The trip to the sierras

The trip started like this, we all met in the bus terminal at 1:30 on tuesday to take the bus to Rio Sauce. This is the "town" we selpt in tusday night.

When we arrived in the town, we went to the river and ate dinner there.

We stayed in a refuge camp of sorts. It was a stone building with a fire pit (for cooking the traditional asado or steak), a kitchen with cold water only, and a bedroom with about 10 bunk beds. It was better than sleeping in a tent, but to say the least it wasn't 5 stars. Last year the exchange students did the same trip, and the students in the school were very gratfull and gave the students a goat to eat. The directors saved the goat for us to eat. So we had fresh goat,



The taste was very interesting, but lately I have been a little maxed out on meat, so i didnt eat to much.

Wednesday morning we woke up at 5:30 am to start our hike. We met up with the guide at about 6:30 and started walking, and climbing. It wasnt a flat trail that we hiked for six hours, It was up and down, zig zagging back and forth. I f we didnt have the guide we would have been completely lost. The guide had a horse/donkey that helped carry some food, and when one girl couldnt carry her back pack anymore the guide carried that too.



We also passed some traditional houses on our hike. Everything is made out of stone. It is very common for the houses their to have a corral made out of stone. Often with goats or sheep.
So we hiked, and clibmed, and hiked some more. We took a little 15 min break to eat some sandwhiches we had made the night before then we continued hiking. We arriced at the school at about 12:15, when the students were still in class. All of us wanted to shower and change but there is not hot water until 4 o-clock. so we had to wait. We ate lunch with the students and toured the school. There are about 55 students from grades kindergarden to senior year. Ages 4 to about 18. This school is very high up in the mountains, and very far away from everything. You can get there by car, but even that takes an hour and a half. So the students sleep at the school. The go to school for periods of 21 to maximum 28 days, then go home for a week. While living at the school they have classes monday threw friday and weekends off. But they are still on the property. On the weekends they go on hikes, clean cloths, relax, and sometimes they have dances in the dining hall. They dance mainly the traditional folklore or sometimes cuarteto.

We arrived Wednesday afternoon, stayed there all day thursday and left friday morning. Before we left we were asked to bring stuff to make a traditional desert from our country. When some of the girls didnt have class we helped them cook a traditional argentina dessert, and then they help us cook ours. Well in reality the germans did everything by themselves, and they all tried to help me. Which was a little difficul cause my recipe was so simple it took less than 7 min.




About a fifteen minute walk from the school lives "TIA" or aunt. The teachers go to her house sometimes to eat or get a drink. We went there as something to do. We shared a coke, but i was FREEZING cold and had some hot tea. I forgot to mention that it is VERY VERY cold up there. Even though it is summer time we were still wearing long pants, and jackets. Not all the exchagne students broguht cloths that were arm enoguh so i lent my other jacket to one of them, leaving me even colder.
Walking back I twisted my ankle, the same ankle i twisted last year playing tennis, and the same ankel i had hurt while dancing a couple years ago. Nothing bad, but i knew walking back for six hours mainly downhill would not be the best idea.
Luckily one of the teachers was going home for the weekend. So i caught a ride with him. The road that leads to the shcool....... doesnt quite seem like a road in spots, we crossed 3 or four rivers. Soome places it didnt seem like it was possible for the truck to fit threw, or even get over. This would have been an interesintg JEEP experience, but in a pick up truck that was jsut a little much!

In the truck we left abut two hours later than the rest, We arrived about the same time as they did. We all ate a quick meal at the bottom then returned home via bus.

3 hours later the bus arrived in cordoba. I had to take another bus to get to my house.

It was a great experience. but i am really glad to be home. I dont think i could live the life they live, but it was very interesting to observe for a couple days.