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