Bienvenidos a Baries!

Hola todos!

I've arrived in Buenos Aires!!!! WOOT! (Baires simply means Buenos Aires)

This is the first time I've gotten to actually sit down and write a little bit. So lets start from the beginning, on Thursday my dad, sister, and bro were leaving to go to Las Vegas for my brother basketball tournament;I was also leaving to go to Argentina. We said our goodbyes when went out separate ways. They left to go to DFW airport and my mother and nana took me to Love field airport. My flight went from Dallas to Houston then a 10 hours flight to Argentina :D .

Once to Houston, I called my folks to let them know I got there okay and we were about to broad. Instead of sitting down there on a frickin 10 hour flight to myself...I conversed with a guy in front of me, Marc, who was a part of a study abroad group but was coming a day early. Then I actually got to speak with my first Argentine person his name was Leandro. He was coming from the Miami with his older sister and dad from vacation. We had talked about what program I was going with, what the food was like, the people and my terrible spanish haha. I had brought with me some of my spanish worksheets and he helped me with them. I enjoy talking with Leandro and his sister because it was a good chance to get a preview of how some of the people are.

Some interesting facts Leandro told me (and from walking around seem to be very true)
- Argentine people are in no hurry. at all.
- referring to just about anything. They go out for coffee and chat for long periods of time. For instance when we went to go eat today at a restaurant, it seem like the waiter was ignoring us and we just really wanting our food fast! But no, not Argentina :D

- Most things are very cheap
- there is very good exchange rate for US dollars here; for example, I went to get a bottle of water and it turned out to be 4 pesos which is like a 1 American dollars.

After the flight, I had to go through customs get my stamp and the retrieve my luggage. Going through EZE airport was more simple than I thought too! Yaya for that! I just had to find the rest of my group before 12 pm Atlantic time and after going through customs I have about 30 minutes to find Carmen who is the API Director here in B.A. She is sooo awesome!!! hahaha funny story: when meeting everyone and Carmen I greeted her like everyone American does, put out your hand and shake the other persons. So Carmen was like "Jameson, no no no shake hand beso por favor" (beso is kiss in spanish). And I kissed everyone cheek once while saying hello and it is the same when saying goodbye.

Once all together, we took our tour car from the airport to the actually city because it is 45 minutes away. Then once to the hotel in the city we rested for a little bit and then later that night enjoyed a meet and greet with API early start students. We met at Carmen's place for home made pizza and some drinks she made from varies fruits.

-Ah, another thing I forgot to add that Leandro had told me and Carmen later also said was that in Argentina breakfast isn't very much like it is in the US. No eggs, bacon, toast and etc...it will simply be coffee and a pastry. Then for dinner, Argentines eat very late like around 9 - 10 pm.

Okay back to the story. So after getting to Carmen's place we were all starving then afterwards the older crew wanted to take us all out to one of the club some of them enjoy going to which is called El Living. It was pretty awesome haha we had gotten there pretty early in the night before the dancing but when that started it was basically 80s night dancing to Footloose then 90s music like New Radicals - You Get What You Give. Totally awesome first night here!

Today, was mostly meeting with Carmen for some orinetiaton on the city and then with another worker that is with API, Gabby, who took us on a city bus tour just to give us a taste of the most of the provinces here. Tomorrow, we pack in the morning and get to meet our families after our tour of the Universidad de Belgrano!! Woot! Pictures will come soon promise!

Besos, Jameson

-

Jameson's New Family!

What's up folks! Update time!

After a few days of worrying about money information and getting it all together; I received an AWESOME packet in the mail!

I finally founded out my housing situation in Argentina!

I shall be living with Rosario Rincón and her husband Federico both 60 years old. They also have a son named Jaime who is an engineer but travels a lot for his work. Apparently, they have a cat. (Literally the sentence says "They have a cat"). I will be getting breakfast everyday and dinner Sunday thru Friday. That is awesome because all I need to worry about is lunch during the everyday and then dinner on Saturday. I'll be living close to the University sort of, only 25 minutes by bus/metro.

I think the next biggest bump in the road is trying to navigate through the airport in Buenos Aires because first everything will be in Spanish; secondly, it seems I'll be be arriving in a different Terminal than the where my group will be meeting (great). Good thing I'm still practicing my Spanish!

Breathe easy folks and take care

Argentina is out ,Graduating is out ...say what?

Hey folks,

I know I haven't written a blog in like 3 weeks but I wanted to wait until I had something good enough to write about. Oh, man do I have something to talk about hahaha.

So last Sunday, Texas State finally announced how much financial aid all the students would be getting. I was very excited once I received that email saying it was finally in (I thought to myself YEESSSSS). All my excitement plumped when I logged into my account and noticed I only received a Federal Parent Loan which my parents NEVER qualify for. So, this basically meant I wasn't awarded any other aid money...I had no way for paying off the rest of my Argentina program so that's out. This also meant I have no aid for next semester so that means graduating fro Texas State is out.

These are scary, very scary realizations and thoughts in my head. I was in shock for a good while. I was pretty much down all hours of the day. Until, we finally spoke to the director of the financial aid which happened to be the same lady I was conversing with about my aid and API program payment plan. She remembered and explained what the real deal was about not receiving aid. She explained that I had reached my borrowing limit! (Oh gosh, I thought students don't reach that until their 5th/6th year of college).

She went into detailing about the situation and basically said that since my parents were being denied that Parent Loan, I was able to get more money. That also meant I was approaching that borrowing limit faster than the average student. She was graciously able to move around some numbers and long story short I have federal aid to use now! Wooot oh yeahhhh sweeeeet!!!! Now, this study abroad trip is on and graduating on time is on! This was a total blessing and I'm so thankful to God that everything worked out maybe not how I envisioned it but the nonetheless everything turned out alright.

I had prayed about my money situation since Texas State told everyone that went weren't going to know our aid till late June. When it finally came in I was down but not as much as I thought I was be. My Nana said it best "If you had prayed about it Jameson, don't walk around here acting like God is not going to see you through. Smile because everything out of your hands and in Gods." I love her...grandmas always know exactly what to say :^)

Today is my birthday and finally got to post this hahaha Happy birthday to me!
check yall lata!!

Where to begin...I'm broke.

So, if you haven't heard...I'm off to far far away land...wait this is not Sherk. Oops

Actually, I'm going to Argentina to study abroad with Academic Programs International (API) during the fall semester. This has been something I've been working toward for a while and the thought has always been in mind to study abroad when I choose my major sophomore year. Finally, I made the steps to take this adventure during my junior year at Texas State. I had an incredible group of RA co-workers at Arnold/Smith Hall that really encouraged me to make this step.

During the Spring Semester of 2011, I narrowed my choices of where I wanted to go in the world to either South America, Africa, or Asia. I didn't want Europe because I have been there before in the past and also it seems everyone and their mother goes there...literally. Then Central America was out because I have been there twice. Honestly, Australia was out because I know English and I didn't think it was enough of a chance. I decided on South America, specifically, Argentina because I wanted a place where I don't know the language well/ at all - check! I wanted a place where I'm actually going below the equator (season switch-a-roo) - check! And lastly, I wanted a place no one I know personally has been - SUPER check!

My mind was set on Argentina...then came to time to research and narrow down programs with Texas State or a non-affiliated programs that actually go there. API was the winner!!! Woot! And a student has to apply to get in which I did, obviously. So, now came the long process (I mean terribly long....) of filling out the application with API but not only that, I needed to get this plan of studying abroad approved by Texas State. That meant going to Study Abroad Office often, Financial Aid Office often, School Adviser Office often...I think y'all get the picture. By the time school was over, I was still faxing and emailing information over to API because a big chuck of my application had to be done by May 15...I was leaving school May 16...and I finish my finals ended on May 12. There wasn't a lot of time left plus add on my lovely RA duties (haha) and checking people out (haha) and study well enough on my finals (HAHA)...I was basically a wreck near the end. Oh man, I have to give it up for my friends/co-workers...made my stress a lot easier to deal with.

Alright, now we have caught up with the present...like right now...this moment.

Sorry, too serious.

The here and now, I am currently very broke. (hence the title) This pass Tuesday, I brought my flight ticket. THAT WAS NOT CHEAP and WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE COST OF MY PROGRAM....(my mind was saying Damn...Damn...Damn like when on the Martin Lawrence show his mama's bird died hahaha). I was very sad to see my bank account dip so low because of that ticket! However, getting this ticket meant 2 things.

1. This is really happening.
2. For real, there is no turning back.

I'm really about to take a jump, hop and skip over to a country I hardly know. - Yeah you crazy
Now the only things I'm waiting on is aid from Texas State and buying my cell phone. But overall, I think this can be something I look back at and say yeah been there or even take my kids to meet my host family I will be staying with. This blog will definitely help me remember the good, the bad, and the ugly time there but if it didn't have all of that it wouldn't be much of an adventure now would it? :)

p.s. Everything before this blog (date-wise) is from my freshman year when I had to create a blog for my English class. I decided to revamp it in order to use for my study abroad updates. So if y'all check it out great...if not so what, who cares as my friend Alyssa says. Stay tuned for more post to come and let me know what y'all think of the blog set up and content in this one particularly.

Hair?!?!

Well, yall know I trying to get Dreadlocks. This is so exciting and a journey at same time. I got them back in January. And its now the end of April and my hair is pretty long now. Locking of the hair usually takes 3 months to 6 months. Most of my hair i think is getting there because its starting to bud. That means hair starts to get nappy and thick in a certain spot for a while then starts to grow together which is locking. I am planning to get my hair to shoulder length which I'm excited about!! A lot of people in my dorm keep saying i have really good hair and it grows fast. And everyone says i look like Lenny Kravitz when i wear my aviators :). I think that pretty awesome.

Summer is getting closer...

I am so ready for these summer days coming up. I must survive these next 2 and half weeks for school finals. Then that will be it!!! I haven't had thoughts about summer but to just have fun. However, my parents and I both think taking summer classes will speed up the process in me getting out of college sooner. Also, I will probably be working out the family restaurant which is always a new experience depending on who is working that day. My cousin in Florida also wants me to come out there to see her and her son. That would be a wonderful idea, relaxing time on the beach. At the same time, my aunt in Wisconsin wants me to come and visit her. I never been up to the north of the US, so that would be nice to visit too. We'll see what happens.

Exam Schedule

So, at first i thought i had three exams on the May 12th. That is also the last of all final, so i thought i going to go crazy studying. The exams i thought i had all that day were English, Math, Communication. English i really can't study for because its going to be an impromptu. Then for Math is will be over all the stuff we learned all semester. This exam will suck a lot haha. Then for Communication is will also be over all the stuff we learn this semester. Which i do not think will be a big deal if i study more then i did last time for my other test. However, i saw that English and Communication where both at 8 am. I kind of started freaking out about how will i know what test to take at what time. In the end, I wrote down the dates of my finals on the wrong days. English is on the 8th, which is much better. :)