Weeks 19 & 20--
I began week 19 with lots of goodbyes and lots of packing/getting things in order for my
trip. It felt kind of strange because I could really feel my first Uruguayan
semester coming to an end for one of the first times. Many of my friends were
returning home, and my other friends and I were preparing to take the trip that
we had been talking about for months.
La despedida de Lu.
Adios Leighton y Carolina!
Finally,
Thursday came around and my friends Alyssa, Molly, Lindsay, and I boarded the
bus to begin our 24-hour ride to Mendoza, Argentina. Within the first hour of
the trip, our bus hit a cable, and the glass from the escape window on the roof
of the bus shattered all over the floor. Classic—it
wouldn’t feel like traveling if something crazy didn’t happen within the first
few moments! All was well, as the drivers stopped to patch up the hole with
duck tape and cardboard. Although the ‘band aid’ could not withstand the torrential
downpour that sprung upon us later that night, the little mishap hardly
affected the road trip. We met a wonderful Argentinean woman who recited poetry
to Lindsay, watched 2 and ½ Shrek movies (in Spanish), and had plenty of time
to read, chat, and sleep.
Woops...
The failed band aid.
End of week 19
and all of week 20--
If I described
everything we did, the thoughts and reflections I had, and the sights we saw in
detail in Mendoza, you would probably be ten years older by the time you
finished reading this blog post. That being said, I will give you a list of
some of our activities, a glimpse into a few of my thoughts, and then share a
small number of pictures with you. How does that sound?
¡Muy bien!
Vamos.
Mendozian
activities:
1. Bike Tour of three wineries
2. Hiking and kayaking (and jumping of rocks
into the lake) in Potrerillos—spent time with the people who owned the kayaks,
talking, sharing mate (tea) and empanadas. We introduced them to peanut butter!
Side note: I want to have a sharing heart like these people…
3. White water rafting in Potrerillos
4. Biking around el Parque San Martín
5. Hiking el Cerro de la Gloria
6. Museo del Pasado Cuyano
7. High Andes Mountain tour
8. Parque Aconcagua (the highest mountain peak
in South America)
9. Concert with cover bands—best song covered
= Soda Stereo’s Persiana Americana. I
knew it’d be a good concert when we heard the cover of Tina Turner’s Proud Mary as we entered.
10. Exploring (aka, getting lost) in Salto
Some thoughts
and reflections that passed through my brain and heart while experiencing the
beauty of the mountains:
1. I just feel so small!
2. ‘Wow!’ ‘Geez!’
‘Mira!’ ‘Thank you, Lord.’
3. I wonder how that rock got there.
4. Just like that rock has a place in this world, so do I. The thing to think about and strive to figure out is why I am where I am, and what my purpose is in said place. Lord, help me
discover my purpose(s?) in life.
5. Again, so much beauty and complexity.
There has to be a Creator to have thought of how all of this stuff works together. It just all... works.
I saw God in many, many ways throughout my time in Mendoza.
I saw God in many, many ways throughout my time in Mendoza.
In nature...
(Potrerillos)
(Potrerillos)
(Potrerillos)
(Parque San Martin, Cerro de la Gloria)
(Puente del Inca)
(Aconcagua)
(Parque Aconcagua)
(Salto)
In my friendships, both the old and the new...
In the little things...
I actually found Him in Salto! I guess we weren't lost after all.
After our stay in Mendoza, Alyssa, Molly, and I continued on to Valparaiso, Chile. But that is for another post which will hopefully be posted tomorrow...
I could not be more grateful for my time spent in Mendoza. The times of reflection, the beauty surrounding me, and the strengthening of friendships will always be in my heart. Un poco cursi, pero es la verdad.
Until tomorrow--
Courtney
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