We made it!

Hey everyone! I just realized that if I don't update this right now, I probably will end up just not updating it at all. This is only day 3 in Uruguay, but already so much has happened! We have done a lot of exploring around Montevideo. I'm not really sure how to describe the city though - it is the biggest city in the country, and when I say big I mean like New York City big, but without all the lights and flashiness and noise. I haven't been able to take many pictures yet [we were encouraged to spend our first few days just taking in everything and to save taking pictures for later], but I'll start taking some soon and try to put them up so you can get a better feel for what I mean.

Some interesting things that I have learned or experienced so far - Well, the first would definitely be our overnight flight here. I ended up having a section of three seats all to myself, which was awesome. The entire flight I had at least two of those seats to spread out a bit, so I was able to sleep for at least a couple hours. When we first arrived in Montevideo, it was 51 degrees outside and drizzling - a weird experience to have towards the end of August. But the next day [yesterday] and today have given us much better weather. Today it has been in the mid-upper 60's and sunny... it feels amazing.

We met our first Uruguayan friend last night at the mall. Five of us ended up spending some time talking to a guy working in one of the stores, and between our Spanish skills and his English skills, we were able to have a pretty long conversation. [Okay, so I mostly just listened. But that is still one of my favorite experiences so far.]

Something I've learned - the "ll" and "y" are pronounced as a mixture of "j" and "sh" here. This Spanish is different from "Mexican Spanish" and sounds much prettier, in my opinion. [It's called Southern Cone Spanish.] I'm really looking forward to having a Uruguayan accent in my Spanish once I begin to learn more. For example, "playa" would be pronounced "plah-jah" or "plah-sha," depending on who is talking. It's difficult to explain in writing.

The food is amazing here. Our cooks, Raquel and Mariana, are truly astounding. I'm going to have to join some kind of gym here pretty soon so I don't gain twenty pounds while I'm here. [At least we walk everywhere around here - which is different, but fun.] And on the meals we are supposed to buy on our own... well, let me just say that Pesos > Dollars > Pounds. Dinner last night cost me a little over $3.50. And that was at a pretty nice sit-down restaurant in the mall. Good stuff.

Tonight we are going to meet some of the kids from the Iglesia de Cristo that Casa ACU is attached to, so I'm excited about that. I'm so ready to learn more Spanish - right now talking to people alone is way too intimidating. I guess I just need practice.

I'll put up pictures soon! If there is anything specific you want to know about, let me know!



Here's the only picture I've taken so far:

The sunset was GORGEOUS on the way to Miami.

Leavin', on a Jet Plane...

It's almost time! After two full days of informational meetings and groaning to one another about how annoying this "in-between stage" is getting, we're finally about ready to leave. It is so strange to think that next time I write in this I will be in a different country. No, a different CONTINENT. Coming from someone whose international experience amounts to a day trip to Canada last Spring Break, I don't think my mind has fully wrapped itself around that fact.

Today, four from our Latin America group ceremoniously walked down Judge Ely to Alfredo's and ate our last Mexican food meal of the semester. Yes, that's right, Uruguay does not have Mexican food. That is just one of the many tidbits of information that has been particularly surprising to many people. I'm sure many more of those will come out in this blog as I write and learn more about the small country.

In just fifteen hours, both the Latin America and Oxford students will begin loading our two charter buses and start heading to the DFW airport. Again, so weird that this is my last night here. But it's gonna be great. I'm crazy excited about Uruguay and getting to know our group better. I'll try to keep you guys updated as much as possible, but we'll see how the internet connection is down there and how busy they keep us. :)
Goodbye for now, North America!

Preparations

Hi everyone! It is getting dangerously close to the end of summer, and I only have one more week until I pack up and leave for Abilene. If you're reading this, you're more than likely a family member or one of my amazing friends, so I'd just like to take this opportunity to say that I am going to miss you guys like crazy. However, I am also incredibly excited about spending an entire semester living in a completely different country. But you probably all already know this.

Currently, I am frantically trying to get everything done that needs to be accomplished before I leave. I've already bought a couple things that I am going to need, but still need to get a few more things together. So far I have completed one section of the five needed for our travel portfolio, and have yet to read the two books or study for anything that will be on our first test the day we start classes in Abilene. I haven't even begun to start packing.

Needless to say, I have a busy week in front of me.
Let the battle of Jessica vs. Procrastination begin.