There and Back Again... Almost

I have hit the 1week mark until my flight home and i just wanted to let you all know that I am so glad a year apart wasn't a year without each other. Talking to you all through this and Facebook is an experience that I truly value. See you all soon!

just a few more months

I just wanted to say that I miss you all very very much. I downloaded blogger on my phone so I'll definitely be posting more often. For some reason I like typing on my phone a lot more than I do on my computer. I hope you all start posting a bit more too. Even though the semester is coming to an end soon there's still a lot of time left before we're all together again. Lots of love!!! xxx -Mika

Lost in Translation!!!

So after 3,000 miles to snowy New York and a two day delay at JFK (don’t worry I left the airport) I finally arrived in Sao, Paulo Brazil this morning! My morning was filed with much anxiety as I tried to build up strength to leave the airport for I knew as soon as I stepped outside I’d be hit by a wave of words that have no meaning to me (YET!)

I somehow made it to the CIEE office in the city with only knowing one word “obrigado” (thank you) I don’t know how that happened! As soon as I got to the office I was walked over to a lecture on Brazilian culture…. It was about racism! That was pretty much all I got and I think there was a part in the lecture about the use of pepper in the torturing of slaves….. I could have that totally wrong!!! I just remember hearing the words “tortura” “escarvo” and “pimenta” for about 30 minutes, if you guys know anything about this (aka Patrick because you know all/ Wikipedia everything very well!) please let me know.

As for my host fam, they are an elderly couple and they are the very sweet. If I understood correctly they have 12 grandchildren!!!! But like many things here on my first day I could also be wrong. The couple’s name is Heloisa and Edson and they are still so in love!!!!! I was in the kitchen eating lunch and Heloisa blew a kiss to her husband and he caught it and rubbed it all over his face, I thought it was very cute! (it was one of those moments that I think Christopher would have cried if he had seen it). I also got to meet one of their granddaughters today; she had a ferbie (YES APPERANTLY CHILDREN STILL PLAY WITH THEM) and when she brought it into the kitchen and was standing behind me I jumped because I thought it was a Portuguese speaking parrot (don’t make fun of me I actually thought that’s what it was when I first heard it). I think it will be good living here, it’s definitely exhausting as I am trying to pick up the language but I can tell it’s going to be a good experience.

It’s weird to think I’m already on my second (third if you count Malaga) abroad program and I can’t wait to get to know this city just like all the others! I already miss my Mendoza family and I’m praying that they come visit me!!! I keep in touch with them and we talk about once a week, I’ve been thinking of maybe going back and writing my senior thesis on a topic I researched my last month in Mendoza. I also miss my real family obviously, three weeks at home was just not enough (by the way they always say hi to all of you, for those who have met them….for those who haven’t COME TO LA! Mika my mom was literally running up the stairs when she heard we were facetiming and I’ve only seen my mother run twice in my life hahaha). And as for my Dickinson fam bam, I always miss you guys

Happy New Year and best wishes; whether you are in LA, Carlizzle, India, England, Amsterdam or where ever you may be

Abraço

Wendy 

Halfway There

I am officially done my first semester abroad here in England and am halfway through my year abroad. I have been so fortunate to have made the friends I have here and to have had so many amazing new experiences. Thanks to all the working and saving I've done the past three summers (and the fact that travel is cheaper here than in America) I will have been privileged enough to have already managed to explore ten different countries by the time next semester begins, and hopefully brings me to more of them. I have had so many adventures but the best part of everywhere that I have been is that I have been there with friends. I wish that we could all do this as a group, there were so many times when I saw or did something new and wished that you all were there with me. I wish I could've climbed a mountain with you Wendy, or gone all weekend partying with you Martin. I am so glad I have been able to see both Breigh and Chris this semester, I had so much fun exploring your cities (and I can't wait to show Chris around mine). My time here has been so full of change, both positive and negative, that I simultaneously wish you were all here having tea time with me and that we were all back at Dickinson for mac and cheese day (the best of all Dickinson days). I cannot even begin to imagine what a whole other six months here will be like but I also could not picture myself going home yet. I am only halfway through this adventure of mine, and it is constantly changing every day. Whether I have a week of travel or one of studying, I am always thinking of all the fun we would all have together if we were all here. So even though I look forward to the upcoming semester, I also can't wait to sit with you all in the caf next year.

it's a not goodbye kind of bye (wait that doesnt make sense oh well)

What better time to write than at 4 am in the morning while I pack to go back home? Yes that is correct I am leaving Argentina tomorrow and the feeling is bitter sweet. On the one hand I am more than excited to see my family and friends again but I feel as if I leave a piece of my heart mind and soul here in Mendoza.

This experience has been incredibly unreal from climbing mountains to pray to the Pachamama in Ecuador to stuffing my face with asado for countless meals in Argentina. I leave with a world of experiences that I am so grateful to have had and many new relationships with inspiring and genuine individuals.

I went abroad with the intention of experiencing a new culture and broadening my horizons and all that cliché stuff and along the way I’ve found a small piece of myself. I think I have to say that I have never been so proud to be Latina and I truly am lucky that I can connect to this vast and beautifully diverse region. I guess it’s been hard to write on here and now sum up my experiences simply because (as many of you know) the question “how was/ is abroad?” is quite daunting. It’s hard to encompass tubing down the napo river in the amazon, eating mountains of rice in Ecuador, walking an hour to get to school (NO ONE FREAKING COMPLAIN ABOUT HAVING TO WALK FROM GOODYEAR TO DENNY!!!), sharing mate, riding the bus to school that is so full I sometimes felt like I was going to fall out the door, building up the courage to move out of my first home stay and bonding with my professors family when no one else could take me in. We are so freaking small in this universe and it truly has humbled me meeting people who have each given me a piece of something new. It kind of feels as If life were a jigsaw puzzle made up of tiny pieces of events and people who have touched you.  Besides the Mendocinos who have welcomed me into their lives I also somewhere along the way grew an immense love and appreciation for each one of the 11 other Dickinsonians on this trip with me. I’ve been planning on studying abroad since high school and now that my first semester of it is coming to a close its unbelievable how fast time flies from my highest highs to lowest lows I wouldn’t have changed a single thing about this semester. Going home most definitely doesn’t mean good bye just simply an end of this particular chapter for now.

I love each and every one of you unbelievably so and I hope your semesters are also wrapping up nicely!!! As for those of you who will be in LA in the next three weeks I expect to see you!!!!!!!!! not a suggestion, it’s a demand!!!

It's 5 o' clock in the morning

It's 4:38 in the morning, I lied. I just finished watching this amazing indie film called "Stuck in Love." I cried so much. It's probably the most I've cried since watching Perks a year ago. I recommend this movie to anyone interested in writing and love, and writing about love. I discovered that I love Elliot Smith because of this film too. When you watch this make sure your door is closed. As I was watching the saddest part of the movie and bawling my eyes out, my friend from flat 6 drunkenly came into my room and tried to kiss me. Yep. So lock your doors, and hide your kids and wives every body because guys are just barging in during sad movies and trying to steal a sweet one from you.

I'm different (that and i couldn't think of a post title..)

Selfless Selfie

I'm different, yeah I'm different I'm different, yeah I'm different I'm different, yeah I'm different... 

Well I figured I should actually start posting regularly now, considering the holidays are right around the corner and content will start to increase and I will have no idea where to begin with how stuff is going..... Hmm OH I've been keeping my hair short this semester, this selfless selfie does not prove that but take my word, also i wear hats now, hats are cool. other than that I guess I can start off by saying that the work in the LGBTQ Services Office is hectic but rather enjoyable, never a dull moment in Landis house. Though I wish Paula would bring the kids around more often this half of the semester but I get to see them every other day as I walk to class because that is walking time, of course Aleah is in the stroller. I probably will never see here walk; getting use to the idea that Paula is leaving has not been the easiest, I can't get my head around the idea of not having Paula at our Senior Year PPR or running the usual events of ODI or SD. Actually, I can't seem to imagine how our senior year is going to be at all, now that we are well into the semester I can start to see how the next generations are going to to shift the atmosphere on campus, and it's neither better nor worse just weirdly different. WE NEED MORE WEIRD PEOPLE!!! but the good kind of course, we already have the hella creepy weird people here.... 
I really can't say much because I'm boring, other that

Oh Derek!!

this semester I've gone  to one too many a parties that I doubt I've had a weekend to just stay in and relax.. ALSO contrary to popular belief *cough* *wendy* *cough* No I am not just staying in my bed watching Teen Wolf. However, that would not be a bad idea in any way shape or form because who doesn't want to stay in and see Derek and Stiles build the best bromance ever.. or simply just look at Derek.. I mean look at him..
All I need is a beat that's super bumpin! (For me to back it up and dump it!)

Okay now I'mma need you guys to post more or else... 

Slow down, grab the wall
Wiggle like you tryna make yo ass fall off
Hella thick I wanna smash 'em all 
Now speed up, gas pedal 

It's like La Gasolina only a bit more direct on the sexualness yet the allusion to a car/gas is lost. I mean if this song is not inspiration enough for you guys to post more I have no clue what would be.