Let me tell you all the things I’ve done for the past three weeks:
I have started classes. I turned in my first assignment (and had it returned with the professor saying I write well. I would like to thank Janis Breckenridge for that). I stumbled into Drawing III thinking it was Drawing I, but the professors after seeing me in the first class thought I deserved to stay! I’m learning how to Tango. I have explored and tried out several restaurants, cafes, and bars (finally), and I’m pretty sure in each one I’ve tried their empanadas. I’ve eaten my mom’s homemade alfajores, empanadas, pizza, and so much more; and I learned how to make empanadas, and flan in a cooking class offered by IFSA, and prepared an entire meal including a steak. I have developed a deep obsession with dulce de leche –
“I also can’t stop eating dulce de leche. . .”
“Still all up in that dulce de leche. . . I think I need to go running today.”
“Empty house. . . and a tub full of dulce de leche. . .”
– three of my recent Facebook statuses
I’ve gone out to the family’s finca, farm, and had my first Argentine asado (supposedly some of the best barbecues you could ever have. . . and I don’t think I can argue with that). My “prima” (her host mom is my host mom’s sister) Elizabeth met a local who was really nice and (after properly meeting him, don’t worry we didn’t just randomly jump in his car and go cruising) took us out to Cachueta to visit the beautiful mountains in Cacheuta that contained destroyed what used to be houses. I obtained my own mate cup and straw, and it is beautiful. I have managed to avoid traveler’s diarrhea and from being hit by crazy Argentine drivers that are way scarier than those in New York (at this point in the journey). I got lost on a bus twice, now. I started to read Harry Potter y la Piedra Filosofal. I’ve purchased based on the logic “por qué no?” , why not? I climbed to the top of a mountain in Uspallata. I’ve been invited to drink mate with an Argentinean and his friends. And here’s the best part: I learned how to ski for the first time in the Andes mountains. And on the lifts, I had great conversations with Argentineans all over the country about Buenos Aires, Tango, Patagonia, taking advantage of all there is to offer while I’m here for my mere five months.
So yes, everything’s going great. I’m finally learning to aprovechar. I’m learning to take advantage of it all.
To see more about my adventures, visit my other study abroad blog that has a “Foto del dÃa,” Photo of the Day!
http://kathyinmendoza.tumblr.com/
