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!

Mendoza: Good, Bad, and Ugly

Well as the end of my trip comes closer I have began to reflect back on all that I have expereinced and done here... Most of my friends have started blogs about Argentina and this was one of my favorite post a friend did so here is my shot at the Good, Bad, and Ugly of Mendoza!

The Good:
Argentina is such a beautiful place. The mountains, rivers, trees, and stars all remind you of Gods amazing works!
My spanish has improved ten-folds since my arrival. It was so hard the first few days and now I find myself, without a struggle, to say everything I need too!
I have made amazing friends on this trip who I will keep in contact with after!
To say the wine here is good would be an understatement...
Argentina has won every game since I have been here... Guess I am lucky!

The Bad:
There is grafitti everywhere... even on historic statues, it is sad.
I know I have gained weight since being here and am going to try really hard this last week and a half to eat super healthy to lose a little of it... bye bye alfajores
The fashion here is just bad haha
Class is 4 hours of nothing but spanish every day and it has gone past being tedious.

The Ugly:
I got locked out of my house last Friday and the alarm went off and I had to talk to the police...
This results in a terrified Mallory and a pissed off Mommy in the U.S. and my madre (Argentina mom) didnt think it was a big deal...

Oh well you live... you learn... your thankful you live in the USA!

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!!

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!!

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