At the end

As my journey abroad comes to an end and I soak in the last little bits of Montevideo, I began thinking about things in Uruguay that I will miss:

La Rambla: The avenue that extends along the entire coast of Montevideo. Especially now during the springtime, the Rambla has been the perfect place to go for an evening walk, right next to the water!

Bizcochos: Basically a common term for a wide range of small pastries.  I have developed an enormous sweet tooth here in Uruguay, all thanks to these little delicacies.

Dulce de leche: Imagine caramel, but creamier. If I could bring back a tub of this stuff, I definitely would!

Mis amigos: Of course, one of my biggest worries about studying abroad was whether or not I would make friends, but this turned out to be no problem. From travelling, to taking classes together, to getting together on the weekends, I will surely miss the great company!

Lastly, although I cannot think of a word to describe it, I will miss the constant opportunity to learn. For the past four months, Spanish has been all around me. When I first arrived, it was hard adjusting to hearing Spanish all the time, and the difficult Uruguayan accent definitely further complicated things. Now, however, I can eavesdrop on a conversation at the bus stop or waiting in line and actually understand the majority of what people are saying. Additionally, I have no problem asking for help or engaging in small talk with people in stores or cafes.

I have always been told that a semester abroad simply isn’t enough time, and that you just begin to become accustomed to everything right as your time abroad is coming to an end, and I definitely believe this now.

My life here in Uruguay is slowly being condensed into three pieces of luggage, and before I know it, I will be back home!

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Aventuras argentinas

It is nearly impossible to describe las Cataratas del Iguazú, better known as Iguazú Falls. My week-long trip in Argentina was full of its ups and downs, so let’s begin…

I travelled with two other international students from la Católica. Our trip to Puerto Iguazú in northern Argentina consisted of a two hour bus ride west of Montevideo, an hour-long boat ride over to Buenos Aires, waiting at the bus terminal for seven hours, and then an eighteen hour bus ride to Puerto Iguazú. I know what you’re probably thinking, and yes, an eighteen hour bus ride. It actually wasn’t that bad, though! The seats were very comfortable and reclined back quite a ways, we were served dinner and breakfast, and we departed Buenos Aires at 7pm, which allowed us to sleep for a good portion of the trip.

We arrived in Puerto Iguazú in the afternoon and checked in to our hostel, which was conveniently right across the street from the bus station. We didn’t have enough time after we arrived to go to Iguazú Falls, so we opted to explore the town for a bit. Everything in the town seems to be aimed at tourists, which of course makes sense considering one of the great wonders of the world is only a short distance away. This small town was very different from Montevideo with its jungle-esque foliage and red dirt. For the two and a half days we were there, it was never less than 85°F during the day, and very humid.

After some exploring, we went to the Jardin de los Picaflores (“Hummingbird Garden”). Fun fact: “picaflor” means “hummingbird” in Spanish; “pica” comes from the verb “picar” which means “to prick”, and “flor” means “flower”, so “picaflor” literally means “flower pricker”.

For dinner, we enjoyed a nice Argentinian steak before retiring early to bed.

The following day, it was off to Iguazú Falls! The park was about a thirty minute bus ride from our hostel, and one of my first impressions upon arriving at the park was TOURISTS. So many tourists, which is understandable, considering how popular the falls are. The falls aren’t immediately within view upon entering the park. We had to walk quite a ways through the jungle, and then we took a train up to the upper part of the falls.

When we did arrive, however, all I could say was WOW! We walked about a kilometer on a set of walkways over the Río Iguazú (“Iguazú River”) over to the part of the falls known as la Garganta del Diablo (“Devil’s Throat”). The noise was incredible, and the amount of mist coming from the falls was enough to leave us pretty damp. Such an impressive sight!

After, we decided to take an ecological tour along the river. We boarded a bright orange boat that gently cruised along the river. Unfortunately, no major animal sightings.

There were, however, several animals that freely roamed throughout the park.

A coati, basically the South American version of the aardvark. These nasty little guys are known for stealing the lunch of tourists.

Plush-crested Jay

After lunch, we headed back out into the heat and went to a different area of the park that offered more views of the falls. The walkways through the jungle were so neat; I really felt like I was in the heart of South America. We arrived at several more viewpoints that offered more spectacular views of the falls. There really are no words to describe Iguazú, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking (although the pictures don’t even do it justice):

After a long and exhausting day in the park, we headed back to Puerto Iguazú for some dinner and much needed relaxation.

During our final day in Puerto Iguazú, we walked in the blistering heat to a point where two rivers meet up and form the borders between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Although we unfortunately could not travel to the other sides, I can at least say I have seen Brazil and Paraguay!

Paraguay is on the left across the river, and Brazil is on the right

As our last activity, we visited Güira Oga, which is a refuge park for animals. Throughout our tour, we saw many South American birds and mammals that were being cared for by the staff for reasons including accidents involving vehicles, animals who were orphaned, and those who have suffered other various injuries.

A trip to South America wouldn’t be complete without a capybara

Later that evening, it was time to head back to Buenos Aires, which meant another eighteen hour bus ride, but again, it wasn’t bad at all!

We arrived in Buenos Aires in the afternoon, and we were planning on spending four days in the city. Although I had already been to Buenos Aires once for a few days, I was excited to be back and see more of the gigantic city. The first day was pretty simple, just ate lunch, did some exploring, and shopped around a little bit.

However, as we headed out to dinner that evening, I began to not feel well. We arrived at the restaurant, I ordered some food, took one bite, and knew I was going to be sick. I headed back to the hostel, which was thankfully only half a block away, and spent the rest of the evening feeling absolutely awful. It turns out I got food poisoning, so needless to say, it was a rough night.

I still felt pretty miserable the following day, so I spent the entire day in the hostel sleeping and relaxing. It rained a lot that day, so I guess I didn’t miss out on too much!

The following day, I started to recover. We went on a historical city tour of Buenos Aires, and one of our stops included the church where Pope Francis used to work. However, I still was pretty drained of energy, so I headed back to the hostel to rest for a little bit. I felt better during the evening and was able to go with everyone to Café Tortoni, which is one of the most popular cafés in Buenos Aires; we even had to wait in line outside just to get a table. The café definitely had a very rustic atmosphere, and it also had very delicious apple pie!

On our last full day in Buenos Aires, we couldn’t help but go to Starbucks. I still was feeling pretty exhausted, so again, I headed back to the hostel to rest for a few hours. After a much needed super nap, we went to another café and spent the evening wandering around the city.

Early the next day, it was back to Montevideo. I wasn’t too disappointed that I didn’t get to spend much time wandering around Buenos Aires, considering I had already been there and during the first trip we hit most of the major landmarks. I was just glad that I got sick in Buenos Aires instead of in Iguazú!

And so ends an amazing vacation. When I first came to Uruguay, I figured that I would take some short trips around the country and visit Buenos Aires once; I never imagined that I would see Iguazú Falls. From now on, every waterfall that I see will be a slight disappointment in comparison with the great Cataratas del Iguazú!

Closing the books

And just like that, my time at Universidad Católica del Uruguay is over. I only had two finals this week, and I finished my second one today, so I am officially done with school. That means I am on spring break! Although in three and a half short weeks, that will change in to winter break…

The sun was glorious this past weekend, which certainly made it more difficult to find the motivation to study, but no need to worry; I managed to study quite a bit and enjoy the sun! I have the sunburn to prove it, too.

Tomorrow, I will begin my eight day Argentine adventure with the first stop being Iguazú Falls, and then back to Buenos Aires for a few days. I really couldn’t be more excited!

Some of the other international students are already beginning to return to their home countries, and it’s really starting to hit me how little time I have left in Uruguay. After Argentina, I plan to soak up as much of Montevideo (and the sun!) as I can!

For now, however, I’m off to Argentina!

Is this real life?

I have officially hit a significant milestone:  the last day of classes. I had my last official class at Universidad Católica del Uruguay, and all I have left to do is take two exams next week, and then my life at the university will be over.

However, just because I will be finished with school doesn’t mean the fun has to end. The day after my last exam I will be heading off on a week-long adventure in Argentina.

I will spend about two and a half days visiting the Cataratas del Iguazú, better known as Iguazú Falls, and I couldn’t be more excited! The journey to Iguazú will consist of a two and a half hour bus ride west from Montevideo, taking an hour long boat ride to Buenos Aires, and finally an eighteen hour bus ride to the town of Puerto Iguazú in northern Argentina. That’s right, EIGHTEEN hours. Thankfully, the seats are supposed to be really comfortable, especially to sleep in, and I assume we will be served meals.

The yellow star represents Montevideo, the white one is Buenos Aires, and the blue star is Iguazú Falls

The falls lies on the border between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Unfortunately, Americans are required to pay very expensive fees to enter Paraguay and Brazil, so we will only be enjoying the falls from the Argentinian side. Regardless, Iguazú will be spectacular no matter which way we view it!

After that, we will take the eighteen hour journey once again back to Buenos Aires and spend about four days in the city. I will be in Buenos Aires for Thanksgiving, but unfortunately, turkey is not very common in this region of South America. Instead, I will likely be enjoying a nice, juicy steak or some type of delicious Argentinian beef. Again, can’t complain!

Following my grand Argentinian tour, I will only have about two weeks left in Uruguay. Wait, what?

Chau for now!

Rainy day travels

Last Friday, I took a day trip to the city of Colonia del Sacramento, which is about two and a half hours by bus west of Montevideo. The weather prediction for that day called for thunderstorms, but especially being from Washington, I know that a little bit of rain never hurt anyone!

Founded in 1680, this city, which is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, has both a Portuguese and Spanish history. Supposedly, you can actually tell which streets were Portuguese and which were Spanish based entirely on the structure of the cobblestones.

Notice how the cobblestones are different? I think, the street going to the left was Spanish, and the street on the right was Portuguese

Although it did rain the entire day, it didn’t stop us from exploring this charming town. We visited the Museo Municipal (Municipal Museum), which had a little bit of everything, from ancient pottery, to old weapons, to displays on the prehistoric zoology of the region, and we also visited the Museo Indígena (Indigenous Museum), which housed a collection of artifacts from the ancient indigenous populations of Uruguay.

Calle de los Suspiros (“The Street of Sighs”) – one of the most photographed places in Uruguay

We also peeked inside the Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento,which is one of the oldest basilicas in the country.

Travelling to Colonia really did feel like a journey back in time. We spent a total of about eight hours in Colonia which, even in the pouring rain, proved to be plenty of time to explore what this delightful little city had to offer.

Now, I am currently in the process of planning a big trip to Iguazú Falls once classes and finals end, which believe it or not, is in three weeks. Where has the time gone?

Chau for now!

Into the wild

As am I writing this, my body is sore, my face burnt, my hands cramping, and it is all thanks to my wonderful weekend trip with my Adventure Tourism class.

After finally completing and turning in an eight-page paper, I set out on Friday morning for a three-day campamento (“camping”) with my Turismo Aventura class, which consisted of about twenty-five Uruguayan students, two international students from Spain, and one of my fellow American international students.

Our day on Friday started at 8am, and we drove for about two hours east to Arroyo Solís, which is a river that starts in the interior and ends in the Río de la Plata, and this is where canotaje (“canoeing”) began. Rumor had it that we would be canoeing for 20 kilometers (roughly 12.4 miles) and it would take approximately 4 hours. Each canoe held three people, one person rowing in the front, one rowing in the back, and the third person enjoying the ride in the middle, but we were able to switch positions multiple times.

I rowed primarily in the front, and let me tell you, I thought my arms were going to fall off. At the beginning, the river was pretty calm, nothing too difficult, but as we continued on we ended up in slightly choppy water going against the current. Also, I had no idea how wet we all would get from being splashed with water from the oars when rowing. Nevertheless, it was an amazing, tiring, and relaxing ride. We ended up reaching our destination in about three hours, and the trip was about 8.3 miles. We certainly earned our lunch that day!

Next, we drove almost an hour and a half to Cerro Arequita. Now, when you think of the landscape of Uruguay, you would typically think of how flat it is. However, this region of the country was filled with hills, and this particular site was home to a very impressive rock formation. Within this formation was a large rupture in the rock which led to an underground cave. The owner of the property led us down in to the cave and instructed us to be absolutely silent because of the resident bats. As expected, the cave was pitch black, smelt very damp with a hint of sulfur, and the high-pitched squeaks of the bats echoed throughout. The owner turned on some dim lights and all of the bat flew overhead and relocated to another part of the cave. Such a neat experience!

Afterward, still in the same day, we hiked up the rock formation, and from the top you could see for miles across the Uruguayan countryside.

Finally, now that it was dark out, we drove another hour and a half to where we would be staying, Parque Salto del Penitente. Separated between boys and girls, we stayed in cabin-style rooms with twelve beds in each. A lot nicer than I was expecting!

Dinner was not until 10:30pm, which is actually a pretty normal time to eat down here. It turns out that the place we were staying is actually a very popular tourist destination, so the property had an on-site restaurant which is where we ate all of our meals, and we were actually served full course restaurant-style meals. Again, definitely not what I was expecting!

The only negative aspect of where we were staying was the bathroom. We were told we would be able to shower, and there certainly were showers, however, they were communal style, with five different shower heads in the same space. Call me modest, but I just couldn’t bring myself to shower without the comfort of a curtain or some kind of separating point. I simply accepted the fact that I would not be showering for a few days.

The next day started bright and early at 8am again. On the itinerary for the day was zip-lining, trekking, cabalgata (“horseback riding”), and rappel. Unfortunately, we woke up to rain and wind. Hoping the weather would improve later on in the day, we took a trip to a Mina de Oro (“Gold Mine”). We wore protective helmets inside and were led by dim lights through the cave’s winding tunnels. Occasionally on the rocks overhead, you could see what was pointed out as gold. Unfortunately, the gold probably would not have been worth anything, so I did not walk out of that cave a millionaire.

We returned to Parque Salto del Penitente, got in to teams, came up with sun rituals, and lo and behold, the sun came out! My group’s first activity was zip-lining, followed by a trek through the countryside, and both were very fun and laidback activities.

Unfortunately due to the bad weather earlier, we were only able to do one rotation of activities out of the three that we were planned for the weekend.

Our last day started very early in order to make up for lost time. My group started off the day horseback riding, and believe it or not, this was my first and probably last time on a horse. My horse seemed to have a mind of its own and preferred to eat the plants rather than follow everyone else or stay in line. Nevertheless, it was definitely a good experience.

Next, we did rappelling. Our objective was to rappel 164 feet down an almost vertical rock formation. As daunting as it sounds, it was a piece of cake! Albeit a little nerve-wracking at first, it was an adrenaline pumping experience.

At that point, my group had completed all of the easy activities, and we were faced with the toughest one for last: mountain biking. I am not an avid biker, and I could not tell you the last time I rode a bike before coming to Uruguay, so I was pretty nervous for this activity, also because the people who had done it before us expressed how much of a challenge it was, and oh boy, it was certainly one of the hardest physical tasks I’ve ever had to do.

The terrain was relentless, with many uphill dirt roads. I did have to walk my bike up a few hills, but other times I was able to push through the pain and make it to the top. Although I was at the back of the pack most of the time, I never gave up! The entire ride lasted for about three hours, and I would estimate it to be a little more than twelve miles.

After an absolutely exhausting weekend, it was time to head back to Montevideo. Needless to say, after a much needed shower, I slept extremely well that night.

Well, we are down to a month and a half, and only three weeks of classes left. I was told beforehand that my time abroad would fly by, and at first I didn’t really believe it, but now, I certainly am a believer.

So little time, so much left to do!

Chau chau!

International delights

The trip that I had been looking forward to the most finally happened: Buenos Aires!

I went with a group of eight other international students to Buenos Aires, Argentina for three days. Arriving there consisted of a two and a half hour bus ride north along the coast and then an hour and a half boat ride across the river in to Argentina. We ended up staying in a hostel that was really close to the center of the city and close to many major streets.

We arrived around 1pm on Friday afternoon and were scheduled to take a tour of the city at 2pm. After a quick snack, our tour van picked us up and took us around the city. Our guide pointed out some of the prominent buildings, parks, statues, and various attractions, and at many points we were able to get out of the van to take pictures and explore a little bit.

One of our first stops included a very famous cemetery in Buenos Aires called Cementerio de la Recoleta (The Recoleta Cemetery). It may seem weird to some to view a cemetery as a tourist attraction, but this particular one has been described as one of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world and it is the resting place of many prominent figures, including former first lady, Eva Perón, and former Argentine president,Bartolomé Mitre.

I would not even call these tombs – more similar to small mausoleums. You could actually see inside of some of them and see the coffin inside. Very chilling, but incredible at the same time.

Another stop included La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires, which is known for its colorful buildings and tango dancing. Surely enough, there were plenty of people dancing in the street and the buildings looked like they were out of a Dr. Seuss book; spectacular neighborhood, to say the least.

La Boca

Later that evening, we walked around the city, and compared to Montevideo, Buenos Aires is gigantic. There always seems to be things going on and it was all a bit overwhelming, but exciting at the same time. Needless to say, we were all exhausted from travelling, and after a hearty meal of Argentinian meat, we decided to rest up for the next day.

Casa Rosada – literally means “Pink House” – the office building for the president of Argentina

Puente de la Mujer (“Woman’s Bridge”)

Since we were a large group, it was expected that we all were not going to want to always do the same thing, so the following day, half of the group went to an art museum, and I went with the other half to La Bombonera fútbol stadium in La Boca neighborhood, which is home to Buenos Aires’ fútbol team Boca Juniors. We toured a museum dedicated to the history of the team, and afterwards we took a tour of the stadium.

Of course, we couldn’t go to Buenos Aires without doing a little shopping. Later on after meeting up with everyone, we all spent a few hours touring Avenida Florida, which is basically known as being one of the best streets for shopping in Buenos Aires. You’ll be glad to know that I stayed within my budget, but also managed to get a few souvenirs!

On our final full day, we went to Mercado San Telmo, which is a huge market that takes place every Sunday. I have been to a few markets in Montevideo, but nothing compared to this one in Buenos Aires. It was massive! Vendors were selling everything from handmade jewelry and clothing, to leather goods, to art, to food, to antiques, and more; so much neat stuff. I really had to restrain myself from buying too much!

We spent our final evening strolling through a park and taking in the city. Buenos Aires is an amazing city, and I definitely would love to go back someday. Even though we spent three full days there, we barely made a dent in the amount of things there are to do and to see in the city.

We unfortunately had to leave Monday morning, but my week of Argentina was not over yet, because Tuesday was the 2014 World Cup Qualifying match with Uruguay playing against Argentina in Montevideo. All of the more than 40,000 tickets sold within the first day and a half of going on sale, so I felt very lucky to partake in this important event. Of course, I had to buy a giant flag of Uruguay so that I could wear it as a cape…when in Uruguay, do as the Uruguayans do!

No surprise, Uruguay won 3-2 after a very tense game!

So far this week, I visited Argentina, went to a fútbol game where Uruguay played against Argentina, not to mention I live in Uruguay, and today, I got a little taste of the world!

Every semester, the Intercambio Office at la Católica puts on what they call a Feria Internacional (International Fair), where the exchange students from each country set up a small stand in a common space at the university where they share pictures, food, clothing, basically the culture of their home country. Many students from various countries participated, including Mexico, Austria, Guatemala, England, Germany, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and of course, the United States. We had a giant American flag displayed across our stand, and for food, we decided to serve crackers with peanut butter and strawberry jelly to try and emulate a PB&J sandwich, and we also served coke floats, which is just vanilla ice cream and Coca-Cola in a cup; similar to a root-beer float, but root-beer doesn’t exist in Uruguay.

Many of the Uruguayan students were really taken back by the idea of a coke float, and many were extremely hesitant to try it, however, although they did admit it was a strange a new concept to them, our coke floats were a delicious success along with our crackers.

As you can tell, I have had a very exciting week, and it is only going to get busier. Next week, I have a 7-14 page paper due, and next weekend I will be going camping.

For now, I am ready to catch up on all of sleep I missed while in Buenos Aires!

Looking ahead

Well, we have officially reached the halfway point in my Uruguayan adventure. The first half seemed to go by so quickly, and because I have so much to look forward to in the next few weeks, I can already tell that the remainder of my time here will fly by.

Last week was filled with museums! As part of a project, last Friday I visited el Museo Pedagógico (Museum of Pedagogy) and el Museo Romántico (Romantic Museum). El Museo Pedagógico was filled with neat little items such as old books and scientific models and displays from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. El Museo Romántico didn’t actually have anything to do with romance, but rather it housed a collection of paintings and statues of famous Uruguayan revolutionaries and war-time heroes, most notably José Artigas.

On Saturday, it was el Día del Patrimonio (Patrimony Day) in which several buildings and landmarks throughout Uruguay such as museums, schools, cemeteries, and government buildings are opened to the public. Some friends and I took this opportunity to visit el Palacio Legislativo (Legislative Palace), where the Uruguayan parliament meets. Absolutely everything inside is made of marble. Such a huge, impressive building!

Palacio Legislativo

Inside the Palacio

I have a lot to look forward to in the coming few weeks. On Friday morning, I will leave for Buenos Aires, Argentina for three days. I have been looking forward to this trip for so long, and I am so excited to go!

Additionally, I managed to get my hands on a ticket to the next FIFA World Cup 2014 eliminatory game for next Tuesday in which Uruguay will play against Argentina. Thankfully, I bought my ticket the first day they went on sale, because within about 48 hours, all ~44,000 tickets were sold. I plan on buying a large Uruguayan flag and wearing it as a cape – but don’t worry – everyone does this!

At the end of the month, I will go on a weekend camping trip with my Turismo Aventura class. More details to come!

Unfortunately, with all of these exciting events, I still have homework and projects to do. In about two weeks, I have to turn in a 7-14 page paper regarding the dynamics of the Uruguayan family in the mid-1900’s to present day. Also, it is hard to believe that in about one month, classes will be over, and then it’s time for finals. Where did the time go?

At least it’s starting to look a lot like spring!

Chao for now!

 

Buckling down

Needless to say, I have been really busy this past week. I had my first test last week in my Uruguayan Literature class, which actually wasn’t too difficult! Hopefully we will get our tests back tomorrow…yikes! Wish me luck.

My view lately – the library

Additionally, last week I also had my Adventure Tourism class again, and the goal of the day was mountain biking. I really could not tell you the last time I successfully rode a bike before that day, so I was actually pretty nervous, but you know what they say…once you learn how to ride a bike, you will never forget, and thankfully that saying is correct! Seeing as how there are no mountains in Uruguay, we went to a local park that has a hill – which is quite a rarity. We learned the proper technique to peddling up a slope and riding down as well, which was actually pretty difficult! I certainly had sore legs the following day.

After that, the week continued on as normal. Class, homework, community service, and more studying. Of course, it hasn’t all been serious business – I am still managing to have some fun!

I went out and ate Mexican food with some friends on Friday night, and on Saturday one of my compañeras had a birthday party. We ate burgers, which I must say were extremely delicious, and she even had a lady come to give us salsa dancing lessons for one hour. Needless to say, I have two left feet and absolutely no rhythm. Although it was a really fun experience, I definitely won’t be picking up salsa dancing any time soon.

This week, I have to turn in a research paper, present in a group project about Juan Bautista Alberdi, and apply for housing back at Western. I can’t believe I already have to think about and start planning my return. Time sure does fly.

Chao!

The new normal

As you have probably noticed, I haven’t been posting here very frequently, unless there’s some major or exciting event that goes on.

We’re almost at the two month mark, and I am confident in saying that everything here seems pretty normal now. Of course, I still have to pinch myself when I think about how I am in Uruguay, but things are more routine now and I’ve gotten in to a good rhythm of class, studying, spending time with friends, and the occasional exploring.

Yesterday, my language class went to the Museo Blanes, which is a well-known museum in an area of Montevideo that was very popular with the Uruguayan aristocrats in the nineteenth century, so the neighborhood is filled with fancy homes. On display at the museum were the works of Colombian painter Fernando Botero and Uruguayan painter Juan Manuel Blanes.

Museo Blanes – formerly a prominent estate, now a museum open to the public

“Pedrito” by Botero – he is very well-known for his plumper subjects

“El Juramento de los Treinta y Tres Orientales” by Blanes – he is known for his realistic paintings. This one refers to the revolution that lead to the independence of Uruguay.

Some of Blanes’ paintings took up an entire wall of the museum.

The estate also included a traditional Japanese garden on loan from Japan.

Complete with a koi pond!

Nothing else to report from down here! I have my first test next week, but it really shouldn’t be too hard. However, the week after that, I have one paper due and a presentation, so I will be spending some time this weekend working on all of that.

Chao for now!