Hola everybody! I have safely arrived
at the CCM (aka. the Mexico City MTC). I have successfully survived my first
week of missionary boot camp and am currently up to my ears in Spanish language
study and gospel doctrine study.
Life here, south of the border, is not
what I expected, but in many ways it is better. The food is better than
expected...for instance, today we had some insanely good enchiladas, the
weather is warm ans sunny and I occasionally get to study outside, and the
people here are all incredibly happy to be here. I have yet to decide if I am
weird for not being as ecstatic as they are, or if I just have better self
control because I am at least two and a half years older than everyone else.
My companion is a cute sister from
Kansas City who understands almost all of my pop-culture references and is
perfectly willing to bust out into song with me while walking down the streets
of the CCM. The CCM, by the way, is a huge campus with lots of room to move
around and lots of air to breathe. I think being here is much better for me
than being in the Provo MTC could ever be. It is like a little bubble protected
oasis of well dressed excited teenagers from the United States smack dab in the
middle of Mexico City; (Okay maybe not actually in the middle), but it is
interesting to hear all of the sounds of Mexico happening outside the protected
security gate perimeter of this mini-Provo-like place.
Anyway, my companion's name is Hermana
Miller and she is very sweet. Our room companions are Hermana Te'o from Hawaii
(her brother is kind of a big deal in case you are a football fan), and Hermana
Welch fro Mesa Arizona. We all get along quite well although i wish one of them
was more willing to run or go to the gym with me. However, they prefer to spend
their time laying in the sun and watching the guys in our district play
Ultimate Frisbee of Beach volleyball. I am grateful that we get along though
and as for the other Hermanas in my Zone, they are much more willing to jump in
on the games of Frisbee and Volleyball and do ab workouts and such during our
daily gym time.
Spanish is an interesting language. It
is very similar to French in a lot of ways (although I still think I like
French a whole lot better) so I feel like I am learning at a decent pace,
although not at quite the rapid pace I had hoped for and expected. I have been
making flashcards like crazy though and am looking forward to a few weeks from
now when I look back and think about how silly I was for thinking it is
impossible.
The funny part though, which I didn't
at all expect, is that they don't really teach you the language. They re-teach
you the gospel and expect the language to come with it. It is weird because in
some ways it really does work, but, let's just say I now understand why so many
missionaries have terrible grammar when it comes to the language they learn for
their missions.
I am in District C in zone 10 and I think I
definitely got placed in the best zone here. All of the people in my zone are
incredibly lively, fun, and funny. We are known as the rule breakers because
everything our zone does that isn't technically against the rules gets outlawed
every time a new district comes in and an old one leaves. Our zone is notorious
for: causing nosebleeds and other injuries when playing sports, tie-trades,
extra tienda time (the tienda is the small store on the MTC campus), for yelling
CASTIDAD! to each other in the hallways (castidad is the spanish word for
chastity), and for always taking all the Nutella out of the comedor after meal
times. Needles to say, I got put in a zone with a bunch of hooligans just like
me, except that they are even worse than me because they are all between 18 and
20 years old.
It is such a weird feeling to be learning from
people younger than me, but in a lot of ways I am learning that young people
have a lot to teach. Most of the people here have never even been away from
home though which is crazy to think about having lived away from home for four
years myself. There are some girls in my casa who didn't know how to work the
washing machine and dryer. I was baffled! How can someone be graduated from
high school and not know how to do their own laundry!? It was crazy! But some
of them are incredibly smart and have some awesome views on life and the world
and I am excited to get to know them better.
In other news, I got to speak in my branch in
Sacrament meeting on Sunday. My talk had to be completely in Spanish though so
it was terrifying. The Elders and Hermanas in my father district helped me
figure out the best ways to find what I want to say though so I was grateful
for that, but still, it was incredibly intimidating.
All the Hermanas in my father district
have told me that the first week is the hardest though, so hopefully next week
will just be a huge improvement. I guess I will let you know then!
I love you all immensely and hope that
nothing too exciting has happened while I have been away. I was informed that
the Seahawks made it to the SuperBowl though so I am pumped about that-although
I am admittedly pissed that I won't be able to watch the game- but I guess of
all the sacrifices I have had to make, watching my favorite NFL team is one of
the least of my worries.
Anyway, GO HAWKS!!!
Love you all!
Adios,
Love Hermana Eyre
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