Green Things Grow (that's what she titled her email...no idea what it means)

Hooray! This is her latest installment (well, most of it):

¡Hola!

As far as I can tell every missionary always gets their packages... but I have heard that it
helps to put religious things on the outside of the packages such as pictures of Christ or Mary (sad but this would probably help more in this country) and then just list missionary supplies on the package slip. I am sure that it will arrive one way or another!

Ok so I decided to sit down and make a list of the top things that I love about being a missionary in Argentina so here you go:

10. Feeling severely handicapped every second of every day...
seriously though. And it is even worse when people talk to me in
English because then I really feel handicap...
9. Living above a morgue. Last night when my comp and I were walking
to our pench we rounded the corner and I said, ¨"oh good no one died
today" not something that should be in my vocabulary (jk I said that
in english but still not something I should need to say)
8. Every day between the hours of 5 and 9 I eat an entire bag of
cookies (gallititos - remember to say the "ll" with an "sh" sound
7. Over all my extremities I am either being eaten alive or have an
allergy to something... including the metal portion of my placa
6. There is oil with either boiled eggs and/or mayo in everything...
yeah my comp and I even went to buy deli meat here (yeah it is totally
not the same as in the states) and there were hardboiled eggs in the
middle.... I didn´t even ask. I am turning Argentine. I now don´t mind
mayo with most things. The other day for lunch at a member´s house my
comp and I had what was pretty similar to a fried chicken patty that
like you would get at mcdonald´s with mayo and then on the side rice
with mayo and tuna... Kyle I thought of you... but it was actually
pretty good. I also like mayo with potatoes and boiled eggs... pretty
much like potatoe salad but they serve it hot. Don´t judge me.
5. I have the sickest tan lines I have ever had in my life... plus the
rash from my placa and mesquito bites. Really though I don´t think the
tan lines on my feet are ever going to go away.
4. The entire country of Argentina closes down for these conditions:
holidays (which happen about once a week), if they feel like going on
vacation, if it is too hot or too cold, if it is raining, and between
the hours of 2-5 EVERY day.
3. The Beso: I have successfully avoided it from men except for
once... it was awkward. But I still am awkward giving it to women. I
can never remember which side I am suppose to go on... yeah it´s
awkward and I still have my American space issues... that´ll probably
change soon. The worst is when I am leaving and just want to wave to
say goodbye but have to go around and kiss everyone. Ha ha also I
haven´t figured out the art of when I say ciao and when I say hola
when I am just walking by someone... wow I am still so awkward
2. The 80´s are huge for the first time here. In America the 80´s are
coming back because it is retro... well they are just hitting
Argentina for the first time. Everywhere we go I hear American
music... for instance right now we are listening to "Every little
thing you do is Magic". Oh yeah and hammer pants are huge, along with
popped calors and aviator glasses. Last night in the grocery store we
heard "Take My Breath Away" ha ha it´s so funny.
1. Being a huge creeper. All day every day all we do is ask people
personal questions and find out where they live and whenever they
mention anyone else we ask who that is and where they live. Then at
night we make flags and put their name on a map and I make lists of
people and their characteristics because I can´t remember spanish
names very well. And then we pray for then to see what they need in
their lives. THEN we stalk them until we can find them to teach them.
Any return missionary will understand what I am talking about. For the
rest of you.... again don´t judge me :)

Ha ha ok I hope that that was at least entertaining. This week has been really good. Cade I hate to break it to you but I don´t have small bananas here, just the normal ones and the milk here is normal but thicker and creamier than in the states :) Pretty much you´d love it!

My life this week was pretty much exactly like the movie the best two years. Yeah so I am the dorky new comp who can´t speak the language (i still severely struggle with rolling my rs) and one day we are walking down the street and see a lady in the doorway. I go to contact her and can´t understand what she is saying and then my comp lenas over and says,"she´s speaking english". ha ha it was literally the best day of my life. I don´t think I have ever been so happy. I got to teach, bare my testimony and pray in english. Sometimes I wonder why i ever struggled with anything when we were all speaking the same language. And then I remember organic chemistry and i am grateful to be learning spanish instead of being in school :)

ok so i tried to attach pictures this week as well and it´s a no go. sooooo sorry! I might have to wait until I am transferred to send some!

love you all tons! sorry if I didn´t answer all of your questions!

You´re all the best! Think about you often, pray for you always, and love you forever!

Hermana Scanlon

P.S. this list was just meant to be funny and know that I am loving
this and am not discouraged at all!

So, she seems to be doing really well...and building lots of character! She was definitely lacking in that department before the mission (ha, ha). I am pretty bummed about the whole picture thing and think I might die if I have to wait until she gets transferred to get any pictures. We'll have to figure out a way! For now, I'll just post a couple of the glamour shots I got of her before she left. This is what she looked like before all the funky tan lines!