Angelina's Travels

Adventures de Punta del Este

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 22:35:00 +0000

South America… so AMAZING! I have finally felt like I am home. I am in the swing of things, learning a ton and enjoying this amazing opportunity for living abroad. I am keeping busy with online classes from NMSU, and volunteering with the Office of Study Abroad. I am even doing some videography for my online Spanish class to make a YouTube video of the area around Punta del Este. It has been fun to ride around on the motorcycle and see so much beauty.

We had a neighborhood barbeque last week and finally met all of our neighbors. It was an amazing night, with music, food and way too much to drink. We are the regular Melrose Place here with the crazy lady, the opera singer and the young German who has lived in Uruguay for six years. The only thing we are missing is the swimming pool!

I have friends coming to visit, a trip to Argentina planned, and I feel SO happy. Last July I was supposed to go to Bariloche to a language school there, but due to ash from a volcano in Chile, my trip was canceled. With the travel companions of Mike and Maureen, I am lucky enough to get my shot at going again. After four days in Bariloche, we will head to El Calafate to see amazing glaciers. I have always wanted to see Patagonia, and am so happy to share the experience with such great friends. The following weekend will be shared with Leandra, a NMSU student who is renewing her visa to stay on longer in Argentina. So many great things happening, it is just great!

Uruguay has so much to offer when it comes to art, beaches and sunsets. Check out some photos at: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150440095753843.370998.754968842&type=1&l=3fd34ab622

Un abrazo fuerte a todos! A big huge to everyone!

Angel

A new adventure

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 14:25:00 +0000

Four weeks in Uruguay has already past, but the feeling of being an outsider has not. Changing a lifestyle is an intense process, but valuable non the less. My daily rituals have been to clean the house, practice my ukelele and go to the grocery store. I have tried to incorporate a little Spanish reading or a movie in Spanish to help with my language learnging. I have also been volunteering with my old job at New Mexico State with data enry on their new software program, it has been great to keep in touch with them. I begin my last semester of University in less than a week and I am looking forward to using my brain a little more!

Now on to the fun stuff! Samuel and I have had some amazing adventures these past four weeks. We have a beautiful apartment, a motorcycle, and bicycles to enjoy. We have cooked together, watched movies, gone on a road trip, enjoyed the beach and have even seen David Guetta (a talented DJ) live. Samuel has great friends and family too; I just hope my communication skills improve. Overall... I am happy. Below is a picture of us on New Years.

Durning my times of exploring I have come up with a list of Uruguayan observations which I will end with now.. enjoy!

*Dinner at 9:00pm is early

*Motorcyles have few rules on the road

*Under 16 years old? Clubs are open until 2:00am for you!

*16 and older? Club opens at 2:00am and closes when you are ready to go home.

*22% sales tax... OUCH!

*Dulce de leche is a staple food

*Greet everyone, if not with a kiss with a 'Hola'

*Babies and/or parents with two kids on motorcyle - REALLY no rules

*Alfajores (negros) kick ass

Will write more soon!

Besos,

Angelina

South America, muito obrigada, muchas gracias, thanks.

Wed, 24 Aug 2011 13:10:00 +0000

A time for reflection. As I sit in the Santiago airport, eating at Ruby Tuesdays; a glass of Chilean wine, a queso y aguacate quesadilla (cheese and avocado) while listening to The Pointer Sister’s ‘Jump’ … I smile knowing this was a very successful journey. Jump… I did. I jumped into an experience a little outside my comfort zone. One that took me to an amazing continent full of culture, beauty and love. I have met amazing people along the way, finding love and passion in Brasil. The music is great; “I am forever yours… faithfully.” Perfect timing, sabes?

I know my journey will take me back to South America. I have learned patience (can you believe it mom?). I have learned how to be more passionate, to appreciate people, and not to let opportunities pass me by. The motto for this trip was “porque no” or “porque nao” in Brasil. WHY NOT!! This opened up so many opportunities, experiences and fun. Walking the beach at midnight with Samuel, volunteering with Ash and reading poetry with Molly and my host mom Teresa have all been life changing events in Brasil. Traveling with my best friend Charlie for two weeks was amazing as expected with so many beautiful memories. (Thanks B!!) Montevideo was full of culture and art (I have seen more museums and cultural things in four weeks than I could have imagined!). Cordoba was a great end to my schooling, the school was fantastic. Success for sure. Above all I want to thank my parents and Seestola for the amazing support; I wouldn’t have had the same experience without you. NMSU… my professors, job and friends, thank you. Last but not least I want to thank my friends around the world… thanks for an amazing ride! Obrigada, gracias, and thank you. Until the next journey… Tchau, Chau, and Goodbye!

Saludos,

Angelina

A bit of Santiago, Chile

Sat, 13 Aug 2011 12:50:00 +0000

It is amazing how much you can learn about yourself while traveling. Throughout my time in South America I have realized love, relationships, desire for a certain way of life, and a continued appreciation for education. I have had amazing support from my family, old friends and those I have met along the way. Chile is beautiful, an amazingly clean and friendly city with SO many people. I have not enjoyed all that I can here with preocupations that are currently in my life. So many life changes, with my heart in Uruguay, and my mind focused on Brasil. I hope to return to Chile and see more of Latin America... but for now, here is a bit of Santiago!

Last night in the hostel and there was a 5 year anniversary party with live music, dancing and partying until 5 am. Below is the a picture from the party. Needless to say I am exhausted, and ready to make my journey home.

Once back I will write a wrap up of my journey. Thanks in advance for following me along the way.

Saludos!

The road to Chile

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 02:35:00 +0000

An eight hour bus ride in a mini bus... ummm yeah. Not really what I had in mind, but it ended up being a great decision. Traffic was a mess, and our bus driver rocked. It was a bit scary at times as he passed three semi trucks around blind corners, but it was decided that he had an intuition about the road.... we just hoped he didn't lose that intuition!! It was a beautiful sight, and I want to share what I saw with you all. Enjoy!

The first night in Chile was a bit overwhelming... the city is huge. In the first 4 hours I have seen one arrest, one protest, muchos perros, and many friendly people at the hostel. This hostel is great by the way. Wednesday is free dinner and wine (Vegetarian I might add!!) I am looking forward to the next two days in Santiago with a full day of walking in store for tomorrow. Three days left in my first South American tour.

***Notice I said 'first' as my heart is split between Brasil and Uruguay. I will be back for sure.***

Rap up of Cordoba. On to Mendoza, Argentina

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:55:00 +0000

Phew, I am done with school and I am officially on vacation. My last week in Cordoba went by super quickly. I was able to see a few museums and do a city tour with Samuel including the Museo de las Mujers, which featured items about Eva "Evita" Peron. I also got to see the Che Guevara museum. Cordoba is a great college town, and the people were amazingly friendly. To me it seemed more so like the states that a city in Latin America... very modern. I made the 12 1/2 hour bus trip solo in a double decker bus with front row seats. The vegetation is similar to that of Idaho... very interesting.

Mendoza is a quaint town with few things to do... but it is very tranquil. It was a good break from the hustle. I have walked a ton, but got to enjoy the highlights of the city including walking tours, and tour of two wineries and an olive oil factory. Mendoza is worth visiting if you are in the area... two or three days are plenty.

The pass between Mendoza and Santiago through the Andes was closed for two days, delaying my trip to Chile. I enjoyed the hostel, reading, writing and walking around the town. I felt very safe, and comfortable. Argentina was great... and I hope to return to visit Buenos Aires and Bariloche... there is always next time! Adios Argentina, I am on to my final destination, CHILE!

CORDOBA, Argentina

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:33:00 +0000

I am at day 4 in Argentina of 13 and have found it hard to transition. I think it is mostly due to the exhausion of school, meeting people and sharing a space. I met my host family Sunday... all SIX of them! The four 'children' (19-32 years old) are all brilliant... some knowing 5 languages! All of them are so warm and friendly. My host mom is Nora, and she is so sweet. I am sharing a room with Sophie, a 20 something from Germany who is interning at a local hospital. She really has helped to show me the ropes with the family, house and the city. My first day of school I tested into the upper intermediate class. There are 16 brasilians, 4 germans, 3 from France and 4 students from the U.S. it is a welcomed change from previous schools! My teacher is Fernanda, and there are 3 Brasilian chicas in my class. The school is extreamly organized, clean and comfortable. I have decided to walk home daily due to the amount of sugar I have consumed over the last 4 1/2 weeks, and the wonderful weather that has greeted me here. I walk an average of 3-5 miles a day around the city and back to my home. It is a 20 minute bus ride from the school. The weather has been fantastic with a lot of sunshine and just a little wind. The city is full of life with college students galore. It is hard to remember that I am in South America; it feels a lot like the U.S. This is probably another reason it is hard to get settled. I think it is reverse culture shock! Today was a rough day with my brain on overload. I need sleep and a salad. One very exciting adventure I had today was going to the Archivo de la Memoria museum. I had erad books about the "Dirty War" in my university history courses, but to talk to a survivor at this place where people were being held after they were kidnapped was intense. The one thing I didn't do is ask him his name... I am still kicking myself for this!

There are a lot of art and cultural activities to do here, but finding the energy has been a challenge. I must add, in closing, that the Argentinian women are BEAUTIFUL! I really have not seen so many beautiful women in one country. I know it is random, but I felt I should share!

All for now... 2 1/2 weeks left!

Chau!

Last week in Uruguay

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 01:34:00 +0000

My last week in Uruguay was filled with adventure. I visited Colonia, seeing a museum,a lighthouse and the Plaza de Torros. It was a great trip with a lot of speaking in Spanish.

I have also spent a lot of time getting to know Punta del Este. I went to the movies and watched Un Cuento Chino... really a funny movie and good for those learning Spanish. The speak pretty slowly, so I understood a good percentage of it. I also read my first book in spanish: The Little Prince! I needed a dictionary throughout my time reading it, but with patience (yes, I am learning this phenomenon) I completed it. I have started another book called Cuentos de la Selva by an Uruguayan author Horacio Quiroga. It is short stories and it is good stuff!

Other fun things included the Theater, La Barra (town by Punta del Este), Jose Ignacio (another town by Punta del Este), and the bodega (winery) and Uruguay winning the Copa America 2011! Although I was in the airplane during the game, the city was full of life, spirit and pride for their team. I think I managed to hit 80% of the museums and art galleries in Montevideo... Good stuff, but I think I am done with museums for awhile!

Montevideo, Uruguay - Weeks 2 and 3

Sat, 16 Jul 2011 14:52:00 +0000

Hola!

Como andas? Todo bien aqui en Uruguay! Charlie, Renee, Julie, Debbie and I made our way to Pirianopolis, a mustic town created by a man with more money than he know what to do with. So, he built a city! We checked out the hotel Argentina, had a coffee, and made our way to the lift, which took us to the top of San Antonio. It was a great view of the city, and a very tranquil afternoon.

We walked around the market while we waited for our bus, and Chrlie finally found his wool sweater... YAY!! We took the bus to Punta del Ballinas and discovered that the "short" walk to Casa Pueblo ended up being 45 minutes with 20 of it being a little lost. Casa Pueblo was beautiful and well worth the hike. We wondered around the museum and sat down in the cafe for a coffee. As the sun began to set a poem was read over the speakers with words about the importance of the sun, appreciating the sun for all it does. The sunset was amazing.

As sooon as the sun set, the whole place closed down. They actually turned off the lights in the cafe and told us to hurry with our coffee because they were closed! Very strange! We made the hike back to the bus stop and continued our adventure to Punta del Este. We met Samuel and headed to dinner ... excellent food including salmon salad, quiche and of course dessert. We ended the night at a bar with live music... the musician was from Austin, Texas! She sang in English, and everyone there loved her. She was fantastic, and it was a great end to the night.

The next day we wondered Punta, seeing the infamous "hand" as well as the port. The wind was horrible, but it was still beautiful. Because of it being winter the vibe of the town was almost nonexistant, but the tranquil nature was fantastic.

Charlie went home Tuesday, a very quick and sad goodbye for me. He has been a fantastic travel partner and I look forward to our future travels.... (THANKS B!).

Tuesday night we went to a Reggae concert... Yellowman, Yellowman Dale Yellowman. If you haven't seen Yellowman check him out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kg2P4Kw9oAY&feature=related His story is an amazing one, and it was fun to get out to dance a bit.

I have been able to visit a lot of museums, bookstores, and historical sites. There is a lot to see here, and I have been really blessed with this opportunity. I have made some great friends here, and am happy with my choice to stay in Montevideo (since Bariloche was covered in ash from the Chilean volcano!).

Week three at the school and still workin gon the subjunctive. My conversation skills in Spanish come and go... it is really frustrating. Some days I can speak well and the next I can't get anything out. I need to figure out something different to help me stay in the Spanish mode. I know this is a process, but for some reason Portuguese came more easily. Vamos a ver.

Montevideo, Uruguay - July 1, 2011

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 18:57:00 +0000

Week one in Montevideo of four has come and gone. One of the fastest weeks of my trip so far! I arrived last Sunday and met my host mom Maria. She is fantastic! A wonderful host, cook and friend. I feel so lucky to stay with her. My room is comfortable and my house is only five blocks from the school.

I started classes the next day, Monday and tested into the advanced class. My biggest struggle is getting over my fear of speaking (which I didn't have a fear with Portuguese...) and also using Spanish instead of Portuguese. (muito legal, viu!) I have two teachers, one for grammer and one for conversation. I am finding my conversation outside of the classroom is much more helpful in coming out of my shell.

Tuesday Samuel came from Punta del Este to show Charlie around while I was in class. We met up for lunch and I saw a bit of the central and ciudad vieja. Wednesday after class, Charlie and I went on a horseback riding adventure at a small estancia outside of Montevideo with the school. It was very tranquil and showed us a small part of the countryside. I hope to do another estancia visit before I leave Uruguay.

We returned to the homestay and participated ina family dinner of gnocchi. It is a Uruguayan tradition to eat gnocchi as a family on the 29th of each month. It is also a tradition to put money under your plate, and make three wishes with the first three pieces of gnocchi you eat. We had a great visit with Maria, her daughter Antonia, Antonia's husband Pablo and their son Phillipe. We finished the night off with super dulce de leche ice cream (I have become a bit addicted, and don't want to talk about it!). Maria is SO great at cooking and I appreciate her changing up her meat cooking to wonderful vegetarian meals!

Thursday and Friday after class, Charlie and I walked the city getting to know different areas and figuring out the bus sustem. We met up with students from the school and met a few couchsurfing hosts that live here in Uruguay. It was a fun night with a few Caiparinhas... another habit that is full of sugar!

This weekend Charlie myself and three other students are off to Piriapolis and Punta del Este to see what the east coast has to offer. We are looking forward to our adventure outside of Montevideo!

Chau for now!

Angelina