Last few days of school before summer break!

School is almost out:

Instead of school ending next week like we were originally told, this is our last week of school here at the ranch. Schedules seem to change as regularly as the weather. 

We had a pretty good week though it's raining today, and we had to miss church again. Tomorrow is a holiday and it is suppose to rain again so we are hoping for school on Wednesday. Friday of this week will be the last day of school.

Summer plans: We have been talking to the mothers here at El Quebracho and several want to learn to sew. We sent letters to all the moms on Friday making sure that everyone got word of our offer and hope that no one will feel left out.

Yuca hinted that he would like us to paint all the gates on the ranch or at least the ones we use all the time. There's a bunch! With warm weather, we aren't sure it's a good plan for us, but we'll see.

Los Perales again:

Teaching in Los Perales went great! The women have all finished their bags though Gregg and Amy both forgot their phones so you’ll have to wait for pictures. 

The kids are doing great with piano lessons. They are both so motivated that even though it will be a slow process, there is hope of eventual success. The family are recent converts to the church (about 9 months ago) and already hope to be able to play the piano for church. There is currently a piano in their church but no one knows how to play it so it sits unused.

Teaching English is also a slow process because of the irregularity of classes and age of most of the class, but we just do the best we can. 

Mosquito dilemma: We have a few more tips to help ward of mosquitoes for any who may eventually struggle as we have. First, we found mosquitoes harboring a free ride in our truck. Now we fumigate the truck each day. We skipped one day and both got bites. Second, the repellent here only lasts about an hour. It claims it will last four, but now Gregg sprays several times each day and is getting fewer bites.

Happy Thanksgiving!
We didn't actually have a traditional day, but we did celebrate. It may have been on Saturday not Thursday, and we couldn't find a turkey, but here is what we had:


Mashed potatoes, green olives masquerading as black olives, chicken breasts in place of turkey, (don't worry, we had four chicken breasts instead of two in case we wanted to "stuff" ourselves) and we ate in the formal dining room

carrot salad is made of peeled strips of carrots, cucumbers, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper



Apple Crumb pie is a favorite at our house so the apple crisp was close. We made lemon bars since we couldn't find any corn starch for lemon meringue pie. Pumpkin was nowhere to be found.


We even splurged on ice cream. (Cost was about $5 for 2 1/2 cups of product and this is an off brand. Name brands are 2-3 times more. Flavors are Dulce De Leche, Banana, and Vanilla)

We are no longer making almond milk, and arstill trying to find our favorite brand of regular milk. We had several batches of almond milk turn bad after only a few days and the supply of almonds that we splurged on is gone. So far, we like the 1 ½ % milk. There is a 1 1/3 % that is like water and a 3% that tastes the most like canned milk. All milk is sold in a small cardboard box that doesn't require refrigeration until after opening.

Gregg is an expert with making popcorn now. We don’t have a popper, but a pan works just fine. Once again, Google came through for us.

Policia:

We learned this week that if we are ever stopped by the police again for not having on our lights, we should ask for the ticket and then wait for it to be sent to the ranch for payment. Apparently, any money collected by the police is pocketed and the hope is that drivers will just pay since tickets are not actually sent out. That is why the police claim the fine doubles if not paid on the spot. What a dilemma. We plan to never forget our lights again so we don’t have to decide what to do.

Speaking of police, we were stopped this week on the way to pick up the high school kids in Feliciano. (A police check where everyone is pulled over is common.) Anyway, we were asked where we were headed and Gregg started to explain our destination. One of the mothers was hitching a ride with us and she whispered from the back seat, tell them El Quebracho, the name of our ranch. Gregg heard and responded as he was directed. Immediately, both young policemen smiled knowingly and waved us on. We were then instructed that out in the country, El Quebracho is a magic word and nothing else needs to be said. So, whether we are headed for town, or back to the ranch, the rules are: lights on, seat belts fastened, and smile when you give the password, El Quebracho.

                                               

Animal update:

Our friendly dog, Romeo, died this week. Apparently, he was taking a siesta under one of the tractors and didn’t get out from underneath it in time. He was a good friend to us. Now we only have the chickens and rooster to keep unwanted pests away. Other vermin will most likely be less intimidated without man's best friend watching out for us.

Speaking of vermin, we saw rodents of unusual size one evening. They were the size of a small pig but looked somewhat like a rat. We were told they are the largest rodents in the world. Yikes! Good thing we are missionaries and have a few added blessings of protection.

On the lighter side, the fireflies are out. They are just bugs, I know, but they make us smile.

Humor: Our daughter, Chelsea, told us that in church a few weeks ago, the discussion was on taking the sacrament worthily and striving each week to reflect on your behavior and strive to improve before taking the bread and water. Their four-year-old daughter who was in the adult class raised her hand before the whole group and declared, “I have a question!”  She was urged on. She then asked, “What about my mommy?…. She ran over our baby kitty!” J

Here is a tip for all Fitbit wearers. If you are having trouble finding a way to get all your steps each day, just come to Argentina and take a ride to Los Perales. I watched my step counter go crazy on the bumpy roads this week. Just think, thousands of steps, increased heart rate, with none of the stress. Okay, maybe stress, but at least a different kind of stress.

America, you really have it pretty good:

We had an experience last week that gave rise to some deep reflection. During our cooking class, one of the older children scolded his sister for touching the outside of the microwave exclaiming to the 4-year-old that it was hot. Realizing that a microwave must be a rare possession, I asked the concerned brother if he would like to see how the microwave worked. After filling a cup with cool water, the curious young man used the buttons to heat the water. Of course, in less than a minute, the water was hot but surprisingly to the kids nothing inside or surrounding the microwave was in the least bit warm. By then, we had several more youngsters curious. None of the gathered children had ever used a microwave let alone possessed one in their home. They all claimed it was too expensive. Americans take a lot of things for granted don’t you think?

Being the week of Thanksgiving, I thought how grateful I was for our country where many things are affordable for even financially struggling families. The families on the ranch here are probably considered middle class. They have a home with doors, windows, and a cement not dirt floor. They have access to food, education for their children, and a relatively pleasant tranquil life.

I would describe the government here as relatively socialistic. Prices are most often the same whether you are at Carrefour or a local market. We are told that prices are dictated. The government also dictates what jobs receive what wages. Nurses make about ½ what a school teacher makes. Gauchos make less than a teacher but receives lots of benefits like free housing, meat, and rides from missionaries like us. If you are a business owner you are told what to charge and, you pay taxes. You might ask as we did, “Doesn’t everyone pay taxes?” Well yes, but government workers have no consequences if they don’t pay their taxes. In other words, taxes are only enforced for some earners.

Items that are made in Argentina are relatively cheap and not usually the quality we are accustomed to. Items made outside of Argentina are often double and triple the cost charged in the states or more often simply not available. For example, electronic equipment that is not made in Argentina is available in limited quantities and at exorbitant prices. Or if you want to buy a soft drink with an American name, it is more than double the Argentine brand. The only place to find a wide selection of goods is at a Carrefour in a larger town or a big city like Buenos Aires. Otherwise, the stores offer the same items just arranged differently on the shelves. Items for sale are typically only what local families purchas all the time. Occasionally, we’ll find something different. For example, we found one local store that sells peanut butter from time to time.

Health and dental care is all free, but most people 35 and older are missing teeth and a hospital stay is not welcomed by anyone. Only the seriously sick go to the hospital for help, and we are told that if we as missionaries need medical attention, not to go to a local hospital. We would go to a larger town about 3 hours away. 

Siesta time and national holidays are law in small towns. I would even go so far as to say they are somewhat sacred. No one is expected to work during a siesta or leave the house on a holiday. There is probably a holiday every other week.

On an ordinary day, the world is up early sweeping the cobblestones in front of their store or business getting ready for 8 AM opening. It there isn't cobblestone or cement at your front door, then they sweep the dirt. Many places close at noon and don’t reopen until 4:30 or 5 in the afternoon. Closing time is usually 7:30 or 8 PM. However, banks remain closed after noon leaving only their ATM’s open for business.

As a whole, people seem happy and content with their way of life. When we visit people in the branch who are not as financially sound as those on the ranch, we talk outside on their patio that is usually under a homemade shade cloth, on dirt, with outdoor plastic chairs that are often held together with wire for repair. Only the middle-class families have a wooden front door. Otherwise, fabric hung across the door affords privacy and I think the floors are only dirt. We’ve never been inside their homes so I’m guessing from what glimpses we got. Now that summer is approaching, people are digging up around their houses and planting vegetables in any available corner. Children are seen outside all over town playing, laughing, and as happy as anywhere in the world.

The young adults and often the teenagers have devices that are a great treasure to them. Just like in the States we see youth entrapped in reading or listening to what’s on their devices and not engaged in much adult conversation. They often have cell phones but don't have "credito" so they only use them when absolutely necessary.

It’s not uncommon for adults to have smart phones. They Facebook and text more often than call. I think all the kids on the ranch have televisions, and many have computers, though I don’t think any but the ranch managers’ families have internet.

The home we live in would probably be condemned in the States. In Argentina, it is a mansion, but many life struggles are the same. Parents love their children and want what is best for them. Education and good manners are important. Cleanliness is a big deal despite the obstacles. Parents wish for a higher moral standard for their children and grandchildren, and they don't like the evil in the world. For this reason, they often prefer poverty and tranquility rather than financial stability that comes with the worldliness found in the cities.

So there you have it.... life outside of the US. Do your struggles now seem a little smaller in perspective?