Hi there!!
So the MTC is going well. At first it was a HUGE adjustment. I think mostly because of the whole Africa thing. The first day - honestly - was way tough because I just felt so out of place. I'm the only American sister and I was put in a 6 week french course with people who didn't speak ANY french. Plus my companions were both from Nigeria so they had a sort of rapport between them. And sometimes they talked to each other in a native dialect.
They have only just started up the language course a month ago at the Ghana MTC. Before that they didn't teach ANY languages - it was only for people going somewhere in West Africa speaking their native dialect. That's why they didn't do any language assessments. So the first day we spent over an hour going over the basics like "What's your name" and "My name is" and "Where are you from". Anyway I felt a little discouraged at the idea of being in the MTC for 6 weeks when I know french already. But I knew that I had so much to learn about teaching that I knew my time wouldn't be wasted. And by the second day I had started to get to know my classmates - who are also your district - and started to enjoy spending time with them. However, I told the President of the MTC about my language training and asked if it might be better for me to go into the native french class. The native french speakers have their own class and are the ones who only stay here for 12 days. I went into that class and was assigned a "temporary" companion, which was another sister in a companion of 3. The native class went really well! Even though I was nervous about being out of my depth but surprisingly ever since arriving my french has gone really well. It's just seemed so much more natural! I know it's the work of the Lord because even in France it seemed more difficult. I think it also helps that everyone is speaking "African french" which is a lot less exact than French French. So they don't notice all my errors - or so I hope. So then after talking to the President again I was permanently assigned to the French district and my new companion!! Which means I'll be leaving the MTC in only 9 days YAYAYAYAYAYSAYAY!! If you think that I'm being a little overenthusiastic think about the fact that I would be here for a month after that. And that seems like forever right now. I am soo excited that I'll be out in the field so quickly! I'll be going straight to Reunion!! AHH
Ok general information about Ghana/Africa. We went to the temple today and honestly driving down the road was like being in a movie. The red dirt and shanties and people all look straight out of a movie. It was almost weird. Also the accents here are insane. Like my first two companions spoke English as their first language but over half the time I could NOT understand it. Honestly, it's easier for me to understand French here than it is English. The food consists mostly of rice and sauce and chicken. The sauce is this red spicy sauce - kinda like Indian food. So I'm not really complaining. Though it's day four and we get that for lunch and dinner so I think it might start wearing on me soon. They also serve us SOOO much. About two cups of rice for every meal. So I've started asking for way smaller portions - and the Africans look at me like I'm crazy. But that's easy for them to say. All the African missionaries are the size of twigs. Even the guys are way thin. But I guess that's the benefit of having ancestors that have had to outrun lions to survive. And most are pretty short too. Some of them look like they are only 15 - but they're actually older than me! I can't wait to send you pictures so you see what I mean. Seriously they look like they're in middle school but then they're like 22 years old. Breakfast typically consists of 3 slices of loaf bread (which isn't as soft as our white bread) with butter, a boiled egg and hot chocolate. Sometimes they serve oatmeal with it too. I also can't complain about that because when you're hungry you'll eat almost anything. So surprisingly I now have a taste for boiled eggs.
There are a couple of missionaries from Madagascar. Two sisters and 5 Elders. But only 3 of them speak french. The others really only speak Malagasy. Which is rough for them since they are all supposed to speak French. It makes me nervous about Madagascar because apparently no one really speaks French - and right now that's all I can handle! Also I asked them if Malagasy is similar and they said "Not at all" and I asked them which language is similar and they said "None". So that's comforting haha. Maybe I'll never need to cross that bridge. I think I'm the only missionary who speaks both French and English. Which is way ironic since when I was in Europe I was like an idiot for only speaking one language and now I am smart for knowing two! But the whole MTC is interesting in the fact that about half of the missionaries only speak English and half of them only speak French so we operate in both languages. We have separate sacrament meetings and other classes. And when its necessary for everyone to be in one - the French speakers wear headphones for translation. The President and about half of the teachers (there are around 8) speak both but I've still been used to translate from time to time. By french missionaries who need to say something to the cooks or English teachers who need to tell French missionaries in the computer room something. It's just so odd being the only missionary. But I love translating because it makes me work and really think about the French and grammar. It's the best type of practice.
My companion is amazing!!! Her name is Soeur Teuira and she is from Tahiti. I think at first we both felt out of place because we are the only sisters from our companion and French is a second language for us. But together we are great. She is so smiley and laughing all the time which is awesome because my first companions (and all the Africans) can be a little sever sometime. Not like strict about rules, just they don't seem to crack a smile much. I wish I could write more about my companion and district and everything but I'm out of time! And I super love you guys and wish you WOULD WRITE ME. I heard from Grandpa and Grandma - both of them. Write. Do it.
Hopefully I'lll have a PDay next week but I think it's possible I won't since I might be travelling to Reunion. So don't be alarmed if I don't write back. But still WRITE!
All my love,
Soeur Stewart
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