Vacation/Last Few in BSAS

Im leaving this wonderful country tomorrow to go back home. What a shame, I feel i am not done here, I pretty much did everything I wanted to do touristy wise, and I finished my semester here a while back, but I still feel that I am not tired of bsas. I can definetely imagine seeing myself living here, or atleast working here for a while. Schoolwise this semester ended up being tougher than imagined, but still I really enjoyed it. And as a whole experience i can honestly say the cliche line that these 6 months changed my life.
I am 20 years old and have my whole life infront of me, and I can do what I want with it. Buenos Aires seemed to break me down in the 1st few months, and then rebuild me up into more of the person I wanted to be: a more independent, open minded, braver, outgoing, curios, friendly, creative, bilingual person. It made me even thirstier for culture, which I believe is a great thing to have as a way to connect with people throughout the world. I realized thru this experience that anything is possible. 

The way I feel at home here, the friends I made, and the fact that I can actually understand people and have conversations makes me want to stay. I will return someday, I am not sure when, maybe to work, or maybe to visit, but I know that Buenos Aires hasn't seen the last of me. The Argenitne culture has grown on me, and in many ways became apart of me. I will bring it back to the states and add to our so called melting pot. I am ready to see where life will take me now.

Within the next week Ill write more about my trip and post pics, just wanted to get this out.

End of the semester...

Reserva EcologicoVamos Argentina!Concierto de Musica de TangoBeso de un ositoCachorroTigre

ElefantesCamelloCamello

Plaza Italia

Puerto Madero

Chori!Puerto Madero- newest buildingsPeruvian RestaurantYummm!Andres y EmilyChe!

The People who made my leather belt (Cinturo'n)Trying on my cinturon :)

Puerto Madero x NocheCrucigramas at Clem's (super dificil en espanol)Vamos Uruguay- Parque CetenarioBex sippin mi mate:)Circulo Militar- Palacio PazLa Bomba de Tiempo

Phew... haven't done this in a while. here we go. The end of June was rough. But I recieved pretty good grades and passed everything ; ) So my classes are officially done! Woot. I thought I may have had to recuperar-retake my Marketing final- but got a 7 on that. Got an 8 on my Marketing International class- so i didnt have to take the final (funny story- we were supposed to  recieve our grades the following week in class- but the profe wasnt there- so because my profe is my friend on facebook... love it!... I was told by my companeros in class to ask him my grade- now this is very different from the states, where its a safety issue to talk about grades over emails there. but heck- here I am recieving my grade over facebook- I love this country!) My paper for my cuentos clase was finished of course 12 hrs before it was due and was last minute graded by buddies on facebook- hope that turns out well, but I have confidence. Castellano class ended with my presentation on the legalization of abortion in Argentina and a 5pg paper about my stance (info: basically all abortion is banned unless the female is in medical danger or is mentally unstable and was violated). Argentina is very infuenced by the catholic church- as much of south america. It's pretty much everywhere (random: some people here do the crucifix when they pass by a church- let me tell you there are many churches here).

Tuesday night was spent celebrating finishing classes with Nora and Emily, and ended with a police officer cutting off a colectivo so I could safely get home on that same colectivo-ha!)

Thursday we went to Lujan Zoo: aka, the most dangerous zoo in Buenos Aires- and a hell of a lot dangerous than any zoo in the states. We were able to pet lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! And of course I rode a camel (hmmm... thought i would have to g2 egypt to do that), kissed a little bear (grape between my teeth), had a parrot on the shoulder, and fed elefants carrots. Oh man that was a great day!

Saturday I went to the ecological reserve(super pretty- but we got a little lost of course on r way out) after Andres and I unfortunately saw Argentina get their culos kicked badly ( very unlike the week b4 where they dominated Mexico- watched that game in Pamela's house)

 : ( The whole coutnry was pretty down that day, but that didn't stop Maria, Bex, and I from going to a boliche in Ramos Meija- about an hr away in the burbs. Not before Bex got her medialuna con jamon y queso did I return home at 9am the next morning. Good fun! The San Telmo ferriado-fair was nice to go to- met up with Bex and Pamela.

Monday went to see Eclipse with Lauryn, Becca and Sarah- it was in english- and span subtitles- can't stand dubbing! i enjoyed it: ) After the movie we headed to konex to meet up with Bex and Nora to go the Bomba de Tiempo ( group of about 12 percussionists- drums, tamborines, bongos, todo!- which was just as great as the 1st time i went. You can't help but dance when your there! The sounds are electifying!!

Tuesday Bex n I took a tour at Palacio Paz owned by Circular Miltar- not gov affiliated. We had a tour that was great (tour guide knowledgeable and sweet and we had some characters- an opera singer- in our group too! It lasted a few hours and learned about the royal families that lived in Buenos Aires years ago. The architecture was magnificent! there was so much detail and color and everything was so rich.  After grabbing some lunch we headed to parque cetenario to watch the Uruguay v Holanda game. It was a great game! But unfortunately ended with south america out of the Mundial : (. I brought my new mate- already cured- and felt super Argenitne- well i guess there more Uruguayan. (btw Uruguayos definetley drink a lot  more mate than Argentinos- both times i went to Uruguay mate was people's 3rd hand). I had a great dinner last night with mi host mama, Pedro-her boyfriend, her brother and sister in-law. It lasted about 2 1/2 hours, haha. It was interesting to have a different dinner here with older people (random: I definelety find it easier to undersatnd older people here  than my peers because they don't use as much lunfardo-slang-Che Boludo!, speak as quick, and pronunciate better. Argentines- or mostly just Portenos talk a lot... and they interupt a lot, and argue a lot, ha. I noticed this over the months, sometimes It's fine, it makes things less formal, but other times it bothers me, because I tire of the conversation or can never get a word in.) Went to Kika, another boliche last night with Lauryn n Sarah and had a great time. Pretty good music that I was missing- techno and hip hop.

Watched Spain beat Germany-yes!- today at Clem's apartment. We had some pretty good kinda spicy hamburger pasta and fruit kabobs that Clem made:) yumm. 1st time playing crucigramas- scrabble spanish style. it was tough! but I won, haha! I headed to Puerto Madero to enjoy its beauty at night and got stuck waiting 20 mins 4 the subte to strt running, but then I had to walk 20 mins to find a collectivo back home- oy ve! jaja.

Planning on meeting up with Eze(yay!) and Nora tomorrow to hang out in Palermo and see some museos and grab some lunch before hitting a boliche with Esteban. I'm loving not having classes- but this will end soon enough : /

Nora and I are taking an 8pm bus to Santiago, Chile:) this sunday. We'll be traveling for 2 1/2 weeks (CHile->Mendoza->Salta->Jujuy->Cordoba->back to bsas. Im pumped! I'm chillin at my host house until I head out, but I'll be staying at Andres' place when I come back. Hopefully can update b4 my long trip.

Phew fue muy largo!