Melanie Umbaugh reflects on her weekend trip to the Argentine countryside.
Now that the semester has started, another group of students arrived to join my study abroad program and we all headed to a ranch north of Buenos Aires for part of this past weekend. In classic Argentine fashion, there was asado (barbecued meats), a gorgeous countryside, horseback riding and lots of mate (a strong caffeinated drink made from yerba mate leaves — it’s super popular here).
I enjoy living in Buenos Aires, but the break from the hustle and bustle of the city was so relaxing. My Wi-Fi connection can be spotty as is, but the total break from technology for those 24 hours was refreshing. I spent the whole time either conversing or playing cards, two of my ideal weekend opportunities.
It was a great way to bond with the other students in my program and our Argentine hosts. We spent a good portion of the time talking in Spanish, but we spoke English, too. I learned some new Spanish phrases, and we taught our guides about some American slang as we re-hashed our favorite parts of the experience so far and compared notes on what we missed the most about the states.
I learned that I am perfectly capable of holding a conversation in Spanish despite my poor grammar, and that I’m still awesome at my favorite card games. I even explained the rules in Spanish, more or less successfully, to two of our guides. As always, there was plenty of confusion and poor translation, but when you’re determined to communicate, you’ll find that you can do it, regardless of how extensive your vocabulary is.
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I would also like to thank my counselors at Girl Scout camp for preparing me back when I was a kid well enough that even when my horse started to run and buck during our trail ride, I did not topple off of the horse, and I eventually managed to calm him down. Even getting bonked in the head by a bucking horse did not ruin the experience because it was a beautiful ride, and the brief look around the countryside was fascinating.
I recommend that everybody try to find some time away from the stress of their everyday lives, if not in the country, then just somewhere calm where you can reconnect with friends or family. The change in pace was welcome, and I loved spending some time surrounded by nature (and also the dozen or so parrots owned by the ranch owner).
Melanie Umbaugh is a sophomore studying theater who is studying in Buenos Aires this semester. How did you spend your weekend? Email her at mu495313@ohio.edu.
