Today my parents come.
Today I woke up in my own apartment.
Today I am completely done with school.
Today means I have ten days left in this country.
Wierd.
Finished my finals on Weds. and my Final grades were as follows:
Literatura-B
Castellano-A
Argentina Soceidad Abierto-A-
Comparative History-A+
Political and Social Change-A-
I wish my grades transferred, my GPA would be so so so happy.
Its kinda sad how easy school was here. I mean there was times when I was stressed, and I don't know why, it was slightly a joke. Oh well.
Mom and Dad come today and its kinda wierd but I am really excited. Last night I stayed in the apartment by myself and the plan was to have my friend come and stay with me but that didn't happen so I cooked to much veggies like always, ate them all, like always and drank a Liter of beer and watched TV, it was a nice night. Wierd, but nice.
Ten Days...
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
When you think everything is going good...Thats when the world crashes.
Well story of my life, i have bad luck combined with simple mistakes.
Thats just the way I roll apparently.
Yesterday morning I recieved an email from the UCLA study aborad office titled "Acceptance Letter" I was so happy becuase I thought that it had finally come in from UB (Barcelona), Unfortunately, that was not the case. As I opened the letter and began to read it, I slowly fell apart. Apparently for my application and had to also submit a hard copy of the application to the office which I did not do, thus my application was never fully submitted and I am not in the program. So I am not going to spain in January as planned. Wow. I understand that basically this is my fault because I didn't know that I had to submit a hard copy, however the EAP office is also to blame. During my spring quarter at UCLA I had sent numerous emails to the office regarding acceptance and visa requirements because I had not recieved any information. All of the replys that I recieved said that if I submitted the application then I was in the program because there was no cap. Aain during the summer after not recieving any official confirmation I emailed again to the head office and they told me that my application was not fully submitted. I then attached this email to one that I sent to UCLA asking about this. There response was that I was in the program if I had sent in the application. Throughout my time here in Argentina both my parents and I have been contacting the office trying to do the visa application for spain, and it wasn't until yesterday did the office check their files regarding my application and saw that I had not submitted the application. Not until yesterday!!! This is after the plane ticked was bought, without a place for me to live at UCLA, and 15 days before class sign ups...woohooo.
So I have options of what I can do in the months that come.
1) I can do the ISA program in Barcelona during the winter/spring (but I probaly won't get credit for any of the classes)
2) I can go back to UCLA for winter quarter, graduate on time or early, and travel after.
3) I can do a UC davis program in Madrid.
4) I can go back to UCLA for the winter and spring quarter and do the EAP Barcelona program in the Fall '10.
Now I have been thinking a lot about this in the last 24 hours, and after talking to my roomate I think I know what I am going to do.
I think that I will go back to UCLA for the winter and spring quarter and go to Barcelona in the Fall.
Here is why:
-I will only be technically missing 2 quarters which shouldn't really put me back from graduation.
-I will be able to get more classes to transfer by going through the UC
-I can travel throughout europe and beyond during the summer before the program and in the winter after the program with my parents and hopefully my brother
-It will give me a break to be home and recover from Argentina
-I think it would be a smoother process.
-I also think they will let me into the program because of this whole fandango also, and I will know what I have to do :D
So thats what I am thinking right now. (also lizzy will be in paris at the exact same time so that would be exciting)
Now here is what I have to do in the next 2 months.
-Take finals
-Sign up for classes
-Find a place to live
-Move back down to LA
-Find a job
-Get healthy again.
-Recover from Argenitna
Also I think that I am going to go back to being a vegan when I get back to school. It will be alot easier if I have an aparment and can cook and shop for myself.
Well good news...I have gotten word from my uncle that my grandma has FINALLY decided to more to Humboldt and live with us. Well not with us because I think the whole would die then, but in Fortuna. So that is really really good!!!
Ok well tonight is Halloween and Lizzy and I are hosting a party and I am pretty excited so I'll tell you how that goes.
Ciao!!!
Thats just the way I roll apparently.
Yesterday morning I recieved an email from the UCLA study aborad office titled "Acceptance Letter" I was so happy becuase I thought that it had finally come in from UB (Barcelona), Unfortunately, that was not the case. As I opened the letter and began to read it, I slowly fell apart. Apparently for my application and had to also submit a hard copy of the application to the office which I did not do, thus my application was never fully submitted and I am not in the program. So I am not going to spain in January as planned. Wow. I understand that basically this is my fault because I didn't know that I had to submit a hard copy, however the EAP office is also to blame. During my spring quarter at UCLA I had sent numerous emails to the office regarding acceptance and visa requirements because I had not recieved any information. All of the replys that I recieved said that if I submitted the application then I was in the program because there was no cap. Aain during the summer after not recieving any official confirmation I emailed again to the head office and they told me that my application was not fully submitted. I then attached this email to one that I sent to UCLA asking about this. There response was that I was in the program if I had sent in the application. Throughout my time here in Argentina both my parents and I have been contacting the office trying to do the visa application for spain, and it wasn't until yesterday did the office check their files regarding my application and saw that I had not submitted the application. Not until yesterday!!! This is after the plane ticked was bought, without a place for me to live at UCLA, and 15 days before class sign ups...woohooo.
So I have options of what I can do in the months that come.
1) I can do the ISA program in Barcelona during the winter/spring (but I probaly won't get credit for any of the classes)
2) I can go back to UCLA for winter quarter, graduate on time or early, and travel after.
3) I can do a UC davis program in Madrid.
4) I can go back to UCLA for the winter and spring quarter and do the EAP Barcelona program in the Fall '10.
Now I have been thinking a lot about this in the last 24 hours, and after talking to my roomate I think I know what I am going to do.
I think that I will go back to UCLA for the winter and spring quarter and go to Barcelona in the Fall.
Here is why:
-I will only be technically missing 2 quarters which shouldn't really put me back from graduation.
-I will be able to get more classes to transfer by going through the UC
-I can travel throughout europe and beyond during the summer before the program and in the winter after the program with my parents and hopefully my brother
-It will give me a break to be home and recover from Argentina
-I think it would be a smoother process.
-I also think they will let me into the program because of this whole fandango also, and I will know what I have to do :D
So thats what I am thinking right now. (also lizzy will be in paris at the exact same time so that would be exciting)
Now here is what I have to do in the next 2 months.
-Take finals
-Sign up for classes
-Find a place to live
-Move back down to LA
-Find a job
-Get healthy again.
-Recover from Argenitna
Also I think that I am going to go back to being a vegan when I get back to school. It will be alot easier if I have an aparment and can cook and shop for myself.
Well good news...I have gotten word from my uncle that my grandma has FINALLY decided to more to Humboldt and live with us. Well not with us because I think the whole would die then, but in Fortuna. So that is really really good!!!
Ok well tonight is Halloween and Lizzy and I are hosting a party and I am pretty excited so I'll tell you how that goes.
Ciao!!!
Monday, October 26, 2009
Iguazu
One of the 7 natural wonders of the world.
Huge Falls cascadig over a Jungle.
Standing in Argentina, seeing Brazil and Paraguay.
A monsoon-esq storm, closing a park, shutting down a train track, and completely soaking you from head to toe.
A second day of sun, of waterfalls, and of exhaustion.
That was my weekend.
I went to the Iguazu National Park this weekend.
We arrived first at an estancia where we "tomared" sol and ate a lot (of course) checked out a Mate plant and pretty much relaxed. We then headed to Puerto Iguazu. We arrived exhausted just in time for the Buffet at the hotel. And this was danger. There was vegetable (yummy ones) and pasta and bread. It was bad. Let me jsut say we had bought wine for after dinner, but I was so full that I couldn't drink it, jajajaja. So the next day (saturday) we went to the Falls. Well I woke hearing thunder, not a good sign. And as the day progressed it didn't stop, lightning, thunder, downpour, we got it all. However, because it hadn't rained much the week the water hadn't risen above the bridges and we were able to go to the highest trail and see the waterfalls. To get to the waterfalls you have to cross several bridges. And because it was basically a monsoon it was windy. You were walking across the bridge and had rain pelting u so fast that it was painful and wind blowing, feet slippy, the whole nine yards. But we made it to the falls and it was pretty cool. once we returned to where the train was to take us to the next section, we were informed the the park had been closed because of the weather and the trains weren't running now because there was debree (?) on the tracks and they had to clear it before we could go back. So wewaited outside in the cold for about 2 hours before we got back on the bus to go to the hotel. The next day we were supposed to go to a village with natives, but because we missed so much yesterday we went back to the falls again. We walked to more paths in the sun and were able to view everything. Before we came back to the airport we stopped at a location where to rivers meet and you can stand in Argentina and see Brazil and Paraguay, which was pretty cool. Then we came home, and died of exhaustion.
Overall the trip was good. I had a good time and it was pretty. But I don't know I didn't get the wow factor that I thought I would. I mean people had told me that it was a life changing experience. That it gives you some reasons to believe in god. But I didn't get that at all. I mean yeah it was cool, and beautiful, and the were huge, but I mean they are waterfalls. Maybe I take things like that for granted. I mean I didn' grown up in one of the 7 natural wonders of the world also. And I think the fact that it was such a tourist spot made it less amazing. I mean when you have abnoxious teenagers running around and adults with like 40 bags and ponchos walking around speaking horrible spanish it kinda akes away from the scenerie. I mean I was more wowed when we pulled of the road in Mendoza and had the snowcaped Andes behind and a beautiful lake in front of me. But I don't know. I just feel/felt bad for not being amazed by Iguazu. But hey, thats life.
Also this is my last week before finals...wierd fucking shit.
Huge Falls cascadig over a Jungle.
Standing in Argentina, seeing Brazil and Paraguay.
A monsoon-esq storm, closing a park, shutting down a train track, and completely soaking you from head to toe.
A second day of sun, of waterfalls, and of exhaustion.
That was my weekend.
I went to the Iguazu National Park this weekend.
We arrived first at an estancia where we "tomared" sol and ate a lot (of course) checked out a Mate plant and pretty much relaxed. We then headed to Puerto Iguazu. We arrived exhausted just in time for the Buffet at the hotel. And this was danger. There was vegetable (yummy ones) and pasta and bread. It was bad. Let me jsut say we had bought wine for after dinner, but I was so full that I couldn't drink it, jajajaja. So the next day (saturday) we went to the Falls. Well I woke hearing thunder, not a good sign. And as the day progressed it didn't stop, lightning, thunder, downpour, we got it all. However, because it hadn't rained much the week the water hadn't risen above the bridges and we were able to go to the highest trail and see the waterfalls. To get to the waterfalls you have to cross several bridges. And because it was basically a monsoon it was windy. You were walking across the bridge and had rain pelting u so fast that it was painful and wind blowing, feet slippy, the whole nine yards. But we made it to the falls and it was pretty cool. once we returned to where the train was to take us to the next section, we were informed the the park had been closed because of the weather and the trains weren't running now because there was debree (?) on the tracks and they had to clear it before we could go back. So wewaited outside in the cold for about 2 hours before we got back on the bus to go to the hotel. The next day we were supposed to go to a village with natives, but because we missed so much yesterday we went back to the falls again. We walked to more paths in the sun and were able to view everything. Before we came back to the airport we stopped at a location where to rivers meet and you can stand in Argentina and see Brazil and Paraguay, which was pretty cool. Then we came home, and died of exhaustion.
Overall the trip was good. I had a good time and it was pretty. But I don't know I didn't get the wow factor that I thought I would. I mean people had told me that it was a life changing experience. That it gives you some reasons to believe in god. But I didn't get that at all. I mean yeah it was cool, and beautiful, and the were huge, but I mean they are waterfalls. Maybe I take things like that for granted. I mean I didn' grown up in one of the 7 natural wonders of the world also. And I think the fact that it was such a tourist spot made it less amazing. I mean when you have abnoxious teenagers running around and adults with like 40 bags and ponchos walking around speaking horrible spanish it kinda akes away from the scenerie. I mean I was more wowed when we pulled of the road in Mendoza and had the snowcaped Andes behind and a beautiful lake in front of me. But I don't know. I just feel/felt bad for not being amazed by Iguazu. But hey, thats life.
Also this is my last week before finals...wierd fucking shit.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
People
I hate them.
Well I mean I dont hate them, that's exageratting, but I mean they can be so dumb sometimes.
I don't understand.
I have given up on trying to make everyone like me, or try and fakely be nice to people.
I mean if i don't get along with someone, or can't stand someone, whats the point in lying to there face?
I'm not saying that I have become outwardly cruel and mean to everyone that I don't like, but I'm not going to put up with someones shit.
I am just tired of people trying to not hurt someone's feelings with the truth. I mean it's the truth and yes, sometimes it sucks, but it's the truth god damnit.
And sometimes it helps when you just let someone know how it is.
I would hope that people would respect me enough to do the same.
I know I am not perfect, far from it, I mean a barely have a soul.
And if someone needs to tell me something about my actions, then so be it.
I would rather no my flaws and perhaps change them then have people pretend I don't have any.
On the opposite note, I do need to learn how to have more patience...jaja.
I mean I know some people mean well I just can't stand it sometimes.
As I get older i just become more aware of all the bullshit in this world and don't really feel like dealing with it.
I think the fact that I am not super socially outgoing, because I am pretty good at entertaining myself probably has to do with it.
And probably because I am easy going to a fault. Nothing really ever gets me super excited, I don't really have a passion for anything, nothing really upsets me a lot.
I mean I don't know how many times I say, "Oh well, thats life"
I feel like when something happens whats the point of futzing around about it, I mean there is nothing anyone can do about it. Thats just the way it goes, suck it up and move on.
I love having no soul, it makes everything so much easier in life, well except for the social relationship aspect, oh well...jajaja
Well I mean I dont hate them, that's exageratting, but I mean they can be so dumb sometimes.
I don't understand.
I have given up on trying to make everyone like me, or try and fakely be nice to people.
I mean if i don't get along with someone, or can't stand someone, whats the point in lying to there face?
I'm not saying that I have become outwardly cruel and mean to everyone that I don't like, but I'm not going to put up with someones shit.
I am just tired of people trying to not hurt someone's feelings with the truth. I mean it's the truth and yes, sometimes it sucks, but it's the truth god damnit.
And sometimes it helps when you just let someone know how it is.
I would hope that people would respect me enough to do the same.
I know I am not perfect, far from it, I mean a barely have a soul.
And if someone needs to tell me something about my actions, then so be it.
I would rather no my flaws and perhaps change them then have people pretend I don't have any.
On the opposite note, I do need to learn how to have more patience...jaja.
I mean I know some people mean well I just can't stand it sometimes.
As I get older i just become more aware of all the bullshit in this world and don't really feel like dealing with it.
I think the fact that I am not super socially outgoing, because I am pretty good at entertaining myself probably has to do with it.
And probably because I am easy going to a fault. Nothing really ever gets me super excited, I don't really have a passion for anything, nothing really upsets me a lot.
I mean I don't know how many times I say, "Oh well, thats life"
I feel like when something happens whats the point of futzing around about it, I mean there is nothing anyone can do about it. Thats just the way it goes, suck it up and move on.
I love having no soul, it makes everything so much easier in life, well except for the social relationship aspect, oh well...jajaja
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
My Strange Life
So I have lived in this coutry for the last three months, I have one month left and I don't know what I have accomplished here. I mean I have traveled. I have improved my spanish. I have learned how to live in a foreign country. I have learned about the Argentine and Latin American past, to a certain extent. But what have I really accomplished here. I go out. I wonder around the city. I sleep. I eat. What else. I mean don't get me wrong I wouldn't change this experience for anything but I mean I don't know what I am bringing home from it. I guess it may be a while until I really realize what I have learned and gained from this trip, but its strange to not know.
To go back, I only have 1 MONTH! I mean where did the time go? How did three months just pass in a flash? I don't understand. And yes I am sad to be leaving this amazing country, but on the other hand I am ready to go home. I am excited to be in my house. Where I feel comfortable. Where I can cook in the kitchen, I can watch tv, I can use other rooms besides my own, where I don't have to steal food when I am hungry. It such a strange thing living in a host home. I can't be independent, I have to check in, eat breakfast before 11 and be home for dinner at a specific time and if I am not eating at home I have to tell my host mom like the mourning of. I feel as if I am back in High School. I have gone from complete freedom at UCLA to living with a grandmother...strange. It will be so nice to be home.
I have been kinda busy lately. Seen the cousins a couple times. Love them. Well except for one...creepy....but the rest are amazing. Had shabbat dinner with them and went to Mastias' bday the other day. Been going out and eating out more lately cause we realized that we don't have much time left and there is still so many places we want to go. So yeah, thats pretty much it. Nothing exciting.
Love.
Ciao
To go back, I only have 1 MONTH! I mean where did the time go? How did three months just pass in a flash? I don't understand. And yes I am sad to be leaving this amazing country, but on the other hand I am ready to go home. I am excited to be in my house. Where I feel comfortable. Where I can cook in the kitchen, I can watch tv, I can use other rooms besides my own, where I don't have to steal food when I am hungry. It such a strange thing living in a host home. I can't be independent, I have to check in, eat breakfast before 11 and be home for dinner at a specific time and if I am not eating at home I have to tell my host mom like the mourning of. I feel as if I am back in High School. I have gone from complete freedom at UCLA to living with a grandmother...strange. It will be so nice to be home.
I have been kinda busy lately. Seen the cousins a couple times. Love them. Well except for one...creepy....but the rest are amazing. Had shabbat dinner with them and went to Mastias' bday the other day. Been going out and eating out more lately cause we realized that we don't have much time left and there is still so many places we want to go. So yeah, thats pretty much it. Nothing exciting.
Love.
Ciao
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
La Playa y Yom Kippur en Castellano???
Si es la verdad. Fui a un servicio por Yom Kipppur en Castellano. Y Fue interasante. Habia mucha gente y mi amigo a yo no podemos sentar :( Entonces estuvimos parados por dos horas (ewwww) pero el servicio fue muy muy linda. Fur muy differente pero uy lindo. Fue un servicio conservativo pero en mi opinion fue mas reform, porque habia mucha musica y canta. Fue un mini orquesta y la musica fue buenisimo. Sin embargo, no hube una melodia que yo supe. :( Fui solomente el servicio de Kol Nidre pero fue bastante. Fue interasante porque los "transliterations" no fue el mismo que en los estados unidos porque los pronuciones son diferente en espanol por ceirto letras. Como por la pronucion CH la letra en castellano es J. Muy interasante. Bueno ingles ahora.
So yeah Yom Kippur was interesting. The service was really night, I mean the music was beautiful but the tunes were a little strange. At some points I felt like I was at a Latin Idol competition mixed with a disney musical. So that was a little strange. My friend and I had dinner with Daniel (cousin/unlce) before and it was nice, he wasn't to strange so that was nice. The dinner was a little off. They had chicken and we all had some salad and veggies and soup, and the gave me some fish. But this wasn't just some small fillet. It was like fish meatloaf that was a little sweet. It was kinda like gefilte fish but much much more distgusting. I mean I like gefilte fish. It was a meatloaf of fish and eggish business, I don't know it was just wierd and I was hungry so I ate a semi large amount so it was a struggle, jajajaj. Oh well thats done and over thank goodness.
Well on saturday I went to Colonia, Uruguay with ISA. I mean I hate going on ISA trips because they are completely unorganized and almost everyone in my program I can't stand, but hey it's free right? So we got to colonia on the Boat, which was the niced boat I have ever seen, let me tell you. Huge seats, duty free, food, mini arcade, etc. Anyway, we got to colonia which id so touristy, I mean everything is in spanish and english and they take AR pesos, UR pesos, and USD. But we ate a little restaurant and I actually got a sandwich with a veggie paty. Then we jsut went to the beach and sat there for a while. While a very creepy man came up and talked to us about religion and later was sitting next to us on the patio as we waited for some people to change and pulled out a condom. Mind you thi man is not young and wearing a speedo. Yes, only in Argentina.
Also had my fourth out of five midtern today. Went very well super easy. Political science and it's in english.Theya ll havn't really been to bad. First I had Lit which I havn't gotten back but the other class all did pretty well and I'm not to worried about it. I got Open Society back today (an 8!!! Its out of ten, so an 8 is like an A- and the class is taught in spanish!) and that went well. Spanish Grammer was easy and I get it back tomorrow but I'm not to worried. I have my last one Monday, history which is basically the exact same class as polisci so i jsut have tor eview a little and I am set.
Thats my life so far.
Next week I go to Puerto Madryn in PAtagonia to see the Whales and Penguins :D
So yeah Yom Kippur was interesting. The service was really night, I mean the music was beautiful but the tunes were a little strange. At some points I felt like I was at a Latin Idol competition mixed with a disney musical. So that was a little strange. My friend and I had dinner with Daniel (cousin/unlce) before and it was nice, he wasn't to strange so that was nice. The dinner was a little off. They had chicken and we all had some salad and veggies and soup, and the gave me some fish. But this wasn't just some small fillet. It was like fish meatloaf that was a little sweet. It was kinda like gefilte fish but much much more distgusting. I mean I like gefilte fish. It was a meatloaf of fish and eggish business, I don't know it was just wierd and I was hungry so I ate a semi large amount so it was a struggle, jajajaj. Oh well thats done and over thank goodness.
Well on saturday I went to Colonia, Uruguay with ISA. I mean I hate going on ISA trips because they are completely unorganized and almost everyone in my program I can't stand, but hey it's free right? So we got to colonia on the Boat, which was the niced boat I have ever seen, let me tell you. Huge seats, duty free, food, mini arcade, etc. Anyway, we got to colonia which id so touristy, I mean everything is in spanish and english and they take AR pesos, UR pesos, and USD. But we ate a little restaurant and I actually got a sandwich with a veggie paty. Then we jsut went to the beach and sat there for a while. While a very creepy man came up and talked to us about religion and later was sitting next to us on the patio as we waited for some people to change and pulled out a condom. Mind you thi man is not young and wearing a speedo. Yes, only in Argentina.
Also had my fourth out of five midtern today. Went very well super easy. Political science and it's in english.Theya ll havn't really been to bad. First I had Lit which I havn't gotten back but the other class all did pretty well and I'm not to worried about it. I got Open Society back today (an 8!!! Its out of ten, so an 8 is like an A- and the class is taught in spanish!) and that went well. Spanish Grammer was easy and I get it back tomorrow but I'm not to worried. I have my last one Monday, history which is basically the exact same class as polisci so i jsut have tor eview a little and I am set.
Thats my life so far.
Next week I go to Puerto Madryn in PAtagonia to see the Whales and Penguins :D
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Pictures Pictures Pictures
Finally made a Picasa account so everyone that doesn't have FB can see my pics.
Here is the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/RachaelTravels
Hopefully it works.
Tell me if it works or not.
Ciao!
Here is the link: http://picasaweb.google.com/RachaelTravels
Hopefully it works.
Tell me if it works or not.
Ciao!
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