Texan at last

Well, I did it. I rode a horse as you can see. Now, I need to explain a bit about the picture. It seems that I am smiling, but I am actually speaking sarcastically to the idiot. I dubbed my horse Wow-I'm-Stupid. He liked to stop walking every once in a while at which point he would get whipped by our guide, yet he continued to stop. Then he would decide that he could fit in a two inch gap between other horses. Needless to say he was not the brightest creature. I am glad to be able to say that I have taken part in this famous Texan stereotype (even if it took leaving the country to get me to do so), but I don't think it's an activity that I will be taking part in again anytime soon. Not that I don't wish cars could be bumpier and smellier, but they are just so much faster.

The estancia was a lot of fun. Aside from the horse ride we got to simply enjoy the scenery and relax for most of the day. We chased some geese like 3-year-olds (don't worry, I led the chase) and fed bread to various types of birds. We were also fed lunch there. Let me tell you about this lunch. There was bread to start with, always a good sign. Then they brought out sausage (an appetizer). Then they brought out piles of beef and chicken. . . mounds of it. And there were some baked potatoes in there. There were too many different kinds of food. If you know me, then you know that I like to get a bit of everything. Well, that made this meal the biggest meal I think I've ever had aside from Thanksgiving. By the end of the meal we were all ridiculously full. That's when they brought out dessert. Crepes rolled up around dulce de leche. Take a moment and let that idea sink into your brain. It was awesome. Then we all threw up. . . not really but close.

The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful. I went to the market down the street on Sunday to check out the book vendors. I thought I might be safe from my addiction to buying books when I came down here, but apparently I love really old books at cheap market prices. I've only bought one so far, but the temptation is growing.

Speaking of addictions, the coffee here is not good. I know what you're thinking: "Wait, I thought you were in South America. Isn't the coffee supposed to be great?" We have been mislead my friends. There is good coffee in some countries, but here it's nasty. The cooks here try to brew it "American style" but it doesn't quite make it (although it is really strong so that part is good). This is one of the factors that has lead to my new addiction to mate. It's not as good as the coffee I'm used to but it is more fun to drink. I found out that there is a website that you can order it from in the States so I'm pretty pumped about bringing this crazy beverage to ACU.

Well, that's about all for now. May you continue to seek the Lord and have the courage to wrestle with your Father. May you be lost in His love, found in His salvation, dead to your sins, and alive in His mercy.

Blessings,
Matt

Soy celeste, celeste soy yo

The title of this entry is part of a song sung by the Uruguayan fans at the soccer (futbol) game that we went to Wednesday night. It was the most fun I have ever had at a sporting event (it even topped crowd-surfing out mascot from the top of the stands to the bottom at the volleyball state championship my senior year). Imagine an Aggie football game. Now throw in jumping up and down in unison and screaming things at the top of your lungs in another language (sprinkle in foreign expletives as needed). Even though it is a very low scoring game, soccer is one of the most exciting sports to watch. It's amazing the things the players can do with their feet and heads and everything else (but hands of course). Sometimes things would happen that would make Isaac Newton go, "Say what?" Uruguay won the game 3-1 so it was awesome. This week has been pretty hectic as far as school is concerned because I had a pretty hefty work load and we had a lot of planned extracurriculars (soccer, a tour of the legislative palace, and a tango lesson). Yeah, I forgot to mention the tango lesson. . .

If you know me then you know that dancing and I are not on good terms with each other. It said some things that it can never take back and the relationship simply spiraled downward from there. The tango is no different. I am glad to have experienced this piece of culture, but I simply don't enjoy dancing. Part of it has to do with the fact that I am, in fact, terrible at dancing. This boy just wasn't made for that sort of thing. The 7th grade sway-back-and-forth dance is about as far as I make it with dancing (I must admit I have a mean sway). There are quite a few pictures on facebook of me in all my awkward glory (just click on the Pictures of Matt link below my profile picture and click through until you see them). Enjoy.

The legislative palace (yes, it's a palace made of 70+ types of marble and 50+ types of granite) was sort of interesting. I think I listened and took pictures more for my dad's sake than my own. I figure he'd enjoy a little about it when I get back. So there's your souvenir, Pappy (just kidding).

Last night we had our second English Conversation "class" with the church. People who want to practice English come and talk to us. I met a guy there last week named Nicolas who was there again this week. He is an interesting character. Here is a typical conversation with Nicolas:
Me: How are you, Nicolas?
Nic: I am very well. (Explanation of day in Spanglish). How are you?
Me: I'm good. I'm kind of tired, but good.
Nic: Wow! That is interesting.

Nicolas and I have different definitions of interesting. I find people's opinions on religion or other topics interesting. He finds it interesting that I think it's cold outside. He wins some points for trying so hard. Only some.

Well, this weekend we're going to an estancia (ranch) and I think we're going to ride horses which I have never done. It's one of the top stereotypes of Texas and the first time I'll do it is not even in the United States.

Until next time, may our God and Father open your eyes more to His glory and power that you may bless those around you. Have peace, exude joy, be love.

Blessings,
Matt

Mate and more

The first word in the title of this blog is pronounced mah-tay. It is a type of tea like drink that they drink a lot of in Uruguay (and Argentina) and it's great. The first awesome thing about it is that you drink it out of a gourd with a metal straw thing with a strainer on the end. The really cool thing about it is you drink it in groups a lot. We made friends with the youth from the church connected to CasaACU and we drink mate with them whenever we hang out. It has about as much caffeine in it as coffee but you end up drinking a lot more because you just keep adding hot water to the gourd and keep drinking without noticing how much you've had. It's been a very long time since I've actually truly felt the effects of caffeine because I have a severe addiction to it (see facebook note "Addiction") but mate keeps me up. It's awesome. Enough about my new addiction and on to what you're here for: adventures.

We went to church last Sunday which turned out to be more frustrating than anything else. Autumn (on of the professors) told me that the guy who was preaching that morning was the hardest man to understand. She wasn't lying. Considering the church used to be a coffee factory and the microphone was a bit scratchy, the sound quality was already not the best. I caught a few sentences but the majority of the time my brain got too tired and checked out. Hopefully the next preacher will be a little clearer.

Classes started this week...I had forgotten I was here for school. My classes aren't bad except for one. I'm taking Latin American thought through the Catholic University here in Montevideo and it is going to be the hardest class I have ever taken (and possibly ever will take). Our professor is German but he lives in Montevideo and speaks Spanish without any noticeable accent, except when he says some phrases in English then he sounds German. It's a very strange combination of languages and ethnicity that comes together in that room. The worst part about the class is that it's two hours every Tuesday and Thursday when it only counts as a 3-hour course. Basically I am in class an extra hour per week. My brain keeps trying to check out after an hour and a half so it's a constant struggle for that last 30 minutes to pay attention.

We haven't been out much this week because it's been raining like crazy. We did go down to the beach and played some friendly futbol with our church friends and drank mate (of course). On that trip I made a deal with Martin that I would only speak spanish to him and he would only speak english with me. That has been really great practice for me and for him. Spanish Conversation is a lot of fun too. My teacher, Amelia, reminds me of Senora Croft in some ways and she looks like Edna Mode from The Incredibles.

Well, I'll post more when I've had some adventures. Until next time, may God continue to bless you in ever changing ways that you may spread His love and glory.