The Door is Closing

The past couple of weeks, it has started to sink in that I will not be here much longer. I find myself thinking or saying quite frequently: "some day I will...". But the truth is that I am running out of "some day"s. After this week, I only have 4 more weekends until I leave, and only 2 or 3 will be spent in Montevideo. I can not really tell you how this makes me feel, because honestly, I do not know yet myself. But I will share with you some of my thoughts and experiences from this stage of my adventure. Because I live an hour+ by bus from Montevideo, I have not had much of a social life here, outside of school. But I have really tried to take risks and get out of the house more recently, to make the most of my last few weeks here, despite how long it might take or how sure or unsure I am of the details. Here are some things I have done/recent occurrences:

1. Dinner with friends
-One day last weekend, I went out to dinner with some exchange friends at an Armenian restaurant. We had been craving ethnic food-to add some variety to our diet-so we decided to mix it up and try someplace unique. It was delicious and definitely hit the spot. Then, we went to get ice cream afterwards. I was so glad I went, but when I got home, I realized I had been gone for 7 hours (due to travel time). Crazy!

2. Said goodbye to my Community Service kids
-This is not an example of how I have tried to make the best of my time left in Montevideo, but it is an example of how things are coming to a close. On Thursday, I had my last "reunion" with my precious kids that I hang out with for community service. We brought them their finished projects that we worked on with them throughout the semester(photo novels) and had a mini party for them. I have grown to love these kids and have a respect for the people who pour into them on a daily basis. I was overwhelmed with joy, contentment, pride, gratitude, humility and sorrow when I had to leave. It is so much more complicated than just being happy or sad when you have to say goodbye; it is most often composed of multiple layers of emotions and thoughts. I was reminded of all the goodbyes I have said in the past to children that I grew to love-in Haiti, Philadelphia, and Africa. It never gets easy.

3. Spontaneous Celebrations
-This past week was my last week of classes...ahhhhh! And so when we finished, some friends and I went to the park to eat churros and other delectable treats, to celebrate the end of the semester. Now I just have exams!

4. Study Sessions
-This is exactly what it sounds like. haha. I went to the city to study at a friend's house, so that I could be with my friends and I wouldn't have to study alone. It was nice.



5. Bargains and Beaches
-Today I took a break from studying to go to a street market in the city. It was not as exciting as the one I had gone to before, but I still enjoyed it. Afterwards, we went to the beach to meet up with other exchange students for a "last hoorah" party, as people will start to leave this week to travel or head home. Did I mention that it has been in the mid-70s and beautiful here?! Merry Christmas???!!!

6. Spontaneous Food Purchases
-There are so many hole-in-the-wall food venders/bakeries/cafes/ice cream shops and also lots of food trucks in Montevideo. I love that about this place. I always say that I want to stop in these places random days, but I never do, for a variety of reasons. So these past few weeks, I have started taking food risks(but not too risky), by trying new foods and places. Some examples of what I have had are: a choripan (a chorizo-sausage-on bread), candied fruits and veggies (I think it might be a seasonal treat, in preparation for Christmas)...


...and Torta Frita (fried dough with sugar that was traditionally made from rain water and therefore, is most often eaten when it rains). I approved of all of these things with the exception of the fruit; I tried a pear, fig, and carrot and I actually liked the carrot the best, but they were all just way too sweet.

 Well, I better go study for my exams! 

The grand adventures of Courtney, Juan, Jorge, Juana, George, and Chuminga

This is very late, but a couple of weekends ago, I went on a camping trip with my Adventure Tourism class, and I wanted to share some picture, thoughts, and memories with you. It was definitely one of my favorite experiences of this semester. We went canoeing, spelunking, hiking, horseback riding, zip-lining, rappelling, and mountain biking. 

I began to realize the intensity of the trip right off the back. We started off the trip with an 8.5 mile canoeing trip to our lunching destination. My arms were aching as early as the moment I stepped out of the boat, but it was a beautiful, fun, and challenging experience. 

We canoed up the river, against the wind and the current, until we reached the ocean. At that point, we loaded up the canoes and settled down in the grass for a picnic. It still blows my mind that this was my "exam." 

   

After canoeing, we took our bus to a large hill(not a mountain), called Cerro Aroquita, where we entered a cave and went hiking. 

This is a picture inside the cave. We spent a lot of time in silence, listening to and watching the bats and the dripping water. Not everyone would have enjoyed this, but I sure did!

Here is a picture of the hill and the views that we saw from the hill:

Here is the forrest that we walked through to reach the top of the hill. 

 

 The place we ended up staying is actually the same place I went with my parents for the day. But I was excited to return because I thought it was beautiful and I left feel like I had seen everything there was to see, which is very fulfilling.

This was the view from our cabin (on the day it rained).



Here is a view of Salto del Penitente, which gets its name from the two large rocks, which look like praying hands. Unfortunately, I did not have my camera, because I did not want it to get lost or broken, so I do not have pictures of me doing and activities. But, I repelled from right below the two large rocks all the way to the stream, in the bottom left corner.


Mountain biking through the area was by far the most strenuous activity, but the views made up for it in the end.



This picture was taken in the gold mine we visited on the rainy day.

Some general thoughts about the trip: 

• exhaustion- This trip was seriously one of the most exhausting experiences I have ever had. It was only three days long, but we did a large number of activities, and I left feeling worn out and sore. 
• tranquility-There is something so soothing and majestic about the Uruguayan countryside. One this trip, I did not climb the tallest mountain I have ever climbed, or see the grandest waterfall, but I was overwhelmed by the calming beauty of the country I have had the privilege of living in this semester.
• community-It was such an honor to be able to join this community of students and professors. This group in particular, has such a love of life and they exude with joy and laughter. This trip was sometimes difficult socially, because I was not able to relate completely with the Uruguayans or break through the lingual and cultural differences that kept us apart, but it was rewarding just to be able to watch everyone interact with one another. There was a song or game for everything. And laughter was a given. 

You may be wondering what the title of this post is about. Well, I am going to tell you. As some of you may know, "Courtney" does not exist in Spanish. In fact, it is not even pronounceable in the language. And so, throughout my time here, especially during this particular week, I have picked up several nicknames and have been "renamed" numerous times, both intentionally and unintentionally. So, there it is. 

Until later.  

Visiting and Visited

I may have forgotten I have a blog....

Ok, I didn't...but it has been quite a while. Things have gotten crazy (all definitions of the word apply) the last few weeks and my blogging has taken a back seat. But I am back. I can't possibly catch you up on everything, so I am going to talk about the two biggest things that have happened since my last post: I went to Buenos Aires for a weekend and my parents visited me for a week!

Buenos Aires

For those of you who do not know, Buenos Aires is the NYC of Argentina. Although I have never really considered myself someone who thrives in big cities, I enjoy visiting them occasionally, and Buenos Aires was no exception! I liked it even more than I expected.

Here are my top 5 moments/adventures/aspects of the trip:

(If you want to find out more, I will post all my pictures on Facebook)

1. The Company

As usual, I travelled with a group of other international students. Most of the international students had already travelled to Buenos Aires by the time we went, so this was kind of the "leftovers" trip. So...I was not really sure who all was going or what it would be like. That being said, it was a blast! There was lots of laughter and we all got along really well. I enjoyed spending time with everyone outside of class and Montevideo. I also loved that we were all on the same page and did not feel the need to do something extravagant every second. We were all willing to just relax at times and take in the atmosphere, without a set agenda. Great group, great trip. 

2. The street art, artists, and performers

The city is filled with all sorts of interesting art and architecture, from graffiti to sculptures. Some of my favorites were this giant metal flower(that used to open and close). You cannot really tell its size by this picture, but I assure you, it is huge. I also loved this mural made of wire/metal on the side of a skyscraper. My favorite street artist was a man who had deformed hands and could not use them. Instead, he painted with his feet. This may seem sappy or gross; however, I was intrigued by him because of his immense creativity to look beyond his obstacle and redefine a very common medium and form of art. He was actually very good. His paintings would probably even turn some heads if they were painted by hand.

3. Going to Starbucks

I am not going to lie...this actually made my top 5 moments in Buenos Aires. As you may not know, Starbucks has not yet reached Montevideo and it is hard to find coffee anywhere that is not espresso, so this was a treat! We had to convince our stubborn Italian friend/stand-in tour guide to let us go, but he finally caved. I am not really a coffee connoisseur-coffee gives my stomach aches and I almost always regret drinking it afterwards-but it sure does smell and taste good! What did I get?.. a Dulce de Leche Frapaccino, of course!

 4. MALBA 

Half of our group and I decided to go to MALBA, which is a museum filled with some of the most famous Latin American Art. I am a nerd who loves museums...especially art museums! I was pretty excited when I saw this Frida Kahlo painting:

 

I was also pleasantly surprised to see so much work from artists from Montevideo. Whoohoo! Way to go MV! Below is a special exhibition that I adored! It is hard to appreciate it from this picture, but it was constructed using a variety of large and small objects, and tiny, intricate, handmade people. I could have studied it for hours. 

5. San Telmo Feria

This street fair is open every Sunday and is a mile long! We walked the entire stretch, and I could have done it again. Some items are very touristy, while others were handcrafted and unique. There was also a "flee market" in a plaza attached to the street with antiques from Argentina.  Let's just say I fell in love that day and I have never been the same since.  

Along the streets, there were also lots of little food and drink stands. We found one stand with fresh squeezed orange juice and just had to get some. yummm.

[I apologize in advance for how long this post is going to be...but keep reading! The excitement doesn't stop!]

The Stoner clan back together again(-1)!

These awesome people visited me for a week and it was even better than I had hoped! 

I kind of love them. 

Here are some reasons why I loved having them here:

1. They be chill

-Sometimes when people visit you, you feel the pressure to entertain and make their experience perfect. I did not feel this once from my parents. They had no problem hanging out and making their own plans while I had classes and just going with the flow. I love that I get that from them. 

2. They loved me, my host family, and my friends well

-They always love me well, but it was so humbling to see how well they loved those around me while they were here. Not only did they bring me clothes and snacks and stuff me with great food while they were here, but they also brought snacks and (very thoughtful) gifts for each of the members of my host family. In addition, they brought packages from family members of other students from the US. It is safe to say everyone fell in love with them and their hearts. My dad was his usual, servant-hearted self and helped Gaby with some maintenance issues around the house. Have I mentioned they are the best?

3. I got to share things that they love with them in a place that I love.

-Mom: birds, thrifting/shopping, and great food

-Dad: old cars, red meat, and the countryside

4. Hotel living for a week and lots of good food

-This is selfish but true. It was nice to stay in a hotel for a week with my parents, and have a prepared and delicious breakfast every morning and eat wherever and whenever we wanted. 

5. I missed them...it is as simple as that. 

I could fill you brains with many more thoughts and experiences, but I will save all the rest for later. 

Adding a 1 to the 20!

{This post is being published a week late because I have had a lot of problems with it and I kept having to start it over...but here it is at last!}

This past week, I turned 21! Crazy. There are lots of things I could tell you about last week, but I am going to focus on my birthday and the festivities surrounding it. You might think that my birthday was all about me, but to me, it was just as much about being thankful for the people that are in my life and everyone who has helped shape me into the person who just turned 21. It was odd celebrating my birthday outside the US, with people I have only known a couple of months, but it was also very exciting.

It was a crazy day, because I had my first exam and left my phone on the bus(and did not get it back), but it was still a day that will be cemented in my mind for years to come. I was woken up by my host mom, Gaby, singing "Happy Birthday" to me in English and then again in Spanish...I love this crazy, confusing bilingual life I live. I spent my morning sitting on the patio with Gaby, drinking tea, and reading all of my birthday cards. Although I am continents apart from everyone who has ever celebrated a birthday with me before, I felt so loved and appreciated by them-friends and family stocked me with a collection of notes to open while I am here and included, was a stack of birthday cards. I am lucky to have you all in my life. Thank you for joining in on the celebration and loving me well, despite the distance. One of my cards included a pile of homemade confetti and when I saw it, I showed Gaby and she immediately showered me with it...and this was the result:

After my exam, I came home and was welcomed with presents from my host family and a whole bunch of joy. We had a family celebration that night with beer and pizza. It was casually wonderful and perfectly delicious. As you can see, the pizza here is more like cheesy bread...what's not to like?! So yummy. But even better than the food, was the company.  

Over the weekend, I decided to host a party at our house. There were a couple of reasons for this: 

1. I love an excuse for a party(if you know my mother, you will understand this...) 2. I live in a more rural area 30 minutes outside the city, where most of the exchange students had never seen or experienced. 3. Gaby insisted I have a party. 4. Some of the exchange students do not live with a host family or in a house and so it is nice to experience that occasionally. I just invited a group of students over and we made hamburgers on the grill. I suggested we have hot dogs on the grill too-because they eat hot dogs here too, but Gaby was appalled by this idea. She said if I wanted it to be a Uruguayan party, I could not have hot dogs on the grill. I then reminded her that hamburgers are actually American...but I complied and stuck with a "truly Uruguayan" menu. Afterwards, a dance instructor came and taught us some salsa and cumbia(a local music genre). I had a blast and I think other people did too. Here are some pictures from the event. Disclaimer: I have found it is just easier to have no shame when it comes to pictures...these are not the most flattering dancing pictures of me, but I assure you I wasn't as bad as I look like I was. haha

<North Carolina pals> :

All around, I think it was a pretty successful birthday. I sure enjoyed it! I can't wait to continue the celebration with all new people when I return!

Favorite moments from WEEK 8!

1. Shadowing Gaby at work

-I do not remember if I have mentioned this before, but my host mom is a criminal judge here in Montevideo and I am learning more and more that she is kind of a big deal. One thing worth mentioning is that the court system in Uruguay is VERY different than the one in the US. I do not know a lot about all the differences, but the few that I know are pretty big differences. For example, judges are not elected, they are appointed. Also, judges do not use an actual court room-all of their work is done out of an office and they meet with their "clients"(I do not know the proper term...I am not studying law. haha) in a small office as well. And the maximum penalty that they can give is 30 years in prison. 

-In addition to being a judge, my host mom also teaches law at my university. She often talks about her cases and her students, because she loves what she does and wants to share that with me. This topic typically would not interest me, but I have learned a lot from her and I love hearing her talk about her passions. She has mentioned several times since I have been here that she wants me to come to work with her someday so that I can get to know what she does a little better, and have the chance to see where she works. So, since I do not have class on Fridays, we decided that would be the perfect day. She had just met with the several members of a very important case the day before-resulting in her name being on the news throughout the day-so I was very curious. Here are some pictures from this experience:

 <Here is a picture of Gaby's desk. Everything is done on paper! I cannot imagine. It stressed me out a little. Each "packet" of papers is a different case.>

<Gaby hard at work>

<This picture is just for fun. It was posted in the bathroom. haha. I found it rather ironic. It means:"Please do not steal the toilet paper. Thank you.">

2. Museo Blanes

This week, I went on another field trip with my Spanish Language class to an art museum. I just love field trips! Why do they cease to be valuable learning experiences once you reach college-THEY DON'T! But it is very rare to go on a field trip with a college class. So I am soaking them all in this semester. This museum is located in an old house in a beautiful old neighborhood of Montevideo called "Prado." If I am being honest, the museum was really not much to see. There were three small exhibits that could be completely viewed in a half an hour or less. However, the museum also has a beautiful outdoor garden, which was by far my favorite part. Here are a couple pictures from this adventure:

 

 

 <You cannot really tell, but the flowers that are most abundant in this garden are wisteria and hydrangeas(have not yet bloomed), which are my two favorite kinds of flowers!>

3. Quality time with Abuela

Anyone who knows me well...or even not that well...knows that the way to my heart is through good food. Abuela has mastered this. haha. Twice during this week, I ate a meal with her. The first time, she was hanging out at our house and Gaby was getting ready to leave for work and Abuela said she was going back to her house to eat with her boyfriend. Gaby got onto her and told her that she needs to invite me, her "granddaughter" because, I was going to have to eat alone. So I went to her house and had fresh fish and vegetables and salad. It was delicious! They sure know how to cook! And then they told me they would always invite me over from now on when they are going to have a meal-Best. News. Ever! The next day or so, Abuela invited me over for "panchos y cervesa"(hot dogs and beer) at her house. It was a simple but yummy meal. And then we were both craving ice cream, but she didn;t have any, so we walked to an ice cream shop a few blocks down the road. I think I may have found someone who loves ice cream almost as much as me. Score!

 

 4. Also, this happened:
There is not much need for an explanation here. A fire, comfy socks, local treats, and tea makes me into one happy girl. But sitting by the fire with a cup of tea always makes me think of my family-my dad because he makes the fire, my mom because she loves us to have a fire in the house and she loves tea, my sister just because, and Toby because he loves the fire just as much as we do and I love to snuggle with him by the fire.

What can I say? It was a pretty stellar week.