Well it's 9:03 and my cab arrives at 10 to pick me up for the airport. It's crazy that I'm finally going home, these 42 days have passed so quickly! I'm really sad to be leaving Argentina, but it's sooo great to know that in less than 24 hours I'll be on American soil roasting in my winter clothes! I really have liked Buenos Aires, but I'm really glad we stayed in Mendoza, it's such a better place to me and I am really really missing it!
Yesterday was a day of firsts for me. First time at Burger King, first time at Hooters and first time to ride a subway! The subway was really cool, although even I felt like I was going to get the swine flu down there! I started coughing and not feeling so hot yesterday :) let's hope when they take my temperature I pass with flying colors, it's not my idea of fun to stay here sick. We went to a bridge yesterday that was built by the same guy who built the Eiffel Tower. It was pretty cool, but the water here is DISGUSTINGGGGG, we were all glad we didn't order fish after seeing it! Well I better finish packing my bags. Pray they aren't over weight!!! I'm kinda really worried they are!
Oh how I can't wait for a shower, clean clothes, Mexican food, free water/refills and ice tea! Yeah for Texas!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Buenos Aires
It was really sad leaving my family, but they told me I was always welcome back in their house. I'm going to miss them!
Well our bus ride turned out to be pretty decent. We got on and our bus attendant was this fun little guy named Diego. We played BINGO with Diego and the winner won a bottle of wine. Every time Diego did something you had to say "Gracias Diego" or he would say it for you. He was a tad bit strange, but fun. We watched two movies, then laid my chair out into a bed, took a sleeping pill and woke up refreshed for a interesting bus breakfast before arriving in Buenos Aires Saturday morning at 7:30. Saturday afternoon we went on a five hour tour of the city which sounds really long, but it was interesting and passed quickly. We even went to a cemetary, I was one of the few people not freaked out (if not the only)...surprise surprise. The people in this city are mean. They do not like us and because of the swine flu they despise us even more than normal! Back in Mendoza, one of my friends had her suitcases on the bed and came home to find a note saying that she needed to move her stuff because her suitcases had dirt and swine flu on them and that her mom would call a cab when it was time for her to go to the bus station!
Saturday night we went to the HardRock Cafe for the people who are staying in Mendoza for an extra 5 weeks so they could have American food. I wasn't really hungry so I didn't really eat so I can fully enjoy the experience of the food when I get back! After dinner, we went to a party for foreign exchange students for the 4th of July, but it was boring so we left early. It was really hard not being home for the 4th. CJ and I are having a 4th of July redo when we both get back to the states! Sunday, Aaron, Laura, Martha, Kendall, Jon, Katie, Alex and I went to this neighborhood called Boca. Boca was an area of the city where immigrants lived. They were very poor so they painted their houses with an paint they could find so it's considered the most colorful part of the country. For tradition sake they keep it the same and they have really cool markets there and so we went to visit. We were practically mobbed by the people at the cafes trying to get us to eat with them. It was so overwhelming and eventually we just put our hands over our ears and pushed through the people. It started raining and hailing a little after we got there so we went and toured BOCA stadium which is one of the top two soccer teams in Argentina. It really intersting how they have barbed wire and spikes everywhere to keep the home team and visiting team fans separated and people off the fields. For dinner we went to a Tango show. It was so great and fun! The dancing was amazing! Today, my last full day in Argentina, it's pouring :( we're sitting in the hotel room trying to figure out what to do today. Hopefully something will surface. Can't wait to get home!!! Here are a few pictures...the internet here is better so it's easier to post them.
The cemetary
Willy Wonka
La Boca neighborhood
Diego ??
La Boca again
My sweet family!!
Well our bus ride turned out to be pretty decent. We got on and our bus attendant was this fun little guy named Diego. We played BINGO with Diego and the winner won a bottle of wine. Every time Diego did something you had to say "Gracias Diego" or he would say it for you. He was a tad bit strange, but fun. We watched two movies, then laid my chair out into a bed, took a sleeping pill and woke up refreshed for a interesting bus breakfast before arriving in Buenos Aires Saturday morning at 7:30. Saturday afternoon we went on a five hour tour of the city which sounds really long, but it was interesting and passed quickly. We even went to a cemetary, I was one of the few people not freaked out (if not the only)...surprise surprise. The people in this city are mean. They do not like us and because of the swine flu they despise us even more than normal! Back in Mendoza, one of my friends had her suitcases on the bed and came home to find a note saying that she needed to move her stuff because her suitcases had dirt and swine flu on them and that her mom would call a cab when it was time for her to go to the bus station!
Saturday night we went to the HardRock Cafe for the people who are staying in Mendoza for an extra 5 weeks so they could have American food. I wasn't really hungry so I didn't really eat so I can fully enjoy the experience of the food when I get back! After dinner, we went to a party for foreign exchange students for the 4th of July, but it was boring so we left early. It was really hard not being home for the 4th. CJ and I are having a 4th of July redo when we both get back to the states! Sunday, Aaron, Laura, Martha, Kendall, Jon, Katie, Alex and I went to this neighborhood called Boca. Boca was an area of the city where immigrants lived. They were very poor so they painted their houses with an paint they could find so it's considered the most colorful part of the country. For tradition sake they keep it the same and they have really cool markets there and so we went to visit. We were practically mobbed by the people at the cafes trying to get us to eat with them. It was so overwhelming and eventually we just put our hands over our ears and pushed through the people. It started raining and hailing a little after we got there so we went and toured BOCA stadium which is one of the top two soccer teams in Argentina. It really intersting how they have barbed wire and spikes everywhere to keep the home team and visiting team fans separated and people off the fields. For dinner we went to a Tango show. It was so great and fun! The dancing was amazing! Today, my last full day in Argentina, it's pouring :( we're sitting in the hotel room trying to figure out what to do today. Hopefully something will surface. Can't wait to get home!!! Here are a few pictures...the internet here is better so it's easier to post them.
The cemetary
Willy Wonka
La Boca neighborhood
Diego ??
La Boca again
My sweet family!!
Friday, July 3, 2009
Sad day...
Today is my last day in Mendoza. My bus pulls out in an hour for Buenos Aires....13 hours! Can't wait!!
We graduated today and I never have to take another Spanish class at Baylor University. Most amazing thing ever! I think my grades will turn out pretty well and I didn't skip a single class! We had lunch and dancing today and said our goodbyes. I just gave my family a blanket, magnet and a deck of Texas cards. I'm pretty sure they loved them!! I can't believe my stay is already over, it's so sad, I don't want to leave! Haha a friend that I met in Argentina offered to pay for $900 of my plane ticket if I come visit next year! We had our final Baylor dinner last night at a really nice restaurant and then met on of our teachers at Taco Tabasco for karaoke night! It was so much fun. Rue and Julia sang a Spanish love song I think and the crowd loved them! They chanted "KISS KISS KISS KISS" in English, unfortunately they didn't follow their orders. haha. I just can't believe this trip is already over and today made me realize how bad I don't want to leave. The culture here is amazing, the food is incredible, the people are so nice and I love being in the city. Argentina is having serious trouble with the swine flu, all the schools are closed for the next three weeks and other things are shutting down as well. We aren't sure what we are going to be able to do in Buenos Aires due to this. People see us and cover their mouths and a ton of people wear masks all day. It's really sad knowing tomorrow the rest of my country will be celebrating the 4th and I'm not going to be at the lake with my family...I think for the first time ever on the 4th. Yikes, gotta run, can't miss my bus. Chau. HAPPY 4TH!
We graduated today and I never have to take another Spanish class at Baylor University. Most amazing thing ever! I think my grades will turn out pretty well and I didn't skip a single class! We had lunch and dancing today and said our goodbyes. I just gave my family a blanket, magnet and a deck of Texas cards. I'm pretty sure they loved them!! I can't believe my stay is already over, it's so sad, I don't want to leave! Haha a friend that I met in Argentina offered to pay for $900 of my plane ticket if I come visit next year! We had our final Baylor dinner last night at a really nice restaurant and then met on of our teachers at Taco Tabasco for karaoke night! It was so much fun. Rue and Julia sang a Spanish love song I think and the crowd loved them! They chanted "KISS KISS KISS KISS" in English, unfortunately they didn't follow their orders. haha. I just can't believe this trip is already over and today made me realize how bad I don't want to leave. The culture here is amazing, the food is incredible, the people are so nice and I love being in the city. Argentina is having serious trouble with the swine flu, all the schools are closed for the next three weeks and other things are shutting down as well. We aren't sure what we are going to be able to do in Buenos Aires due to this. People see us and cover their mouths and a ton of people wear masks all day. It's really sad knowing tomorrow the rest of my country will be celebrating the 4th and I'm not going to be at the lake with my family...I think for the first time ever on the 4th. Yikes, gotta run, can't miss my bus. Chau. HAPPY 4TH!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
On top of the world!!
We had two finals today, I think they went pretty well. Our last one is tomorrow morning and then I'm finished with Spanish FOREVERRRRRR at Baylor!!! It's a time of rejoicing!
I leave Argentina in 7 days! It's hard to believe how fast this trip has gone! Tomorrow we have the one test and then a dinner with the whole Baylor group. Friday, is our "graduation" and end of the trip program and then about 15 of us get on a bus for 13 hours to go to Buenos Aires for a few days. We have to perform skits at our "graduation", my group is telling the story of one of my friends first day in Mendoza. She arrived and was picked up by her single mother. When she arrived at home and was shown to her room her mom had layed a present on her bed....it was none other than a pink, lacy thong...We get a laugh out of the story every time we hear it!
Saturday, after we get to Buenos Aires and eat breakfast we are going on a tour of the city, Sunday I think we're going to the big markets there, Monday is a free day and then I leave Tuesday about about 5 p.m. I believe. It's going to be sad to leave my family here, but I'll be really happy to see my real family!
So my plan at lunch today backfired on me....I saw that all the plates but one had stuff on them so I grabbed that plate, well put food on a plate for me and traded me...oh well I think I'll live. My mom today used a blush brush to wash a cup, not so sure about that one! We had soup today with our lunch and it always makes me laugh to use the spoons at my house. They're so big that by the time you get the liqued out of the spoon the rice is stuck to the bottom and you can't eat it!!! My mom did laundry yesterday, best day of my life! I finally have clean socks!!!! We've done laundry twice since I've been here, I'm sure glad I didn't listen to my mom when she told me not to pack so much! I was sitting in my room last night and my mom called my name, before I could answer her I heard my sister giving her pronunciation lessons on my name. I doubt anyone here has ever said it correctly or if they do it's followed by the infamous "Montana!" yeah. Nobody can spell my name right either! I don't know how the teachers don't, it's on all their paperwork right, but it's beyond their capabilities to correctly spell "Hannah" I have come to be used to the name Hanita at home. It's funny. I don't think my dad even knows my real name anymore! My real mom (haha) sent my dad razors a few weeks ago, he just got them in the mail today and LOVED them, he said he'll have razors for life! I almost forgot this great story! Last week on our way home from Tango we saw a lady lying in the middle of the road. She had just been hit by a taxi and the people around her wouldn't let her get up. The best part of the story is she was laying in the middle of the street, talking on her cell and putting on lipstick at the same time! Only in Mendoza! I had an Argentine man fall in love with me....it's very interesting. He enjoys saying "I lub you, I lub you, I luuub you", he studied in the states for a few years so he's fluent in English, he wants to come study at Baylor now. I think I may transfer if that happens! :)
I'm pretty sure my shower at home is missing me, also my washer and dryer....Or at least I'm desperately missing them! Here are a few things I can't wait for: Whataburger, Mi Familia, American showers, not having to carry toilet paper, 105 degree weather, my family!
Julia and I redeemed ourselves at the casino this week. After my loss last week I decided I was only going to play with 50 pesos, about 15 dollars. I walked out with 120!!! Be proud PawPaw. The men at the table were getting annoyed with us because we were both winning. They were also making fun of us, but we didn't have any idea what they were saying. As I was walking out of the casino some lady burned my arm with her cigarrette. One more reason I hate them!
Katie, Meighann and I had our first experience at the movie theater last night. We went and saw Transformers 2 ( ugh), I'm really glad we have movies in our own language, I would HATE to have to read subtitles for every movie like they do here! I've had an offer to stay an extra week to go skiing almost for free in the Andes Mountains....it's a very tempting thought! Well I'm off to pick up a cell phone from Rylie so I can turn it in since I lost the one that was give to me! Chau!
Oh! Here's the link to some new pictures...hope it works! Weekend in San Rafael
I leave Argentina in 7 days! It's hard to believe how fast this trip has gone! Tomorrow we have the one test and then a dinner with the whole Baylor group. Friday, is our "graduation" and end of the trip program and then about 15 of us get on a bus for 13 hours to go to Buenos Aires for a few days. We have to perform skits at our "graduation", my group is telling the story of one of my friends first day in Mendoza. She arrived and was picked up by her single mother. When she arrived at home and was shown to her room her mom had layed a present on her bed....it was none other than a pink, lacy thong...We get a laugh out of the story every time we hear it!
Saturday, after we get to Buenos Aires and eat breakfast we are going on a tour of the city, Sunday I think we're going to the big markets there, Monday is a free day and then I leave Tuesday about about 5 p.m. I believe. It's going to be sad to leave my family here, but I'll be really happy to see my real family!
So my plan at lunch today backfired on me....I saw that all the plates but one had stuff on them so I grabbed that plate, well put food on a plate for me and traded me...oh well I think I'll live. My mom today used a blush brush to wash a cup, not so sure about that one! We had soup today with our lunch and it always makes me laugh to use the spoons at my house. They're so big that by the time you get the liqued out of the spoon the rice is stuck to the bottom and you can't eat it!!! My mom did laundry yesterday, best day of my life! I finally have clean socks!!!! We've done laundry twice since I've been here, I'm sure glad I didn't listen to my mom when she told me not to pack so much! I was sitting in my room last night and my mom called my name, before I could answer her I heard my sister giving her pronunciation lessons on my name. I doubt anyone here has ever said it correctly or if they do it's followed by the infamous "Montana!" yeah. Nobody can spell my name right either! I don't know how the teachers don't, it's on all their paperwork right, but it's beyond their capabilities to correctly spell "Hannah" I have come to be used to the name Hanita at home. It's funny. I don't think my dad even knows my real name anymore! My real mom (haha) sent my dad razors a few weeks ago, he just got them in the mail today and LOVED them, he said he'll have razors for life! I almost forgot this great story! Last week on our way home from Tango we saw a lady lying in the middle of the road. She had just been hit by a taxi and the people around her wouldn't let her get up. The best part of the story is she was laying in the middle of the street, talking on her cell and putting on lipstick at the same time! Only in Mendoza! I had an Argentine man fall in love with me....it's very interesting. He enjoys saying "I lub you, I lub you, I luuub you", he studied in the states for a few years so he's fluent in English, he wants to come study at Baylor now. I think I may transfer if that happens! :)
I'm pretty sure my shower at home is missing me, also my washer and dryer....Or at least I'm desperately missing them! Here are a few things I can't wait for: Whataburger, Mi Familia, American showers, not having to carry toilet paper, 105 degree weather, my family!
Julia and I redeemed ourselves at the casino this week. After my loss last week I decided I was only going to play with 50 pesos, about 15 dollars. I walked out with 120!!! Be proud PawPaw. The men at the table were getting annoyed with us because we were both winning. They were also making fun of us, but we didn't have any idea what they were saying. As I was walking out of the casino some lady burned my arm with her cigarrette. One more reason I hate them!
Katie, Meighann and I had our first experience at the movie theater last night. We went and saw Transformers 2 ( ugh), I'm really glad we have movies in our own language, I would HATE to have to read subtitles for every movie like they do here! I've had an offer to stay an extra week to go skiing almost for free in the Andes Mountains....it's a very tempting thought! Well I'm off to pick up a cell phone from Rylie so I can turn it in since I lost the one that was give to me! Chau!
Oh! Here's the link to some new pictures...hope it works! Weekend in San Rafael
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