winding down?

as the weeks fly by im starting to wind up, if you can believe it. the closer i am to going home, the more things my friends and i have been packing into the days and the less sleep i seem to be getting. don't get me wrong... its been soooo fun and itll be bitter sweet to head home next week.

sunday our entire program of people took a trip to colonia, uruguay for a historical tour around the portuguese port settlement. we traveled by ferry boat, had a great uruguayan meal, walked around the port listening to a tour guide explain all of the history behind immigration in the south american countries. im not gonna lie... not really my favorite day and the eight degrees celsius and rain really didn't help that much either but it was fun none-the-less.

monday we had a great history, preparation, and tasting class on the traditional mate that is everywhere (literally everywhere) in BA and argentina for that matter. it was really cool and some of the most interesting info that ive learned about the culture thus far. i dont know if you have read the book "three cups of tea" but the traditions of sharing mate in argentina are similar and the argentines believe in different ways of serving and preparing the mate based on spiritual, emotional, and often relational ideals. it was really interesting and i love mate so that helped too:)

la bomba del tiempo! on monday we went to a percussion concert and it was a-m-a-z-i-n-g! there were 12 members and special guests and they played their drums and we danced for two and a half hours straight. everyone in the croud was crazy, sweaty, and rocking out to all different kinds of drums and percussion insturments. so fun. and to top it off it was a this really interesting and weird cultural center outdoor/indoor venue thing. one of the top cultural adventures of the trip thus far.

despedida time! its despedida time, aka its "a great reason to get a bunch of people together for dinner and drinks and go out to a bar or apartment and have a bunch of fun before someone leaves the program to go back home" time. since our school program ends on friday many of my friends are headed back to their homes friday or saturday and so we have been savoring the last few days together. oh so fun but ill be glad to get in bed at a decent time tonight!

oh and that thing called spanish class, that little reason why i signed up for this program... yea about that... well i have finals tomorrow and friday. an oral and a written. shouldnt be to bad but i bought myself a nice array of my favorite argentine snacks and ill be studying tonight.

again, i hope we chat more about my adventures and great stories when i return. talk to you soon and until then buen suerte!!!

p.s. i cant wait to see you brandon and roomies!!!