ARGENTINA!

So absolutely loving my time in Argentina. I'm just about to travel to Chile for a few days, but I'll be back. So here are some pictures from the first part of my trip. The following are some pictures of Loly and I at different places around Buenos Aires. For those of you who don't remember, Loly was my host mom from training, and now she lives in beautful Buenos Aires.

In Tigre, where I did my souvenouir shopping.
At the world famous botanical gardens, so peaceful.
The Eva Peron museum near the botanical gardens.
The combination of my two favorite things books and theatre! El Ataneo in downtown Buenos Aires.

Now, officially, a RPCV (Returned Peace Corps Volunteer)

I know the title is mis-leading. I haven't really returned from anything, yet. I'm headed off on two glorious weeks of fun and travel to Argentina and Chile. But today I C.O.S.-ed (yes, we do make verbs out of everything). So I Closed my Service.

And I left Jangas with many tears. I saw both of my host parents cry for the first time. I held my host sister, Yuli as she sobbed uncontrollably at the bus station. I gave my boyfriend (now ex-boyfriend as we decided we couldn't make it work long distance) a quick kiss and got on the bus to Lima. I sat down on the bus and probably very awkardly scared the poor woman to my left as I cried silent tears as the bus pulled out. I smiled for a second as I saw my host sister and boyfriend standing on the corner waving good-bye to me one last time, I blew them a kiss and turned away as the tears started to fall - hard.

August 4th was by far the most difficult day of my service. I can't believe my two years are up. I can't believe that the life that has become so normal is now about to change to become like a dream. The phrase I heard the most in the last week was "no nos olivides" (don't forget us) and as I promised each person time and time again that I would never forget them, I realized they knew I wouldn't forget them, but that they were asking me, in their way, to return one day. And I absolutely plan on doing everything in my power to do just that.

So, I thank you faithful readers. I don't think this will be my last post as I have so many pictures to post, and maybe more stories to tell as they come back to me, but I am no longer an "official" PCV. And I'm crying a little bit just thinking about it. I'll try my best to write over the next couple of weeks, but I can't make any promises as I will be jumping from place to place. But maybe I'll have some time and some funny stories to tell. Until then..."no me olvides."