Uruguay

Last weekend me and the girls (Alex, Becca, Annie and Sarah W) took an adventure to Uruguay. We left by boat at 10am on Friday, and got to Colonia, Uruguay at like 1. After checking in to our super cute hostel, we f0und lunch. It was fab. It was in a little house, and the husband and wife cooked, and we were the only people in there, and they became our friends! YUM!

After lunch, we went to look around the town. It was really small, and really cold. But it´s supposed to be really cool cause there´s still a big part of town that is very historic, hence the name, Colonia. There were a lot of old buildings right on the water, and a lot of very cultural, historic sites. We had some very entertaining meals in Colonia, including eating at someone's hosue that they turned into a restaurant...then our 5 hour dinner at a place called "Drugstore". Fun times. The next day we went to Montevideo.

This city was nothing special at all. I wish I could say that I loved it. It was cold, dirty, and a less classy version of BsAs. We did walk around a lot and got a taste of Uruguyan culture. They're a lot more into their Mate... we bought mates, bombillas and yerba (the gord, straw and the herb) and enjoyed it when we arrived back at the Hostel, which was amazing. I feel like I got a true hostel experience. To make a LONG story short, there were about 50 of us in the room, playing guitars and singing, drinking bottles and bottles of wine and beer, and just chilling having a great time. I ended up going to a Boliche (dance club) with a few girls from the program and 2 british guys. Fun times.

After a long bus ride, then boat ride, and were back home in BsAs. I'm definitely glad that I went to Uruguay, it was just sad that it was SO friggin cold out. Maybe I'll go back for the beaches in November or December :)

A lot of nothing

So I realized that the blog that I was GOING to write last week, never was actually published, so I guess I´ll put that in now!!

Becca´s host mom has a friend who owns a ´leather factory´ and she invited us over to come check it out and buy some stuff! SCORE! We were stoked for boots and belts and jackets!! So we get there, and it ends up being a fur shop, not leather. It was amazing though! They made amazing fur jackets and scarves and shals etc... so we got there and we were like...hm.. that´s not what we expected... but her host mom told us to try it on, so we did!! IT WAS LIKE BIG GIRLS PLAYING DRESS UP! Fun times!

The food down here is amazing. I know I´ve already talked about the amazing and cheap Red wine...and even better (and cheap) beef... but the fruit..yum. Well, really, the Frutillas (strawberries.... no, they changed the name from fresas...don´t worry) and cream... Jared would appreciate this. But seriously. We ordered 2nds of this dessert...BOMB.

Everything here is ham and Cheese. I´m pretty sure I won´t want my favorite Ham and Cheese sandwich when I get home...

So the weekend of my 15k was Alex´s 21st birthday weekend. We were chillin after the gym and she was saying, I want to do something amazing for my birthday! So she did. She got a room in the 4 seasons hotel for 2 nights. She asked if I would stay with her to keep her company... and being the good friend that I am... I said yes :) This place was AMAZING, I can´t even describe it. We went out to 2 really nice dinners, watched some TV on the 10398120398 channels we had in the room, and just got to chill. The best part was after my 15k. I got home at like noon, and Alex was still asleep (she got in at 6am) so I was going to be quiet. I took a LONG bath in the HUGE bathtub... then showered in the huge, and HOT shower... Then I lounged around in my robe...reading. AH. So nice...

Everybody is late in this country, it´s kinda frusturating... I know what you´re thinking Bryan.... I´m always late, it´s the perfect place for me! Which yeah, it´s fine if I´m 20 min late for something... But class. I got there like 2 min late (thanks to public transportation) and NOBODY was in my classroom... NOBODY. I was like WTF? So I hung out by the classroom, and people slowly shifted in... Class eventually got started 25 min late! ANNOYING.

And finally, I went to an AMAZING Middle eastern restaurant with my neighbor, Trevor. (He lives 2 doors down from me, and we hang out. It´s convenient because there´s really nothing to do in our neighborhood, and I´ll get random calls at like midnight asking if I want to join him at the only bar in our neighborhood..... but side note) So we went out, and had the best dinner. I´m going to describe it cause my dad will appreciate it! We had an app of different typical toppings, like Hummus, babaganush (sp?) stuffed eggplant, and Lebnah, all with fresh Pita. There was also something on the plate that the watiress described as "meatloaf but not cooked". I have no idea what it was called, but it was nasty. There was also grape leaves stuffed with something. Yum. I got this Ground beef thing with something layered on top, NO IDEA what it was, but it was good. Then for dessert, we got an assortment of pastries, like baklavah and other types. It came with coffee, not just normal coffee, TURKISH COFFEE, and I liked it. Yay dad! Oh. We also got 2 bottles of wine. Yeah.... The dinner ended up being LESS THAN 30 dollars a person. Gotta love exchange rates!!


Sorry that was really long. I just get typing, and it just keeps going. xoxo

Well shit...

So I was sitting in a little cafe yesterday, updating my blog, enjoying a cafe con leche... and some asshole came and grabbed, by the screens, Alex and my laptops and booked it out the door. His friend was waiting on a motorcycle like a half a block away. So sadly, I dont have have my baby laptop any more.

I got done at the police station and am trying to change all my passwords and all the information that was saved on my computer. I know that their intention is not to go and try to fuck me as bad as possible (like they would probably do in the states) and that they just want to sell the computer, cause it is worth so much more down here... but I still dont want to feel violated and like all my information is out there and that someone has access to all that.

Anyway, it really sucks. However, the manager of the cafe we were in came with us to the police station to make sure everything was handled properly. When 2 advisors from our program came to make sure we were okay, he told them that if we didn´t have insurance on it, that he´d buy us a new one. So all isn´t lost..but it still sucks hardcore. I´m pissed and sad... no bueno.

15k is Nothing

Check it out... I did a 15k today. Running. I know. The whole race or fun run or whatever you want to call it is pretty cool. Adidas´ whole campaign is Impossible is Nothing, so their race was the 15k is nothing. I was very very happy with my time... I pulled a 54 min 10k and a 1:20 15k. Not shabby at all. I felt like I could have gone further...maybe a 1/2 marathon is in my near future. The walking today has consequently been a little slower and more painful.

I am still stoked at my accomplishment, especially because I was like... Hm, Im going to do this...


More blogs to come within 24 hours...and I have some fun stories, and pictures too!!

Public Transportation rules my life

So classes started last week. Well really, one of my classes at one of the universities that I'm attending. After taking the subway the the trolley, I walked into UCA (the Catholic University.) Its right on the water, so, yes, it was FREEZING cold at 8 in the morning. Needless to say, I decided that I'm not taking that class. The next day I went to another class, Ethics and Business, it was pretty cool. There were only like 30 people in my class, and I could understand my teacher pretty well. I don't start any more classes til the middle of next week. Until then, I'm just hanging out, walking around the city, and enjoying as much as I can here.

So I've been eating out every meal of every day. It's getting really old. There's no food at my house, and I am not going to go through the supermarkets, trying to get food, then try to cook it in the ghetto, ancient kitchen. So I've enjoyed the cafes and cute little restaurants. It's just getting pricey. I've tried some amazing red wines, and some bomb steaks. There's just a lot of awesome places, but they all have like the same menu. I am just ready to move. Apparently, I am going to meet my new host family this week, see their house, then I get to decide.

This weekend was pretty interesting. I was taking the bus home from dinner with Becca, (note, a little tipsy from all the wine) and it was pretty late. The bus was SUPER crowded, at like 11:45 pm. CRAZY. Anyway, I was planning on going home and passing out, but then got a text message. To make a LONG story short, I ended up going to a pool hall, and was the only girl there. It was a cool experience, but before I knew it, it was 5 am again. By the time I got home and fell asleep, it was 6am. So I slept a lot, went shopping at like 4, then met up with some girls for dinner. After, we went to the theater, which was AWESOME. It was really small, and they talked REALLY fast. Cool experience though. We went to some cool bars later...and again, before I knew it, it was 6 am... by the time I found a taxi and got home it was like 7:15. I slept like ALL DAY (minus a 1 1/2 run and a shower). It's just a different pace here.

I have a lot of pictures that I need to post, a lot of historical stuff, and some crazy city pictures. When I'm in one place for more than 15 min (that has internet) I'll do so. I'm having a great time, but I definitely miss home!!

Love you all! Ciao Ciao!