My thoughts on Study Abroad

Studying abroad is an interesting experience in students lives. One, I personally was only used to taking vacations that max out at 2 weeks. For those two weeks you are in complete utter bliss, taking in as much as you can, and loving every second. Study abroad is not a vacation. As a student, you are not witnessing culture, you become part of the culture. You are in fact living in another part of the world that has different customs and traditions that are both fascinating and completly weird.
It is important to remember that living in another country involves life... your life. Just like anywhere you have your high days, the days where you see something amazing or are fascinated with the beauty of an amazing place. You also have low days, where communicating is hard and you miss the ease of home. Both are completly normal because this is life.
As I look back over the last month I have lived in Mendoza, Argentina I have come to realize these facts. People are people no matter where in the world you are. Every day is another day, just beacause you get lost on a bus, or get locked out, or have an amazing zipline experience doesnt change the fact that you have learned vast amounts about not only what you are studying but about yourself.

Spa Weekend!

This weekend is officially spa weekend and I earned it.

I got an A on my midterm!!!

I am going first to the Spa at the Hyatt Hotel.
As most of my readers know I am a frequenter of the Hyatt and I happen to think it is very pretty, dont you?
On Thursday I will be getting a cleansing facial, and it is much needed seeing as how the water here is making my face think I am a sophomore in high school again.

Saturday and Sunday we change up the location with a trip to The Spa at Cacheuta. This is a natural thermal spa. We will spend the night here. I will recieve a massage , manicure, and pedicure here... and mybe more who knows hehe. I will also be sure to make use of the mud tubs and volcanic thermal springs. A nice treat to round up my trip!

San Rafael Weekend!

This weekend was a long weekend because it was Argentina's Dia Del Bandera or Flag Day!

For the weekend a large group of Baylor students went to San Rafael. We left early on Saturday morning and visited Bodega Suter, a old bodega that produces wine the old fashioned way, and Bodega Bianchi, a very modern large winery. The picture to the right is from Bodega Suter and is a 100 year old French barrel that they use to make their Malbec.

The next day we went on a zipline (tirolesa in espanol) adventure course... It consisted of 7 ziplines and we crossed a beautiful 200 foot high cavern over a lake. It was so exciting and an amazing rush! Of course that is me in the pink coat cloating above the lake. That evening we made and asado and cooked it all on our own! Using an asado is not like a normal grill it is pretty difficult to use and needless to say we were very excited to figure it out. We finished the evening by going to a bolliche (a dancing night club) and got home at 5am! It was such a fun weekend and was extremly refreshing!

Appreciating the Little Things

Today is officially Day 24 in Argentina and I have been extremely blessed to be here are witness the beauty and adventures this country holds...However while being here I have also realized how amazing the United States is and how amazing it is to be an American. Especially as a woman I have come to see how great it is to be born in the USA and all the opportunities and respect women recieve.
Here are the things I truly miss about the USA and will appreciate more-

1. Owning a car... Public transportation in one word sucks. It takes me an hour and a half to get home from school by bus and only 15 minutes in a car.
2. No PDA- People make out everywhere here all the time and do not care how it makes others feel. I appreciate the USA's modesty when it comes to this.
3. Unlimited cell phone plans- Recharging a cell phone is such a huge hassel and so inconvinent.
4. Respect- As a rubia gringa or a blonde white girl I am constantly stared at like a piece of meat and get cat called on the street. Don't worry there are about 20 of us here and we all get the same thing. The boys feel really bad, but we just block it out.
5. Spaying and Nuetering Dogs- There are so many dogs all over the streets here, and it breaks your heart to see them all dirty and skinny. You want to help them but it is so difficult...

Now the biggest thing I am missing is Mexican Food but that is for a whole other reason lol...

Rafting!!

This weekend I went rafting on the Rio Mendoza! Yes it was cold... yes I was soaked to the bone... and yes that is me in the center looking like I just saw Santa Clause!!

This was such a fun excursion! After we watched El Mundial and took a very long siesta!

The next day was the Caballgato and Asado (aka a 3.5 hour horse ride with a bbq at the end heavy on the vino)

Needless to say it was an amazing weekend!!

Adventure Weekend

Yay!! TGIF the weekend is here and it is time for a siesta for me!

Last night of course was wine tasting which was super amazing as always followed by a trip to the Irish Pub to watch the Lakers v Boston game!! So fun!

Today is HUGE!! It is the first day of EL MUNDIAL or the World Cup for all you not living in a latin country. Mendoza is buzzing with futbol spirit and it is so amazing to be here during this time! The streets have huge screens set up on them, everyone is in sky blue and white, and the vino and Quilmes (beer) are being chilled in preparation for tomorrows game. USA plays England after the Argentina game....

Well tomorrow I will sadly miss out on this fiesta, no fear there are two more games for me to experience. So what will I be doing tomorrow??

WHITE WATER RAFTING!!! Down Rio Mendoza!!

Sunday we will be going on an amazing horse back ride through the mountains and a vineyard. The day will end in an asado and much vino!

Cant wait to share pictures!!

Viva la vivo de Argentina! Oh and VAMOS ARGENTINA!!

Argentina Wine Tasting!

The Vines of Mendoza

This is the wine tasting I attend every Thursday. We get 2 glasses of wine and tapas (which are amazing.)
Here are the wines I have tried:
Week 1- Bodega Luigi Bosca (reisling and merlot)
Week 2- Bodega Sure de los Andes (Torrontes and Malbec)

Uspallata Adventure Weekend

Hey guys... wanna know what I did this weekend? Oh you know the usual...

I completed a three hour hike through the Andes, rock climbed in the Andes, and ziplined and repelled... oh yeah in the Andes! Here we are in out rock climbing gear! This might have been my favorite weekend so far. Being surrounded by such beautiful landscape, getting my adventurous on, and drinking vino is the life.

Argentina has been the adventure of a lifetime. I attend a wine tasting every Thursday and tango class every Monday (possibly more days a week to come.) Next weekend has some major plans in store, but you will have to stay tuned! More fun to be had!!

Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

The beauty of Argentina never ceases to amaze me!

A Typical Argentina Day!!

Este un dia hermosa en Argentina... It is a beautiful day in Argentina!!

I am realizing everyday that I am truly blessed to have this experience and my spanish has improved vastly since being here!

Here is a typical day in Argentina for Me:

-6:45am Wake up, dress, and drink tea.

-I attend the Universidad de Cuyo Monday through Friday to take spanish class.

-Class is from 9:00am to 1:00pm and I take the bus

-After class I return home (which take an hour and a half) and eat lunch.

-Then I take a siesta.

-After I will either go into town, go to Walmart, or go on a run.

-At night I generally go to a cafe and have a coffee and use the Wifi.

-Dinner is at 9:30 or 10 and then I shower, watch some TV and go to bed!

Now weekends are a whole other story haha... Ciao

Caballos!!

Here I am at the Asado last weekend getting my Texas on riding horses.

We convinced our guide to let us canter and we had tons of fun.

We rode for over an hour and my legs and back told me that the next day!!

Asado!!

Today we are going to an Asado.
Asado is a South American technique for cooking cuts of meat, usually consisting of beef alongside various other meats, which are cooked on a grill (parrilla) or open fire.
Our Asado is in the mountains and it is very cold. We ride horses, watching tango, and taste wine... oh and of course eat!
Hope you have fun during your memorial day weekend

Ciao Beses

Hola Amigas!!

Well we have done many fun things since being here in Argentina.

Last night we went to wine tasting at the Hyatt... which is like home for us Americans becasue all the employees have to speak english in order to work there. We ate Tapas which is there word for appetizers and drank very good wine. This happens every Thursday and you sample two glass of wine. This week we sampled merlot from Bodega Lopez, and a reisling. I will become a wine conisuer by the end of these 6 weeks. My first week of classes went great, and I am very excited for this weekend when we are visiting a Bodega (which is a winery in Argentina) and going to an Asado which is a bbq. So I guess I will have bbq on Memorial Day weekend.

As we say in Argentina...

Ciao Beses

Hola from Argentina

Today is a holiday or dia de feliz in Argentina! It is the bicentenario, a celebration of their 200 years of Independence. I arrived in Mendoza on Saturday after a terribly long flight delay. My host family is amazingly kind and I am having a great time. Most of my blogging will be from a cyber cafe, so I can post pictures from my laptop. Internet is widely available here so I am glad to have it! We have been exploring the city and will start classes tomorrow! Sending mucho amor from Argentina!

Viaje a Argentina

I am off to Mendoza, Argentina!!! I am so excited and oh so blessed to have this experience. I hope to learn Spanish, dance my way through life (tango style), eat, pray, and love.I will be blogging my adventures, hopefully journaling, and embracing everything that this experience can offer me!

Argentina in 15 Days!!!

Over the last year of blogging I have tried to include as little about my school work as possible. One, not what I want to talk/bitch about. Two, not what anyone want to read about, but I have to say. MY TWO HARDEST FINALS ARE OVER!! Whew... glad to get that off my chest.

So moving on to the real part of this post, I leave for Argentina in 15 days! Wow!! Mommy is heading to DFW tomorrow to come and help me pack my life up. Yiekes. I am really looking forward to just getting away from all the drama and going on my adventure! Here are some things I will be doing in Argentina!:

• Tango lessons
• Spa at Cachueta
• Wine Tasting
• Mountain Climbing
• Learning how to cook Empanadas
• Becoming fluent in Spanish
  

So Frustrating

Hola Bloggeritas!

So... if you follow me on Twitter you will know that the internet has been down in my apartment for 5 days... YIEKES! I have been so bored let alone unaware of everything going on due to my lack of email. So here I am sitting in the Baylor Science Building blogging away in hopes to reconnect with the world. So what has happened since my internet went out?
Well... a lot!

1. I am now the owner of a Motrola Cliq with the new MotoBlur! This phone will keep me tweeting and on facebook more! So be sure to follow me on Twitter... I think I am pretty entertaining.
2. I have been named the Technology Chair for my sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta. I will be incharged of our website, twitter, facebook, and email list. Guess they think my twitters are pretty entertaining as well.
3. I started a new diet on November 3 and lost 8.5 pounds last week. Pretty impressive! I am following the doctor supervised Medi Weight Loss. It is really working for me. My goal is to not have losing weight as a new years resolution for 2010.
4. Its official! Preppy Beach Chic will be spending 6 weeks this summer studying abroad in Mendoza Argentina!!! I will get to ski at Las Lenas (pictured) and go to a spa in Chaquetta! PBC loves to ski and goes every single winter!! Skiing outside of the U.S. will be such an amazing adventure. I will live with a family in Mendoza and study Spanish while taking tango lessons and learning about the culture of Argentina! I feel so blessed to be able to do this.

So that was my week without internet... Pretty exciting huh? Has anyone been to Argentina? Please let me know!!