The trip to Argentina is closing in. My family and friends are probably tired of listening to me tell people what I am doing this summer with an excited tone in my voice. I do not know a lot about what will happen when I am in Argentina, but I do know that I am ready.

The preparation process has gone smoothly although I have been rushed. I got out of school on Saturday (June 16th) and left camping from Tuesday until Sunday (June 19th-24th). I was unsure if I would be able to get everything together in just a Monday before I leave on Tuesday (June 26th). Luckily, I am an easy going person and I do not need much. I have clothes and hygiene products. I made sure to get a personal present for my home stay family. I do not know how they will receive it, but I’m sure anything is better than nothing. With my experience, I have learned kind intention and a smile can go a long way no matter what country you are in. This is a nice feature to acknowledge because I know I will have to resort to smiling and motioning sometime while in Argentina when words are not enough. I feel confident in my abilities and am excited for this opportunity. We have a great group going down together. I know that we will sometime need to resort to speaking English now and then, but regardless of our level in Spanish now, I look forward to seeing growth in all of our abilities.  Cain

I am a little worried about customs. I have not left the country for a couple of years. I also brought my host family gifts that I hope the customs people do not confiscate. Other than these little butterflies of excitement and curiosity, I am ready to be in Argentina.  Cain

6/19/2012
One week until I leave for Argentina! That’s crazy, this is something for which I have worked and waited for soooo long. Since a year and a half ago from when I talked to Karie about the program, until now, It is truly been my own trip. And what a trip! I’m going to be on another continent where I don’t know anyone! I’m very nervous, but I want to speak completely in Spanish the whole time.

I have been spending all this time getting ready, packing, reading, and getting everything together, but really I don’t think anything can prepare me. It’s going to be different than I imagine, but I have great feelings about it, because I have waited for this for so long. From deciding to learn Spanish in high school, and writing scholarship essays about wanting to study abroad, I have always had a heart to travel. New things, new people, new language, I am totally drawn to it; Drawn to the challenge, the appeal in learning how other people do things, how other people express themselves, how they eat their meals, how they build their cities.

I do feel as though I already have a foreign oriented mindset, most of my friends are from different ethnic groups than I. I already dove into the culture of MEChA (El Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan), dove into middle eastern culture by dating a boy from Saudi Arabia. I already love culture, I know that. And I can’t wait to have a true experience of another people group’s culture. Who are Argentines? How do they live? What do they like? What makes the country tick, and how can I learn and grow from their perspectives and experiences?

Because that’s the real question. What can I lear about myself by learning about others? That’s the only way to truly know who we are. Exposing ourselves; Experimenting ourselves; Letting experience shed light on what is inside of us and what is outside of us. Everyone and everything can be a learning experience if we want to to be. 

This is a picture of my roommates and I on my last night in the states. We went to Applebee’s to celebrate!  Emily

It’s hard telling what my host culture will be like. I can sit here and list several details that I have read about Argentina, but I don’t think that it would do that country justice. I am really anxious to travel out of the country and see what this Argentina has to offer.

I can picture myself being like this bolt below. When I am abroad, I will be strung in all these different directions at once. My emotions will be up and down and all around. But I know that this will be an experience of a life time and I can not wait to arrive in Rosario!

From what I have read, Argentines are meat lovers. It just so happens that I am a huge fan of meat as well. I believe that I eat meat at least once a day. So I am certain that I will fit in with those who love to eat meat!

Where I am at in my life right now before this trip, I consider to be like a flower. I am growing slowly everyday, until that one day that a miracle happens and I will bloom into a beautiful flower. Going on this trip is going to help me grow. When I return, I will be blossomed and ready to embark on my new adventures that life bring.  Melissa