Dejada plantada con amigas

So, now that I am back for real in the U.S. I'm not really sure if my blog has a point, but I kind of like it anyway. So we'll see. Vamos a ver. So I'm really worried that I'll lose a lot of my spanish now that I'm not using it all the time, so I decided that I need to do everything I can to keep it up. The other day I went to the library and checked out like 6 novels in spanish, watched/read some news in spanish, and today I found a radio station that's más o menos. Writing that all out, it seems kind of overboard, but I know how easy it is to let it all fall away and I am determined to maintain as much fluidity as possible. The lady next to me on my plane back to the U.S. was a bit inspirational and told me all these stories of how if you really want to accomplish something, you'll find a way to do it. So this is me trying.

Also, I am continually amazed at the ways in which the Lord has blessed me. I remember very vividly being alone in my apartment in Buenos Aires and missing the kind of close friendships I have back here. And now it amazes me how many wonderful argentine friends I've made and how close we've grown. I think I've talked to just about every single one of those etnología girls every day since I got back. During Argentina, God began to really teach me what it looks like to really rely on him, and then at just the right time (as I started to learn how to do this) he blessed me with an amazing group of friends. Not just convenience friends while was in Buenos Aires, but real friends that call me on skype from the other side of the world just to chat and even though the connection was bad, we end up talking for like 2 hours. And Paula, after hearing that I got stood up for a skype date, offering in all seriousness to text him and ask him what he's doing por dejarme plantada like that. Hilarious. Or like with Karina, who I grew so close to that I spent 3 days straight actually living in her house with her family, and then found out that she'd never invited any other friends to quedarse dormir at her house. These are the kinds of friendships that I never saw coming. I feel like after study abroad trips or camps or things like that, everyone comes out with so many new friends that they never end up really talking to again. I really hope that's not the case here and that I can maintain these frienships that have come to mean so much to me.

And completely unrelated but also true, I am so very excited to go back to work at the preschool on Monday. I'm kind of a crazy, but I am ridiculously attached to my job. I don't know why I love it so so much, I just do. I hadn't heard anything from the preschool though since January so I wasn't even sure if they still needed me, but I found out yesterday that they do! I'm teaching a Spanish enrichment program and so excited. But it could be interesting because when I went by today, they couldn't find my curriculum or get a hold of anyone who knows where it is. So I'm just pulling stuff together on my own for monday. Haha, it all seems so very unorganized and Argentina-y. But either way, I am so thankful just to have a job, not to mention one that I love so much. And tomorrow I'm going to waco for a wonderful weekend with Katie and Melanie. So here I am, with really amazing and fantastic friends and family and a wonderful job. Sometimes I just can't even believe my life.

Salida y Llegada

So this is the end. Goodbye Buenos Aires, Hello McKinney, TX. It's really crazy leaving and being back. I have very mixed feelings about it. I cried and cried and cried some more leaving Buenos Aires and all of the wonderful wonderful friends I made. But there are definitely some things that I will not miss (in no particular order):

1. The overabundance of mayonesa (mayonnaise). When you walk down the condimentos aisle of argentine grocery stores you find about 80000 brands of mayonnaise, 2 kinds of ketchup, 1 type of mustard, a couple chimmichurri sauces and maybe some soy sauce. But they put mayonnaise on EVERYTHING. ¡Qué asco!

2. Poop on all the sidewalks. Buenos Aires petowners rarely show any consideration for the city's 4 million pedestrians.

3. Not having internet in my house. It's kind of stressful when everytime you check your e-mail there are 20 new messages.

4. The food. Ok, so maybe I'll miss empanadas and asado, but in general the food just doesn't have as much flavor as I'd like.

5. Paying for water in restaraunts. And on top of that, the lack of appreciation for ice.

6. The terrible hair. mullets, rat tails, dreadlocks, or all three at the same time.

7. Taking the subte and being crammed in with so many people that you're actually lifted up off the ground mosh pit style and held there until the next stop.

8. Baby sized coffee cups

9. The unstructured way of doing things. Sometimes tranquilo is good, but sometimes Argentina is so chill that it stresses me out.

10. the cell phones, having to buy tarjetas de crédito to load minutes every few days, paying 5 pesos a minute for every phonecall-i.e. only being able to send text messages.

Haha, oh Argentina. But I will miss everything else. Like mate, the ISA staff, being called Katy, hugs and kisses every time you say hello and goodbye, speaking spanish ALL the time, the giantness of the city, having public transportation, calling everyone (even people you're not very close with) amor and corazón- so friendly and affectionate, fruterías on every block, hearing waka waka every 10 minutes, the passion for fútbol, having friends from all over the world, the iglesia, wednesday english lessions and chats with Karina and her family, my crazy and wonderful etnología friends, listening to everyone try to say my name and other things in english, the lovely porteño accent, pomelo (grapefruit) everything, all of the dogs, the wonderful mix of old and new, the architecture and interestingness of the buildings, the really pretty, old fashioned keys, the plazas and trees in the middle of all the buildings, that everyone has a nickname, cafes con leche, staying up all night, maru's crazy faces, poli saying ¡qué asco! at everything, the phrase "dale", having a word like "lindo" that describes all things good, and I think I could go on forever.

Buenos Aires, te quiero y te extraño muchísimo. Even though it was only home for 5 months, it feels like a day but at the same time, forever. The most wonderful experiences of my life. I take away nothing but really really great memories! I think I will love Argentina forever. I don't know when, but I will definitely be going back some day! But for now, here's to a great summer, time with family and old friends, and a wonderful senior year!

La última semana

I can't believe how fast all of my time here has gone by. So so fast, but so wonderful. Really, no lo puedo creer. This week was filled with wonderful friends and goodbye parties. I hate goodbyes, but it's so wonderful to have made so many friends, to miss them and know that you'll be missed as well. On Sunday we tried to go to a feria in Mataderos, but it was cancelled due to bad weather and the Arg. vs. Méx. game. Vamos, vamos, Argentina! After the game we had a goodbye party/sushi night at Flor's house. Surprisingly enough, I loved the sushi! ¡Qué rico! Then monday I spent all day working on the monografía, turned it in a bit late, but igual, ya terminé. I don't know how it went though. Then I went out to dinner with Karina and stayed over at her house again. Haha, these past 3 nights I've been at other people's houses! So much fun. Then on tuesday we had a little intensive month reuinon. Wednesday was my last night out with Luiza and Ann. So sad to leave them. I love those girls! Then on thursday I went to Uruguay with Michelle. We went to this quaint little historic town called Colonia, which was the original portuguese colony a long long time ago. Then to the Moreno's house for a delicious dinner and Eze's birthday. Friday Poli came over to my house and helped me pack! Soooooooo nice! I still can't believe she did that, and that she fit everything in my suitcases! Milagro! I made brownies for the ISA staff and Ana and Dante from the frutería next door. But I had to make them in the neighbors' oven because ours broke. Then off to ISA for a final goodbye. SO sad, but really really good. Then the last trip to starbucks with Hedvig and the goodbye party at the church. Then saturday morning the Argentina game and goodbye to the girls from etnología. ¡Qué tristezas las dos cosas! And goodness, between friday and saturday I don't think I have ever cried that much in my life. It's so hard to leave. But really, I can't believe how completely amazing and wonderful this whole experience has been. I feel so blessed to have met so many wonderful sweet friends and to have had so many incredible adventures! And I will definitely be back.