I went to Iguazu Falls with my roommates a couple weeks ago, and it is the most indescribably beautiful place I have ever been. I'm sorry to say it certainly tops Niagara! If you ever get a chance to visit this part of the world do not pass it up! Everything there is incredibly green, the sky is perfectly blue, and the earth is red. It's an amazing contrast. We saw some amazing waterfalls, we went zip lining through the jungle, repelling down a waterfall, and saw a lot of interesting wildlife. There is also still quite a large native community there, which was really interesting to see. It's amazing to me that there are still communities that are so isolated in such interesting parts of the world and still manage to use their resources wisely enough to survive and make a living. Although it's certainly a different lifestyle. I always knew there were parts of the world that did not use electricity and did not have running water, but to see that and realize that nobody ever considers those communities when they talk about the world population in general is mind boggling, especially when I can clearly see that these people do exist and are affected by so many of our actions that we never even realize. Anyway, it is just so interesting to be in a different part of the country and then return to the city, which is so different from the interior of the country.
My experience here has been a lot different than I expected it to be, but it has absolutely been wonderful and unforgettable. I have met so many interesting people, and learned so much about this country. I feel like now I can more fully understand why people here are the way that they are. I think it's very easy for us to look at a region that's far away from us and think a certain way about the people there, but once you live in that part of the world it becomes clear that there are actually reasons for the way that things are. Argentina especially has such a unique history, which is why it is in such an interesting situation now. I've been telling my parents that there are so many things here that I see every day that seem so illogical, but after understanding better the political, economic and social history of this country, I've come to realize that for the people here, those things are logical. Or that the mindset people have here is just so different from any other place. It's hard to explain, but there's just so much that I've learned about people and history that has nothing to do with going to school, which I think is so valuable.
I'm hoping to make the most out of my last 4 days here! I've been a little sick lately and have had a lot of finals to study for, but tomorrow is my last test and I'm feeling a lot better. I can't wait to see all of you. I hope it's not getting too cold up there!!
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