¡Bienvenidos a Uruguay!
1st week--
I have officially been in Montevideo, Uruguay for one week.
What a full week it has been!
Earlier this year I took a trip to the Dominican Republic to
work with the Haitian people for a week. When I returned to the States, I found
it very difficult to explain all of my experiences to others. We had done so
much, and I often had little time to explain. I usually ended up pointing them
to the blog posts that my friend Ryan and I had worked on while in the DR. The blog helped me to explain. If
it was hard for me to describe a week abroad to others, imagine me trying to
explain a whole year! Thus, this blog has come to be. I hope that through my
posts you can follow along with me through my journey. I can’t wait to share it
with you all—my dear family and friends.
This week has been such a mixture of emotions. I have felt
everything from heavy homesickness and nervousness to pure excitement and
curiosity. Thankfully, I haven’t had much time to be homesick, as I have been busy
with the process of discovering a new city, culture, and (of course) a new
language. Upon arrival, I felt instantly welcomed by my new host family. They
have helped teach me how to live in Montevideo. I now eat dinner at 10 pm, stay
up really late, and take the bus to and fro without fail. Well, I’m still
working on the last two… It has been a blessing having the Beloqui’s around to
help me become situated in this new and very different atmosphere.
I have already met so many wonderful Uruguayan people, as
well as others from around the world—Finland, Austria, Germany, Poland,
Mississippi, Connecticut, Chapel Hill, and Raleigh. Everyone has been extremely
kind. The Uruguayans don’t seem to mind if I simply stare in concentration as I
try to understand their discussions. I am starting to pick up more and more
Spanish in conversations—although by the time I think of how to contribute to a
particular topic, it has usually passed. My pre-semester language course has
helped me feel more comfortable with the language, as it is taught all in
Spanish. I am excited for the real classes to begin. My hope is that my
listening and speaking will only improve. It is still so hard for me to wrap my
head around being able to fully comprehend and speak a different language! But
by the end of this year, I WILL know
Spanish. That is my goal.
In addition to trying new foods, visiting new parts of the
city, and learning how to survive the cold, I have been discovering exciting things
about myself. Already, in this first week, I feel more confident when it comes
to dealing with new endeavors. With the help of steady support both here
and back at home, I have not let anxiety or fear of the unknown
overcome my experiences. Most importantly, I have really felt the hand of God
guiding me through this first week. I feel like I have grown to more fully rely
on and ardently trust in Him. As always, there is still a lot more room for personal
and spiritual growth—but I hope that I use this year to really grow as a person
and as a daughter of God.
I look forward to keeping you posted on my attempt to grow
in knowledge, virtue, and faith throughout this year. I cannot thank you enough
for your prayers and support. I am so thankful for all of you!
¡Hasta
luego!
Los extraño—
Courtney
