Primavera

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Hi there everyone,
I know you have probably all been sleeplessly awaiting another update, sorry for the delay! I have the whole past month to catch you all up on, so here it goes...
For starters, I posted more pictures from SuperClasico, which is only fitting as every single Argentine I've met is completely crazy about fútbol. We are usually some of the only girls watching the games, but the other fans are generally very receptive, especially if we are as boisterous as they are. Sadly they are not quite so accepting of girls playing fútbol; some girls in my program play for their universities back home, but the guys here still don't let them join in the games. It's a sad but very real side to the Argentine mentality known as machista.
On the bright side, it's currently springtime here in the southern hemisphere! The weather has been perfect for traveling, which I have been doing a lot of. Because I have class 5 days out of the week, my weekend trips are short and rushed, but I have still been able to enjoy many new places. October started with a spur of the moment trip to Santiago, Chile! Some girls in my program and I literally got our bus tickets and left the very next day. The bus ride was about 20 hours total, but we went straight through the Andes mountains so the scenery was incredible. Santiago was beautiful, we spent a day in the city and a day on the coast. It was so great to see the ocean again!! I even managed to get myself sunburnt, what a surprise. Chile is a lot more american-ized than Argentina is; there are KFCs, Pizza Huts, and a ton more American brands than in Argentina...not to mention, Starbucks!! I got my fix in...until I go to Peru that is. Although the trip was great, I found myself happy to come back to Buenos Aires, it just feels like home.
The next weekend our group took us to Colonia, Uruguay, a small colonial town just an hour across Rio de la Plata. The town is really cute and well preserved, we rented bicycles and rode up and down the river all day. It was exciting to have been in three different countries within a week!
The following day was Mother's Day here in Buenos Aires, and my friend Sonya and I were invited to an asado (Argentine bbq) by a friend of hers. To get there we had to venture a good half hour outside the city, into what is known as the Provencia. The park we went to was really a huge strip of grass on the side of the freeway, there were families for miles and miles asado-ing, playing fútbol, and enjoying the day, and we met up with "our" family to do the same. This day was by far one of my favorites since I've been here. The entire extended family of our friend was together, and they completely opened their arms to us. We shared their asado, spoke our somewhat broken Spanish, played lots of fútbol, and they even took us back to their house afterwards to continue the celebration. I really felt like all of them, the tios, tias, and primos, were part of my family. Ironically, our group leaders basically told us that we would never need to/want to venture into the Provencia, and even warned us about it being dangerous...which it is at night, along with the rest of Buenos Aires, or just about any big city. But I felt so much more at home and so much more accepted there than I ever have felt in the ritzy "Palermo Soho" where the Residencia is. Prejudice against the lower-class areas of the Provencia are abundant within the upper-class Porteños who live in the city. I really do love the people here, I think they are great! But it's disappointing to see that a lot of Argentine stereotypes have a large base in the truth (think snob and machista). As do many American stereotypes as well...hopefully I represent as few as possible!
Well to finish the month, we had another group trip to a city right on the Pacific called Mar del Plata. Unfortunately the weather was not great, so a lot of our group did not enjoy themselves...I on the other hand absolutely loved it!! I pretty much detached myself from the rest of the group to go surfing, which of course guaranteed a good time. My friend and I found a great little surf spot about 6 miles down the coast, and even though the weather was bad I somehow managed to get sunburnt (yet again)! It was really hard to go back to the city, I miss the beach a lot!
As I mentioned before, this city is really starting to feel like home. I study at Cafe Tortoni, which was at one time frequented by the most famous tango singers, and pass by the Casa Rosada (presidential office) often. My Spanish is getting pretty good, and to be honest I'm beginning to feel sad that I only have a short time more to live here.
I have a lot more to catch you all up on from the last couple weeks, so I will try to do that soon.
Besos!
Amy

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Photos

¡¡VAMOS BOCA!!
Us with some of the futbol fanatics during the SuperClasico...the fans are crazy!! I really can't even describe it other than chaos. And we weren't even at the actual game!

Las Montañas Andes
En route to Chile, Jessica Sierra and I had to wait 3 hours to get through customs...luckily we were on top of the Andes so it wasn't too bad.

toes in the sand
The good old Pacific...it was FREEZING!

Argentine Family!
Some of the family members who we spent the day asado-ing with

Mar del Plata
My first trip to the Atlantic Ocean! My friend Ryan and I ditched the rest of the group to surf at this little spot all weekend.

Hinchas Verdaderas
= true fans!!

Starbucks!!
I swear I'm not obsessed...

Pizza Night!!
Once a week we go to our favorite little pizzeria for the best pizza and beer in BsAs!