Thanksgiving and Chile!

Hola Queridos,

I'm losing steam on the blog writing...not that I was ever very consistent with updating you. Its just that I feel like I reflect on my life everyday. I still remind myself probably once a day "Jennie, you are in Argentina" and try to soak up whatever feelings of awe or excitement or up-rootedness come. And now that the end is in sight, it is even harder not to think about this experience in the context of the life I will be coming home to in a little less than a month. I'm so looking forward to seeing you all. At the same time I am not ready to leave Argentina as a 5 month exception to my "normal" life, to leave the relationships I've started here with loose ends, to stop speaking Spanish everyday...I'm trying to practice taking it one day at a time. Hoy es hoy, as Chilean poet Pablo Neruda says. Today is today.

Last weekend I got to see his house in Chile! Six girls from my program and I crossed the Andes in a bus and went to Viña del Mar, Chile to hit the beach before finishing up the semester. We took advantage of the sea breeze and the beautiful ocean view, a different variety of foods, and drank STARBUCK's everyday unashamedly. It was decorated for Christmas and put us all in the spirit. We also went to Valparaiso for a day. It is a beautiful city with candy colored houses tucked into the hills overlooking the bay. Like San Francisco plus Sanibel Island beach house colors. I also convinced a few friends to go to see one of Neruda's house's an hour away in Isla Negra. It was absolutely enchanting. He collected lots of stuff related to his love for the ocean and everything about his house had some quaint or silly story behind it. Google some of his poems if you haven't heard of him. My favorite right now is You Will Remember.

The weekend before that I went to San Rafael with my program. We stayed in cabins in the Valle Grande (a valley) and went swimming in a cold lake formed by a dique with mountains on all sides. We also went on a misadventure of a "trek" in which we couldn't find the path that used to be there, just spent time hanging out together by the pool, and ate really well. It was the start of the extended goodbye.

This week I finished my classes and am now free, before the end of November! I can't get over that! I'm feeling so lucky to have a month of being on vacation. And it is an exciting month ahead. I have this week, without any responsibilities, to enjoy spending time with as many friends as I can, Mendocinians and program people. Then I'm planning to go to Bariloche and the Lakes District (a strip of beautiful mountain and lake scenery halfway down Argentina on the West side next to the Andes). Then from Bariloche I'm flying to meet a group of girls in Calafate, Southern Patagonia, to see the glacier Perrito Moreno. My parents arrive in Mendoza the same day I come back (the 10th), we'll spend for days retracing my worn paths here and drinking good wine. Then we're going to an Estancia (an Argentine ranch with real gauchos (cowboys)) and then to Buenos Aires for 3 days before flying home to see all of you on the 20th! then CHRISTMAS!!

Yesterday (Thanksgiving) my friends and I made paper chains to countdown the days. Mine was later stolen from the top of my purse at a college class graduation party I went to, and pieces were worn by several different people as colorful scarves on the dancefloor. Oh well! I think that memory is better than actually having the paperchain. Yesterday I celebrated Turkey Day by eating steak with my friends at an asado (Argentine barbeque). We captured the same idea of cooking together, eating lots, and enjoying the good food and good company. Afterwards I took the Thanksgiving turkey nap but called it a "siesta." I think Thanksgiving is actually a very Argentine holiday. A day for friends and family, to relax, eat well, and take a nap!! I actually did get to eat turkey too, at our program goodbye dinner in the top level of a 14 story hotel with an incredible view of Mendoza. We received our "diplomas" from Spanish class and certificates for volunteering and watched a picture slide show and a hilarious student-made video of what we will and will not miss about Argentina. We said a few sentimental words, took an obscene amount of pictures that you can probably find tagged on facebook, and started the goodbyes.

For being a non-traditional Thanksgiving, it was wonderful. It made me truly thankful for the unique opportunities I've had here and for new friends who are all "buena onda," people with good vibes.

I'll try to keep you posted on all the fun stuff coming up but as the time is flying, I might have to finish writing to you at home by fireplace with some hot cocoa in hand.

Love and besos,
Jennie