First days
Hola Everyone!!
Here is an update about what is happening so far!
Everything is so different and new!! The people are so nice and I am learning so much!! It is definitely a culture shock, but nothing I can’t learn from!! Everything is going to take a long time to get used to, but I can’t wait until I do!!
Every Tuesday in the school we have to go to a meeting type thing with one other class where a couple teachers talk to us about our classes and we raise the contry flag. The teachers don’t expect me to learn right away. They tell me to learn the language first and then i will learn the subjects. I have to learn physics, biology, and chemistry all over again, but the math is very very easy. The math is the material I did in 7th or 8th grade so that will be very easy for me. They also have french, literature and history, but I have no clue what they are talking about. Their school is so small. Their school will fit into our gymnasium. It is so crazy!!! It is nice that it is small though because it is easier to get to know everyone and it is more comforting. In chemistry today, I was able to understand what the teacher was teaching the class because I did it before and I was able to show the students the way I did it in America.
The food here is amazing!! I love it. The only thing I found that I didn’t like so far is “mate” which is their traditional drink. It is these type of leaves that look like oregano. They put sugar and hot water and drink it. One thing I do not like though is everyone shares their drink. They drink and pass to the next person and never get their own. Even if you are just drinking water everyone shares so I know I am going to get sick very fast! =/ They even share cups with the entire school! The first day I did not know this so I went to get a drink of water and couldn’t get a cup so my one friend got a cup for me with water and gave it to me. When I was finished I was going to throw it away but she said “No! We keep them for everybody else!”
People here are very friendly! They don’t just hug or say hi but give each other a kiss on the cheek everytime they see each other even if they don’t like each other or talk to each other. If you are with a big group you have to kiss everyone!!! I still can’t get used to that yet because I keep forgetting.
Computer class is hilarious. In the class the other day they had to learn to do a radio programming and they had to record something. The boys recorded a song about a girl with red hair, but it was a nice song still. I brought the silly bands to school and everyone went crazy for them! They love them so much! I ran out the first day and people are crazy for them!
On September 15th, I will start basketball hopefully. The court is actually in a factory where they store apples so it is half for sports and half for apples (hahaha) In Argentina, girls don’t play soccer, only boys. I keep finding that girls are still not allowed to do some things as boys, but mainly just in sports.
Everything is soooo different. It is great how everyone is and everything is so new. This Friday I am going to a ”disco” where the kids meet every weekend and go dancing. It is a custom to meet in someone’s house at around 8 or 9pm and then eat dinner with about 5-10 people. Then they leave for the disco at 1 in the morning!!! They don’t come back until 7 in the morning! I know I am never going to be able to stay up that late! I have so many friends already and they are all so nice. I feel like I have more friends here than I did back home! Everyone is so welcoming and eager to learn everything about the new exchange student. And literally everything….right down to each single food you eat and how you dress. People on the first day invited me over to their houses and were planning to take me out everywhere even their McDonald’s. I’m really curious to see if the food is different in this McDonald’s than at home. Everyone has so many different accusations about America like:
1. we only eat hamburgers
2. our country music is Cotton Eyed Joe
3. we only eat at mcdonald’s
4. everyone is fat!
5. people aren’t as welcoming
and so many more things!! Each day people tell me different things they think about America.
I can’t wait to learn so much more and visit so many things. Every Sunday Bibiana and the rest of the family meet at her mother’s house for dinner so it is a good tradition! That’s all for now!
Hope to send a new update soon!
~Kendal
