I just returned from a fantastic weeklong vacation in Buenos Aires! I have wanted to visit the capital of Argentina for many years. Finally I had the opportunity last week and oh what fun! I was able to see downtown, a port called Tigre , shopping centers, grocery stores, coffee shops and all kinds of other things.
A few things stood out to me about differences between Buenos Aires and Peru . First of all, I left the airport and as we traveled I realized there was order on the streets, there were many more freeways and not as many small buses yelling at pedestrians to “get aboard.” After a couple of days, it dawned on me that I just didn’t stand out in Argentina . There are so many people from so many places and many Argentines themselves have lighter color hair and light eyes. In Peru , I often “stick out” whereas in Argentina , I felt as though I blended in. Another difference was the amount of coffee shops and the use of leisure time and money. As I have mentioned before, the middle class is beginning to expand in Peru , leading to more people buying things because they want to and not because they need to. In Argentina , they already have the coffee-drinking art down with great places like Gaudi, The Coffee Store and Havanna. Something else, I noticed quickly was the difference in food. In Argentina , they have an abundance of beef on their restaurant menus and accompany the meat with other items like pasta and even beautiful salad bars. I have grown accustomed to eating Peruvian food with rice and different types of stews. Luckily, I was able to find almost everything I needed to make Seco de Res for my hosts so they could appreciate Peruvian food. Appreciate they did…they took pictures, raved about it and even asked for the recipe! I heard differences in the way people spoke and words they used. Really, I could go on and on! But one last difference that I may have appreciated beyond the rest was the lightening storm! Living in Lima means living in the desert and not enjoying the winter rain. One morning, thunder woke me up rather early and instead of closing the window and rolling over back to sleep, I opened the window and laid awake watching, listening and smelling the wonder of the storm.
In just a few hours I am heading out AGAIN! I am traveling along with a few others to the mountains to attend a graduation! A few of those that had been interns at the Dream Center are pursuing further theological education at a Bible Institute; some are finishing and some are just beginning. Our time will be spent visiting these graduates, meeting their families, and seeing the towns they come from. We hope this will be a great blessing to each and every one of them. Please be praying for our safety and the time we spend with these graduates.
Blessings,
Gretchen
