4to DIA: Vos sos el argentino? // 4th DAY: Are you the Argentinian guy?

Y finalmente, llego el primer día de clases.
Desayunamos los 15 alumnos y nuestros respectivos hosts en una sala del colegio. Mientras comíamos, el Hermano Patrick nos hablo un poco de las reglas de su complejo, y luego nos invito a que cada host presente a su invitado a los demás. Luego, fuimos a clases.
Esto va a parecer raro, pero cuando caminaba por los pasillos... todo el mundo me miraba! Algunos me saludaban e incluso otros querían sacarse fotos conmigo! Fue muy gracioso y extraño a la vez.
En cuanto a las clases, me sorprendió que fueran los alumnos quienes cambiaran de clase en vez de los profesores, es mas complicado,  no?
Cuando llego la hora de almorzar, a las 11.30, paso otra vez. Todos los que estaban en la cafetería nos veían a los argentinos como si fuéramos extraterrestres. Ah. Me olvide de contarles que nos dieron una tarjeta con la que podemos comprar lo que queramos, nada, eso.
Finalizado el horario escolar, llego el momento del encuentro "amistoso" de fútbol. Ya cambiados y luego de la charla técnica, fue hora del partido.
Al principio pensamos que iba a ser fácil, pero no fue así... Los norteamericanos salieron a comernos crudos, incluso marcaron primero. Pero después de que hicimos el cambio de equipo y entro la magia (ejem, yo, ejem) el partido cambio y, después de varios goles, el encuentro finalizo 5 a 4 a favor de los visitantes. Hice un gol de tiro libre.
Después del partido compartimos una galletitas y sandwiches y, una vez cambiados, fuimos con Juan y nuestros dos host de compras.
A eso de las 19.30, llegamos del mall, comimos y me fui directo a la cama. Estaba muerto.
.................................................................................................................................................................

And finally came the first day of school.

The 15 students and our respectivw hosts ate breakfast  in a school room. As we ate, Brother Patrick told us about some of its complex rules, then he invited us to introduce our host each of their guest. Then, we had classes.

This is going to sound weird, but when I walked through the halls ... everyone was looking at me! Some others greeted me and even wanted to take pictures with me! It was very funny and strange at the same time.

As for classes, I was surprised that the students were the ones who change their class instead of teachers, is more complicated, right?

When it was lunch time at 11:30 am, happened again. Everyone who was in the cafeteria were seing the Argentines like we were aliens. Ah. I forgot to tell you that we got a card that you can use it to buy whatever you want, anything, that.

School ended,  and it was time to have the “friendly” soccer match. Once we were changed and we have had our technical conversation, was game time.

At first we thought it was going to be easy, but it was not ... The Americans started with all their enginees. Furthermore, they were the first in scored. But after we had changed teams (cause we were too much to play all together) and the magic one got into (ahem, me, ahem) the way of the match turned, and, after several goals, the match ended 5-4 in favor of the guests. I made a goal from a free kick.

After the game, we shared some cookies and sandwiches and, once we got changed, we went with Juan and our two host shopping.

At about 7.30 pm, we arrived from the mall, had dinner and went straight to bed. I was dead.

3er DIA: Conociendo el centro // 3rd DAY: Getting know the center

A las 11 de la maniana, nos encontramos en el colegio para partir hacia el centro en el fantastico "school bus".

Ya en la ciudad, fuimos directo hacia la "Willis tower", donde hicimos muchas cosas. Una de esas, la que mas me gusto, fue subir hasta piso CIENTOTRES por ascensor. Allí fuimos al Skydock donde nos sacamos muchas fotos. Este Skydock es un balcón pero TRANSPARENTE, osea que podes ver desde mas de 2000 metros a los autos pasar por abajo tuyo.

Después de visitar este tan, pero tan alto edificio fuimos a comer (en McDonalds otra vez...).

Mas tarde, ya comidos, tuvimos aproximadamente una hora para pasear por nuestra cuenta en la "Michigan State Av." donde algunos aprovecharon a comprar zapatillas y de mas.

Una vez que paso la hora, fuimos caminando hacia el "Millenium Park'. Sacamos muchas fotos allí y, finalizado esto, hicimos nuestro camino hacia "The bean", un poroto de metal enorme, que esta al lado del "Music Center". Cuando llegamos ahí, fue momento de sacar otra vez nuestras cámaras y empezar a bombardear el monumento de flashes, ya que este, si te colocabas abajo, hacia millones de reflejos, algo que era muy raro pero divertido.

Y así, luego de esto, tomamos el "School bus" para volver al colegio, pero el día todavía no había terminando...

Cuando llegamos al "Marist High School" fuimos con mi host y otros amigos a un shopping a comprar calabazas para hacer las famosas "calabazas de Halloween". Hecha la compra, nos dirijimos hacia la casa del host de Francisco, Teresa. Pasamos un tarde noche muy divertida preparando las cabezas de calabaza, comiendo pizza, tocando la guitarra y cantando canciones.

Una vez comidos, la host de Julian nos trajo a mi hogar, y asi finalizo este grandioso pero cansador dia.
................................................................................................................................................................

At 11 am, we are at school to go to the center in the fantastic "school bus".

Back in town, we went straight to the "Willis Tower" where we did many things. One of these, which I liked, was up until  the ONEHUNDRED AND THREE  floor in the elevator. There, we went to Sky Deck where we took many pictures. This Sky Deck is a balcony but transparent, I mean you can see from over 2000 meters at the cars passing below you.

After visiting this very, very tall building we went to have lunch (at McDonalds again ...).

After eating, we had about an hour to walk around on our own in the "Michigan State Av" where some of us went to buy shoes and more.

Once we finished this, we walked to the "Millenium Park." We took many pictures there and at the end of it, we made our way to "The Bean", a huge metal bean, which is next to the "Music Center".

When we got there it was time again to get our cameras and started making flashes to the monument, as this, if you got down into millions of reflections, something that was very unusual but fun.

And so, after this, we took the "School bus" to go back to school, but the day had not yet finished ...

When we got to "Marist High School" we went with my host and other friends to the mall to buy pumpkins to make the famous "Halloween pumpkins." When purchase is made, we headed to the house of Francisco host, Teresa. We had a lot of fun that afternoon preparing pumpkins, eating pizza, playing the guitar and singing songs.

Once we ate, the host of Julian brought to my home, and so ended this great but tiring day.

2do DIA: Y al fin, llegamos // 2nd DAY: And we finally arrived

Tres horas fueron las que estuvimos en el aeropuerto de MIA. Finalizadas estas, embarcamos derecho para Chicago.

Ya en nuestro destino, recogimos nuestras valijas y, para nuestra sorpresa, fuera del edificio nos estaba esperando un "school bus", el típico colectivo yankee. Este nos llevo hacia el "Marist High School", donde nuestros amigos maristas nos estaban esperando con los brazos abiertos y sonrisas de oreja a oreja. 

Unas palabras del Hermano Patrick nos introdujeron para que cada uno se dirigiese con su nueva familia. En mi caso, los Dolehide.

Luego de presentarnos, nos dirigimos con la familia hacia su casa, mi nuevo hogar y, de allí, a un restaurante llamado "McDonalds" (nuevo para mi...). Pase la tarde mas que bien y muriendo de risa con mi host, sus hermanos y su mejor amiga.

Una vez comprado el traje de Halloween, nos dirigimos con los Dolehide a comer (a las 18 horas...) a un restaurante, donde probe por primera vez las sabrosas "costillas americanas" y la familia me sorprendió con una torta en festejo a mi cumpleaños, que había sido hace ya tres dias.

Para finalizar el dia,nos vinieron a visitar a mi nuevo hogar Julian y su host. Pasamos una excelente velada con película, charlas y malvaviscos. Bien a lo norteamericano.
............................................................................................................................................................

Three hours were those that were in the MIA airport. After these, we shipped right to Chicago.

Already in our destiny, we collected our bags and, to our surprise, out of the building we were expecting a "school bus", the typical junky bus. This led us to the "Marist High School", where our Marist friends were waiting us with their arms open and smiles from ear to ear.

A few words of Brother Patrick introduced us to each would be directed with his new family. In my case, the Dolehide’s.

After introducing ourselves, we went with my family to his house, my new home and, from there, to a restaurant called "McDonalds" (new to me ...). Spend the afternoon more than good and dying of laughter with my host, her brothers and her best friend.

Having bought a Halloween costume, we went (at 18 hours ...) to eat with the Dolehide to a restaurant where I first tasted the delicious "American ribs" and family surprised me with a cake in celebration of my birthday, which was three days ago.

To end the day, they came to visit my new home Julian and his host. We spent a great evening with a movie, having conversations and marshmallows. Like in the movies.

1er DIA: Y partimos para USA... // 1st DAY: And we land to USA...

El 15 de Marzo, nos reunimos los 15 alumnos y los 3 mayores a las 5pm en el aeropuerto de Ezeiza. Después de muchas fotos y saludos, nos pusimos en marcha para los Estados Unidos de America. Nueve largas pero entretenidas horas, gracias a las actividades electrónicas que nos ofrecía la aerolínea, duro el viaje hasta nuestro primer destino, Miami...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We, the 15 classmates and the 3 leaders, meet on March 15 at 5pm in the Ezeiza airport. After many photos and greetings, we set off for the United States of America. Nine long but entertaining hours, thanks to electronic activities that provide us the airline, hard journey to our first destination, Miami ...