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Culture Exposure
Do Mei 31, 2007 12:54 pm
[  Mood: Sick ] [ Currently: waiting in the airport ]
So far I have been offered...
taxi drives
personal guides
imitation watches (but good ones, not from China, from Italy, so they say)
shoes
carpets
tunics
djembées
sunglasses
flowers
...
and maybe a bit more unconventional...
drugs and women
I have a bit of mixed feelings about this place... I am here as a tourist, but other than the 3rd biggest mosque and a beach in the world, there is little to see.
The people are great and nice. But if you are white, and on your own... men constantly stopped me and start talking to me... in the beginning it is nice, but before you know it they are your personal guide, and of course want money for the service... Sometimes it is almost impossible to "lose" them.
It makes it very difficult to interact with any locals... cause I'm always thinking they want money from me...
After my short visit I know a bit more about the culture, and I had the chance to relax and enjoy the sun... mission accomplished!
A lot to take in and reflect on... Casablanca, Morocco is definitely very different from any other place I have ever been to.
freezing
Di Jan 23, 2007 7:10 pm
Just been home for an hour after a 31 hour journey and now back in the office...
lots of sleep in the planes, so am well awake now and catching up with the mail and some communication...
Before driving from home to the office I needed to scratch the ice of my windows!!! what a difference with Argentina!!!
I am now sat here with a big jumper and a big jacket!!!
the last days in Argentina have been different and exciting... can't give much detail, but as I said in my first blog this year, they are seriously asking me to come back as a long-term missionary...
scary thought... and I have no idea what God wants... have 3 options now... Belgium, England and Argentina... where does God want me? If you know, please let me know too!
Jonathan
no presents
Za Jan 20, 2007 8:50 pm
Cima ended 2 nights ago... it has been a very good congress and I am happy I was a little part of it...
I made it to the CIMA News twice... with very silly pictures... hope to get them digitally soon, so I can upload them...
break down has been a hard day... all people still working had very little energy left and were in a bad mood because of it... but we have been able to finish almost everything in one day 
If you were hoping to get a present from Argentina... sorry to disappoint you.. I went into Cordoba today but Cordoba is deserted... all the shops are closed, very few people on the street... seems saturday is just as a sunday... all I have been able to get is sunglasses for myself... (I know a bit late... but at least they will help me tomorrow)
Am gonna do a little bit of reading now... hopefully somebody will come soon who speaks something else than spanish... if they manage to get out of their bed today 
hot hot hot
Do Jan 18, 2007 5:08 pm
Finally, it is hot weather... it took a long time, but today it is really hot! half an hour in the sun is a long time...
For me the congress has been very quiet... allmost all problems were solved before the congress actually started, so now I just enjoy the aircondintioning in the room for speakers,...
2 days ago we went to the evangelistical night... i was really looking forward to it... but it was cancelled after 10 minutes because of the rain... hmm...
Yesterday swimming pool... again something I looked forward to... but I had to be at a rehearsal for the international night...
the international night was... how shall i put it... an experience... presenting Belgium in Spanish... hmmm...
today is the last day of CIMA... tomorrow break down and then 2 more days of ???
rubbish....
Di Jan 16, 2007 1:46 pm
another latin solution... (now sorted with new skips)
small groups...
The Latin Solution
Ma Jan 15, 2007 11:33 pm
[  Mood: Hypnotized ]
The
Ma Jan 15, 2007 11:26 pm
Wow,
it started and things are going well... a few things could go better, but almost all is going really good.
It is great to be in South America and get to know this culture! We had a shortage of volunteers which has been filled by shorties (european short-term missionaries)... while finding a solution, Thomas explained the Latin solution to me...
In Latin America there is always one more solution then in Europe... there is no solution... and that's ok...
frustrating, and interesting...
have some nice pictures on my phone... am now waiting to find a card reader, so i can put them online...
Tomorrow is the evangelistical night... 1000 'campimentistas' dropped in the centre of Cordoba where there will be a big stage event, mime, painting,...
hope and pray that will go well... imagine 1000 Christians dropped in your town, to tell the gospel to all... hope it will be great!
Jonathan
end of preparation
Za Jan 13, 2007 1:56 am
8 hours before the first people arrive...
the last few days have been entertaining... showers... (see Trev's blog)... stewards who aren't here yet, missing trays for food, badges on the other end of the country,... the lost of challenges has been long... but it looks like most have been resolved well, or will be resolved... don't forget... this is Latin-America...
Tonight will be the first night on site... hopefully a long one...
The weather s turning nice have a very red face now
am now mixing 5 languages and get very confused... and so do the people i talk to...
Let's pray for CIMA, a lot of work needs to be done, but soon 1,000 people will be here worshipping god, and looking for new direction in their life... let's pray they'll have a great time!
Hasta pronto
Jonathan
a good night sleep
Di Jan 09, 2007 1:36 pm
So far this week, i have slept in a plane, in a youth camp, worked all night once, and last night i was locked out of the house i'm staying in, so I slept in the office...
other thatn that things are getting busy... there is a lot of work to be done and the heat seems to affect the people (indeed, the sun is shinging again :-))
am waiting now to leave to the site to continue with the building up, there is still a lot to be done, and I am looking forward to finishing it...
Youth Camp
Zo Jan 07, 2007 7:06 pm
It is sunday afternoon now, just returned to the office from a youth camp where I spoke last night and this morning. It has been a great time and experience! It gave me a chance to see another site of Argentina then the life in this office. It reminded me a lot of Roumania!
Both people and culture seem to have more in common than I realised before.
Other than that everything is going well, a lot of work to be done in the preparation of Cima. Tomorrow we hope to start building up (yes we hope... this is Latin America... you only know what is happening while you are doing it...)
Better get some work done...
PS... the weather s very much like an English summer... rain, rain and more rain
Melting
Do Jan 04, 2007 8:33 pm
[  Mood: Cool ]
2nd day in Argentina... trip went well, very boring... lots of time to think and read (and sleep a few hours)
feet got really swollen, but is getting better...
It s great to be here, people are very nice. Lots of shorties here (short-term missionaries) from Europe... so sometimes I can escapre from all the Spanish.
Yesterday a shortie celebrated her 20th birthday, so had a good first night... hoping it will get even better now...
While introduced to the team this morning they were told they need to pray I start working here as a full-time missionary in 5 months... shock... still in shock... don't think this is God's plan for me, but we'll see... and as Thomas just told me... pray...
Ohh... what I'm doing here... helping with the logistics... that s all I know... today I worked on the preparation of build-up and a task list of everything that needs to happen during the congress...
hasta pronto
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