First day in Argentina

Ok, I'm obviously posting this after the fact, but here's what I actually wrote on my first day in Argentina:

28/8/2012 2:47pm

Such an exhausting flight! I landed today around 9:15am and went through customs, which was much easier than I expected, except for the bit where I had to part with $160 (USD) to enter the country. These two Texan guys in line behind me were furious about the reciprocal fee, and one of them said in a thick accent "You have to pay to enter this damn town? Y'all should be paying us to come here!". Shockingly, the customs agent wasn't super amused by that, and told him that he didn't know what he was talking about (they only charge the fee here because we charge Argentineans the same fee when they enter the US). When I went through, the agent asked me what hotel I was staying at, and I told him I wasn't sure, I'd be staying at several hotels but I'd mostly be doing a homestay with a local family. Him: "Well, where do they live?" Me: "I don't know that yet, sorry" Him: "Ok, but WHERE WILL YOU SLEEP??" Me: "I wish I knew!" Him: "Ok, great!" before giving me a big grin and stamping my passport. Somehow I don't think that would fly in the US.

The airport was astoundingly American, like most airports are. Coca cola machines, ads for Holiday Inn, a big duty-free store full of perfume and cigarettes, fantastically banal. 

My classmate Meg and I were the second people to arrive, after Audrey who got in about an hour before us. We went and found Maria and Pablo who work for the program and then waited for the rest of the group. I had no idea what we were doing, and neither did anyone else. Turns out we won't actually be in Buenos Aires the CITY until Thursday, when we'll stay in a hotel in the city. We'll meet our homestay families on Friday, but for now we're staying at a ranch outside of the city but still in the province of Buenos Aires. 

Audrey in front of the ranch. 

Four of the five doggies.

The ranch is really pretty, and has tons of super friendly dogs and horses which is awesome. I am especially good friends already with the dog that high-fives, even though I can't seem to figure out what the actual command is to make him do it.

The dog we named Zorro.

Zorro peeing on a sign like a champion.

After we got situated in our rooms, we had lunch which consisted of fried cheese, insalata caprese, vegetable-stuffed chicken with rice, and then crepes full of dulce de leche and covered in fruit. Are they trying to make us fat? Maybe. Cause there's going to be another light meal in just two more hours and THEN dinner. I am not used to this much food, but I don't want to be impolite and waste food. Dilemma! Other people are off riding horses right now but I don't really know if I can actually move, because I left my apartment in Eugene about 30 hours ago and I haven't slept since, and I didn't really sleep for several nights before that. I'm honestly mostly just inordinately excited to have the internet right now.