Here's the story of a girl... who has 2 blogs and cant keep up with either of them PART UNO

Hola from Cordoba!

I have been thinking its been a while since ive blogged ( sorry kirsten) but then i remember.. i have 2 and i can barely keep up with them.

Quick (JK) recap on my life- 

Semana santa- Solo travel pt 1: A girl, her backpack and her trusty Chacos

I took a leap of faith and packed my bags are headed to Rosario for the long weekend. I really had nothing planned, only a few points of interest written in my notes but nothing more than that. The only things set in stone were my hostel reservation, and my round trip bus ticket. I arrived Thursday night around 9pm, checked into my hostel and right after began to wander. I ended up at a pizza place, having half a pizza and a beer. Table for 1 please! After dinner I wandered maybe 4 or 5 more blocks to the river just to see it. I called it a night around 11 because I was tired from traveling and all the things I did before I left. Friday- I woke up around 10:30, had breakfast at the hostel and then took off on foot with a map in hand. I ended up losing my map (fell out of my back pocket) but I just wondered until the map turned blue- literally I ended up at the river. I stumbled across a boat tour on the river, it was 2 hours long and cost 90 pesos (9$) I sat on the upper balcony, next to a family with 2 small children to my right and to my left 2 friends from mar de plata- about 4 hours from Buenos Aires. Towards the middle of the trip we started talking about anything and everything and before we knew it the tour was over and we were all having lunch together. I really had no plans for the day, so after lunch they invited me to go to a park with them and walk around. They had a car so the trip wasn't as long as by foot, but we got lost legit 5 times.... With the gps on (their Gps has a accent from Spain and they were constantly bickering back and forth about how awful their "Gallega amiga" was) ** reference- if you're from spain , any part, Argentines refer to you as a Gallego/a.  I just sat in the back and enjoyed the ride! 

Once we got the park, called Parque Indepencia, we maneuvered our way through the crowds and found the line for the paddle boats in the middle of the park! At the same time we got on the paddle boats, a light show with the fountain began and it was synchronized to music and it was awesome! We paddled for around for 30 min and then drank mate together. I normally don't like mate but I was like hey, anything to fit in and make friends!! I burned my tongue because the water was scorching hot, but it's okay-memories !! After our escapades in the park, they dropped me off at my hostel and we had dinner plans for 10:30/11. We went to some restaurant that was a tribute to the Beatles, it was really cool! After dinner we walked a few blocks and went to another place for drinks and we were out until 4am.. I was exhausted; from walking all day and being in the sun, I was done for but couldn't leave my new friends hanging !!

 I'm really awful at reading maps and knowing my way around via a map, so the whole map thing and traveling solo was probably the hardest part. There was a free tour at 11:30 and I thought I knew where I was going, but in fact I was walking the exact opposite direction of the river/where I needed to be. I took a taxi to the meeting place for the tour and it ended up only being the guide and 1 other girl from Venezuela who lives in BA. I really enjoyed the tour, and saw things that I wouldn't have seen on my own. I just listened the whole time and absorbed as much as I could! After the tour, I found my way back to my hostel, WITHOUT LOOKING AT MY MAP ONCE!!  I charged my phone for a while and then the some people staying in my room invited my to lunch! Yay more Argentines!! We had lunch together and talked the whole time and they were amazed that i play soccer for my college, and not just on a recreational basis. One of the Guys wanted to practice his English so he talked in English and I answered in Spanish! After lunch, I met up with Ben's friend from Argentina. (Ben = boy on my soccer team at Maryville whole studied in Argentina last year) His friend Emmanuel, has just gotten back from the U.S. And from visiting Ben. He was happy to meet up with me, and him, along with his friend and I just walked around the entire city talking the whole in Spanish and anything and everything. He studied at MC for a jterm so he knew what like was like there. He worked for 3 months as a waiter In New York and then visited Boston, and finally Miami! We talked about the differences between NY, TN, and Miami and it was so awesome that we were actually on the same page!! We walked around talked for maybe 2/3 hours and after that I literally could not walk anymore. My short legs were done for; We covered the whole city!!!

 Around 9:30ish the hostel served dinner and everyone say in the lobby and watched soccer together and drank happily! I was so exhausted from the day that I decided not to go out, so I just hung out with the people from my room on the roof, and drank beers and discussed life. This morning I had all intentions of going to church but I didn't wake up in time..... But I had breakfast and drank my coffee on the balcony while face timing my dad. It really is the little things in life that matter. I checked out my hostel around 2pm and then walked( huge backpack and all) to the bus terminal, about a 45 min walk. I am here now awaiting my bus, which leaves in 2 hours! Just passing the time here and people watching !! I wish I was with my family, or even my argentine family (host mom and roommates in Cordoba) but this has been an unforgettable experience and I'm so glad I decided to travel alone! There are so many places to be explored and people just eagerly waiting to meet you. Argentine people are so nice and friendly it's crazy! They accept you in right away and just like that your spending the whole day with them like its nothing! 

-This Easter, I've learned to be thankful for what I have and especially the opportunities in front of me. I miss everyone back home, but I'm so eager to learn more Spanish and explore Argentina!! I hope everyone reading this has an Easter filled with love from your family and friends!! ** 

I came home, Easter sunday at night, to my host mother standing on her balcony, waving and yelling my name. This was the perfect ending to a perfect weekend! Things are finally settling in here and i couldn't be happier! The next morning, the 3 of us (Paula, Alison and I) were finally reunited, and all we could do was fill each other in on what happened. Alison went to Iguazu Falls, and Paula stayed in Cordoba for the week- the 3 of us are so different but we blend so well together. 

Pictures from the trip:

Oddly, there were no street signs, just these painted on the walls on the corner of each street

The views from the boat tour! it was so nice to be back by the water, it felt like being home in Florida again! vvvv

So many High Rise buildings- looks like Miami

      

There are 325 bikes painted around the city of Rosario- each symbolizing a person that was part of the "Disappeared"

This quote is from the bathroom stall of the Beatles restaurant; its so true!!

This is the Monument dedicated to the flag of Argentina. here the 1 st flag of Argentina flew