Arrival in Rosario

This morning, after much confusion with the Manuel Tienda Leon bus service, I was finally issued my ticket to Rosario at 10:30, the exact time of departure! It was a group reservation for seven people, only the other six never showed up. So the manager was hesitant to release a ticket to me because the reservation wasn't under my name! I guess I looked pitiful enough that at the last minute my ticket was handed over to me.

Departure was a bit difficult. Tim's flight wasn't due to depart unitl this evening, but he wanted to make sure I got on the bus and that he watched it drive off. This separation of three weeks will be our longest time away from each other since our Navy days.

I was the only non-Spanish fluent person on the bus. So announcements came at light speed! I just listened for my name and UCEL (my destination). There was a bus "flight attendant" if you will, who checked us all in and asked about luggage and final stop. Fortunately for her broken English and my rough Spanish, I was able to understand what was going on. She distributed coffee, water and snack cakes to everyone onboard. Either the road conditions weren't so great or the shocks on the bus were in servere need of replacement, but it was a bumpy ride to Rosario.

We pulled out of the airport arrival area around 10:50. I was delivered to the front door of the University at 2:50. Once we arrived within the city limits of Rosario (there had been three previous stops) those remaining on the bus were moved to a mini bus. Each of the three people who got off before I did was dropped off directly at his or her destination. Door to door bus service!

At the university, I was warmly greeted by my host mother/sister, Nani. There isn't a great age difference between the two of us, so we decided on the host sister relationship! We then hailed a taxi for about a 20 block ride to her apartment, which is quite nice! There is a view of the river from her balcony and I have my own room. I haven't slept on a twin bed in quite some time, but it's my room nonetheless.

Nani shared with me about her family and her life, and I reciprocated in broken Spanish about mine. She was off to mass at around 5:45, so I took a much needed nap. When she returned we talked a bit about the city of Rosario and she gave me a stack of tour books about city-tonight's reading as I am certain the quiz is tomorrow!

For dinner we had a lentil and pork soup that Nani made. It was very good, and frutas for dessert.

So, my adventure in immersion study is off and running!