A Week in the Life

Life here pretty much doesn't change all too much. Which, ironically, is one of the things I love about it. It can be as fast or slow paced as you want it (although I will say that McDonalds here is PAINFULLY slow. The concept “Fast Food” is more of a dream than a reality).

My typical week looks like this:

Monday:

I have two hours of class in the morning. After that, my day is pretty much free. I spend the day doing laundry from the week before, cooking some larger meals to last for a couple lunches or dinners, and going to the gym (this is a new thing. I actually just joined a gym for the months of May and June. It’s a little pricey, but much needed.)

Tuesday:

Tuesday is my long day for school. In the morning I have three hours of class, followed by a break (most of the time a nap), yummy leftovers, and then three more hours of class at night. By the end of the day I am exhausted, so I usually crawl in to bed with my good ol friend Netflix pretty early.

Wednesday:

This middle of the week killer can be tough. My most boring class starts bright and early at 8am. It’s easy, but that doesn’t make it any easier to motivate myself to get up and go, especially now that the weather is turning a bit colder. My bed often feels like the better alternative, but being the good student that I am, I get my butt out of bed and go (most of the time :D). Four hours and two classes later, it is finally the weekend. The three days of classes may not seem like a lot (and it’s really not), but I find myself ready for the four days of relative relaxation ahead.

After class, I head to the street market that sets up every Wednesday morning two blocks from my house. Here I buy most of the fruits and vegetables I will need for the week, as well as the local honey, bread and eggs when I need them. Today is also a running day. On these days I run through the tree-lined streets of Montevideo down the La Rambla, which is the street that runs along the miles of beach and rocky shores. I average about 6 km when I run. Which is pretty good, and for English conversion, is roughly 3.5 miles.

Thursday:

This day is rather flexible. Sometimes we go to the beach, sometimes I sit in a read a book, sometimes I have homework to do that I don’t want to put off until Sunday night (even though sometimes I procrastinate regardless). Always, I can expect a few hours of classes at the gym, and a fun night of friends and drinks to commence weekend festivities. Some Thursdays last until 5 am, while others end at the early strike of 2. Regardless, they hardly ever disappoint.

Friday:

I sleep until noon, or later. Today, we hang out and recover, and sometimes host a party at our house. The last party we hosted had over 100 people, can you believe it?? It’s a great way to get to know other international students, as well as the local Uruguayan students. One of the best things about living with 16 other people that attend 4 different universities, is that there are always new people in the house, which means new friends and more fun.

Our most recent fiesta was a celebration of Sevilla, Spain. This corresponded with and actual celebration happening in Spain. Three of my housemates (from Spain), were homesick, so we brought aspects of their home to Uruguay. 

Saturday:

Repeat Thursday and Friday. Somehow fit a run in.

Sunday:

The day of rest. The house is usually dead quiet until later in the day. Everyone is either sleeping or doing the work they didn't want to do before. There is also a huge street market on Sundays, so sometimes we go there. The market is fun because you can literally buy anything you want there – from cats and chickens, to fruits and veggies, to old school record players and silly-string. It can be stressful with the high volumes of people, but if you find something you've been looking for at a great price, it’s worth it.

Sophie and me

And that’s my week. Other additions to my week are the periodic Skype with friends, the DAILY FaceTime with my mother and her new puppy Sophie, and my French classes, courtesy of the friends I am living with. 

School is in Session

"In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson."  ~ Tom Bodett

My Family - Yes, I really live with all these people :)

It's finally the weekend! Many of you are probably thinking "this girl is crazy, it's a Wednesday." However, don't doubt, because for me it is in fact the weekend. One of the many great things about ORT is that there are no classes on Friday, and it is quite easy to create a three day a week schedule (like mine!). I am taking four classes this semester - two are about different aspects of marketing, one on human resources, and one on society in Uruguay. They all seem to be pretty interesting, at least according to first impressions this week.

Because of the season reversal, summer just ended and school has started! Also - Uruguay, unlike some other countries in South America, recognizes daylight savings time. Here we turned our clocks back an hour (fall back) and in the states, "spring forward" just happened. Why am I telling you this? Because instead of a 3 hour difference between USC and here, it's only an hour difference! How convenient :)
These past few weeks have been filled with getting to know my fellow housemates and friends. We have celebrated birthdays, shared some pretty awesome 'asados' (barbque), and enjoyed a few nights in with a movie. Most of our movies are in English (thank you Hollywood), but we always have Spanish subtitles. 

So one of the reasons I decided to have the blog is so I wasn't so tied to home. I wanted to be fully immersed in where I am right now. After three months away, let me tell you, it's easier said than done. It's so simple to just FaceTime my mom or Skype my friends back home. I find myself still connected to my life back home. Not that it's a bad thing, but I cannot imagine what it was like before all of that. Nowadays it is a lot harder to "disconnect." I still haven't decided if this is a good or a bad thing. 

With only three days of classes, you may be wondering what I will do with all my free time. That is a great question. One I am still trying to figure out.  I'm looking into ways to get involved in the community and take advantage of the opportunities here. Who knows, I might even work out if I get desperate enough :D.*Side note - quite possibly the best investment I have made was purchasing Spotify Premium ( and I’m not even being paid to say that). I am always listening to music, especially walking by myself down the street. Having music available 24/7 has been amazing. No shame bopping along to your favorite song in public :D.

If you are considering living/studying in Uruguay, or South America in general, then know the experience is going to be very different than one in Europe. The amount of English speakers is very small. Also, traveling can be very expensive. I recommend studying in SA if you are truly looking for culture and local immersion. It isn't like Europe, with a plethora of cheap(ish) travel options to 20 different countries. Many people (that I have met) use the semester to also travel. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING - we are IB students, you should definitely do that if you desire.  HOWEVER, sometimes, staying in one place long enough to truly get a local experience is worth it. For example, I'm on a first name basis with the guy who owns the local convenience store, I see the same people every week in passing.  I say good morning to the guy who works the taxi booth on the corner. 

Really, Uruguay is as friendly as you want to make it. It has a competitive edge to it, especially in ORT, which is a private university. But overall, it's been great.

A few weeks ago, after my first week of classes, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of post grad students from USC who were visiting ORT as a part of a 10 day travel program.  It was really cool to be able to meet with them and talk about why I love ORT and Montevideo. 

More to come:)

New Home - New Adventure

Never make your home in a place. Make a home for yourself inside your own head. You'll find what you need to furnish it - memory, friends you can trust, love of learning, and other such things. That way it will go with you wherever you journey.~ Tad Williams

So it is incredibly hard to keep up with a blog. Those of you who can do it religiously – well done. For me, it has become something that I know I have to do, but I am either too busy or too lazy to do it. In fact, I have three weeks of blogs typed up – but just haven’t posted them yet. Weird right?

Well, this post, which will be the first of three or four consecutive posts, contains some pretty exciting news. After this post, I will upload photos and entries from my adventures. You’ll learn about my classes, my friends, and the lovely beaches that cover Uruguay.

But, first and foremost, I have officially decided to make Uruguay my home until Christmas. Many of you already know the exciting news, I could hardly contain myself when I found out. This decision was one of the easiest, yet most difficult decisions I have had to make.

Let me explain – It was easy because from the moment I arrived in South America, it felt like home. Yes there are plenty of things I've had to get used to, like milk in a bag instead of a carton and wind that makes the Windy City look like a summer breeze. Before classes here even began, I contacted my adviser and the study abroad office and asked them if it was possible to continue for a year. Their answer: NO. There was one tiny fact I was unaware of: IB students cannot study abroad for more than one semester in an IB school. It makes sense when you think about it. These schools are direct exchange programs – meaning for every student we send, they send one to USC. If someone studies for two semesters, well, that’s two spots for one student. For schools in high demand, this can be problematic. However, this is the first time we have had a student at ORT, and so thanks to over month of discussion about my different options, I was granted special permission to remain in Uruguay.

A decision like this does not come without its fair share of negatives. The negative that weighs most on my heart is how much I will miss my friends and family. Not a week goes by that I don’t talk to my mom or some of my Delta Sigma Pi fraternity brothers back at school. Sure we have the internet, which makes it infinitely easier to communicate, but there is something to be said for being there in person. It’s as if I am constantly watching the highlights from last night’s football game, but I can never watch it live. I get the play by play, but it’s so much better to see it in action. This brings me to my second negative – I will be missing my final Carolina football season. If you don’t understand how important your senior year football season is, you haven’t lived college. It is the last big “hoo-rah” before the real world starts. Football at Carolina is a lifestyle. It is a full day event filled with food and drinks, friends, cowboy boots, pearls, and of course Williams Brice Stadium filled with tens of thousands of cheering fans (and some outsiders from the opposing team). First game of the season sends chills down your spine (right next to the sweat from the good ol’ Carolina heat) and the final game brings tears for the end of an era. I’ll be missing this. Believe me, it’s a hard realization.

What makes it easier is the notion that this is where I belong. I can’t shake the feeling that Uruguay is going to help me figure out what on earth I am supposed to do with my life. Unlike many IB students, I don’t have it all figured out. Coming into school, I thought I wanted a big multi-national corporation. A corporate liaison between HQs in North and South America was the dream job. But, in typical Savannah fashion, my mind has changed (although to what, I do not know). I am hoping that this year abroad will help me clear my head, narrow my options. If I can’t figure out what I want to do, at least I can narrow the options by deciding what I don’t want to do.

But this is off topic – friends and family, I miss you all terribly. However, I am thrilled to call South America home for two semesters. 

See you all in 2016!                                                                                

Immersion Classes and Cabo Polonio!

"Twenty years from now you will more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.  So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour.  Catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore. Dream. Discover.” (Mark Twain)

Chilling with the Sea Lions in Cabo Polonio

As I am sure you know – whenever you book something on the internet, without having any prior knowledge and no one to ask for references – it can be a little intimidating. What if the service is horrible or no one actually cares about your comfort? What if you don’t get out of it what you paid for? With Academia Uruguay – my language immersion school – these were some of my initial thoughts. I had blindly paid hundreds of dollars for three weeks of language class, for four hours a day! Naturally, I was somewhat concerned.

However, these classes have been more helpful than I could have imagined. The basic set up the last two weeks has been this: I wake up at around 8:00 every morning, I shower (because I am the only one up at the “ungodly” hour and so there is no line), eat breakfast and hang out with the staff at my hostel, then take the bus to Academia Uruguay (AU) in Ciudad Vieja. I then head on up to the classroom and do the homework I should have done the night before, and begin classes at 9:30. For the next four hours, a group of 3-5 students, all in the same level, work on grammar points, talk about life, and practice speaking the language.  I have felt such a tremendous improvement in not only my speaking skills, but in my confidence as well. Actually, I find that while typing this, it is easier to type some things in Spanish before realizing it should be in English!

Through Academia Uruguay I have met some truly amazing people from all over the world, and we have been able to travel and hangout and party together – making my experience in Uruguay all the more wonderful. I finally experienced my first boliche (their version of a dance club). They don’t start really filling up until 2:00 in the morning, which has made my sleeping schedule impossible to keep. I now truly understand the meaning of a good siesta.

One cool thing AU does during Carnival season (February) is offer a week full of Carnival activities. Lucky for me, I was there during this week. Every day was a different activity, and though a little pricey, I think that it was well worth the experience. One day, we went to a drumming class where we (attempted) to learn about rhythm and the art of candombe. It was very fun, but I have no rhythm, so it was definitely a challenge. Another day we went to a Murga class, where we were taught traditional songs and the history of the Murga. Murga is a form of popular musical theatre performed in Uruguay during the Carnival season. Murga groups operate in Montevideo and to a lesser extent in Buenos Aires.  The Uruguayan Murgas focus more on vocals and less on dancing. During our class, some people even got their faces painted!

On Friday, we went to las llamadas. This is basically the final event of the week. It is a huge parade that goes through the streets of Montevideo. Everyone is dancing and singing and drinking and it is quite possibly one of the coolest things I have ever seen. With the fee I paid to participate, I was able to hang out on the rooftop of someone’s house, where they cooked us an “asado” – local barbecue – with so much food and wine I was stuffed.

This past weekend I went to Cabo Polonio with two guys from the language school. It was a last minute trip that ended up being amazing. Cabo is incredibly beautiful – and very behind the times. Most places don’t have electricity, hot water is a huge commodity, and air conditioning didn’t really exist. It felt as though we had traveled back it time, to something much simpler. Although we were only there for one night, I can still feel the effects of the relaxing atmosphere. Most of the time, we just sit at the beach or swam in the ocean. The food was crazy expensive – because they had to transport most of it in via an all-wheel drive truck through sand dunes into the national park – but most of the time it was pretty good! Between the midnight swim in the ocean, the heat during the day, and the four hours of travel both ways, I am pretty exhausted right now. That being said, I could not imagine a better way to spend a weekend.

I think one of the hardest, and yet most beautiful things about living in Uruguay is the friendships. At times, it feels like you have known someone forever, and the friendship is an instant success. Other times, you have to continuously work at it, because you want it to work. However, no matter how hard you work, in the end, everyone has their own plans, and Montevideo is only one stop in their journey. I was never a fan of goodbyes – I find them awkward and a little sad, because you never know when you will see people again. This is especially true when people I am becoming closest to are from all over the world.

In this, however, I try to stay optimistic. I have met some wonderful people here. The kind of people who travel are the ones who are outgoing, who know what it is to live and explore, and are not content with a sedentary lifestyle. Being surrounded with people who are so similar, yet so different from me has allowed me to figure out more about what I want out of life, and where I think my journey is taking me. Hopefully, there won’t ever be a real goodbye. Maybe, instead, it is a far off “see you later.”

I guess we really never know – but I think one of the most powerful things we can do is hope.

Until next time,

Savannah

Week One (A little late)

Well week one is over – I cannot believe it. I have learned a lot over the past seven days – such as how to get a phone in another country (with some help from my fluent friends), how to navigate the city (both by bus and by walking), where to eat, shop, and sunbathe, and most importantly, where I am going to be living until August.

I guess the easiest way to convey this week is to tell the highlights. This city is amazing. It has the busy city feel, with tall buildings, lots of cars, a lovely beach, and plenty to do. But it also has a slow pace, as if no one is in a hurry. Cars actually wait for pedestrians to pass, some even stop in the middle of the street so that you can cross. The car horn is practically obsolete, the only ones who use them are cab drivers (who coincidentally appear to be the worst drivers in the city). Many of the streets, especially in Pocitos (the part of the city where my new home and my school are located), are lined with tall trees. This definitely gives it more of a homey feel.

There are four main parts to the city, at least from what I have seen. Luckily, mom and I have had the opportunity (and time) to get a chance to explore a little bit of each of these sections of the city.

The first part is Buceo. Had I arrived in Montevideo solely for university, and not explored with mom, then I probably would not have seen Buceo, other than maybe driving through it to go somewhere else. However, our hotel for the week is right in the middle of it (on the beach!). So all of our lovely excursions start and end from there. There was a convenient shopping mall, some really good places to eat, and some very well-known companies with office buildings.

Next, we have Pocitos. For the next six months, this will be my home. My university, my hostel, and my new casa, called Contutti, are all located within a five minute walk from each other, which is perfect! This is where I will spend most of my time. Pocitos also seems to have the best beaches in the city, at least from what I have seen.

My School!!!

Third, we have El Centro. I haven’t spent too much time there, but mom and I walk through there A LOT. That is also where the main campus for my university is located. It houses sciences along with other things I will not be taking. Still, I am sure, at least for welcome week at ORT, I will be over there a good bit.

Finally, we have Ciudad Vieja. This is where, so I am told, most of the fun after hours happens. AKA this is where all the dancing and clubs are. I have yet to experience it at night, but during the day, the city is alive with business men and women. My friends say that Ciudad Vieja is where most people work, and I believe it. The main plaza is surrounded by companies such as FedEX, IBM, Delloite, and others. Just off the main street is a pedestrian’s walk way that goes for roughly 8 to 10 blocks. It’s filled with shopping stores and street vendors (the perfect place to practice some Spanish while haggling prices). You have to watch your bags, as little munchkins with sticky fingers (or adults with nothing better to do) might steal your stuff. I wouldn’t worry about this though, as with any big city, you have to be diligent and aware of your surroundings and your stuff.

Also located in Ciudad Vieja is the language school where I will be taking Spanish classes roughly 20 hours a week until school starts. This is the main reason I arrived early for the semester. Since all my classes are in Spanish, I wanted to get a head start and make sure my Spanish was proficient enough to keep up with the class. Hopefully, when I come back to the states, I’ll be near “pro-status.”

Anyway, those are the four parts of the city. A lot has happened this week in those four parts. Mom and I got A LOT done and I feel prepared to “fly the nest” (although she is the one technically flying to Nashville)! Most things have been paid for, including my hostel, my Spanish Classes, and part of my housing.

Speaking of housing – I am thrilled to be living in Contutti. For those of you who don’t know (which I am assuming is 99% of you), Contutti is an international house five minutes from my university in Pocitos. It will house seventeen students for the semester (including myself), each with a private room but shared common areas. To get in, you have to send a video about yourself and apply. My friends from Montevideo, and later some other international students, told me about this. When I first applied, I received an email saying that they had a huge amount of videos, and basically, I probably wasn’t going to get in. And so the search for an apartment began. It was stressful, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to live by myself, but I had awesome friends here in Montevideo helping me find and apartment and doing some heavy duty translating for me. And then, a few days ago, I received an email (also known as an answer to my prayers) that a spot in Contutti had opened up and that it was mine if I wanted it! YES! And so mom and I checked it out, loved it, and decided without a doubt that is where I would be staying.

Plus, I am the first American, ever, to stay there! I think there is a trend forming here. First one from USC to go to ORT, first American in Contutti – who knows what I’ll do next haha.

However, my room in Contutti opens up at the end of February. Until then, I have officially moved into the Pocitos Hostel as of today. I think I’m staying here much longer than anyone else, considering I will be here for almost a month. It is in a nice area, and seems to be filled with nice people. It’ll take some getting used to – but as with everything, all I need is time.

The Patagonia

Hello Again!

After two weeks in Chile and Argentina, I have no words to truly describe our experience. This may sound cheesy, but really the only thing that comes to mind is “perfect.” My mom and I hiked over 100km (roughly 60 something miles) in total these past two weeks, over various terrain in varying difficulties. Despite huffing and puffing, we made it to the end of every trail, where rewarding views of untouched beauty were waiting for us. The sky opened for miles to reveal the expansive wilderness that is the Patagonia. I was breathless, and not just because I hiked up a mountain. There were four main parts to our trip: Torres Del Paine National Park (in Chile), El Calafate and El Chalten (both in Argentina), and the travel days in between.

The flight to Buenos Aires (BA) was easy.  The 10 hours went by fast as we slept, ate, and watched movies. Before we knew it, we had arrived (and thankfully so did our bags). A guy from our travel agency took us to the hotel. After a long flight like that, we both longed to stretch our legs in this unfamiliar territory. We walked all day… partially because we wanted to, and partially because we got a little turned around.

Mental Note:

               1)       Wear sunscreen… ouch

               2)       Write down the address of the hotel… because I am pretty good with directions, and
                      even we got turned around in the big city!

We saw a lot of BA that day, with great food, exciting people, and warm weather. We went to bed early because we had more days of travel ahead. The next two weeks were filled with AMAZING memories.  It was quite a bit chillier, and a lot winder, in the Patagonia. Even in the summer, I was wearing a down jacket and a wind breaker almost every day. It also never gets dark in the Patagonia. There are only about 5 hours in between Dawn and Dusk, which meant that at 11:00, when mom and I were ready for bed, the sun was out. It is quite an interesting feeling. But, sun out or not, we always welcomed sleep.

Torres Del Paine

Our first stop was Torres Del Paine National Park in Chile. We stayed at the Ecocamp, which (as its name would suggest) is devoted to being environmentally friendly. However, camping is extremely misleading. It was what my friends call “glamping” or glamorous camping. We had delicious gourmet-type meals every night, our domes were suite domes, so they had their own bathrooms with solar heated showers and a stove to keep us warm at night (which mom and I were very grateful for).

When you enter the Patagonia, you are told that the weather is completely unpredictable, and they were right. The guides say they believe 50% of what the forecast says, which is quite frankly optimistic. Lucky for us, we only had one day of hiking in the frigid rain. The rest of the days were spent under the welcome sun! Sometimes, it got so warm we ended up in T-shirts!

Beautiful Weather on our 22km hike

Our first hike was 22km (almost 14 miles). It was to the base of the towers (which is where the national park received its name). We were warned that it was a fairly challenging hike, but nothing that we wouldn't be able to handle. Plus, we came all the way to Torres Del Paine, so we HAD to see the “Torres.”

Fun Fact: To guides in the Patagonia, a “Medium” hike is actually quite challenging. Also “Flat” in the Patagonia is not Kansas flat…. It’s like the rolling hills of eastern Tennessee flat.

The map demonstrated some of the difficult terrain

The hike was definitely difficult, but in the end, it was beautiful. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the terrain and the history and folklore of the area, which made it all the more interesting. I think the story that was most interesting is the legend of the Calafate berry. 

(Go to http://www.calafate.com/en/en-cal-history.html to read the full legend)

The moral of the story is that those who eat the Calafate Berry will always come back to the place where they ate it.

The Calafate Bush

The fruits had just begun to ripen when we arrived. You had to hunt for berries that were ripe enough to eat, but I found a few, and very much enjoyed them.

Overall, I would say that this portion of the trip was my favorite. Unfortunately, before I knew it, it was time for mom and me to begin our next adventure at El Chalten. As all good things do, our time at Ecocamp had come to an end. It was hard to say goodbye, but I knew I would be back again. Maybe not at the Ecocamp, but it will not be the last time I see Torres Del Paine, I was sure of that.

I ate the Calafate berry after all. This is one legend I really do hope comes true.

El Chalten

El Chalten is a small town, less than thirty years old, although you wouldn't know it. The harsh winters seem to have aged the town into something almost vintage. It was filled with day-hikers, backpackers, and climbers. Everyone seemed to have a backpack filled with the day’s provisions. Despite the wind, everyone seemed to be smiling, which was very welcoming.

As always, we woke up hours after the sun, and it was only 7:00! We went to the Laguna de los Tres, which was a very strenuous hike. So much so, that at the beginning of the hike to the top, there is a warning sign. The sign didn't lie, but we made it to the top and were welcomed by a fresh layer of now that had covered the peak of the mountain the night before. The snow was even better because we were so warm from the hike.

The Warning Sign

Top of Laguna de los Tres

During our stay we also visited the Laguna Torre, which is a lake on the other side of Fitz Roy (part of the mountain range we climbed the day before). It was a much easier 18 km hike. The terrain varied from hills and forests, to flat and rocky, and at the end, we saw a glacier at the other end of a lake. We ate lunch and enjoyed the warm sun as we took refuge from the wind behind some rocks.

Overall, I would say that El Chalten was definitely a success.

El Calafate

El Calafate was another brand new experience. Mom and I stayed at El Galpon Del Glacier, which is a sheep ranch about ten minutes outside the city. It was also only 50km from Torres Del Paine in Chile, and the sky was so clear, that we could see it from our window!

The evening we arrived at El Galpon, we already had a mini excursion on the property. At one time, the ranch was home to thousands of sheep. Now there are only about 500, but they still maintain their way of life, sheep herding, sheering, and eating. The excursion started off with some history of the ranch, which is situated on the Argentinian lake. Basically, Argentina gave the land to anyone who was willing to farm it, as long as they flew an Argentinian flag (boarder wars with Chile were very prevalent).

After the history lesson, we watched them bring in the sheep. Then we watched one of the staff sheer the sheep. I never realized how much wool one sheep grows in a season! Sheep are extremely docile, and you can basically do anything with them.

Fun Fact: If you cover their eyes, sheep won’t move. In the winter, the ranch hands have to shave the sheep around the face, because if the wool grows over their eyes, the sheep will stand still, stop eating, and basically starve themselves.

Our final excursion was a minitrek to the Perito Moreno Glacier. We had seen a few glaciers over the past two weeks, but we had not been able to walk on them! Here, we were given special shoes, crampons, and were able to spend an hour and a half on a guided trek up and down parts of the glacier. It was a beautiful day too, and warm, so the glacier was melting fairly fast on the top. This created a vast array of blues within the ice.

Me on the Perito Moreno Glacier

After the trek, mom and I headed back to El Galpon and went horseback riding through the property. I could not tell you the last time I went horseback riding, and even after just an hour and a half I had a few saddle sores.

Over all, El Galpon was a really cool experience, I really enjoyed it.

Back to Buenos Aires and off to Montevideo

On the plane, we met a man who lived a fascinating life. He had done many amazing things, and was actually quite famous within his area of expertise, which was climbing. During our conversation, I asked him what his favorite place in the world was. He said that of the 160 countries he has been to, this (The Patagonia) was the one place he loved above all else. At first, I wasn’t sure I believed him. I mean, 160 countries is A LOT of countries. However, after experiencing the raw, natural beauty that is the Patagonia, I can see what he means. Of my “meager” 17 countries, I have to agree. It will always have a place in my heart. 

Unfortunately, this part of my adventures has come to an end. I finally made it to Montevideo, and I could not have picked a better way to begin my seven month stay in South America. The Patagonia is without a doubt the most incredible thing I have seen.

Uruguay Here I Come

I would like to start off by saying I have never blogged before. Truth be told, this is the closest thing to a diary or journal that I've ever had. That being said, bear with me. I know there are going to be weeks where I forget to post, and then I may have a million things to say and post twice, or even three times, in one day. I am not really sure what I am going to say or where this blog is going to go, but I am excited to find out.

I chose the title of my blog for a few reasons. First, the title comes from the song "Southern State of Mind", sung by a famous South Carolina grad, Darius Rucker. Second, I was raised in Tennessee with a "southern state of mind." However, I have realized that my state of mind is about to change. As I embark on what will be one of the most exciting and challenging journeys of my life so far, I know that my way of thinking and approaching life is subject to change (and if it doesn't, then I am not doing it right). And so I welcome the change and the challenge. 

And now a little bit about myself. I am a junior at (the real) USC :). I am a double major in International Business and Global Supply Chain and Operations Management (GSCOM for short). My minor is Spanish and I am concentrating my studies on Latin and South America. For the next seven months, I will be living in Montevideo, Uruguay. My journey begins January 4th, with the Patagonia, a beautiful and natural region at the Southernmost tip of South America. I will be there for two weeks, backpacking and hiking through different parts of Chile and Argentina. Technically, my academic semester doesn't start until March 9th. I am going two months early in order to do a little traveling. Additionally, because all of my classes will be in Spanish, I want to make sure my language skills are where they need to be. The Spanish classes at USC are great, but there is nothing like full immersion. Hopefully, when I come back, I will be near fluent!

This isn't my first time out of the country, but I have never traveled quite like this. My goal is to leave America with one suitcase and a backpack. If you knew me, you'd know how difficult that will be. I am the type of person who brings an outfit for every occasion, shoes in every color, and unnecessary items that I know I probably won't use, but "just-in-case". But I am trying to be conservative, and will be packing only what is necessary.

The best advice I received to combat my impulse packing was from HER CAMPUS, a website directed towards college women. Here is the link:

http://www.hercampus.com/life/travel/ultimate-study-abroad-packing-list

I learned that solid colors are a must, because they go with the almost anything. Accessories can make an outfit you wear everyday into evening wear, and a cute sweater can keep you warm on those chilly fall days. Yes, I will be there in the fall. The seasons are reversed in the Southern Hemisphere. So lucky for me, I am saying goodbye to sweatshirts and freezing weather and hello to swimsuits, shorts, and an apartment only a few blocks from the beach (hopefully :)).

Speaking of apartments... I have NO CLUE where I am living yet. My lovely mother is flying all the way down to South America with me to move me in. Our primary objective is to apartment hunt. It's a little stressful, not knowing where I will end up, but I have faith it'll all work out. Worst case, I will stay in a hostel for seven months... but that isn't my first choice (or my second).

If you had asked me a month ago, I would have told you that I was very apprehensive about living in South America, but I believe now that I am ready to go.  The nerves are mostly gone, and they are replaced with excitement. My undergraduate career so far has lead to this, and I think I am well prepared. I am sure that I will run into a few roadblocks along the way, which is expected, but I'm confident I can handle them.

And so concludes my first post. I plan on posting two or three times a month, so come back soon to read about my first big adventure, the Patagonia.

Wish me luck,

Savannah