Shaelyn in Chicago: El Districto Viejo

7-8-2011

Buenos Días!

The early email today is due the a unique opportunity my district gets to clean the temple today. It will take a good 4 hours out of my p-day, so we got up early to do laundry, thus you are receiving a special early email as I wait for my clothes.

As usual, nothing is super exciting happened here this week. We did actually get to do an activity for the Fourth which was kind of fun. We had a special devotional Saturday night where we sang patriotic songs and had a speaker who has been an assistant to three US presidents (I don't know which ones.) After the devotional we watched the fireworks from the stadium of fire, Hermana Allred loved it, but I don't really care for fireworks and would have rather been able to go to bed on time. That weekend we did have a hot air balloon crash land on one of the buildings here at the MTC, which was pretty much the most exciting thing ever here.

Our district also got to be hosts this past week for the new missionaries. We were excited, but it wasn't really all we were hoping it to be. Mostly it was really hot outside and we were carrying luggage. Sisters don't do the curb, they just stand by one of the buildings and wait for elders to bring the new sisters to them. I am glad I didn't have to watch everyone say goodbye to their family, I think that would have been rough. We are supposed to be hosts again next week, but I'd really rather be in class. We only have one more week of class, and we're going to miss a lot of it. Our teacher recommended my companionship to participate in one of the activities for the new missionaries. On Wednesday when everyone comes in they have "investigators" that we will start teaching in front of the new missionaries, and then let them try to take over. Its a nice confidence boost that our teacher recommended us, but I'm not so sure how I feel about teaching in front of a bunch of people, and in English.

On the language front: things seem to be slowly progressing. One of our roommates told me that the other night I was sleep talking in Spanish, which is exciting, even if I probably wasn't making any sense. I am pretty resigned to the idea however, that despite how much I feel like I know now, I'm not going to be able to understand a single thing when I'm talking to native speakers going at normal speed.

My ankle is doing pretty well. I think you're thinking its worse than it is, Mom, no worries I can walk just fine. I just have a lot of scar tissue that is hindering my mobility and making it painful to move it beyond a certain point. It is also still weak, so it just gets tired and sore easily. I do have to still wear a brace. When I go to the physical therapist they put me in a whirlpool (which is basically the best place to study language ever,) I do exercises, and then the Physical Therapist works at breaking up the scar tissue. The breaking up of the scar tissue is ridiculously painful, I have scar tissue all the way up into the top of my calf, and today, the day after an appointment, my calf is nice and bruised. I probably will only have two more appointments though before I leave, so hopefully everthing will be good in Chicago. It is fun to go to the physical therapist though because it reminds us that there is actually a world outside of the MTC. We get to talk to REAL people! (Not that we're not real, we're just not. . . real.)

ELIZA!!! thank you for your letter, I loved the pictures. I just wish you had sent me a piece of that cake!! :P Because my P-day is cut short today I'm not sure if I'll be able to write you back today, but I'll try and if I don't get the chance I will try again next week.

So yeah. I leave really soon. The district just older than us left for Argentina this week, so we're el districto viejo. We were expecting our travel plans yesterday, but didn't get them. I was really hoping to have them before I emailed you, but I guess you'll just have to wait until next week for the details. I was wondering if you could send me a calling card for the airport though, you know, so I can call you or whatever. :D

I love you! I'm running out of time, but I hope everything is going well at home! Keep the letters coming, the long weekend was so sad without letters!

Les quiero much! besos y abrazos

Hermana Brown