22, and it's rolling

Journey's coming to an end. Am I sad? No. Am I happy? No. Am I a mess? Yes.
Remember how I mentioned in the very beginning when  I started my blog, when I reached Argentina, and it was all a blur for about a month? It's happening all over again, the emotions, the nostalgia, the roller coaster basically. But only this time, it's the other way round. I can't stop thinking about how I'm going to miss all the things that took me so long to get used to, the mate, the siestas, and the winter.


I had a picture painted in my mind of how things are going to be when I go back home, being back with my friends and family after a year. Eating my grandma's food every Sunday and going to school and having a blast with all my friends in biology class. Just to give you an idea, this is my family from India in traditional clothes. And all this came crashing down with my last orientation I had a few weeks ago. Orientation helps the exchangers to come to terms with the culture shock and guides us through the year with the highs and lows. The orientation was definitely a low. All the volunteers who have already been on the exchange programme , told us about how the most difficult part of your year is when you go back home. About how you've grown so much as a person and possibly people won't be able to relate to the adventure that you've been through in this hell of a year. But I guess with all this being said, at the end of the day you have some of the best memories in the most beautiful places, with some amazing people which can't be taken away from you, no matter what.


Now that I've described my life in India a little bit, let me tell you about my family in Argentina. My host dad has a passion for food, and has collected spices from all over the world. I don't think I've tasted a single dish that I haven't liked in the past 4 months. Even if he threatens me to feed me beef sometimes. I have immense respect for my mum because (forgive my language) she works her ass off. My brother, being like any younger sibling is "rompe bolas" (annoying). But sometimes I get back home after a hard day and he gives me a tight hug and tells me that he loves me.Victoria is my host sister who means the world to me, but you don't want to get too close if she's angry.

LIST OF THINGS I WOULDN'T HAVE NORMALLY DONE (if not for exchange)

At the football finals, they weren't kidding when they said football is religion!

• Trekked on a glacier
• Rafted under the waterfalls of Brazil
• Have a family on the other side of the world
• Become a tango dancer
• Had a celebrity chef cook for me
• learnt a foreign language.

Thanks for reading!

Iguazu

This was taken in  Buenos Aires with my friend Nele from Germany

I haven't written in a really long time, with all the travelling and making the most of my last month here in Argentina. So this post I'm going to write about the vacation I took last month to the Iguazu falls. Like the other trip that I took to the glacier, it's impossible not to have the time of your life when you're with a bunch of other exchange students who practically feel like family. The trip started in Buenos Aires which always leaves me fascinated with the culture it holds, the colourful houses, the tango in the streets with fancy costumes and how incredibly modern the city is.

The next day we left for the city, Puerto Iguazu from where one has access to the Iguazu falls(one of the 7 natural wonders of the world) which forms the border between Argentina and Brazil. The Iguazu Falls are absolutely beautiful, to actually get to it, you have to trek a good one hour but all in all, definitely worth the wait.
Now let me get to the most exciting part, once you take trek for a little longer and a little deeper into the jungle, you get a fantastic view of the "Graganta del Diablo" which translates the Devil's throat. It's called the way it is because you walk on a manmade passage that is built over the river which seems calm and peaceful, till you reach a point where it just drops. And all you feel is mist, lots of it. The water falls, 80 meters and completely wets your clothes. And honestly the sensation is SO overwhelming. Personally, I couldn't catch my breath for a split second, and I just stood there speechless and I'm not exaggerating, speechless. For about 15 minutes I was mesmerized , overwhelmed with tears flowing down my cheeks. I don't even know why I got so emotional! But I did.




The next way we went to Brazil to see a show of the different dances from all the countries of Latin America. And we drank the traditional vodka based drink of Brazil, the black women were absolutely beautiful and it goes without saying that the people were over-friendly.

Brazil's view

The next day in Brazil we went to see the waterfalls, which is Argentina's property. What you see from the other side is a panoramic view of the falls, beautiful but still does not compare to the "Gragnta del Diablo". There was a rainbow in the middle of the scene which just made it all the more dramatic. The funny part is being in a country that has so much natural beauty has gotten me used to it. 




We then went to the border which seperates 3 countries, Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay,which  isn't common obviously.  The little pillar in the background of the picture which is painted red, white ad blue is the flag of Paraguay. 

Adrenaline pumping would be an understatement of the next activity. Still at Brazil, we went rafting in a rubber boat called "gomon". Me being the person I am, sat myself at the front of the gomon. We then starting rafting down the river, till we reached the falls, and then literally went under the waterfalls, the least powerful one ofcourse. It's probably the most dangerous thing I've done my life. 


At the end of the day I feel like the friends I made here, with whom I spent only a couple of weeks with will always be like my unbiological family.