So much to digest

At 10 pm it is 52 degrees Fahrenheit in my room. The wood floor is so cold against my feet that it hurts, and when I have to peel off the layers of cotton so that I can shower, I shake. My teeth chatter and I can feel my skin contract and my rings slide down my shrunken fingers. My small space heater is virtually useless unless you put your hands and feet directly in front of it. I wear a scarf 24 hours a day and I now use my flats as house slippers. The difference with Wisconsin is that it may be freezing outside, but once you step inside you are BLASTED with heat. Here, no. Here, it is sometimes colder inside, depending on where the sun is. There is no carpet, and all of the furniture is wooden. No couches or pillows. It is absolutely gorgeous and very useful in the summer…but the winter is brutal. Even when I shower, the water is only hot for 3 minutes, tops. I can never get fully warm. I can’t wait for summer when my bones will thaw and I will be able to see my toes in sandals.

I was truly expecting to be thrown blindly into this country. It is immeasurably comforting that Silvia takes the time to explain things, and speaks slowly, repeating things twice, three times, until I understand. We took the bus to the university on the way downtown to make sure I knew how to get there. It’s not so bad. Like 10 minutes by bus…30 minutes walking, tops.

Silvia took me downtown to the central plaza after a lunch of sausage, rice, tomato sauce and other veggies (mmm). The streets reminded me a lot of New York, but with less consumerism and more culture. It was a mixing (mezlca) of the past (pasado) and the present (presente). The parentheses are exactly what I do all the time with English words. This morning I woke up with the song, “Rain is a good thing” in my head, and automatically started translating it. Needless to say, I do not know the word for “frisky” in Spanish…anyway, back to the plaza. Some of the buildings are grand and antique…others are quite dilapidated. Huge skyscrapers and apartment complexes, and then within a mile, short squashed houses that make you wonder if you are in the desert. There is a lot going on, always, and you are forced to pay attention. When you get off the bus, you have to look before stepping on the sidewalk because bicyclists and motorcyclists do not wait or yield to pedestrians. I would be a nervous wreck if I had to drive here…it is insane. It was a nice walk through la ciudad vieja (old city), and the streets smell really good—the air seems perfumed here. I think Uruguayans really like their colognes, perfumes and spices because the buses are always pleasantly scented with different essences. Even though the vehicles let off some serious fumes, the wind from the ocean is very strong so it never lingers for very long.

The children here are very humbling…they can speak so rapidly and use the omnibus with such ease; I’m very jealous. There are schools EVERYWHERE, and for everything…ranging from karate schools, veterinarian colleges, grade schools, tech schools, universities…both public and private. There are also many hospitals. The public hospitals are for those who either have no job, or have a very low-paying job. These hospitals cost them nothing…for surgeries, medicine, and all other types of care. The private hospitals are used by those with enough money. Silvia said they are not really called “private” but instead “mutual” because it costs less for her to go to a private than a public because she has a job and can pay the expenses. Entiendes?

I heard Justin Beiber twice on the streets of Montevideo already. I started laughing and explained that some girls really love him, but many think he is just a baby…and it’s kind of a joke in America. She said that people must be jealous of him. Maybe…haha.

Silvia’s daughter, Valentina, came over for dinner. We had mashed potatoes, breaded chicken, and fried eggs…delicious comfort food. She and Silvia started speaking very rapidly to me…and I just stared at them. Valentina said “Ella entiende nada” which means “she understood nothing” and she laughed a bit—not in a mean way, simply because they were trying to explain something to me, and I grasped none of it. They explained it again, and I got it the second time, but I was so frustrated with myself. Imagine people are talking to you…but it sounds like: alief ;perjefdea elj a;lfij laij;jvzhrah4;an. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?? Ya no se. Then, they slow down and say: ashi es parada ya aca es regresar…or something to that effect. So in my head I think OK asha=alli (in Spanish the “ll” makes a “y” sound..but here, the “y” sound is a “sh” sound) and I remember seeing “para” on a stop sign. So, then I also remember that aca is the local dialect for aqui which means “here” and then I piece everything together so I can understand that “there is the bus stop and here is where I return”…and try to piece together a reply so I don’t sound like an idiot. I need like 5 minutes for every sentence. I can understand the words…it’s just the pace that they are spoken at. It makes me feel bad for every foreigner I’ve ever talked to because I don’t think I ever slow down.

I also skyped with Rachel and Mom last night before it was too dark/cold. My connection is terrible, and I’m going to have to find an internet café pronto. I know there are some about 5-6 blocks away. So if anyone is planning to skype me…just know it is very difficult. Basically, plan on not hearing my voice for awhile. I can email, facebook and blog with ease because I do not need excellent signal quality. However, I only use the email during daylight because it’s so cold once the sun is down that going outside is not practiced here. After 6:30 I am confined to the house…and we spend all of our time in the kitchen or our rooms. The living room is the coldest room of the house so we are never in there unless entering or exiting the house. I usually write and read my Bible (the only book I have with me) until dinner around 8:30. I have tried asking Silvia if she would like help and she thinks it’s funny that I want to do so much around the house. She has had 7 other girls stay with her…3 from Wisconsin…so I guess she knows the drill. We eat dinner, talk and watch TV for probably 1-2 hours. I hang out with her in the kitchen while she cleans and I feel useless…but she persists and lets me sit and watch las noticias (the news). After dinner, I brave the shower (and become an ice cube) and then am left to my room where I pick up writing again. I’m sure when school starts up, I’ll be out of the room a lot more.

When we were in the old city, we went to a huge church. We went inside to take pictures and a small mass was taking place. I was able to catch the Transubstantiation and Communion...I was very grateful for that. It was comforting because although everything was in Spanish, I knew exactly what was happing (well, as much as a human can comprehend what is going on).

When I talk about the food Silvia makes…it is incredible. She doesn’t believe in preservatives and other chemicals so everything is fresh, fresh, fresh. The salad is garden lettuce, cabbages, radishes, carrots, onions, peppers…and homemade salad dressing of vinegar, oil and salt. All of the sauces are from fresh veggies…and the desserts are handmade. We had arroz con leche (rice with milk) which actually has rice, milk, sugar, lemon, meringue and cinnamon... Let’s just say the food was everything I had imagined, and more. I have liked literally everything she made. She said that the other girls that have lived here have gained 2, 3, 5 pounds. She said the most dangerous food is the churro con chocolate y dolce con leche that are sold in the parks here. I just have to remember, everything in moderation..

Also, as far as pictures, i have to wait until I go to an internet cafe...i have tried uploading at home, but the signal is too weak. I'm shooting for tomorrow!

Ciaooo!!