Class in the morning was painful. It was so early and the teacher is hard to understand. It's a combination of her mumbling and the room having awful acoustics.....but I still think I am learning a lot.
After class I met up with Alex and we went to go pick up the tickets we booked last night for the bus to Iguazu. We had to take the Subte, then transfer lines, and then walk to the Bus Station. Its actually a nice building, but the area it is in is kinda iffy. We found the ticket booth for our bus company and spoke with the agent there to print out both our round trip tickets.
We left and only had an hour and fifteen minutes to get back to school and get lunch before class. We made it back to our area and then stopped for lunch at that really cool book store/restaurant we had eaten at a while back. I enjoyed a great steak sandwich and was stuffed. We hurried to class and made it with five minutes to spare.
The Idea of Latin America had half as many kids as the first session, and today the professor discussed modernization and dependency theories along with the Pre-Hispanic history of Latin America. It was all interesting, but a little boring. After class I wondered with Alex a little and ended up going to the bookstore to buy my Spanish textbooks.
I came back home, read some news, and dropped off my laundry at the laundromat. I then took a great nap for two hours. Woke up, showered, got dressed, cleaned my room, and now I am waiting for Patricia to get home so we can have dinner. Later, I am going out for Part 1 of my birthday celebration.
Tomorrow I don't have class so I am going to sleep in, and get a lot of stuff done in the afternoon. I started writing to-do lists, which for me is a sign of the semester starting. Today was good, tonight should be a lot of fun, and I am looking forward to tomorrow.....and then the trip this weekend.
Look back for an update about tonight tomorrow. Peace!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Martes - Hace Calor!
So today was a beautiful weather day in Buenos Aires. As I walked to school today I had to take off the coat I was wearing since it was so warm and I was sweating....it was a great feeling I haven't had in a while.
Classes today were good. I had my first Cultural Icons class, and it was really interesting. The class is pretty full with students, I would say around 30, and the class is taught in Spanish. The professor is animated and speaks moderately fast but crisply. I can understand a lot, which I was really proud of myself for being able to do. For my last class being my junior year of high school, being here two weeks has really expanded the amount of Spanish I can take in and comprehend. Although I wasn't really ready to raise my hand and share my thoughts, I felt comfortable that the class was in Spanish. It is going to be a good experience and the material is very interesting. At one point the class, she showed us a ten minute clip from a movie. She showed us a scene from the American film Moulin Rouge. I have never seen it, and I was more confused by the movie in English than I was by the professor in Spanish. Not sure if it was because we only watched a short segment....but that might have been one of the weirdest movies I have ever seen.
After class Alex, Kate, Elise and I sat at a cafe and used the WiFi on my computer to look up buses and hostels for Iguazu Falls for this upcoming three day weekend. We found exactly what we wanted, but I needed my passport to book the tickets and make the reservation. My battery died, and Kate needed to leave to get to class, so we departed. I walked with Alex for a while down Sante Fe Ave, and for some reason forgot that I needed my passport and thought that the only reason I didn't already book the stuff was the fact my battery died. After 20 minutes of looked for another restaurant that had a power outlet I could use, I realized it was stupid of me to even have looked. The place we ended up at was fittingly Freddo, the competing ice cream store to Volta. I had to try the arch enemy to my beloved Volta, so Alex and I shared a small dish. The ice cream was good, but I really do think that Volta is better.
I got back to my house and wrote myself a to-do list. I started crossing stuff off as I got it done, and before I knew it, it was already 10pm. Patricia had told me that she was going off to eat with some friends that were only in town for one night, and had prepared me a plate that I needed just to heat up. This worked fine with me since I wasn't really in a talkative mood anyway. I ended up watching ESPN in Spanish and eating by myself....it was great.
By the time I finished eating, I had been changing channels and stumbled upon Clear and Present Danger on TV. I love that movie, so I had to watch some. Half an hour later, Santiago walked in and I was still in front of the TV in the kitchen. We talked for a little bit, and then he went to the bedroom as I went back to my room.
I need to find a good place to celebrate my birthday tomorrow night, since I can sleep in Thursday and have class Friday morning. Santiago said that he would come out for a drink with me to start the night, so I just need to find a good place to go for my big night.
Right now I am hustling through my to-do list and actually feeling like I have been productive tonight. I am looking forward to tomorrow's classes and the night that will follow. Life is good.
Classes today were good. I had my first Cultural Icons class, and it was really interesting. The class is pretty full with students, I would say around 30, and the class is taught in Spanish. The professor is animated and speaks moderately fast but crisply. I can understand a lot, which I was really proud of myself for being able to do. For my last class being my junior year of high school, being here two weeks has really expanded the amount of Spanish I can take in and comprehend. Although I wasn't really ready to raise my hand and share my thoughts, I felt comfortable that the class was in Spanish. It is going to be a good experience and the material is very interesting. At one point the class, she showed us a ten minute clip from a movie. She showed us a scene from the American film Moulin Rouge. I have never seen it, and I was more confused by the movie in English than I was by the professor in Spanish. Not sure if it was because we only watched a short segment....but that might have been one of the weirdest movies I have ever seen.
After class Alex, Kate, Elise and I sat at a cafe and used the WiFi on my computer to look up buses and hostels for Iguazu Falls for this upcoming three day weekend. We found exactly what we wanted, but I needed my passport to book the tickets and make the reservation. My battery died, and Kate needed to leave to get to class, so we departed. I walked with Alex for a while down Sante Fe Ave, and for some reason forgot that I needed my passport and thought that the only reason I didn't already book the stuff was the fact my battery died. After 20 minutes of looked for another restaurant that had a power outlet I could use, I realized it was stupid of me to even have looked. The place we ended up at was fittingly Freddo, the competing ice cream store to Volta. I had to try the arch enemy to my beloved Volta, so Alex and I shared a small dish. The ice cream was good, but I really do think that Volta is better.
I got back to my house and wrote myself a to-do list. I started crossing stuff off as I got it done, and before I knew it, it was already 10pm. Patricia had told me that she was going off to eat with some friends that were only in town for one night, and had prepared me a plate that I needed just to heat up. This worked fine with me since I wasn't really in a talkative mood anyway. I ended up watching ESPN in Spanish and eating by myself....it was great.
By the time I finished eating, I had been changing channels and stumbled upon Clear and Present Danger on TV. I love that movie, so I had to watch some. Half an hour later, Santiago walked in and I was still in front of the TV in the kitchen. We talked for a little bit, and then he went to the bedroom as I went back to my room.
I need to find a good place to celebrate my birthday tomorrow night, since I can sleep in Thursday and have class Friday morning. Santiago said that he would come out for a drink with me to start the night, so I just need to find a good place to go for my big night.
Right now I am hustling through my to-do list and actually feeling like I have been productive tonight. I am looking forward to tomorrow's classes and the night that will follow. Life is good.
Monday, August 13, 2007
First Day of Classes
So today I started classes for the semester. It was a weird feeling since orientation has made being here feel more like a vacation then an academic activity. This semester is going to be really fun and also very productive.
I started off this morning with my Spanish class for two hours. We only reviewed some basic info and gave little speeches about who we were and where we were from etc.... The teacher seems a little challenging, which I think I like. I can tell that I am at the top of the class, which is fine for now, but if in the future I dont feel challenged enough I am going to ask to move up a level. I am really happy with where my Spanish is now, and it should be getting better as the semester continues.
After Spanish class we go straight to Culture class, which is one of the three components of Spanish. This class is taught by another professor, whom I really like, and talks about different aspects of Argentine culture. He speaks great Spanish, which for me means slow and crisp. Today he defined the elements of Culture and then gave a brief political history of Argentina as a background for our class. I was really into the talk, and might have been the only one enjoying it. I learned a lot in that brief lesson to help navigate the history of Argentina a little better.
After 4 hours of straight Spanish I left and met up with Alex and Kate for lunch. It took forever, but it was nice. After lunch we went to the bakery for a little treat, and they went to the travel agency to discuss plans for this coming holiday weekend. I had to go back to school for another class at 2.30pm.
My next class, the Idea of Latin America, is taught in English, so I think it will be much easier. I am pushing myself in the other class I am taking since it is in Spanish, so I think this one easy class will serve me well, since I can focus the majority of my time and energy into my Spanish. The class is filled with a lot of people I know, and the material is somewhat familiar to me since I have taken a relevant class at GW.
After class I went with Emma to go shopping for some school supplies. I needed notebooks and pens and got both at a little boutique paper store. I then tried and get my textbooks at a local bookstore, but they were both out of stock. I need to go back to this bookstore stat, since it might have been the coolest one I have ever been too. It was an old theater that has been converted into a bookstore, so the grand room has three levels with booths on the sides. I will go back soon and take lots of pictures for you at home to enjoy.
I took my new notebooks and sat down for a tea at a local cafe to copy the notes I had taken today on scrap paper into their respective new notebooks. I think that when I need to do homework, this is a nice venue since it is quiet and relaxing while not being locked up in my bedroom.
Back at home I realized I wasn't feeling well, so I got in bed and sat with my laptop while I Skyped with Lauren for a while. It was exactly what I needed, since now I am feeling much better.
I am going to have dinner, take a shower, and get to bed so that this stomach ache doesn't continue past tonight.
Tomorrow I have another Spanish class, and then my second class through IES. The class, Cultural Icons as Global Commodities, is about the Tango in Argentine media and how it is represented around the world as the Argentine identity. It is taught in Spanish, so it will push me to learn faster, and is also an interesting topic. I am looking forward to it tomorrow, although it is four long hours. For now, I have a lot to look forward to for the semester. My ceramics class at the local art school doesn't start for another two weeks, so I have some time to get situated before I have to start that.
Sorry Ive been so lazy about posting, Ill try to be on top of it more this week.
P.S. Check out the link to my pics on the right side of the page. I uploaded some more pics of this past week including some really good ones from my walk on Saturday. Enjoy!
I started off this morning with my Spanish class for two hours. We only reviewed some basic info and gave little speeches about who we were and where we were from etc.... The teacher seems a little challenging, which I think I like. I can tell that I am at the top of the class, which is fine for now, but if in the future I dont feel challenged enough I am going to ask to move up a level. I am really happy with where my Spanish is now, and it should be getting better as the semester continues.
After Spanish class we go straight to Culture class, which is one of the three components of Spanish. This class is taught by another professor, whom I really like, and talks about different aspects of Argentine culture. He speaks great Spanish, which for me means slow and crisp. Today he defined the elements of Culture and then gave a brief political history of Argentina as a background for our class. I was really into the talk, and might have been the only one enjoying it. I learned a lot in that brief lesson to help navigate the history of Argentina a little better.
After 4 hours of straight Spanish I left and met up with Alex and Kate for lunch. It took forever, but it was nice. After lunch we went to the bakery for a little treat, and they went to the travel agency to discuss plans for this coming holiday weekend. I had to go back to school for another class at 2.30pm.
My next class, the Idea of Latin America, is taught in English, so I think it will be much easier. I am pushing myself in the other class I am taking since it is in Spanish, so I think this one easy class will serve me well, since I can focus the majority of my time and energy into my Spanish. The class is filled with a lot of people I know, and the material is somewhat familiar to me since I have taken a relevant class at GW.
After class I went with Emma to go shopping for some school supplies. I needed notebooks and pens and got both at a little boutique paper store. I then tried and get my textbooks at a local bookstore, but they were both out of stock. I need to go back to this bookstore stat, since it might have been the coolest one I have ever been too. It was an old theater that has been converted into a bookstore, so the grand room has three levels with booths on the sides. I will go back soon and take lots of pictures for you at home to enjoy.
I took my new notebooks and sat down for a tea at a local cafe to copy the notes I had taken today on scrap paper into their respective new notebooks. I think that when I need to do homework, this is a nice venue since it is quiet and relaxing while not being locked up in my bedroom.
Back at home I realized I wasn't feeling well, so I got in bed and sat with my laptop while I Skyped with Lauren for a while. It was exactly what I needed, since now I am feeling much better.
I am going to have dinner, take a shower, and get to bed so that this stomach ache doesn't continue past tonight.
Tomorrow I have another Spanish class, and then my second class through IES. The class, Cultural Icons as Global Commodities, is about the Tango in Argentine media and how it is represented around the world as the Argentine identity. It is taught in Spanish, so it will push me to learn faster, and is also an interesting topic. I am looking forward to it tomorrow, although it is four long hours. For now, I have a lot to look forward to for the semester. My ceramics class at the local art school doesn't start for another two weeks, so I have some time to get situated before I have to start that.
Sorry Ive been so lazy about posting, Ill try to be on top of it more this week.
P.S. Check out the link to my pics on the right side of the page. I uploaded some more pics of this past week including some really good ones from my walk on Saturday. Enjoy!
Sunday, August 12, 2007
The Last 5 Days
Well, where do I start? I know its been a long time since I posted, but not THAT much has happened. It was a combination of laziness and being busy. I will do a short synopsis of what went on the last few days.
Wednesday: Took the second part of the Spanish placement exam for my exchange program. It was an oral exam, in which the teacher asked questions and you were required to answer. I think that because the same teacher has seen me throughout the week she had a sense of my level, but I guess this formality was still helpful. After the exam I went to a very cool restaurant for lunch. It was called Modern and Classic Cafe, and was a bookstore and restaurant build in together. The food was great and the atmosphere was even better. As we finished our meal the rush for lunch started and the place got busy and the piano player showed up. I will definitely try and go back there again. After lunch I went home for a well needed nap. A few hours later it was time to go and get a criminal clearance with the police for my student visa. This process was very easy, the hardest part was getting to the police office.
After dinner I went out with Nell, Nick, and Jane to a very cool trendy bar called Milion. The building was an old mansion and was renovated to house a very swank bar for locals and wine and dine in style. After the bar we landed in Volta, the local famous ice cream joint, and tried the divine ice cream. Dulce de Leche con Brownie was amazing. Enough Said.
Thursday: I was able to sleep in late and enjoy the morning in bed. Around lunch time I arose from my warm slumber and ventured outside for lunch. I had a great salad, the first one since I have been here, and treated myself to a croissant with dulce de leche for dessert. I adventured into Palermo for the first time and walked around some shopping areas and around the zoo and the park. I had some free time to spare before I needed to be at school at 5.30pm. I got to school a little later that afternoon for registration. The line was really long, so instead of waiting, Alex, Kate, and I went for some coffee and tea to warm us up. We returned, registered for the classes we needed, and departed home for dinner. After dinner I went out with Alex and Kate to Milion, since they had not been there the night before. I had another nice night there and enjoyed myself. On the way back I persuaded Kate to stop with me at Volta for another amazing ice cream experience.
Friday: The last day of orientation was an optional field trip to an estancia (more or less a ranch) outside of Buenos Aires. An hour bus ride got us to Rodizio Campo, a giant ranch with lots of animals, field, bikes, etc. We were treated with a buffet of empanadas, cheese, and crackers and I was content. After it was all done, they announced that lunch would be served in 30 minutes. I was dumbfounded. I thought that was lunch! So for the 30 minutes before lunch I tried to work up a hunger while I rode a bike around the fields. I rode Circe 8's around a group of ducks and watched them squirm out of the way, and was very amused. Lunch was a non-stop meat-fest. A traditional Asado, meat was brought out on skewers and served to eat table. Many different types of meats came out, each one better than the last. Im not sure if I have ever eaten more meat in one sitting in my life. It was grand. After we digested a little, we formed a futball game on one of the fields. I played for a while, had 2 assists, and then volunteered for goalie service. It was fun, and took up the majority of the afternoon. That night, since a lot of people were tired, I ventured out with a new group to a restaurant for a drink. This new crowd was not my cup of tea, so I left before they moved onto their next destination. A quiet night was a good thing, since I needed to catch up on some sleep.
Saturday: I woke up late and then relaxed for the majority of the day.....after talking to Lauren for a while on Skype and after a long calming shower I walked and wandered into the Recoleta Cemetery for a little while. I was there for a long time, and took some awesome photos. I was really interested in the way the sun was setting and the shadows it created among the tombs. Afterwards, I walked around the fair and along the Law School and the Buenos Aires Flower. It was beautiful outside and the walk was very pleasant. I met up with Nell and a few friends of hers from GW. We ended up going to see The Simpsons Movie in Spanish. It was good practice, and although I did get the majority of the jokes, it wasn't that funny. I got home, got dressed, and met up with Alex, Kate, and Elise at Bar Gran Danzon, a very nice wine bar/restaurant. We had a great meal and I stopped at ice cream on the way home. We were all a little tired, so when we left dinner at 1.30am, we called it a night.
Sunday: I woke up early to go on the BiciTour of Buenos Aires with our program. The bike tour was fun, although it was really cold and I wore shorts. After the tour, I went to Martin's house (an Argentine orientation leader) with a few other people to hang out and order pizza and empanadas. We had a really late lunch and I ate soo much. It was great practice for Spanish and I had a great time. I left around 6 and headed home. Later in the night I met up with Kate at a cafe a few doors down from me with internet access so she could surf the web. We sat and talked for a while, and then headed out to a bar to make an appearance at someone's brithday party. It was a nice relaxing day, and a great weekend.
Wednesday: Took the second part of the Spanish placement exam for my exchange program. It was an oral exam, in which the teacher asked questions and you were required to answer. I think that because the same teacher has seen me throughout the week she had a sense of my level, but I guess this formality was still helpful. After the exam I went to a very cool restaurant for lunch. It was called Modern and Classic Cafe, and was a bookstore and restaurant build in together. The food was great and the atmosphere was even better. As we finished our meal the rush for lunch started and the place got busy and the piano player showed up. I will definitely try and go back there again. After lunch I went home for a well needed nap. A few hours later it was time to go and get a criminal clearance with the police for my student visa. This process was very easy, the hardest part was getting to the police office.
After dinner I went out with Nell, Nick, and Jane to a very cool trendy bar called Milion. The building was an old mansion and was renovated to house a very swank bar for locals and wine and dine in style. After the bar we landed in Volta, the local famous ice cream joint, and tried the divine ice cream. Dulce de Leche con Brownie was amazing. Enough Said.
Thursday: I was able to sleep in late and enjoy the morning in bed. Around lunch time I arose from my warm slumber and ventured outside for lunch. I had a great salad, the first one since I have been here, and treated myself to a croissant with dulce de leche for dessert. I adventured into Palermo for the first time and walked around some shopping areas and around the zoo and the park. I had some free time to spare before I needed to be at school at 5.30pm. I got to school a little later that afternoon for registration. The line was really long, so instead of waiting, Alex, Kate, and I went for some coffee and tea to warm us up. We returned, registered for the classes we needed, and departed home for dinner. After dinner I went out with Alex and Kate to Milion, since they had not been there the night before. I had another nice night there and enjoyed myself. On the way back I persuaded Kate to stop with me at Volta for another amazing ice cream experience.
Friday: The last day of orientation was an optional field trip to an estancia (more or less a ranch) outside of Buenos Aires. An hour bus ride got us to Rodizio Campo, a giant ranch with lots of animals, field, bikes, etc. We were treated with a buffet of empanadas, cheese, and crackers and I was content. After it was all done, they announced that lunch would be served in 30 minutes. I was dumbfounded. I thought that was lunch! So for the 30 minutes before lunch I tried to work up a hunger while I rode a bike around the fields. I rode Circe 8's around a group of ducks and watched them squirm out of the way, and was very amused. Lunch was a non-stop meat-fest. A traditional Asado, meat was brought out on skewers and served to eat table. Many different types of meats came out, each one better than the last. Im not sure if I have ever eaten more meat in one sitting in my life. It was grand. After we digested a little, we formed a futball game on one of the fields. I played for a while, had 2 assists, and then volunteered for goalie service. It was fun, and took up the majority of the afternoon. That night, since a lot of people were tired, I ventured out with a new group to a restaurant for a drink. This new crowd was not my cup of tea, so I left before they moved onto their next destination. A quiet night was a good thing, since I needed to catch up on some sleep.
Saturday: I woke up late and then relaxed for the majority of the day.....after talking to Lauren for a while on Skype and after a long calming shower I walked and wandered into the Recoleta Cemetery for a little while. I was there for a long time, and took some awesome photos. I was really interested in the way the sun was setting and the shadows it created among the tombs. Afterwards, I walked around the fair and along the Law School and the Buenos Aires Flower. It was beautiful outside and the walk was very pleasant. I met up with Nell and a few friends of hers from GW. We ended up going to see The Simpsons Movie in Spanish. It was good practice, and although I did get the majority of the jokes, it wasn't that funny. I got home, got dressed, and met up with Alex, Kate, and Elise at Bar Gran Danzon, a very nice wine bar/restaurant. We had a great meal and I stopped at ice cream on the way home. We were all a little tired, so when we left dinner at 1.30am, we called it a night.
Sunday: I woke up early to go on the BiciTour of Buenos Aires with our program. The bike tour was fun, although it was really cold and I wore shorts. After the tour, I went to Martin's house (an Argentine orientation leader) with a few other people to hang out and order pizza and empanadas. We had a really late lunch and I ate soo much. It was great practice for Spanish and I had a great time. I left around 6 and headed home. Later in the night I met up with Kate at a cafe a few doors down from me with internet access so she could surf the web. We sat and talked for a while, and then headed out to a bar to make an appearance at someone's brithday party. It was a nice relaxing day, and a great weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
