Mayonesa!!!

 

Monday, February 18, 2013

 

Mother!

I was pretty happy to get your email here today! I am sitting in some run-down little place on a computer that is as old as I am! It seriously is the definition of a dinosaur. This place is really ghetto, and the computer has probably every virus known to man. I don´t dare try to plug my camera in here because I am afraid it will get a virus too.

To answer some of your questions: We do not have a computer in our log cabin. We do have a phone, well, Elder Brindley has a phone. He is the district leader, so he keeps track of some other companionship’s in the district. He and I get along pretty well. He is a very nice guy, like super nice. But he is a little bit socially awkward. Like, I can tell that he really gets uptight talking to people. He gets super uncomfortable when we are eating lunch with the members. He is just.. a little awkward. So, we are the king of awkward moments here in Llanquihue. I don´t have the conversational Spanish to save us from these awkward moments. So I kind of sit there and smile. It is actually kind of funny to me. Also, the only thing that really bothers me about him is the way that he chews his food. But the way everyone chews their food, bothers me. But on average, I think that he chews each bit of food 28 times before he swallows it. This is including soup! Who chews their soup like that?! It contributes to the awkward moments because someone speaks to us and he holds up his finger as if to say, ¨"Just a second while I finish chewing this.¨ when in reality it means, "you might as well sit there for a few minutes, because I need to chew my jello 26 more times before I swallow it." Haha. It adds to the awkward moments for sure. He is nice, though. He is from Minnesota.

I told you about Mamita. She is a member and we go over to her house almost every day for lunch. She is super nice. She makes.... food. Is it good? Sometimes. The problem with the food here is that they eat a lot of stuff that I don´t like. Like Mayonesa (Mayonnaise). They put that on almost everything that they make here. They put it on their potatoes, rice, meat, salad, and everything else. They also eat a lot of guacamole, which I don´t like. They also eat tomatoes on everything, which I don´t really like either. Also, they eat hardboiled eggs... which I really don´t like. But, I eat all of it. It is good that mamita (her name is Rosa) is not in the room when we are eating usually, because I pretty much gag on it all. But in time, I will learn to like it all. Oh!? Were you asking what a mamita is? Mamita literally means "little mama¨". That is what she is. Also, I will inform you, that I have yet to eat a meal without the Chilean national condiment. Hair!! There is ALWAYS hair in the food; without fail, every single time. It is... gross. haha.

Well, I bought a new umbrella today for like 10 dollars. It is a little bit chanta (cheap), so we will see if it lasts. They say it is summer in Chile? What a lie! Maybe in the North! Here we wake up in the cabin and it is 48 degrees! It is freaking cold here! It is about 60 during the day, but our cabin is always cold. We don´t have central heating or anything, so we have to light fires. Here is the catch with the fires: we aren´t allowed to use mission funded firewood to light fires until May 1st. So it is going to be cold here for a while. I sleep with a sweater and a hat on.

Feet problems: Everyone here has problems with their feet. Me? I am no exception to this rule. I have huge blisters still. I have some kind of foot fungus that is pretty common for missionaries to get, and I have an ingrown toe nail that is also very common for missionaries to get. It is all okay, though. I will continue to endure. I am tough... sort of.

Yeah... I would explain to you what Chile is like... but I can´t. People here are… interesting. We always get followed by drunken people. They try to share their alcohol with us... or something like that. Old women try to kiss us in the street. (Don’t worry, Makayla, I have perfected the side step.) Haha. They also shout some pretty interesting things at us like, "Hey Sexy!” which is uncomfortable. I am easily the tallest person here in Llanquihue; I can´t even stand up straight in the houses of some of the members.

Well, I gotta wrap this up here. If you want to send me a package, you can send it to the address i gave you. It takes three weeks to get here. Don´t put beef jerky or raisins or anything in it, because they will open it before I ever see it. If you wanted to send me anything, I would request the thermals that I sent home in a package. I didn´t think it would be that cold here right now. I would also suggest maybe a small back pack and a sweat shirt? I would say put money on my card... but the city I am in is not big enough, so they don´t take cards most of the places here. You don´t have to send a package, though. I am doing just fine here.

Also, keep strong, Mamma. Life is tough sometimes. You are a strong lady. Occupy your time with good things. Read some good books. Just keep busy, that is the key to not getting depressed.

Love, Elder Warren

 

 

A Missionary Blister :-((