La Familia

I have been feeling really homesick the last couple days and two things helped cheer me up today that I MUST share: 1- Valentines letters from my familia! I LOVED them! Thank you so, so much, and I cannot wait to give you real abrazos y besos (hugs and kisses)! 2- When I arrived to my host family's home for dinner this evening, after a long day at school and in the city, I found that 2 of her daughters, her son-in-laws, and three of her grandsons were here for dinner!!! Pregnant womyn, nursing womyn, warm food, coca cola, babies, games (hide-and-go-seek mainly), 10 conversations at once, chistes (jokes)- about each other, about movies, about ingles vs. espanol, etc! There was even a womyn here from Ohio who had studied abroad in Kitty's house (my host mother) last semester, been introduced to her son-in-law's brother, and was now dating him! She loved the family and is now a part of them! It was nice to talk to an American that was familiar with not only Argentina, but THIS family! Although I didn't say much, I sat at their table, listening and laughing for about 3 hours...I was nearly silent, but occasionally they would direct a comment or a joke to me, or ask "me entiendes?" (you understand?)...to which I would usually respond "mas o menos" (more or less!)...I felt very comfortable and mostly just used it as an opportunity to soak in some family love, since I am missing those dinners of my own back in California SO BAD right now...Era perfecto...It was perfect...Just what I needed tonight. :) Last weekend a few of us went to a beach called "Mar del Plata;" famous beach of Argentina...five hour bus, lots of clouds, and still got sunburnt! But I'm glad I can say I've been... On Saturday I am going to a huge Carnaval celebration about 3 hours from Buenos Aires (Carnaval is a celebration like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, which I missed by a week when I was there 3 years ago! It is huge in Brazil, but I hear Argentina holds the 2nd best celebrations! It is to celebrate fat Tuesday, the Catholic holiday before the Lenten season- forgive me for spelling that incorrectly, Grandma!). One day trip, all night fiesta! Should be exciting/exhausting! NEXT WEEKEND= SPRING BREAK! After taking my final, David and I are going to take a bus to Santiago, Chile (yay! a new country! and somewhere I have wanted to travel to since my trip to Peru last year!) where we will spend our first four days of break, then to Mendoza, Argentina for a winery tour and vacation with the rest of the students in our program (cost is included in our pay already!). I am really excited for both these things. I have never been to Chile and I have never been wine tasting!! Where better to go than the city that is said to have created the world's best Malbec! People say Italian immigrants brought it here and this is the best! :) We shall see... I am already tired, but I am very excited for all of this. Wish me luck! I am thinking of my family and friends so much lately, and missing everything about California! But I am hoping I will enjoy more and more as it goes on...I have a lot to learn (spanish and other-wise!), and I am ready for the journey... BESOS A TODOS! XOXOXOXXXX

Estoy en Buenos Aires!

Hola todos! I arrived into the international airport at Buenos Aires (EZE) on Tuesday, February 1st! To my pleasant surprise, there were several other womyn on my flight from EAP (my program)! When we got off the plane, endured customs, and finally got our bags outside, EXPANISH (our liaisons here for residential and academic support) were waiting for us with a group of about 10 more students who had just come in. We introduced ourselves, jet-lagged and all, and boarded the big charter-bus-looking shuttle to take us to the hotel in el centro de Buenos Aires, where we would stay for 3 days and nights... When we arrived at the hotel (after walking a few blocks from where we were dropped off with our luggage, the first of many 30+ American cluster walks we would arrange in the coming week), David was already there! :) It was so comforting to see him and know we are together, in the same country, city, school...indeed it was soo comforting, I wasn't even sad or shocked about how far I was or the magnitude of what I was doing, until the night before I was to move into my homestay house- away from David and any friends I had made, on my own, with no idea how or where it would be... In the few days before homestay, we (all 80 of us UC students in the program) had Orientation all day and optional dinners together at night. It was nice getting to be in the city together, not alone yet- a nice transition into the new country...we had steak, empanadas galore!, and a few friends and I even explored Barrio Chino (chinatown) and the bus and taxi system. But before long it was time for us to leave each other and join our new homes for the next three months... On Friday, we all boarded shuttles, based on our areas of residence, and hauled our luggage again to a new location: las casas! See's Candies in hand (a gift from my family to my host family), I called for the manual elevator and went to the 10th floor. A happy, small womyn opened the door and kissed and hugged me, welcoming me into her home. Her son carried my luggage upstairs, asking si hay una persona adentro (is there a person inside!), because it was so heavy...haha...and they took me to my room- a full sized bed, tv, closet area, mirror, bedside table, and balcony- ALL FOR ME!! I learned that there were 2 other estudiantes en la casa from los Estados Unidos, and that we share the nearest bathroom to my room. They told me lunch would be ready soon, and even in my excitement, I started organizing my room. First thing I learned: I STILL packed TOOOO much! :( But it all fits! So, esta bien! And while the bathroom is the tiniest I have EVER seen, I have started working out a system to make it easier for myself to maneuver in there...so I am learning! The madre speaks no english, and the son is very good at english...He is 24 years old and works nearby. We all eat together and talk very much! En ingles y espanol! But the mother tells us "solamente hablamos en espanol por favor!" So I try to only speak in spanish. My spanish has been really great though, I can understand and speak a lot, I think! :b It will get better when classes start on monday. So far dinner conversations have surrounded around subjects such as global warming, the crisis in Egypt, the Iraq/US war, the economy and recession, and Cuba/Castro...haha It was been incredibly interesting. The mother is so interesting and soo smart! She loves to read. :) My town is like a little suburb of the main city, and it feels like it! Very cute and quaint, but not far from ANYTHING! Very convenient and safe... Yesterday we went to an estancia, where gauchos do their thing! It was fun, we rode horses and ate FOUR different kinds of meat! Including blood sausage, i.e. intestine!...I can say I tried it! But I cant say I ate it or liked it very much... :/ Today I am going to Barrio Chino to celebrate the Chinese New Year! :) And perhaps watch the superbowl later...haha! Nothing feels so different yet...The language is different and it is different not seeing family or friends I am used to...but I have not been shocked as of yet...I'll keep you updated! Love you all! Miss you all! Ciao! <3

Im in Argentina!

Arrived safe!