Iguazú Falls: A Site to See

Another weekend, another trip across the country. This time? Iguazú Falls. As one of our more expensive trips, we have been planning for this weekend for a while now, so you can imagine all of the excitement we had built up.

Erik, Ann, Jordan, and I woke up early Saturday morning and attempted hopping in a cab to get to the airport. We walked around a bit, made a few phone calls, and we finally hailed one on a random street corner in town. We arrived at the airport in plenty of time (you only have to check in 35 minutes before departure!) and we were on our way to the terminal. As we approached our gate Zack, another group member, greeted us. He arrived hours before us in order to fix some problems with his confirmation. Earlier, we did not expect him to come, so it was a pleasant surprise that he got everything figured out. We also met Kelly and Grace, who were on a different flight not too long after ours. Our flight didn’t last long, as I slept through most of it. However, I somehow conveniently managed to wake up just in time for the food box they provided. I couldn’t have gotten luckier. I opened the box and two delicious Havanna alfajores were staring me in the face. I was in dessert heaven.

After waking up from my coma (not sure if I was just tired or if it was due to the sweets), we were on our way to the hostel. Our hostel was more like a resort compared to the one we stayed in Villa General Belgrano. We dropped our bags and set out for an adventure at the falls all day.

We roamed around the park and found our way to a few trails to stop and take pictures of the falls. I would attempt to describe how magical these falls truly are, but no words could ever do them justice. We all agree that the pictures don’t even remotely resemble the powerful, yet beautiful force of water. I kept asking myself all day how nature could ever create something so amazing.



After completing both upper and lower courses, we came across an offer we couldn’t refuse. A moonlight tour of the falls. Usually, the park closes at 6pm, but 5 nights a month (the days surrounding a full moon), they offer dinner tours of the “Garganta del Diablo,” which is the highest fall of Iguazú Falls.



We retreated back to the hostel to grab a snack and freshen up and we headed back to the falls later that night. After waiting for a bus for what seemed like forever, we decided that we needed to hop in a cab to get to the Falls in time for our tour. We made like clowns and stuffed eight people in a tiny car that seats five.

The tour consisted of a bit of the history of the Falls and its surroundings. We learned that the raccoon-like animals that we had come across earlier in the day were not actually raccoons, but coatis. They are suffering from high cholesterol and dying out. As sad as it is, I had to laugh when I heard the tour guide explain, “they should not eat French fries, chocolate, or Coke.”



After the chat, we finally arrived at the Garganta del Diablo. It was even better than I remembered just a few hours earlier. It looked as if I was at a completely different waterfall. The moonlight hit the water in just the right places and the mist of the water was unreal. Unfortunately, because of the darkness, pictures were impossible. However, I will never forget how nature looked right then and there.

By the time we returned back to the main part of the park, we had worked up quite the appetite. Lucky for us, dinner was included in the tour’s package. Little did we know that this dinner was an all-you-can-eat barbeque that was in-cred-ible. We spent most of our time in silence, barely stopping to breathe and we racked up close to thirty plates in food!

The next day, we woke up in time for breakfast (even though, I STILL felt full from the night before) and then we went to Tres Fronteras, the point where Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay meet. Very similar to the four corners we have back in the States. After snapping some photos and making a few market purchases, it was time to head to the airport and back home for the night.



We arrived back home and immediately hit up the only restaurant that had room for us, as it was a big day for Argentina. The Argentina-Mexico game. Of course, we came out on top ☺

Speaking of fútbol, I am doing really well in my work’s competition. How cool would it be to win? The only American in the office….

Until next time…Arg-gen-tina! Ar-gen-tina!

Una Semana Divertida

I have LOTS of catching up to do, so here goes another long post. Brace yourself.

Last week was fun-filled with a few different shows. It all started on Thursday night when a group of us went out to a concert porteño-style. Earlier in the week we found out about a Dante concert. For those of you that are confused as to who Dante is, I highly recommend checking out his music. Erik, the music guru, described him earlier in the week as being a cross between Jay-Z and Lady Gaga. That was enough convincing for us. The night was filled with amazing songs (some of which I had no idea what they were about) and it was a great show overall. Afterward, we stepped outside the venue only to be greeted by a documentary crew. If you know me and cameras, then you know I instantly gravitated toward it in order to get in a few minutes of fame. We screamed out the few Spanish phrases we could think of at the time (which translates to: “We LOOOOOVE music” and “Dante’s songs come from the heart!”). We joked that they’ll just play music over our kindergarten-level response in the actual video.



Because we just couldn’t get enough music in on Thursday night, the group set out for Bella y La Bestia (Beauty and the Beast) on Saturday evening. This was unlike any other performance I had seen before. The costuming, set, and overall talent was indescribable. Needless to say, I was floored by the performance (as my dorky theatre geek came out in full force this night) and I left with a grin from ear to ear and, of course, a shirt from the show.



We called it an early night, as we had to be up at the crack of dawn the following morning. It was time for Uruguay! I set out with a lack of sleep in hopes to sleep on the flight. I was wrong. By the time we lifted, we were already descending. Thank you, 30-minute flight. I arrived with bags under my eyes, but it was worth it. Montevideo, as big as it is, is nothing like Buenos Aires. I pleasantly enjoyed the sites, but most importantly the exchange rate. (1 USD=20 Uru Pesos).

Carolina, our program director, put together quite the trip. On Monday, we visited multiple media outlets including Monte Carlo Radio, El Observador newspaper, and Canal 10, the major TV network of Montevideo. It was amazing how similar and how different things can be run in different countries. We learned that much of the editing process at Canal 10 is the same as the United States, however we also found out that 98% of Uruguay listens to radio consistently, far from the numbers we reach in the U.S.

The following day we hopped on our van and set out for Universidad de Montevideo, a private university on the outskirts of town. Carolina had asked us a week or two prior to this visit to prepare a presentation about Mizzou and life in the U.S. Various group members chose topics such as Homecoming, Greek Life, Sports, and the J-School. Upon entering the building, we were slapped in the face with the biggest surprise yet. No, we weren’t going to be casually discussing these topics with other Uruguayan students. We will be questioned about OTHER (unprepared) topics. On the radio. Live. In Spanish. Talk about a heart attack. Remember how I said 98% of Uruguay actively listens to the radio?

After fumbling over our words and breaking a small sweat, we somehow managed to get through the interview. After a brief tour of the school (and amazing library), we headed to the school’s café in order to watch the game with some local students. Uruguay won, as they hoped, and a mass celebration broke out in the school, workplace, and streets. Nowhere has a heart for fútbol like Latin America.

On our final day in the city, we opted to go to ‘Punta del Este,’ a small, yet beautiful place about an hour and a half from Montevideo. We all agreed that this was one of our favorite places thus far. From bright sandy beaches and beautiful flowers, to breathtaking mountains and incredible sites, it was by far one of the prettiest places that I have seen. It was nice to feel slightly warmer weather and hang out in the sand for a bit. (Summer weather? I miss you!)



I have returned back to my internship and classes for the meanwhile, but tomorrow starts yet another adventure. Iguazú Falls, here I come!

Hasta luego, vida de la ciudad!

After the hustle and bustle of the city streets in Buenos Aires, it was finally time to take a break and head into the mountains. This past weekend, six group members and I made the trek up to the Retiro bus station and headed out on a ten-hour bus ride. Destination? Villa General Bellgrano. Where exactly is that? Think small German influenced town northwest of Buenos Aires. It is directly outside Córdoba and barely reaches the population of 6,000 people. The inexpensive bus ride provided us with “camas,” so I quickly got on the bus Friday night after work and drifted off to “sleep” as we drove through the night.

Thanks to my roomie, Ann, we had a room at Hostel Rincón, a small ranch-like place run by a Dutch family just walking distance from the bus station (Oh wait, everything in the town is walking distance). We quickly dropped off our bags as the sun rose and grabbed a quick breakfast at a local café in town. After breakfast, we had the whole day ahead of us. But first, the fútbol game! Argentina played Nigeria in the late morning, so we sported our newly purchases OFFICIAL jerseys and sat down at a little German inspired pub in town. After a few celebratory drinks, it was time for “caballos.”



After a few comedic telephone calls with the horse owners, Grace finally had set up a horseback riding trip for the group that afternoon. At about 2pm, Patuco (an 82 year-old Villa General Bellgrano native), showed up with 10 horses for our choosing. We all hopped on our chosen horses (some with experience and others with none…sorry Erik!) and we started our trek up and through the mountains for four straight hours.
My horse was quite the fat-so, constantly stopping along the way to munch on every piece of grass or leaf, so naturally I took it upon myself to name him “Gordo” (No, not Lizzie McGuire’s BFF…the Spanish word for “fat”). We couldn’t have asked for better weather or a better tour guide. Given no rules or instruction, we took paths I couldn’t have dreamed of taking in the States. We traveled through rocky terrains and up a mountain to forest-like areas complete with a trek through some streams. It was nothing short of amazing.



Back at Rincón, we finally checked in, however we were hit with a bit of a surprise. A surprise roommate. The lady in charge explained that if we roomed with a young man, our hostel room would cost significantly less. Obviously, we all agreed to go for it. We met the “chico,” Dan, who spoke less Spanish than me (I was just as shocked!). We find out that he is from a small town in New Zealand and plans to backpack through South America for the next four months, even though his Spanish is very minimal (and by minimal, I mean he thought an ensalada meant enchilada at dinner that night…we didn’t think he looked much like a “salad guy”). Bueno suerte, chico.

Sunday, we took the day as it came. After breakfast at the hostel and a few tunes on the guitar, we headed out to the mountains once again. We made a group decision to hike up a mountain trail, given that the day was almost as nice as the previous. It took us close to an hour to get to the top look out onto the entire town. After a few (or more than a few) snapshots and nice long chat, we made the hike back down, which was almost as challenging as going up!



Of course our group can’t go a day without sweets, so we stopped for some homemade ice cream at a local “heladora.” Yum-my. However, nothing can top the previous day’s treat: Conitos. Chocolate covered brownie and dulce de leche cones that melted in your mouth. Double Yum-my.

Exhausted from the two days outdoors, we hopped back on the bus, but of course, not without another mild heart attack. Bridget lost her ticket, which somehow ended up with her and Erik taking a trip to the police station to fill out a report on the missing item (not quite the way we do things back home, but whatever). Bridget was allowed back on the bus as long as she did this, so Erik accompanied her on her journey. We had no idea that this “journey” to the police station would take as long as it did. Luckily, after much debate on how to handle the situation, Erik and Bridget made it back to the station and on the bus with only minutes before take-off.

It’s easy to see that this was a successful trip. And there are many more getaways plans in the works. Until then…

Photos! Photos! Photos!

For all of you non-Facebookers....here is the link to my Flickr page:

www.flickr.com/photos/kelseyibach

Check out more pictures of my adventures there!

Hasta luego!

Time Flies...

I cannot believe I haven’t blogged in over a week! A lot has happened since then.

First, I will fill everyone in on my "pasantía" a bit more.

On the second day, I anxiously approached the door of my building (this time, the RIGHT door), and I walked up to my desk. It was filled with all sorts of goodies! I have my own coffee cup and the staff left me some beautiful flowers to add some life to my space. I even received some delicious (yes, I already ate them) "alfajores" from the local Havanna (way cooler than Starbucks!). My confidence is surely increasing as I am trying new things. Like maté. Maté is a very social drink here in Argentina. It is a traditional South American infused drink that is prepared from steeping dried maté leaves in hot water. Everyone here seems to have his or her own mate cups, which are conveniently sold in every shop or street corner. One mate cup is passed around between the group and it is quite the process to drink, as each cup has a tin filtered straw. While most Americans think the taste is a bit too much, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was nice to be included in the ritual at work and fit in with everyone.

Here is what a maté cup looks like:


Work is already feeling a little more like home. Oh yeah, except for that part where everyone speaks Spanish.

The speaking, by far, has been my greatest obstacle. I constantly have been asking my team to repeat directions to simple tasks, just to make sure I am on the same track. Being a perfectionist, I have to constantly ask questions to make sure I am doing everything right. I can feel myself slowly getting better at all of this, despite the challenges I have faced. Actually, my internship is my favorite part of this "Spanish immersion."

This weekend, my group members and I had a chance to see some new things here in Buenos Aires. On Saturday, most of the group agreed to head over to the racetrack in hopes of winning some big money on the horse races. No such luck. After a few group members bet and lost a few pesos, we started craving Mexican food and took a walk to the nearest Mexican restaurant (a real rarity here).

The Hipódromo (racetrack):



On Sunday, we had high hopes of waking up early and heading to Colonia for the day. It is a few hours from here by ferry and we just felt the need to get away from the big city for a bit. Ann and I slept through our alarms (go figure) and a few other group members didn’t make the ferry in time due to some passport troubles. Us four decided to make the best of our day and spend our “Colonia money” on shopping. We bought some handmade FOMS (fake TOMS shoes) at the market just down the street, which started the successful day. The weather screamed, “stay outside,” so naturally we passed by a famous site in the area, "La Flor" and then headed over to the local zoo. After waiting in line with a bunch of 5-year-olds and grabbing some roasted nuts (a sweet smell that fills the air on every block….how can you resist), we made it inside. Let me tell you, the zoo here is NOTHING like home. The only animals that are legitimately in cages are the monkeys, birds, and felines. Everything else is either guarded by a thin railing or nothing at all. For instance, the elephants just hang out on a platform for all to see, just feet away from you.

La Flor:



The Zoológico:



We wrapped up the fun filled afternoon with a trip to Palermo (one our favorite spots in the city) and shopped until we dropped. Enough said.

This week has been pretty tame. Class, work, eat, hang out, sleep, etc. The weekend is slowly, but surely approaching and we just booked our trip to Villa General Belgrano, which is just outside of Córdoba. The weekend is packed with some solid adventures! If you have a few minutes to spare, read up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Villa_General_Belgrano
I can’t wait!

Un beso!