ohhhh Argentina...

I still cannot figure out why there is no toilet paper in public restrooms. But, they are willing to use so much paper for the floats! Haha. My school got 5th… I saw the float today… they are destroying it. It is hard to believe that all the work is just thrown away the next day.

I still cannot figure out why they put eggs on basically all sandwiches. I do not like hamburgers but I went out with my friends and I did not have any other choice but to get one. It came with egg… to me, that is totally different. I would expect lettuce and tomato… anything but egg! Haha.

I still cannot figure out why there was like an 11 year old at the club the other night. However, at the other club, there was like a 30 year old. I do not know what the age range is?! Haha.

Anyways, my one brother makes me laugh. He wears a fanny pack around his shoulder and back… the pack is in the front. I guess he uses it when he does not have pockets?

I had a horrible nightmare the other night…. my mom stepped on my cat and killed it… then I found out my mom had stomach cancer. I was not very happy when I woke up.

Yesterday I had my first day of real classes. I stayed in the same room from 2 p.m. to around 7 p.m… but I had 3 breaks and 3 different teachers. That means I am in class with the same 18 boys and 5 girls all the time. One teacher would teach for a few hours, then a new one would come. I learned about tectonic plates… minerals… geography… yeah, fun stuff. I did not really understand what the teachers wrote on the board but I tried my best!

The one teacher called me Caroline?! The one teacher said “chair, ass, work” haha and he had us stand up to greet him because I guess that is being respectful. The one teacher expects me to get a copy of the handout some of the other kids had… I guess it is not his job to give everyone a copy of the handout he is using to teach? Whatever. It surely is different. Haha.. Some kids had their phones on their desks the whole time!

The one teacher read all the grades from the one test out loud! I guess it is common. I explained my grading scale to some friends. Here, I think everything is out of 10... And a 4 passes. This one kid had a shirt on that said A+… haha it made me laugh since they do not use letters for grading here.

Tomorrow I have a mineral class, computer programming or something like that, and English class. In English class, we translate the English text into Spanish. But the English text is about minerals and organisms… stuff like that ha!

Swim practice went well. I got invited to my one teammate’s 15th birthday party! 15 is a big age here and they have crazy parties for their birthdays at that age. However, I do not think I can go… it is this weekend. I am suppose to go another city for the district conference for Rotary. At least I get to meet the other exchange students! I am saving the invitation I got… you can tell a lot of time was put into them!

I was able to get a few pictures of our the characters on our float just before they were completed! Don't worry... the black material on the dog did not stay. I do not know why they threw it on the dog! haha.













Anyways, have a GREAT week everyone!

clubbin'

The past few nights, I have gone clubbing. It is absolutely amazing… it is the type of club you see in movies. So many people,… strobe lights… a lot of dancing… everyone having a great time. The occasional drunk that cannot even stand and of course, the bouncers that keep fights under control. The one night was “espuma”… which is foam. There was foam and bubbles to dance in… it was sooooo fun! But, guys thought they could get free grabs as you walked through the bubbles and could not see! Haha Anyways, I went again to the club Thursday night.

I went to swim practice Thursday night. In one lane, there was 5 guys plus me. The other lane had about 12 swimmers. The boy told me that we only had 6 because we are faster? Haha… it makes me feel good that I am a pretty good swimmer here. After, I went with my two teammates to our friend’s house. Then, my German friend, Sophia came to his house too! We all went to the club together.

Sophia and I were sick of gross guys trying to seduce us. Haha… so we were on a mission for two cuties. Unfortunately, we learned that they do not come in pairs. We did not have luck at all! The club closed at 4 a.m. so at 3:30 a.m. we gave up. We were dancing with each other then this guy started dancing with me. He was 22 years old… I did not get his name… he was definitely intoxicated. Sophia denied his friend!.. Haha so then she danced with his other friend. My guy was trying to kiss me… it was awkward. Guys here are soooo friendly… it is very bad. You have to say no and keep them in line. Haha.

Mommy! I cannot wait for you to read my journal. You can read all the things that I cannot post on here because this is monitored. Haha

The only thing I do not like about the club is all the smoke. So many people smoke… also, kids drink underage. Here, you can drink at 18. But, you can buy alcohol basically at any age because they do not card. They are not suppose to sell to minors but they do not care because they make money by doing it.

I enjoy not drinking and watching all the drunk people… thinking.. Wow, they look so pathetic. Haha… Usually, I have to play “Mommy” and take care of my friends.

Anyways, I am going to the Queen Election. It is for the Queen of Argentina. Who knows… Rotary wants all the exchange students to go. Yay. After, I might go back to the club!

Oh, so… I found out why my dog here is so fat. They do not feed it dog food… only the scraps left from meals. We do not throw any food away. It all goes to the dog. The cat stands at the door and meows… we let it inside to eat.

I guess it is common to have the washer for the clothes near the kitchen… basically inside of the kitchen? Also, it is common to have a toilet and a urinal type thing in home bathrooms.... but it isnt a urinal, it is used to clean your butt? I have no clue. haha

Well, I better go. Take care everyone!





^ THE FOAM AT THE DANCE CLUB

photos... photos... photos...

Sorry that I have been a bad blogger...
I should only have a few pictures then type about
them but I just have been too busy for that.

Read my last few posts and they should explain
mostly all the pictures I have here.
However, if you have questions... ASK!

my weekend:)

So I went at 10:30 in the morning for my swim test on Saturday. I was told that I would swim for the coach for 30 minutes. However, I ended up not leaving until 1 in the afternoon! My lovely brother waited for me the whole time.

The coach had me swim a little then the rest of the team came for practice from 11-1. They did a warm up then started to work on their turns. I was doing my own set of butterfly and I tried not to hit them… instead, I accidentally hit my fingers and wrist off the wall. It was all red and would not stop bleeding but I kept going. When I got home, I told my mama that a wild dog in the streets bit me… she freaked out. After I told her that I was just kidding, she did not think it was very funny! Haha

The team consists of 14 guys and 3 girls… now, 4 girls which is good because it makes an all girl relay! The pool is probably about 10 or 15 degrees warmer to what I am used to working out in… the walls are slippery… the starting blocks are sooooo much smaller than the pool I practice in at the US… and ALL the boys wear speedos! Besides all the changes, it is still an opportunity to improve myself as a swimmer.

They have a swim meet on Saturday. The coach invited me to come because he thinks that it will help me become more accustomed to swimming here and it will allow me to have more bonding time with the team. I think that I will be swimming as an independent just for this meet. I cannot wait until I am a true member of the team because I would love to earn them points.

After swimming, mama and papa took me to a place approximately an hour from my house. It is in the northern part of Argentina and there is definitely an elevation change. We were going through so many villages and my papa would name every village. I really enjoy how they are willing to spend so much time with me and show me more of their land and culture. We went to Purmamarca which has the mountains of 7 colors. They are absolutely beautiful! I also saw native people there selling things they made… such as, jewelry, clothing, and cactus merchandise… Yes, cactus turns into this wood like material… I saw many boxes and statues made of cactus. I also went to two churches there and they had cactus roofing and cactus church pews!

As I passed through the villages, I saw many cemeteries! However, these were not just tombstones on a patch of grass…they were on a mountain and instead of stones, they had small house like looking structures. It is common here for cemeteries to be on hills or mountains because they says that they are closer to God.

As we left the one village, we pulled off to the side of the road so I could take a picture. A lady and 2 girls ran up to our car and gave us these necklaces made of seeds from a tree. The necklaces said remember Maimara… Maimara is the name of their town. Then, they also handed us their address and asked us to send them clothes… second hand clothes… they did not care… they just need clothes. I felt so bad that I wanted to give them the clothes I had even though I did not come with a lot. No… they did not have money for the clothes… and in some of the villages they do not even have cars… no stores either. We passed a lady outside that was tending after sheep… yes, she was a shepherdess. My parents told me that was her job… all day long, she just watched them.

Sunday I skyped with my grandparents! They were amazed that they could actually see my face. I miss them a lot! I was also able to skype with my sister, Eli, and Gillian! I love Skype Sundays!

Also on Sunday, I went with my mom, her friend, and my dad to a place that I would compare to a flea market. They sold mainly second-hand clothes and food like fruits and vegetables. However, the clothes were from America! They had brands such as… Columbia, Abercrombie, St. John Bay, American Eagle, Victoria’s Secret, Nike, Adidas… and many other labels. They even had shirts like Seniors ‘05... Or “Get Lucky in Kentucky.” I had a great time reading all those shirts.

The Argentine people think that the prices are cheap. I disagree because you can find stuff cheaper in a thrift store in the US. Personally, I do not think the vendors know the labels because they sell the Wal-Mart brand for the same price as like AE. Regardless, I definitely had a good time. It was a great experience.

I watched the queen election on tv when I got home. They had the 50 queens, of each school in the province of Jujuy, competing to be the “Queen of Jujuy.” They crowned Miss Simpatica… Miss Elegente… 2 Dames of Honor… a 2nd princess and a 1st princess… then finally the Queen. Everyone got a crown of flowers… a sash… and a bouquet… the queen got a crown, sash, cape, and scepter! All the 50 queens from the schools were dressed in gowns, had numbers pinned on them like a beauty pageant, and they did the “princess wave.”

I guess I am lame since I did not go to see the Queen Election. But, it is different for me.. I am not really into it. Everyone here watches it either in person or on television. For them, it is a big deal but I could care less. However, it is a good learning experience and nice to know that all ages show interest in it.

I will post some pictures soon!

my week...

Sorry I have not posted in for awhile. I have been very busy.

So… already, my Mama told me to come back to Argentina once I am married and have kids! Haha… then, my teacher, who we tell everything to, told me to email him pictures of me and Dustin’s children in the future?! It definitely made me laugh! Every time he sees me, he says “OH MY GOD, CARLEY!”… in his Argentine voice. He acts like I am a celebrity or something!

This was the last week to prepare the float for the parade! The premier parade was Friday night. Unfortunately, I have a sinus infection so I did not go to school or the parade. I was disappointed because after the parade, the girls wanted me to go to the night club with them. Ohwell, at least there is three more parades for our float! I had such a boring day since I just laid around and slept. However, hopefully I will be rested for my swim test today with the coach! I go in the morning so he can see how strong of a swimmer I am. I am kind of nervous but I do not have anything to lose!

Papa checked my throat on Thursday. Then, on Friday, Mama checked my throat too. I told her that she did not have to since Papa did the other day but she said she did not care because she was Mama not Papa! Haha.. She also checked my breathing. She is having me take two types of pills… they help but the one makes me tired. She also had me put this thing up to my nose that is attached to a container filled with liquid and I breathe it in. I think I am breathing in water vapor? It is nice that they are doctors because they definitely make sure I am taken care of.

At school this week, a kid threw the flour/water glue on me and wiped pink paint on my face. I ignored him for the longest time and pretended like I was more upset than I actually was… he then said. “can you sorry me?”… haha like forgive him. I thought it was the funniest thing so of course I said yes. This other kid also told me that he better not see “rain from your eyes.” I yawned and he thought I was crying.

Thursday, I went to my friends’ volleyball game. Volleyball here is very different! They are allowed to use their feet as long as the ball does not touch the ground?! Ha… I cheered them on and they won by 2! When we were walking back to the school, my one friend told me she likes black guys. She wants me to find her one with green eyes. After the game, my other friend, gave me a tissue for my cold. It was apple scented! I had never seen anything like that in my life.

I have a friend named Naomi and I explained to her what her name means backwards. I moan. Haha… she kind of understood what I was saying.

My Mama bought me a bottle of water the other day before school. There was a type with a white wrapper and a type with a blue wrapper. I chose the one with the blue wrapper that said “sin gas.” Meaning, without gas like carbonation. As I tried it, I realized that it did not taste right. I saved some of it and later had my brother taste it. His girlfriend tasted it and said it was from leaving it out in the sun and the plastic melting into the water. I told her that I bought it like that. Then, I told my host brother that he should call the company and complain. I was like… well, my mom does that and then the company sends us coupons for free products. He thought it was a good idea but we ended up not calling.

I have seen a whole family on a motorcycle! A mom, dad, and about a 5 year old and a 2 year old… none of them with helmets! I also saw a girl and a girl riding on a one person bicycle… what a site! Finally, I saw a mom in the front seat of a car with a baby that looked about 6 months old on her lap… wow, that was scary to see!

Since I helped work on the float, I was able to buy a tshirt. I got it on Thursday. They ordered me an XS! Haha… but it has a Toy Story alien on the front then the back of the alien on the reverse side of the shirt with my name on it’s stomach! I will have to post pictures. I have so many pictures I need to post!

Facts:

My friend was right when he told me that there are no refills on drinks here. When you go out to eat, the drinks are in bottles and the waiters pour them in front of you. I think they worry about people slipping stuff into drinks.

There are so many street cleaners here. They wear a green uniform and they sweep the paper and garbage from the streets. I have seen so many people litter and it bothers me! They do not even care but I guess it gives other people jobs.

Police are everywhere for security. They drive around cars that have 3 digit numbers on them. I think it is the number of their unit or something like that. You can also find a lot of them standing on the street corners… just standing there.

I have noticed that there is one or two security guards at every bank.

I is “yo” but the y is pronounced like a j in Argentina.

Strawberry… car… pool… are some of the words that are different here than opposed to like Mexico


Now, I am going to bed since I have my swim test tomorrow:/…
Then, I am going to another city to site see with Papa!
I will be sure to eventually post pictures of that too.

Night!

oh, Mondayyyy

Did you know that I am Saint Carley now? That is what my brother and his friends called me since I brought my brother a XBOX. My brother was like… thank you Saint Carley for bringing technology into our house. Haha…

Anyways, Monday was a good day. Papa came home with 2 big bags of my favorite bread. They are trying to buy and make things I like to eat. They think I do not eat enough.

Dora, the maid, did her daily examination of me… she always stares at me and lets me know what I need to fix. She noticed that my tragus was red and inflamed. When I looked in the mirror, she was right. It did not hurt but Mama gave me alcohol and medical cream for it. I also found out Dora is 34... Not 24. Mama is about 58 and Papa is about 60.

School was good… the parade is on Friday so tension is high! My friend from the US came to Argentina this past weekend. He is at a school near mine and he lives a few states away from me in the US. He likes all the attention he is getting from the girls!

Haha… At school, I tied ribbons on the pig statue on Saturday. Of course, when I came in on Monday, it was taken down and put horizontal instead of vertical. I guess they changed their mind of how they wanted it. I try not to get frustrated but that makes me feel like my work isn’t worth anything! But to make it better, I paper mached the spaceship. We had a good time throwing paper, soaked with flour and water on it, at each other. I got it in my hair and couldn’t wait to get home to shower. Some kids at school told me that they liked my hair… when people here say that, it still makes me laugh. It is nothing special. A boy even asked if I dyed it! Hahaha.

I went with Ignacio’s girlfriend to the store so she could get a drink. On our way back, we watched some of a handball game. It was pretty interesting. I wish I would have taken my camera. I think I remember playing it in gym class in the US but when I was in class, I thought the teachers just made the game up!

At school, a boy came up to me and was like… “Carley, can I ask you a question?” of course… I was wondering how the hell he knew my name but I was like yeah, sure! He was asking me questions about my exchange program. But then he said, where do you live? Everyone here, at least I thought, knew I was from the United States… so I responded PA. He then said, ohhhh…. Sorry I thought you lived in the United States. Haha… I thought my geography was bad! His friend said that he had failed geography and the kid was pretty embarrassed.

After school, Papa showed me the peaceful petitioning that was in front of the government building. So many organizations had flags flying in the trees. They were even spending the night there! There were so many tents on the yard in front of the government building. I am not sure what exactly they were rioting about… but my parents said something about people not having food and people being dirty because not having water to shower. So… I guess they are petitioning to make it better for the Argentine people.. Of course. Haha…

Marlee had random facts on her blog so I feel the need to copy here…

Handball is played with two 20 minute halves. 6+goalie=7 on the court at a time for each team. There are two referees who do not wear uniforms.

People here eat soooooo much bread. There are many types… sweet bread… factura is ate as a snack.

Milk is in a cartoon and does not have to be put in the refrigerator until it is opened.

Mayonnaise, ketchup, and mustard are bought in pouches. The same company produces it for about 4 countries in South America. If you have a problem with the product, there is a different number for each country to call.

Vehicle registration stickers are placed on the opposite side of the windshield than in the US. They are also vertical stickers instead of horizontal.

Of course… “military time” is used here. It is on all the cellphones.

I will do my best to think of more!

I am in the proccess of writing letters. My parents think it might be $8 to mail! But, I am not sure if they understood what I was asking. If they are right... that would be so crazy.

So… I am addicted to reading The Last Song.
That is what I am going to do now. Thank you Mommy for buying it for me!

DC! you're the best!

bloody boyyy

Yesterday, I went to the school to help on the float.

The students told me that there is a ghost in the school. I guess it is a female and she has a name too but I do not remember it. There are so many different stories that go along with the ghost that I do not even know the real story.

Anyways, I also found out that the float used to be a bus... but then I guess something happened to the bus so they donated it to the school. Now it is just the bottom part with the tires. Now you can get a picture of how big it is...

So I was helping my friend, Gillermo, with the float. He decided to go underneath it so he could push up on the pieces that I needed to glue. After some time passed, I saw a bloody hand so I was like wow... he cut his hand. Then he came out from underneath and he had blood everywhere. He gashed his eyebrow open. I guess it happened from a piece of metal that the boys used to fire the metal together. He went to the hospital and got a shot and stitches. I almost cried because I felt so bad.

Tomorrow... well I guess it would be today, I am going to skype with my mommy and daddy!... and probably some other people. I am pretty excited. Wel it is past 3 a.m. here so I better head to bed! chau