Returning home...

My home away from home.

If there is any one thing I learned in Mendoza, it's how important it is to appreciate the small, wonderful things in life - like an afternoon cup of coffee with a friend, a walk on a beautiful day, a delicious ripe orange, freshly baked bread, indulging in forbidden foods like dark chocolate, wine, and olive oil - or simply, returning home to 'mom' at the end of the day.... 

But beyond all of these, what I've taken from this experience the most is how important it is to appreciate the people in my life. Beautiful things can suddenly become moments that take your breath away, tug at your heart, bend in overwhelming emotion just a bit when you are experiencing them with people you truly love and enjoy being around.  Although I am now back to my real home, I feel a slight sense of home-sickness.  Although I dreamed of my bed, my apartment, my 'things' each night, I suddenly can't help but dream of the beauty that Mendoza had to offer.  Just today, I received an email from my host-mom wishing me the very best now that I am 'home' and signing off, all the way from what she calls my 'second home' in Mendoza.... What's more of a blessing than to have family and friends all over - even in faraway parts of the world....




My host mom and I at the airport...

 For the remainder of my grade, I had to write an essay on my final reflections - what surprised me, what I experienced, what I will miss, and what I will take home with me..... These were just some of my final thoughts.... Here goes:

                There are so many moments in Argentina that I already miss.  I miss eating dinner with my host mother each night, looking forward to her every home-cooked meal.  I miss the delicious tortitas that she grilled each morning for me with mermelada and a fresh cup of coffee.  I miss how helpful she was with my Spanish in our afternoon lessons and study sessions.  In addition I miss school and the incredible women who taught me and inspired me to learn more.  With these, I also miss many of the large, wonderful, magnificent things that make Mendoza so incredible.  I miss the breathtaking views of the mountains on my walks to school and miss how simple it was to hike a mountain on my day off.  I became spoiled with these hikes.  Even more, the mountains are breathtaking.  As much as I try, my photos don't do them any justice, nor can my words every express how incredible it was to be standing at the foot of Aconcagua, America's tallest peak.

                I also miss some of the simplest moments which suddenly became so grand - the taste of ripe olives drenched in olive oil, sipping homemade red wine, breaking the first piece of warm crusty bread, and seeing my friends’ bright smiling faces each day.  Life itself became slightly more wonderful in Mendoza.  For some reason, there was suddenly an ability to enjoy the simple things in life.  In the United States, work, meetings, jobs, school, and lists preoccupy my mind.  Half the time, I barely taste my food.  While I am eating, my mind races thinking about everything else.  In Mendoza, I was able to return to life's simple pleasures and learned how important it would be to bring these appreciations back home with me.

                Since returning, I have taken many lessons, experiences, sights, smells, and sounds back with me.  Just last week, I spent each day reuniting with old friends.  My family and I have successfully gathered the past two Mondays to share a home-cooked dinner together – a feat we have tried to accomplish for years!  We have now pledged to continue this tradition every Monday night.  In addition, I have indulged in memories and stories with countless numbers of people - some of which I do not even know!  I've returned home with a tall tale (a cuento chino as my host-mom calls it) of beautiful mountains, caring people, and delicious feasts.  Last night, I uncorked a bottle of wine sipping its richness and envisioning the lush bodegas of Mendoza.  I have downloaded "Tche Tche Rere Tche" and play it tirelessly in my car.  I drink mate (the right way) every morning and suddenly embrace the ability to eat bread and olive oil on a regular (controlled) basis.  This morning, I roasted vegetables exactly as they were made for me by my host-mom and plan to tackle her recipes for budin de pan and tortitas next.

                In retrospect, my experience was life-changing.  I am humbled by the lessons I learned and excited by the many new habits I have acquired.  I've returned with a fluency in ‘Spanglish’ – a habit I really need to break.  My instinctual 'hola' and 'gracias' is incessant.  Aside from that, I have returned with memories and a refreshing outlook on so many aspects of how to live my own life.  Not only was my experience in Mendoza life-changing, but the travel itself was as well.  There is suddenly a sense of how large the world is and how small I am.  In the face of this realization, I simply need to see and experience even more.  Atop my desk sits a rock from Cerro de la Cruz, oddly broken in the perfect shape of a mountain.  Each day, I look at it and am reminded of my trek through the rocky terrain.  I have been to the Andes and back and can't wait for what adventure is next.  Argentina has opened my eyes to a new passion - to travel.  With strength and courage, I eagerly await what else I can learn, experience and accomplish.  I am blessed, thankful, and forever grateful that Argentina is another piece of my life puzzle, and that it is just at the beginning of a life-long journey of experience.

---

With my wonderful teachers at 'graduation'



The home of our coordinator for a celebratory final lunch in Mendoza.



In Mendoza, there is a saying.... Rather than goodbye, they say "Hasta Siempre" which literally translates to say "Until always."  This beautiful saying rings so true for how I am feeling.  I will not say goodbye to Mendoza.  Until I return someday (and I will) to savor all its richness and beauty, I simply say "Hasta Siempre." Until Always Mendoza - Always with me and always a home away from home.  Until next time.... "Hasta Siempre!"

Over the mountains and into the clouds.... leaving one magical place to enter another. 
Life is a fairy tale so long as we believe it is.

Cerro Arco y la Virgen

Breathtaking...!

Another day another mountain..... On the descent down, I actually saw one of my Spanish professors.  This really IS what they do on the weekends! This past weekend, I had the option of hiking Cerro Arco or taking a guided tour of Divisadero Largo (birds, botany, and stuff) instead, but after learning the entire tour would be in Spanish, I opted for a good hike up Cerro Arco.  On this morning, it was absolutely freezing.  2degrees celcius!  Starting off was brutal, but within no time, we were hoofin and huffin our way up.  The entire hike up the mountain took nearly an hour and a half (with few breaks), but was incredibly worth it because it offers a view of the entire city of Mendoza!  It seems that there are mini shrines everywhere, but here, I was thrilled to find an adorable little Virgen de Guadalupe sitting at the top.  Overlooking the city, the rising sun lit up her beautiful little face.... 

Love...

 

I'm so motivated by all of the mountain climbing... and that it seems to be no big deal to the locals.  The other day, I joined a "running" group.  It went beyond running - like survival/warrior training.  We literally "ran" up and down a mountain.

Mendoza from Above

 

Muy lindo..!

 I had the awesome opportunity to listen to some American music twice this week.  First, I joined an aerobic class held outside in the park which played all American music including remixes of old songs from the 70s and 80s... heaven.  Then, I danced all night long on Saturday at some local bars.  You may recall that the typical party hours here run from 2am-6am or later.  This is completely normal.  People stay out all night on Saturday and then sleep all day on Sunday.  For us, we all arrived home around 4am.  It was strange entering my house so late (and then finding my host-sister and her boyfriend passed out waiting for me), but my friend Sara's mom actually laughed and asked why she came home so early!

 

Sunday morning I managed to rise early.  I think it's my first real quiet time at home - much needed.  My host mom woke roughly two hours after me and offered lunch at a local vegetarian restaurant. (Yes, there are a few!)  It was closed, like nearly every other restaurant and store.  Still, we found a place to eat, and upon leaving made small talk with an older couple sitting at a table next to us.  While chatting, a man walked over asking for food.  The couple gestured to what remained in front of them to which the man eagerly scooped up some soggy papas fritas (french fries) into his hands.  Before walking away, they offered him a dinner roll as well.  Everyone is so much more accepting here.  Beggars are everywhere and are simply turned down with a "No gracias senor" and a smile.  The next day in class, two chicas from another school asked why a woman gave them a piggish snub-nose gesture.  It's because they were giggling and freaking out over a man nearby their table and desperately gripping their purses..... Exactly my point!

Before I arrived, I thought I would fall in love with Argentina in comparison to home.  While I have loved some aspects, I suddenly seem to love where I am from more.  Even the music resonates differently.  At home, I call it "crap," but here, it's suddenly the sweet, beautiful, magnificent sound of ¨home.¨

Uvas y Aceitunas (Grapes and Olives)

An olive bush at Molina La Tebaida, olive oil producery

So here's my dilemma... What do I love more? The mountains or the olive oil?  Or maybe the wine?¿?  This week I had the pleasure of visiting both a bodega (vineyard) and an olive oil manufacturer.  Over the weekend, one of the coordinators here mentioned that her family owned an olive oil company and generously scheduled a private tour and tasting for our group.  The company, Molina La Tebaida, is more than just an olive oil company - it's an other-wordly getaway, offering lodging, sun, wine, and some of the greatest food I've had since arriving in Mendoza.  What's most incredible is that this used to be her family's home.  The children's bedrooms are now guest rooms and the living room has been converted into a restaurant.  The garden is breathtakingly beautiful, lined with olive bushes and lemon trees.  Here, I sampled my very first olive fresh off its branch.  (Fun, but pass if you ever get this opportunity.....) After a tour of the vineyard, we passed through rustic wooden doors, into an antique stone building to view and learn about the entire production process.  While inside, we faced a large tawith adorned with baskets of freshly sliced bread and three different kinds of olive oil.  One was called 'La Flor' and is entirely pure and unfiltered.  Another was bottled last year, and the third, my favorite, was freshly bottled just last month.  If you want to imagine how delicious this was, we literally drank the olive oil from a glass!

This has been one of my favorite aspects of this trip thus far - not just because I love olive oil, but because I love people who make olive oil.  I'm kidding..... but really, the gracious hospitality that we received was astounding.  After a wonderful afternoon, we were offered lunch in their restaurant, La Infanta.  Within moments of being seated inside a rustic, Tuscan-style dining room, we were given more bread and oil, along with plates of olives drenched in olive oil and oregano, and pickled vegetables.  Moments later, we were served fabulous Malbec, locally produced by one of Mendoza's finest wineries.  Next, we were served platters of swiss cheese and sausages, followed by our delicious entrees of homemade, heart and soul-filled Italian food.  For dessert, some enjoyed ensalada de frutas, while all of us enjoyed cups of coffee and tea.  In American dollars - a mere $20.

What I wouldn't give to devote myself to a life of work producing olive oil (and shooting it straight)..... I've already offered to be a sales-woman when they decide to go international..... =)  I am serious too.

So serene...

Entrance to the family´s former living room, now a fabulous restaurant!

First time I have ever seen a lemon tree!

Endless olive oil tastings... I was in heaven!

Throughout this entire trip, I have eagerly and patiently waited to visit one of Mendoza's fine bodegas.  Mendoza's largest industry is wine, specializing in Malbec and Torrontes.  Torrontes is the national grape of Mendoza and produces a slightly sweet, highly floral, white rose flavor.  I've never loved white wine, but I assure you I bought some. In addition, many of Mendoza's wines are imported to the US, so I took this opportunity to purchase two very rare bottles that are not imported - one to drink upon returning home and the other to simply stare at and someday, maybe open.

The Alta Vista bodega in Mendoza...

While the vineyard was beautiful and the production process incredible, the underground wine cellars are jaw-dropping.  I dream of someday having my own wine cellar and maybe even making my own wine!  This week inspired me.... I have seen two companies, formed and run by families who simply have a passion for something absolutely wonderful.  Success or no success, good season or bad season, what more can you ask for in life when you have olive oil and wine..... ?

The owners´ private stash... the very best!

In the cellar...

The production process...

Inside the bodega....

My wonderful group in the wine cellar...

Beautiful, rustic, and so my style.....!

More photos from this past weekend.......!  

Major credit owed to my dear friend Grace and her awesome photography skills.......

I can´t believe this is me!

SRU!

Just a little stretch...

Yoga...!

It´s hard to believe I have just over one more week here.  I´m having so much fun, although I miss many aspects of home - like my family, my plants, my bed, mmm, my bathrobe?  Long, hot showers, bubble baths, you name it.  Perhaps one of the strangest things here is that many bathrooms do not have toilet paper.  Yes - no toilet paper!  At our university, none of the bathrooms have toilet paper, soap, or paper towels, rather, each classroom has a ´bag´ of some sort.  If you need to use el baño, you grab the bag which has everything you need.  Then, you bring it back for the next guy to use. How strange is this? Everything here is so different...... Despite it all, I´m having a blast.  Can you tell......? 

Yoga - sun salutation - best ever yet.

Monkeys, Mountains, and More (Monos, Montañas, y mas!)

My fabulous group of friends and profesora - SRU!

6 de junio!

Last week, we ventured to Mendoza's zoo.  It's absolutely beautiful to walk through, but also kind of depressing. I'd be lying if I said it met the standards of our zoos in the US.  Ever see a camel with deflated humps? The whole zoo itself is immaculate like a rainforest and takes roughly two hours to walk through.  We couldn´t help but notice cute little monkeys swinging high up in the trees, which was fun until my friend got bit by one - YES, you read correctly! My friend got BIT BY A MONKEY!  The zoo staff didn´t help matters by looking horrified when we told them.  They even offered to call an ambulance, but my friend insisted she would get home and visit a local doctor.  Here, there are no rabies vaccines, so she's taking some unknown antibiotic..... She hasn't grown a tail yet, so we're assuming she's okay.

Seriously... mauled by a monkey!

Right beside me... petrified for my life.

See the lion?  Everything here is loco... even cages aren´t a requirement!

Mid-week, I had a study date with mi amiga.  I arrived early and sat by a beautiful fountain where tons of people - students, children, young and old - were relaxing in the sun.  I'm amazed at how full of life this place is.  While waiting for my friend to arrive, I decided to venture into the Mendoza Museum of Modern Art which is located underground.  I was oddly mesmerized by some weird video that played over and over on a big screen. The video was a compilation of images at super high speed that you could only make out by staring at it.  It was a figure of a person running, and running, and running, and running..... I stared for about 10 whole minutes and then - I almost cried. This is the lesser-known side effect of studying here in Argentina.  It's making me cuckoo... It's like I'm the one who's constantly running.  I am a foreigner in an even more foreign, faraway land.  

After that, I met my friend at a local cafe.  Here, there is no counter service.  It's not like Starbucks or DD where you can just walk in, grab a coffee, and leave.  For a simple coffee, you have to sit down and order.  If you really want a to-go coffee, you can ask, but its rare that anyone walks around with coffees.  Food and drink is done sat down because the overall speed of everything here is so much slower.  For example, it takes forever for any order to arrive at the table - even a simple cup of coffee.  The other night, we ordered drinks that took about 30 minutes to arrive.  My inner-American is saying "geesh, the service here is awful" but the reality is that this is Argentina and this is what people know and expect.  There is no rush - ever.

Beautiful tiles and fountains at Plaza de España

Thursday, my host mom offered to show my friends and I the local aquarium.  It was one large room.  We are spoiled in Boston.  Earlier that day before the aquarium, my host mama took a 'siesta' (nap) and I decided to venture out for a run.  Here, the major park is El Parque San Martin.  It's absolutely huge with a large lake, walking and running trails, a rose garden, horse track, amphitheater and mucho more.  The amphitheater is really cool and is the site of the annual Vendimia Wine Festival.  A fabulous fun fact - they award the title of Miss Vendimia and she represents the wine festival for a whole year.  This could totally be me... wearing a crown AND drinking wine?  Que magnifico!  Anyway, the park this day was packed with runners.  People here are really active.  Oddly, the park also has "playground" gym equipment - like a kids playground but for adults and for exercising.  There are elipticals and other machines just built right into the ground.

My fabulous friend.

Friday, all student groups visited the Museo del Area Fundacional.  I mentioned in a prior post that the city was once destroyed by a massive earthquake that killed 1/3 of the population.  This museum is built on top of ruins so when you walk in, you see layers of street that once existed. 

 

Sara and I outside the museum... a large stone map of the park behind us.

The museum is built right on top of the old earthquake ruins.  This floor is hundreds of years old!

In addition, I've had a blast going out for dinner and drinks over the past two weeks.  There are great bars and restaurants.  Here, nightclubs play American music - in fact, EVERYONE here listens to American music.  They also seem to watch all of our tv shows but with sub-captions in Espanol.  Bars here stay open late.  For the true party animals, there are ´bolechas´ which are open from 1am to 6am!  I have no desire to visit them, but I have had a few late nights.  The strangest adjustment has been to have to 'text my mom' to let her know when I am coming home.  Fortunately, everyone here stays up late so she expects me to stay out past 1:00.  Texting her is great because I can fully prepare my Spanish before sending.  I tell her what time I think I will be home, and then I can add "mas o menos" (more or less) and anything goes.

Jeremy, Kara, and I at PPTH.

The best part...!

Hiking Cerro Aconcagua --- America´s tallest peak!!!!

At Cerro Aconcagua...

This weekend has been, by far, the highlight of this entire trip.  The Andes are absolutely breathtaking, especially when you are face to face with them.  ¡Las montañas son bellisimo! ¡Relindo!  Very early Saturday morning, we departed for a long weekend at Uspallata.  Despite the numerous schools, our little Salve group (8 of us) was lucky enough to travel alone.  On Saturday, we hiked at 3100m through beautiful snow-covered mountain terrain.  On Sunday, we hiked a very steep climb to the top of Cerro de la Cruz.  Once at the top, we were all pretty speechless.  The views are incredible.  Two of the coordinators of the Argentina-based program hiked with us.  One of the coordinators is all about the hiking.  She does it on a regular basis… not a bad way to spend your weekends!!  She has climbed to the top of Aconcagua and told us that it took an entire 14 days…..  After this weekend, I have a serious passion for these mountains and someday, will totally return to tackle the challenge myself…. Anyone in?

In addition to the hiking, I also went rock climbing, rappelled down the side of a mountain, and zip-lined.  I´m still in shock… It hasn´t really hit me yet that I actually did all of these things.  I have soooo many amazing photos, but here´s enough to get you started……

To put this in perspective.. can you find me? =)

 

 

Jeremy and I... my hometown buddy. This one´s for the papers!

 

Still can´t get over the view....

Also that day, we visited Puente del Inca - Below, these are the ruins of the hotel that was destroyed by a mudslide.  It was known for its hot springs (spa for visitors) which are still piping hot today.

See the hotel? Stairs to the side... and down below the hot springs!

At the top of Cerro de la Cruz!

SRU!

I have some awesome photos of the rappeling and rock climbing... soon to come, but here is how we reached the top before descending.... pretty crazy.

See the ladder? !¡!¡!¡!

Warriors.

I have two weeks left but am committed to fully enjoying every minute.  On Saturday, I sat on a rock beneath the mountains and just sat there for a while.  It suddenly all sunk in how amazing this experience is.  As I sat, I recalled nearly my entire life story.  Looking back on all of the moments in my life where I felt the world couldn´t get any smaller, I feel so blessed to be here now.  I´ve had moments in my life where I´ve possessed nothing, including myself.  With strength, ambition, and drive, I´ve found myself climbing mountains.....