¿What´s new Buenos Aires?

Wow! Two weeks here already. Argentina is incredible. Sorry I haven´t been able to write lately, I get internet at the building where we have classes on my ipod but I can´t write on the blog from there so I´ve been less motivated to go find an internet cafe. But I did today! Yeah, so things have been good. It´s weird to start a new program but at the same time realize that the entire trip is winding down. Argentina just feels good. I think we all think that it feels more like what we are used to. Those from NYC think it´s like New York and it remnds me of Europe, but still with a Latin aspect. I feel like where I am, and that hasn´t always been the case (Cape Town).

I´m also really excited because now I perpetually have Evita stuck in my head! Ha, I went to the Casa Rosada and wanted to belt out ´¨Don´t cry for me Argentina!¨ but I held back. I am struggling a bit with the language, others in the group can communicate really well but not so much for me. Some conversations I can understand but have a hard time responding. At the same time it feels good. We´ve been able to get by in other countries with English and sometimes it feels a bit like cheating. So in some aspects Buenos Aires feels more familiar and in others it feels further away.

The culture is fabulous. I love my homestay family and I´m living with Natalie, the other girl from BU on the trip and we get along great! I can´t wait to go back to BU and hang with her. The group is really good right now. I feel like we´ve definitely ebbed and flowed on the group dynamics but I think the freedom that we get while we are here, the safety of the streets and the walkability of the city really lends itself to good attitudes. At the same time, it´s hard to be academic with so much going on. People stay up so late, eating dinner at restaurants at 1 am and coming home at 5 or 6am is an early night. Hard to keep up, but we can all sleep when we get home. I went to some great jazz last week and am definitely planning on going again. The builidings are gorgeous too! I just really like it here. I would definitely come back, I would live here even if I could learn the language. Last night some of us went to a private restaurant for dinner and although it was more expensive than I should be spending it was absolutely worth it! The food was incredible and the atmosphere was just, perfect.

In class we´ve been talking about transportation and the political atmosphere. Assignments are already starting to be due and we do our case studies next week. It all goes by so fast! But at the same time that I am thoroughly enjoying myself here, I am also excited to go home. I´m definitely sick of my clothes, but it will be nice to be back and decompose for a bit. I have been thinking about home and also school a lot (especially figuring out where to live!) and I´m not homesick but I´ll be ready in three weeks for sure.

We aren´t really sure what we are going to be doing in La Plata in the last week here, some sort of workshop. Our host mother said something about creating the perfect city but we haven´t been officially told. I think we are all annoyed that it´s for a grade but eh, whatever. This experience is about so much more. It´s funny because I was definitely feel a lot of frustration in the middle of the trip but now, I don´t know it´s hard for me to complain, I just want to soak it all in. I mean, dont get me wrong I am definitely annoyed with things and people and all of that but in a different way. Ah! So much to think about...but there will be time for that soon enough.

I am thinking about you all a lot. I wish I could get some pictures up here for you...I´ll work on it.
xo