Pictionary and American food

As I get more involved in the young adult group at the Waldensian church, I find myself getting invited to do more things in my free time. Last night, I was invited to a girls house to play games. First we started out with poker (without money) and I was surprised that I was the one that knew best how to play! The others had just learned the night before, so I told them a few things they did not know about a game that I always lose! I still lost last night which is why I will never put my money in games like that. It was fun to hang out and laugh with people outside of work.
After poker, we played pictionary. I have to admit I was dreading this from the minute I walked in the door because I felt I did not have a good handle on the language. I had my Spanish-English dictionary in hand and 8 people who were willing to help me out if I had a question. I actually guessed a couple of the drawings right with my limited vocabulary. I did not hide my surprise when they told me I was right, and everyone shared in my outward expression of joy (even the other team). Amazingly, the drawing was a lot easier and my team usually guessed quickly what I was drawing.
I am still getting accustomed to the schedule they keep in Uruguay. Almost all eat a big snack around 6 or 7pm and dinner is nto usually served until 9 or 10pm. It is hard to find someone that goes to bed before 1am. That makes my 10pm bedtime a little unusual here, but it is a hard habit to break! Last night the group stayed at the girl's house until 4am!
I woke up for church and was pleasantly surprised at how easily I conversed this morning before worship started. It is starting to feel natural to speak in Spanish. (I am almost not scared to talk on the phone anymore!) Unfortunately today a member of the congregation passed away this morning. I had not met him, he came to church last Sunday when I was in Colonia. He is the second member to pass away since I have been here and both were members of the church practically since the beginning (60 years ago). Keep the families and congregation in your prayers.
I was invited by a woman to her house for lunch. She is very gracious and said that we could get together again. I talked to her 8 year old daughter about what she was doing in English class and her 3 year old son was very shy and would not look at me for the first half hour after he returned from his grandparents' house. We had a nice conversation, and she said we could get together again and cook food that we eat in the United States.
I have been told this several times, but I struggle with what to cook that is "from the United States." If you have any ideas or recipes (that are not too difficult), PLEASE send me an email or let me know somehow. When I am asked what my favorite foods are I tell them Granny's fried chicken and Mexican food. Neither of which I can fix, because I am not my Granny and they don't have the right ingredients to make Mexican food (from what I have seen). Uruguay is definitely not accustomed to eating anything with a little spice. Pepper is never put on a table at meals, because "it gives me blisters on my lips" one girl told me.