already in my 2nd weeeeeeek

Hello fine Americans back in my homeland! Greetings from Buenos Aires, literally a worlddd awayyyy! ;)

So, last I updated you I had just arrived and was in the AHH-I'M-OVERWHELMED-AND-EXCITED-AND-ABOUT-TO-PEE-MY-PANTS-IS-THIS-REAL-LIFE stage... I do think I transitioned fairly well here:) I only cried the day I got here and haven't cried since! Of course I kind of miss people, but I'm so grateful for the way technology works these days. So it often feels like I'm in the same room with my family and friends instead of a world away! The other day, I reallllllly craved bdubs though, I can see myself crying about that one...in liiike in a month or 3.

I would say the most difficult thing so far has been: the language. There are so many other things to worry about when planning studying abroad it's hard to remember the main obstacle to overcome: I am not even close to being fluent in spanish... It's soooo hard to communicate here. It's incredibly frustrating and I feel like an idiot allllllll the time. But, I know that that's just a part of it, the whole reason I'm here is to struggle in that, so I might as well embrace it and give 100% in my listening and responding all the time:) Pheww but it wears you out! And honestly it's been a little sad too because I just wanna make friends with everyone so bad. There's only so many times you can ask "¿Como?" until someone doesn't wanna talk to you anymore, no matter how much patience they have... Also, it's extremely difficult to be funny when you don't speak the language, the only way I'm funny anymore is if I pronounce a word wrong and everyone makes fun of me... I'll take it, but I miss bein' witty! You know?

Okay, story time! One of my best moments here so far has been this one night, within my first week, I went to this panaderia. A sweets shop of sorts. There's this famous candy-cookie thing called an "alfajore"(ALF-AH-HORE-AY). Of course, I wanted to indulge in this Argentine delicacy, so I ordered one. But, when I ordered I asked for two rugs... I mixed up the word "alfombra" and "alfajore" HAAAA. You always hear stories about people having those mishaps in a different country but now I have my own. I got some strangeeeee looks from the people working! Luckily, my host-bro was there to explain what I meant. SERIOUSLY shout-out Tyler! I'd be lost without you (literally too)!

I started classes this past week. I have two feelings about them: 1. I forgot how much I love Spanish class. Seriously. I love studyinggg Spanishhh! 2. THEY'RE TOO LONGGGG. Studying anything for 5 hours a day is a bit of a drag, no matter how much you like it. I like my class and I like my teacher and I'm learning a lot. It's helping me in conversation, pronunciation, grammar, TODOS!

Prob my favorite two days so far have been going to the zoo with everyone last weekend and yesterday :). Going to the zoo was a blast because it was like almost all the gringos and it was fun to be together and see animals and be in a big place with a ton of people! Then, yesterday I went to school, then to a movie, then to grupo de vida - my bible study thing. Supes fun because it was busy & fully of people!! My first grupo de vida last friday was good, but I really struggled to communicate and listen to the message because I was tired/new/overwhelmed still. I could tell I'd made some progress in the language better last night :). I listened to the video sermon better (even though I couldn't understand it all). And I felt like I communicated better with the people. It was fun being out til 2am and waiting 30 minutes for the bus and laughing and talking.....adddventureeee :D. I want to see el amanecer some night, HECK, many nights with these people (the sunrise).

So, some goals for my time here (that I could use prayer for): live in the moment, get some regularity to my quiet time, learn the language with as much fluency as possible (OBVI), make lifelong friends, learn how to be funny here, and just see and experience all that Buenos Aires has to offer that I can possibly fit in to my time here! PHEW.

Love ya guys<3 Miss you allllllllll.