Looking Back

With just two short weeks left here in Argentina, there's been a lot of sentimental conversation around Casa Holden.

We've talked about the expectations we held for this year and the realities that replaced them once we arrived...
We've talked of struggles, triumphs, successes and losses, and the things we've learned along the way...
We've talked of who we were when we arrived, who we thought we might become, and who this experience has grown us up to be...

And though the details are different, everyone seems to have a similar story:
We all arrived with fears of the unknowns -- the location, the language, even our fellow students -- and we've seen them all be replaced, slowly but surely, by things far greater than we imagined.

Our experience with Argentine culture has been far richer than we anticipated, or even could've known to desire. Our personal growth through adaptations to situations beyond our comfort zones has changed us into people so far beyond what we could've seen for ourselves that it's hard to imagine what life without this experience would look like. Our relationships with our homestays, the Pepperdine professors & staff, and our fellow students in this group are so closely knit that we more-often-than-not refer to everyone in the program as "family."

Above all, though, in all of these, our encounters with God have defined this year.
I remember getting here and feeling like there wasn't a single thing around me that was familiar, only to be reminded gently that the God who called me here, the God who loved me in America, is the same God of Argentina and loves me just the same, wherever I am.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me, 

your right hand will hold me fast.
- Psalm 139:7-10

I had made my plans for this time abroad, but he has shown me that the things he held and holds in store for me are far greater than whatever I could imagine on my own.

Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
- Proverbs 19:21

He has brought me through struggles of heartache and homesickness with the promise that despite the current pain, he will always bring me to a place of healing and rejoicing.

Praise the LORD.

How good it is to sing praises to our God,
how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

He heals the brokenhearted
and binds up their wounds.

- Psalm 147:1-3

And in more ways than I can count, he has proven to me that his timing and placement of my life is absolutely intentional.

The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

"For in him we live and move and have our being."

- Acts 17:24-28a

If we are willing to follow him to the places he calls us and reach out to find him in the midst of whatever we encounter, we will find not only him, but ourselves as well.


I came across that verse in Acts 17 as we were preparing to leave Malibu last spring, a time when distance and changed seemed to loom around every corner. And throughout the past 12 months, I have clung to it for great encouragement, and it has proven all my doubts to be erroneous.

The Lord has intentionally placed each of us in these times and locations by his perfect plan.
And despite the trials those placements may bring, we can always take comfort that there, in his will, is exactly where we're supposed to be.

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I'll see you all in TWELVE short days!!
Love from abroad,
Margaret

Second Semester Catch-Up: Installment 4

The 4 weeks that have passed since returning to Buenos Aires from our Spring Break adventures have absolutely flown by. Truthfully, I look back at the semester and cannot believe how quickly it's gone. When my parents headed home in January, I remember thinking that it seemed it'd be forever until I saw them again. Yet here we are, what seems like moments later, with less than 3 weeks left before heading home and closing out one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had.

That said, there's still a bit of re-capping to be done on this semester's events.
Thus, here begins Part 4 of this semester's catch-up posts:
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The big 2-0
(March 12-14, 2010)

For starters, I have finally left the teenage years behind! I celebrated my 20th birthday in Mar Del Plata, a beautiful beach city about 6 hours south of Buenos Aires. A group of about 20 students took a trip there in order to fulfill our PE 157 (Surfing Class) credit. We spent the entire weekend with a professional surf instructor, attempting to master gnarly surf (thanks to the thunderstorm that rolled in Sunday morning), soaking up one last bit of summer sun before autumn arrived the following week, and all-around enjoying yet another change of scenery from the BA high-rises.

Though it was strange ringing in my 20's without Mom & Dad here to celebrate, I truly could not have felt more covered by birthday love that weekend. Our surfing class celebrated together on Saturday night, and Hannah bought me oodles of medialunas (like croissants but even better) for a special birthday breakfast on Sunday morning. But the celebrations didn't stop there -- Mom & Dad used Send Love BA to send a birthday cake and to Casa Holden, and my homestay parents cooked a special dinner, complete with apple pie, candles, and birthday wishes, to celebrate on Monday night. On top of all that, I got tons of e-cards and Facebook messages from family members, reminding me that despite the thousands of miles between us, I hadn't been forgotten. It's still overwhelming to think about how much love I felt that weekend, and I am so grateful to all of my family and friends, at home and here in Argentina, that made my 20th such an incredible birthday.


Annie's Pet
(March 26, 2010)

Two Fridays ago, Veronica Cache (my professor from last semester's South American literature course) took a group from our program to go read to elementary students at an English-teaching school here in Buenos Aires. I was assigned a class of 8-year-olds and a book called Annie's Pet, the story of a girl's search for the perfect birthday gift to herself: a new puppy. We bussed over to the school and spent about 2 hours with the teachers and students, first reading our stories to them, then telling them about our experiences in America and helping them with follow-up activities that corresponded to our books.

The opportunity to interact with students in the classroom and watch their eagerness to learn (and succeed in) English at such a young age was incredible. Most of them had never interacted with a native English-speaker before, since the great majority of English-speakers in BA, including their teachers, learned English in bilingual schools as well. I spoke as slowly as I could and carefully enunciated my words, and I was so impressed by the way they understood. It was somewhat difficult for them to follow along, as an American-English accent is a rare find in South America since most of the instruction is in British English, but they maintained their enthusiasm and were extremely interactive with our post-book discussion of what kind of pets they would want, how they would care for them, etc.

Our trip to the Santa Maria School opened my eyes so much to not only the blessing it is to be born in an English-speaking country, but to be given the opportunity to learn from native speakers as well. I felt like our chance to help improve their English for an afternoon was just a small way to repay the blessing our immersion in the Argentine culture has been for the past 6 months. As my time abroad comes to a close, I am reminded to soak up every bit of the once-in-a-lifetime experience I've had here.

Needless to say, I learned a lot more from 25 8-year-olds and a children's storybook than I was anticipating!


Felices Pascuas
(April 1-4, 2010)

Celebrating Easter last weekend resulted in some of my favorite memories of the entire semester. We had Thursday and Friday off of class, and while many students chose to use the weekend for a last chance to travel, Hannah and I decided to make our Easter Weekend a "stay-cation" in Buenos Aires. As my homestay mom so often says, sometimes we forget to be tourists in our own city. Thus, Hannah and I created a running list of all the things we probably should've done by now but just haven't gotten around to yet.

We spent the majority of Thursday and Friday exploring the shopping scene of Belgrano (Casa Holden's neighborhood) and a great area called Palermo SoHo, home to tons of up-and-coming designers' stores, neat new restaurants, and other young/artsy locales. We found all sorts of lovely leather goods on sale (thanks to the world-wide economic crisis) and enjoyed being able to experience the city without the stress of classes, due dates, and the crunch-time we so often feel during the weekend.

Then on Saturday, quite rejuvenated from the prior days' retail therapy, we headed to Tierra Santa (literally, "holy ground") with our friends Nathan and Gigi. Tierra Santa is a religiously-themed park that brings a bit of the Holy Land to South America, in a very big way. There's a pavilion that offers Nativity shows (think Epcot meets animatronic wisemen, complete with the Hallelujah Chorus), a giant replication of the Wailing Wall, and life-size depictions of the Stations of the Cross, all presented in a surprisingly authentic, reverent manner. Best of all, though, every 15 minutes, a giant Jesus rises from the grave. We weren't quite sure what to expect regarding anything in the park, but the resurrection was definitely the most-anticipated attraction, as far as we were concerned. Come to find out, in light of Holy Week, there was a special resurrection ceremony right before the park's closing, complete with fireworks and the whole shebang.

I'm not going to act like we didn't initially find the whole idea of a Jesus theme-park absolutely hilarious, but honestly, we ended up really enjoying our experience at Tierra Santa. They hosted mass in the center of the park (ironically, in the Hebrew Temple building), including a candle-light vigil and a sing-along to "This Little Light of Mine"; everyone in the park seemed to be extremely aware of the significance of Easter weekend, and not just due to the chocolate eggs and crisp fall air pervading the city streets. Unexpectedly, our trip to Tierra Santa brought the spirit of Easter to us in a new, unorthodox manner. This new encounter with Easter was brought full-circle through our Sunday experience at the San Benito Parish church. The mass we attended was a beautiful picture of the way Christ's resurrection transcends boundaries of culture, language, and tradition, as a source of hope and redemption for all who hear it. The priest spoke on the erroneous nature of placing our religious focus solely on our faults, our shortcomings, and the desperation of society. While these are obviously an essential part to recognizing our need for salvation, if we dwell upon them, we fail to see the glorious joy that comes from Christ's victory over death!

I am so grateful for the encouragement we encountered through that Easter morning mass. We should be humbled daily by the inadequacies we cannot overcome alone. However, just as importantly, may we never forget to extravagantly rejoice in our Savior's success to satisfy our need for him!

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
- Romans 5:8-11
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I can't believe I'm home 3 weeks from today! I look forward to seeing all of you so soon.

Love from abroad,
Margaret

Second Semester Catch-Up: Installment 3

Part 3 of this semester's catch-up posts:
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Cloudy skies, but "Tudo bem!"
(February 27 - March 7, 2010)

When March arrived, we couldn't believe it was already time to travel again -- we had been back in BA less than a month and had returned from our EFT just a week earlier! However, due to our coordination with Malibu's schedule, the first week of March was our Spring Break (though ironically, it began just a few weeks before the Southern Hemisphere's autumnal equinox). My best friends Hannah and Tyler and I had planned an incredible trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and couldn't be more excited for a week of beautiful beaches and fun in the sun.

Despite our attempts to plan ahead (we booked flights & hotel in November!), there were a few key roadblocks that stood in the way of our "perfect" vacation. For starters, when we began the process of obtaining a travel visa to Brazil, we encountered one of the most complicated and frustrating things we've experienced during our entire time in Buenos Aires. The Brazilian government recently instated a rule limiting the number of travel visas issued per day to 10. In a city of 15 million people, in the peak of travel season, with 25 other Pepperdine students trying to get Brazilian visas as well, and with Rio de Janeiro as one of the most popular South American travel destinations, we knew overcoming this bureaucracy would be no easy task. Thus, we woke ourselves up at 5am, arrived at the Brazilian Consulate at 5:45, and were first in the line of 25 people when the consulate opened at 9. After our fair share of confusion, waiting, technological difficulties, and more waiting, we finally received the receipts that guaranteed us a key element of a successful trip to Brazil: legal permission to enter the country.

With visas in hand and more excitement than we could contain, we checked The Weather Channel for an update on the our trip's forecast. And here we encountered roadblock #2. Thankfully, there were no predicted delays for our flight on Saturday; however, the forecast did show thunderstorms for all of Sunday-Thursday. Despite this obvious a pin to our "best Spring Break EVER" balloon, we decided to keep a positive attitude and hope for the sunny skies despite the meteorologists' opinion.

Our flight left early Saturday morning, and after two flights, 6 hours in the São Paulo airport, and one large realization that our Spanish would be of no use to us in a Portuguese-speaking country, we finally arrived in Rio de Janeiro. During our drive from the airport to the Sheraton Hotel in Liblon (a beach just down from the infamous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema), we talked excitedly about what the next 5 days had in store and crossed our fingers that Weather.com's most recent forecasts of rain would prove to be erroneous.

We woke up Sunday morning to bright but cloudy skies, and hurried outside to soak up all the sunshine we could. Just minutes after settling outside, however, the sky became ominously overcast, and the dark clouds in the distance inched closer and closer. We stayed outside in hopes of sunshine, but deep down, we all knew our luck would soon run out. As predicted, the rains came in strong Sunday night, and they stayed until we left on Thursday. There were times when the sky was overcast and it was warm out, so we did get a bit of time on the beach and by the pool. However, besides the 15 minutes of blue skies during our first morning in Brazil, I can honestly say we didn't see the sun for a single minute throughout the entire rest of our trip. We were extremely disappointed by the weather's turn for the worst, but it was a great reminder that as much as we can plan, there really is something greater in control of what goes on for us!

Despite the crummy weather, we still experienced much of what Rio had to offer. We explored the local streets, fairs, and shops, and we visited Cristo el Redentor in the pouring rain. We ate traditional Brazilian barbecue (think Fogo de Chão) accompanied by authentic Caipirinhas, enjoyed the happy-go-lucky nature of the Brazilian people, and appropriately hummed "The Girl From Ipanema" throughout the entire trip. Our failed plans for a week on the sand caused us to think outside the box for entertainment in a beach town; we all qualified as "troopers," though (as Mom would call us), and enjoyed each other's company so much more than we could've expected. We laughed endlessly, took our misfortunes as good stories for the future, and by the end of the week found ourselves having totally adopted the Brazilian ideology behind "tudo bem" -- all is well!

From Rio de Janeiro, we met up with our friend Erin, whose plans to Chile had been disrupted by the earthquake in Santiago on the eve of their planned departure, and headed to the Argentine-Brazilian border to visit Iguazu Falls. Despite the 18-hour (one-way) bus ride, Iguazu was an absolute redeemer to the the Brazilian rain of the days before. We soaked up tons of sun, took a boat ride under the falls themselves, and spent hours in the Argentine jungle watching butterflies and other wildlife, all the while in utter awe of the incredible creation before us.

Upon returning back to Buenos Aires, we all mutually deemed our entire week a great success. We saw a new aspect of the Argentine landscape, crossed the border into an entirely different country, culture, and language, and made incredible memories that will last us a lifetime. Though parts didn't go according to our plans, we learned the beauty of taking each experience one day at a time, maintaining grateful hearts despite the trials, and trusting in the redemptive sunlight awaiting us at the end of the road.

"Let us acknowledge the LORD;
let us press on to acknowledge him.
As surely as the sun rises, he will appear;
he will come to us like the winter rains,
like the spring rains that water the earth."
- Hosea 6:3
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To view pictures from Spring Break, click here.

Love from abroad,
Margaret

Second Semester Catch-Up: Installment 2

Part 2 of this semester's catch-up posts:
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Patagonian Mountains' Majesty
(February 13-18, 2010)

Just two short weeks after Mom & Dad left, it was already time to leave again. We barely had time to adjust to our class schedules before departing for this semester's EFT, but I guarantee none of us was complaining! With 10 new students joining us in January, we knew our Educational Field Trip would be the perfect time to really bond and incorporate them into our already close-knit group, as well as allow us all a refreshing while away from the rush of city life.

On Saturday, February 13, all 55 students plus our program director Rafa, his assistant Maria, and our incredible travel agent Haro left for 6 fantastic days in Patagonia. Our first destination was the beautiful mountain town of El Calafate. Our first full day of the trip was spent entirely in Los Glaciares National Park, where we were able to see the Perito Moreno Glacier -- the only glacier in the world that, in contrast to every other glacier's trend of receding, maintains its size year after year. After several hours of viewing the glacier from the park's numerous vantage points, we strapped on our crampons and took a "mini-trekking" expedition and hiked upon the glacier itself! The grandeur of the glacier was absolutely breathtaking. Knowing that the ice upon which we were standing was upwards of 500 years old gave our whole group a humbling perspective on the incredible magnitude of the beauty we were seeing and experiencing. Our second day was spent on a boat tour throughout Lago Argentino, where we viewed other parts of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, including two of the other glaciers in the national park (Upsala Glacier & Spegazzini Glacier). For the second day in a row, I found myself absolutely awestruck by the magnitude of the creation before me. The same God who had created the giant ice sculptures before me had chosen to make me, instead, in His very image! What a testament to our intrinsic value as children of His kingdom.

Our time in Calafate no doubt set the tone for the rest of our trip to be just as awe-inspiring as days 1 & 2. On the third day, we left for the more secluded mountain "village" of El Chaltén. El Chaltén, also in within Los Glaciares National Park, is the home of the infamous Mount Fitz Roy, a peak regarded as one of the "ultimate" climbs by experienced mountaineers due to its threatening sheer granite faces. Upon our arrival in Chaltén, we learned that to actually see Fitz Roy is an incredible rarity, as more often than not it is surrounded by clouds and fog. However, uncharacteristically for mid-summer, our timing appeared to be perfect: we spent our entire first day in Chaltén under clear blue skies with the perfectly visible mountain peak as our magnificent backdrop. We spent the next few days hiking the mountains surrounding the peak, allowing the scenery to recharge us from the exhausting city life of Buenos Aires. The highlight of my trip was my experience on the optional 8-hour hike, during which 16 of us climbed up to Fitz Roy's best vantage point and the glacial lake of Laguna De Los Tres. Though the weather took a turn for the worst and left us spending the majority of the hike in the freezing rain, the experience was one I wouldn't have traded for anything. Rather than complaining through the cold and rain, we pressed on to reach the top, all the while allowing ourselves to treasure the clear memories of Mount Fitz Roy from days before.

The once-in-a-lifetime experiences our EFT provided made our departure from El Chaltén seem to come all too soon. However, the memories we made during our Patagonian adventures will surely not be soon forgotten. Through both the sunlight and the storm, we dedicated ourselves to soaking in every bit of the nature around us. The fury of a mountain storm matched with the majesty of the towering peaks showed us our insignificance to nature's immensity, yet reminded us all of our unfathomable worth in the eyes of our Creator.


"O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD,
Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

For the LORD is a great God
And a great King above all gods,
In whose hand are the depths of the earth,
The peaks of the mountains are His also.

Come, let us worship and bow down,
Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker,
For He is our God."

- Psalm 95:1-7a
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To view pictures from our Educational Field Trip to Calafate and Chalten, click here.

Love from abroad,
Margaret

Second Semester Catch-Up: Installment 1

For starters, I promise I had every intention of picking my blogging back up sometime within the past 9 weeks. However, this semester apparently had other plans for me. Ever since setting foot back on South American soil, life has been one crazy adventure after the other.

Here begins a 4-part recount of the happenings of my second semester abroad in Argentina.
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Molly & Miles' Argentine Adventures
(January 18-28, 2010)

It started with an incredible 8-day trip all over Argentina in the lovely company of my wonderful parents. We spent two nights in Buenos Aires, during which they got to experience an authentic Argentine parrilla (steakhouse), take a wine-and-dine tour of the three of the city's finest restaurants, visit the Recoleta Cemetery (and the mausoleum of the infamous Eva Peron), and best of all, meet my homestay family! It was such an incredible experience for my American parents to meet my Argentine padres. The introductions were so long-awaited and enthusiastic, and it was all-in-all just heartwarming to see each couple so excited to meet the other. It was obvious that seeing where I sleep, eat my meals, and with whom I spend my time at home in Buenos Aires gave Mom & Dad a huge sense of comfort, despite my distance from home, and gave them a far better understanding of the experience I've had during my time in Argentina.

From Buenos Aires, we went to the Chubut province of Patagonia, where we spent three nights at the El Pedral Lodge, right on the beautiful rocky coast of the Atlantic Ocean. We saw oodles of Patagonian wildlife, from elephant seals to 800,000 Magellanic penguins to an entire sea lion colony, pups and all! (Seriously, apart from Cade, the cutest things I've ever seen...). We read and relaxed and enjoyed each other's company to the fullest during our three days in Patagonia.

Upon leaving Patagonia, we headed to the Argentina wine country of Mendoza. Though now world-renown for its Malbec, the Mendoza region only became internationally recognized for its vineyards within the past 5 years or so. Thus, many of the wineries are still completely family-owned and take great pride in their small-batch wine productions. The wineries we toured during our time in Mendoza were clearly run out of sheer passion for their work, a sentiment I believe is far too rare in the corporate world we are used to. To further enjoy all that Mendoza had to offer, we spent an entire day hiking and zip-lining in the Andes mountains. The scenery was just breathtaking, and I felt like through that aspect of the trip, Mom & Dad were able to experience at least a taste of what I did and saw during my trip to the Peruvian Andes last fall.

We enjoyed our time in the in the wine country immensely, but alas, by day 7 of our travels, it was time to return to Buenos Aires for my intensive Spanish classes and the beginning of a new semester. On the last day of the trip, Mom & Dad came by Casa Holden and were able to meet many of the friends they'd heard so much about over the past several months. We enjoyed one last treat together -- dulce de leche helado from my favorite ice cream shop -- and before I knew it, it was time for them to go.

Saying goodbye to my parents was harder this time than any other time I remember. Perhaps it was because it came abruptly at the end of a once-in-a-lifetime vacation; perhaps it was because I had somewhat adjusted to being in Argentina with them as part of the equation; or, perhaps it was because that goodbye came at a time when we felt closer than ever. The 8 days we traveled through Argentina truly brought my relationship with my parents to an entirely different level. For once, I was the "pro" showing them the ropes -- telling them about local customs, acting as their translator, and showing them a country that we contrastingly viewed as "second-home" and utterly foreign.

Our trip through Argentina allowed my parents to witness, at least in part, what my life had been for the past semester. They finally understood that when I told them my favorite part of life here was the kindness of the locals, it wasn't a diplomatic answer -- it was the honest truth about the kind of people that live here. They understood exactly what I meant when I said I wouldn't trade my homestay parents for a bigger room or more convenient location. Ultimately, they saw what a diamond in the rough this country is: the breathtaking landscapes, the delicious cuisine, and the hospitality that rivals that of Texas pride.

Though saying goodbye was the hardest yet, we all knew that an incredible semester was in store. We will forever cherish the blessing of the memories we made that week and can look forward to reminiscing about them for years to come. For the timebeing until my return home, Skype will have to tide us over. But we all know we've got plenty of living to do until then.
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To view pictures from our week of Argentine adventures, click here.
Miss you all!

Love from abroad,
Margaret