A Full First Week

I know these are a little delayed...the internet can be spotty at times, and photos take a really long time to upload.  Enough excuses.

Last weekend, I ventured to San Miguel de Tucuman with some fellow Fulbrighters.  It's about four hours due south of Salta.  Unfortunately, the weather was terrible in Tucuman, but we did get to explore some ruins in Quilmes.  Here are some photos:

Tucuman Congress Building

Quilmes

The Crew

I climbed this precarious structure...

In case you can't tell, I got super sunburned.  So I rocked the Asian tourist look.

We ate at this incredible empanadas restaurant.  Obviously I had to help!

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I also just finished my first full week of classes.  I go to the institute Monday-Thursday between 6:30pm and 11:30pm.  It functions like a normal high school, though it is college-level education - there are 6 periods each day, and most days I only work two or three periods.  The exception is Wednesday, when I work 5 periods - and I have a feeling that they are only going to be more frustrating and exhausting than the first.

Overall, I love my classes.  I assist all four levels of English instruction as well as all three levels of Tourism.  Mostly I organize vocabulary activities or facilitate discussions.  My third years are my favorites - we are most likely going to do some current events discussions!  The idea is to get the students interacting with each other and with me in English and to hear native English in the classroom.

Outside of the classroom I am slowly making more friends.  Unlike the last time I spent a large chunk of time in Argentina, I am not the novelty - nor am I in a small village.  Salta is a fairly large city and there are lots of tourists as well as foreigners living here.  It's been difficult finding my own network, especially when I live with several French people, who are already well established here in Salta.  They are really friendly and always invite me out, so that is really great!

I'll be doing a lot more exploring of the Salta region in the coming weeks, so expect lots more pictures!  And you can always go to my Picasa site to see entire albums!