San Antonio, Milonga and a new apartment

Another week has already flown by and I leave for Peru in just 5 days! Just have to get through midterms this week...

Last Sunday I went on an IES field trip to San Antonio which is a town about 2 hours out of Buenos Aires. We first explored the town but since it was Sunday there wasn't too much going on. Then we went over an estancia close by and spent the rest of the day there. We went there to witness gaucho culture in the campos (country side) even though in current time it is all played up for the tourists. We ate a bunch of good food, saw some traditional dancing, watched a horse game with gauchos, rode horses and just enjoyed being out of the city! My favorite part was riding the horses. Most of my friends had gone to Lobos the previous day so it ended up just being me and a group of boys on Sunday meaning the gauchos gave me a little extra attention! We didn't have much time left before we had to leave but a couple of us wanted to go for a real quick ride. I didn't think there was going to be enough horses but then one of the gauchos let me get on the horse he had been riding in the games earlier! Because he had been running at high speeds the horse was so so sweaty but I decided to give it a go. It turned out that this was definitely one of the fastest horses and it felt so good to be back on a horse. We just rode down a path and as everyone was turning around the gaucho pulled me aside and told me how pretty I looked on the horse. He just let me open the horse up to go as fast as he could. I was just thinking to myself how incredible it was to be having this experience in Argentina. I will remember this moment looking back on the whole semester. It seems like such a little thing to be riding a horse but that special attention to let that horse run was amazing. It made me get even more excited for the ranch this summer!! But another exciting/unique/scary part of the day was on the bus ride home. We were on the highway coming back to Buenos Aires and there was probably 20 minutes straight of lightning lighting up the sky. It seemed just like heat lightning but went on forever! One of the IES ladies said that when that happens usually hail comes after. Sure enough she was right. I have never seen hail like this. There were balls of hail MUCH bigger than golf balls and probably every other car either had its front or back windshield busted out and very view made it through with out some sort of dents! At one point we had to push against the window of the bus due to wind! I'm just glad to say that I was in a bus with vertical windows and not a car with slanted ones! It was scary but very interesting at the same time.

Monday morning I went to get my visa which was an interesting experience. After our cab driver drove around probably 10 minutes extra and ask probably 3 people where the immigration building was we finally arrived and I was so glad to see other IES students! There were tons of people all speaking spanish and I don't even know why all of them were at immigrations! It seemed easier on the front end coming to Argentina when we didn't have to apply for a visa before departure but things are just not organized and regulated here like they are in the US! I triple checked to make sure that I had all I needed (passport, criminal record, head-shots, 300 pesos, copy of every page of my passport) and so it went as smoothly as possible! I just have to remind myself how much worse it would be to be deported since my tourist stamp in my passport only lasts for 90 days! They said I had to come back in about 8 days to pick up my visa but other groups of students had had to return 4 hours later. Because this seemed like such a long time in comparison the lady from IES talked to them and they said to go back Friday between 8 and 1 and trying to stay on top of things of course I went on Friday but guess what? Thanks again Argentina the lady told me it wouldn't be ready till next week. Such as life.

Monday was also an exciting day because I got my new apartment :) I just needed a little more space and this was the perfect way to do it! It is just 3 blocks from my homestay so its really easy for me to go back and forth! I love just having a place to escape to and relax a little! We had our first dinner party on Friday which was a blast!


Thursday night I went to a milonga which is a place to dance tango. We went to a place called Salon Canning. Although I had to go for my cultural icons class it was actually fun and interesting! Jackie and I brought our tango shoes and so we ended up dancing with some older Argentine men who were really good! It was fun practicing what I've learned at IUNA and just trying to blend in. There were people of all ages and you could really tell they were passionate about tango. Hopefully I will be able to go back another time before the end of the semester when I am even more comfortable in my tango-ing abilities!

Friday we had a girls night at the apartment with lots of yummy food and wine! Saturday I did some work during the day and then had a pizza dinner with a smaller group and today I did SOO much work but such as life during midterm week! Just have to get through Thursday at 12 and I'll be home free for spring break! I can't believe it's already here!!

the past 2 and a half weeks...

I cannot believe how fast time is flying by. There have been so many times I have meant to update my blog and just haven't found the time! Anyways, since my last update I have adventured to Mendoza, started my awesome volunteer work, and enjoyed the Argentine life. A major bump in the road was that upon my repelling down the mountain in Mendoza, my camera tumbled out of my pocket and down the mountain to its death. It was very sad but I got my memory stick back which I cared much more about than my actual camera! I went over two weeks without one but got one yesterday! So I'll be back in to photographer mode except a little extra cautious this time since Sony cameras cost a little more in Argentina than in the US. But with Machu Picchu and Calafate (the glaciers in patagonia) lined up for spring break there is no way I could spend the rest of the semester without a camera!!


We didn't have school the Thursday and Friday before Easter so we woke up at 4:30 on Thursday morning of Semana Santa (Easter break) April 1st in order to get a cab and get to the airport before our early flight. There were 8 of us together- 6 girls and 2 boys. But Tess did not bring her passport to the airport and had to catch the next flight to meet us there. But a short flight and easy transfer to our wonderful Hotel America was easy. It was so nice to breathe in fresh air and enjoy life outside of the big city. Until I escaped for a little while I hadn't realized how different life is in a big city!! Just stepping off the plane relieved stress of the hustle and bustle of the city. We spent our first afternoon on a city tour. Because I thought of Mendoza as the wine country (which it is) I didn't think much about the actual city which wasn't all that impressive. There were some cool parts and we drove up to this statue and it gave us a beautiful view of the area with the Andes around sunset.


On Friday morning, Meagan, Paige, and Michael set out to go skydiving. Far too adventuresome for me! It took them the whole day due to winds and everything but all three had the best time and said it was amazing. Sounded cool but not cool enough :) Instead, Jackie, Jenn and I went on a wine tour for the afternoon! I finally saw areas more similar to what I had been expecting to see! We went to two wineries and one olive oil place! I can only imagine that outside of the city just 30 more minutes out there would be absolutely beautiful places that are very peaceful. Maybe someday I will return! We didn't stay out too late because we had a big day planned for Saturday! Adventuring on the Mendoza river and repelling and trekking in the Andes mountains.

We woke up early on Saturday morning to get ready for the day. We already had our book bags packed with cameras, changes of clothes, snacks, and not enough coats. It was overcast but we all assumed it would get warmer, but the whole day it stayed pretty chilly! It was about an hour drive to the place by the river where we were set to base these adventures out of. It was so amazing to be tucked in the middle of the Andes Mountains! I just wished I had worn the leggings that I had sitting out in the hotel room! But after waiting for a little while we headed out to repelling first. I didn't realize it was going to be quite so steep of a rock face but it was pretty cool! All until my camera tumbled out of my pocket... but at least I got the memory card back and it wasn't my body that did the crashing down the mountain!! That afternoon we went trekking as they called it but really just a hike up a semi-steep hill to the top with a view and then back down some rocks to end up next to the river. A really cool location! Then began the real fun. I don't know how cold it actually was, but definitely too cold for shorts!! So in order to go white water rafting we all had to put on wetsuits over our bathing suits, with splash jackets, helmets, and life-vests! By the end of the adventure on the river however we were very cold!! We decided for all six of the girls to go in raft with a guide instead of dividing up with the boys which was a fun decision. We were so pumped up from the adrenaline of how cold it was and the fact that we were about to be completely wet with cold water! We had a guide named Oso (bear in spanish) and he was a typical crazy river guide and he spoke great english which was an added bonus! He kept calling us his 'river mermaids.' He definitely had the most exciting boat with 6 twenty-year old american girls. I know by the end of the semester that white water rafting in Mendoza will have been a highlight!

It was so weird to not be at home with my family on Easter. They were getting up to go to church for Easter Sunday and I was in Mendoza, Argentina without them! It was hard knowing they were all together at the beach but I reminded myself that Mendoza (and this semester in general) is a once in a lifetime experience and I can be with them every other Easter of my life!! I didn't get to go to church just because of timing with out flight and checking out of the hotel but before the end of the semester I am going to try and go to a service (even though it definitely probably won't be a Presbyterian church!) We had a really late flight back to Buenos Aires but had to check out of the hotel so we left our stuff there but walked around town and relaxed a little. It would have been nice to go back earlier but it was all part of the adventure!

Mendoza was so fun but since then I have been camera-less! But basically these are the weeks that pass by so fast! I have busy days Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday then I have started volunteering Thursday and Friday then its the weekend and then the next week again! A couple things though: I have changed my schedule to drop my Service Learning class and add yoga! It has been a nice change. it makes my Mondays not quite so long and gives me less homework! The best part though is that I am still getting to volunteer! I am working with three other girls at an organization called Puentes. I don't know exactly all of what it does but in general I think it aids students who are starting at universities who need some extra help. What we are doing is actually teaching two english classes! It's so cool; I absolutely love it! It's even worth being across town at 10am on Fridays which is a day that we don't have class! Thursday's class is a group of 6 eighteen-year old boys who are all really excited to improve their english. Some are better than others but they are all trying hard. They are so funny and each have their own personalities. Friday's class is supposed to have 4 girls and 3 boys but only 3 of the girls have ever come! It is a different group dynamic with the girls but they are so sweet. It is so interesting to work with people trying to learn english. Little word usages that I don't even think about are easy to mix up for them. Also it is fun just getting to know some Argentines! None of these kids are very wealthy. None live in Palermo or Recoleta (I live in Recoleta) which are 2 of the more upscale neighborhoods. It again reminds me of how big this city is!! We had our first classes in the bottom of basically of an office building which didn't have WiFi or a projector screen so we have moved the the business and alumni center of a local university. it is cool to be surrounded by students around our own age and have the technology but its further away an we have to go through steps just to get past security but it looks like that is going to be where we are for the rest of the semester so we will have to make it work!

Other than that I have just been enjoying the Argentine life! I just booked my spring break to go to Cusco and Machu Picchu and then down to El Calafate (the glaciers in Patagonia)! It is going to be absolutely amazing. So just two weeks and I will be on a plane to Peru! After spring break I will still have a weekend in Uruguay, Bariloche in Patagonia, and Iguazu Falls! And 2 weeks with my family which will be the best part! I will try to update again before spring break! Because after that I will have so much to write about!