Skipping School=Amazingness

I just got back from my last big trip here in Argentina. I went to Jujuy which is in the northern area in mountains. I went with my friends: Julie, Jaclyn, Amanda, Siobhan, Bri, Meaghan, and Melaura. We took yet another very long bus ride (about 20 hours) down there on tuesday night. We arrived in San Salvador de Jujuy where we took yet another bus for 1.5 hours to Tilcara. After walking in the wrong direction to our hostel we took cabs and found it. Little did we know there would be extremely slow to non existent internet and no heat except for little heaters. IT WAS FREEZING. It was also at a very high altitude which made it very hard to breathe. Not a good combination. Anyway, we stayed there for two nights. The first night we had a great dinner out including llama and delicous goat cheese. The next day we drove even higher to see salt flats and a 7 colored mountain. I am still not eactly sure what a salt falt is but it seems to be a lot of salt in one area. Like the ground was made of salt or something. It was pretty cool no matter what it was. That night we got home and went to the local market where we bought even more things to take home with us. I got a llama sweater for myself. Sio and Bri got them too. I also got llama gloves and a scarf. We are going to have llama days where we all wear our llama clothes. later that night our hostel made pizzas which were amazing! And only cost 7 peosos which is like 2 dollars for a lot of pizza!


After Tilcara we left for Quiaca and Yavi. It took us like another 3 hour bus to get to Quiaca and then a 15 minute taxi ride to Yavi. Yavi is a small town of about 300 that apparently has a great location to look at stars. Thats what we heard anyway. When we arrived the town was dead. Literally we saw like 10 people tops. We got to the hostel that our other hostel recommended and the owner wasnt there. But there was a couple there who gave us the key and said the owner would be back soon. After sandwhiches which were amazing and only $4 pesos which is about a dollar we explored a bit and even a few hours later the hostel owner still wasnt there. So as we were debating what to do a man walked by and told us about his hostel which is where we decidedto stay. The selling point was probably the fire place and the huge king bed that we slept 4 in. haha. Bri and Sio made an amazing pasta dinner that only cost us $2 pesos each. Incredible. Then I taught the girls fishbowl!!!! Everyone loved it. My team lost both times though but thats ok. Afterwards at about midnight our hostel guy and his friend took us out into the wilderness to see the stars. After we went down a hill in the dark and stepped on various cacti a few of us were getting a little nervous. No big deal or anything but we were out in the middle of no where with two men who had been drinking whisky. We finally got back to the hostel though safe and sound.

Then we went back to San Salvador and back to civilizaiton. There we were able to get internet and it was a small city. We wanted to go to the hot springs but coudlnt find out how so we explored the city a bit and then went back to the hostel where a few girls made mexican food and fruit salad! it was yummy and only $20 pesos each. and then we went to bed and woke up at 5 am! We wanted to go to the jungle and it took 2 hours to get there and we had to be back by 5 pm to go home to BA. When we got to the next bus station we learnd that we missed the bus to the actual jungle. So we found some taxis who agreed to take us and we went and hiked for a few hours then made it back in time for our 2 hour bus to San Salvador and then showered and ate ice cream quickly and got on our 5 pm but to BA.

All in all great vacation. I had a few accomplishments as well. I peed outside for the first time in my life i think. sorry if that is a TMI but it is a big deal. haha. i also didnt shower for two days straight. another huge accomplishment. and i hitchhiked from yavi to quiaca b/c there were no taxis. all in all a great trip.

Now i've seen just about every type of nature in argentina. I've seen a glacier, the jungle, salt flats, lakes, mountains, rio de la plata, uruguay, desert, and who knows what else.

Thats all for now :) Only two more weeks of IES and I cannot wait!
~Lizzie

Triumph

Well ladies and gentlemen, I'm not sure if i previously mentioned my involvement in student council over here because yes i am a member. And i love it. I never would have thought either. But we basically get to complain about our program and think of solutions for problems. One for example is one that I brought up as it is very pertinent in my life. The toilet seats in some of the bathrooms were broken and uncomfortable to use. So during one of our meetings I informed the teachers in charge that the toilet seats were in need to be changed and two weeks later we had new toilet seats. I feel like I have the power to change the world (or my dumb program) one toilet seat at a time. :) Who knows what I'll be able to do next!

11 actual class days (that is if i dont skip any!)
20 days till my program is over
36 days till I am home

WHOOOOOO.