!Si, Si! Em Tea

Too many blogs I have read start at least 40% of their posts with a line something to the tune of "I'm sorry its been so long since my last post...."  I want to avoid that...but I feel compelled to offer some kind of explanation, or at least indicate that I do realize it has been a while.

On Saturday we went to CCMT. I cannot for the life of me remember the acronym in Spanish, but it was conveniently named by North American missionaries to work well in both languages.  So, CCMT...Cross Cultural Missionary Training.  CCMT is where the work team from PVC..another acronym...Pleasant View Church...spent much of their time working. The training program is 4 months of communal living that has very rigorous and specific structure and classes, followed by 4 months of immersion living in a foreign country.  Right now the students are out doing their immersion, so we went to visit the staff only.

This is going to be two large classrooms.  And now, it is time for a humorous anecdote.  When we arrived Bethany and Roman walked off to talk to a couple of people.  About that time the workmen (a team from Washington state) came over to take a small break.  They walked up towards me a little hesitantly with small waves and "hola"s.  One older gentleman finally came all the way over to me and asked hesitantly "Do you speak English?"  I was shocked enough that I just nodded.  He then proceeded to explain in very clear, slow English, with a lot of pointing, the project they were working on.  What would you have done then?  I could have played it up, put on a fake Argentine accent and impressed them with my English...but I just laughed and said "I'm from Ohio!"  A few others came over to work, looking hesitant.  The older gentleman explained "its ok!  She speaks English!"


I had a thought, while sitting and conversing with Sergio and Ana (two names that will seem very familiar to the PVC team)  (Uncle Brian, Sergio remembered you specifically and said to give you greetings).  While we were sitting there and talking to them, after eating a delicious asado, a thought occurred to me.  I am going to try and explain it now:

I think I've put too much pressure on Spanish, or at least blamed it too much for those moments when I feel lost or lose interest.  Ana and Sergio were talking about a lot of people that I didn't know, I had not background information at all.  (Since I have just entered in on Roman and Bethany's life this happens a lot)  So for a couple of hours I really struggled to pay focused attention.  Then, Ana started talking about linguistic work she was participating in regarding Qechua.  At this, I became very interested, and I had context and framework to be able to completely follow the conversation.  Doesn't this happen in English to me too?  Sure does.  So, it boils down to this:

If God has Spanish, or a Spanish culture in my future, it will not feel like it does here.  I will have relationships, and eventually history, with the people in my life.  Spanish will become a means to an end that I am very motivated to reach.  That probably doesn't sound as "phew, what a comfort!" as it feels to me, but I tried.

Tonight we are going back to CCMT to have dinner with Don and Glenda Moon.  Bethany lived with them when she first came to Argentina, and she homeschooled their girls...hmmmm....sound familiar?