Descontrol

I am going to sum up what I've done in the last month here. So forgive me if my writing is jumbled and I write random details. School is out for summer vacation until the end of February!! In early November, I joined a yoga class and have not gained any weight since my arrival. Since I live so close to the mountains, many times I go for runs/walks there in the mornings. I met the other 10 exchange students, which made me feel much happier here. When I arrived, all the other exchange students were on the South trip and I felt all alone.Since I arrived 2 months late, the other exchange students all had a chance to bond and adjust to everything together, so it's been a bit difficult for me because so much had already happened with the intercambios prior to my arrival, and many times I'm out of the loop. It's all good though. I just need to remember that everything happens for a reason. It gives me a chance to spend time with Argentines and practice my spanish when I don't hang out with the exchanges students.
I sang karaoke with the exchange students in a bar called Tercero Tiempo, and after we went dancing. Every weekend I go out dancing and get home at 6. When I speak in English, I noticed that I definitely have a different accent. When I spend time with the intercambios, they all have different accents: for example, australian, dutch, french..and so whenever I speak in english, it's like I have a weird combination of everything. Not to mention Im forgetting english.
I went to an asado (bbq) with the exchange students last month and when I arrived I sat down to eat, and realized my plate and silverware were dirty. Someone had already used my utensils. I asked if it was mine and they told me yes. As you can see, Argentina is all about sharing.hahah. I have definitely gotten over my fear of germs. The 20th of November was one month from the leaving the U.S. In 2 weeks it will have been 2 months! I made pancakes for my host family and chocolate chip cookies-which they loved. We put dulce de leche on the pancakes and they were delicious!
In Argentina, it's definitely a culture where everyone is always keeping busy and doing something-no matter the hour of the day. It's funny because sometimes I just like to relax and lay in my bed and listen to music. I was just relaxing in my room one day, and my mom came in and asked if everything was ok.Of course! I guess my mom perceived it as something being wrong but that definitely wasn't the case! So I explained to her that I don't need to be constantly doing something or be out of the house to be happy. I'm perfectly content sometimes just doing nothing and relaxing.
Sundays are normally family days, where we go to the grandparents house in the countryside and spend the day there. Im tan.And freckled more than ever. It gets extremely hot here. Its crazy though becasue the weather can change incredibly fast. This past weekend it was so hot that the electricity went out multiple times. My family and I decided to eat dinner in the backyard because it was too hot to eat in the house. All of a sudden, a huge wind comes, lightning flashes, and it starts pouring down rain, and the power goes out again. We got our flashlights and candles and moved all of our food indoors because the wind was insane.
I went to El Rodeo, Las Juntas, and Las Talas which are different parts of the city located in the mountains. It was absolutely beautiful.
The first weekend of December, I went with the exchange students to the Argentina/Chile border. We went to Las Termas(hot springs) and swam/had a BBQ there. We spent the night and the next day drove to the border which was at 5000 altitude. The road to Chile was the most windy/hilly one could imagine. I was pretty close to vomiting the way there. A couple of us had to use oxygen masks for the altitude change. The scenery the whole way there was incredible.I can't find words to describe how beautiful it was. I saw Harry Potter in spanish and actually understood EVERYTHING.Que mas? I've been to a fair share of birthday parties thus far.Been thrown in the pool a couple of times.I saw a movie in english here-Skyline.
I learned that instead of saying Que lindo you can say Que churro to say something is pretty.I tried this delicious food last night for dinner.It was yellow oatmeal with cheese, ketchup, and sugar. Its definitey interesting haha but its delicious.
Every December 8th in the evening there is a procession for the Virgin del Valle. 70,000 people (peregrinos) come from other provinces of Argentina to make promises to the Virgin and to walk next to the Virgin. Everyone comes the night before, cycling,walking,driving for the procession, and sleeps in the plazas with tents. Its very moving to see all the people that have traveled for days to catamarca, exhausted and with sunburns, and that they can all come together for the same cause. December 8th is also the day when we put up all the Christmas decorations. I have begun reading the Bible in Spanish as well. I was reading Genesis and came to the part about el arbol de conocimiento de bueno y malo y me di cuenta que puedo relacionar mi tatuaje a eso tambien.
I went to a new boliche last weekend which is located in the mountains. We dance outdoors, and danced till the sun rise. Sunday, I went with my family to the countryside to the grandparents house. We bought homemade dulce de leche mmmmmm.My aunt read my palm and told me: I am going to live a long life, have a lot of money, I will do a fair share of traveling, I will have two children, a girl and a boy, many times my intelligence dominates what my heart wants, and that I am very sencible(dont know what that means in english) but it means situations greatly affect me. for example, if i see someone really sad, I'll be really sad.If someone is happy, I am happy. If someone is crying, I'll cry. And that's so true. It was impressive that she was able to tell me that. My family here is awesome. I feel so close with everyone-the cousins,aunts,uncles,grandparents. I truly have a second family here and I guarantee I'll be back to visit them someday. They're so caring and I truly feel like I am a part of their family.
My uncle invited me to go to Mendoza and to Valparaiso Chile for a couple of days, and I will leave next week with my host sister. I'm super excited! Its so weird to write in english..its difficult to think of how to word things sometimes!