Update!!!

Wow, I haven´t written for only a short while and I already have so much to tell! On Sunday (the third) I arrived in Venado Tuerto by bus. It was a 7 and a half ride, and I was so nervous that we would miss the stop that I only slept for one hour. I had to ask someone which stop Venado Tuerto was, and it took me about an hour to get the courage to do it! When I finally met my family, I was overwhelmed with relief. My mom is EXTREMELY nice and touchy. My two younger brothers, Mariano (15) and Gustavo (12) are non-stop chatterboxes and crack jokes every other second. They are always laughing, and it was a great way to break the ice. I also met my grandma, who is seventy might I add, but she left the house at about midnight to take the bus back to Buenos Aires to visit her family!!!! She´s not back yet. My older brother is like a skater boy and has a lot of piercings, and he is also very nice. He plays the guitar really well. When I got home, they had a party for me with empanadas y chorizo and a lot of family and friends. I was very grateful, but also very tired. On Monday I woke to find Mariano not at school, so I talked to him until the others got home. I had a lunch of milanesa (breaded beef) and mashed potatoes. It was delicious. Meal times are very different here. Breakfast is pretty non-existant, just coffee or hot chocolate. When everyone gets home from school and work at 12 or 1, we have a large lunch. Then its siesta. My brothers and I usually watch a movie while our mom sleeps. At around three, mom leaves again for work and doesnt come back until 9 or 10!! Then we have a small dinner and get ready for bed. Yesterday was my first day of school. I t was very hard and probably one of my low points. For one, everyone stared at me which is very awkward. And I know I can speak pretty sufficient spanish, but I didnt understand anything was telling me. It´s very hard being labeled as "stupid" or "foreign" or being referred to as the Yankee. Everyone watches every move you make. Hopefully it will get better. Also, the school system and the school are very different. The rooms have limited heating capabilities, and are very small. Also, once your a junior, you have to choose one of the two career paths you want to take: Art Design and Communications or Natural Sciences. THe bulk of your subjects are fovused in this general category. They decided to have me sit in a natural science class for one day and the art design class for another and then choose. Today i was supposed to go to the art class, but I had to buy school supplies and a uniform instead. I am getting really close to my younger brother Gustavo. Hes very funny and is not afraid to correct any mistakes i make. Overall, i feel very comfortable here. Language barriers are hard, but im trying. I cant wait until I feel more part of the family and less like a foreigner.

****In the pictures you will see me with my youngest brother Gustavo in my room, my mother making a face, and my oldest brother Guillermo and Gustavo.