Amy´s journey

Amy Cline
Universidad de East Carolina
Estudia Español

Un post que va desde la Noche de la Nostalgia hasta sus peripecias personales. ¡A disfrutar!

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Going on my fourth week! I feel like I've been here for forever-but in a good way. Every day I gain more and more confidence in my Spanish. And I'm over my sickness! I passed it along to the people in my house though. Oops. Going to the British Hospital was an experience. I guess I was just being ignorant but I kinda thought it would be a lot of lost Americans and Brits like me who didn't know what else to do. Nope-it's like a doctor's office and not everybody speaks English. And the nurses wear those little dresses and hats with the red cross on them!
Hmm que mas?
Today was independence day and Montevideo was kinda like a ghost town. All - ALL- the stores and stuff were closed, taxis were scarce, and only a few busses were running. Last night was Noche de Nostalgia and everybody parties. Bars are like 3 times more expensive but I went to a party at some mansion in the ritzy party of Montevideo. It was all outside but they had a dance floor and a DJ and couches and all the drinks were free! :) It was a day of recovery for me today. I did go walking on the Rambla. I love that. It's a sidewalk that goes all the way around Montevideo right next to the water. People are always out there drinking mate (it's an herbal tea kinda stuff that's specific to Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina) and playing soccer or roller blading or whatever. And there are these guys that sell these sweet peanuts that are AMAZING. I like going out there and walking listening to my ipod and getting to have some me time. If it's like this now I imagine it will be absolutely packed during the summertime. There's a small amusement park within walking distance from my house that's right on the Rambla too that looks like it could be exciting. I feel like the last couple posts have been negative so here are random things I have come to love about being here...

1) Taxis- first of all they are really cheap, especially if you split between people. Secondly, you sit in the front seat with them! Maybe people do this at home but I've never seen it and I kinda like it because most of them have funky personalities and like to talk and are really interested in what I'm doing here so it's good practice!
2) During the day and even during early night you can walk everywhere! Cars are almost unnecessary and there's usually only one per family. I walk the same way to school every day but I always feel like I discover something new every time I make the trip. And the graffiti (a lot of it anyway) is like art! Beauiful pictures that take up the side of whole buildings! It's very interesting.
3) Greetings- every time you meet someone or see them you kiss them on the cheek. It's much more personal than shaking hands or whatever and it makes me feel warm inside :) Yes, even the boys do it
4) Everybody shares! At previas (pregames) or just sitting around the house, what's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. It works out pretty favorably 99% of the time and people don't make you feel like a mooch if you ask for something. It can get carried away though, Mike said a stranger came up and asked for a sip of his coke!
5) My host family. The mother makes me feel like I'm one of her babies and it's like I have gained 3 brothers :)