Montevideo, baby!

 My last couple days have been fairly adventurous. Yesterday, we took a boat to an island/peninsula/i don't know. After having a quasi-satisfactory meal, we hopped on a path in hope of a pleasant twenty minute hike. If only we knew.

We walked for about twenty minutes across awkwardly placed stones until we headed in a tropical forest. The path turned into overgrown dirt that resembled a path. Slowly the trees above us closed in until we had to duck from to avoid getting our eyes poked out with little twigs that seemed to spawn out of thin air. The path then split into three other paths in which we immediately took the right one, leaving me with a near-material question mark over my head. Thankfully, the muddy and buggy trail began to let up. Thats when we saw the other tourists. Scantily clad in small bathing suits, they headed the opposite direction with a huge smile on their face. It would be a great twenty minute hike. If only they knew.

Now here I am in Montevideo, Uruguay. We took an oversized boat that looked like it was on steroids across the river that divides the two countries, and then hopped onto a bus that brought us to this little school. Here our rooms consist of two beds and- oh wait. Its just two beds. There isn't even a bathroom. All four rooms on this floor have to share the same bathroom with it's one shower. The faucet also takes about five cranks of 360 degrees before any water comes out. Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful place, but the water should be.... accessible.

Today I had my first classes. You basically sit in a room with a couple other people that are your basic level and listen to this guy talk away in spanish and try to keep up. I was able to do this pretty well,  but by the look of some people's faces, I was one of the few. Of course then we are asked to share some stuff about ourselves... and then I fall apart. Right now the rest of my family is taking classes. I just walked about a mile to go get some empanadas for the family. My interaction with the people is improving from "mmm.... delicioso", to actual conversations. Heck, by the end of  the trip, I'll be fluent and then some!

To reply to the comments:

Yes starrise, i know who you are. JOIA....

Unfortunetely, weird-arse food is a little hard to come bye in these parts. Cuisine mostly consists of empanadas and pizza.

I am going everywhere except Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia, and those northern territories.

I am not to bummed about missing the courage retreat

No, i will NOT show off my spanish on this blog (even though it is amazing)

I am pretty sure I am not drunk

So far threats such as King Kong have not been a problem, but who knows? I have to go to some pretty monster-prone towns, like Mendoza, with all of those CRAZY vineyards.

I will have fun livin' life

Patrick, you are now limited to one comment per blog. Starting now. I mean now.

Pictures soon!