In Love Already...

Chivitos. Matte. La Rambla. Cortados. Colonia 2073.

It's amazing how quickly you are forced to remember words, addresses, and food names when you need to know them to survive!

After a two and a half hour bus ride to Dallas, ten hour flight to Buenos Aires, three hour layover, and one hour flight to Montevideo, we arrived safe and sound. The last two days have been a blur of jet lag, new sights, delicious tastes, and exhaustion.

Since arriving, we have settled into our new home, Casa ACU. The building is downtown and features many dorm rooms, class rooms, a huge kitchen, computer lab, and courtyard. The building used to be a coffee factory in the 1900's. It is stunning. Marble walls, unique architecture, lots of glass and tile, wireless internet (very handy).

The people around me have been a total blessing. We have nine girls and one boy on the trip. There is also one visiting faculty member, Ronnie Rama, and the hosts, the Walkers. Ronnie grew up in Uruguay and is a teacher from ACU. Wimon and Rosalinda Walker have both taught at ACU and live in Montevideo to head up the Study Abroad program here. I know by the end of this experience I will consider these people my second family.

A large theme for this weekend (and I'm predicting the whole trip): FOOD. Uruguay prides itself in its meat selection, empanadas filled with dulce de leche- a carmel like substance, coffee (which is the best I've ever had hands down), and matte (a tea). I will have to do a whole blog just on food in the future because it is the best I have ever had hands down!

We were given a tour of the beach and many parts of the city this weekend. The city is much different than I was expecting, in a good way! I think I was expecting something less European, more dangerous, and smaller. Much of the architecture looks like it comes out of a European travel guide. It reminds me of a Spanish NYC at times- huge, lots of buses and taxis, bustling, hot dog stands, and very fast paced. The people look quite European too, ligher complexions and some have blonde hair. So, unless I talk in my English or horrible broken Spanish, I don't stick out as bad as expected haha.

I attempted some Spanish conversation tonight with the church members from the church connected to Casa ACU. Fail lol. I'm hoping that, by the end of the trip, I will look back on tonight and think "Wow I've come far in my Spanish skills!" Crossing my fingers!

There is so much more I could say, but for the sake of not boring everyone I will stop there. I have posted an album of pictures on Facebook if anyone is interested in seeing pictures you can see them there!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1658471&id=1155468857#!/album.php?aid=76384&id=1155468857&ref=mf

All to say I'm in love already with Montevideo. I love you all!