Greetings from Argentina!
I am finally here in Buenos Aires! I cannot believe I have arrived after waiting so long to leave for South America. I forgot how exhausting traveling is, I can't remember the last time I was this tired before. I took off out of the Atlanta airport at 5:35 PM and got to Miami at around 7:30 PM. After a few minutes of searching I found Megan and Daniella at our boarding gate. It was good to see some familiar faces and have some travel buddies. We flew out of Miami at 11:55 PM and arrived in Lima, Peru at 5:45 AM. That flight was rough to say the least. After getting breakfast in the Lima airport (some ill-advised yogurt choices) we finally headed to Buenos Aires. We were extrmely surprised to see some IES staff members still at the gate waiting for us because it was 3:00 and we thought they were leaving by 1:00. They were all very nice and helpful and one girl even took the taxi with me to my homestay! Buenos Aires is MASSIVE. I didn't understand how huge it was until I was driving into town from the airport. I was nervous (to say the least) because we passed several slum areas on the way to were I was living. The IES girl pointed these slums out to me and told me they were very dangerous but I was not living anywhere near them (much to my relief!!).
I was completely blown away when we got to the part where I am living, called the Recoleta. It is one of the nicest parts in town and I am so happy with where I am. I was blown away by how beautiful the streets were--there are so many trees lining the street that add a very cool ambiance to the city. I also noticed that the city seems to have a very european feel. There are tons of Italian restaurants lining the streets, and many people who look completely American.
As I walked into my homestay my host Mom, Nelida, started screaming HOLA TESS and gave me a huge hug as I walked into the room. We sat down and had some of the Banana Muffins I brought her from the states and chatted for a bit. After about five minutes I knew that my host mom and I were going to get along great. She is so lively, funny, and is the type of person who won't sugar coat anything but just tell it like it is. I know that I am going to be very comfortable around her and for that I am so so thankful. She showed me my room and bathroom which are quaint but definitely adequate. My bathroom is basically a shower that has a toilet and a sink in it. While I am taking a shower it is going all over the toilet and sink--so strange! Ha!
After getting to know Nelida and settling in for a bit I met up with my friend Ryan and walked around the city. Now, I am from Atlanta but I have never lived in the actual downtown area. Right now I am living in an apartment right in the middle of everything! I almost feel like I am living in New York! There were people all over the place and buses/taxis were nearly running me over! After some debate on where to go to get food we decided on going into a little empanada place close our apartments. These empandas are so cheap and so good! I know I am going to be eating many more of those over the next four months. Ryan and I were going to go grab a beer at another restaurant nearby (horay for me finally being legal!!!) but we were both so exhausted from the past 24 hours of traveling that we decided to just go to bed early.
Tomorrow I have to be at the IES center at 9:00 AM for the begining of orientation. Although I have 8 other friends with me here, they are all ISB majors and are in advanced Spanish while I am bringing up the rear in the beginner level. That being said, they are doing a separate orientation and classes so I am going to be all by myself again tomorrow. Hopefully I will get the opportunity to meet some new people while I am there!
Like I said, I cannot remember the last time I was this tired so I am gonna head to bed. I wonder what adventures tomorrow will bring! :)
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Hasta Luego Estados Unidos!
Hello Bloggers!
So I am finally getting to write in my blog because I am leaving in FOUR DAYS for Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am filled with so many emotions right now--On one hand I am so excited and thrilled for the opportunity to be studying in a different country for four months, but on the other I am as nervous as I was right before going to college. I have emailed the woman who I will be living with this semester and I think that we are going to get along great. She has two daughters who both live in the United States, one of whom is currently living in Atlanta!!! I asked her if she wanted me to bring her anything from the States and all she asked for was a Banana muffin from Starbucks! What at hoot!!
I do not have any roommates, which I know will be difficult, but I'm sure will help me learn Spanish quicker. I have mapped out where I am living on Google Maps and it looks like I am only a 10 minutes bus ride (or 25 minute walk) from the IES center where I will be taking classes. I am very happy about this because I know sometimes people can live up to 45 minutes away and I was nervous about my commute. I am extremely lucky because I have 9 friends from Wofford who are going to be there with me... 4 boys (Jack Hinson, Punky Dasilva, Ryan McNair, Jim Allen Shuman) and 5 other girls (Daniella Fatti, Jackie Dudas, Megan Young, Abigail James)... everybody is so fun and I know we are going to have a blast. Ryan and Abigail actually live on my street! Jack, Punky, Dani and Jackie are all about a 10 minute walk from my house too!
I am so excited about going to Buenos Aires. When I initially planned on going abroad I wanted to go to Argentina because A.) I knew people who were going, B.) I actually knew a little Spanish, and C.) My brother Charlie did a NOLS program in Patagonia and told me that South America was amazing. However, I had second thoughts because so many of my friends were going to Europe and I thought it would be cool to travel around and see them. So I applied and got into the IES Study Abroad Program in Vienna, Austria. However, in this economy things started piling up on my parents and I told them that I didn't want to burden them by the trip and dropped out. I was really disappointed, but deep down part of the reason why I offered to drop out was because I was afraid. I didn't tell anyone this, but I knew I was taking the easy way out. Two weeks after I dropped out of the program I was sitting in class and I realized that being afraid is NOT how I want to live my life. My sister gave me a journal last year and wrote some quotes inside. One of the quotes was, "Do everything your afraid of doing" and that really struck a chord with me. So right after that class, (I skipped my 10:30 class, oops!)I went straight to Amy Lancaster's office (our study abroad coordinator) and asked her about programs that might be cheaper. As it turned out, the Buenos Aires program, which was my original first choice, was MUCH cheaper. By the end of that day, after talking to my parents and the people in charge of the program, I was going to Argentina. I feel like because of this experience I am exactly where God wants me to be and i couldn't be happier. I am still afraid of course, but it just feels right.
In terms of packing I have a lot left to do--my Dad might kill me because I procrastinate sooo much. I cannot find my camera I got for Christmas and I might have a heart attack. I want soooo much to take pictures but it is nowhere to be found! I got an iTouch for abroad because i know it will help me with GPS and I downloaded a really cool Spanish-English translation application that I know will come in handy. Any of you iPhone people out there download "text plus" (its free) and I will be able to text you while I am abroad!
I know I am going to be super busy the next few days with packing, my brother is coming in town, and my family is moving into our house in the North Georgia mountains that we just built-- So the next time i will be posting I will be in South America! Wow!
Adios Amigos!
So I am finally getting to write in my blog because I am leaving in FOUR DAYS for Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am filled with so many emotions right now--On one hand I am so excited and thrilled for the opportunity to be studying in a different country for four months, but on the other I am as nervous as I was right before going to college. I have emailed the woman who I will be living with this semester and I think that we are going to get along great. She has two daughters who both live in the United States, one of whom is currently living in Atlanta!!! I asked her if she wanted me to bring her anything from the States and all she asked for was a Banana muffin from Starbucks! What at hoot!!
I do not have any roommates, which I know will be difficult, but I'm sure will help me learn Spanish quicker. I have mapped out where I am living on Google Maps and it looks like I am only a 10 minutes bus ride (or 25 minute walk) from the IES center where I will be taking classes. I am very happy about this because I know sometimes people can live up to 45 minutes away and I was nervous about my commute. I am extremely lucky because I have 9 friends from Wofford who are going to be there with me... 4 boys (Jack Hinson, Punky Dasilva, Ryan McNair, Jim Allen Shuman) and 5 other girls (Daniella Fatti, Jackie Dudas, Megan Young, Abigail James)... everybody is so fun and I know we are going to have a blast. Ryan and Abigail actually live on my street! Jack, Punky, Dani and Jackie are all about a 10 minute walk from my house too!
I am so excited about going to Buenos Aires. When I initially planned on going abroad I wanted to go to Argentina because A.) I knew people who were going, B.) I actually knew a little Spanish, and C.) My brother Charlie did a NOLS program in Patagonia and told me that South America was amazing. However, I had second thoughts because so many of my friends were going to Europe and I thought it would be cool to travel around and see them. So I applied and got into the IES Study Abroad Program in Vienna, Austria. However, in this economy things started piling up on my parents and I told them that I didn't want to burden them by the trip and dropped out. I was really disappointed, but deep down part of the reason why I offered to drop out was because I was afraid. I didn't tell anyone this, but I knew I was taking the easy way out. Two weeks after I dropped out of the program I was sitting in class and I realized that being afraid is NOT how I want to live my life. My sister gave me a journal last year and wrote some quotes inside. One of the quotes was, "Do everything your afraid of doing" and that really struck a chord with me. So right after that class, (I skipped my 10:30 class, oops!)I went straight to Amy Lancaster's office (our study abroad coordinator) and asked her about programs that might be cheaper. As it turned out, the Buenos Aires program, which was my original first choice, was MUCH cheaper. By the end of that day, after talking to my parents and the people in charge of the program, I was going to Argentina. I feel like because of this experience I am exactly where God wants me to be and i couldn't be happier. I am still afraid of course, but it just feels right.
In terms of packing I have a lot left to do--my Dad might kill me because I procrastinate sooo much. I cannot find my camera I got for Christmas and I might have a heart attack. I want soooo much to take pictures but it is nowhere to be found! I got an iTouch for abroad because i know it will help me with GPS and I downloaded a really cool Spanish-English translation application that I know will come in handy. Any of you iPhone people out there download "text plus" (its free) and I will be able to text you while I am abroad!
I know I am going to be super busy the next few days with packing, my brother is coming in town, and my family is moving into our house in the North Georgia mountains that we just built-- So the next time i will be posting I will be in South America! Wow!
Adios Amigos!
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