Argentina...hmmm...

So...I have waited a long time to open a blog account...I was planning to copy and paste messages from when I first arrived here to give the perspective of time unfolding and or developing, but my Gmail account is acting crazy, so I will wait to do that for a while...

I have done a lot of interesting things here in Buenos Aires since I arrived June 22, 2007.

I was in an Intensive Spanish Program for a month, where I lived in Recoleta with the Brages family...It was lovely...But I was anxious to start my life here...It felt like a vacation...

After the Intensive Spanish month, I went to Mendoza, Argentina in the West, a region known for its wine and the Andes Mountains...I loved it!

Here is a link of my photo album from my first month in Argentina...

http://iowa.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2177492&l=2ba0f&id=14812408

School started 1st of August at the Universidad del Salvador (USAL)...I spent 3 weeks trying to decide what classes I wanted to take...very lengthy and confusing process...Just like everything involving the USAL...I finally chose to take International Negotiation, Argentine Folklore, Theory of International Relations, High Intermediate Spanish for foreigners, and A Seminar on the History of Argentina's Ideas and Political Processes...Yeah...Im not a big fan of school at the moment...I really love the Spanish for foreigners class, but the other ones are generally boring...It is disappointing because normally I love going to class and listening to the professors talk about what they are interested in, but in Spanish, it is so hard to get every bit of information...So I tend to start zoning out...It isn't interesting to me if I don't understand the point of what they are talking about...

I went to visit Mar Del Plata...it was fun, but cold...The ocean was lovely! It was a funny vacation because we didn't do a whole lot...it was cold...I got sick...but, it was still fun!

I celebrated my 22nd birthday in Buenos Aires. It was a lot of fun! I planned two birthday parties...My plan was to have a relaxed, classy night on Friday...so we had dinner at a nice restaurant (The food was amazing) and later had cocktails at a luxury lounge bar... The next night we went to a dance club to celebrate my actual birthday. Coincidentally, it was another guys birthday as well, so he reserved a table in the VIP section and we celebrated until the wee hours of the morning with 20 of our closest friends. I was worried about spending my birthday so far from my friends, but I had sooo much fun! My roommate, Gisselle, brought a chocolate cake to the restaurant. I received chocolate, wine, and a necklace from my friends.

Here is a link from an online album of pictures from my two birthday parties...

http://iowa.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2188681&l=0baf8&id=14812408

I went to visit the Waterfalls of Iguazu at the borders of Argentina and Brazil (Paraguay is very close as well) It was an amazing experience and helped me put things into perspective...I have been a bit homesick in the last month...the the point where I was trying to figure out how I could come home...I was sick of trying so hard to do even the simplest thing and didn't want to feel so out of place...Time away was the best thing for me...now I feel less melodramatic and I'm excited to go travelling during my vacation (Nov-Feb)...What I realized was that I need to figure out how to be happy right now, not change locations to distract myself from what is really going on...I have been having some really eye-opening experiences and conversations with ppl and it is helping to shed light on my purpose here in Argentina...I am always trying to find my purpose...So, now I am seeing things in a more positive light...not focusing on small setbacks and I have many things to look forward to!

Here is an excerpt from an email to share how I felt upon returning from Iguazu...

I have noticed...the older I have gotten my goals have become more grandiose and I have made great strides...but that is not who I really am...I am defined by my spirit for adventure, my smile, my laugh, my hugs...my moments of kindness and also my bitchy moments...my pushiness, my control-needs, my need to feel special...all of those things are me...among other things...BUT the point is...I am not what I study at the university, or the languages I speak, or who my friends are, or how well I can put together an outfit...I am finally discovering and accepting who I am at the most simple level! I am who I was in High School or part of my childhood when my personality was more clear and I was more carefree...but the only thing missing then was my confidence to actually be who I am! I was myself...but insecure to be myself at the same time! Now I am less afraid and I don't try as much to impress people, and I am trying to remember who I am at my simplest form....

Yeah it would be cool to be a travel journalist...there are jobs like that...the ppl at the study abroad office are always talking about them...they sound really cool, and it is always a possibility!


So here are my ideas on travelling...I REALLY loved my time in Iguazu and when I went to Mendoza...they were so amazing, and reminded why I am here! I am here to explore new places! Not, suffer in class or watch TV or get drunk at a bar! So...I really want to travel the whole vacation...I have 4 travel companions for the first month and a half and other ppl we can meet up with...so I will be safe...I am really excited and I think it would be the most memorable thing to do...That is something I definitely wont regret! Right now, I feel like the travelling is the once in a lifetime experience! I have so many places that I wan to go to in the world, and I gotta take advantage of where I am now so that I can go explore Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, etc...

I feel really positive and rejuvenated after my trip to the waterfalls!!! It was amazing!!!

That is how I am still feeling...I'm still riding the wave...Okay...so thanks for listening/reading...Have a great day and stay tuned!