I'm leaving for Patagonia TOMORROW

Yesterday I took the final exam for the curso intensivo de español, first a 2 hour written exam followed by a 10 minute one-on-one oral with a professor.  I won't know how I scored for a week or so but I think I did quite well.

Semester classes start on March 9 so I was all set to finalize my schedule and begin classes on Monday when Viviana, the international exchange student coordinator, passed out a list of start dates for every department.  I am taking classes in the history and geography department, social sciences department and language department.  Apparently, I don't have a single class until March 16.  I have been left with a week off and nothing to do...

I promised my sorority sister Eva that I would see penguins while in Argentina (she volunteers at the New England Aquarium every weekend and works with the penguins) and I've always wanted to go to Glacier Park so my friends Miranda, Cat and Stefanie and I decided to be spontaneous go to Patagonia.  In a matter of 3 hours, we booked a plane flight, reserved 2 hostels, and planned out our itinerary to go hiking and exploring and horseback riding.  This is the most spontaneous I have ever been in my life!  Tomorrow we are boarding a plane and flying south for the week :)

Last night mom and I went to a tango class.  As if it weren't enough that I'm dyslexic and still have issues between Left and Right the class was taught in Spanish, Izquierda y Derecha it is.  I have officially learned the basic 7 step combination of tango.  The dance hall rotated sets of tango music with salsa music so we spent quite a lot of time on the dance floor.  I've already bought a set of 4 tickets so that I can return and take more classes.  We had a wonderful time.

I didn't think I would ever say this but I'm getting sick of eating pastries for breakfast every day.  This morning Stefanie and I invited some of our girlfriends over and we cooked a HUGE american breakfast.    Bacon is very hard to find here but Mommy Carmen stumbled upon a carnecería (butcher shop) in out neighborhood that sells freshly sliced bacon, yes!  We scrambled 2 dozen eggs, toasted an entire loaf of bread, and cooked up a lot of bacon.  Breakfast was delicious.  

Mom is heading back to the US tonight but has assured me she will be back to visit with Poppy for my 21st birthday in May.  I can't wait.

I'll be in Patagonia from Sunday March 8 to Friday March 13 and be back in Buenos Aires on Saturday March 14.   Don't be superstitious about Friday March 13, in Argentina there is a saying:

El martes trece no te cases y no embarques.

Don't wed or start a trip on Tuesday the 13th.

So apparently be afraid of Tuesday the 13th not Friday, hmm.  I'll write an update all about Patagonia either from one of the hostels or when I'm back in Bs. As. 

Love,

Raquel