Midterms, plans
Trip Start
Aug 03, 2008
1
14
23
Trip End
??? ??, 2008
Buenos Aires,
Argentina
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Sorry I've gotten lazy/busy/uninteresting so haven't had much to put up lately. Again, I've basically just been going to classes. When I have more time, I'll write some more interesting cultural differences I've stumbled upon throughout my oh so enlightening time here. But for right now, I'm studying for the 3 midterm exams I have tomorrow.
I've gone out a couple of times to different places, pretty interesting. I have a soft spot for "Shoeless Joe's Alamo", which is a cheap bar for tourists, and they always play American sports. First time I went there, we befriended some very generous American Airlines pilots, (one of whom was hitting on a friend of mine, before realizing that she graduated with his son. Same school and all...) and the second time we befriended a man in his mid 60's from Baltimore who wasn't sure when he was returning home and was going through some 'life changes'. Good times.
I am still doing the river thing for break, that is 3 cities along the Rio Parana (Parana River) which will most likely be Rosario, Santa Fe, and Corrientes. And don't worry Jessi and Gram, I believe I have company. I plan to leave Friday morning, which will be difficult because I don't have time to buy the tickets until Friday morning, but we'll see how it goes. I'm just going to kind of wing this trip, not sure of how the trip-mates feel about that but I guess that's what they get for entrusting me to plan it! It'll be my longest vacation yet, and will hopefully last until the following Saturday or Sunday. I'm looking forward to it.. it will just be a relaxing trip, no waterfalls, no mountains. Just river, people, museums, and architecture.
I'm also trying to make plans for after my program. As (i think) I've mentioned before, I've got a 3 week surplus and I'm going to be traveling to Peru and somewhere else with my friend Viviane from exchange in South Africa. Since Viviane is from Switzerland and may not make it to South America for decades, she wants to get a lot out of the trip, so this is costing a lot. but it should be pretty legendary.
What I have planned so far is:
3 days in Lima, Peru staying at Maria's apartment (my amazing Spanish prof from St. Thomas)
3 days in Puerto Maldonado, Peru (in the rainforest where Maria is making a dictionary of a dying indigenous language)
2 days in Cuzco (Machu Picchu)
After that, we still have about a week left. I think Viviane wants to go to Rio de Janiero, Brazil but that will be really expensive for me considering Americans have to pay $180 for a visa. (But they only make us pay it because we make them) We'll see. I'm eating corn-flakes til then!
Alright, that's about all the update I have time for right now. It's 11:40pm, and I haven't even started studying for my Spanish midterm tomorrow. (Some things never change, haha)
Hope you're all doing well. Special shout out to Grandma Bunny, Jess, and Oliver on their 82nd, 28th, and 3rd birthdays, respectively. (and anybody I missed!) Miss you all!
