.

Toba children after the landslide [photo credit: Perfil.com]

And here we still are, gazing at our navels, and the tires that have begun to form around them, wondering, "What have we done for Jesus lately?".

For photos of the 2009 landslide, please click here and here.

Pueblos Originarios de la Argentina//Native Peoples of Argentina - Part 7

Okay, non-Spanish speakers, last one - promise. :)

Northern Argentina: the people of the Atacama Desert region of the Northwest, near the Bolivian border

Native Peoples of Argentina Series (en español): start here

Pueblos Originarios de la Argentina//Native Peoples of Argentina - Part 6

*After 7 days of no internet, finally back online :)*

Part 6: Northern Argentina: The Guaraníes

(Here the spiritual leader is telling the Guaraní creation story, in the native tongue, with Spanish subtitles. If you understand Spanish and Argentine culture, the end - what the Creator does after He's finished creating the world - is actually really funny lol! :))...

 [Native Peoples of Argentina: Part 1 2 3 4 5]

Pueblos Originarios de la Argentina//Native Peoples of Argentina - Part 5

This is a really good one - notice the baby in the front seat, no carseat *gasp*...

Welcome to Argentina! Well, Latin America, in general.

This is how I brought Firstborn home from the hospital (only I figured I should at least sit in the backseat, just in case) - the boy never saw a carseat until we moved back to the States. That's just the way it is. Even if you can afford to buy one, a lot of cars just don't have seatbelts (and that's assuming you can afford to buy the car). And a lot of people will actually try to talk you out of using one. Oh, it happened to me, trust me. So good luck; and make sure you pray ~ a LOT!)

Northwest Argentina: the Kolla

 [Native Peoples of Argentina: Part 1 2 3 4]

Pueblos Originarios de la Argentina//Native Peoples of Argentina - Part 4

You know, now that I think about it, these videos are rather truncated snippets, a type of very short pseudo-documentary of the reality and the lives of native Argentines - not an oversweeping view, just a small peek into the lives of others.

But I want everyone who visits this blog to watch these, because it makes me think of that saying, "Ojos que no ven, corazón que no siente" - "Eyes that do not see, heart that does not feel". You can't care about something unless you know about it. What better way to know about something than to see it for yourself? Tony and I often think the reason we American Christians are so complacent is that most of us have not seen firsthand how the rest of the world lives. If we did, it would surely change the way we live our lives.

What I really like about these videos is that they show the people and how they live - even if just for a short two-minute glimpse. It's another world, Argentina. It is. I hope everyone takes a look. In many of these videos in this series you can even hear the native languages spoken.

(forgive the Spanish, please watch anyway:))

Northern Argentina: The Toba



Tony has a real desire to visit the Toba, many of whom live in desperate poverty. Here is glimpse (warning: strong images of poverty).


And here, also:

(watching this one made me get over myself and my previous fears - I truly pray God gives us the opportunity to go, too...)

[Native People of Argentina Series: Part 1 2 3]

Pueblos Originarios de la Argentina//Native Peoples of Argentina - Part 3

The Tehuelches of Southern Patagonia

(Again, in Spanish, but worth the watch. I am also posting in a different order than appears on YouTube)...

 [Native Peoples of Argentina Series: Part I 2]

Pueblos Originarios de la Argentina//Native Peoples of Argentina - Part 2

Patagonia: The Ona of Tierra del Fuego (in Spanish, but worth the watch)

[Native Peoples of Argentina Series: Part I]

Pueblos Originarios de la Argentina//Native Peoples of Argentina - Part I

For those who speak or study Spanish, this is a great seven part YouTube series on several of the native people groups of Argentina.

Even if you don't understand Spanish, just the scenery and their way of life alone is amazing to watch. Makes me want to go!

Here is Part One (well, not technically, but I like this one, so I'm posting it first). I'll be posting one each day for the next week.

Enjoy - I did! :)

Patagonia: the Mapuche


:)

Phrase of the day

Por la boca meure el pez = by an open mouth dies the fish


You don't quite understand this refrán (saying), you say? Blank stare?

Tony had to explain this one to me with a visual, "You know (opening mouth wide), fish swim around with their mouths wide open, looking for food...? (staring at me, waiting for comprehension)... Sometimes they swallow the wrong thing...? (still waiting for the light to go on)

Like a... hook?".

I believe the Biblical equivalent is,

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." ~ Proverbs 10:19 NIV

Now, if I could just remember this...

:)

What do you call someone from Argentina?

• Argentine
• Argentinian -or-
• Argentinean

All are acceptable.

I say (and write) "Argentinian" - I have no idea why. But blogs, and others things lately I have been reading, frequently use "Argentine" or "Argentinean". But all, in fact, are correct. It's a matter of preference, I suppose.

And for all you Spanish speakers, someone from Argentina is called an:

• argentino -or-
• argentina

...depending on if you are talking about a male or female. Not capitalized in español. They have their own rules for capitalizing people, places, and things, sabes?

I know you were dying to know that. Glad I cleared that up, aren't you?

:)

Phrase of the Day

A personal favorite...

más feliz que un perro con dos colas = happier than a dog with two tails


I particularly like this one. If you don't get it (I didn't) welcome to the dense club. After giving the hubs a blank stare the first time he pulled this one out, I asked for an explanation.

I got the "you-are-so-dense-light-can-not-escape-you" look.

:)

My Bilingual Babies

All my babies are bilingual until they are two years old.

Then they realize that no one else speaks Spanish, so, in their little baby brains, I can actually see them decide to start speaking mostly English.

Kids are SMART.

Peace Baby, at almost two herself, is starting the transition early. So here is a list of some of her favorite baby words in Spanish and English, before she goes all English:

SPANISH

Mamá = Mama
Papi = Dad, daddy
ah-wa = (agua) water
na nuna  = (la luna) the moon
tutú (too-TOO) = baby Spanish for "car" (cars go "toot toot")
tuto (TOO-toh)  = baby Spanish for "hot"
noni (NO-nee) = baby Spanish for "sleepytime, tired"
                          (ie, "vamos a hacer noni?" = let's go sleepy?)
pupo (POO-poh) = belly button
popó (poh-POH) = poopies, poop
                         (ie, "hiciste popó?" = did you go poopies?)
pah-ta = pasta
guau-guau (wow-wow) = dog, puppy
                        (because dogs say "wow wow" in Spanish, not "ruff-ruff")
pipí (pee-PEE) = birdie (because Spanish speaking birdies say
                         "pee-pee", English speaking birdies say  "cheep-cheep")
amen (AH-men) = amen
tah-oh (ciao/chau) = bye


ENGLISH

Mommy
no
hi
ninky = stinky
oh yay = yes
nown = down
ry = rice
eh = egg
chee = cheese
mihw = milk
anum-anum = yummies
beh-oh = bear
bee-yo = video
she-she = Jesus
baw = ball


All my kiddies understand Spanish. Tony has only ever spoken to them in Spanish. Mom and Dad only ever speak Spanish, so they hear it all the time. But Mom speaks English to them (unless I'm mad, or threatening consequences for bad behavior while out in public) :D. So they are audibly bilingual, at least. They can even translate to each other pretty well, also. 

One question we often get asked, though, is, "Why don't your kids speak Spanish?". I always answer what maybe isn't so obvious, "Because I'm American. I speak English at home."

And I'm lazy. Even though I get compliments all the time on my Spanish, people mistakenly think that it should be an easy thing for me to speak to my kids in Spanish. It's really not. Even after 20 years of speaking it fluently, it's just not normal for me. My mother tongue and heart language is English.

I often have to remind people that I am not, in fact, Argentinian. Being tall and fair I have no idea why I continually have to state the obvious. Even in Argentina. But anyway... if I were, in fact, Latin, then, yes, our kids would surely speak fluent Spanish. To help people understand: asking me to speak Spanish to my kids all the time would be like asking Tony to speak English to them all the time. It's just not the the natural thing to do. Besides, when our first was born in Argentina, I was worried he wouldn't learn ENGLISH. So I made it a point to only speak English to him (unless we were out in public and I wanted to "blend" - yeah right, me blend haha) - and the habit stuck. With all of them.

Now, I could choose to speak Spanish to them. But, honestly, I've tried it. Many times. It lasts for about 2 minutes. I'm too tired to exert myself any more than I already do. Ultimately, I trust God. I know that if He has the need for fluent Spanish in His plan for their future, they will learn it. I did. And I was 18 years old before I learned it fluently. It's not that big of a deal. They are half way there already.

And now here we are. On our way to Argentina... Maybe this is what I sensed all along. I knew, deep down, that I could trust God with it. I just knew. What can I say more than that? So, therefore, I take a more relaxed approach with foreign languages in our "homeschool". Because I can. No Rosetta Stone for us (although I hear it is good). Let's just go to the mission field instead. That's easier for me than trying to do Spanish ever day. Seriously.

:D

Phrase of the Day

decíme con quien andás, y te diré quien sos (dime con quien andas, te diré quien eres) = birds of a feather flock together

Literally "tell me with whom you walk, and I will tell you who you are".

When the Rubber Hits the Road: Accountability and Turning Back

I read Proverbs 24:11-12 this morning. The Spanish made total sense to me, but I needed to look up the English in various translations to make sure I really understood what God is saying. Or maybe thinking I might find a way out of what He is saying?


PROVERBS 24:11
New International Version (©1984)
Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Rescue those who are unjustly sentenced to die; save them as they stagger to their death.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.

(more)


PROVERBS 24:12
New International Version (©1984)
If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?

New Living Translation (©2007)
Don't excuse yourself by saying, "Look, we didn't know." For God understands all hearts, and he sees you. He who guards your soul knows you knew. He will repay all people as their actions deserve.

English Standard Version (©2001)
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,” does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work?

(more)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eek...

There's no turning back once you know. Duty left undone is sin. God will hold us accountable for what we have done in this life, but also for what we have not done that we knew we should do (James 4:17).

Tony and I know what we need to do, it's too late to plead ignorance. All my doubts, all our doubts and questions, are of no account. I could list them all here, but what's the point? The word of God speaks.

Walking forward...

Phrase of the Day

perro que ladra no muerde = all bark, no bite; all talk, no action; (s)he talks a lot but does nothing

Literally "the dog that barks, doesn't bite".

Phrase of the Day

tal palo como la astilla = like father, like son; like mother, like daughter; the apple doesn't fall far from the tree

Literally translated means "as is the stick (or wood) is the splinter".

This phrase can often be heard in our house when one of our kids does something like, say, drop their food, trip over a toy, or forget something really important. Tony can be heard in the background saying, "tal palo como la astilla", as he looks in my direction.

:)

Phrase of the Day

I've been convicted, albeit mildly, for years now that I need to study Spanish more. By God's grace I am already fluent, have been for 20 years, but I love to learn and there are still many things I do not know. Especially Spanish sayings, proverbs, slang, and a gazillion referential nuances. You know, the real meat of languages. Besides, my husband and most Argentines use these things ALL THE TIME, and I usually have to ask for a definition because I have no idea what they're talking about.

So, I thought it would be fun to do a Phrase of the Day in Spanish. It will definately not be daily, so don't let the name throw you. I'll probably save it for times when I don't have anything interesting to say, or time to write about much. It'll probably bore you non-Spanish speakers, so sorry in advance. But it really helps me with my writing and spelling in Spanish, and it's fun.

So the first one:

Buenas y malas artes hay en todas partes = there are good and bad people everywhere

Literally "good and bad art are there in all parts".

:)