Momma Mayo's Mission

I really should have some pictures to post, but this week we really jumped into the deep end of the pool and we've been frantically trying to keep afloat all week. Take into consideration:

Saturday

• Arrived Saturday morning 8am Buenos Aires time (my brain was on Provo time: 3am)
• BTW, Sister Casos had developped a cold just before our flight.
• Went immediately to the Tour of the Buenos Aires Temple (Last day of the open house before the rededication in September)
• Arrived at the Palermo Suites (Have to stay in a hotel for 9 days as the apartment isn't ready yet) Collapsed.  Had dinner with Elder and Sister Bigelow at their apartment.  She made a wonderful potato soup.  How did she know we needed comfort food?

Sunday

• Bigelow's picked us up for church.  It was Stake Conference and we got to hear from an area 70.  I understood most of the speakers.  It's such a confort when I don't recognize the title of a hymn to hear the music and know the tune!  The "sha" sound of double l , like in llama pronounced "shah-mah" is still throwning me. 
• Ate at McDonalds 'cause it was close, cheap and didn't requre much thought.Also a block from our hotel. Collapsed again. Not much choice but to go out when you're in a hotel.

Monday

• Ariel Chaparro, our Office Manager picked us up at 9:30am to take us to the Area Authority Offices where we parked the car.
• Met a bunch of people, left to get onto the Subway to go to the downtown Employment Resource Center where we will work. 
• Had some study time and then we and Ariel took the bus to our hotel.  (So now we are supposed to be able to take the bus and/or the Subte/subway on our own. Cross your fingers!)
• Sister Casos is sounding terrible and doesn't feel any better.
• We went to a Family Home Evening Potluck at the Brunts tonight.  He is the doctor for the Area.  Also there were the Daytons, the Ashtons and the Masons, all missionary couples.  The potato salad was amazing.  Got to remember trying to put in bits of radish to add crunch.  Then I can avoid the celery and Kristin can eat it !
• Oh, have I mentioned that there is a ton of Italian food in Buenos Aires?  Someone brought Italian pastries for dessert.  Yummy!  Good thing I have to walk a lot every day!

Tuesday

• We took the Subte (that's what they call the subway) and successfully got off at the right spot (not hard ...it's the end of the line) and found our way to the office (Also not hard, it's just around the corner from the Casa Rosada (that's the Pink House...comparable to our White House.....and yes....it's sort of a Pepto Bismo pink)!
•  Sister Casos is still sick and I'm getting a scratchy throat.  She's a trooper and worked at the reception desk. 
• Ate lunch at Amiche's Restaurant.  They make this Tarta....it's like a pie with jam and cheese and eggs in it....Soooooooo good!
• Ariel Chaparro is so nice ...and patient.  There are only four of us here on a full-time basis and about 5 more as volunteers on part-time schedules.  The Assistant Manager is Claudio Ciocio.  I may have misspelled his last name.  If so I apologize.  I wrote it down somewhere! 
• Made it back to the hotel on the Subte and didn't miss the stop, but we were sort of bent, twisted and squished.  We learned to get out of the office on time so as to miss the rush hour and the sardine-can effect. Same problem if we leave too late in the morning!
• Had some really good ravioli and Bolognese sauce at a restaurant nearby!

Wednesday

• I started coughing and having all the cold symptoms that Sister Casos had.  She is sounding better.  I am feeling worse.
• Claudio has taken over our training.  He is even more patient that Ariel if that is possible.  He keeps telling us how glad they are to have us here.  We are to become the directoras for this center so Ariel and Claudio can do more administrative things for the outlying offices in our area.
• Sister Casos is doing a great job at the desk.  I have had my turn also, but I am really panicky about understanding some of the people who come in.  They talk so fast!  Thank goodness the candidates for work are also very patient with us poor old ladies! 
• Luis and Sebastian started as volunteers the Monday as we did.  They are great about working one on one with the candidates.
• I'm trying to update ldsjobs.org with some of the paperwork that was left in our desks.  D!id I mention that we each have a desk....AND an office that we share!  WE have an OFFICE!
• So glad I have been to Paris and know how to use a subway.  We have figured out how to switch lines and ride a bit closer to the office.  The second line we get on is the oldest.  The interior of the subway car is wooden.  It looks like something right out of the Orient Express....only not as fancy!

Thursday

• More about the Subte.  The one real advantage of walking with a cane is that even when it is crowded, if people see my cane they will give up a seat to me.  Really elderly, handicapped and pregnant (hopefully not all at the same time) can almost always get a seat.) Cost is about a dollar a trip.
• We have to walk two blocks to the station near the hotel and about 7 blocks (yes I am talking city blocks....the long ones) to get from the last station to the office.  Luckily there is a park with benches on the way and I can stop for a rest.  Today I really needed it. I was hacking and coughing up a lung the whole way.
• Today Claudio is talking about us calling companies to be sure that the jobs we have listed are still open.  That and taking calls is another of my concerns/fears.  My ears are clogged up due to the cold, which is now full-blown. 
• Whew!  Claudio told Sister Casos that we could have the volunteers make the calls, because we are in charge (Talk about the blind leading the blind!)  But Irene was here and she is more experienced and knows what to do!
• I spent most of the morning finishing inputting data on ldsjobs.org. 

Friday

• I'm feeling more confident about my Spanish.  Finally starting to understand people more if they don't speak too fast.  Claudio is practicing his English, so he speaks in English and we speak in Spanish and we all correct each other.  We're all learning
• He said today that Sister Casos can run the floor and reception and I can be in charge of setting up training and keeping the records for volunteers etc.  Heaven knows if it will stay this way, but it sounds good to me.
• The cold has begun to abate.  Hopefully it will go away instead of dropping into my chest.  We have a prayer meeting each day at 8:45am to begin the day.  Today it was my turn to select the song.  I went looking for something low.  Found Secret Prayer Highest note was a high B.  Normally I can get up to a D, but not today.  Claudio has a lovely voice.  Andres, another volunteer, was there.  He also sang well.  So Sister Casos and the gentlemen and me, sounding like a frog, did our best!  We had a prayer and read a chapter in Mosiah.  It's a good way to start the day.
• We survived the first week !

Saturday

• Finally a Prep day!  Of course we're still in the hotel and no laundry unless we want to pay someone to do it.  So I'm washing things out in the sink each day.
• Found a grocery close by and picked up a few things.  That will help.
• Had noquis for lunch with a "fielto" or tomato sauce.  Really light and yummy. Tomorrow is fast sunday.  Then dinner with the Masons, who are picking us up for a Subte ride to church.

So, THAT's why there are no pictures.  I will try to remember to bring my camera next week and take lots of pics......promise!