The Mystery Meat

We have finished our first week of classes. Of course, it feels like we have already been here for months, but it has only been 8 days. Before we have gotten too deep into school work made sure and saw all the landmarks of the city; markets, beaches, the central city.
On Wednesday we went on a bus tour of Montevideo. This trip made me feel like I am still a tourist. We stopped at places and took group pictures, Wimon Walker (the ACU Casa director) had a mike and told us facts about the city as we drove around, and we all had cameras. We even made stops where there was already a bus full of elderly tourists. Though it is fun to see all the sites, I am tired of looking like a tourist. My main goal for the semester has become to blend in with the culture. Hopefully my 11 hrs of Spanish class and lab time will help with that.
Thursday night marked the start of Carnaval in Uruguay. the nation doesn't have the biggest celebration, but it does take pride in having the longest. To open up the celebrations there was a craazy parade. It was about the South America equivalent to Mardi Gras. The masses crowding the sidewalks to watch the parade down Doeciocho St. and the children running wild in the middle of the parade. There was confetti, paper, shaving cream and silly string flying everywhere. Our group didn't make all the way through however. We decided to head out after couple hours had passed and we were told that it lasted until 2am. It was a whole lot of fun though, and just what the group was needing. Recently some had been down about being here. It is just so different and none of us really know what is going on most of the time. I am enjoying that aspect, but everyone reacts differently. Once we are used to life here and find our own niches I think everyone will really like it. Carnaval helped with that. Everyone needed some entertainment.
Aside from that, I got mail yesterday (Friday)! The parents mailed me the Buff (basically a bandana type cloth used for my hair, don't worry about it) I had left at home, along with the Camp Deer Run letter. It was good to get a few pieces of home.
Last night we went to a pizzeria just a couple blocks away and ate out on the side walk. Victoria, a fellow study abroad-er, tried to order pepperoni, but got some other kind of meat. She did not particularly fancy this meat, whatever it was, but I on the other liked it much better than my muzzerella con jamon (cheese and ham) pizza. Sadly though, we are not sure what Victoria had order by mistake and it remains a mystery meat. I hope to discover what this meat was, because I enjoyed it thoroughly.
I am still without any way to upload photos from my camera, but I will find a card reader or camera cable soon enough. Don't worry [family] it has only been a week. There will be plenty of photos eventually.
bendiciones,
Curtis