tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68076445487704857112024-03-05T12:16:02.562-08:00Chandler In ArgentinaA girl from good ole' Cleveland Ohio traveling to Formosa, Argentina... Spring 2012-2013Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-17367905194221002512012-11-14T10:37:00.001-08:002012-11-14T10:46:52.179-08:00World's worst blogger, quinces, college, being an AFSer<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>You could call me a liar and the world's worst blog poster. I haven't posted since the end of July... Before I came to Argentina I loved reading other exchangers blogs because it made me realize all the things that could happen to me while in Argentina, thats the main reason I chose to start a blog but I have never really fallen through with the whole plan. Its definitely something that is harder than it looks. So heres the first blog post in awhile...</b></span><br />
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So what have I been up to the past few months? Everything in Argentina seems so normal now. I have two lives now, and I wish I could live them both. The other week I received my travel dates for my return to the USA. I will tell you that it was a very sad moment for me. Being an exchange student you always know that you will go home but if you don't know the exact day, you feel like maybe just maybe it won't happen yet and you can in your host country for a little awhile longer. I will arrive to Miami at 6.10 AM the 17th of January. Only word can describe this... Bittersweet</b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>
Last week, the 8th of November was Hug an exchange student day or also known as "day of the exchange student." I had a nice lunch with my other exchange friends that day, I also read something another AFSer posted on facebook that I found to be so true... I couldn't have related more. Here it is: </b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>r the same roof with people from all over the world?<br />-How do you know what imagination is if you've never thought about the moment you go home?<br />-How do you know what it means to grow if you've never matured in order to start a new part of your life?<br />-How do you know what autonomy is if you've never been forced to make your own decisions?<br />-How do you know what patriotism is if you've never said "I love my country" with a flag in hand?<br />-How do you know what family is if you've never had one that supported you unconditionally, even from the other side of the world?<br />-How do you know if something is impossible if you've never tried it?<br />-How do you know what a dream is if you've never accomplished one?<br />-How do you know what an adventure is if you've never been part of one?<br />-How do you know what pride is if you've never experienced it for yourself when realizing how much you've achieved?<br />-How do you know the world if you've never been an exchange student?</b></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">But truly.. How would you know any of these things if you never had taken the risk to go abroad? I feel that some people who haven't ever done exchange can relate in ways, but they were never truly know how it changes you and shapes you to be who you want to be. My year here has made me the person I've always wanted to be. I figured out that I can do the impossible. I left my home before I was even 18, went to live with people I didn't know in a country I had never been to with a language and culture I knew nothing about. I always think about how crazy it is that there are 1000s of other kids the same age as me at this moment doing the same thing as me. Some people might call us crazy for doing what we do, but we already are changing peoples perspectives about the world and other countries, we are becoming better global citizens. </span></span></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Something I have always found funny about being an exchange student, is that whenever you meet someone else that is, was, or going to be an exchange student, you have an automatic connection, and a world of things to talk about. No one understands you better than your other AFSers. No one. These people have always been there when I wanted to go home or was sick or just felt bad, and told me how hard I worked to get here and that its just a year. They were right. I'm sitting here in Formosa with less than 2 months of my exchange left. Wow. It went by so quickly and I don't feel ready to end it yet. I wish I could have a whole other year here. The things I have learned and the people I have met, have made me realize all the things I would like to do and become in the future. </span></span></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">A side note... Well on exchange I have had to apply for college because I'm a senior right now. I recently got accepted to Ohio University. I'm still waiting for a few other universities because Ohio University isn't my first choice but its still a respectable school. </span></span></b></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Last month on October 13th I went to my host cousin Camila's quince. I'm sure that many of you have heard about what quinces are. Its a girls 15th birthday, a coming of age birthday that is just as fancy as a wedding. Parents literally start saving for a girls quince when she is a little girl or recently born. They are very fancy parties, with a hundred guests, a fancy dress, bands, a dj, drinks, a nice dinner, etc. I had already been to a few quinces since I got here but this one was the nicest one by far. Here are some photos from the quince with my host cousins and host sister! (unfortunately I never took a picture with Camila on my camera, but I know I have a picture with her on someone else camera). </span></span></b></span></span><br />
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me and my host sister</div>
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host cousins</div>
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me</div>
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Camila </div>
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me, Cici(denmark), Luisa (Germany)</div>
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Luisa and Karl (Germany)</div>
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sos lo mass</div>
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Luca (Italy)</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Just some pics from a party with the exchangers! Got to love them! They are the people who have helped me time and time again! Love you guys :) </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">*** Next blog post will be soon! In another 4 days I leave to go on an AFS trip for 5 days to Salta y Jujuy!***</span></span></span><br />
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<b>The 4th of July, Winter Vacations, how I feel</b></div>
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Again... Long time no write. I'm pretty horrible at this whole writing a blog thing aren't I? Today its a nice day in Formosa. The sun is out, its a Friday (best day of the week!)! The past few days I have stayed home from school because I have a terrible cough! I'm not really that sick, but my host mom told me that I should stay home. Wasn't going to argue with that! Tonight I think I'm going to dinner with the other exchange students and maybe a movie. Unsure! No sé todavia! (I don't know yet)! Two weeks ago half of the exchange students returned to their countries because they came the year before in august, so they had completed their year abroad! I wasn't here to say goodbye because I ended up going to another province of Argentina called Tucuman. I went to the capital, called San Miguel de Tucuman with my host sister and host mom for about 11 days. It was a nice vacation. We visited my host mom's sister and her family. They have two houses. One in the city, and then one in the country (Yerba Buena). It was a nice change, and very beautiful! I have various photos of Tucuman that are hermosassssss! </div>
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random kids on the mountain... but its adorable!</div>
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shadows!</div>
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The fourth of July was kind of a sad day for me. Its one of my favorite holidays in the USA. Especially because in my development in the USA... We go crazy with fireworks and games all day long! Its one of my favorite traditions. So it was pretty sad knowing I was in winter here and missing that. But then I realized, its one day and I will have it next year!</div>
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I have been feeling pretty great about my life lately. Some days I am sad like any other exchange student but thats expected! Most of the time I love being here and feel so lucky to have this experience. I am half way done with this experience and I can't believe it. It makes me really sad and I kind of freak out when I realize I only have 6 months left because the time on exchange flies. Blogging is really hard! So if you guys could email me about what you would like to hear about... that would be great! email me at chandlermburkhart@yahoo.com </div>
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chau- cmb</div>
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<br /></div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-50442633647641438592012-06-18T11:41:00.000-07:002012-06-18T11:41:35.465-07:00escribir un blog es dificil... ¿no cierto? to write a blog is difficult... right?Before I went on exchange... I made myself a promise. The promise that I would write in this blog every few weeks so I would have something to look back on that I made, and be able to see how I grew as person (because I haven't been writing a journal). I am very sorry that I haven't updated this in over a month! I know people in my family have been reading it and that I also have random people in this world who read it too! I am also sorry to everyone I may not have emailed recently! I always start writing the emails and then completely forget. I will soon though so I can go even more in depth with my close friends and family! So back to how writing a blog is difficult. Every future or past AFSer that has read many blogs before exchange, normally thinks "Wow, I'm totally going to write one on exchange and update it every week or two!"... Guess what? You won't! Unless you have dedication! I feel that the first few months its so easy to talk about my life in Argentina because everything was and still is new, but the thing is... My english is slowly declining (I'm sure you can see this in my posts), also my life here is actually a life now. I have friends, I go out, I go to school like a normal kid, I do homework, etc. Life has become normal. I can finally somewhat believe that I live here and that I understand Spanish.<br />
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So what have I been up to in the last month and a half...? I been living the life of una argentina :) Lets see... I went to a wedding about a month ago. And it was really interesting because it was somewhat different from weddings in the USA. The ceremony was at 10AM in the morning and after there was a lunch as the reception and dancing. It was a party for about 8 hours! There were some interesting differences. I will say I didn't really understand the pastor, but thats okay! I already go to an all girls religious school here and I understand things there! The wedding was in a different city and I actually went to the wedding sick. I had a little bit of a fever which wasn't that bad. I was able to function and everything. But then the next day... Total chaos.<br />
So Sunday night... I had a temperature of 40C. Of course I didn't really know what that meant because in the USA we use F... I had a temperature of 104F and apparently tonsillitis. Of course though Sunday night I understood nothing of the word tonsillitis in Spanish. All I understood was when the doctor said he was going to give me two injections! AHH QUE HORROR! I seriously almost cried... It was not a pleasant experience. The week I was sick, all I wanted to do was go home and be with my mom in my own bed with my own american products like campbell's chicken noodle soup or something along those lines. It was a hard week. I cried twice. I hadn't cried before. It wasn't fun but its pasted and well it was an experience! I went to a hospital here! Let's just say its a little bit different from the Cleveland Clinic. In Ohio, I come from a city with some of the best hospitals in the world, definitely the best hospitals in the USA. So yeah Formosa... That was a little different. The hospital was about 20 years old but everything looked older. It felt dirty to me. I don't know how to explain it... But it didn't seem organized. There wasn't a single doctor who spoke English. It was a bit of a nightmare because when I am sick my thinking process isn't the same, therefore my Spanish didn't exist. I didn't understand much that night other then the part where they put two needles into my body! UNPLEASANT. But you know... It was an experience! Obviously I didn't want to be sick but I'm glad I was able to see something different. Everything is an experience... It can be good... It can be bad. But its always interesting. Especially in Formosa. Oh Formosa!<br />
For some reason today I felt sad. There will be times on exchange where you will just feel sad for no reason... Or just miss something. The last week I have been having a hard time because my friends the USA just started summer. They all are going to the beach, Cedar Point, etc. Well I am here where it is cold, still going to school... I made this trade off though. Exchange is an amazing experience but a lot of the time you have to give up things to have this experience. I have a hard time sometimes but I realize that this experience is going to help me the rest of my life. We are almost to 4 months in Argentina. Hard to believe... I really can't sometimes... Its just crazy! Well I promise I will try to update more often!<br />
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just a picture from my host moms 50th birthday! mi familia <3</div>
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<br /></div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-52591463350263556452012-04-24T12:33:00.000-07:002012-04-24T12:33:08.916-07:00Most unreal experience of my life<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"I woke up late in the afternoon. For a second I didn't know where I was. You know how it is, when you wake up in a strange place and wonder where in the world you are, until memory comes rushing over you like a wave. I half convinced myself that I had dreamed everything that had happened the night before."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">No paragraph could describe better how I feel about Argentina. A veces no puedo creer... Que yo estoy viviendo acá. En Argentina. Incredible. Que vida bella. Que suerte que yo tengo. I read that paragraph a few days ago. Its EXACTLY how I feel about exchange. I wonder a lot how I will feel when I return home. Will this whole year feel like a dream? Will I remember most of it or will I forget the places, the people, and the times I had? For right now, returning back home scares me. I have 9 months left. The first two FLEW BY. Today actually. I left Cleveland two months ago today. February 22nd, I left my home to go to Miami and then come here, to Formosa, Argentina. The fact that I only have one chance in my life to experience something like this scares me A LOT. I don't want this year to go by so fast. I want to take my time here, learn the people, the language, the culture, and everything. I wrote in my last post about how I am now able to understand so much more, I still need to improve a lot on the speaking. I don't just want to be average at spanish... I want to be fluent, amazing. I want to be able to speak this language without thinking much about it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">Lately life here has felt so normal. I now know when I go home it will be the same as it is right now with Ohio. This will always be my other home. Beautiful little Formosa, Argentina. In this blogpost I don't really have anything exciting to tell you about that I did recently, like going to Iguazu Falls. But the thing is... I won't always be blogging about experiences like that, this whole year is amazing. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">Today I'm just talking about how it feels. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">Today I dreamt a little in Spanish for the first time. I came home from school at 10.30 because school was just shortened today... So I just took a siesta before lunch. I remember waking up and realizing that some of the people in my dream has spoken spanish to me. I don't remember if I had spoken spanish myself but some people spoke spanish to me. The dream was in english too. They say that dreaming in another language are the first signs to becoming fluent. I don't think I'm anywhere near fluent but there are definitely times now where I will say something to someone in spanish and not even think about what I just said. Its very bizarre because I never thought my brain could work that way or even comprehend learning another language, but it does! SO I AM PUMPED. In 9 months... I pray that I will be fluent. A year in Argentina= hopefully equals fluent? Un-known right now?!... Just wishing :) The thing about being exchange students is there are three types of exchange students:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">1. The student who actually studies the verbs and language well abroad and reads grammar books like 501 verbs, etc.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">2. The student who tries to speak with anyone they can, and just learns from experience</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">3. The student who really doesn't accept the host countries language at all and just gives up in some sorts</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">I would say that I am a combination of 1 and 2. But more of 2. I really need to start being more like student 1 if I really want to become fluent faster. The frustrating thing about being here... Is that I can say so much more now but theres still so much I want to say. My host family knows no english at all, which is definitely better for learning but its harder to bond with them in the beginning because I can't really be the real me yet. The real me loves to talk and just talk and talk and talk and talk... I think my blogposts kind of reflect the real me somewhat. I write overly long blogposts! But its all good :) This one is a little shorter! </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">I have to go soon.. because I'm going out to get ice cream with the other exchange students... Yes AFS= another fat student. We eat too much together. Its SCARY.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">besos, cmb</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18px;">P.S. to my blog readers! please write comments about what you would like to see pictures of or what you want to know about! Its very hard to write a blog and make it interesting so if you could just tell me what you like to hear about or see pictures of... I will gladly write about it! Gracias! </span><br />
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fiesta (yo y florencia)</div>
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Yeah Im student number 1 here</div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Yeah thats my class... Just a little crazy they are! LAS AMOOO! SANTA ISABEL 6TO AÑO</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-83429826130690382462012-04-11T16:34:00.001-07:002012-04-11T16:47:24.454-07:00Semana Santa! Empanadas, Resistencia, Corrientes, Posadas, y Iguazu FallsSo the past week has been pretty amazing. I have been to quite a few places and done quite a few things! last wednesday Semana Santa started, it is 5 days of vacaciones in Argentina for Pascua (Easter). Last wednesday my host family and I packed up the car and started driving. First we stopped in Resistencia which is a city about 2 and a half hours away from Formosa. We stayed there the night with my host mother's sister. It was nice because this week I really am starting to feel like I can understand a lot thats going on, and what people are talking about. I don't feel so lost at dinner anymore when my family is talking. I can talk somewhat now too. I feel more included and less alone which is amazing. I never am alone here but I feel alone sometimes because I can't say what I want all the time and I really enjoy talking and explaining myself. Anyone that knows me in the USA will tell you... I talk nonstop. I really need to shut up sometimes but I can't, I enjoy conversation too much. The past month and a half I have had a lot of me, myself and I time. But thats okay, I needed to experience that, gave me time to think. Now I am starting to get frustrated with school though because I want to learn and understand. This week I am actually going to take my 501 Spanish verbs to school... And get cracking on the ol'books and just study! PORQUE YO QUIERO HABLAR MAS FLUIDA! jajajaj Okay so back to Semana Santa. The next day we stopped in Corrientes for a few hours because they have more family there, its another nice city, much bigger than Formosa. Many people from Formosa go to Corrientes for weekend shopping trips because they have many stores there. Everyone from Formosa is obsessed with the McDonalds in Corrientes. I haven't had fast food in almost two months... Which is interesting. Not all americans eat McDonalds all the time, I don't but I definitely eat it with my friends so its a little weird to think I haven't had peanut butter, panera bread or chipotle.<br />
After Corrientes, we drove a few hours to Posadas which is the capitol of the province, Misiones. Misiones is where Iguazu Falls is!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB714p9PyziNlxwG32YPbDJjzyox95uw_3xqQENVXVN0y1zuN-ptTZDzbZPl9dDl0OU7QUVjolb7dgKPSoMlVGqMQijYbGY2Bo_bgUW0KcrjuI1Xp0urg48uP5DLij4aSi1xbrlvxDCl0/s1600/MisionesArgentina.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB714p9PyziNlxwG32YPbDJjzyox95uw_3xqQENVXVN0y1zuN-ptTZDzbZPl9dDl0OU7QUVjolb7dgKPSoMlVGqMQijYbGY2Bo_bgUW0KcrjuI1Xp0urg48uP5DLij4aSi1xbrlvxDCl0/s320/MisionesArgentina.jpg" width="165" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">(in red Misiones! Puerto Iguazu... Is Iguazu Falls :)</div><br />
Posadas was a very nice city. We stayed there for a day and I quite enjoyed it!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Below are pictures from Posadas</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCoAOsB7DIl30i5nIR3N4hPVlMgCW7yMP2Tsx6ABr_IqxY21SDEi89YhN9LUGM9HHwKzmlbbEKQzRci7Xf12xeNa5oulxU-yc9z0FBw34b5dFDJwI4D0eQ2Nv23ovPf5aoaWIip4vcUA/s1600/P1000638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJCoAOsB7DIl30i5nIR3N4hPVlMgCW7yMP2Tsx6ABr_IqxY21SDEi89YhN9LUGM9HHwKzmlbbEKQzRci7Xf12xeNa5oulxU-yc9z0FBw34b5dFDJwI4D0eQ2Nv23ovPf5aoaWIip4vcUA/s320/P1000638.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(My host sister and I in front of our hotel)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9V0jZlNDxOzpVfYAJUgG21Zdlejc3sxWzJNIc11tRO2gB2d__BI-6ml8TV2wu5h4auyOd0oH4hg505AUJ38PhozCAk7lDz0LXqqgeCFRdAVSwzH32ZgrQt-vDK0wBVrhmdA5nC4eF8A/s1600/P1000641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx9V0jZlNDxOzpVfYAJUgG21Zdlejc3sxWzJNIc11tRO2gB2d__BI-6ml8TV2wu5h4auyOd0oH4hg505AUJ38PhozCAk7lDz0LXqqgeCFRdAVSwzH32ZgrQt-vDK0wBVrhmdA5nC4eF8A/s320/P1000641.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Fountain in the plaza)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnOjgGWRNqDuHkB7JxlMfclfCe2iGKmROBkC0g4LkmwcRkwm9jNz_TSRcmLG0_QMJfxtUYpchX3MXTXWztM4hK3iXZBg0pEPjmzrMzd2N8smaZs6lLs1CALFNFKmYtDpuCf_vDH712PA/s1600/P1000645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjnOjgGWRNqDuHkB7JxlMfclfCe2iGKmROBkC0g4LkmwcRkwm9jNz_TSRcmLG0_QMJfxtUYpchX3MXTXWztM4hK3iXZBg0pEPjmzrMzd2N8smaZs6lLs1CALFNFKmYtDpuCf_vDH712PA/s320/P1000645.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">every person is a world</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I just really loved the quote</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJGRYs65K7dEQrdr2USiShjbm2o3rMEiSjpkmicj6JEsY5QyZ3YYaCD1mnQX0f_14fX5FYT1atLCeXgalRmFssq2yrpg_tMppiTJKKOPw7DuxPSdNOeh-ktLGUD57-i_JS4_3xMWmpBY/s1600/P1000648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuJGRYs65K7dEQrdr2USiShjbm2o3rMEiSjpkmicj6JEsY5QyZ3YYaCD1mnQX0f_14fX5FYT1atLCeXgalRmFssq2yrpg_tMppiTJKKOPw7DuxPSdNOeh-ktLGUD57-i_JS4_3xMWmpBY/s320/P1000648.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My host parents in front of this beautiful church that was in the plaza</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then Friday morning we woke up and started the drive to Puerto Iguazu! We stopped in this place... And I can say I honestly say that I don't remember the name at all which is really horrible and I would ask my host family but at the moment I am the only one at home so sorry guys you won't know the name of the place I'm about to show you! Okay so all la tierra (earth, ground) in Misiones is red. Red dirt. It is everywhere now... On all my shoes... They are all stained red from the earth. The water is red in the rivers! Look at these pictures its pretty weird! We stopped for lunch at this place. We had a picnic :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq5-eJRzMvylDT6_zgRlyCrwl9hRC5J1CSAJy2qku9zo2MakijiUJ_s6R-StPUtFsAQpEJysVI8MsEnfvgqFJJepk_qb7zeXHvDjX37Eq4bnkNHDIfr5SEWdInLXUbmiBHdGhgwO1wrk/s1600/P1000657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTq5-eJRzMvylDT6_zgRlyCrwl9hRC5J1CSAJy2qku9zo2MakijiUJ_s6R-StPUtFsAQpEJysVI8MsEnfvgqFJJepk_qb7zeXHvDjX37Eq4bnkNHDIfr5SEWdInLXUbmiBHdGhgwO1wrk/s320/P1000657.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Told you the earth was red there!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YouHo5ywe81zJRvGlfJwhhQ20vEXMv0eSCDBezr5EpTO9hDuguk6UI4_XEFlneIuiCvJEAIK_3qo5o6boTWJUXQunF_mahlXP8Ig6SvTeaxjbuobWMeR4XK2R1QZPAlE1J4qv62IUoI/s1600/P1000661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9YouHo5ywe81zJRvGlfJwhhQ20vEXMv0eSCDBezr5EpTO9hDuguk6UI4_XEFlneIuiCvJEAIK_3qo5o6boTWJUXQunF_mahlXP8Ig6SvTeaxjbuobWMeR4XK2R1QZPAlE1J4qv62IUoI/s320/P1000661.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSJ6YhyZyeCdFDYZ0avAQbZb8X2HBRhDud271TnduXnQxAE_OVsDcHzRvgaCXrGBkbje6Kb8xFyF55RwW0OCbEv3f3lf7jUzOk7jCHix1exfC4d-gNxHMz5wpMRbtk_97eEwbXNljvtY/s1600/P1000677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguSJ6YhyZyeCdFDYZ0avAQbZb8X2HBRhDud271TnduXnQxAE_OVsDcHzRvgaCXrGBkbje6Kb8xFyF55RwW0OCbEv3f3lf7jUzOk7jCHix1exfC4d-gNxHMz5wpMRbtk_97eEwbXNljvtY/s320/P1000677.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My host sister, mom, and I</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfOmgyElA6C99K6YIDvuMMwizR5ivmQDxk22t6nJ3D1-PQWgJXGK5dWDf8auOALDGavQBuBceTNbcceNfKedqkjEDTZM1z3ffqbIPR0t4QNQyNpjWzTpYqpESYJDuS3zxovuqrC7kWIk/s1600/P1000671.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfOmgyElA6C99K6YIDvuMMwizR5ivmQDxk22t6nJ3D1-PQWgJXGK5dWDf8auOALDGavQBuBceTNbcceNfKedqkjEDTZM1z3ffqbIPR0t4QNQyNpjWzTpYqpESYJDuS3zxovuqrC7kWIk/s320/P1000671.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">AHORA IGUAZU. This is seriously the most beautiful place I have ever seen.... There are no words to do this place justice. Just pictures. Go see it in person. You will fall in love with the beauty of it :) Promise. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxQ0Z4QAa75no6cjv452ieDMujLzPUE8ZFArwCm8zO_4yIqDO84qER6kfmfCwBK-oJrhyphenhyphenhL_DLSRq6RFtqytwF_ZALnZkkp0yWg4ujF5d6xwi6hHyDTW92karx4EKU-PaGCxIvJaH268/s1600/P1000787.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrxQ0Z4QAa75no6cjv452ieDMujLzPUE8ZFArwCm8zO_4yIqDO84qER6kfmfCwBK-oJrhyphenhyphenhL_DLSRq6RFtqytwF_ZALnZkkp0yWg4ujF5d6xwi6hHyDTW92karx4EKU-PaGCxIvJaH268/s320/P1000787.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuFl6JJli__aU9tqhBArZi7xD32Pf3-KK9ZUl2nlHoMy73jkKQF2sLUqPgXpmq3tho_OEYKQ_Ouyl6lnrLpkxehKOXGBAnEhfL7nTGO3TxMzHWCMVp7aj76IcQZskhsPI5L_WLxAVEzk/s1600/P1000883.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghuFl6JJli__aU9tqhBArZi7xD32Pf3-KK9ZUl2nlHoMy73jkKQF2sLUqPgXpmq3tho_OEYKQ_Ouyl6lnrLpkxehKOXGBAnEhfL7nTGO3TxMzHWCMVp7aj76IcQZskhsPI5L_WLxAVEzk/s320/P1000883.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Beautiful... I know right?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignFHBhA0BceCLjaxl9oKWouDvRosY1hAY_onep3Idb7P7U5SEfROV7hEKuSmflX4SXH0bBM_9iN4fujFfkd_TCAHP4UHwfX39bYCcqUCNAay3LBoFo3a38PusmhJ30Dc80jtavOJxKGg/s1600/P1000840.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEignFHBhA0BceCLjaxl9oKWouDvRosY1hAY_onep3Idb7P7U5SEfROV7hEKuSmflX4SXH0bBM_9iN4fujFfkd_TCAHP4UHwfX39bYCcqUCNAay3LBoFo3a38PusmhJ30Dc80jtavOJxKGg/s320/P1000840.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteVE4G6BTSFTFsNASnSlNn-_dKIkqOGYX-yYiKvgAYFMtxP6zTFSEitYmZE6tDcIhBc4XmrS9__s8D4YJCXKC6uyEhM97CxhBIjBhtMUtoXWpBUcjZTOtQ8UBtUghOglOQ1a9ouuD42Y/s1600/P1000884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjteVE4G6BTSFTFsNASnSlNn-_dKIkqOGYX-yYiKvgAYFMtxP6zTFSEitYmZE6tDcIhBc4XmrS9__s8D4YJCXKC6uyEhM97CxhBIjBhtMUtoXWpBUcjZTOtQ8UBtUghOglOQ1a9ouuD42Y/s320/P1000884.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlSe_DbboziEdTQujppzIXUm09RXGalSaWuij1Gv_a4tdcDZuSHZPgFgDRiero8oHO-NOeg8JpcOd4WPvje3x6NBZQzkl_6KgFVaCubnVVyHk934kgwLcFSc3fuvfeO16zbQlf_t8Q_4/s1600/P1000860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTlSe_DbboziEdTQujppzIXUm09RXGalSaWuij1Gv_a4tdcDZuSHZPgFgDRiero8oHO-NOeg8JpcOd4WPvje3x6NBZQzkl_6KgFVaCubnVVyHk934kgwLcFSc3fuvfeO16zbQlf_t8Q_4/s320/P1000860.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Doesn't get much more magical then a rainbow haha</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtutAiAm5JyuLmH7LWJL4aeCiF7D5psLR1NngWOV4zP0gGZgQgZc13pTAyGEeGvy7RbHlhKrdKDbxCpeIsUsWPlXXaws8B5LQC7RH6XyHHTeGL-cwpaaJzJYupsO4vsfyQDw9-zuG4rEs/s1600/P1000836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtutAiAm5JyuLmH7LWJL4aeCiF7D5psLR1NngWOV4zP0gGZgQgZc13pTAyGEeGvy7RbHlhKrdKDbxCpeIsUsWPlXXaws8B5LQC7RH6XyHHTeGL-cwpaaJzJYupsO4vsfyQDw9-zuG4rEs/s320/P1000836.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hermosaaa!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So that was my trip. It was 6 days (I got to miss school on monday). I enjoyed it and had a very good time and now I can say that I've seen a true natural beauty! Fue hermosa! If you ever get the chance to come to Argentina... Iguazu is a must! Its hard to understand its beauty until you see it for yourself. Its like Niagra Falls but 20 or 30 times bigger... SO GO. DALE. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I haven't talked much about food. Food in Argentina. Its so delicious. I am in LOVE with the food. Its so good. Empanadas are a very traditional argentine food. What are empanadas? Definition- Latin-American turnover with a flaky crust and a spicy or sweet filling. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They are so delicious. Here are some pictures of me making them with my host sister! MUY RICO</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAra8f5tq9_LfUtpQ7vygW04Rd_YXCiVHgkA3Amz883vDRG4666uC-8lA2DrzBjJp9Ky1KHvGB1Dpqs18IuPHWNvPnM8HXOJ2HxqcsgB-qJ33Td5Fhb4xxuTGEPhKHERGXnEpvalGRzEU/s1600/P1000623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAra8f5tq9_LfUtpQ7vygW04Rd_YXCiVHgkA3Amz883vDRG4666uC-8lA2DrzBjJp9Ky1KHvGB1Dpqs18IuPHWNvPnM8HXOJ2HxqcsgB-qJ33Td5Fhb4xxuTGEPhKHERGXnEpvalGRzEU/s320/P1000623.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Carne y huevos... Meat and eggs</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsHNg-lw8lu0bX1ERS1a8mDv7did2-PPct5swus1Ov8b8C9GeuKaPNknHYQhsOoopJqGS9rTAflSuTReWsUsJ7TVGiutyqJfQ3f0kCv4dO0E18iE-Acin2PDsyW6JOUAtOoH_P84kPvY/s1600/P1000627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsHNg-lw8lu0bX1ERS1a8mDv7did2-PPct5swus1Ov8b8C9GeuKaPNknHYQhsOoopJqGS9rTAflSuTReWsUsJ7TVGiutyqJfQ3f0kCv4dO0E18iE-Acin2PDsyW6JOUAtOoH_P84kPvY/s320/P1000627.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">finished product!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3yF4cX4VIl2_I8b-kvSkYQfp7tNAtaaiPY3rn2dDO8-794W3wqICDXETX74wUPe9Ry11LbglDuQL8BA-29BWZk-ffiof0mZhfEK-l5tYPIvko1eI4Mlk4_vR_dqoOSrt7qcCoCY2Qsc/s1600/P1000618.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS3yF4cX4VIl2_I8b-kvSkYQfp7tNAtaaiPY3rn2dDO8-794W3wqICDXETX74wUPe9Ry11LbglDuQL8BA-29BWZk-ffiof0mZhfEK-l5tYPIvko1eI4Mlk4_vR_dqoOSrt7qcCoCY2Qsc/s320/P1000618.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">This trip was wonderful but the crazy thing is I was happy when we were pulling into Formosa. I said to myself "I'm happy I'm going home." Formosa is finally a second home to me. Formosa mi hermosa. I love this little city and my life here! I will post in the next week or two about something... Unsure yet! But something :) Besos! </span></span><br />
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</div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-56227331663624315602012-04-02T13:32:00.000-07:002012-04-02T13:32:32.903-07:00long time... no blog!Okay so I feel really bad that I haven't blogged in so long! Its been almost a month! Before I went on exchange and was reading other exchange student's blogs I never understand why it would take them so long to update their blogs. I finally know! Life is so busy here, and even when you aren't busy you don't exactly feel like posting because you want your readers to be left with something good, not some super short, hey things have been good. Today I feel like I owe my readers a good blog post. I am going to tell you how I feel after being here for a month. I left my family in Cleveland, February 22nd, 2012. Today is April 2nd, 2012. I am mind blown. This has been the fastest month of my life. Explaining what time is like on exchange is impossible, unless you have been or are an exchange student. Before I went on exchange I had heard "Fastest year of my life", "Best year of my life", "Best decision I have ever made." All these things so far have proven to be true even though I have only been here for a month. I already know that I have a little less then 10 months here. How is that even possible? I was leaving yesterday. But the weird thing about it, is that I feel like I have been in Formosa for longer than a month, like I have known a lot of these people, and this little city for a long time. This is a small little city, I love it. I can walk everywhere, or take a bus or taxi and I'm wherever in 10 minutes. Its starting to feel normal to be here. I still haven't completely realized I'm here though. Sometimes I'll be walking to school or out to meet someone, and I just start thinking "Wait... I'm in Argentina. I live in Argentina." Its pretty bizarre to think now that I have two lives. I have two families, two schools, and now many groups of friends. I love my friends here, especially the other exchange students. I feel so normal when I'm with them because we can talk about anything together and we all feel the same things. You could literally have nothing in common with someone but as long as you both are exchange students, you could talk for hours with them. One of my favorite past times here in Argentina is skyping with other exchange students, like Leah Sharaby who's in Italy or Danny Schur who's in South Africa. Its so amazing that we're all in different parts of the world, and experiencing different cultures but yet we can talk for hours just about that... Life on exchange. What's it like? Unless you do it, you will never know.<br />
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I want to tell you about why I write this blog. I do not write this blog for my family and friends, though I know they do read it, and it is an easy way for them to hear about Argentina. But the reason I chose to begin a blog was for kids who want to go on exchange or who are thinking about it. Reading blogs before I came herenreally helped me decide about where I wanted to go, or give me a little glimpse of how I would maybe feel as an American on exchange. It made me more excited to go on exchange.<br />
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Spanish... Lets talk about languages. This is one thing that made me want to hyperventilate and curl up into a ball when I thought about it before I got here. I haven't had Spanish in school since June 2011. So I was pretty worried because I knew my Spanish would be rocky. People tell me everyday now that I understand so much better than I did when I first got here and then I can express myself better too. I can have conversations with people in Spanish now. I laugh and have a good time, and understand so much more now. But I am definitely not fluent at all. I have so much more to learn. I am hoping that maybe in August I'll understand almost everything in school.<br />
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School. Now that is the hardest place to understand people besides parties because my class is crazy. They yell all the time but I love them though, too many people talk at once. The teachers talk so fast. I literally stare at the wall for like 5 hours a day... Its my place for thinking. I do copy all the notes though, and for some classes I do the work. For example I did the questions and reading for sociology and politics all by myself. I was very proud of myself when I did that because I understood the papers and notes. I am proud of myself when I do things on my own or understand something I never thought I could. This weekend I took a taxi by myself for the first time. I told the taxi driver where I wanted to go and paid the right amount and got to the right place. I felt happy because I was independent in another country with another language, in a place I don't know well. I think now it'll be pretty easy to go to college. Going to college can't compare to study abroads at all. In both you leave your family and go out into the world on your own. But they're different.<br />
1. Right now I am in high school. I am not legally an adult and I already have taken the step to go out into the world on my own<br />
2. Generally people go to college in their own country... I am currently in another country<br />
3. I am in a country, where the culture is completely different and the language is too<br />
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What I just said proves that going away to another country when you are in high school is a million times harder than going to college in your own country. Both are big steps in an exchange students life, but nothing compares to this year. I know that the rest of my life I will look back on this year and never regret leaving my small town and missing out on one year of high school.<br />
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I do miss my family and friends at home a lot though. Sometimes I just wish I could talk to my mom but she isn't on Skype or I really wish I could see my dogs (Murphy and Libby) and just pet them. Or sit at my dinning room table with my parents eating something American. Its also hard because I know things are going on in my best friends lives too. One of my best friends just got accepted to New York University! I'm so proud of you Megan! I really wish we could hangout and just talk about life and you going to college in August!<br />
And then when I Skype with one of my other best friends, Amanda, I just want to hangout and go for a drive, blast the music, and go out. I miss going out to eat with my best friends or even just watching movies. Its hard for me because I know things are happening in Ohio while my life is happening here. I realize that my life will never be the same again. I will never return to the person I was before I left for Argentina. I also realize that when I leave Argentina, I will never be able to return to this year in my life. I have one chance, one year, to experience all I can. To meet new people, learn a new language, eat new foods, and just live my life. All these things are somewhat sad but I don't regret leaving everything I know to come here. I am very happy right now. I do stuff everyday. I go out with the other exchange students, or out with my host sister. I go to parties, or out to eat at Santino (a lot with Lorena... and Grido... guilty ice cream pleasure). I just hangout and talk with other people. I learn so many new things everyday about myself and about Argentina. I even have learned new things about the United States also. I have learned to appreciate my own country more. I realize I would never want to be born in any other country. I love the United States, its history, what it represents, and its people. Now I have another country I can call home too. Argentina has stolen my heart. I have fallen in love with this country in just a short month. Its so different. The people here are so nice and accepting. The language is beautiful. The history is beautiful also.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> Today is the 30 year anniversary of the start of the war with Las Malvinas or the Falkland Islands. Argentina and England have been on bad terms for 30 years now because the English took Las Malvinas, and claimed them as their own. The English have a serious problem and obsession with taking other countries land... Just saying! Today we don't have school because of this, which is nice but its for a sad reason because many have died in this war. I only have two days of school this week because of Semana Santa (Easter). Starting Wednesday I will travel with my host family to Resistencia, Corrientes, and Iguazu Falls. I am pretty excited because I haven't seen much of Argentina yet! AHHH IGUAZU FALLS!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhM7YZoMFj6lohdSrx0sMR-HssJ1SDOAJjChmjOjVf04nOAVvbVHTiRsZ02Plj2rW_yYpNelam4bgGRnTu_BSNpS68UHtmQ7ppDYQoh8jx5ULYI_jgu6RynNBqvoE6tLN-C49_FAZKFQ/s1600/cataratas3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLhM7YZoMFj6lohdSrx0sMR-HssJ1SDOAJjChmjOjVf04nOAVvbVHTiRsZ02Plj2rW_yYpNelam4bgGRnTu_BSNpS68UHtmQ7ppDYQoh8jx5ULYI_jgu6RynNBqvoE6tLN-C49_FAZKFQ/s320/cataratas3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Yep above is a picture of Iguazu Falls... You can see why I'm pretty pumped to be going there. If there was a way to describe how beautiful this is. You just wouldn't describe it because its so beautiful. A description can't do this justice.<br />
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I will be posting in a week or two about my trip there with my host family!<br />
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So a few weeks ago was my 17th birthday. It was actually one of the harder days for me here. I really missed my family and friends. My host family was very nice though! They made me an asado and a cake made of dulce de leche. The food was amazing. But I just wanted to be with my own family in my own house that day. But its just a birthday. They don't matter because I didn't do anything special... I just lived another year! Todo bien! I am living my dream right now aren't I? I live in Argentina, thats the thing that made the day okay for me. Whenever I feel sad or want to go home, I remember that right now I'm living my dream, the thing I wished for when I turned 16. Yep no joke. When I turned 16, I blew out the candle and wished for Argentina.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC16rY3aJK9JlL_Cxj5o9Z8k2ZyCM9Y636kJMxIr5L010_n633yF8cu3ssqeRTYX1g4j1duyt1IS1V3g_Hk-UM3ymxS-43jZqGtM7K1-6RsM7x24GOE5QBua0gQYLqc8HdPLM3_Hvp1o/s1600/P1000568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGC16rY3aJK9JlL_Cxj5o9Z8k2ZyCM9Y636kJMxIr5L010_n633yF8cu3ssqeRTYX1g4j1duyt1IS1V3g_Hk-UM3ymxS-43jZqGtM7K1-6RsM7x24GOE5QBua0gQYLqc8HdPLM3_Hvp1o/s320/P1000568.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Gennaro, the exchange student from Italy and I)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQI7O1i9BV5TD765t2YgReY6Hv_38vexoh-xal6R9Z-u6pI7QzF2IWiJ0QGGHUxu3lTroZHlsq-UCbV53LqC_SiuROgXzS7iTn9s4ojmLeqMMBr1AlZxrIqdvvWJ3vM4ipYTjQbMs7eI4/s1600/P1000467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQI7O1i9BV5TD765t2YgReY6Hv_38vexoh-xal6R9Z-u6pI7QzF2IWiJ0QGGHUxu3lTroZHlsq-UCbV53LqC_SiuROgXzS7iTn9s4ojmLeqMMBr1AlZxrIqdvvWJ3vM4ipYTjQbMs7eI4/s320/P1000467.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pool and terere</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_xkpWkJgJcS5Rzq5FF3FRWx8ez5pz7E8i7q_oVkr0ZRCcO-HUCFl8cxSTeysVcwdekfoEnOq65o_6sfepLTjchuJfV8AE-vt765m_3kl6O8bUVjS-dgEYg69nBtr6aBtkiFigpvj4NI/s1600/P1000555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_xkpWkJgJcS5Rzq5FF3FRWx8ez5pz7E8i7q_oVkr0ZRCcO-HUCFl8cxSTeysVcwdekfoEnOq65o_6sfepLTjchuJfV8AE-vt765m_3kl6O8bUVjS-dgEYg69nBtr6aBtkiFigpvj4NI/s320/P1000555.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Lorena, exchange student from Norway)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EYqBALJX-usihTd2df2h6aWptXxE19jSdvn9PFUBTF5z-Y93N7SnYJZsz0AEZlcy6cVzvWNH3je5yjwp46JjqtAPFFdhOMAu5LlJj5-rkiYiaQ3w3GVifvC6NlG1C7gtIbTh39FWrTA/s1600/420047_3082784746185_1160840156_32433105_78751222_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EYqBALJX-usihTd2df2h6aWptXxE19jSdvn9PFUBTF5z-Y93N7SnYJZsz0AEZlcy6cVzvWNH3je5yjwp46JjqtAPFFdhOMAu5LlJj5-rkiYiaQ3w3GVifvC6NlG1C7gtIbTh39FWrTA/s320/420047_3082784746185_1160840156_32433105_78751222_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mi cumple</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKz1RITYphD5nc9Tm2Z35wZ5l0LWlFO-FdkEh5ArL2pV0FFo8-kRdEg6T5U0v8Gp2CI53gApG2Qq9aFZVfht5oz2Bb0FXKJ3N8MBQ3FpjkE8Hlll1jbyKB2i9DOr05nkrkZG7Cerzi8g/s1600/P1000566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYKz1RITYphD5nc9Tm2Z35wZ5l0LWlFO-FdkEh5ArL2pV0FFo8-kRdEg6T5U0v8Gp2CI53gApG2Qq9aFZVfht5oz2Bb0FXKJ3N8MBQ3FpjkE8Hlll1jbyKB2i9DOr05nkrkZG7Cerzi8g/s320/P1000566.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Other exchange students and a few friends</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9Ww-wJVzFpK13F9Enf8PQlTGdA8Nny1SoiOVn5VGsjX6RMp-bg4c3QrlnBxtiRGpxawL4TXGSON8caE5pkI07hSaKRmhZ9KbkEUVm6JvutSfE78MIqolYYtGcP97branzhU5yYXnD30/s1600/P1000353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9Ww-wJVzFpK13F9Enf8PQlTGdA8Nny1SoiOVn5VGsjX6RMp-bg4c3QrlnBxtiRGpxawL4TXGSON8caE5pkI07hSaKRmhZ9KbkEUVm6JvutSfE78MIqolYYtGcP97branzhU5yYXnD30/s320/P1000353.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Classmate, Belen, and I after school at lunch with the girls </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I promise I'll try to get better at posting more often! I will soon about my trip next week! Besos,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">cmb</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-39420659569292437502012-03-06T09:05:00.000-08:002012-03-06T09:05:25.601-08:00Parties and School in Argentina: there is a balanceSo last friday I had my first day of school! I already love my class. I was afraid I wouldn't like the school because its all girls and a catholic school, and my school at home is public. But I actually love it. I have more fun, and plus school is only 5 hours. I go to school around 7:30 and end at 12:30. We have three classes a day each for an hour and 20mins each. In between each class we are able to go get something to drink or just hangout and walk around the school. I really have to take pictures of my school! I haven't yet! Its beautiful. The inside has a giant courtyard where you walk to your classroom.<br />
Things that are different from the US:<br />
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<ul><li>They only have the class twice a week. Different classes everyday</li>
<li>The teachers are very specific on how they want you write things on the paper (date, name, etc.)</li>
<li>You ALWAYS use pen, there is a white out pen that I use like its my job</li>
<li>You stay with the same people all day, the teachers come to you, you don't go to the teachers.</li>
<li>I have a uniform ( a lot of schools in Argentina have them, but not all)</li>
<li>The teachers speak very fast and expect you to write down what they are saying...</li>
</ul><div>So in Argentina I am a senior, but they call is 6to año (seis-to). Its pretty awesome actually because at my school there are two different tracts you can take for classes, ciencias sociales (social sciences) or ciencias naturales (natural science). I am in ciencias sociales. In the 6to año we don't have math, history, or science. So I'm basically in love! I take the following classes :</div><div><ul><li>lunes: inglés, sociología, lengua y lit. (English, sociology, language and literature)</li>
<li>martes: políticas, lengua y lit., tecno gestión (politics, language and literature, I don't know what this one is yet... haven't had the class yet)</li>
<li>miércoles: inglés, arte y cultura (English, art and culture)</li>
<li>jueves: cultura y com., cultura y religiosa, sociología, políticas, tecnología de gestión (culture </li>
<li>viernes: cultura y com., problemáticas social, cultura y reliogiosa, problemáticas social</li>
</ul><div>So yeah its a little different from the US where we have the same classes everyday and go to different rooms. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQdm_-nXLPJil6NYxipa4Vfs7uBNc-6qvjZWmcGJgD8ga59F35OInPZsiD1NmfJeeq16g3TRr1MdftWDvOHk7SjYPTuNH6S26XFrAg6fLW3Cn00YlD4UgHuzEY13CzbyoHOsVz7WoJIk/s1600/427071_180842425363194_100003123147610_285389_904572637_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMQdm_-nXLPJil6NYxipa4Vfs7uBNc-6qvjZWmcGJgD8ga59F35OInPZsiD1NmfJeeq16g3TRr1MdftWDvOHk7SjYPTuNH6S26XFrAg6fLW3Cn00YlD4UgHuzEY13CzbyoHOsVz7WoJIk/s320/427071_180842425363194_100003123147610_285389_904572637_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(yo y Belen)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPXQgFT6NUPV97vDcGyziHUPXjqjDBQNLeasmadNgZ-B1p9V3TxNEy-7aiFc_4wIO3pFmeP_HKLwEIWn8Ayi4UOpU6kHgo2oDptxxdLx0fCoklzHjpEblMN1Uf7rMCfZaQO0zDkWLeZ0/s1600/421261_10151348765945277_757430276_22983413_1496080608_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIPXQgFT6NUPV97vDcGyziHUPXjqjDBQNLeasmadNgZ-B1p9V3TxNEy-7aiFc_4wIO3pFmeP_HKLwEIWn8Ayi4UOpU6kHgo2oDptxxdLx0fCoklzHjpEblMN1Uf7rMCfZaQO0zDkWLeZ0/s320/421261_10151348765945277_757430276_22983413_1496080608_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(mi clase es adorable :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdRAweOTXhjdo-1kmdWHLNWakGL6oAI_Tgv43OU9Bmddu8rvwSn6XtMODRGeH5ycpYndPftiv5u_fhCtjI6JYid5H4TjGwDLNDoVyPbiEQLKdZt0HseHAiGAIpuvrdnDfFTpyT-rTFJE/s1600/P1000288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRdRAweOTXhjdo-1kmdWHLNWakGL6oAI_Tgv43OU9Bmddu8rvwSn6XtMODRGeH5ycpYndPftiv5u_fhCtjI6JYid5H4TjGwDLNDoVyPbiEQLKdZt0HseHAiGAIpuvrdnDfFTpyT-rTFJE/s320/P1000288.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sociology notes... IN SPANISH</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jfYoNPbAQBeKwkzWdHRRyon2KbNZjHq8TBsd1faLj5xa2TTszy6yF6HgdLBgy6jC7OEbcZcLBFaAyVfU7sxOhvOuJTNQysv9fI8DD696dhYv1chQYUmCmf1u1RTIQndJEAzlDZhKVz0/s1600/P1000289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jfYoNPbAQBeKwkzWdHRRyon2KbNZjHq8TBsd1faLj5xa2TTszy6yF6HgdLBgy6jC7OEbcZcLBFaAyVfU7sxOhvOuJTNQysv9fI8DD696dhYv1chQYUmCmf1u1RTIQndJEAzlDZhKVz0/s320/P1000289.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">my best friend... whiteout pen haha</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Best part about today... it was suppose to my third day of school but my teachers are on strike... SO I DONT HAVE SCHOOL TODAY <3 yes Argentina you are amazing. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Parties... FIESTAS FOREVER</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Okay so you all know the song... I like it by Enrique. The one line he says all the time "Party, fiesta forever" Well Argentina definitely has taken that advice. Every weekend there is a party! My first night here I went to one! And last saturday I went to a party again :) It was the 16th birthday of two boys. The interesting thing about the party was that anyone came, you didn't have to know the birthday boys to come. The parents provided beer which was also interesting, because in the US... That isn't exactly legal. So the music was loud, everyone had drinks in their hands and everyone was talking and dancing. It was definitely fun... Side note for me though. I danced with this guy. And then the next day I found out he had just turned 15. Awkward moment for me... Yepp he looked older but guess not. Weird because next week I turn 17. Too young! Another crazy thing about this party... We didn't get to the party until 2am... and then left like 5 something.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTo-4wEFTcXugz5A-yyiPazSs5_hnV3BGZ2qKbs1p-x4IrNPYt1bYaIXima7ryRgWdAHK1nbWiQG5Yy62h0CeXMwrM3Gkw-x8rB3mndW27TnfuaMai_VOgKNg4UFo9NW5htm9xEexq_8/s1600/P1000279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicTo-4wEFTcXugz5A-yyiPazSs5_hnV3BGZ2qKbs1p-x4IrNPYt1bYaIXima7ryRgWdAHK1nbWiQG5Yy62h0CeXMwrM3Gkw-x8rB3mndW27TnfuaMai_VOgKNg4UFo9NW5htm9xEexq_8/s320/P1000279.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Belen y yo</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPYsVrSd1471ehMC6H5bmaHcVz83tgDEnX23q00qsRJ5XMwrkI-D45PIKNoK7HL21ogvtwOXhMzYZ2Q2S0OJTO4rsemhbLFYtNVwwb0jK39E1i8evIocinlT2KOwgrDxFLq1PK_xomkE/s1600/P1000280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPYsVrSd1471ehMC6H5bmaHcVz83tgDEnX23q00qsRJ5XMwrkI-D45PIKNoK7HL21ogvtwOXhMzYZ2Q2S0OJTO4rsemhbLFYtNVwwb0jK39E1i8evIocinlT2KOwgrDxFLq1PK_xomkE/s320/P1000280.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">las chicas de mi clase :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV07w16_UPukHAo2vWRKSQMF2lXv6UjVc0Elu4Qth5zvnEiBiiwdBCuyJXiffsSh3LrOYLLNGLP83pEs9RKbZi7Nt8i5F6SPlW7sJajPyN2NrGFowHVRSD62C2LyP67odv02tZJQzmscE/s1600/P1000281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV07w16_UPukHAo2vWRKSQMF2lXv6UjVc0Elu4Qth5zvnEiBiiwdBCuyJXiffsSh3LrOYLLNGLP83pEs9RKbZi7Nt8i5F6SPlW7sJajPyN2NrGFowHVRSD62C2LyP67odv02tZJQzmscE/s320/P1000281.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">otra foto</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iJuGkNumB4bFTZtEAfSzz1sYwk783MQFHotyiV4fEIc6t6gI82gtYYDGv6OpaJ5qgSwk8zU6Pr17xNNK5ABU1SlU9bp-IgdHcX_rPWkwMXcJrwafP1xKrAR4-RDhBkDTYTGHitvr1g8/s1600/P1000282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4iJuGkNumB4bFTZtEAfSzz1sYwk783MQFHotyiV4fEIc6t6gI82gtYYDGv6OpaJ5qgSwk8zU6Pr17xNNK5ABU1SlU9bp-IgdHcX_rPWkwMXcJrwafP1xKrAR4-RDhBkDTYTGHitvr1g8/s320/P1000282.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">yo y Maria Jose</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-lE6xIhD09R-Ughkmf4fgJVk7neiGl87Mxfww2G6qeQLPsfA_i7mewRMDiVofsjUjquLd_xSnYThCIUZsHorKFqWBQiwpEn1hiMFfkhDbjQqHpcpfMerAyIP3ueymT32RneA1lvs_nQ/s1600/P1000283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM-lE6xIhD09R-Ughkmf4fgJVk7neiGl87Mxfww2G6qeQLPsfA_i7mewRMDiVofsjUjquLd_xSnYThCIUZsHorKFqWBQiwpEn1hiMFfkhDbjQqHpcpfMerAyIP3ueymT32RneA1lvs_nQ/s320/P1000283.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Nicole y yo (wow I'm white...)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-80460507190356003952012-02-29T06:23:00.003-08:002012-02-29T06:41:08.232-08:00Casi Una Semana: Almost One Week (btw I am very sorry for the setup of this post... I don't know how to fix it!)<table class="posts" id="posts" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-collapse: collapse; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px; text-align: justify; width: 1224px;"><tbody>
<tr class="highlighted-row selected" style="background-color: #ffffee;"><td class="title" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 4px; vertical-align: top; width: 885px;"><div class="postContents" style="margin-left: 23px;"><div class="entirePost" style="display: inline;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">So today marks the first week gone from Ohio. I have been with my host family for 3 days now.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> I feel like I have so much to say here, I am going to leave a lot out... </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Its hard to remember all the interesting things I see and do. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last Wednesday I said goodbye to my parents and then I flew to Miami to have orientation with the other </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Americans going to Argentina and Chile. There are 17 of us in Argentina now, and 6 in Chile. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">The orientation in Miami was fun because I got to meet all the others going to Argentina</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> but it was also boring because we are told the same things over and over again... Which really sucks.</div></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnt_2gPypElZCyBrQO3RkBo-CF-pEh7JnXpSrXUb6XqPULJtcT7W1CR8cLNddQoqvBEbFfYNTs7A_UWTY60zWd_nDwZvSKninY0D3EfgNEzkxkvkRAbKKN6rWyxbblkjbB8o15pEYL30/s1600/P1000112.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqnt_2gPypElZCyBrQO3RkBo-CF-pEh7JnXpSrXUb6XqPULJtcT7W1CR8cLNddQoqvBEbFfYNTs7A_UWTY60zWd_nDwZvSKninY0D3EfgNEzkxkvkRAbKKN6rWyxbblkjbB8o15pEYL30/s320/P1000112.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The group going to Argentina! (Thursday afternoon right before we left for the airport)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC_4_QVHk7hvhDU2UDvcmVlvkHauSs4LGbpLrDhX1GAEBKT0hDzExzROKs-bCXt8lIyvKvsWh2n1FRp8cVsJABMuvgD0iWbDbDuDi7hqr_32Nk6aj6P6QXl_5AROhDpBQwq5Fp6IhFpg/s1600/P1000108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdC_4_QVHk7hvhDU2UDvcmVlvkHauSs4LGbpLrDhX1GAEBKT0hDzExzROKs-bCXt8lIyvKvsWh2n1FRp8cVsJABMuvgD0iWbDbDuDi7hqr_32Nk6aj6P6QXl_5AROhDpBQwq5Fp6IhFpg/s320/P1000108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">(Tyler in Salta, Astraea in Jujuy, Allie in Santa Fe, Stevie in Tucuman, y Yo in Formosa)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So around 4pm we left for the airport, checked our luggage, went through security, got something to eat, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">and then we boarded the plane. We were all pretty stoked to get to Buenos Aires, but not for the nine </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">hour flight. Even though most of us only slept an hour on the plane, it wasn't that bad because we all </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">talked to each other and watched movies!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROk6DD-V9TXenYpgctKmYqeDacwBsnA0J2wGu2Q3qKtQVKE69bjJzs1OKYs0H9kbpIka9LQFVu7YCRA54Vy67vCh5ANa8rTUKmv2R7sH5yf_JtMkLP9ltadPTl9ZO84AW22EEkJrdcPs/s1600/P1000118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjROk6DD-V9TXenYpgctKmYqeDacwBsnA0J2wGu2Q3qKtQVKE69bjJzs1OKYs0H9kbpIka9LQFVu7YCRA54Vy67vCh5ANa8rTUKmv2R7sH5yf_JtMkLP9ltadPTl9ZO84AW22EEkJrdcPs/s320/P1000118.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">(waiting to board the plane haha)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgrAKvWkd8M0vl50R6cUVYlqmkbtysckc0Se8SMk-nc3njODkDphBi29rlfO1TWVx5jGzH8gj4XZfwpLcMCig_Kk_Ejp-W_JaOWRE6Wr2Bxx86AQgh5oSNEYpM5YsOyoWPRHZSrJmYFI/s1600/P1000125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgrAKvWkd8M0vl50R6cUVYlqmkbtysckc0Se8SMk-nc3njODkDphBi29rlfO1TWVx5jGzH8gj4XZfwpLcMCig_Kk_Ejp-W_JaOWRE6Wr2Bxx86AQgh5oSNEYpM5YsOyoWPRHZSrJmYFI/s320/P1000125.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">(over Rosario which is very close to Buenos Aires)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0ppBT76IJGneBpMfgUwsSSW4Pxm8U9gsroQfE2Gb_aHpI0urO7UD6K3WVJv0xERpaA7Jt5oZaxQtoDVesQd0QCMjqGycN3niqcXiok4X7xexJAirAVqCoph5nllfcUbpkYiCq7zL2JM/s1600/P1000124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH0ppBT76IJGneBpMfgUwsSSW4Pxm8U9gsroQfE2Gb_aHpI0urO7UD6K3WVJv0xERpaA7Jt5oZaxQtoDVesQd0QCMjqGycN3niqcXiok4X7xexJAirAVqCoph5nllfcUbpkYiCq7zL2JM/s320/P1000124.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(Almost to Buenos Aires <3)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Then we got to Buenos Aires, and the customs were long... Then we had to wait for 3 hours in the airport </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">for other exchange students from other countries. We were all barely alive. All we wanted were showers </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">and beds. Then there was an hour bus ride to the orientation site. I don't really know what the orientation </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">place was but it was a place with a bunch of beds in rooms, a dining hall, etc. It was actually pretty cool </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">though, very pretty! We all had a lot of fun at orientation but we were all anxious to get to our families </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">and host towns already!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspA8ktXZQeOBJdDTIY32k_Z9xKUU2N9qMGjte3RdD6hgYXo96BzEZ1Q7xKT7THm95aWp1XipU7r7DuYEZQp91fqYn0wW3uxr0v5K-GWm2e2EH6_BshkBtPZx8XI57HGdhra7PvJ9TiyU/s1600/431526_3370696353115_1440420506_33144200_172873537_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgspA8ktXZQeOBJdDTIY32k_Z9xKUU2N9qMGjte3RdD6hgYXo96BzEZ1Q7xKT7THm95aWp1XipU7r7DuYEZQp91fqYn0wW3uxr0v5K-GWm2e2EH6_BshkBtPZx8XI57HGdhra7PvJ9TiyU/s320/431526_3370696353115_1440420506_33144200_172873537_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">(Everyone from orientation: students and volunteers)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> Saturday night was the start of a 13:30 hour bus ride to Formosa. The beginning was bad for me... Because I </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">threw up. That wasn't pleasant but when I woke the next morning in the bus, I felt a lot better! We rode on </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">a bus called Flechabus. They have hundreds of them all over Argentina, they're really nice. They have seats </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">that turn into beds, blankets,TVs, and they also have a guy who serves you food and anything else you might </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">like, which was pretty cool :) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://cuestionentrerriana.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/FLECHA-BUS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://cuestionentrerriana.com.ar/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/FLECHA-BUS.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">(This is a Flechabus. Not the one I rode on... But it looked like this)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Then around 11ish... I FINALLY GOT TO FORMOSA! As we were pulling up to the bus station, my heart started </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">racing a million miles an hour. I had no idea what I was going to say to my host familia, or the other AFS </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">volunteers. Then when I got there we took a lot of pictures, because with me there are four other</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> exchange students: Karl from Germany, ZooZoo from Thailand, Miya from Japan, and Carwen from Malaysia! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DV5N-TqGRi7G8lqIeVC29kWhaF8vmGmS2vA_-oGhi7L-JPUCkcBG1SSQiWtzA_tCwwOKyrDIRJIh9XBrvgeuqPJwuK6PnpsWbaYWkRBu_cm2BAXCqlF7L_pv8N3rFl6kcIFC-3Ywfxg/s1600/407285_3162315990486_1642941061_32686756_147064214_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DV5N-TqGRi7G8lqIeVC29kWhaF8vmGmS2vA_-oGhi7L-JPUCkcBG1SSQiWtzA_tCwwOKyrDIRJIh9XBrvgeuqPJwuK6PnpsWbaYWkRBu_cm2BAXCqlF7L_pv8N3rFl6kcIFC-3Ywfxg/s320/407285_3162315990486_1642941061_32686756_147064214_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">(Mi Familia en Formosa)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRg60Gl9hna5nJenRUGAyPGa_TrJTSJF9pCTreRGUhBpvt4l3CaOqHA6F5OgL6jsu6rPvaFxkBe3MOQAvIIK1m5hNNbdA1vWj7z5w_hbV1D8eGA-NaaoItVHhKpNgrmd-b3UEYObDX2Q/s1600/428718_3162327710779_1642941061_32686785_1530414334_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSRg60Gl9hna5nJenRUGAyPGa_TrJTSJF9pCTreRGUhBpvt4l3CaOqHA6F5OgL6jsu6rPvaFxkBe3MOQAvIIK1m5hNNbdA1vWj7z5w_hbV1D8eGA-NaaoItVHhKpNgrmd-b3UEYObDX2Q/s320/428718_3162327710779_1642941061_32686785_1530414334_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">(yo, Carwen, ZooZoo, Miya, y Karl)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Okay so now to tell you about the last few days in Formosa...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I am already in love with this small city! Its so busy and crazy... So some interesting things about Argentina</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1. No one ever wears seat belts, its weird too...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2. They eat bread with every meal</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">3. My family has a maid that comes 5 days a week and cleans the house every day and makes lunch. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">She does my laundry which I really love because at home I do my own.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">4. Dulce de Leche is amazing... If you ever get the chance to eat it. EAT IT. DO IT!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">5. the other day I saw four FOUR people on a moto... motos are motorcycles! Also I see children on them too. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Which is pretty upsetting</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">6. La coastanera in Formosa is AMAZING. its like this place where people go to bike and rollerblade and stuff. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">It runs along the Rio Paraguay. Its soooo beautiful! I will have to take pictures soon! I haven't really taken </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">pictures of Formosa yet... And I really need to!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSFV3r2H1dJ8PcN3P-26q1FdTxTLOjMCpGqIZWldLQ_RgxvCJURhNSuM8ZXii0w_O52chGRRVrtSEd0IUp3TsL4GOjSN8vbuDT6h-J7Sb3KEQk7V942ZAzSEsZ3oxS1r1czYR3xbd87w/s1600/P1000148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYSFV3r2H1dJ8PcN3P-26q1FdTxTLOjMCpGqIZWldLQ_RgxvCJURhNSuM8ZXii0w_O52chGRRVrtSEd0IUp3TsL4GOjSN8vbuDT6h-J7Sb3KEQk7V942ZAzSEsZ3oxS1r1czYR3xbd87w/s320/P1000148.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(first dulce de leche in Argentina at orientation)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Okay so now I will talk about the meals...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So Desayuno (breakfast) is very different from the US and not really that filling. Its tea or coffee with bread </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">and these weird cracker things. They put jam on the bread and crackers. So yeah you have to make sure to eat </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">a few pieces so you don't starve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Then Almuerzo (or lunch)... One of the best meals of the day! The food is amazing here! They aren't kidding</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> when they say Argentinos eat a lot of meat, they do! AND ASADO IS AMAZINGGG! Seriously a million times </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">better than the meat in the US. Then Cena... So they eat that super late and its generally the left overs from </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">lunch. Ohhh and after lunch and dinner they always have fruit for dessert, which is pretty good :) Also they have</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"> bread with it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The first night I was here, I went to a party... And let me tell you, it was very different from the US. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We didn't even arrive to the party until 1am, and then we left around 5am! They all have beers in their hand, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">the music is blasted, people dancing and singing everywhere! They are very fun! Chau besos!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-149868026334320582012-02-21T23:43:00.000-08:002012-02-21T23:43:18.704-08:00Today...So.. Im sitting in my room now. Waiting. In four hours I wake up and leave Ohio for a year. I will be flying to Miami to meet with the other AFSers! I am so stoked! i don't really know what to write in this blogpost though! Other then... I am feeling so many different things! Its crazy! ARGENTINA HERE I COME <div>cmb</div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-12552117040719918252012-02-13T17:27:00.000-08:002012-02-13T17:27:32.461-08:00Washington DC... Then Buenos Aires!So last night I got back from spending a week in Washington DC at the National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security. I met a lot of new people from around the country, saw some new things, and learned new things. Those 6 days were amazing. I made friends that I will definitely keep in touch with! You know who you are :) love you guys!<br />
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That little week, small experience was amazing. It makes me realize how amazing Formosa will be, and how soon I'm going to go to another place where I know no one and will hopefully make new friends. This week helped me prepare a little for my experience abroad because I was able to travel across the country by myself, change flights, make new friends, go to new places. Now to tackle the whole speaking spanish!<br />
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2 weeks from today I will be with my host familia in Formosa! And in 9 days I leave to go to Miami to meet up with the other AFSers... FIESTA TODA LA NOCHE!!! hah This is finally about to become real. A year. Crazy as a year sounds, its almost no time I realize. I know it'll flash before my eyes. My next post will be from Formosa, Argentina or maybe Miami... We'll see if I have time! Besos! Real posts coming soon :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7JcxUxL6VsmEahpYmfXdOBHs5Jym7xIY3jVhwmNvWeoqO3t6et6LDFa0zD8vTkb9UsKXmdDRxA-1-GXiQWSo30spd2cQZqvzft9dxZFF2svQkxvkCUDNA1i68Cfw0RRXvYNRa8tjeHI/s1600/P1000044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia7JcxUxL6VsmEahpYmfXdOBHs5Jym7xIY3jVhwmNvWeoqO3t6et6LDFa0zD8vTkb9UsKXmdDRxA-1-GXiQWSo30spd2cQZqvzft9dxZFF2svQkxvkCUDNA1i68Cfw0RRXvYNRa8tjeHI/s320/P1000044.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Craziest thing of all... Leaving my small town in Ohio! I will miss you Bainbridge! I know it... Even though it seems hard to believe! Hard to believe that I already miss KHS!Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-13268149087281281492011-12-17T22:06:00.000-08:002012-01-27T15:13:26.876-08:00Instituto Santa IsabelSo yesterday AFS notified me that they had finally found me a school! I kind of already knew that I would probably go to my host sister's school.<br />
<br />
Angeles, my host sister, goes to Instituto Santa Isabel. Its an all girls Roman Catholic School. The nuns and plaid skirts. All nine yards. I'm actually somewhat relieved that I will go to my host sister's school. I think it'll help that she's there and she'll be able to help me make friends a little easier... Well I hope :)<br />
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The school is about 3 or 4 block from my host family's house! I'm pretty excited because currently I go to a public school. I've always gone to public school. I think a private religious all girls school will a very interesting experience. I also think my spanish learning will progress better in that environment. I feel that it'll be easier to make closer friends quicker. From what I've heard, all girls schools are just all around nice because for some reason... When you take males out of the equation, all the drama disappears, and you become closer with people because you don't have to worry about all the petty little high school things that are... Well definitely at my current school.<br />
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66 days till I leave Cleveland to fly to Miami. Then on to Argentina! Yo estoy muy emocionada!<br />
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cmbChandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-15671051608084698252011-11-08T19:33:00.000-08:002011-11-27T19:45:54.435-08:00Host Familia!Yesterday I received an email from AFS Argentina saying that they had found me a host family! <br />
<br />
I am over the moon with excitement! I will be living in Formosa, Argentina... Which is in the far north of Argentina. It borders Paraguay. From what I've read... Formosa sounds amazing! It sounds like a very art influenced city, with art galleries, and museums... Also clubs :)<br />
<br />
I seriously am in shock that I HAVE A HOST FAMILY...<br />
My host family is a mom, Silvia, a dad, Luis, and a host sister Angeles... Angeles is 11 months younger than me, so I'm very excited because we'll be fairly close in age!<br />
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I also have their email now... But I think I'm going to wait a week or two to email them because I want to have my Spanish teacher, Mrs. Shively, help me with the grammar. I know my Spanish isn't going to be very good when I first get there. I also know I'm going to make a million mistakes and I need to learn how to not be embarrassed by my mistakes!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKHSx7wFNMmvEBSWCN_j9-uloxAnCEpRUfYw6AtBRGPj1vNTVk0jFEdehwhosCJeno2jahNQ5_NwmPpUm8C6oZig5EJz5F7wSDq5Wpz-eIoAiU_1S57Y-Mm0ghGTOd-f1EIITSehtfoU/s1600/formosa+argentina.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUKHSx7wFNMmvEBSWCN_j9-uloxAnCEpRUfYw6AtBRGPj1vNTVk0jFEdehwhosCJeno2jahNQ5_NwmPpUm8C6oZig5EJz5F7wSDq5Wpz-eIoAiU_1S57Y-Mm0ghGTOd-f1EIITSehtfoU/s320/formosa+argentina.png" width="194" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">(Above is Formosa in the green)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Wish me luck with the first emails...<br />
cmbChandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-3861733297046416972011-09-16T20:11:00.001-07:002011-09-16T20:11:36.591-07:00Accepted FINALMENTE!!Hola!<br />
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So in the last two weeks, AFS USA and AFS Argentina have accepted me! I am over the moon about it! Now we know that... IM GOING TO ARGENTINA! Ayyyy!<br />
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Currently I will have to wait awhile to know about my host family and where I'm going but I'm very happy that everything is falling into place :)<br />
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cmbChandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-56686365600162820472011-07-07T19:40:00.000-07:002011-07-07T19:40:08.508-07:00Application Submitted!Today I finally submitted my AFS application! I'm getting really excited for it! Here were my choices:<br />
1. Argentina<br />
2. Costa Rica<br />
3. Chile<br />
Wish me luck on being accepted!<br />
-cmbChandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-3109130976391852142011-05-24T16:19:00.000-07:002011-05-26T18:41:18.692-07:00So close... Yet so far awayOkay so as I said in my last post I haven't even finished my application for AFS yet, and Argentina is 8 months away. That's a long time, but a short time too. I mean I keep realizing how fast life goes by. For example in 2 weeks I will be half way done with high school. I seriously think thats CRAZY! Every day I become excited of the idea of living in another country! It really sounds like amazing experience. Having spanish 4 for 85mins every day this semester, just makes me want to speak spanish even more. ¡Yo quiero hablar espanol todos los dias! I will be probably sending my application in to AFS in a few weeks :) I'm crazy excited to just even send it in! jaja I just hate knowing that once I send the application in, that I probably won't know about where I'm going for awhile... I'll probably check my email 50 times a day! I'm just excited for this summer in general because it is the last summer before a wild ride in my life :) It's pretty sad... At the end of June all the AFSers that I have met this year will be leaving the US to go back to their various countries! Every year this chokes me up even if my family isn't hosting! These people have inspired me to want to go abroad and take advantage of an amazing experience. They're all fantastic people and I'm happy I had the chance to meet them! Well cross your fingers for me that everything goes well with the application!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Besos y abrazos,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Chandler</div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6807644548770485711.post-87535674122208485262011-05-01T09:40:00.000-07:002011-05-28T07:24:12.542-07:00The Chance of a Lifetime<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px;">Hola! I'm Chandler, a 16 year old girl from Ohio in the 10th grade. I am applying for AFS, an exchange organization, to hopefully go to Argentina, Chile, or Costa Rica! I am hoping to go on this program in February of 2012, for the year spring program. A main reason for me wanting to do AFS is to become fluent in Spanish. I have fallen in love with language :D ES MI VIDA!!!!! I know that even if I’m placed somewhere that they don’t speak spanish, my experience will still be one of a life time. The last year of my life I have envisioned this and slowly I am getting closer to achieving that dream. Spanish has taken a roll in my life, I want to major in the language in college. Everything about it makes me happy (except the preterite and imperfect differences jaja and the subjunctive, but who really likes those?). The way the words roll of my tongue, listening to music (Juanes, Camila, etc.), the people, culture, life style, are all things I want to learn. I know I sound crazy cheesy haha but hey its the truth! My family has been involved with AFS since I was in the 6th grade when we hosted for the first time. Since then we have hosted 3 times, and I have met some pretty amazing people from all corners of the world. When they tell me about their countries, I just want to travel there. I think doing a year abroad will change a lot for me. Hopefully I won't be as scared of doing certain things after this experience. I know it will open doors to me that I could never even dream of. I want to experience daily life in a spanish speaking country, meet new people, and learn spanish! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWL3ZWXUIa2ygiWY3DxJOlTy6KMpoK8z7t_6YoSr9N0jagkoM7b1QgPKa_y6rZK-ZuR0ugT2bNPeemh0TOE3FWRtB1UTlQjZ9WLzeahGHpjomaKGu1PhUQLcnPTSx9QstwejcAsqQQfY/s1600/Chandler+%2526+Megan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqWL3ZWXUIa2ygiWY3DxJOlTy6KMpoK8z7t_6YoSr9N0jagkoM7b1QgPKa_y6rZK-ZuR0ugT2bNPeemh0TOE3FWRtB1UTlQjZ9WLzeahGHpjomaKGu1PhUQLcnPTSx9QstwejcAsqQQfY/s320/Chandler+%2526+Megan.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Me and my best friend, Megan</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkPe21wy21WnuvVxUZh49LgXLi-7xcuq05pgT39FxBuiYL7G1QfjeASIDKz93ifD5dcnMH6t168EbPnth_WUMGN713lqs4VAJI85RvFU1dalnlLJoYkk8IQKbJ4g04gVWq3ysrlpdcI0/s1600/101_2080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbkPe21wy21WnuvVxUZh49LgXLi-7xcuq05pgT39FxBuiYL7G1QfjeASIDKz93ifD5dcnMH6t168EbPnth_WUMGN713lqs4VAJI85RvFU1dalnlLJoYkk8IQKbJ4g04gVWq3ysrlpdcI0/s320/101_2080.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me </div><br />
I am applying for AFS in a matter of weeks. Cross your fingers that I get accepted and everything goes well :) Gracias! Adios… hasta luego (see ya later)! (6 WEEKS!) :) Btw I just got my new passport! Its way better then the last one :)</div>Chandlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12025431249099684906noreply@blogger.com0