Hola Argentina 2012

Hola Amigos

Last month I finally got to meet with all of the other exchange students in my district (our district covers the provinces of Cordoba, Catamarca and La Rioja)! We spent the weekend in El Rodeo, a small mountain town just under an hour away from Catamarca City. As well as all of the inbounders, the Argentineans applying for an exchange in 2013 were also there. In our district we have students from Australia, USA, France, Mexico, Germany, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, Hungry and of course us four Kiwis!

Catamarca is just under 7 hours away from Cordoba Capital (my city) so all of the students from Cordoba and La Rioja met here and we all took a bus to the hostel. 

During the weekend, us inbounders spent the majority of the time lounging out in the sun, playing soccer or being taught and playing intense games of octoball (handball/dodgeball played in a ‘ring’ - we used an empty pool), while the outbounders sat exams and interviews. 

We also had activities planned for both of the two nights we were there. The first we had a talent show so of course the New Zealanders (and about 10 other students) did the haka. We also had a costume party on the Saturday night - yay for last minute costumes (toga!)

Jacob (Aussie) and I 

New Zealand rep.

On the Sunday morning we hiked one of the mountains to the Cristo Redentor, a large statue of Christ built on the side side of the mountain. It can be seen from almost anywhere in the small town.

 People hike up here everyday and often leave rosaries, wooden crosses or any other item of significance to them as a sacrifice.

Stunning!

This month I also went to my first host club Rotary meeting! My host club in the San Martin club and they only have around 10 members, it was interesting to see that almost all of the Rotarians wives were there too (different from Pukekohe at home, which has around 55 members!) My host parents are not Rotarians (she host sister has applied for an exchange next year) so this was the first meeting that I have been invited too. 

The meetings are held in a hotel, close to the city centre. 

To my surprise there is also another exchange student being hosted by the San Martin club! Her name is Clara, she’s from Germany and has already been here for 7 months.

It was so fantastic to finally meet the club that is allowing me this amazing year! I am so so so grateful to both San Martin and to Pukekohe at home.

Last weekend was a busy one on the socializing/going out front. On Friday it was a school friends birthday so we had a party for her and then it was also two exchange students birthdays’, Joana (Germany) and Mette (Denmark), so I went out with a big group of them on the Saturday!

Myself, Mette and Jamie (from USA)

On Sunday (Monday was a feriado , public holiday - yay!) some school friends and I went to an outdoor boliche, club, almost an hour away from the city.

Maru, myself and Agos

Fireworks!

The boliche is called La Fabrica (The factory) as it is built in and around the remains of an old and decaying factory!

I have also been to another Talleres soccer game. I admit, I’m becoming a bit of a fan. There have been a number of times where I have found myself watching Boca Juniors (The Man-U of Argentina) with my family and am even starting to scream GOOOOOOL whenever anyone is scored.

Paper streamers being thrown during the game!

Muuuuuuucha gente!

Do you know what puts a bigger smile on my face than seeing these two babies? Not much. 

Jammed packed full with presents from home, magazines and chocolate (lots of chocolate, I have already out in an order for the new Witakers chocolate!)

The best part was being able to give these to my host brothers - slowly but surely turning them into All Blacks fans!

The usual breakfast here; also a pretty cool tea towel.

School is school. Not my favourite part of exchange but its great to be able to talk to people everyday. I’ve even managed to sit a couple of tests (70% in a language essay, spanish language. Somehow, I also managed to get a higher mark than some other kids in my class!! Crazy!!)

School is so different from home, each day I find something new! For example if teachers are sick it’s either a free period, they move other classes forward or if its the end of the day we can go home - no relievers here! We also have P.E twice a week. After school for an hour. Weird. 

But I am getting used to it all and after a long busy weekend it’s good for one thing:

Ooops.

This week has been good - only two days at school! Tuesday was the 30th anniversary of the Malvinas’ War so we had Monday off and the Thursday and Friday are also holidays due to Santa Semana, or Easter Week. This weekend I am going camping with my family and some friends so I will be sure to take lots of photos.

I’m also counting down to the 20th April! On that day I leave for the North Trip (traveling up North to Iguazu Falls, Salta, Jujuy, Mendoza etc). 15 days traveling around with all the exchange students in our district. I can’t wait!

Paz y Amor - Peace and Love

Bits & Bobs

I know I know. It’s been almost a month since I wrote an entry here but I do have an excuse!! And that excuse is that I’m an exchange student and I am either doing amazing, crazy, scary things or that I’m sleeping (a lot it would seem).

I suppose the most important thing that has happened this month would be me starting El Colegio de Maria. In other words, school. In all honesty school was the one part of the exchange that I had been dreading the most. I’ve only ever changed schools once, that was hard and we all spoke the same language… On the first day we went to a friend’s house for a pre-school breakfast and thankfully my fears were proved wrong. I also got a very big ‘told you so’ from Pili.

My school is a private Catholic school, and is about a 5 minute car ride away. The schools here (or my school at least) are very different. Each year level is split into two classes - Sociales or Naturales - and the students stay with the same group and study the same subjects in the same room together for their entire time in the college. At first I didn’t like the idea because I like mixing and talking to different people but I realised that in my situation it is perfect. It gives me the chance to get close and form proper relationships with people. It also saves the drama of me getting lost going from class to class.

School starts at 7.30 (which means up at 6.30, that took a while to get used to) and we finish at either 1.25 or 2.25 depending on the day. The students study 17 subjects (yeah…) but due to the fact that my spanish isn’t that flash I am instead going to focus of 6 subjects and sit those exams. I am still required to be in the class for the whole day but it just means I can do other work.

The subjects that I am doing are

- English (surprise)

- Language (which is Lit here, and I like books, even if I can’t read them)

- Communications

- History 

- Workshop of projects (Taller de proyector is spanish)

- Workshop of expression (yeah I’m not really sure what the last two are either…)

During class at the moment I either copy down the work from the board and attempt to understand it or use my handy dandy bible, aka, my spanish english dictionary to look up different words. To be honest school is rather boring but the people are so lovely and it’s the best place to practice my spanish and make new friends

Church in the school.

Every morning  the entire college gathers in the patio and someone raises the flag of Argentina while the ‘flag song’ (that’s what I call it) plays. Guess who’s turn it was last week yo. Haha scariest thing to do, the amount of pressure with everyone staring… But thankfully all was well.

Patio :)

And we think we have unhealthy canteens?? The other side is chock-a-block with chocolate and lollies…

So all in all schools pretty good - I’d rather not be there but hey. And I’m starting to understand the teachers more and more each day!

Near the end of February it was El Noche De Museos (Night of the Museums) here in Cordoba so Pili, Susi, Jaun Pablo and I went to look through a couple.

Beautiful Palacio Ferreyra 

Loved this exhibition!

A weekend was also spent in Villa Maria (about 2 hours away) with Pili and her Grandmother. Villa Maria is such a gorgeous city, especially the lake which is a hop skip and a jump away from Pilar’s Grandmother’s apartment.

The food eaten that weekend was amazing! Nothing beats home made empanadas or an asado (bbq) - YUM

It was also my brother, Flynn’s, 8th birthday on the 28th of Feb and I had organised to Skype him in the morning as a surprise. My AMAZING host family were their amazing selves and helped me make him a cake (on his behalf I can say it was very good) made signs and sang happy birthday to him in Spanish - the look on his face…. priceless.

Opening presents (just like I was there haha)

One Sunday I went to my first South American football game and my God it was crazy. I’m sorry but as a collective group, Kiwis have no passion for sports teams, well not like these guys anyway. The team we were supporting was Talleres (a team from Cordoba) and they are in the third devision of their competition but with the way their supporters were going you would have thought they were the All Blacks in the world cup final. As a rugby girl through and through I wasn’t actually that interested in the game itself, to be honest, I find it a tad boring, but the atmosphere was so incredible that you couldn’t help but enjoy yourself and hug the random person next to you when they got a goal. And I realised there was a reason the tickets don’t have seat numbers. You stand up for the entire game! They crowd was mainly men, with a few women scattered through (Women’s tickets were half the cost of mens). On the way into the stadium we got patted down my female police officers to make sure we weren’t concealing any sharp objects/lighters (ok…) so I’m quite sure how people smuggled in blue smoke bombs and fireworks (I’m sure they were not ‘official’ ones) In the end we won 4-1! It was a full 90 minutes of singing and swearing - I’ve now heard the word ‘puta’ enough to last me a life time (mum, dad, nan, pa, etc - don’t look it up, just know it’s a ‘bad’ word). A.MA.ZING

Speaking of sports… This past Saturday also bought some normality back into my life - by going to see my host brother, Joaquin’s, first rugby game! I felt like I was right back at home, only that it was 32 degrees at 10am and I felt like I supporting Karaka (it feels so sad to say that aloud…)

Back row far left

And in not so ‘yay my life is amazing and pinch me’ news, I had a fever. A yucky fever of 40 degrees while it was 30+ outside. Not exactly what one would wish for. And the cause of this, the outside boliche we went to the night before. But I can’t be too sad because the boliche had a shiny camel and glitter confetti 

This month I have also been able to catch up with a few other exchange students.

Firstly I met up with Catalina - she was in New Zealand last year on exchange and I met her at Whangamata during the summer. She is from Chilecito but living in the city of Cordoba to study. I went to her apartment and it you have no idea how good it was to talk to an exchange student! I got to meet some of her friends and we spent the evening in Parque Sarmiento - A huge park in the city. Complete with lakes and a theme park. I am hopefully going to go to Chilecito with Catalina in a few weeks time so crossing fingers.

Choripan!

And I also got to see a New Zealander! It was soooo good to see and hear a Kiwi accent haha. Anton lives in Rio Segundo (half an hour away) and I also got to meet another exchange student. Kat is from Texas :) We wondered around the city for a while looked at a few shops.

Earrings are no joke over here

Kiwis in Cordoba!

Gorgeous

And I think that sums up the last few weeks quite nicely. This weekend I am heading to Catamarca with all of the inbounders in our district and all of the students applying for an exchange next year! I. Am. So. Excited!

Chau x

Beautiful Cordoba lights :)

Wow.

I have met many exchange students in the past year, all who have been very willing to give advice and talk about their exchange experiences. Something that I have heard being said many times is that the first three months are the slowest. 

Well I have been here a month (CRAZY) and I fear that the year will be over in a blink of the eye because this month has zoomed by!

I have fully settled into my home and am slowly starting to become familiar with my surroundings. We are a 5 minute drive away from the city centre and a 10 minute walk to the shops in the neighboring ‘barrio’ General Paz (my school is also here)

My street and bedroom :)

So… I lied in my last post where I said I had no school until another couple of weeks. For the past week I have been attending a language school in the city and even with the 8.30am starts (for someone who hasn’t been up before 11.00am in the last month, its a challenge) it is exactly what I needed. With the help of the extra tuition and just being completing emerged in the language my Spanish is quickly improving. I have so much more confidence and I hear ‘muy bien Lucy’ - very good - more frequently so a big thumbs up here!

School

Also in the past couple of weeks I’ve been visiting various nearby towns, Villa Maria, Carlos Paz, Ausonia… and going out with friends. 

A few observations:

• The driving here is crazy! Aside from not being used to the intense road rage (tooting horns, swearing…) I still have mini heart attacks every time when we turn onto a road and it’s the wrong side, well in my mind it is. I have also made a fool of myself a couple of times by going to jump in the drivers side.

• The food here is AMAZING - so good that it needs a post of its own

• The people of Argentina are incredibly friendly! No matter if you are best friends, family or have just met you always give and receive a beso (kiss on the cheek) as a way of saying hello and goodbye. There is no age or gender divide for beso

• Siesta quickly became my favourite time of the day - and I now understand why they have them. They are need to survive the insane heat and late nights

• ‘Boliches’ - or clubs - are still amazing and exciting

• While my Spanish is on the fast track of improving I feel that I have totally mastered the art and am fluent in sign-language. That, I managed to quickly utilise

Plaza San Martin - Cordoba

Ausonia - about 2 hours away from Cordoba 

Going out with the chicas

A ‘club’ close to my house to cool off!

BESOS XX

It’s a tough life…

Being an exchange student in South America.

Can you even imagine how hard it is too arrive in Cordoba, get on a 15 hour bus ride (sleeping for 14.5 of those hours) and to meet my beautiful first family in Mar del Plata for a weeks holiday at the gorgeous beach of Miramar??

(I’m actually the tanned one at home…)

Miramar is a city in the Buenos Aires Province, 450km south of the city of Buenos Aires and is buzzing with holiday makers during the summer months.

As well as having a huuuuuuuuge beach, Miramar has gorgeous shops (oooh yes it has started!) and a fantastic night life.

My family were staying for 15 days and my sister, Pili, had lots of friends also staying so it was the perfect place to meet everyone (and start practicing my rather awful Spanish)

I was told to bring a jacket because it gets cold at night. Considering that during the day it was so hot I couldn’t even sit in the sun, it’s crazy to think that I actually had to buy a thicker jumper. 

Most of the days were spent on the beach and swimming, not in the ocean (faaaaar to cold) but in the pool on the beach… WHAT?!?

Yup, the beaches here have pools. And people wondering around with jewelry to buy. Feel like food? No worries, every 30 seconds someone walks around yelling CHUUURRROOOS! 

Coming straight from a beach in New Zealand that looks like this:

To this:

definitely made me miss God’s Own… but hey, a week at the beach is a week at the beach - no complaints here.

While in Miramar I was also introduced to ‘boliches’ and my God these girls and guys can dance. 

I’m back in Cordoba now, but Miramar was the perfect place to start my year in Argentina.

— Oh and did I mention I still have a month of holidays before school starts? Tough.

Chile

Hola mis amigos!

So… I’ve made it. I’m finally in Argentina, and while that is absolutely amazing, fabulous, crazy, exciting, scary, etc, there was a little three day stop over to…

                                                        SANTIAGO, CHILE!!

All twelve students heading to South America met at Auckland Airport to jump on the plane (we bonded rather quickly, tears and nerves do that) and start our adventure. 

I was lucky, I had my full support crew to see me off ( and by that I mean my parents, brothers, grandparents, friends, friend’s sister, friend’s parents…) 

After an eleven hour flight we got our first taste of the South American heat (hothothot) and we’re taken to our beautiful hotel 

In those (very fast) 3 days we managed to;

eat, shop, eat, visit the beaches of Valparasio and Viña del Mar, eat, a cruise in the harbour of port Valparasio, eat, see the beautiful city of Santiago, eat, go to a cultural dance/performance and eat some more (but no seriously, the amount of food that was/is being eaten is crazy!!)

The girls were required to sing a waiata to the lovely people who hosted us, while the boys were required to perform a haka (they also did it at the cultural performance to 100s of Chileans)

This stopover was such a fantastic way to start the exchange! As there were only 12 of us we were able to form a close friendship and *crosses fingers* we will be able to see each other before our return home.

Military club for a ‘small’ lunch and swim

On our way to Valparasio

Valparasio

:)

Santiago

Our colourful Chilean purchases :)

xx

¡Vamos Argentina!

Last October, the Rugby World Cup was held in Auckland, New Zealand (home!) and I was lucky enough to get tickets to go to NZ vs Argentina in the quarter final. My friend Jordan and I decided to stand out against the sea of All Black supporters and dress in blue and white para Los Pumas (…. of course!)

“Ready!”

Las chicas de Argentina :)

My brothers and I - Loyal All Black fans

Spot the odd ones out ;)

The mighty All Blacks ended up winning 33-10 (and the entire competition… GO THE ALL BLACKS) 

Jordan and I were fully accepted as Argentinean supporters and to be honest I think this bunch were by far our favourite group of the World Cup:

Vamos, vamos Argentina,
vamos, vamos a ganar,
que esta barra quilombera,
no te deja, no te deja de alentar.

The Final Countdown

After almost a year of applications, nerves, interviews, acceptance phone calls (!!!) and preparation, there is only ONE week until I start my year long adventure as a Rotary Exchange student living in Argentina.

:D

My home for the next 12 months will be in Argentina’s second largest city, Cordoba.

Being home to six universities (as well as the first university in Argentina) the city is known for it’s fantastic student life but also retains it’s fascinating historic monuments and buildings.

I will be staying with three or four families throughout the year in Cordoba and will be attending El Colegio de Maria (The college of Maria), which is right in the middle of the city. http://colegiodemaria.com.ar/

I am being hosted by the San Martin Rotary club in District 4815 and my counselor’s name is Oscar Ordoñez.

My first host family are the ‘Gonzales Zanottis’ - Susana and Jawaharlal have four children; Jaun Pablo (20), Pilar (16), Jawaharlal (15) and Joaquin (9).

Argentina lived up to their Rotary reputation by being the last country to return papers or give any information about families or even the cities so when I opened my Facebook page on December 15 you can imagine how excited I was (understatement really) when I had received a friend request from my ‘sister’ Pilar - definitely worth the wait I think.

Mi casa - my home :)

After studying spanish at school for a number of years I am so excited that I can finally put it to use and become fluent. This opportunity is so fantastic and I can’t wait to start and meet these amazing people who are helping me.

ONE WEEK!!!!

Luc x