Cultural Differences and Languages

My two favorite subjects to talk about are probably cultural differences and languages. I lived in Argentina most of my life, two years in Bolivia and now have been in the United Sates for five years. After having the privilege of experiencing a few cultures, I have started finding myself more and more seeking cultural differences in conversations with people that have had the same opportunity as I have, that can tell me about their experiences. It's so fascinating to me.
Languages is another big passion of mine...I speak fluent Spanish and English, and use to be pretty fluent in Italian. I also know a tiny bit of French and hope to become fluent in it some day. Altogether, I hope to be fluent in 6 languages, including one with a different alphabet, at some point in my life. I love learning about languages and even language differences. I grew up with British English, which got distorted along the way. I really ejoy talking to my Vice President at the hospital, who is from England. I love talking to her about phrases and words that are different (Like "it's not my cup of tea"...which I have used several times here and have gotten blank stares in return)...
I realized in our division lunch, which she attended, of one thing.:  I know I get too involved in this kind of discussions and monopolize conversations, which makes it very boring for people around who are not a bit interested in any of this...I need to be more aware of it...
Anyways, just those little thoughts...
Have a great weekend...
Cata.

"The opium of the masses"

I think Marx said that about religion (Karl, not Groucho). Sounds like something he'd say anyways.
As 92% of Argentinians, I am Catholic. However, I have found the Salida Catholic church (and probably the faith in general in the States), very Orthodox.
In Argentina, there are so many people going to church (not 92% of course) that I believe some things have molded to accommodate all the attendees.
In a town I lived long time ago, it was even the "cool" thing and hot spot for teenagers to be on Sunday evening...Better church than getting in trouble, right?
So, after a clash between wanting to go to church and wanting my girls to go to church, I decided I needed to find a kid-friendly church. I believe all Christian churches carry similar values so I asked around about Christian churches with good kids programs and got recommended to one by two coworkers.
The idea was to go "church shopping" but the girls (and I) liked it so much on the first day that we just kept going for a month and a half now. People were super welcoming and friendly and the Pastor's passion for his lectures were inspiring.
A few people had told me about the perception they got that women were supposed to be submissive to men and, only in the short period of time I've been there, I've already heard it preached twice.
I am always going to be Catholic and raise my girls that way but finding a good kids program is important and the local Catholic church doesn't offer one (nor is kid friendly at all). I just don't want them to be taught that because I honestly believe men and women are 100% equal specially in the eyes of God.
I know that parts of the Scriptures need to be contextualized and I think this is one of them.
I don't know if I'll go back or not...I do know I need to try other ones. Regardless, I think I need to go back to my original plan of "church shopping"...it doesn't cost anything after all...
I know it's not very good writing skills but [insert excuses here].
Sorry I've been missing for so long...I write so much for school and spend so much time in the computer for it that blogging only comes to mind while I am not home.
See you!
Cata.

Crazy or Complex...

I was having lunch with a friend yesterday and I have no idea what I was passionately going on about but he said "I don't know if you are crazy or complex"...(Are we seeing a theme through my male friends???)....this is a person who knows me and likes me a lot and thinks I'm complicated...
I said "Both!"...Em automatically said "She just thinks too much, that's her problem"...
I'd like to think I'm wonderfully complex and that I'll just keep being that way forever...I don't think I'll ever figure myself out and that's ok. I'll keep changing and evolving, hopefully becoming better every day.
Anyways... I thought about this and even though I am a dialetic thinker (a person that keeps thinking while they talk) maybe I should not talk so much...(and so intimidatingly passionatedly)...Smart people talk little, substantially and leave you thinking...I need to work on that...
PS: I love seeing people that have known me for a few years and they see me now and they comment on how happy I look...And I stop and think how happy I am...Life is pretty woderful...Lucky for my crazy and complex self.