So my 5th month on exchange has drawn to a close. Sometimes, the days seem to drag out and other days I feel like I’ve blinked and it’s over! I remember when I first came, and the other students were saying they only had 5 months left and now they’re gone, and it just makes me realise how crazy the whole concept of time is while on exchange. It’s been a pretty quiet month, just fitting into life here, seeing my school friends when I can, doing my Spanish homework and just being with my family.
Cass and her girlfriends
In this month, my confidence with Spanish has really gone through the roof and now I feel a lot more confident about meeting people and expressing myself. Obviously, it’s still difficult sometimes because I can’t say everything I want to say, or tell stories, and sometimes I don’t understand jokes and things but in general I can understand pretty much everything (except in a group when everyone is talking or it’s a difficult topic). I am managing to sometimes have relatively deep conversations which is nice. It also of course makes it easier that my family only speaks Spanish with me and that my friends now communicate solely in Spanish. I have Spanish classes every week, and I really enjoy it but mostly for the homework as it’s what I do in most of my classes. I feel really proud of how far my Spanish has come from being able to only say ‘Hola! or Sacapuntas’ (which means pencil sharpener) 5 months ago.
Health-wise I feel like I’m still on top of things, I still go to the gym everyday that I can. Sleep is the only thing that I find difficult, because I’m surviving on maximum 5 or 6 hours every night, but I sleep around 13 on weekends and I figure I’ll just catch up on a years worth of sleep at home. I do keep getting sick, about one or two times a month which I think is probably to do with the sleep situation!
Cass and Nils
This month I went to Jesus Maria a couple of times, the first time to see Nils, the German exchange student. I stayed at another family’s house for the first night, with Sonia from Belgium, and it’s so strange because now in that city I have connections with different families! They were so nice to me and interested too, and just happy to have me in their house. I sometimes message Nil’s host mum to ask how she’s doing and am always welcome at her house even without students there! It’s so nice to sort of feel I’ve been welcomed into families that aren’t even hosting me and to feel if I ever really needed something there are a few different families I could go to.
Cassidy's host brother Fede
Life in my second host family is going really good. I play monopoly or just laugh along with my little host brother quite a lot and it’s such a different experience living with two brothers as I’ve never done that before. As my Spanish is getting better, I feel comfortable with my host mum and really get along with her and am talking to her a lot. Also, because I am interested in cooking, I help my host mum with dinner sometimes and am learning how to make some Argentinian foods to bring home!
I saw my counsellor for dinner again this month! I really love him and have a good relationship with him, Adrianna his wife, and with Mariano their son. They talk about me like I’m their daughter and I feel very, very comfortable there. While he is not great at contacting me, I go out of my way to see them and now we have a really good relationship. I’m going to the President changeover next week too, so that will be good because I really like speaking to all the Rotarians even though they’re a little surprised I’m actually interested.
Cass has made some very good local friends
School continues to be amazing! I sit and talk with different people all the time. Honestly the highlight of my week is going to school and the conversations that I am having with people. There’s been a few people that I’ve really built connections with, and I really feel like part of the class. The other thing I love is that the majority of my class is friends and when we go out to parties or clubbing, we don’t just go out as friend groups we go out with everyone in the class that can go. I am going out a lot, and sometimes the Grandma in me really just wants to be in bed at 8.30pm but I always say yes with my school friends and actually always end up having so much fun. My girl friends all look after each other and it gives me such ‘warm and fuzzies’ to think about the friends I’ve made here.
It’s the holidays next week for two weeks, and I’ve been invited to road trip back up to the North with Malena and her family! This is a family I feel completely welcomed into, and for this I am so grateful. The second week, I’ve been invited to go to Capilla Del Monte with Jose. I am really enjoying my time on exchange and must say, I am feeling like a very lucky girl!
Cass x