The next trip is to the south, which is supposed to be even better than the waterfalls with all the glaciers and such...but I don't think I will go just cause it's way to expensive. At the falls, we were all talking about how much money we're spending, and the majority of the people said that they weren't going anywhere else because they've already spent a tone of money. I'm right there with them, even though I'm doing fine for money, I still don't want to spend the amount it takes to go on this trip. It's just to much. :)
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Las Cataratas del Iguazú
The day after I got back from Cordoba, I left again to go on a trip with the organization that I came with, AFS. It was a trip to the north with all the other exchange students that were leaving in January. I only chose to go on half of it because it was crazy expensive (I loved it, but I don't think it was worth that much money, we spent more time on the bus than outside of it), the half that was going to a province called Misiones which boarders Argentina. We went to the waterfalls of Iguazu, which is half in Argentina and half in Brazil. The waterfalls were so gorgeous! They were probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. I was with AFS for four days, but I only spent one at the falls. It was really fun though, I got to meet all of the other exchange students. As well as spend more time with the girls who came with me last February, including a really good friend with whom we've completely shared this experience. We came here together and before that, we were really good friends. We live at different ends of the country though, so I was really happy to see her! It was really fun to see who the different cliques formed. They weren't that cliquiy, just that all of the separate countries hung out mostly with the people from their same country, speaking their language. As much as I tried, I didn't speak very much Spanish during this trip.
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Competencia "Superstars"
So this past week and a half has been the best week and a half of my entire exchange (so far ;) ). There is a lot to write about...I don't even know where to start. Let's just start at the very beginning...I'm going to make this a two post kind of thing...one on one trip and the other on the other trip...
so last Thursday (not last Thursday but the one before) I got on a bus with my entire superstars team to go to another province called Cordoba for a dance competition that we would be competing at. I was going with some really good friends that I haven't known for very long but we've grown really close. When we got to Cordoba the next day (8 hour bus ride), we went to our hotel and got situated in our rooms (I shared a room with my best friend and two other girls that I haven't really talked to that much beforehand). Then after lunch we all went downtown to the shopping mall to shop for a few hours (they were all really excited because there isn't a mall in Santiago). We all broke off into mini groups, and my friends just talked and walked around looking at clothes. Then after we'd gone through the entire mall we went upstairs to bowl (which is another thing we don't have in Santiago). That was really fun and I got reminded of just how badly I play. Then after we finished, we went to the food court and got McDonald's (which is another thing we don't have, it tasted exactly the same as home...which kind of scares me...I can't believe I chose to put that in my body). Then we went back to the hotel for dinner (which we couldn't eat cause we were stuffed). After dinner we just kind of hung out in the lobby until late (the kids over 18 got to go out) talking and eating junk food. The next day my friends and I got up early so that we could go downtown some more. We got back around lunchtime and after lunch we went on this city tour which was on the double Decker bus with the upstairs outside. That was amazing because we got to see the entire city. The city of Cordoba is absolutely amazing and I can't believe I finally got to see it. Then after the tour we all went to the main plaza where there was this huge sidewalk that was as big as the stage we would be competing on (you know what's coming), then for the next hour and a half we just stayed there with the gathering people, practicing our dances. Me and a friend finished early so we went to buy a snack and we just sat and talked. It was really nice to have a deep conversation with someone, it feels like forever since I've done that (plus my friend is probably one of the best friends that I've made here) Then after everyone finished, we went back to the hotel to get ready for a play that we were going to called "El Jorobado de Paris" which is "The Hunchback of Paris", which I think it's off of The Hunchback of Notre Dame but I can't be sure. That play was amazing, the voices were to die for. I didn't understand what they were saying, but when they sang I could kind of get what the story was about. Then afterwards we went back to the hotel and got ready for the next day. Sunday morning at about eight we all went on the bus to go to the competition. On the way were getting all pumped up for the competition and for the ten lucky students (Myself included) who got to go to a class taught by choreographer of Christina Aguilera (earlier that week we had a competition to see who got the ten spots...I feel like if I had competed I wouldn't of gotten a spot. But my teacher was super nice and thought that I deserved to go so that I could get the full experience :) ), getting a little anxious too. When we got there, the class had already started (the people from my province are always late...it's just how we are) and there wasn't much time to learn anything before the class ended. Regardless, it was amazing to meet the choreographer of Christina Aguilera. Then we returned to where the rest of the group was getting ready. We still had plenty of time so I just kind of hung out with everyone and helped the people with unfinished costumes (there was that much undone, thank god). Then they started doing hair and makeup...which I feel like it took longer than it should of, but it was a long process. And it paid off too, because in the end the hair, makeup, and costumes all looked amazing!
Me in my entire costume (the skirt goes all the way down to my feet). I love this costume so much, the boys costume is only a little bit different. They only where the skirt with a bare chest with this really cool design...like this:
Anyways, after what felt like forever it was finally time for us to dance. As soon as we got off the stage everyone was ecstatic! We all thought we danced really well (minus a couple of wardrobe malfunctions). After a couple of the other groups from our dance academy danced, it was finally time for the awards. After the opening words thanking everyone for being there and naming all the province that were there (they forgot to say my province which was immediately fixed due to my entire team (myself included) screaming the name of our province), they started naming who won and such. When they named the category for Adult section for Contemporary dance, everyone held their breath...then everyone started screaming, and jumping up and down and hugging each other. Because guess what? The dance that I danced in won first place! Gold medal! We also won a trophy for the highest score of the entire competition and a special mention for the creativity and charisma of the dance. :D So then as you can imagine everyone was pretty wild and people started crying, and I myself couldn't stop screaming and jumping up and down and hugging everyone I could get my hands on. This whole trip was amazing and it made it even better when we won, and we didn't just win...we dominated the competition. That felt kind of amazing, not just because I like winning but because it makes the only experience that I might ever have with this team even better, even more memorable.
So then we went back to the hotel and got ready to go out and celebrate. Then the next day we got on the bus and went home. That entire trip was the best time I've had here in Argentina, I don't even know how it could have been better. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that trip. Everything was perfect. :D
so last Thursday (not last Thursday but the one before) I got on a bus with my entire superstars team to go to another province called Cordoba for a dance competition that we would be competing at. I was going with some really good friends that I haven't known for very long but we've grown really close. When we got to Cordoba the next day (8 hour bus ride), we went to our hotel and got situated in our rooms (I shared a room with my best friend and two other girls that I haven't really talked to that much beforehand). Then after lunch we all went downtown to the shopping mall to shop for a few hours (they were all really excited because there isn't a mall in Santiago). We all broke off into mini groups, and my friends just talked and walked around looking at clothes. Then after we'd gone through the entire mall we went upstairs to bowl (which is another thing we don't have in Santiago). That was really fun and I got reminded of just how badly I play. Then after we finished, we went to the food court and got McDonald's (which is another thing we don't have, it tasted exactly the same as home...which kind of scares me...I can't believe I chose to put that in my body). Then we went back to the hotel for dinner (which we couldn't eat cause we were stuffed). After dinner we just kind of hung out in the lobby until late (the kids over 18 got to go out) talking and eating junk food. The next day my friends and I got up early so that we could go downtown some more. We got back around lunchtime and after lunch we went on this city tour which was on the double Decker bus with the upstairs outside. That was amazing because we got to see the entire city. The city of Cordoba is absolutely amazing and I can't believe I finally got to see it. Then after the tour we all went to the main plaza where there was this huge sidewalk that was as big as the stage we would be competing on (you know what's coming), then for the next hour and a half we just stayed there with the gathering people, practicing our dances. Me and a friend finished early so we went to buy a snack and we just sat and talked. It was really nice to have a deep conversation with someone, it feels like forever since I've done that (plus my friend is probably one of the best friends that I've made here) Then after everyone finished, we went back to the hotel to get ready for a play that we were going to called "El Jorobado de Paris" which is "The Hunchback of Paris", which I think it's off of The Hunchback of Notre Dame but I can't be sure. That play was amazing, the voices were to die for. I didn't understand what they were saying, but when they sang I could kind of get what the story was about. Then afterwards we went back to the hotel and got ready for the next day. Sunday morning at about eight we all went on the bus to go to the competition. On the way were getting all pumped up for the competition and for the ten lucky students (Myself included) who got to go to a class taught by choreographer of Christina Aguilera (earlier that week we had a competition to see who got the ten spots...I feel like if I had competed I wouldn't of gotten a spot. But my teacher was super nice and thought that I deserved to go so that I could get the full experience :) ), getting a little anxious too. When we got there, the class had already started (the people from my province are always late...it's just how we are) and there wasn't much time to learn anything before the class ended. Regardless, it was amazing to meet the choreographer of Christina Aguilera. Then we returned to where the rest of the group was getting ready. We still had plenty of time so I just kind of hung out with everyone and helped the people with unfinished costumes (there was that much undone, thank god). Then they started doing hair and makeup...which I feel like it took longer than it should of, but it was a long process. And it paid off too, because in the end the hair, makeup, and costumes all looked amazing!
Me in my entire costume (the skirt goes all the way down to my feet). I love this costume so much, the boys costume is only a little bit different. They only where the skirt with a bare chest with this really cool design...like this:
Anyways, after what felt like forever it was finally time for us to dance. As soon as we got off the stage everyone was ecstatic! We all thought we danced really well (minus a couple of wardrobe malfunctions). After a couple of the other groups from our dance academy danced, it was finally time for the awards. After the opening words thanking everyone for being there and naming all the province that were there (they forgot to say my province which was immediately fixed due to my entire team (myself included) screaming the name of our province), they started naming who won and such. When they named the category for Adult section for Contemporary dance, everyone held their breath...then everyone started screaming, and jumping up and down and hugging each other. Because guess what? The dance that I danced in won first place! Gold medal! We also won a trophy for the highest score of the entire competition and a special mention for the creativity and charisma of the dance. :D So then as you can imagine everyone was pretty wild and people started crying, and I myself couldn't stop screaming and jumping up and down and hugging everyone I could get my hands on. This whole trip was amazing and it made it even better when we won, and we didn't just win...we dominated the competition. That felt kind of amazing, not just because I like winning but because it makes the only experience that I might ever have with this team even better, even more memorable.
So then we went back to the hotel and got ready to go out and celebrate. Then the next day we got on the bus and went home. That entire trip was the best time I've had here in Argentina, I don't even know how it could have been better. There was absolutely nothing wrong with that trip. Everything was perfect. :D
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