Transfer week again!

By know you all know how much I don't enjoy transfer week, well this one isn't any better, some of my favorite missionaries are leaving and it's so sad.  Of course, judging by their excitement, I don't think they are nearly as sad as I am.   After months of working with them, I just get too attached.  I'm going to work on that and toughen up!

Last week we hopped on the trolley and went downtown Mendoza for a shopping trip.  Elder Packer needed some shoes (NOT cheap, actually more than in the States) and I wanted some things at Centro Mercado, like whole wheat flour, ground flax seeds,  wheat germ, and we found some nice fresh salmon and surprise, surprise we actually found some real "black" olives.  Unheard of down here.  

Mendoza people don't like sea food like we do back home (shrimp, clams, lobster, oyesters, etc.), however, they have lots of other types and I'd like to tell you what, but.. we haven't identified any of them yet, just lots of slimy white stuff, maybe octopus or squid?  And lots of fish, I'm a little nervous to try any of them, because I'm not sure what they are, everything is named differently (in Spanish), haven't a clue what it is. When we lived in Japan I wasn't afraid to try anything, I think that's what age does to you, I'm a bit of a coward now.  Besides, who knows how or if it was refrigerated, we are so far from the ocean?  That being said, don't you think they would have canned clams?  Nope, unheard of.  I have to by clams frozen flat in a bag of a dozen or so, wash and clean out the insides and chop them up, to make clam chowder.  So we don't make it very often.

Another thing I really miss is corn tortillas.  I would love a good taco or enchiladas, but they don't have corn tortillas, or maze corn flour (special type) to make them out of.  I've searched all the stores and they have lots of polenta but that's all.  However, I was happy and surprised to find it in Centro Mercado, or thought I had.  I brought it home and tried to make a dough out of it...and it crumbles no matter how I work it.  I finally worked some regular flour into it and got it a little bit better, I (tried) to make tortillas out of it, but it doesn't taste or look the same at all.   I may try to make enchiladas out of them...I'm getting desperate for some Mexican food!  Nobody here eats it, except "Norte Americanos".
It's late so I'll stop for now.

We send our love to all, enjoy your spring, while we are going into our winter, brrrr.
Hermana Packer
Que tanga buen dia!  Yo escribir mas proxima semana.