Week 17/Semana 17

Day 113:
Today I went to the feria and talked to Oscar for nearly two hours. I've seen every teaching certificate and evaluation he has ever been given. I don't feel very good, so I spent most of my day in bed.

Day 114:
We went and took pictures at the sign finally. Jenny and I said we would do it back in August.

Day 115:
The weather here is as indecisive as it is back in Missouri. Today was cold.

Day 116:
I went to the hippy store with Cristina. It's our weekly walk.

Day 117:
Today is Thanksgiving back home. Some traditions were kept alive although I'm 5,500 miles away. I also made it onto the local Joplin news. Mom was video chatting me and it was caught by a reporter at the church.

I put up the nativity scene with Mom, but Trouble (the cat) kept trying to rescue me from the telephone. She just knew that she could get me out of that crazy box if she tried hard enough. 

My American friends made Thanksgiving and though I didn't join them they brought me a slice of pie. Aunt Bee sent me with some sprinkles so that I wouldn't have to do without. 

I also watched It's Christmas Charlie Brown as I do every year, except this year it was by myself instead of with my mom.

Day 118:
I had my Uruguayan Culture test today. It didn't seem too bad. I did let it be know that I hated all of the art museums.

Day 119:
It's Christmas time! It's also my last weekend in Uruguay.

SANTA!!! I KNOW HIM!!!

Last video chat with Mama & Papa from Uruguay

Día 113:
Fui a la feria hoy y hablé con Oscar por 2 horas. Vi todas las certificaciones y evaluaciones que tiene. No me siento bien, por eso pasé mi día en mi cama más o menos.

Día 114:
Fuimos y sacamos fotos con las letras hoy. Jenny y yo dijimos que vamos a hacerlo en agosto.

Día 115:
El tiempo acá es tan indeciso de Missouri. Hoy hacía frío.

Día 116:
Fui con Cristina a la tienda de hippies. Es nuestro paseo semenal.

Día 117:
Hoy es Día de acción de gracias en EE.UU. Unas tradiciones sobrevivieron la distancia. También estaba en la noticias en Joplin porque cuando hablaba con mi madre un reportero con una cámara estaba allá.

Ayudé con el pesebre, pero mi gata (Trouble) trató de rescatarme del teléfono. 

Mis amigas americanas hicieron una cena y aunque no fui me trajo un pedazo de torta de calabaza. Aunt Bee me dio chispas para ese día porque siempre como chispas como postre.

También miré It's Christmas Charlie Brown como todos los años, pero sin mi madre este año. 

Día 118:
Mi prueba en Cultura uruguaya no era muy difícil. Escribí de mis sentimientos hace los museos del arte.

Día 119:
Es Navidad y mi final fin de semana en Uruguay.

Ultima llamada de Uruguay con Mama y Papa

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Packing for a Semester in Uruguay

I'll be honest, I didn't start packing until the week before I left. My wonderful friend Carly, who has traveled quite a bit, sent me a packing list several months before the trip and included the contact information for the U.S. embassy on it. I put off packing because I didn't want to think about the trip. I was very nervous about leaving home. When I finally did start packing it was very overwhelming because I had to put my life for the next 4 months into 3 bags and because it meant that I was really getting on a plane.

Must Pack:

• Outlet adapters
• Extension cord
• Contact solution (it's very expensive here and brands aren't the same on most things)
• Peanut butter (the other Americans were jealous of my occasional sandwiches)
• Backup glasses and/or contacts
• Travel towel if you plan to travel
• Reminders of home
• Walking shoes

Don't Pack:

• Hair dryer, straightener or other small appliances
• Your entire closet
• Clothes you don't normally wear

Tips:

• Use travel cubes & vacuum bags
• Pick clothes that can easily mix and match to make multiple outfits
• Learn to use a Diva cup
• Pack as though you will be on a trip for 2 weeks

My Packing List (PDF)

Bags:

• Large suitcase
• Carry on
• Travel backpack
• Personal bag
• Cinch pack (packed)
• Purse (kept in personal item)
• Backpack for school (not pictured) (packed)

Purse:

• Kleenex
• Face wipes
• Motion sickness medicine
• Wisps
• Antibacterial wipes
• Ear plugs
• Sleep mask
• Sun glasses
• Snacks
• Soap paper

Clothes:

• 5 pairs of jeans (wore 1)
• 2 pairs of leggings
• 5 pairs of shorts
• Belt (wore)
• Long skirt
• Dress
• 4 long sleeved shirts
• 2 light hoodies
• 2 hoodies (wore 1)
• Flannel
• 2 western shirts
• 10 t-shirts (wore 1)
• 2 sweaters
• Cardigan
• 2 swim suits & a rash shirt
• Ball cap
• Warm hat
• Warm scarf
• Infinity scarf
• Gloves
• Water resistant jacket (wore)
• Coat
• 15 pairs of underwear (wore 1)
• 7 bras (wore 1)
• 10 pairs of crew socks (wore 1)
• 8 pair of no-show socks
• 2 tanks
• 2 camies
• 2 pairs of pajamas
• Boots (wore)
• Flip flops
• Tennis shoes
• Chacos

Hygiene:

• Full sized face soap
• Full sized shampoo
• Full sized conditioner
• Full sized body wash
• Full sized deodorant
• Bar of soap
• Razor
• Scrubbie
• Travel sized face soap
• Travel sized shampoo
• Travel sized conditioner
• Travel sized body wash
• Travel sized deodorant
• Travel sized toothpaste
• Travel sized fluoride
• Travel sized mouthwash
• Travel sized lotion
• Eye drops
• Contact solution (two bottles of each)
• 4 tubes of Burt's Bees chapstick
• Glasses
• Extra set of contacts (only 1 because I wear hard lenses that don't need replacing)
• 2 Contact plungers
• Coconut oil
• Electric toothbrush 
• Full sized toothpaste
• Manual toothbrush
• Retainers
• Flossers
• Small toothbrush pick
• Face lotion
• Brush
• Comb
• 2 big hair ties
• 2 small hair ties
• Headband
• Extra razor blades
• Diva cup
• Cover stick
• Tweezers
• Pimple tool
• Nail clippers
• Bug spray
• Sunscreen
• Multivitamin (enough for whole trip)
• Vitamin C (enough for the whole trip)
• Small hand lotion
• Cotton swabs
• Panty liners
• Pads
• Extra contact case
• Bandaids
• Prescription medication (enough for the whole trip)
• Cold & flu medicine (DayQuil/Nighquil)
• Ibuprofen
• Hydrocortisone cream
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• Antibacterial wipes
• Allergy relief
• Antidiarrheal
• Laxative
• Emergency C

Electronics:

• Computer & charger
• Kindle & charger
• Ipod with 2 cables
• External hard drive
• Screen protectors for phone
• Card reader for computer
• 2 sets of earbuds
• 2 outlet adapters
• 2 battery packs & charging cables
• 2 flashdrives
• 3 phone cords
• 2 wall plugs
• Electronic picture frame
• Power strip
• GoPro
• Clamp mount
• Bendy tripod
• Handle 
• Hat mount
• Extra battery
• Battery backpack
• 4 backdoors
• Remote
• Chip reader
• Wall plug
• Charging cords

Other:

• Sleeping bag
• Pack towel
• Wash cloth
• Sprinkles
• Ace wrap
• Reminders of home
• Wallet
• Flip belt
• Money belt
• Passport cover
• Jewelry
• Books
• Journal
• 2 luggage locks
• Tide-to-Go
• Glasses wipes
• Umbrella
• Pencils
• Folders
• Notebook
• Paper
• Pens

Changes:

• Add
• Raincoat
•  Aloe vera
• Skip
• Only take 1 swim suit if you are going during the spring semester (August-December)
• Gloves
• Unless you plan to travel skip the sleeping bag, flip flops, and wash cloth
• Screen protectors
• Cameras
• Card reader
• 1 flash drive, as long as 1 is large is no need for 2
• Pick either the money belt or flip belt
• Warm hat

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Week 16/Semana 16

Day 106:
Today I found two gifts at the feria. A vendor named Oscar, who I bought a gift from, struck up conversation with me. He used to be a teacher here and told me that next week he will bring his old curriculum and photos to the feria for me to see.

Day 107:
We have no water in the casita and limited water in the big house. It's like camping, but not as much fun. Today was the last day of community services because Friday is a party. I played soccer with an empty bottle with a couple of the boys  outside. It was a lot of fun to play with them like I used to do with my 3-5 year olds back home at Lion Cub Academy. I miss work.

Day 108:
Still camping.

Day 109:
There's water! Also literature got cancelled, which means I have my birthday off!

Day 110:
I finally got my wish to spend my birthday on the beach. Not a bad way to bring in 23.

My family made my birthday far away just as special as it is at home. Maria made me a cake filled with dulce de leche and covered in chocolate and M&Ms. 

Day 111:
Today was the last day of community services. We had a party with 300 preschoolers. I was glad to be done, but sad that it was over. One little boy asked me if it meant that I was going back to my country. :(

My 5 year olds (there's 100 of them)

They made us all cards 

Day 112:
This morning I received a text telling me not to look in the oven nor eat breakfast. Then I was sent to my room until called. My housemates, Anna in particular made me a wonderful birthday brunch since we didn't get to go to the beach. It was all super amazing.

She made me a pumpkin pie, without even knowing what one was! 

Look at that!

Día 106:
Fui a la feria y compré dos regalos. Un vendedor, se llama Oscar quien me vendió uno de los regalos, charló conmigo por un poco. Él trabajó como maestro y la semana viene va a llevar su matricula y fotos a la feria.

Día 107:
No tenemos agua en la casita y agua limitada en la casa. Es como la acampada pero no tan divertido. Hoy fue el final día de servicios comunitarios porque el viernes es una festita. Jugué fútbol con un grupo de niños afuera con una botella vacía. Era muy divertido para jugar como jugaba con mis niños con 3-5 años en Lion Cub Academy en EE.UU. Extraño mi trabajo.

Día 108:
Todavía estamos acampando.

Día 109:
¡Hay agua! ¡No hay clase mañana por eso tengo mi cumpleaños libre!

Día 110:
Finalmente, paseo mis cumpleaños en la playa. Creo que es un modo tan lindo de dar la bienvenida a 23.

Mi familia me hizo mi cumpleaños en tierras lejos tan especial de en casa. Maria me hice una torta llena de dulce de leche con chocolate y M&Ms afuera.

Día 111:
Hoy fue el ultimo día de servicios comunitarios. Tuvimos una fiesta con 300 niños. Estaba feliz que estoy terminada con la clase, pero triste nunca voy a ver los niños otra vez. Un niño me preguntó si la fiesta significó que voy a regresar a mi país. :(

Mis niños de 5 (hay 100 de ellos)

Nos hicieron cartas

Día 112:
Esta mañana recibí un mensaje diciendo que no podia desayunar ni mirar en el horno. Después Anna me dijo que necesité ir a la casita hasta alguien me llama. Mis compañeros de casa, especialmente Anna, me hicieron un brunch para mi cumpleaños porque no podíamos ir a la playa. ¡Era incredible!

¡Ella me hizo una torta de calabaza sin sabia que era!

¡Lo mira!