Today marks the fourth week I've spent in Argentina as part of my public health study abroad program! It also marks the first week I've spent in Mendoza. Here's a summary of one of my most relaxing weeks since I've gotten here.
Sunday:
I arrived in Mendoza after a 14-hour bus ride! I was super tired because we traveled overnight in a bus that wasn't exactly comfortable. Still, I was very happy to meet my host family. After meeting my host mom and sister and waiting for everyone else to meet their families, I got to see my new home, drop off my things and wash up. Later, I went grocery shopping with my family and had lunch. I spent the rest of the day unpacking, orienting myself to a new environment and getting to know the rest of my host family members.
Monday:
Today was my first day of school in Mendoza! I currently have classes at the National University of Cuyo. This morning, my class and I went on a tour around campus, getting to know the various buildings and graduate schools. We were introduced to the coordinators of our program and had lunch with them. During the afternoon, we had the chance to sit in on a class for first-year medical students.
Tuesday:
Today was full of classes! After a full morning of classes, my classmates and I had a two hour lunch break, so we decided to explore Mendoza more. We ended up going to a vegetarian buffet-style restaurant, and the food was pretty cheap! We got some wine from a "kiosko" (small grocery store) and went to the Plaza Independencia for some time in the sun. There were a bunch of things there, from crafts to cotton candy to street artists. We then proceeded back to the university, but we got lost on the way. We were late for our afternoon class, but the professor was understanding, luckily.
Wednesday:
We had a tour of all of Mendoza (or most if it) today! Our tour started at 9 AM and ended around 3 PM after lunch at a hotel. During the tour, I got to see all of Mendoza's plazas, the Ruins of San Francisco and the General San MartÃn Park. The rest of the day was free time!
Thursday:
My class and I toured a hospital in the city of Maipú this morning. It was an extremely rural and relatively new hospital, boasting pediatric, odontological and gynecological and obstetric facilities, among others. I had the chance to speak with pediatricians, nutritionists, psychologists and more. After our tour, my class and I had the afternoon free. I got to eat some great Milanese chicken with guacamole at a cute restaurant near the Plaza Independencia. Later that night, I went out with my host sister and friends to a bar to do some chatting and drinking.
Friday:
I don't have school until next Tuesday because of Feriado (a national holiday). I got to sleep in and have lunch with my host family. Then I did some shopping with my host sister and my classmates at the Plaza Independencia, where there's a market showcasing many different crafts from local artists during the weekend. We then tried to go to the Terraza Mirador to get a panoramic view of the city, but it was closed due to Feriado. So we decided to walk around, and we eventually stopped at a yummy vegetarian cafe.
Saturday:
Today was bodega day! Bodegas are essentially wineries, and I had the chance to visit three different one's today. In total, I tasted 10 different wines and I bought four wine glasses. The experience was amazing, and I would definitely do it again! After all, Mendoza is known for its wine. Later, I had some McDonald's (the perfect post-wine food) and then went home.
Sunday:
I woke up at 6:50 a.m. for a tour that started at 7:30 a.m. today. The tour lasted around 12 hours, and it was worth every single penny (it cost $50). It was a tour of the Andes Mountains, and although I spent most of my time on a bus, there were still some great photo ops, amazing food and a bunch of activities to do when I wasn't in the bus, such as sledding, skiing and so on.
