Monday, October 26, 2009

Update for All

Wow it's been a while since I updated the blog. So sorry, but not too much has happened since. But here we go...

So after I returned from San Martin de los Andes, I had about a week of school and then me and my family went to Buenos Aires! I enjoyed it even more this time around! The weather was amazing, not too cold but not too hot. And it was definitely nice to be out of the chilled Patagonia wind. Other aspects helped to, such as the fact that I know speak more spanish and could more easily communicate with my host siblings who live there. I've got the word to describe the trip now: Shopping.
Pretty much sums it up.
The day we arrived me, Franziska and Belu went out and just walked around window shopping. But the next day, and every one following it, we went to a different street filled with women, and men, streaming in and out getting ready for the summer. There was one part we went to within walking distance of the apartment that I really liked, it's called Palermo Soho. 
I found so many great things! And because of the exchange rate, everything was cheap for me!
But because of my unfortunate frugality, I was probably the person who bought less than everybody else that week. I must mention though that I did get these amazing leather boots which would probably cost around 250 dollars in the US... and I only paid $75. :D
So that's pretty much how the trip to Buenos Aires happened, and it was very upsetting for me when it came time to leave. 

When we returned to Comodoro, I had to go back to school...in the wind... while hearing about my ambitious and wonderful yet callous parents who were then on a private sailboat enjoying the sunshine and heat in the Caribbean... without me. Not ok. But I'm glad they had a good time and hope my mother's 50th was stupendous. :)

A week and day after being back in Comodoro, I realized that it's officially been 2 months. Surreal right? Everybody told me time would fly, but I wasn't expecting so quickly! Two months down, 8 or 9 to go! And hopefully some great ones ahead!

And so there is not so much more to tell. Except that I am utterly jealous of all my friends back in Taos getting ready for Halloween. :( It's not celebrated here.

Coming up on the ninth though, I will be leaving for 16 days to travel with other Rotary Students from all over Argentina. Our destinations are solely in the South and include: Reserva Faunistica Cabo dol Bahias (Penguins!!), Caleta Valdés (Sea elephants and maybe Orcas!) Calafate (Lago Argentina, with El Glaciar Perito Moreno), Tierra del Fuego and San Carlos de Bariloche.
But these are only some of the beautiful, and cold, places we'll be visiting. I'm not sure if I will be bringing my computer or not. If not, I'm sure the next blog will be a loonngg one! ;)
Un beso
K

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Pictures from San Martin

The town of San Martin de los Andes
The Americans! and a Canadian on the far right...
Almost all the group.
Some of the many beautiful mountains

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Andes Mountains? I think so!

Hey everyone!
So as you know this past weekend I was in San Martin de los Andes for my Rotary Orientation meeting. It was amazing! But lemme rewind a bit...

The weekend before I left for San Martin, me and my friends decided to go clubbing. We went to one of the nicest clubs in the city called Ele. Let me just explain it in a few words: Lights, Dancing and Music. Just like any typical club! But because my "host uncle" knows the owner of the club, we got to sit in the VIP section for a short concert put on by a well-known Argentine reggae singer. Because it was reggae, he sang many Bob Marley songs and it was great for me to be able to sing along with everybody else! After he left, we went to the dance floor and danced pretty much non stop until we left. When did we leave you ask? Well... here's the time schedule: we arrived at Ele at around 2 30 a.m. We got home from Ele around 6 30 a.m. So you can pretty much guess what I did for the rest of the day. But it was a lot of fun to just be able to dance and have fun without trying to figure out what people are saying all the time! This weekend is Franzika's birthday... so we will most likely be doing it all again. :)

Now, San Martin de los Andes. Google it. No I'm serious, go to Google Images and look it up. And that's pretty much where I got to spend a week of my life. I'm not going to describe every detail of the weekend because that would take a lifetime, but I will try the best I can. 
On leaving Comodoro at 1 a.m., we had a 14 hour bus ride to a town called Cipoletti. Because our bus to San Martin didn't leave until the next day, we stayed with host families. That night, my temporary host sister(who went to France last year) took me out with many of the other students who would be going to San Martin the next day. We walked around the town and got something to eat. The next day, it was nice to already know some of the students who got on the bus with me. On the bus altogether, there was about 18 students from different countries going to San Martin. When we got there(about 6 or 7 hours later) there were about 4 more students waiting for us. So throughout the whole weekend, there was around 22 of us. The countries were: United States (5 people), Belgium (2 ppl), France (3 ppl), Germany (a lot), Canada (1) and Estonia (1). 
That night, we had a Rotary meeting and then went to our hotel to sleep. Although I'm pretty sure no one actually went to sleep until at least 2 30 in the morning. The next day, Friday, we had lots of rotary stuff to do... not too exciting. Except that night we had a Tango lesson, it was very fun. 
On Saturday though, we had a busy day. We took a boat tour on the huge lake they have. The lake winds around through the big mountains with places you can get off the boat and get to eat, or take walks or do a little shopping at the small booths set up by the local people. We arrived at one of these spots, after a very cold but very beautiful boat ride, and took a short walk until we met with some of the rotarians at a camping spot. There was a river right there and grass to play futbol on. We all hung around until it was time to eat the burgers that they had grilled there. And of course, Alfajors for dessert. When we arrived back to the mainland, it was already 4 o clock. We then had time to just wonder around town and do as we pleased. I love the town! It reminds me just of a small Colorado ski town. Somewhat later, we then had a Salsa lesson. And that was even more fun than the Tango lesson. We then went out to dinner and back to the hotel. The next day, we had to catch our bus at 11 a.m. Upon arriving in Cipoletti, we had about six hours until the bus to Comodoro. So everybody went to one of the Rotarians houses and we hung out and had something to eat. 
I got home yesterday in the afternoon. 
Next week I get to go to Buenos Aires!! I'm so excited. 
Sorry this blog was so much shorter than my other ones, but I am feeling lazy today... :)