Iguazu, Dinner, Being 19

Thursday night Ann and I left for Iguazú. We saw an entirely different region of Argentina. Red dirt roads wind though gorgeous landscapes of infinite shades of green. Rickety cars and trucks kick up clouds of dust that paint everything roadside the same shade of rust. The drastic cilmate change from dry Córdoba in the Central Sierras to super humid, subtropical Iguazú makes me feel sluggish. 22 hours on a bus.

A ride that parts of which I wish I could forget. In the middle of the night while everyone around me was asleep, I woke up to a man standing over me touching my hair. I sit up groggy and confused and after a few minutes of bizarre interaction I realize what his intentions were. He wants me to move to the back of the bus with him. I refuse and tell him to leave me alone. Just as I'm about to scream and wake up the whole bus he finally walks away. I wonder how long he'd been there before I woke up and I lie wide awake for the next four hours. That's nothing compared to some of the disgusting things have been happening to the girls in our group lately. It's getting kind of scary to walk around alone, even in broad daylight. A man I met in India gave me the best travel advice I've ever received. Quite simply, "Do not trust anyone." I'm realizing how true that is.

Why it's worth it: We were sitting at our hostel trying to figure out how to get the waterfalls when I see a tour group that's about to leave. I strike up a conversation with the tour guide and he offers us a lift. So we take off and hike with him for awhile. I asked him about crossing into Brazil, and he tells me that they have gotten a lot stricter than they were. He says that Argentines and Brazillians are allowed to cross without paying so it's best to find someone who has a car with Argentine plates, pay them for a ride over, and hope that we don't get stopped. After thanking the very nice, and very shady tour guide we part ways and hike on our own.

The falls were amazing! ...Amazing is sucha shitty word. It's overused and It doesn't come close to describing it. But I can't think of a word that does describe it so I'll just use amazing. Just go look at the photos on Facebook. Also I have a new video up on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWgZI27uHqo

We hiked the whole day, saw some toucans, coatis, and other animals I never thought I would see outside of the Discovery Channel. We finally ended up on the Island San Martin for the most incredible view. When we got there the place was deserted. Ann and I just stood there completely speechless. What a day.

Dinner that night was merorable. The food was great, best meal I had in a weeks. Until I'm sitting talking to Ann and I'm slowly growing more and more nauseous. I excuse myself and go throw up everything. Food poisoning. I puke for the next 12 hours. However the night was salvaged, after I returned from the bathroom Ann and I had the best conversation I've had in a while. We talked about how crazy it is that we're all thrown together from all over the US, and how different we all are. I think it's so interesting how people present themselves when they're in a new group. What qualities they decide to show first and what things you wont find out about until you've know them for a few weeks. It's like everyone can recreate themselves if they want to, sometimes without realizing it. All of a sudden you're surrounded by people that you have absolutely no past with. I mean, they know nothing about you other than what you tell them. We started guessing what people were like before they got here and what they're trying to prove now. It made us realize a lot about ourselves too. I act tougher than I am.

That night I talk to a cab driver, he offers to take us to Brazil for 100 pesos in an unmarked taxi. After talking with the locals it seems like our chances are about 50-50 of making it there and back with no problems. We decide that we'd rather not waste a whole day waiting at boarder patrol. So we opt to go rappelling on the Argentine side instead, and finish the day by flying down an 800 meter zip line 40 meters high through the jungle. That was a rush!

The next day we grabbed lunch and then headed back to Córdoba. So that was my weekend.

Classes are alright, I'm realizing that when I'm not super busy my time management skills aren't as impressive.

I just got back from horseback riding. It still scares the hell outta me. Next week we're going back up into the mountains. Oye!

Other than that life is good. My birthday is tomorrow. It's feels strange celebrating with people I only met last month. When I think about my life in terms of birthdays it weirds me out. Every birthday over the past 3 years has been so different. Not only the day itself but the point in life that I'm at. Everything has changed so much in such a short time. Age 17: First time I drank with the whole crew at Cafe Hookah in Evanston, and also our last night of summer before senior year. Age 18: I celebrate with only Steve in Ithaca because we didn't know anyone else there yet. Age 19: I celebrate with my mom and my brothers in Ithaca. Age 20: I'm in Argentina and life is crazy. Age 21: Who knows? Might be living in LA. Might be living in Ithaca. Might be in some other random country.

Memorable moments of age 19:
Production managing my second feature length film, when Char and I drunkenly stumbled into a party where we didn't know anyone and started a flip cup tournament, Halloween as Kelly from Saved by the Bell, arriving in Argentina, a few dates, playing landmines at Emily's old apartment, the December from hell when I couldn't breathe, working at Hackney's, seeing Motion City Soundtrack twice, the famous cartoon that Steve drew on me when I passed out, helping start a new film festival, when my mom took us to the south side to see her old neighborhood, watching Tommy go cliff jumping, yelling at an Academy Award nominated director, and then having him thank me for it, the Valentines snow day, listening to my grandma tell stories, the bon fire marshmallow war at Song's, a few break ups, the best New Years Eve and Day I've ever had, producing Meagan's film in Pittsburgh, sleeping on trampolines...yeah I guess you could say it was a good year.