Even before I got the surprise package, today was a good day. In the morning I had my second guitar lesson (which I loved) and went to tennis (which I also love). Everyone at the tennis club is great, they're all happy and hilarious :) Then at school one of our teachers didn't show up, so we all just sat around talking and making those knotted bracelets that are common in summer camps in the states. It was super fun! :) And then, when I got home from school, there was a package waiting on my bed, addressed to Salta, Argentina from Colorado, U.S.A.! It was a total surprise, sent from family friends Kent and Lu. Inside was chocolate chip cookies, a book (in English!) chocolate bars, tea, a letter, Times magazine, and an adorable drawing by their son Kieran. It was great, I couldn't stop smiling (thanks guys!). But that's not where it ended; later I decided to look through the magazine to see what's happened back home since I've been gone, and came across the feature article. All about how "Obama's epic victory in pushing forward health reform revitalized his presidency" and how the health care reform passed! woot woot! aha I guess I've been pretty cut off...so anyways, today was a pretty good day =)

Last week Moni's sister came to visit from another province in Argentina. When she comes to visit, her and Moni always go out to watch the Folklore performances, so this time I went along to see some traditional Argentinean music and dancing. The performance was at a restaurant, where all the tables were squished together around a big stage at the front. There were dancers dressed as traditional gauchos (Argentinean cowboys) with big drums that they played while they danced. The women had big skirts like in a Mexican mariachi band and there was live music, which was actually really good (I was a little afraid that it would be boring). While they performed we ate a typical Argeninean dinner: first they brought out a basket of bread with different sides, like roasted beans and eggplant and this sort of avocado dip. Then we ordered empanadas, some each of cheese and carne (beef) and glass bottles of water, coke, and, for Moni and Mario, beer. After a while they brought the main meal, which is usually carne asado, sometimes with potatoes and salad. After the dancers there was a band, with a guitarist, a singer, a basist, and some other stringed intruments...there were four or five guys in total. It was pretty fun, and the place was packed. We stayed until around 2 a.m., and at midnight they sang happy birthday the Argentina in castellano and english, because Friday was a holiday to celebrate the independence (?) or birth of Argentina as a country. Which was nice because we got a day off from school :) and on Friday there was a big party in the streets. I didn't get to go though, because apparently there is a lot of drinking and it's really crowded and my family/friends don't really like to go. It's true what my new Spanish tutor here says: you don't apreciate what you have. They're so used to all the festivals and traditions that it's not interesting for them, but for me it's a cool cultural experience! Jaja anyways, I'm still having a great time :) and my spanish has gotten a LOT better!! Haha I can actually understand some of what the teachers say now, and a little of what the girls at school say, although that's still pretty hard. But I'm soo much better at understanding already! =)