Beginnings.

Well. It has been a crazy first week in Uruguay. And it hasn´t even been a full week. I guess I should start with my plane ride from Miami. We took off about 45 minutes late, due to a guy who was thoroughly displeased with his seat and a crazy lady who was very concerned about the emergency exits. It just so happens that she was seated directly in front of me. The problem started when the flight attendant went around to everyone seated in the exit rows and asked if they spoke both English and Spanish. One man responded that he only spoke a little English, and the flight attendant said he would have to be moved. The lady in front of me took it upon herself to explain to the guy why he was being moved and ended up yelling at him in an impressive mixture of English and Spanish about how he had the responsibility to protect everyone on the plane and if he couldn´t do it then he had to move his (insert profanity here). Turns out the guy spoke English the whole time and didn´t have to move. The rest of the flight was pretty uneventful. When I got to the airport, I went through customs and then went to the station where you can pay for the taxi. I paid with my card and got a receipt and a little ticket and went and got in my taxi. When we got to the house, the taxi driver, who was actually very nice, told me I had to pay him again. I didn´t have the courage or the vocabulary to refuse, so I just did it. I was too tired and anxious to really care.  That quickly became the least of my worries though.

Upon first glance, the house didn´t seem too bad...although there was no electricity. There was maintenance being done and the whole street didn´t have electricity.  Only one of the roommates was there, and he showed me the two rooms that were left.  I chose one and started unpacking, only the find that the dresser, the only piece of furniture in the room besides the bed, was broken. At that point, I was mainly concerned with letting everyone know I got there safely, so I went with Paco to find internet. On the walk back to the house, Paco told me that there was no internet in the house as promised.  He had already talked to the landlord about it, and nothing had been done. When we got back, the lights were back on, and I saw how unpleasant the place truly was. I had no pillow or towels, it was dirty, although Paco had already hired a professional to come clean, and there were bugs. I commenced to freak out. I managed to get myself to the house where my two friends, Sarah and Brianna, are living. They were still in class, but they got home soon after, and their host mom helped me. One of her friends had recently asked her if she could help her get started hosting foreign students. Laura called her, she came over to meet me and talk with me, and almost immediately Sarah and I went to pack my stuff up so I could go back with her. Her name is Giannina, and she´s 31. I now live in a neighborhood called Tres Cruces, which is really close to the university.  This is her first time hosting a student, so she and I are kinda learning the ropes together, but she has been incredible so far. Her father owns a hotel that´s right across the street, and her family all lives close by.  They have all been extremely welcoming and helpful to me.

I´m definitely missing everyone back home, and that has been tough. Its getting better though. I´m looking forward to starting class on Monday.  Also, Giannina and I had a long talk last night during which she told me she would teach me the bus system and anything else I need or want to know next week. This week has been kinda crazy because I had to settle in, and she had to get the room ready and everything. I think this is going to be my easiest semester in terms of class schedule. I don´t have class until one thirty every day and no classes on Fridays. I´m taking the recommended course load for international students, which is four class (Spanish, Uruguayan Literature, Political Processes of Uruguay, and Uruguayan Culture) and one other community service class that´s an extracurricular type thing.  All the other international students I´ve met so far have been great. There´s a good number of us from the States, but also from Mexico, Germany, France, Spain, and a few other random places. I´m looking forward to getting to know them all.

I´m going on my first excursion tonight. We´re leaving at seven thirty for Punta del Este, a beach about two hours away. Its really ritzy and resorty from what I hear. Its referred to as Uruguay´s equivalent to the Hamptons. We plan on taking advantage of the last days of summer, although we´ve been told that the weather is abnormally warm for this time of year. It may be summer for awhile.

All in all, its been a hectic, sometimes stressful week. I´m looking forward to some relaxation time on the beach! I´ll be posting again with lots of awesome pictures, I hope.