Home Sweet Home

Well, I’ve been back home for two days and I already definitely miss Chile and Argentina.  It was an experience of a life time.  Both places so distinctly different have captured my heart.  I really hoped to come back with my Spanish experience but I did come but with many things.  Now I know I must study harder and revisit things I thought I knew.  I have a lot of work ahead of me but it is something I deff still want to pursue.  Going to South America only further engaged my interest in Latin America and the the World.  This experience has definitely changed me as a person.  It made realize things I couldn’t and question my beliefs on certain topics.  I promise myself I will got back; not only to return to the friends and family I made but to make a difference to help those who need it.  My time in South America reminded me who I am on the inside and the places I want to go, before I left I was extremely but now I feel like I have been reset on the right path.  My friends and family are all so happy I am who and ask me never to leave again. I have missed them all so much to and they make me all so happy and everything is almost perfect.  But I know that I have to go again and one day, one day maybe soon I will.  But as far away as I am from South America; I am honestly very happy.  Happy to be home with people that I love and happy to remembered one of the most treasured experiences of my life.  Also I will always be thankful to my family and god for allowing to be able to do such incredible things.

 

Some endings pics:

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Saying goodbye to the host fan =/

 

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Teachers saying goodbye to all the students leaving

 

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Going away party for the students leaving

Entonces…

Well this was my last weekend in Chile I didn’t do to much but It was still great.  This friday I went to the capital, saturday I climbed a mountain with someone who lives in Chile, and today we had a goodbye party for my host sister, its funny when I was reading through others post to get an idea of how I wanted my posts to be, I read someone saying they were sad and missed home and were talking about how it’s normal.  I haven’t gotten sad until this wednesday; the thing is though my saddens was for leaving.  I’ve gotten very happy were I am, and practicing my Spanish.  It makes me sad knowing that I probably won’t ever see most of these people agin., the fact that I don’t know when I’ll be back and also the fact that I may never get to focus strictly on my language studies as here.  I wish I could prolong my time.  But I know I will definitely be back here one day.  For all those who read this and are preparing to study abroad enjoy every second you can.  For all those who are reading this to see how my experience was I can honestly say their are very few moments in my life that compare to any day here.  I have a lot of plans this week and I am going to try to see and do a lot of things.  My final for my class is weds so after that I can enjoy everything even more.  I’ll post some new pictures of this weekend and the upcoming week prob thursday.  I do miss my family and friends!  I hope everyone is good.  See everyone soon!

Sobre Chile

So now that I have been to Chile for a little bit I can give some feedback.  First off I would like to say that I love my school.  It is the same school as in Argentina but the professors here are amazing.  I have learned so much but have so much more Spanish I need to learn it can be a bit overwhelming.  Santiago is huge and the culture here is great.  It’s kind of like an USA of South America.  I meet great friends here but there program has ended.  They were all almost from Brazil… I’ve actually learned some Portuguese.   I still wish I had more time I am so not ready to leave… I only have a week and a half left it is very sad.  One of the best things in my trip has been going to an orphanage.  I can honestly say nothing has compared to this experience my school has a program were we can spend tuesday’s at an orphanage and be like a big brother to a kid.  My kid is name is Daniel he’s 15.  He’s really great, nice and funny.  All of the kids get so happy when we come and it just makes you feel so great inside.  Between the people I meet here and the volunteer program Chile has won a huge chunk of my heart, and even though I haven’t left I am already planning to come back.  I am going to practice my Spanish a lot of the next few days and enjoy all the time I have left as much as I can.

 

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My “little brother” Danny with my friend Raeanna and her “little brother”

Fotos de Chile

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School Trip to Viña del Mar, Chile… On the beach with freinds

 

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Atop San Cristabol Mountain over looking the entire city

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Providencia, Santiago, Chile… Part of city witch I live

 

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Ecela Santiago…. My university

Santiago, Chile

So I have arrived at my final study abroad destination.  Santiago, Chile.  I was extremely sad to leave Buenos Aires, not only for my friends but for the World Cup final… though as much as I am die hard Argentina fan there chances of beating Germany not looking so hot…. Anyways the school here is amazing!  The professors are beyond helpful and ready to work with you.  The location is very nice and I am doing really well.  I’ve meet so many cool people from Brazil… I think in South America is full of Brazilians.  But there differences in our culture is so interesting and fun.  But at the same time I sometimes feel Americans have the most in common with Brazilians.   I actually haven’t done to many touristy things yet… I’ve been more concentrating on my spanish and gastronomy of Chile.  Which btw the food is amazing.  I really miss Argentina and I think one weekend I am going to take a trip to Mendoza but I do really like Chile… I found out they have a Taco Bell so they scored some extra points with me.  The Spanish is soooo different hear.  Once I caught on to the accent in Argentina I really did not have a problem but here they use so many words and phrases … That half the time I am like what…?  It’s cool though  by the end of this trip I should be like able to understand many regional versions of castillano.  This week ill prob do some more tourist stuff because I’ve been pretty settled.  The school is Taking us on a weekend field trip to Valpariso which is supposed kind of like Chile’s San Francisco so that could end up being really cool.   I don’t even want to think of going home yet because I have so much more to learn and so much more to do!  Hope everyone who reads this is doing well! Will try to update soon!

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Yay I can post pictures now!

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San Martin Plaza during the game

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La Boca, Buenos Aires

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Friends from school & Argentina

 

 

 

 

Va, Va, Vamos Argentina. Vamos a Ganar!

Well this website is not letting me post any pictures so that stinks.  I try again later in the week if I have time but.  So i’ve been in Argentina for about 2 weeks and I was actually supposed to leave to start my study abroad program in Chile yesterday but I didn’t.  I really like it here… so much better the NYC.  The people, the culture and the language.  I think there Spanish is so beautiful.  And my home stay mom was one of the kindest women I’ve ever meet.  The first week I was here I stood in an hostel and meet so many different people from all over the world.  It was an amazing experience, I heard study abroad makes people find themselves but I feel like im finding the world.  The coolest thing about my hostel was that it had a bar and restaurant attached to it.  The hostel gave free entry to locals and residence of the hostel.  This one thing has defined my trip.  Because of this I made real friends from Argentina… people who leave here, work here and grow up here.  I’ve hung out with so many locals because of it.  I’ve made very few study abroad friends at my university… (I think Spanglish is really becoming my first language now as well they don’t say college in SA they say university)  But I like that I don’t really hang out with those people because now I am constantly surrounded my argentine culture and language.  It’s like I really living here.  Classes are really small here 2 to 3 students per class so you really get an intimate focus I like it.  THINGS I DONT LIKE…. Not to sound so American (SA’s hate when you say your american…. were from the united states) but they walk wayyy to much here.  Its about a 30ish minute walk to my school everyday… plus we walk everywhere when were going somewhere.  My legs like actually were in pain two days again and I had to chill.  I also really not to big on the food here.  It’s kind of bland and the dairy is weird.  Plus I’m a vegetarian and Argentine’s put meat in everything!  It’s almost impossible to eat here… I had a bread and cheese sandwhich the first 3 days I was here. Also Argentine culture is very touchy feely.  I am not about that.   A lot of these things I could get used to and are no way or how running my trip I did not expect anything to be perfect.  I’m really sad I am leaving in a week to Santiago, Chile.  Not that I won’t like the country but I do not believe ill be able to make Chilean friends there.  I love being imersced in this culture in wish I could stay longer.   I told my friends here that in argentina is in the finals of the world cup I will sell a kidney to get back here!  The way the country gets about soccer is so crazy but so drawing.  At first I was like who cares, but after attending 3 “partidos de futbol” I catch myself interested in the games and wanting to watch them when I can.  This experience has been amazing so far and I am so grateful.  Thank you to my parents, family and god for allowing this to happen. I will update you soon and hopefully I can add some pictures!

Leaving

Pictureeeeeeee

So through the school I’m going to, the also have a school in Argentina.  So I decided to take classes there for a week as well.  My mom has been going crazy because I am leaving to go somewhere so far and so long.  So she has been freaking out for the past two weeks about packing and preparing.  I am really excited but also exhausted from filling out all the paperwork that comes along with study abroad.  Honestly feel like I have been doing stuff for this for months…(oh wait I have) But I leave tomorrow and I beyond excited.  I am lucky to have a great grandmother who help pack almost everything.  Everything is pretty much done now I just need to prepare myself for my 18 hour flight to Buenos Aires.  I called my host mom ahead of time to just say hello.  She seems really nice and I think she’ll teach me how to be a porténo!  I’m also really excited not just about the argentine culture but just being immersed somewhere that speaks Spanish!  Peace NY!  See you in 2 months!