Adventuras en Argentina: Orientacion Semana 2

This week we were split up into 2 groups for orientation, I am in Patagones, which means my day doesn't start until noon and therefore doesn't end until 19:00. While everyone knows que me disgustan las ma ñanas no me gusta que es tan oscuro cuando regreso a casa. (I hate the mornings but I don't like that it's so dark when I return home).

Circolo Italiano - Where we have orientation

Lunes (Monday)

I got up and had frosted flakes and a banana for breakfast then Julie and I rode the colectivo to orientation. Our first session was academic and we talked about classes at Universidad de Buenos Aires. We had a break and we got lunch at VegiCity, this vegetarian place that is a big buffet, and you fill a container and pay by weight. It was good and cheap!

Leche (milk) in a bag...

Basically frosted flakes

Our next session was general orientation and we learned more about politics and the recent history of Argentina. During our next break I got a pack of lemon cream filled cookies at a kiosko that were quite delicious.

Our final session of the day was castell año, where we learned more about the dialect here and then we walked about hte examen para la Universidad de Buenos Aires: Ciencias Sociales.

It was absolutely pouringggggggg when I left and el colectivo was PACKED. I got home and showered to warm up, and then Clarisa showed me how to dry my shoes and jeans over the heater in the bathroom. Para cena comimos pasta con salsa roja y entonces un brownie con dulce de leche (muy rica!) After dinner i went upstairs and looked into some things for my classes then went to bed.

Martes (Tuesday)

After breakfast (frosted flakes again) Julie and I went to orientation, where the schedule was pretty much identical to the previous day.

Academic session sobre clases en Universidad Del Salvador y Universidad Catolica Argentina. During our break Ludi, Julie and I went to Exposicion (the bakery on the corner) where I got a delicious Empanada de carne y un alfajorcita de chocolate (deliciosa!!!!) then we walked around and looked in a bunch of stores.

Empanada...

...de carne (beef)

Alfajorcita (basically cookies with dulce de leche filling covered in chocolate - divine!)

Our general session was the same as the day before, with more information about Argentine politics. Then during our short break Ludi and I went to buy botas, but they didn't have them in our size :(

Our last session was about the diaros (newspapers) in Argentina, and we talked about las diferencias entre los principios. Then Julie and I rode the bus home.

I made some tea and had and orange and then tried to find the schedules for classes online. Never again will I complain about registering for classes back in the US. The disorganization is a level unheard of back home. Classes start in 1 or 2 weeks (depending on the school) and the Universities still don't have set schedules available (very frustrating).

Clarisa told me she was going to be in surgery so she left me part of a chicken and some mashed squash (I think) to heat it. It was pretty good, and then I showered, read some more about Argentina, and then went to bed.

Oh, and on a side note my sheets were changed today (a woman comes every Tuesday to clean) and this is what I found on my bed...

Pocahontas!!!

Miercoles (Wednesday)

This morning I had a meeting with Lucia (mi acesora academica) about what classes I wanted to take/which are best for extranjeros etc. The meeting was pretty helpful, and I sort of know what I'm going to take. We have about a 2 week period called "shopping" where we can go to a bunch of different classes and then see which ones we want to keep. While this is helpful it's also a hassle but it involves a lot of traveling to different schools, and just makes it that much harder for me to make a decision (damn this indecisiveness of mine...).

Our first official session of the day (there was a trip to Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, but I didn't go as I don't want to take classes there) was about trabajo voluntario. It was really interesting as there were a few things I was interested in. The first organization the speaker told us about it is una escuela primeria (elementary school) where we go and speak in English to kids and teach them about American culture and help them learn English once per week. Another one was doing bio-chem research at Universidad de Buenos Aires: Facultad de Medicinas. While this would perfectly combine my two majors it's a bigger time commitment (2-4 hours 2 times per week) and I don't know if I want to do research now or branch out and do something different (just another decision for me to make... great). There are also a few other interesting organizations but I think these are the two I'm most interested in.

During our break Julie, Andy, Melissa, and I went to VegiCity again. Then we came back for a security briefing by the US Embassy, which basically scared us all over again. After that we had another short break, and then our examen para UBA Ciencias Sociales. The test wasn't too bad (it took me a little less than an hour) and then I headed home en el colectivo.

It was a little colder today than it has been the last 2 days (which I don't like) so when I got home I got a shower to warm up. I also think I'm getting sick, which isn't all that surprising considering a lot of the kids in the program are sick, and I feel like the colectivos are a breeding ground for disease. I've been taking my vitamins and such though, so hopefully it's just a little cold.

I'm waiting for dinner now (atleast another half an hour, more likely an hour) and then I'm going to look into classes some more (it's far too confusing to figure out the schedules). Tomorrow I don't have orientation until 5PM so Julie and I are going to el cemetario en Recoleta (it's famous, and is also where Eva Peron is buried).

Hasta luego mi familia y mis amigos!

~Taylor

And a few more pictures for you...