My School and My Stomach

Hola my friends. It is wonderful to write to you again. Hopefully, you are all dedicated to checking my blog every single minute. :) It is fun to think about you reading this from all the way accross the world. Any ways, since I wrote yesterday a lot (well really a little) has happened. Yesterday I felt fine until I went to bed. Then, with all the changes from Washington (86 degrees, don´t eat dinner until 10, the water, the food, and the language) I guess my body just didn´t like it very much. It would be imposible to pin point what excactly caused me to be sick, I just hope that it continues to go away as it is doing now. So last night I got very little sleep because my stomach hurt, but eventually I did fall asleep and slept for a couple hours very well. Then, this morning was my first day of school. Elsa (my mama) told me that if I wanted to I could just go for the ceremony that was like a welcoming every one back. I still felt horrible but I really wanted to go so I did. From what I have seen of the school, I love it. The teachers are nice and some girls who are in my class invited me to come talk with them and stand with them until the ceremony started. Although I couldn´t talk much because of the language barrier, it was the thought that counted. After the ceremony was over, Sophia took me back home. There I did the wonderful and got to experience throwing up in another country. Let me tell you, it isn´t any better than when I was back home. Since then, I have been trying to keep up my liquids. They bought me bottled water because at first many kids can get sick because it is a slight change in water. I am feeling better, but I am still not comfortable to the stability of my stomach. This evening we are supposed to go shopping for parts of my uniform that I am missing but I am not sure I am ready for the walking and standing that intales. I guess I will just have to feel it out. Depending on how I feel tonight, I might also choose not to go to school tommorow. It is hard for me to miss school but then again, I won´t understand hardly anything even if I do go!! If I understood correctly (remember that I am told all this in Spanish) my classes begin at 8 and end at 1. Then I come home and my family eats lunch together. Right now, I am enrolled as some one who is going to go into economics. That means that half of my 10 (?) clases are based on economy. I don´t know much about economy but I guess this is as good a time to learn as any!

There at Last

I am in Argentina! Yep, that about sums it up but for your sake, I will explain in more detail. Over the last the last five days, I have taken two red eye plane rides, one red eye bus ride, and spent more hours than you could imagine listening to AFS personel tell me important facts. It was all very tiring and I developed a sore throught to top it off. Even with all this, I am still pretty excited. During the orientation, we never spoke Spanish. That was hard because I wanted to prepare for when I finally met my host family. Oh well...

This morning, after riding on a bus for 12 hours (which I am happy to tell you had seats that reclined back into a full bed) I met my host family. They were waiting at the bus stop with a big flag that said "Jenica Bienvenidos" meaning Welcome Jenica! They are very nice, and although it must be frustrating talking to me cause I can´t understand a lot, they are being very patient. They let me call my parents and I am planning on Skyping they later this afternoon.

They city is very beautiful and filled with colors. There are tons of stray dogs everywear and my papa drives really fast. It is all very different from Washington but I love it. My school is just a block away so I will walk there everymorning. I share a bedroom with my sister Sophia so it is not that different from my room at home. I like their house very much.

It is hot here but I am surprised at how well I am doing. Then again, I am not in the direct sun either. I am going to take a shower (but one of my sisters will have to explain how it works, I don´t understand it) but I am thinking about everyone all the time. Don´t be afraid to send me a little email. You can even try out your Spanish if you feel so inclinded!! Love you all so much!

Mi Familia y País Nuevos

Hola!

Ya queda poco tiempo para yo viajo! There is so little time left before I leave! With the count down remaining with eight days, I have begun to say my goodbyes. Until you have to, it is impossible to imagine how hard it is to say goodbye to people for a whole year. But even with the emotions of departing, I am extremely excited to head off on my adventure!

Over the last month, I have gotten to email with my family a lot. It is so exciting to learn about the place I am going to. I have a mother, father, an older sister Sofia, and an older sister Paula. I am staying in the city San Juan which is about the size of Bellingham. I am going to a Catholic school that is close to my house so I will walk there every morning. It will be hot and I am stacking up on sunblock!

Once I leave for Miami on the 22nd, I will have an orientation there. I will arrive in Argentina on the 25th; have another orientation (only this time in Spanish); take a 15 hour bus on the 26th to San Juan; and then finally arrive and meet my family on the 27th!! It is a long way to travel and it will be so hard to wait to meet my family for that long.

Even though I am leaving, it doesn't mean I will lose touch with all you guys. Make sure to keep checking my blog for I will be posting exciting updates about my adventures abroad (and even some pictures)!!!

Adios!