Mis Aventuras: 8

¡Hola todos!

Apologies for not updating for nearly two weeks, it has been a mad house around here!  I'll pick up from Dad's weekend visit:

Thursday (3rd), the group had a going away dinner at our resident director's house for Nicole who returned to the States that weekend (she was in a different academic program).  That evening we all went to Lost, a local bar/night club to celebrate Sky's birthday.   

On Friday morning we were up early for the API Gives Back event.  We spent the morning and afternoon cleaning, organizing, and painting a home for young girls who are drug addicts and/or neglected by their families.  The girls were a bit hesitant towards us at the beginning, but by the time lunch came around they were very friendly and enjoyed us being there.  It was definitely a sight to see and really puts life into perspective.  That evening we celebrated Nicole's last night in Buesnos Aires at Asia de Cuba, a club in Puerto Madero.  It was enjoyable, but being located in a rich neighbourhood brought an array of 35+ year old men with a lot of money looking for younger women, something nobody was interested in. 

Saturday was 5 de mayo!  Our festivities started with the girls and me cooking pasta for dinner at my house (dinner is not provided by our families on Saturdays).  Dinner was followed by going to Maddie's apartment and yet another club.  Sunday, as you can probably imagine, was a day of some much needed rest.  Sadly, instead of lying in bed and being lazy, it was spent studying for the following week of midterms.

Midterm week in Buenos Aires went pretty well, I think/hope.  I wasn't too pleased with a B on my history of economics exam, but the exam was nothing like she had prepared us for, so I suppose I should be thankful.  Sadly, I am not enjoying the course, although I think if the professor were different I would enjoy it.  However, I am half way through with a final paper left to go so it is almost finished!  On a brighter note, my tango dancing test went well!  I am definitely going to be a professional once I return to the States! 

The best news I have heard since being here was from my youngest host-sister.  While we were both studying she told me how much my Spanish had improved from when I first arrived.   I had not realized that I can understand the girls when the jabber 100mph whereas upon arriving I was absolutely terrified!   It was a great compliment to hear from her and has greatly boosted my confidence!

Thursday evening I went out with the group to Liquid, a dance club, for Nikki's 21st birthday.  I have been there once before, and it was a great time.  The club has two floors and plays English music until about 2am and then plays Spanish, salsa-like music which is a lot of fun to dance to, especially if you have a good partner!!  Also, a happy 51st birthday to my mother!!!!

On Friday morning I offically got my visa!  It was a great way to start my morning with such joyful people...(sarcasm).  That afternoon we had a group tour of the Colon Theatre, a famous ballet and orchestral concert hall.  It's absolutely stunning!!  Afterwards the girls and I stopped for coffee and medialunas (what Argentines we are!)  That evening we went to Lauren's house before going out with the rest of the group to Palermo.

Today has been very relaxing.  Rebecca came over to work on a presentation for class and then we cooked dinner at Sarah's house.  I think cooking instead of going out for dinner on Saturdays is going to become a regular event.  It is great and we can actually eat vegetables (Argentines do not know what veggies are). 

Tomorrow is going to be another relaxing and homework kind of day.  It is also my host sister's 20th birthday, so I will be helping my host mother cook and bake for the family birthday dinner.  Also, a happy mother's day to my mummy!!!!

On Friday, my friend Laura is arriving for a week long vist!!!!  I cannot wait to see her and show her this fabulous city!  I will update after her visit!

¡Hasta luego! 

Mis Aventuras: 7

 ¡Hola todos!

Well I had a slight change of plans from my previous post.  I had several problems with my plane ticket to Chile, so I ended up not going.  Instead, my dad came down for the long weekend!  It was great to see him!! 

I went to the airport and picked him up on Friday morning and we spent the rest of the afternoon around the city seeing the main sites.  He also met my host family as we returned to the apartment to collect my things - I was not turning down three nights in a Hilton with free food, drink, and a gym.  That evening (well, every evening) we enjoyed cocktails for two hours before going out for dinner.

On Saturday we were hoping to go to Tigre, however the weather forced us to change our plans.  Instead, I showed him around the neighbourhood of Belgrano where we stopped at my university, China Town, and a couple of shopping malls.  That evening we went to Cafe Tortoni, a historical, well-known cafe which used to be home to tango performances.  Now, it is a restaurant with a tango show twice per week.  The tango show, which is performed by my tango professor from university and his partner, was very fantastic!

On Sunday we went to a local market.  The markets here are great and consist of an array of Argentine items with a great price tag, especially on leather goods.  That afternoon we met my host mother and sister - only the middle one could come as the other two were away for the long weekend - at Victoria Cream, my favourite local cafe.  My sister and I played translators (I obviously played translator all weekend) as dad and María don't know English/Spanish, but the everybody understood what was being said.  That evening I took dad to my usual wine bar.

Monday was our R&R day as it is mid-term week for me.  That afternoon I took him to the airport where we watched the Man United and Man City match before we went our separate ways.  It was a great weekend spent with him!!  I look forward to him coming back down in the coming months!

Today has been spent studying for my history of economics exam with a girl from my class.  My exam is on Thursday, so fingers crossed I pass it!!

Overall, it was a great 5 day weekend - I could definitely get used to having them more often!   ¡Hasta luego!  

Mis Aventuras: 6

¡Hola todos!

Picking up from where I left off last week:  The girls and I went to Starbucks to do some homework and we met an English fashion designer.  Andrew is the owner of FabAfrica, a line of handbags and clothes using textiles from Africa.  He and his line were displayed in Argentina's fashion magazine in February and he is currently planning on moving to New York as Bloomingdales and several other large department stores have purchased his line. 

On Saturday the whole group was invited out for dinner with Max (boy from our group) and his family who came to visit him.  There were about 8 of us total who went along with his parents and brother.  It was a lovely dinner (and free!)  That Sunday Rebecca and I went to Plaza de Mayo to visit one of the many markets in Buenos Aires.  I now have Argentina coasters for my new apartment!!

The week has been somewhat uneventful as it now consists of my daily routine which is school.  I did, however, receive an A on my first exam in Buenos Aires!  Definitely a good start to the semester. 

Wednesday morning was spend in the German Hospital.  For the past month or so Rebecca has been unwell and unable to keep food down, so after much convincing that she should see a doctor, she finally went.  It turns out that she has digestive problems with the foods she has been eating and must take medication for a month and eliminate a large array of foods including: bread, meat, pasta, sweets, even alcohol!  It has been nearly a week and she is surviving but with great difficulty.  Good thing we went to Mendoza before we found this news out! 

That evening Sarah experienced an Argentine blind date!  Marcos set her up with one of his friends and we went to a bar/nightclub in Palermo.  It was an enjoyable night for all, however I do not believe Sarah will be seeing him again!

On Friday the girls and I did some shopping before going to school for International Night.  This event included student tables with information and food about their home country as well as student dance/vocal performances.  We stayed about an hour and left as it was not terribly enjoyable and we had an early start the next day.

Saturday was our trip to Colonia, Uruguay!  I was up at 515 Saturday morning, so definitely a difficult morning, but an enjoyable day.  We took an hour long ferry to Colonia which was not pleasant as the ferry was very compact and the wind and waves threw us all over the place.  Once arriving, we took a tour through the city and spent the rest of the afternoon in the old area of Colonia which was filled with tourist restaurants, small museums, and boutiques.  There was not much to do in the town so our time was spent mostly wondering around.  The weather also was not on our side as the wind made it a cold day.  On the way back to Buenos Aires, the ferry was much grander than before and more of what I had imagined and remembered from my trip to Jersey years ago.  There was a duty free shop on board so I indulged in tea bags and a large Cadbury's chocolate bar which will cover my chocolate cravings for the next month, at least!  That evening we went out for dinner and then Sarah and I went to our usual wine bar to see some friends.

Today has been the typical Sunday of homework along with a coffee date with the girls.  Next week, if all goes according to plan, I am off to Chile for the long weekend!  I will update with more activities then!  ¡Hasta luego!

Mis Aventuras: 5

¡Hola todos!

So many exciting things have happened since my last update! Let's start with my three day trip to Iguazú with API, about a 2 hour plane ride from Buenos Aires. Upon arriving to the city, we visited a wildlife refuge for injured animals. We traveled via car as well as walked through the rainforest learning about the different animals and why they were in the refuge. That evening, as the sun set, we went to La Triple Frontera, the location where one can see Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. It was a beautiful evening! Despite being in Iguazú, I had not forgotten about the Final Four game against Ohio State! Luckily, our hotel had ESPN, so Sarah and Max came to my and Rebecca's room to watch the nail biting game.

Left: Paraguay Right: Brazil

Sunday we spent the day at the Iguazú Falls. They were stunning! There is a reason why they are one of the seven wonders of the world! The Falls are located in a large park with plenty of cafes and walking paths close by. So during the afternoon, we walked through what we were told was one of the best kept secrets in Iguazú -- they were not joking. We walked through a rainforest for 7 miles where we encountered wild monkeys, until we eventually arrived at a small waterfall and natural pool where we cooled ourselves off. Once leaving there, several of us spent a few extra pesos to take a boat ride and actually go into the falls, which was thoroughly enjoyed after a long, hot day of walking at least 20 miles.

On Monday, before flying back to Buenos Aires, we lounged by the pool at the hotel, soaking up some last minute rays. Upon landing back in the big city Sarah, Rebecca, and I split a taxi again and were dropped off at a corner which is about in the middle of us all. During my ten minute walk home, there were lots of police, television cameras, and bricks in the road, something I thought was a little out of the ordinary. Anyway, after walking in the front door, my host mother looked terrified as she was watched the news about protest groups targeting the British Embassy with rocks and pellet guns as it was the anniversary of the Falklands. The Embassy is just a mere three blocks from my apartment and I made it home just in time before the group started migrating to the road that I was just walking on five minutes beforehand. Needless to say, I was American for the remaining five hours of the evening. That night, Rebecca, Sarah, and I went to a bar in Palermo to watch the championship game. The fancy place filled with lovey, dovey couples soon changed into an American sports bar after a group of American boys from my university came in to watch the game with us. It was a very sad loss, but they did far better than anybody ever thought they would, so no complaints from me! Rock Chalk!

On Tuesday and Wednesday we had classes, and on Wednesday evening the girls and I left for wine country! Night buses are very popular here, and far cheaper than a flight, so we opted to take the 16 hour route. Sadly, the trip did not start out on a high note: first I had forgotten the chocolate bar in the fridge (biggest mistake every with three females), Sarah got her phone stolen in the packed bus station, and finally the bus arrived four hours late. When the bus finally arrived, our schedule was put behind even more by sitting in standstill traffic for several hours. So, instead of arriving at 9AM we arrived at 5PM. You could say that we were a little frustrated that we were a day behind!! Hostels are also very popular in South America and Europe, and much cheaper than a hotel, so last weekend was my first hostel experience! I think we had a very poor experience... Call me a brat but I was rather mindblown when I was handed linens to make my own bed upon arrival, informed that we had to wash our own dishes (which they did not supply dish soap for), and there was only one key for three different parties in one room so essentially the door could never be locked. Sadly, I am now paying for the lack of sanitization in the kitchen with the dishes as I have been ill since Friday with a horrible cough and cold.

After the first rough night with a very uncomfortable pillow, we spent Friday on a biking wine tour. Mr. Hugo's Bike Co. gave us a glass of wine, a bike, and a map of 12ish wineries -- a majority of wineries actually included homemade/grown olive oils, jams, and chocolates. We arrived at our first winery around 11AM and continued biking around to various other places until 7PM. It was a very long day, but very enjoyable. Note: nobody was injured during this event.On Saturday we got a little more adventurous and spent the day zip-lining and white water rafting through the Andes. It was an amazing day! The weather was perfect and the views were fantastic!!

Sunday was our last day in Mendoza. We purposely booked our bus to leave in the early evening to allow us time to relax and tour the city a bit before heading back to the big city. What we did not consider was that Sunday was Easter and living in a Roman Catholic country nothing was open. Everywhere was dead. But do not worry, three girls can be easily entertained spending seven hours at the bus station with a deck of cards and multiple bars!! It was a fantastic trip and we all enjoyed ourselves very much!

I have been quite busy in school this week. I know, many wonder whether I am actually in school here in BA. It is not all fun and games..well, okay mostly it is! I had my first exam and two presentations, which I think all went well, fingers crossed!

This weekend I do not have anything exciting planned, unlike my last two weeks, but there are plenty of things to do around Buenos Aires! The following weekend API is taking us to Uruguay for the day! I will update next time with our adventures from there! ¡Hasta luego!

Mis Aventuras: 4

¡Hola todos!

As my time in Argentina increases, I find my English deteriorating rapidly. I realize that I question how to say or write English words and will switch to Spanish if I can't think of the English word I want to say when with fellow API members. This is wonderful for my language skills! Luckily, I don't have to take any English courses when I return to the States!

On Monday I got my Argentina visa! Let the wild times commence!

Like usual, Tuesday evening was girl's night of wine and dessert with Sarah and Rebecca. The dessert was a vanilla/mint/dolce de leche ice-cream -- delicious!!

On Wednesday we finally found Sube cards, after standing in line for 1.5 hours at UPS. These are similar to debit cards but are only used on the underground and bus systems. The issue with these cards is that the Argentine government is slowing down the production of the cards so literally nowhere has them. The other issue is that the bus only accepts coins, and when there is a shortage of coins and Sube cards, public transportation is a hassle. It has been a nightmare, but life is finally easier!

On Thursday I saw my first Argentinian star sitting several tables away from us at a local Recoleta restaurant! Susana Giménez is an ex-model, television host (Wiki compared her to Oprah in the U.S.), and an actress. I was informed that she tends to get a little wild, I suppose that would explain why she walked into a gentleman's club after dinner.

On Friday we spent the day at an estancia (ranch). We arrived by private bus to a house in the middle of nowhere, where café and medialunas (a typical Argentine breakfast) awaited for us. We then separated into groups of seven and took turns learning about the agriculture in the area as well as riding horses. The rest of the afternoon was spent lounging by the pool, eating entirely too much delicious food, and learning how to folk dance. We all thoroughly enjoyed the trip!! That evening, Rebecca, Sarah, and I went to our usual wine bar with some local Argentine friends.

Next week is Semana Santa, which means no school! The girls and I spent Saturday afternoon at a nearby café to sort out a trip somewhere. We have decided to go to Mendoza! We will be traveling via an overnight bus with Jess, a girl from our group who is attending a different university as her classes are with Argentine students, and will spend 4 days in wine country. This is our first trip without API, so we're very excited!! Another piece of exciting news: my friend/co-worker, Laura, is coming to visit me in May! I can't wait to see her and show her around the beautiful city!

Saturday evening we did a fair amount of traveling throughout different neighbourhoods. We ended up having dinner in Puerto Madero (with a glass of free champagne: I could really get used to free drinks!) and then went back to Recoleta to meet up with friends.

Sunday was a typical homework day, so nothing to report there.

On Saturday we head to Iguazú for three days then I'm off to Mendoza until the following Monday. I may not have time to update between my trips, but I will definitely update once I return to Buenos Aires. ¡Hasta luego!

Mis Aventuras: 3

¡Hola todos!

Life in Argentina is starting to become more of a routine now that school has started. I take a 20 minute bus ride to school and have classes Monday-Thursday with the earliest starting at 2:30 PM, so no complaints from me! I've decided to take only 12 hours of classes to allow myself time to travel etc. without having to worry too much about exams/projects. In Spanish I am taking a Spanish grammar class, history of economics in Latin America, and tango (yes, I will become a professional tango dancer by the time I return to the States!) and finally international business in the Southern cone which is in English. University life is far different than that of KU, more so because the school is one building with 20 floors whereas I'm used to walking along the main street of Jayhawk Blvd. and going to different buildings for classes. Everybody in my classes are foreign, and surprisingly mostly from either the U.S., Germany, Italy, or France.

On Tuesday I found out the news I have been waiting for: I got accepted to the KU Medical Centre!! I will start there in August to finish my last two years of my Health Information Management program. This now means mum and dad are on an apartment hunt for me!

On Wednesday I went to lunch with a professor from KU who is originally from BA and comes here to miss the winter weather in Lawrence. She lives about a block from me and it was great to catch up with her, it is also nice to know there is somebody else I can contact if I need anything.

That evening, Sarah and I found out Rebecca was feeling slightly homesick, so the cure for that was a girl's night with wine and dessert. Side note: my host-mother asked me to pick up a pack of cigarettes for her as I was going out. The strangest part about the whole experience was that I was given change in Starbursts. I was completely caught off guard and should have argued it, but I was too shocked and ended up saying okay and walked off; Starbursts taste the same in Argentina. Anyway, it was a great couple of hours. We learned so much about each other and by the end of the evening Rebecca was feeling much better. I still can't believe I've only known these girls for two weeks, we are such good friends. P.S. Dad: I'll need a flight to North Carolina at the end of July to visit Sarah for her birthday! :)

Thursday evening was spent celebrating my acceptance to KUMC and Rebecca's acceptance to a fabulous summer internship program. Sarah, Rebecca, and I went to what is now becoming our usual wine bar. We're starting to become quite good friends with the bouncers and waiters..with this in mind we were given a token for a free drink and received a free pitcher of delicious sangria which was worth about $200 (ARG). Needless to say, it was definitely an enjoyable evening!

On Friday Sarah and I went on the hunt for the American Express building to cash my traveler's cheques. After spending the best part of two hours trying to find the place, we wanted to go to the university to buy books, which turned into four hours of being lost. We got on what was thought was the correct bus, according to our guide, but we ended up going to the neighbourhoods of Varracas and San Telmo, located about as far west as you can get in Buenos Aires. These are still fairly nice neighbourhoods and it was enjoyable to see different areas of Buenos Aires on a beautiful day.

Yesterday we were up early to head to Tigre with the rest of the group -- there are two groups with API: one of 21 people who started in February and our group of 6 who started in March. It was the first time we had ever met them, and we all seem to get along really well! We took about an hour long train ride from Belgrano to Tigre. We then rowed along Río de la Plata for about another hour, then took a tour boat to a person's house where we spent the rest of the day swimming and socializing and enjoyed lunch. There were chairs and tables in the garden for us when we arrived, so Sarah, Rebecca, and I sat on a bench next to a table. The next thing we knew the bench collapsed and the three of us fell to the ground. The bench wasn't put together well as everything was only placed together and not nailed etc. eitherway, it was absolutely hysterical and I should probably lay off the dulce de leche for a bit. The area of Tigre along the Plata is a completely different lifestyle with nothing but beautiful scenery, water, and chalet homes. Everything is via boat: police, ambulance, super market. It was a very enjoyable day, and my tan is looking good! That evening Sarah, Rebecca, and I redeemed our free drink token with a piña colada after a great day in Tigre!

Today I went to Puerto Madero for a drink with Marcos, a local porteño. He showed me around the neighbourhood pointing out the best places to eat, drink, and visit. It was a great time and best of all I understood practically everything he said! I'm still having a difficult time understanding my host-sisters which can become discouraging at times, especially when I can understand people in the streets as well as my professors. Needless to say, it was a great confidence boost for me. Next week we visit an estancia! ¡Hasta luego!