hogar dulce hogar

Well I am finally back in my own bed typing this (sweating profusely, ironically, just like my first night in BA). I haven't slept for over 40 hours, so I'm pretty tired. Last night was a little hectic getting everything all packed up last minute and saying multiple tearful goodbyes. I had to pay over for my heavy suitcase, which sucked. Then, we got stuck on the 10.5 hour flight to Dallas with literally 100 Argentine 8th graders doing some big "Disney exclusivo" trip (they all had matching backpacks. and like one chaperone). They were super noisy and annoying, and they all screamed during takeoff like it was a roller coaster or something. So weird. They also clapped when we landed. The flight attendants were American, but we kept accidentally answering "si" and "gracias" and saying "permiso" or "perdon." Those common little phrases are just so ingrained into our heads now it's going to be hard to switch back over to English. When the Subway employee was talking to me at the airport I got kind of confused for a second, because he was also Spanish-speaking and I didn't know what language he was saying. So sad that this is the end of my Spanish career (classes / studying wise). Going through customs in Texas then they let about 200 Army members skip all the civilians, so it took forever. I was panicking the whole time in line, and literally sprinted through the airport to the airtram and to my connecting flight, but my friend Kristin and I ended up missing it. We got there with five minutes to spare but it had left early. Then we didn't get on the next one standby. Finally we left at 10:20 (instead of 7:40), but it was super frustrating to be so close to home and have to just sit there. My parents were waiting when we got into O'Hare, and I finally got to have the dramatic airport scene I've been dreaming of, haha. As soon as we got in the van and got on the highway it felt like I'd never left, and never been in Argentina. At home the boys had made me a "welcome home" sign, which was sweet. Alex grew like 5 inches and sounds so old now. I don't think Sprecher really remembered me, which was a bit sad, but I was obviously very excited to see him as well. My dad and brothers LOVED the alfajor I brought for them to try. I ate an entire container of raspberries plus some strawberries for lunch. It was absolutely gorgeous outside, so we spent the afternoon in the hammock and throwing the ball to the dog. Then we had hamburgers (and salad!!) outside for dinner (not quite an asado, but very delicious). Then my good friends Erin and Hannah stopped by and we took a nice walk. It was just as hard to start explaining my trip as I'd feared, but so good to catch up and be with familiar faces. Just a really beautiful summer day to come home to and relax (and unpack my life).

It's so weird to be back in my room. My desk calendar still says February 15 (the day I left). My stuff's in the bathroom drawer. Nothing much really changed (besides the season, my brother, and the fact that we have a new flat-screen TV). One last word about living in the huge city of Buenos Aires. A lot of this could have had to do with my particular family structure, but at times it really felt more similar to a little town in the U.P. than to a suburb like Mequon. The children marry and find apartments within blocks of each other. The kids go to the school of their parents. You use the same family run laundromat, butcher, and paper store on your block. These people know you by name. You can walk there, so you're always greeting people on the sidewalk, not stuck in your car. I guess I had just never thought of a city being like this, and I was pleasantly surprised.

So, I guess this is it. I hope you've enjoyed the blog...even as many words as I write can't do the experience justice. Hardest, best, most exciting, most growth-provoking time of my life. And now I'll have a record of even the most minute details and daily occurrences haha. I hope I've inspired everyone to visit Argentina!! Chauuuu boludos!