Como andan ustedes? Me imagino que ustedses hayan esperado por una entrada nueva. Perdóname! Cada dia que viva en la Argentina, me la enamoro. Adémas me olvido a escribir en mi blog! No me dan bronca! Pero tengo cuentos por ustedes sobre mi viaje en la provincia Jujuy!
Did you all follow that?
Well let's mix it up then!
So I went to Jujuy (una Provincia en Argentina) it is located in the North very close to Bolivia. It was a trip with the program CIEE FLACSO BUENOS AIRES. If you didn't know, Buenos Aires was not a drastic shock. I mean it was a culture shock, but it was like I was the only white girl, majority of the people in Buenos Aires have European descent (Italian and Spanish *like Spain). So when we went to Jujuy, we were in for a brand new culture.
We left early morning by plane to la provincia (we had to be there at 4 am). I didn't sleep that night because I mean really, what was the point? My host mom stayed up with me because she didn't have to work in the morning and we drank coffee while watching late night T.V. She told me she wanted to mandame saludos por un buen viaje! Que te pase lindo! She is so kind! So I shared a cab with my friends Jon and Ben to the airport (because they live in mi barrio) and we were off! Of course with the luck I bring, (Mom- Remember the graduation party of 2009) it began to storm pretty bad and our flight was delayed by 2 hours. However, we did end up flying later and the flight was smooth and easy. It is amazing how after 3 months, hearing the rules and precautions in Spanish is the norm. Two hour flight and a two hour micro (bus) y llegamos en Tilcara! Now personally, I have never been in a place with huge mountains before. I mean yes I was in California last year and there were some mountains, but not like Jujuy. It was just amazing to be in high elevation! I began to reflect on the beauty that God created and was knocked off my high horse right away. He created all of this naturaleza, que belleza, que marvillosa! Our program stayed in a Hostel in Tilcara which was walking distance from the town and the feria.
The Feria (little stands selling lots of llama and alpaca products) was amazing! In la provincia Jujuy, the way of making income is cultivating products from the abundance of llamas, cows and alpacas that they have. Just like the Native Americans used the buffalo, the people of Jujuy use every part of the llama. It can be used for cargo, food, and clothing. Everyone in my program definitely went to shopping splurges in Jujuy. Porque? Porque es más barato que Buenos Aires. For example: Buying a beloved llama sweater costed 60-90 pesos ($13- $20) AMAZING! It is a very distinct culture with very cool things to gift to people in the United States.
Now we did not only buy things for the whole weekend in Jujuy, we had some interesting excursions which involved big mountatins and Inca Ruins. Friday, we began our cultural excursions. We first went to the Inca ruins and we were guided through the history and all the cool buildings that were there! One thing very different: SO. many. cacti. It was so different from what I am used to seeing. Despues, were taken into the town of Humahuaca, which in la provincia is a very touristy town compared to the rest. We got to see all the beautiful architecture, the colorful cemetery (parecido to the ones you see in Mexico during the festival "El dia de los muertos" which in Jujuy is called "El dia de los almas") and of course, more llama/alpaca shopping. That night we had a free dinner, (not like free food,but we could go to a restaurant and eat there instead of the hostel) So I went with some friends to a restaurant in town. I got to try two different kinds of food, Locro (which is a kind of stew with different meats and corn *also called the poor man's meal like how chili is in the States) and....... LLAMA! I tried llama! It was not too bad or different, it is not like chicken more like venison and beef mixed together. Very tasty.
On Saturday, we had a big day of sightseeing, we first prepared for all the altitude by drinking green tea and sucking on hojas de coca (hojas de coca is a type of plant/leaf that you bunch up and put in your cheek and suck on it to help calm upset stomachs and head aches from the altitude. Es parecido de chewing tobacco but won't destroy your teeth or is bad for you. Our first stop was the Salinas (Salt Mines) It basically looked like snow fall but warm and salty. It was amazing. They made chairs, tables, statues of llamas, all out of salt! How cool! Of course many pictures were taken there! We then were taken to Purmamarca (a town with little touristy attractions) and took a caminata in the mountains with 7 colors! It was GORGEOUS! (unfortunately my camera had to die at the salinas so I could take pictures but I will just snag pictures from others!) It was amazing! Such beautiful landscape and creation! So blessed to be here! Later that night, we were lucky enough to go a peña (a folklore dance show) in town. We listened to music, talked and later had a GIANT dance party, dancing danza folklorico and a little salsa! It was so much fun!
I would have to say Jujuy was a big eye opener to a culture I originally had only seen in pictures. Mi di cuenta de que I am in love with culture. I find the difference beautiful and intriguing. The people fascinate me and I just want to assimilate to their lifestyle. It makes me wish I would have pursued anthropology or something... I am thankful to at least taken a class at Central! What a beautiful world we live in, what a beautiful God we have.
Gracias chicos por paciencia y nos hablamos luego!
Besos y abrazos!
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