Calor y....Tormenta?!?!

UNBEARABLE heat mid-day today and then....is that lightening? MASSIVE storm later this afternoon! The weather here is so strange. I have never lived somewhere so hot and muggy. The heat would not be so bad if it weren't for the sticky humidity. Usually the temperature ranges in the upper 30's sometimes 40's (thats in and around 100 F). And it starts early too. Actually it never really ends. I woke up at 7:30 this morning to go for a run, trying to beat the heat but its a race you can never win! I woke up with my shirt sticking to my sweaty back. Today I tried to find a cafe with wifi to work on some school work where there would be air conditioning. It was around noon and close to impossible to find a single place open (ciesta time) let alone with wifi. I had to settle for the shopping mall. I was well into my work and a refreshing smoothie when i heard a loud rumble. I could see trees frantically trying to keep root and lightening reflecting off the glass windows of buildings. Boy was I thankful to be indoors even if it was a commercial center with a Burger King, McDonalds and California Burrito....THANK YOU AMERICA AND YOUR GLOBALIZATION. On the bus ride home I saw numerous trees uprooted and smashed signs! crazy.

Arrival to the capital

So as it appears I am not very good at maintaining a blog! Well, I did not have frequent internet access on the farm so there's an excuse there. But I have been in the city of Cordoba for one week now and I am having a lot of fun. My family is great and I feel like I really lucked out with my living situation. The house is ALWAYS teeming with people whether friends or extended family. My "immediate" family consists of a mother (whom I've probably bonded the most with) father, 4 kids (Jero, Pia, Sole, Juan...aged 15 to 26). The abuelo also lives here and there are always cousins, aunts, nieces, you name it visiting. My first week their cousin Esteban was visiting and I went out with him and my two sisters Pia and Sole to los Boliches last weekend. A Boliche is basically a dance club that really gets going around 4 in the morning! We left the house around 1am and we got back at 6 am! I don't know how they do it! I guess that's why their ciesta lasts so long....from about 1 to 4pm in the afternoon the city sort of shuts down in a way and people relax and drink mate together. One thing i have really noticed the most here is the pace of life. No one is ever really on time and no one seems to care to much. Argentinians take their time and I feel like I can really learn from this. If you run into someone you know you chat with them. If I ask someone for help they will make sure I am set in the right direction. They also have a general curiosity about the goings of your life and always ask a lot of questions. I do not notice this as much in the United States. With my broken Spanish I try to return the conversation.
I have noticed my Spanish improving, but at a slow pace. I am very glad I began my adventure in the countryside, speaking Spanish a little at a time. I think this was a very good introduction to me as I have never lived in a big city before let alone one where I don't speak the language! But everyone is very patient and helpful and incredibly friendly.
I like my program and I've made friends with some cool people from the states, but I have to say I am ready to meet more Argentinians. The language barrier is difficult though. Often I feel like I have no personality because I cannot express myself the way I can in my native tongue. But I just have to keep learning and trying and putting myself out there.

Well I have written a lot and I still have more to say but I'll save it for another post. I also want to describe my farm experience because that was quite an interesting one....

AMPED!

So I've never really blogged before but I figured this would be good for myself to not only keep a record of my adventures en Sudamérica but to feel comfortable sharing my experiences (both emotional and physical) with others. I don't really expect many people to follow this (aside from my dad who will probably check it multiple times a day---I say this with love!) but nonetheless I feel it will be good for me especially since I've never been good at keeping journals. I am going to apologize now for any grammatical and spelling errors as well as "too much information" because I don't really think I'm going to filter much.
So a week until I leave the country! Right now I am just enjoying some free time in the place I love the most-Santa Cruz. Farmer's market is today, I was going to try and figure out my gift for my host family in Cordoba, Argentina. I've been emailing my host mom and she seems so nice and welcoming! I am really excited for my living situation: household of 4 kids (all close to my age or older), her husband, her father, 2 other students (one from Canada and another from Japan), 2 dogs, a cat, a pool and a garden! I asked if I could help her in the garden and she seemed super excited (I'm talking CAPS LOCK excited).
I actually don't move into that house until beginning of February when my program starts. I decided to head down to Argentina a few weeks early to WWOOF on a farm. I found a farm about 2 hours outside the city of Cordoba. I am really glad I decided to work and live on a farm before completely moving into a city because (1) it is summer time there right now (what better time?!) (2)I've been wanting to work on a farm in a foreign country (3) I've never lived in a big city and I feel living on a farm first will be a good adjustment for me and a good warm up for the language.
Wow looking at this entry I realized I could very easily write essays on here. I haven't even left yet! Maybe I will filter my blogging a little and keep it to the highlights...
My next post will probably be after the farm since I don't know if I'll get internet there.
Hasta luego