Just Vaunting A Bit

       So two things i wanted to share, which are completely non related. My brother Ross is super boss....and My internship is pretty cool too. So first things first. I was talking to Elena today about family and all that fun stuff and i was bragging about my brother Ross. Now, if you haven't met him you really ought to; he is awesome. Not only is he fun, caring, hilarious, and an all around good guy, he is pretty much the reason i made it through pre-calculus my freshman year of college. If i had math questions Ross would drop whatever he was doing and skype me until i all my questions were answered. He actually wrote out the equations step by step and explained it to me so i not only got the right answer, i knew how to do it again later. Did your brother do that for you? Also....he is really fun to talk to and several of my friends say hes really cute, so i'm feeling kinda proud to be his little sister. In case you read this Ross, thank you. :)
   
        So my internship!! I think...I hope i mentioned at some point that i was doing an internship at the elementary school this term. For the first two weeks they shuffled me around grade to grade. I sat in/helped out with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 6th grade (apparently elementary and middle school go together in argentina). But i finally settled in 3rd. My friend Amairis and I go every week for 7.5 hours. We  make posters and prep for class, we also help with activities in class and sometimes facilitate math games. I can now explain simple math in spanish, yes i am very proud. The kids are fascinated but us, mostly me because i actually look foreign. So i always end up with a small crowd around my chair...they just hover and watch me do whatever it is that i am doing. Sometimes they just watch and sometimes the ask me questions. Unfortunately half of them speak quickly and mumble simultaneously so i have absolutely no idea what they are saying. They are pretty adorable, even if half the time they are screaming or staring at me...never been one to like the staring. But we bumble along with my limited spanish and their butchered slang spanish. Its all a bit of a process, but its fun and keeps me busy so im happy.

Oh Vaunt means to exhibit or boast/brag/flaunt, in case you were not already informed. I like it. Its a good word.

Take Me to Rio.

        So I just got back this morning at the god-awful hour of 5am from the ACA trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. Let me just say, Wow. If you haven't been to Brasil yet cancel all your plans and go. Just go.  Its worth whatever amount of time in a plane, train, or car you would have to spend to get there. Its gorgeous, the people are so friendly and the food, specifically the fruit is delicious. 

We left on Sunday last week and got to Rio monday at 2am or so. Monday morning/afternoon we took the train up to see the Cristo statue, which is not only impressive but also gives an amazing view of Rio. 

Here is the Cristo!

It was beautiful despite the clouds and mist.

Here is my amazing ACA family

Pretty sure in the distance is the Copacabana beach where we stayed. (PC:Elena)

        We had the rest of monday off so while everyone hit up Copacabana, Callie and I went to bed. We woke up in time to go to the Feria (a street fair of sorts). It was a little difficult to communicate since I don't speak Portuguese...but give me a few years and i will. I LOVE the way brasilian Portuguese sounds, its amazing. I am going to learn, its on my hit list.
       Tuesday we got up and pilled onto the bus to go see the Pão de Açúcar "sugar loaves". It is these two hills which supposedly look like sweet bread on its sides. It was a cool excursion and a great view. 

This is what it looks like from the bottom.

Callie, Alex, Me and Sapphira on the top of  Pão de Açúcar. (PC: Elena)

Me and Elena, my very first friend in Argentina :)

On the top they had a wall everyone signed, of course i had to sign it too!

Now my name is forever in Rio!!!

        Wednesday was a free day, which meant of course BEACH DAY!! One of the very best things about the beaches in Rio is that lining the beach is a walkway with a juice stands nearly every 15 feet. You walk up and order and watch them cut up whatever fruit you ordered (Maracuya of course) put it in a blender with some ice and water...Tah-dah! Juice. Best thing ever. Thats pretty much what i had for lunch and dinner everyday. The beaches themselves are amazing too, cream white sand that feels like powdered sugar on the feet and super salyt warm water. Simply amazing..... Except when you don't wear sunscreen and you end up looking (and feeling) a little deep fried....that would be me and Callie and Elena. Yeah....So the beach day was fun while it lasted...that burn is still lasting.

(left to right) Vicki, Lauren, Sapphira and me walking Copacabana. 

Brasil is Heaven...they even had tie-dye beach dresses :D

My beach buddies: Elena, Callie, Me, Sapphira and Lauren. 

This guy is the greatest. They walk the beach selling bikinis on umbrellas. Pretty awesome.

Bittersweet

       Most of us like to think that people come into our lives for a reason. But what about when they leave and you're just not ready to be left behind? Is there a reason for that? Yesterday I came to the hard realization that pretty soon...in about two months I'm going to be saying goodbye to some of the most amazing people I have ever met. My little ACA family and my UAP friends. Its heartbreaking. Over the years, I have said to friends (out of insecurity) "don't replace me" but that is probably the most ridiculous thing to say to just about anyone I've ever cared about. People can't be replaced by anyone or anything else, and the friends that i've made here can't replace my friends at home, and my friends at home can't replace the friends I have made here.
      Sometimes making friends away from home feels more like a liability than a gift, because in the end I know that we will part ways and there is a good chance of never seeing them again. But a very wise women once told me that each relationship I would have would be like medicine to me, mending old wounds, teaching me lessons, and expanding my life. I think its true, friendships always brings something needed into my life. And even though I hate saying goodbye I know that I have learned some important lessons from the people I have met here and i will be a better person for it. Sometimes its accepting the friendship of someone you didn't want in your life and in the end realizing they became so important despite yourself. Sometimes its the unbiased, non judging kindness of someone who you can tell all your faults and mistakes to that heals the deepest insecurities. And sometimes its those loud and abrasive people with the sunny disposition that always have something to say that brightens your day....whether it but rainbows and kittens or snarky quips.
     So with all this being said, I intend to soak up the time I have left and enjoy the bittersweet last term of ACA in Argentina. Here is to the first day of our last term.

Snakes and New Roommates

      Friday of spring break...lets see what i've done with my time....Oh so i was out running on the Vida Aerobica with Callie on....sometime earlier this week. We were jogging minding our own business and of course im not wearing my glasses so when i see a tree branch in my path i think nothing of it, roots stick out of the ground one more isnt a big deal. Until it was alive. I nearly tripped over a snake. But i didn't. I remember clearly rationalising my first reaction, which was to emergency climb on top of Callie, but i figured that would surprise her, throw us off balance and land onto the snake. So i opted for option two which was to leap to the other side of Callie. She said she had never seen someone move so fast. I mean there was this snake i was about to step on and all i remember was it was several shades of brown with diamonds on its back. I have, however never seen one before and since that day never again...makes me a little paranoid actually.
      Calandra's birthday was yesterday so Elena and i went on a shopping escapade involving probably 4 different stores where we returned to two of them three times each. But it was fun and our mission was accomplished. We had a lunch party, home cooked food by yours truly with the wonderful help of Sapphira, Elena and Callie herself. We made pasta and red sauce and no-bake cookies. The cookies were awesome and so easy to make. When i get home i'm going on a no-bake cookie rampage. :) Actually i will probably just go on a cooking rampage in general. I've been pintresting amazing and healthy looking recipes and i cannot wait to try them out!
 
        Oh and my personal favorite part of my week (i say this with dripping sarcasm) I found out i'm getting another roommate (that makes 3 total in the room). Neither me nor Vanesa know the girl and the problem is space. Our room is technically equipped for three as there are three closets and three beds. But there is only shelving space for two and minimal desk space. Additionally, there are only two mattresses in the room so said new girl gets to go on a mattress hunt. I'm just hoping and praying this one is shy, quiet and has next to no stuff....which would be out of character for an Argentine. I'm told she is moving in today....let the games begin.

       

Don't Be The Curmudgeon

          Its spring break...except that its actually fall break so thats nice. We just got back from the ACA trip to Iguazu (my round two). It was lovely, and despite how much i hate buses it was worth the 16 hour trips...mainly because i was in a drugged sleep through 98% of the traveling. Benadryl does wonders, my eyes don't itch and i sleep....i guess my eyes couldn't really itch in my sleep but that fact is irrelevant. We stayed in cabanas, which weren't cabanas, we ate really amazing and mediocre food, we saw the falls, got absolutely sodden with water from the falls and generally had a nice time. And in case you think i wasn't soaked then here is some proof. 

My traveling buddies

Getting ready to get on the boat to head into the waterfalls!

Lovely waterfall mist and such

     We also saw some adorable Coatis...witnessed one of them hop onto a table where two ladies where eating lunch, stick its head into the box and steal and empanada much to the shock of the poor lady intending to eat that empanada herself. We walked around town, bought a million keychains....and gotten bitten by a million mosquitoes on steroids.

Practicing my cuteness skills

I tamed a butterfly...it was purple and gold...ish.

Incase you didn't believe i was really there.

     Also i have 79 days to enjoy Argentina and not be a curmudgeon....so i am commencing with the enjoying and eliminating the no-fun-having, homesick-ing, and general whining. Isn't that a relief?! Also i would like you all to know... the doritos bring all the boys the the grass.... Just so you are aware. Oh and last note...soused may mean soaked but it really means in alcohol, as in drunk. So don't try to tell someone you got soused on an ACA trip...i can't imagine that would go well. :)