It's been a while.....

So it has been a while since my last blog.... a month to be exact. So, here I am trying to catch up a little. Shortly after my last post, I went to Iguazú Falls, the largest waterfalls in the world. I started a blog post about that, but got busy with school, and life and all that, and I never finished the post. I'll get back to that later, and post some more photos. Here's one, just to give you a little take of the beauty of it. I went for the weekend and it was a lot of fun. Again, let's save that for the next blog.

Since then, school has really got going. I'm taking 6 classes, but only have class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Sounds perfect, but I have so much class during the day, that much of my time on Monday and Friday (and Saturday and Sunday too) must be spend reading. Once I get more accustomed to my schedule and reading in Spanish, etc, I will have more free time again. My six classes are the following: History of Tango, Spanish (which includes a TON of reading, and also studying Argentine Theatre a bit), Argentine Literature (also a ton of reading), Clown (yes exactly what it sounds like. I'm learning how to be a clown), figure drawing (drawing from a live model in class, and other stuff at home), and a theatrical painting class. The spanish class is with other students from the US studying abroad with the same program that I am on. The Tango class is with other foreign students, including a couple Brazilians, a German, a girl from Finland, one from Sweden, and a few others from the US. The other four classes are with Argentines, in a normal Argentine University. My classes are a good mix of lots of reading, but also a bunch of fun art. I only needed to take four classes, but I don't really have outside class work for Clown and Painting, so they are just for fun, without overloading me anymore. I'll have all sorts of fun art projects to bring home, and show and tell!

I've also started swing dancing here. There are not a ton of people that dance here (nothing like in Denver), but it seems like a great group of people, and a great way to make friends. I've gone dancing a few times, and was going to go to a class, but alas, my homework won that battle, and I stayed in. I shall continue to dance here, and I plan on getting back into it again when I get I get back to Denver.

I also take a weekly Tango class. I went to go register for it, and said it was full, and then I said please very nicely, and they let me it. Maybe they felt bad for the foreign girl, and let me in. That's fine with me! It is a lot of fun. There are way more women in the class than men, so a bunch of old men that already know how to dance really well come in, and dance with us, so we all have partners. That's especially fun! Sometimes it can be tricky when two people are dancing together, and both are struggling. When both people are new, and the dance isn't going well, sometimes it is hard to know if you are doing something wrong, or the person you are with. No matter what, it is still tons of fun!

After nearly two months here, living Judith, I FINALLY have some photos. She stays

around the house in her jammies or her curlers a lot, and I wouldn't dare take a photo of

her like that. She was all done up one night, and I asked her we could take photos, and she had to go put some lipstick one, and fix her hair first.

She also asked that I didn't get her feet in the photo because she wasn't wearing the right shoes. Or course I obliged! She's a classy lady! Beba, her best friend, was over too, so I set my camera up and took a photo of the three of us. I know Beba isn't looking at the camera, but she did that on purpose. I'm not sure why, but in all of the pictures I took, she posed looking away from the camera. This picture also displays (poorly) my new haircut. It is still longer than it seems in this photo. Those are just some of the layers that you see. I also got bangs, but they're just the kind that go to the side. Nothing too different, but now my hair is healthier and more lively. When my hair dries after the shower it looks curlier because of all the layers.

Judith is dressed so fancy in this photo because she bought that new blouse for a special event, and she was trying it on to show us. Her husband (who died in the late 80s) was one of the most famous comics in Argentina-- El Negro Olmedo-- Google him sometime if you're interested. There are even some sites in English.

Judith's son, Marcelo, wrote a book about El Negro, and this week was a big party celebrating the book, and El Negro. There was even a big article in the current issue Argentina's People Magazine (Gente) which has photos of El Negro, Marcelo, and Judith! I bought the magazine yesterday! I think it will be a neat thing to bring home and show everyone. Nearly every day for the past couple of weeks, Judith's son has been on either the radio, or TV doing some sort of interview, and when I'm home I watch them with Judith. It is very interesting, but also very emotional for Judith. It has been a really unique experience for me! Here is a photo of judith, and her cousin(?) on the night of the event. They got ready at our house, and even had a lady come and do their makeup.