Ben Yahnian: France

The train roared across the track. I was on the TGV from Perpignan, France to Barcelona, Spain. While silence lurked throughout each cabin on the train, we oddly started to slow down. Suddenly, a man with a large feather attached to his hair seated behind me awoke screaming AHHHHH at the top of his lungs. A huge pain struck my gut as an intense pang of laughter hurt my side while the entire cabin joined me in hysterics. Dazed and confused, he obviously did not have a ticket for his journey and was hitching a free ride. Our train finally came to a stop because of an obstacle on the track. However, this man got up, grabbed his belongings which consisted of a satchel containing only 2 fairly large bamboo sticks, and hopped off the train where he disappeared into the distant countryside of southern France.

The view of Southern France from the TGV train

Now you are probably thinking why in the world would I be telling you this story? When I came back home, I soon realized that the only way I could express my appreciation to MBA and especially the Wilson family was through the memorable experiences, amusing stories, and essential lessons that I had learned. While my stories could fill 1000 pages, I am going to share some of the most unforgettable ones. In this way, I hope you will be able to see how truly appreciative I am. 

First, I want to discuss my EIL group which consisted of an economically, racially, and geographically diverse group of people. I love each of them from the bottom of my heart and I’m sure that these 15 different relationships will endure for many years to come. However, it would be a grave mistake for me not to mention one of my two group leaders named Sabienne Brutus. This lady is unlike any other person I have ever met in my life. To call her my hero would be an understatement. Words do not describe her, she describes words. She is a headstrong leader and the kind of friend who loves you enough to tell you when you screwed up or made a mistake.

My EIL group (Sabienne is seated at the bottom)

Anyway, I do want to mention an interesting dynamic within my EIL group that I observed. From the beginning, our group split into several “cliques” based on but not limited to race and personality. I can not express how much this bothered me. However, I am pleased to say that by the end of the trip when we returned to Paris, our group became united and friendships had formed between everyone. 

My EIL Group

My trip was appropriately titled “Between the Atlantic and Mediterranean,” as we stayed in Paris for 5 days, traveled to Perpignan for a 2 week homestay with 4 days spent in Barcelona, embarked for a 4 day stay in the Pyrenees and finished with a few more days in different cities in southern France and Northern Spain before we returned to Paris. Basically, I got the wonderful opportunity to experience the Catalan (the peoples living in the border region between France and Spain) culture, dialect, and art. With my homestay family, I learned numerous songs and chants about the Catalans, and I now fully respect their amusing yet dedicated mascot: the donkey. Thinking back on my trip, I am honestly amazed at how much I did that my brain still hasn’t processed all the incredible moments on the trip. I went to the beach 11 times! The Mediterranean Sea just felt so good I just had to go back again and again. But particularly, I want to mention the beach at Collioure which was about an hour by bus away from my homestay in Perpignan. The beach there was absolutely incredible and I loved the red tiled roof architecture of all the houses. 

The Beach at Collioure 

As if I wasn’t lucky enough already just to get the opportunity to go on this trip, I was blessed with an unbelievably caring homestay family in Perpignan. I had two brothers aged 15 and 20 which was an opportunity for me to experience living with 2 brothers as I only have one sister in Nashville (I still love ya Mary). 

The cutest little homestay city of Perpignan

Anyway my dad was the coolest plumber in the world, and I respected him so much for the effort he exerted in his job daily. Also, I noticed a particularly odd occurrence that about 80% of the time my dad never wore a shirt. After I noticed that my brothers followed in their farther’s shirtless footsteps I soon picked up on the ritual and went shirtless. You should have seen the look on my real mom’s face when I came back home and tried to explain why I had disproportionately clean shirts compared to shorts. When I came to France, I predicated that I would lose 10 pounds as the French obviously ate way less than us Americans. Wrong Ben. So wrong. I have never eaten so much food in my life. My host family would say to me all the time, “oh you are american? Drink this coke.” As I was in no mood to refuse anything that they offered me, I accepted and this became a regular thing at dinner. We all drank coke and watched the news while we ate. For my first lunch, my mom bought me a baguette sandwich. However, when I came home that day having eaten the whole thing, I guess she took it as a sign that I was starving and decided to pack two huge baguettes each day for my lunch for the next 2 weeks, along with apple sauce and some fruit. (and a coke of course!) One day, my brothers called me their "vrai frere" or basically their true brother. Whenever they told me that, I may or may not have shed a little tear on the inside. My family went out of their way to include me in everything they did, and I felt like just another son in the family. I am truly grateful for the kindness given to me by my host family and I know that I will keep in touch with them for the rest of my life. 

My homestay family 

When I think about my trip, 3 key moments come to mind that I feel necessary to highlight. First, my brothers took me to this festival called a Feria. Basically, a Feria is an event in a city with bull activities during the day and at night the entire town shuts down as people line the streets for a huge party until 5 am. Oh and did I forget to mention that it happens for 3 days!? I loved listening to all the different bands on multiple stages and I danced my butt off with people of all different ages from young to even the elderly. By the third night, I was practically running on my reserve emergency energy supply. Man was I tired! 

Secondly, I struck luck again as I got the chance to turn 18 in Barcelona. This city was always and I mean always hopping. With one of the most breathtaking beaches and really cheap but incredible food, Barcelona is definitely a city I will be visiting again. My amazing EIL group leaders surprised us with a really nice restaurant dinner that night for my birthday and even gave us all a later curfew so we could explore all that Barcelona had to offer. 

18th Birthday in Barcelona!

Next, my group traveled to Yaso, Spain with a whopping total population of 7! Now what’s particularly interesting about Yaso are two things. One is that Yaso has 2 living accommodation options between a really, really rundown smelly old rusty cramped “hotel” and this brand new luxurious apartment complex. EIL through some snafu had booked half of us in the “hotel” and the others in the apartment complex. So we decided to draw straws and well my lucky streak just had to continue as I pulled a straw for the apartment. When I found out I got the apartment, I took off down the road screaming like a baboon and then I stopped and turned around and cried with joy. The other interesting thing about Yaso is the peculiar fly infestation. These things traveled in packs attacking not only our group but the whole town. However, I am pleased to report that our group formed a quasi resistance secret society waging war against these flies. After decimating their population, they called in backup and by the time it was time for us to leave Yaso we gave up our war with the flies and booked it to the charter bus. However, I need to also mention the incredible hiking in the Pyrenees mountains. We also got to go canyoning which is essentially entails putting on a wetsuit and wading down the river rapids with just your body and jumping off cliffs and waterfalls. If it sounds cool to you, then that’s because it was probably the coolest thing I did on the trip. 

There are so many more memorable experiences and moments on the trip that I wish I could tell including the Perpignan rugby game, all the stories I have from Paris, Biarritz, San Sebastien, Bilbao, Villefranche, Ceret, and many other cities and towns that we visited. I saw original artwork, climbed through medieval tunnels and castles, played pick-up soccer with these 13 year old French prodigies     (the score was like 7-2 if you were interested), attended a French barbeque, and now probably most importantly of all I feel I can confidently communicate with any French person on any topic in French. My main goal going into the trip was to increase my language proficiency and now the fear that used to lurk inside my body when I spoke to a native French speaker has all but been eradicated. 

My French Academy ID Card

I owe all my experiences, lasting memories, and loving friendships to the Wilson family. I sincerely hope you realize how much your contribution has meant to me and that this blog begins to describe my appreciation. I learned more, ate more, laughed more, and even cried more (at the end) than I ever have in my life. I know that both MBA and the Wilson family have positively impacted my life, and now I hope you both know that as well. 

Last night in Paris

Louis Brown's trip to Claustro Moderno in Bogota, Colombia

Introduction  

I met up with Daniel and his mother, Ms. Rodriguez, in the airport, and then headed back to their apartment. I unpacked all my clothes neatly because the family was very kind and respectful to me. The family was really nice to me, and they allowed me to use Angela's, Daniel's sister, room. The family consists of the three of them and no more. After I gave them chocolates we went to a Colombian lunch where I had empenadas and a traditional soup with three different types of potatoes in it. One thing that I realized the very first day is that they never waste any food. Everything that is served is eaten until the platter is completely clean. We then went to a mall where we got ice cream and walked back to the house to catch a final in the Colombian league between Nacional and Santa Fe. Santa Fe is the team in Bogota, and the people of Bogota were on edge as the game ended a tie 0-0.

my room for two weeks

Interesting Words 

Ague panela con queso
Arepa de Mais
Policias acostados- speed bumps
Promedio- average
Bacano-cool (only in Bogota)
Chèvere-cool
Mazorca- corn on the cob
desierto- desert
Bogotanos- people from Bogota
placer- pleasure

The Normal School Day 

The school was a 10 minute bus ride from Daniel's house, and a bus came to pick us up every day around 7:20. The school was very pretty with a lot of surrounding forest on the property of the school. Many of the days were spent going to classes such as English, Math, Physics, Philosophy, Art, Physical Education, and more. The classes were fairly easy to understand as many of the concepts were similar. The school had 11 grades, and the 60 11th graders will graduate in November.

Full assembly at Claustro Moderno

Excursions and Activities 

 We went to dinner south of bogota on the other side of a the mountains(over 10,000 ft) in a small town called la calera. We ate arepas de mais that is similar to an empanada and ague panela con queso, which is a hot sugar water.

Left to right: Me, Mariana, Ryan, and Daniel at the top of la Calera. 

 Ague panella con queso and arepa in la Calera. 

One day after lunch we hiked on the property of the school up the mountain. The school starts on the base of a mountain and works up the first gradual slopes. What is not always shown to the students is the path that works up the mountain reaching the summit. The view from the top is incredible. 

Left to Right: Chase, me, and Ryan on top of the mountain at the school. 

On the second Friday of the three weeks the school had a patriotic day celebrating Colombia. All of the students participated in cooking arepas and playing traditional Colombian games. In addition, on the next day outside of school was the Colombian independence day. I went with my host family to see a military parade downtown. The parade was impressive as it lasted two hours showing tanks, submarines, special forces, and more.  

Arepa con queso

Pinto in his traditional Colombian outfit

the parade on independence day

One of my favorite restaurants was the chain called Crepes and Waffles. The food there was good but also cheap because of the favorable exchange from dollars to pesos. 

 Mariana and Daniel at Crepes and Waffles 

Thanks 

I am so thankful for the opportunity to visit a new country and learn about their customs and culture. The world is a big place and with this trip I am better able to produce a picture of what it is really like. The improvement of my speaking abilities is incredible and I am closer to my goal of becoming fluent in Spanish. I would also like to thank the Wilson family for the wonderful experience they gave me. It is an honor to be selected for these grants and for that I thank Mr. Gaither and the language department. Also, thank you to Mr. Paolicchi for accompanying the three of us on our exchange. The Wilson grants are one of the opportunities that make MBA special, and I am proud to be a part of the program.   

   Bogota, Colombia from the air

James Throckmorton: China

2013

One of China's most iconic images: The Forbidden City

          Visiting China was one of the greatest experiences in my life, but I admit that I was quite nervous. I had never flown over an ocean before or been out of the country before. As the plane was landing, hundreds of thoughts rushed into my head. What if I offend someone? What if I did something wrong? I took a deep breath and relaxed. I reminded myself that this amazing trip would change my life forever.

            The first city that I visited was China’s capitol, Beijing. After disembarking the plane, my group was greeted by four students who attended Beijing Number 4 high school. They were all eager to meet us. Their names were Harry, Peter, Anna, and Biscuit. 

(Left to Right) Harry, Jackson, Biscuit, Anna, Penn, Steve, myself, and Peter

They introduced me to my first authentic Chinese meal consisting of things I have never even attempted eating. They also gave me great insight into the way Chinese people go about their daily lives. My introduction to China had begun.

            We saw many fascinating sites while staying in Beijing such as a Chinese Museum, Tienamen Square, The Forbidden City, The Great Wall of China, Beijing Number 4 High School, The Temple of Heaven, The Summer Palace, and the Silk Market. 

The Forbidden City: The former palace of the Emperor

 I was able to vastly improve my Chinese at the Silk Market where customers had to haggle for items. I was able to use my Chinese skills to talk to the salesmen and purchase small trinkets for a very low price. However, visiting Beijing Number 4 taught me about Chinese culture. I was able to converse with several Chinese students and learn how they go about their day to day activities. 

Standing atop the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall winds across the landscape for as far as the I can see.

 Although everything that I saw in Beijing was mesmerizing, The Great Wall will have a very lasting impression on my life. My group of MBA students hiked about four miles of the Great Wall during our visit. It towered over the land scape and seemed almost mystical. As I was standing atop the tallest portion of the wall that we could go to, I was awestruck by the majesty of the great structure. The fact that the wall had been built by men over many generations and that many of the workers were buried underneath the wall made my knees weak. The wall had stood the test of time and defended the land from conquerors throughout the dynasties that have ruled China in the past.

            Beijing was not the only place that I visited. I also explored the city of Jinnan, which is the hometown of my Chinese teacher, Zhang Laoshi. We traveled to Jinnan by train, and it was the first time I had ever been on a high speed train.   

My first experience in a high speed train.

The city was tiny compared to the bustling city of Beijing (It was still much bigger than Nashville). My host brother, Tom, was an incredibly nice guy who accepted me into his family. His cousin, Lien, also lived with him, they went to the same school. This experience was the true test for my Chinese skills because Tom could not speak English very well nor could the rest of his family. I had to really concentrated and try my best to understand what others were saying, and I had to make sure that they could understand me. I learned so much about Chinese culture from shadowing Tom and talking to him and his cousin. One thing I did learn was from pure dumb luck. At the first dinner I had with my host family, they raised a toast. We all clinked glasses, and I clinked glasses with Tom's grandfather. I did not know it at the time, but I had dipped the top of my glass underneath the top of his glass. The old man was shocked by this action because it is a great sign of respect. For the rest of my time in Jinnan, Tom's grandfather wanted to converse with me to test my Chinese skills. 

(Left to Right) Lien and Tom saying goodbye to me on my last day in Jinnan.

           

             When it was finally time to leave my host family, we had a heartfelt goodbye. I then re-boarded the train and traveled to Shanghai. Shanghai was an amazing experience. All of the buildings towered above me. It is such an advanced city and yet it has such a vast history. Several buildings of British origin dot the curve in the river known as the Bund (The bend in the river). 

The soon to be second tallest building in the world

The Bund: One of the most iconic spots in all of Shanghai

The best part about Shanghai was meeting my host brother Owen. Owen had visited MBA in the winter, and I had met him during his exchange. He is a really great guy, and we share many of the same interests. 

Owen and his mother saying goodbye to me as I departed Shanghai

While in Shanghai, Owen and I were both quite busy because we were preparing for the international conference that was taking place at Owen’s school. He had to prepare for the events, and I had to prepare for my role as a director and presenter. Even though we both had very busy schedules, we always talked with each other. Every night, we would play video games together. Owen taught me a valuable lesson while I was staying with him. Even though American students seem to be very different from Chinese students and vice versa, we can still enjoy the same things and enjoy each other’s company. 

            This trip was one of the greatest experiences in my life, and I will never forget it for as long as I live. The Wilson Family has given me so much, and I offer them my sincere gratitude. I also would like to thank my host families for putting up with me. I know that it must have been difficult to change your daily routine, and I and truly grateful. I would also like to thank Zhang Laoshi for taking such good care of me and the other MBA students as we traveled across China. I also give my sincere thanks to Mr. Gaither and Mr. Paolicchi for making all of this possible.

Gaines Garrett: Germany




Arrival at Frankfurt Airport

June 12, 2013: AATG

        After traveling for 16 hours round-trip, Nick Obremsky and I met our host partners as enthusiastically as possible. However, I soon learned that their hospitality matched that of ours in the South. Martin, my host brother, and his mother drove me an hour back to Wiesbaden where I slept through the rest of the day and night in my own room. Martin and his brother Patrick were sharing their own bed. The next morning, I awoke to the smell of freshly baked bread which I would have for breakfast and lunch. I knew then that I was in good hands.

First day of School

        For the first week, I accompanied my host brother to school where I took a multitude of classes all in German. It didn't matter which class was which. Biology class was German class, Religion class was German class, Math class was German class. We did however spend four hours of our day in our homeroom class which was a safe haven where we still studied German but in English. After a few days passed, however, we were all comfortable with speaking German to the best of our ability. Many of us failed initially, but the embarrassment was mutual. Each little mistake was really an improvement as the nearest German, whether we knew them or not, would politely correct us. We were speaking German!

The glorious Brandenburg Tor

        After each school day, my host partner and I would go into the city of Wiesbaden. Within the city we walked everywhere which gave me a chance to enjoy the local quisine, find the best local shops, and experience the culture first hand. I quickly discovered many important things such as: my favorite food, Döner, my favorite shop, the local candy store, and my favorite custom, honking your horns and driving around in circles when someone is just married.


        I had many fantastic experiences different of what my other AATG group members had. One of which was the time I spent in Frankfurt on the panel for a discussion about the recent politcal speech made by Barack Obama which coincided with the anniversary of JFK's speech in 1963. In Wiesbaden I had the opportunity to be a part of this discussion along with one other American from my AATG group. We were joined by many other German students around the state of Hessen, but we were the only Americans. We were joined by journalists, filmakers, and people who saw JFK'S speech in 1963 first hand. We answered many opinionated questions about JFK's speech, Obama's speech, and comparisons between the two. It was a fantastic thing to be a part of and I relished the experience.

The discussion panel at the Villa Kennedy, hosted by the
U.S. Consulate General in Frankfurt am Main

        Our group spent an exhilirating few days in Berlin as well, where we stayed in a youth hostel and explored Berlin. We saw all the museums, including the world renowned pergamon museum. We saw the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, the Dome, the Reichstag and much more. Around noon each day though we were given the freedom to explore Berlin on our own. We then enjoyed the Berlin music scene and many fantastic shops around the city.

The Prussian Flag in front of the Reichstag

I would like to thank the Wilson family for their fantastic generosity. My trip helped me improve my German speaking skills tremendously and I made lifelong friends in a different country on a different continent. I will never forget my time I spent in Germany and I will always be indebted to MBA and the Wilson family. Thanks again.

Charlie Hawkins: Spain

Guards of Charles I's castle in Madrid

View of me on balcony of castle

Garden in Madrid

Group picture on beach of Mediterranean Sea

Done with school in Cordoba!

Group photo

Charlie Hawkins: Spain

I arrived at the New York airport and met fourteen of the people that I would become great friends with for the next month. My leaders Darius and Gillian assimilated the group with activities to learn more about the people in the group. After arriving at the Madrid Airport at 10:15, we took the bus to Hostal Persal and had Spanish meals together for lunch and dinner. The next morning we took a tour of Charles I's castle and saw many antique paintings, carpets, and over 1800 rooms.       Later that day, I went on a scavenger hunt around the city, bought a Ronaldo jersey, and took a very difficult Spanish placement test. The Spanish hotel served the same breakfast every morning, a model of consistency. After a few days in Madrid, we took a bus to Toledo and went into a church. We went to eat at a cafe and bought the famous Chupa Chups lollipops. We then took a bus to Cordoba, where we would spend the next two weeks, and had a dinner of soup, chicken, and fries. Each night we would have a group discussion called "Rose, Bud, Thorn" describing the positive, looking forward to, and negative parts of the day. The school experience in Cordoba for two weeks was a very special experience. Each day we would walk to school and interview the locals on the streets of Cordoba. The best way to improve my Spanish skills was through trial and error. Even though we were in Spain, there was still a plethora of ice cream stores, which our group visited frequently. After a siesta, we visited a mosque and a park. The soccer game that afternoon that we played in Cordoba was a great way to get exercise and play the most popular sport in Spain. We took a trip to the local pool and met a variety of interesting people, like the Gypsies. The next morning, after a breakfast of churros, we walked to the botanic gardens. That night we went to a guitar concert and outdoor Will Smith movie in Spanish. Spending the Fourth of July was very unique. The faculty at the school surprised us with Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" and made us feel at home. After the hotel staff gave us a very American lunch of hamburgers and fries, we relaxed at the hotel before going to the roof at night and looking at the stars. I learned to keep a good attitude even when it took the hotel three days to do my laundry. The next morning at breakfast I had a few thoughts. While language barriers may separate two races from one another, smiles and gestures are universal. During this trip, I discovered a great deal about myself and my strengths and weaknesses. As one of two people from the South in our group of fourteen, I learned to express my opinions with people from very different backgrounds, religions, political views, and cultures. Eating at an Indian restaurant in Cordoba as Americans represents a unique amalgam of three cultures brought together. One night we went to a very loud flamenco show, and I developed an appreciation for styles of music to which I was unaccustomed. For the next twelve days, I would experience a very memorable homestay. I arrived in Guadix and met my family. My father was a local business owner, and my mother was a homemaker, who served delicious gazpacho. I had three brothers who were very conversational and made me feel at home. I found it funny how my eighteen-year-old brother's room was filled with Disney movies and toys. My mom would cook every meal and give me hot chocolate for breakfast every morning. My eighteen-year-old brother, David, was a city-renowned artist, and I shared a room with him. On several occasions, he took me to the pool and to the fiestas every night of my homestay with the other Americans in my group and their Spanish siblings. One day we went camping in the Spanish mountains and walked up to a stream for lunch. We played a Spanish version of dodgeball by the cabin and walked to an abandoned building for ghost stories that night. At my brother's friend Juanma's birthday party the next night, we stayed up until 6:30 in the morning at a carnival and disco party. Our group went on several cathedral tours in the city of Guadix, and we had a very fun day on the Mediterranean Beach. Swimming 300 yards into the Mediterranean Sea and going to a karaoke party that night capped off a very exciting couple of days that were highlights of the trip. Whether observing a view of the caves in Guadix from the top of a mountain or the Virgen Carmen parade, I will remember my time in Guadix. The last fews days of the trip were spent drawing cartoons with the group in an art studio and at Al hambra gardens and palace. We had a banquet the last night in a local hotel. All the families came together, and each American gave a thank you and goodbye speech, bringing some of the audience members to tears. The next morning we went to the Madrid airport only to find that our flight to New York had been cancelled! After 16 hours of flights, delays, and layovers, I made it back to Nashville. I made some unforgettable memories in Guadix, Madrid, and Cordoba, and I am very thankful for having the opportunity to go on this trip.  I wanted to give my utmost thanks to the Wilson Family for making this incredible trip possible, and to conclude, in the words that my brother David said all the time, "Venga, hasta luego."
     
       
     

Drew Benson: Colombia

View from the balcony of the cabin

      After an entire day of flying and waiting in the airport, Fred Harwell, Wilson Vaughan, Jack Duke and I landed in Bogota, Colombia, where we split up with our respective host families and headed off to our new homes for the next three weeks. Jack and I were fortunate enough to stay in a cabin on the beautiful campus of the renowned Colegio Claustro Moderno. The school itself was a bit different than MBA in that it was a kindergarten through 11^th grade school (their 11^th grade is our 12^th grade). The school felt a bit more relaxed – the dress code was a bit more casual, there were longer breaks between classes, and the students called the teachers by their first names. That first week we spent time taking typical high school classes (English, Spanish, Biology, Math etc.) and learning the customs and lingo of the Colombians. It also took some time acclimating to the climate, for Bogota is nearly twice the altitude of Denver, CO. We thought the Colombians were in for a surprise when we first played pick up basketball, but we soon found ourselves sweating and gasping for breath. I even got to play in an alumni soccer game that Friday and, despite my fatigue, I was able to finish the game. 

View overlooking the lake outside of Bogota

The first weekend, we were able to enjoy a stay at Pablo Gaitan’s lakehouse (Pablo came to MBA on exchange last year). We also spent lots of time tasting local cuisine like morsilla, empanadas, almohabana, and my personal favorite, arepas. The following week’s highlights included visiting the Museo de Botero (a famous art museum of Colombia’s most famous artist) and watching national soccer matches against Peru and Argentina. It was really amazing to see Bogota during a match, for literally the entire city is decked out in their jerseys and everyone stops what they are doing to watch the match (quite a different attitude towards soccer than in the US). 

Standing on top of Monserrate over Bogota

That weekend, we were able to ride to the top of the mountain on a cable car to see the entire city of Bogota at a place called Monserrate. The final week at school seemed to fly by, capped off by a dance marathon on the last school day of the semester. As the four us had been taking salsa lessons, we obviously stole the show. The last three days (Friday-Sunday) were spent touring everything we hadn’t seen in Colombia – from the President’s house to the Museo de Oro (Gold Museum) we were able to see it all. The trip truly was an experience of a lifetime and something I will be proud of for the rest of my life. I would like to thank the Wilson family, Mr. Gaither, Mr. Paolicchi, and Dr. Zimmerman for making this exchange possible and providing such an unforgettable experience!

Jackson McCaskill: China

 China 2013

 Day Trips

Steve and I at the Great Wall

Although we went to several interesting ancient sites, such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, most of our day trips can be described fully in one way. As far as weather goes, there was some sun for a few days, but the majority of the days were clouded with smog. It never really matter if the sun was out or not because it was always hot. We traveled mostly by subway and foot, but we did occasionally take a taxi or ride the bus. Subway usually turned out to be the most efficient and inexpensive option. Once we were finally at a site, I would do my best to try and learn something new about the culture. I would also try to imagine what kind of work had been put into the building of the site. Most of the major historic sites in China are thousands of years old and took thousands of years to finish building. I really enjoyed the day trips because it opened me up to a new culture and a new history that I had never known before.

Home Stays

On our trip to China, we stayed with host families in both Jinan and Shanghai. My first host brother spoke English almost fluently, so I didn't get as much listening experience with him. Though I only spoke a few words at a time, his parents were what really helped me with my speaking and listening skills in Jinan. The communication barrier between his parents and I obviously made it difficult to have a real conversation, and, unfortunately, lack of conversation led to awkward silence My first host family stayed in middle class apartment; it was an apartment similar to most others in Jinan. My second host brother spoke relatively good English, and his parents spoke and understood most English as well. In Shanghai, we were busy at the WLSA conference, so I didn't have much time with my host brother. My second host family lived in a nice flat; most of the apartments in Shanghai are nicer and more modern. My favorite part about either home stay was my final meal that my Jinan host family cooked me. My host brother's father, who is a chef, cooked me a large meal of the best Chinese dishes. Though it could be uncomfortable at times, my host families made me feel welcome in a foreign country.

My host family In Jinan

 

 

 

 

Food

As one might expect when traveling to a different country, the food and flavors in China are quite different from in America. Before I get into the interesting foods, I'll point out how the taste of their food seems to never changes. The Chinese use the same spices and other ingredients throughout almost every meal. While in America we can expect to eat several different combinations of flavors throughout each day; in China, every meal tastes basically the same. Though I did eat some odd things, most meals were made of normal ingredients. However, I did have the pleasure of enjoying some Chinese rarities. The top three were shark fin, jellyfish, and edible tree fungus. Shark fin was thin and stringy; tree fungus was dark brown and chewy like rubber; jellyfish had the texture of an ear. I loved the food, but after a couple of weeks, the Chinese flavors were a little overwhelming and I was ready for American-style food.

Jellyfish with cucumber

Shark fin

Use of the Language/Growth as a Student

When we first arrived in China, I was very hesitant to actually use my Chinese in the real world. It took me a couple of days before I started using even the most basic conversational phrases. Early in the trip, basically all of the speaking was done by Zhang Laoshi and Penn, who had just finished AP Chinese. By the end of the trip, we were all using some of what we had learned and improved our vocabularies too. Honestly, I got more out of listening than I did out of speaking. Listening is my weakest ability in Chinese, and this trip improved my listening more than I had imagined possible. In the end, I realized how fun using Chinese can be and I really look forward to using it in the future.

Thanks

Finally, I would like to thank all those who made this trip a possibility. Thank you to the Wilson family for the opportunity to study abroad. This trip would have never happened had it not been for the generosity of the Wilson family. I would also like to thank Mr. Gaither, Mr. Gioia, Mr. Paolicchi, and Zhang Laoshi for the many hours of planning that went into this trip. Thank you for an unforgettable trip.

Diego Martinez-Rojas: Argentina

   ARGENTINA 2013         Diego Martinez-Rojas




   Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires!

After almost ten hours of flying I knew I was finally reaching my destination when vibrant lights began to fill the night sky around our plane. I was shivering with excitement at the simple thought that in just about an hour I would be walking through the streets of Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, with my newly made friends. Though exhausted from over a full day and night of travel, upon arriving at our hotel my group and I did not waste a minute after unpacking before heading out for a tour which would eagerly continue over the next four days. 

"La Boca"

Some of the nearly countless sights we saw during our stay were the Casa Rosada, which is like the White House of Argentina in "El Centro" (the center of the city). We went to la Boca which is a very traditional and almost bizzare area at the southern tip of the city. Also we had day-long excursions to Palermo and Recoleta in the North and a river delta called "El Tigre". Each day was better than the last and with each passing moment of our orientation in this incredible city I not only learnt much about Spanish and Argentinian culture but also about the different lives of my friends from all over the U.S. and myself as well. 

Salta 

My next stop during the trip was my homestay in the city of Salta, a city with about a million people in the northern tip of Argentina. I did not realize why they called it "Salta La Linda" ("Salta the Beautiful") until my flight from Buenos Aires landed. Upon exciting the plane I was met with a breathtaking view of a very mountainous, almost surreal landscape unlike anything id ever seen before.

Salta Horizon

Shorty afterwards I left the airport and headed home to the neighborhood of "San Lorenzo" with my host family. Over the next two weeks I became extremely close with my brother Tomas, my Sister Trinidad, and my mother Eda, who taught me all about life in Argentina.
                                                         

Museum of Salta

                                                       Just as with my family, over these two weeks I also formed great relationships with my friends meeting and talking with local Argentinians doing lots of community service and visiting the many shops, restaurants, museums, plazas, and other countless places of interest in the city. Finally on the last night of the two weeks our homestay families came together to throw us a farewell party which culminated the unforgettable time I spent in the beautiful city of Salta!     

Chicoana

After saying a final goodbye to all the great people we'd met our bus finally took off from Salta as we headed to a small yet seemingly infamous town known as "Chicoana". For the past two weeks everyone in Salta had been telling us that Chicoana was not only a very aesthetically appealing town but also the people were some of the nicest we would ever know, and they were right. We were met by about 15 English students eager to meet us and ready to give us a complete tour of the town by foot. 

Arrival at Chicoana

                                 
Following the tour we unpacked at our hostel, which was directly facing the town's main plaza, had almuerzo "lunch", and headed out for a friendly soccer match with the locals. During our four day stay at this incredibly nice town we...

"Bife Chorizo" Steak

• Played lots of soccer

• Ate more amazing traditional Argentinian food

"Gaucho" Parade

• Shopped from merchants at the Plaza

•  Saw a Parade every night and day due to local holidays

Mixing some Paint

• Shopped from merchants at the Plaza

• Did community service each day at a local "finca" (a ranch)

• Met new Argentinians everyday! 

       




     The Great Outdoors

         

     The last (and perhaps my favorite) segment of the trip was a           week spent horseback riding in the breathtaking mountain ranges    of Northern Argentina. After leaving the town of Chicoana we          took a relatively short bus ride to a small ranch were we would        first meet our horses. 

My friend Jack and I

After putting on our helmets and being given some simple instructions we loaded up and headed out into the Argentinian countryside! After just ten minutes of slow trotting all that was in sight was distant mountains and the dirt roads leading up to them. 

Taking off on our horses

This four hour ride was really just a warm up and a time to get acquainted with our horses. Though at first my horse "Pallo"  didn't seem to like me much by the end of the ride I'm pretty sure we were already good buds. After finishing the ride and setting into our campground, the "gauchos" (cowboys) with which 

On top of the mountain

we were horseback riding took us 

on foot up a long mountain path

up to the top of the mountain 

where I saw one of the most 

incredible scenery I've ever seen

my entire life.

My friend Michael with Luis the Gaucho

Traditional Argentine Music

  Any way you looked there seemed to be a never-ending horizon of mountains beyond mountains. After the hike we had a delicious campfire dinner and later in the night got to see a very 

talented local Folklore Band sing traditional Argentine music. 

Horseback Riding

Though this first day of enjoying the outdoors seemed to be unbeatable the rest of the days horseback riding only got better. During the following week we also went to a ranch called the "Finca Santa Anita", where we attended a Tobacco museum, got to try different kinds of freshly made goat cheese, and even had a goat-milking contest among many other cultural activities. 

"The Throat of the Devil"

Walking in the Desert

Also we spent two nights at the beautiful traditional mountain town of Cafayate. We went to many incredible geological places of interest, such as "La Garganta del Diablo" (The Throat of the Devil) and "El Amphiteatro" (The Amphitheater), and the Ruins of the Quilmes Civilization. 



By now my travel group felt like a second family and visiting so many amazing places with them could not have been more fun and enjoyable. Unfortunately the trip had to come to an end and we finally headed back to Buenos Aires for our flight back to the U.S.

My friend Ben and I at the "Quilmes" Ruins

To the Wilson Family


I'd really like to give a huge thank you to the Wilson Family for providing me with this incredible experience.
Though from before even setting foot on Argentina I imagined this would be a great trip it probably turned out to be the best month of my life so far. Every single day I learnt more than I could imagine, I saw countless incredible sights, I made some of the best friends I've ever had my whole life, both American and Argentinian, and my perspective of the world has expanded far beyond its previous boundaries. I will never forget my time in Argentina and I hope to return again as soon as possible. Thank you Wilson Family!!!