Tegucigalpa, Honudras Last day

Today was my last day in Tegucigalpa. It was a sad day but the family made it very fun! First when we woke up we had a big delicious breakfast and orange juice. We hurried to get ready and we rushed out the door to have a fun filled last day in Tegucigalpa. First we got in the car and rode to Parque Nacional El Cusuco. When we got there a tour guide came to us to explain the park to us. First he said "This park is one of Honduras's best parks for vistiors" I was so excited to look up and see the beautiful mountain range. When we looked around we found a really pretty bird. It's called the Enigmatic Quetzal Bird It's the loveliest of all tropical birds it's on the brink of extinction, due to loss of habitat as well as over-hunting for the long beautiful tail feather. After we examined the bird we went hiking, went to the wildlife area, and bird sanctuary. Later we left and went home. The rest of the day we talked about traditions in Honduras. They have many religious holidays, like the feast day of the virgin of suyapa. Virgin of suyapa is Mary the mother of jesus. She is known to be a patron of Honduras, believed to perform have performed miracles in Suyapa a Tegucigalpa suburb. They also celebrate easter, christmas, labor day, independance day, and new years eve. After we talked about the tradtions and holidays it was time for me to go. I was so sad but happy to see my friends and family back home. I really hope I can come back to Honduras. I gave the family a hug and got on the plane.

-Lexie

Montevideo, Uruguay Final Day

Im having mixed feelings right now because I had such a good time here, but this was my final day! At first I visited Punta de Este. Locals told me it was once known for sailors and fishermen but it is now this wonderful resort. The beaches are so nice and they seem like they go on forever! There were so many restaurants, shops, activities and clubs. Everything was so amazing. The only thing bad about it was that it was an hour and a half away from Montevideo.

At night i visited one of their festivals held in March. It is their Carnival Week (Shown above) and the annual festival of the nation. There were dancers and food stands everywhere and the atmosphere was just really amazing. The coolest part was the Parade of Calls. It was really cool. Well that sums up my last day, I had a wonderful time.

To Learn More about Carnival Week, Click Here

Tyler C

Asuncion Paraguay

Hi this is T.J. and it is my last day in paraguay I went to this school called Asuncion Christian Academy this is a school in paraguay. This school is for pre-K through 12th grade. Surprisingly all of the classes at this school are tought in completly english. Students in highschool must earn 24 carnegie credits to graduate. They have all the regular classes we have and a spanish program. The size of the classes are 13 to18 students. Another interesting thing is that collage-bound seniors generally score on or above the US in SAT and ACT scores. To learn more about this school check out this link http://www.mapsof world.com/paraguay/educatin/asuncion-christian-academy.html

In these schools they have gym type classes too where they play sports like soccer and baketball. While I am here we played alot of basketball, basketball is a pretty well known sport out here and they host the south american basketball tornamet here. Contries like Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Uraguay, Paraguay, Chile, Columbia, and Peru attend this event.

Ponce, Puerto Rico Day 3

Today was my last day in Puerto Rico. I am really sad to be leaving, but I'm so glad that I got to come! Today we celebrated two holidays. A Puerto Rican holiday, "El Dia de los Emancipacion". It's a holiday that celebrates the day that slavery was abolished. It happened March 22nd, 1873. March 22nd also happens to be my birthday, so we had twice the celebration. The whole family was there and we had a roast pig dish called "Lechon". It was probably the most delicious thing I have had on this whole trip-- it was irresistible! Here is a recipe for Lechon. http://www.bigoven.com/43570-Roast-Pork-(Lechon)-recipe.html They had the day off from school, so we decided to go see some landmarks in between meals.

We spent the day at the Ponce Cathedral. Juan

and Tina told me all about its history. It was built in 1670, and it was supposed to just be a chapel, but in

1692 it was turned into a parish, which is like a local church. But the building kept getting damaged from earth quakes in the 18th century so they replaced the old building with a new one. Then that one got destroyed from one really bad earthquake, and so in 1839 they replaced it with an even bigger building, and in 1924, it was declared a cathedral. A lot has happened within that piece of land! The building is so nice, the outside is a pure white which just makes it look even nicer in the bright sun. This is a picture of the cathedral. It was a great last day!

-Regan

Lima, Peru

Today we went to a festival in Haucho Peru, just outside of Lima. I was so excited to see some cute little guinea pigs! Little did i know, the guinea pigs were not only judged on best dressed almost like a dog show, but also on the tastiest! They eat guinea pigs here!!! See...

At first I was disgusted, but Gloria explained to me that it was a tradition. Everyone ate guinea pig and it's a good source of protein with the added bonus of being low in fat. I still couldn't believe they eat the same rodents we keep as pets back home. They cooked them in many different ways while the luckier bunch were shown off in tiny outfits. When Gloria finally convinced me to try some, i had to admit that it wasn't half bad! Tasted almost like chicken. But the thought of eating one of those furry little animals made me uneasy...*shudder*

That was just one of many celebrations, festivals, and holidays Peru has. The country is mainly catholic, so they celebrate christmas but some celebrations are based on the times before the spanish, with nature oriented festivals. Many of the holidays, the people dress in bright colors and sing and dance.

Later we visited the anciant Machu Picchu. WOW. It was so amazing! The view was beautiful in the Andes and the town was literally built into the mountainside. I even saw some llamas which was also pretty cool. The Martinez's told me all about the history of the Incan Empire that was later conquered by Franciso Pizzaro. The ruins are still here to this day in these beautiful mountain tops. I can't believe people made this city way back then. It's incredible.

This was my last day in peru. I can't believe I'm leaving already! I can't wait to get home and tell everyone all about Lima, peru. Although i'm really going to miss my "family" and Lima. I had so much fun here and I'm definitely going to bring my family here for a trip.

Carina

Santiago, Chile - Final Day.

What a great past couple of days! Today is my last day in Chile. I had a wonderful time and i have made memories that will last. On my last day here which is Jan 1st is New Years in Chile, just like back at home! They celebrate it sorta different here though. Here, they have fiestas and families have parties and get together to welcome in the New Year. It was a wonderful time! I loved meeting other family members and getting to try more of there food they make for special occasions. Everyone in Chile celebrates New year, and it seems like a great time to all of the Chilean People.

After we went to the family parties Marie and her family took me to Easter Island for my last day. It was very nice there. There were huge statues called Moais. Marie told me it was a very popular place for people to visit. Everyone likes it because of it's beautiful scenery and mystery. Marie was also telling me how Easter Island is protected by Ropa Nui National Park. I really enjoyed my trip to Chile and i'm happy I got the chance to go!

Sam C
Click Here for Easter Island Facts!

Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Day 3

Today was both wonderful and sad. It was sad because it was my last day here. It was alot of fun though. I woke up very excited to find out what we were doing today. I was surprised to find out that w celebrated womens day today which was very cool. I have never heard of womens day before and it was interesting to learn a whole new holiday. Womens day is celebrated all over Africa and it brings our attention to issues that women face. We also reconized how women made the world a better place.

After lunch we all went to Monte Alen National Park. It was beautiful! It was mostly just a big rainforest and we took a hike through it. On the hike the guide pointed out all kinds of animals like gorrillas and giant frogs. We even saw an elephant! It was the biggest animal I have ever seen. At the end of the day I was sad that I had to pack up all my stuff and leave. It was a great adventure!

-Sam

Guatemala City, Guatemala (3rd and last day)

Today is my last day here in Guatemala and I am pretty sad to be leaving my host family but today is also a day of celebration since it is the day of the cross here in the city where everyone celebrates God and their Christian and Catholic beliefs. Since this was my last day we all woke up early (3 in the morning on May 2nd) so we could go to Lake Amatitlán say some prayers then head to Tikal national park 356 miles away... yay 6 hours on a bus. On the the way their we stopped at a flower shop near the bus stop that was headed to the lake and picked up some roses to show our respect for God, as soon as we paid the bus pulled up and we got on. On the buss i tried to get some sleep but i had to sit next to this weird guy that kept staring at me and smelled like a wet goat and you don't even want to know what the goat smelled like. But before I knew it we were at the lake and I felt we were kind of rushed we quickly got of the bus, moved our way though the crowds which i was shocked to see put our flowers on the bank of the lake then we got down on our knees in front of the cross and prayed when we were done we quickly left since my host family wanted this day to be packed full of excitement so we rushed onto a bus headed to Tikal.

I woke up not even realizing I had fell asleep and now we were in the jungles of Guatemala and it was hot, steamy, bright and yet very beautiful. In less then 5 minutes the bus slowly came to a stop and I saw what all the hype was about it was amazing their was ancient ruins jutting from the jungle landscape surrounded by all the beautiful flora and fauna, it was like being transported back to an ancient Mayan city. We walked down the path to right and just experienced every thing Tikal National Park had to offer, while absorbing all of the awesomeness of the park Mrs. Castillo told me that they only just found the ancient Mayan city and that the reason it is so well preserved was because when archaeologists started to excavate they had guidence from Mayan descendents that lived in the jungle by it. throughout the park we saw pyramids and other great structures that i thought were ahead of their times amd a feat of ancient engineering. Before I knew it it was about sun down and we had to get on the bus to go back to the house so I could pack up and get ready to go home.

When we got back to their house I packed up and we talked for a while then we went to bed. The next morning i got up nice and early and said my good byes and told them that I would keep in contact with them when I got back to America. Then it was time to go I had the time of my life here and I already want to go back.

Here is a picture of the pyramid at Tikal National Park and here is the link for the parks website. http://www.tikalpark.com/

Dia Dos in Lima, Peru!

Today was Monday, so we went to school. We headed out around 7:45 am right after doing a few chores. We sang the anthem outside and then our classes started. The teachers rotate around the classes rather than the children, which i thought was odd. Most of the classes are separated by sex except for freshman like us. Around 2:45 we went home. I got to see what types of things kids do after school around here. Gloria took me to the playground in the center of the school where many of the kids were playing futbol or as we call it in the USA, soccer! Wow the kids here are good! Apparently futbol is the official sport of Peru. The people here are really into it!

http://knkexplore.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/20091115_essay_lima-07.jpg

Sometimes they even paint there faces white and red to symbolize peru at games! The other main sport here is bullfighting. She also took me to a famous old bullring. On sundays and holidays 14,000 people used to gather at the Plaza de Acho, which is the oldest bullring in the Americas! Tennis, golf, and horse racing is also popular here. Tomorrow were gonna take the day off so the Martinez's can show me some cool things about Peru.

Can't wait!!!

Carina

Day 3 in San Juan Puerto Rico

I am here at my final day in Puerto Rico. Today the family wants to make this my best day since I've been here. So we are going to the hermitage church of Nuestra Senora de val Vanera of coamo. It was an old place of worship during the 1600's. It is very old, but very beautiful. I can't believe that this old church is still beautiful even though it is so old.

The next thing we did was celebrate Easter. In Puerto Rico easter is called Domingo de la Resurreccion. In Puerto Rico, we had a big parade and had a big easter feast afterward. It was all very delicious. I will miss being here in Puerto Rico. The weather, the food,and the atmosphere made the time down here very enjoyable.

The most enjoyable thing I did in Puerto Rico was seeing and learning about the sports here. I thought that cockfighting and windsurfing and other odd sports were cool because you would not play those sports in America.


By, David M

Last Day in Seville



Yesterday was our last day in Seville. I had a great last day .We went to ceremony performed by new parents. That was the weirdest thing that I have ever seen. They placed a baby on a mattress in the middle of the street and then some random guy dressed in a red and yellow costume runs down the street jumping over them. People in Seville believe it to be good luck for the child as he/she grows. After we went to the ceremony we went to some historical sites outside of Seville. There was this one place called Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija which is in the center of Seville. It was where the Ancient Roman mosaic was formed. Also there were some interesting antiques that were on display and you could actually buy some. For more museums clich here.

I had a great three days in Seville, Spain. I would like to eventually go back and visit because that was the best thing that I have ever done. I sure I would have gone sooner.

Crystal

Ponce, Puerto Rico: Day 2

Today I went to school with the kids in my Puerto Rican family. The school systems there are somewhat different from the ones in America. They have three main levels: Primary, which is grades 1-6, secondary, which is grades 7-12, and higher level, which are graduates and undegraduates. There are two kids in my Puerto Rican family: Juan and Tina. They are twins and they are in the secondary level. There are about 1,532 public schools and around 569 private schools in Puerto Rico. We went to a public school today- they call it a "regular" school. It's called Dr. Alfredo M Aguayo School. I had a lot of fun there, it was a little bit different from school back home thought. We still learned the same subjects, but the surroundings were different- and the whole spanish part was different! This is a link to a website that has a bunch of facts about the school. http://puerto-rico.schooltree.org/charter/Dr-Alfredo-M-Aguayo-098902.html

When we got out of school, we went to go play some street ball, which is like basketball in the streets. I just stood and watched for a little bit since I'm not the best basketball player, but then Juan helped me out and I started to get the hang of it- Juan even helped me make a basket! Juan plays basketball for his school team and hopes to go to America to play professionally. I think he should; he really has potential! Then I went with Tina to go

watch her boyfriend play some baseball. Baseball is one of the most popular sports in Puerto Rico.

I thought it would be soccer, but I guess not. Not a lot of people play soccer here, actually. Not like kids in Mexico or Columbia, anyway. But baseball is probably he most played sport here. They play it whenever they can- whether it be at school or in an empty park. Later me, Ti

na and Juan walked through the park on the way home. Here is a picture of the park. It's really nice, and I love the trees- both the real and fake ones!

Until next time,

Regan

Asuncion, Paraguay

Hi this is T.J. blogging from Asuncion Paraguay its march 1st during this time the people Celabrate Heroes Day. This day is to remember the famous battle of Cerro Cor.In1870, during the War of the Triple Alliance, which Put 3 countrys go up against Paraguay. To learn about the war click the link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_Alliance_War In this war more people died than in any other war in south america.

They also celabrate Maundy Thursday which is also celabrated in March which is also called Holy Thursday. To learn more about Maundy Thursday click this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maundy_Thursday

Tegucigalpa, Honduras Day Two

Today I went to school. It wasn't much different from school in Delaware. The school was known as the American School of Tegucigalpa I woke up early to get ready eat breakfast and get on the bus. For breakfast I had scrambled eggs, toast and jam with orange juice. When i got to school the classrooms were very small and crowded. We started the school day by learning languages, first spanish than english. After we were done language we went right into the normal subjects. We started with social studies than we had math. After math we went to lunch. There were so many choices of lunch to buy. i decided to get rice, tortillas, and grilled meat It was very good! When we went back to class we had a pile of science worksheets on our desk. Soon after that the day was done and we got on the bus and went home. When I got home The parents were at work so it was just me, Victoria, and Alejondro. When i asked them what they usually do for fun they said "talk, listen to the radio, play cards, chess, checkers, sing dance, and tell stories." We decided to do everything until the parents got home from work. When they got home we ate dinner and then went to bed. I can't wait to start the day tomorrow.

Lexie

Montevideo, Uruguay Day 2

The second day was even better than the first! I met two high-school students named Roberto and Carmen. They were out in a park playing futbol. The two explained a lot to me about the sport. The told me that Uruguay's team plays in Estadio Centenario (Picture on the right) and both of them said that their favorite player is Diego Lugano.

I got to go to school with them for a day and it was kind of different but not really. The two went to what seemed like a Vo-Tech school. Roberto had some classes like carpentry and auto mechanics. Most of Carmens classes were on nursing. I asked them what other type of high schools that are in Uruguay. Roberto told me that they also have a high school that prepares you for college. Which is like our regular high school in the United States. That pretty much concludes my second day, I cant wait for tomorrow.

Click here for the Uruguay Soccer Preview for this years World Cup

Tyler C

Santiago, Chile. Day Two.

It's day two of my trip to Santiago, Chile. I had such a great day yesterday and i'm hoping the rest of my visit will be just as good. Most kids in other countries would be going to school today but in Santiago, Chile they are on what we call summer vacation. Schools here start in Early March and end right before Christmas. But even though they're on break the girl i'm staying with, Marie is going to school to recvice her Licencia de Educación Media in the Techincal trade so is planning to go to a university and to get in you must pass the enterence test called Prueba de Selección Universitaria. Maries little brother just turned six and is just now starting school. You start going to schools here at six and are done school at the age of fourteen.

After we had a great meal today we're heading over to the Estadio Nacional de Chile to watch Futbol. Or what we call Soccer. Futbol is the national sport and there are not many other sports in Chile so it's hard to find something everyone likes. But there are other activites to keep in shape, like skiing, swimming, etc. We watched the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which have went to five world cups. They were very good and I enjoyed watching! It was a great experience.

Sam C

Click Here For Federatcion de Futbol de Chile!

Day 2 in Seville Spain


Our second day in Spain was amazing. We went to surprise my cousin by picking her up early for school. Things were really different there. Since she is 17 she had the choice of going to school or taking college courses. It was almost time for her to start her summer break around about mid June. After we picked her up we went to the preschool center to get my other cousin. When we got there I found that she did nit have to go to school because she would on be about 3. I wish life back home was that easy.

After we picked up our cousins we went to visit some historical sites. There we a lot of things to choose from so we went to a bull fighting stadium and then to a golden ages club. The bull fighting was something like I’ve never seen. The picadors (weaken the bull) would fight with the bull while the matador would draw the bull closer. After they had the bull confused and in control they would sometimes kill it. Some people may think it was cruel but I thought it was really cool. Although that was fun it wasn’t my favorite. At around about 8:00 we went to a traditional style dance. In Spain they called it flamenco. The band would play music on a guitar while the dancers would dance. The people in the audience were clapping and stopping their feet. I was amazed by all the flashing bright lights and the constant energy by the people on stage. For more pastimes click here There are a lot of things to do tomorrow so see you soon…

Crystal

Guatemala City,Guatemal (2)

Today me and the twins woke up early this morning to go to school and as kids do we complained on why we had to go but Mrs.Castillo said we had to so her boys could grow up and become successful just like their father so we got dressed, ate some fresh fruit, then headed out the door to go to school. While we were walking to school I noticed how few kids were actually going to school. When we arrived we took our seats and waited for the teacher to arrive, when she did we said good morning and she asked me to introduce myself to the class, not wanting to disrespect I stood up and told the class my name and where I was from America and half the class was in aah and they all started to ask me questions to fast for me to answer, when the teacher saw how flustered i was getting she told the class to settle down and for me to take my seat because it was time to get started. We started off the day with math learning really basic things I learned in elementary school, then it was social studies with Guatemalan history, and finally with English class or in this case Spanish because more than half the people in this country are illiterate or speak an ancient Mayan language, but the only way to get some where besides a farmer in their country you gotta speak Spanish. While sitting in class i noticed how poorly taught the teacher was, and I felt that I myself knew more then her which makes me feel sad that the kids in this class room may not live up to their full potential but once I got over that Class was over and me and the twins thought we'd go do something before we went home... so we started on our way.

While me and the twins where walking down the street we decided we would go to the local soccer field so we didn't have to sit around their house the rest of the day and because they wanted to see some of my skills on the field. When we arrived we found some other kids and started a pick up game, and if your wondering why soccer its because it's the national sport here and because everyone loves it, anyway we lost big time because I'm "not coordinated" or something like that. I only think that was because the feild was uneven and made with dirt. On the way home we talked about soccer and their favorite teems and now I relize with almost nothing else to do in this city soccer was their haven since they had the simple life with almost no electronics which I myself think is pretty good.

Heres a picture of one of the Guatemalan teams that just won one of their big games.and also heres a link for the Guatemalan teams stats.http://www.flashscore.com/soccer/guatemala/

Man i can't wait for tomorow!

Managua, Nicaragua (Daulton) Final Day

Today is my final day in Managua, and I'm kinda upset about leaving this place. But today, 3/28/10, is the beginning of "Holy Week."During this week, Nicaraguans celebrate the final week had before His crucifixion. During this time, they also celebrate Good Friday, and Easter Sunday. The really cool thing was we saw a play of Jesus' last week. The actors did a brilliant job, and it must have paid off, because they seemed to be highly respected throughout the day. There was also a parade with a statue of Jesus going around the city, which was also thrilling.

Before me and my family took off, we decided to take a few sight-seeing tours on our way to the airport. our first stop was a old Cathedral. Nearby was a pedistal with some background information. It said that it was next too another church, but it collapsed, and The Cathedral rose above it. But after an earthquake in 1972, it was damaged and condemned. Sad story actually.
On our way to the airport e say plenty of volcanoes. In the travel guide, it stated that one of them is called "Volcan Cusiguina." It had erupted in 1835, and said to be one of the worst in Central America. There is also a small lagoon in its crater, which is really interesting.

Well, we are boarding the plane home now, and I'm kinda sad to leave Managua, but I also can't wait to tell my friends about my experiences. Then again, they might just read this blog!

Click for more Holy Week Traditions!

la havana cuba

I just arrived in Cuba from that several hour plan ride. Everything is different over here everything is moving faster than back at home. When I got my bags a family with a big sign was there to greet me. There was a Mother, Father and one Son. Everyone is so nice and warming over here. We road in the car for awhile until we got to Juan's family's house, it was beautiful like nothing I ever seen before. I shared the room with Juan because he has bump beds and I unpacked my things. After I got down Juan's Mom Cooked one of her favorite dishes Crab rolls with fresh green vegetables. It was so good and I couldn't believe I was really eating Cuban crab rolls. After dinner I helped wash the dishes with Juan and he was ready to get a fresh start for tomorrow because of my late arrival today. Juan said I'm going to love all the sites that I will see tomorrow. So for the first day I love the city of La Havana Cuba and I'm hoping to see more things tommrro

Day 2 in Puerto Rico

So it's day 2 in San Juan and it's gonna be a great day today. The weather is sunny and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The family and I are going to see the schools and play some sports.


We were driving past the market and I spotted a baseball stadium. The family shows me inside the stadium. It is exactly like our baseball stadiums. But not as nice. The family tells me that the 2 main sports in Puerto Rico are beisbol and futbol. I go and buy a real Puerto Rican Baseball glove and a Puerto Rican soccer ball.

After we are done talking about sports, we go to see the schools in Puerto Rico. The 3 levels of education is elementary school (grades 1-6) Middle school (7-12) and high school (undergraduates, graduates). The schools in Puerto Rico, aren't the nicest. I think America has alot better quality schools. After school, we saw a cockfight going on so we decided to bet on a chicken. Sadly, we lost the bet and our chicken died.

By, David M

Seville, Spain

Yesterday was my first day in Seville, Spain. It was the greatest thing I have ever seen, the food the weather and all the historical facts I learned about. Seville is located on the tip of Spain and is the fourth largest city. First when I got there we checked into the hotel. It was about 96° F and very sunny and warm. According to some previous research that I did, I found out that Seville, Spain has a population of about 695, 000. 97% of the population is Roman Catholic. The only weird thing is that most of the people spoke Castilian Spanish. After check-in we went to visit a historical site called Carmona, which is a historic town where the Greeks left footprints. At the Museum in Carmona I learned that Hercules founded Seville and that in the 8th century, descendants of the Greeks created a city on the shores of Guadalquivir called Ispal. There are tons of museums in Seville to visit-Check them out here. After we learned some history we went to a restaurant called Resturante Santa Cruz. There we tried the traditional dish of stuffed artichokes and fish. We had tapa which is a mini dish and it was served with margaritas. For desert we ate sponge cake covered with candied egg yolks. The stuffed artichoke and candied egg yolks were not my favorite, but I did enjoy the tapas (see picture to the left). Although there were a few luggage mix ups, I had a great first day in Seville, Spain and can’t wait to see what’s in store for tomorrow. Talk to you later.

Crystal B

Ponce, Puerto Rico

Today was my first day in Puerto Rico. When I stepped off the plane, i was surprised to see so many people in Ponce, especially since I have never heard of Ponce before this trip. It wasn't as crowded as I expected it to be, but it wasn't isolated either. Just the right amount of people there. I immediatly found my family for the trip. They took me to their house to drop of my bags. Their house was surprisingly bright, it had multiple colors that i was quite fond of. I was already loving my trip! I found out that Ponce is also known as "La Perla del Sur" (pearl of the south), "La ciudad de los leones" (city of lions), and "Ciudad Senoorial" (majestic city). My new family told me all about the city's history. Ponce was foaunded in 1962 by Loiza Ponce de Leon, who was Juan Ponce de Leon's great-grandson. It rains here every now and then, but nothing that hasn't happened back home. The weather here is really nice, the average temperature is about 75 degrees here.

Once I got everything settled in my room, my "madre" for the week told me to go wash up for dinner. I expected to see a set table with the food already there, but instead i saw a bunch of ingrediants that didnt look that they would quite go together. We were going to make dinner togather. It was so interesting to see the whole family take part in creating the meals. We made Mofungo, which is opinionated to be Puerto Rico's best dish. It had mashed plaintains, seasonings, and your choice of a filling, like shrimp, steak, pork, vegetables, etc. We went with steak filling. It was so delicious! I definatly vote this one for top 5 of Puerto Rico's best meals, at least until I try something else. :) I found a recipe for Mofungo- http://recipes.epicurean.com/recipe/1078/puerto-rico-mofongo.html

Until next time,
Regan

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Today was my first day in Tegucigalpa. It is so pretty here! When i landed and stepped out of the plane there was a big family standing to greet me. Everyone is so friendly here. We arrived at the house and I was shocked, It's so pretty! The color is yellow, and the inside is so big and clean. By the time i stepped in the house the kids, Victoria and Alejondro rushed to grab my bags and were excited to show me my room. The room is big and white with a closet, dresser, and two beds. When I was done unpacking the whole family of five, not including me was waiting downstairs ready to play some checkers. It's 56 degrees here, so much better than Delaware. At first I thought I'd be the only english speaking person, but actually almost everyone speaks english. I also get to practice some of my spanish too! When I came inside, I was so happy to see lunch waiting on the table and the whole family rushing me to sit down. We had a big feast and i didn't know what to eat first. There was rice, beans, tortillas, grilled meat, salad, fish lobster, shrimp, and something called tostones or plantos fritos. Surprisingly the tostones were very good and i had more than one. Even though they were strange looking they were very good. I can't wait until I see what else we eat.

Lexie

Asuncion, Paraguay

Hi I have just arrived in Asuncion, Paraguay it is really hot out here it is about 82 degrees F. Asuncion, Paraguay is in south america a good place to visit is Jardin botanico park http://www.faunaparaguay.com/botanico.html.%20WeWe also went to the Iguassu Falls. This is a very big water fall in Paraguay that you can visit. This water fall is more than two miles long and this water fall is taller than Niagra Falls.

When we got home we had suribi fish(shown in picture) You can grill, fry, or boil this fish.

This fish may not look good but When it is cooked it does not look bad and it taste great. One way these fish can be served is with onions, pickels and crema de leche-milk cream. This fish is eaten all over Paraguay in many different ways.

Santiago, Chile

I am in Santiago, Chile. It seems like a very great place! This city is very big because it is the captial of Chile. Chile is a very long and skinny country. The tempature here is around 80 degrees. Everyone in Santiago speaks spanish and it is hard to understand somethings they say. It is a very crowded city, and very different from back home.

Today I visited Museo Colo- Colo it is a place in santiago where visitors can go and see trophies and game jerseys from important players of the local soccer team. It was very intersting. I visited a resturant after visting the Museo Colo- Colo and i ate Ensalada Chilena which is a Chilena Salad which was very good. I also found out Chile's biggest standard meal lomo a lo pobre. It is a giant slab of beef and it seems to be a very popular dish everywhere.

Sam C.
Click here for Ensalada Chilena Recipe

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Today I arrived here in Guatemala City in May by airplane of course in the small airport they have where I met my host family that has taken me in so I can experience life on Guatemala City. The family I have been assigned is a family of 4, a mom, dad and the twins 2 fourteen year old boys Miguel and Felipe. As we collected my bags we departed walking to their house during this i realized how poverty stricken the city was and I was wondering how this would influence the culture. When we arrived to their house (which to me looked like a shack) I placed my bags on the floor when all of a sudden Mrs. Castillo asked me if I wanted to accompany her and her sons to the Mercado central (central market) to get some food to prepare dinner. On the way their Mrs. Castillo told me about all of the fresh produce that we can get since the weather is so good here. Coming to a foreign country I did some research about the weather to see what to pack for clothing and I found that here in Guatemala city in the spring the average temperature was between 60-75 degrees and rainy most of the time. since were near the equator and surrounded by oceans on to sides most of the time its hot and wet which i kind of like better then up north. This weather is almost the perfect temperature for growing their main staples of food. in the market I heared mostly Spanish but also some German and Korean which i find pretty funny when their trying to talk to each other . Here we picked up some fresh grains, meats(which was still alive) , fruits, and vegetables which looked oh so delicious to me better then what we have in America.

This is Mercado Central the market where we bought all the delicious ingredients for tonight's dinner.

At dinner time Mr. Castillo slaughtered the live chickens we had bought while Mrs. Castillo ground up some maize into flour, and chopped vegetables. In the mean time me, Miguel, and Felipe played a pick up game of soccer with some other kids and in about an hour the Castillo parents called us in and it was time for dinner yum. When I sat down at the table i saw some of the best food I have seen in awhile their was spicy chicken, maize on the cob, tamales,black beans, and lastly tortillas it made my mouth water. when everyone was cleaned up Mrs. Castillo said dig in and we did. It was like pack of lions on a new kill, the chicken was nice and moist with a little kick to it while the tamales were litte packs of flavor that after a second of being in your mouth explode with a mixture of simple flavors that combined to make what I called an mmh mmh good moment.when we were done with that food we still weren't done Mr.Castillo brought us all a mixture of fresh fruits which i think cleansed our pallet. Now when we were truly it was about 10 at night so I'm gonna hit the hay(because i thinks that's what my beds made of) and think about all the good things that happened to me today...Oh yeah before I go here's the recipe to some of that spicy chicken just follow the link http://www.recipezaar.com/pepian-de-pollo-391207



Michael

Managua, Nicaragua (Daulton) Day 2

It's day two in the wonderful place of Managua. I met this girl named Olivia, and her older brother, Justin. We played baseball, or as they write it; "beisbol." I expected a ball and a wooden bat, but I was in a shock when I saw that we use a scrunched-up piece of cloth, and a stick! But it was fun either way. We started a conversation on their national teams, and they seemed to like one team called "Indios del Boer." Conveniently, they we going to see the National beisbol stadium, which was, also conveniently, right here in Managua!

I was invited to come along, so I did. Boy, it was amazing! It was a little smaller than a American baseball stadium, but it had these huge light around the edges. The really cool part was, they also use it for soccer, or "futbol!"

After the trip, I was invited to stay at there place for the night. For dinner, we had that Gallo Pinta I mention before. It taste better than it looks, and it looks delicious! At around 10:00, we went to sleep. I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow will have in store.

Click for more info on Indios del Boer!

Montevideo, Uruguay

This place is amazing! Its a pretty big city but i bet that it is because Montevideo is the capital. I went to some local restaurants and the food is incredible. They have things like Churrascos (Grilled Steak), Parrillada (Grilled Beef), and i had this really good steak sandwhich called a Chivito. So i guess they are really big on beef here. I attended this local open-pit barbecue which was really fun.

Its really warm here too. I think the average temperature this spring has been around 72.4 degrees. I drove through Ciudad Vieja (Picture above of this historic negihborhood) and visited Museo del Gaucho del la Maneda (Museum of Cowboy and Money). This is an important part of Uruguay's history because it shows all the past currencies and stories about their pastime civilians which were mostly cowboys. Well thats all for day one, keep checking in for my day two blog!

Tyler C

Click Here for Churrasco Recipe!

Lima, Peru

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/766804.jpg

Today is Saturday, my first day in Lima, Peru! We arrived at the airport in the city around 10 this morning. Wow what a long flight! I was amazed at the number of people waiting around at the airport. We took a cab to my family's house and I finally got to meet the Martinez's. They seem really cool! Gloria is the same age as me and her younger brother, Alfanzo. Their parents are Alexandra and Juan. They introduced themselves and gave me a hug. They showed me my room and then i smelled something really good. I didn't realized i was so hungry. My "parents" didn't hesitate to give me some Peruvian food to eat. I tried something called ceviche. It's the national dish of Peru! Oh my gosh it was amazing!! It was like sushi but with lime sauce. You eat it with corn, sliced onions and sweet potatoes. It was so yummy. After lunch the family seemed really excited about me coming and couldn't wait to take me to see some Lima attractions. We went to the Plaza de Armes and it was beautiful. It was misty out even though it was past noon. The fog just added to the mysteriousness of this new place. At the square (plaza), there is an old cathedral that i thought was so cool! I took tons of pictures to show my parents back home. (picture above) and i couldn't wait to see more! Next they took me beach. It was a fun night of walking on the beach and eating new exotic foods from the stands all around. They use a lot of rice and raw fish here. My favorite! By the time we got home, i was so tired. But i couldn't wait for the next day here in Lima!

Carina

Managua, Nicaragua(Daulton) Day 1

When me and my family stepped off the plane, they didn't know what to expect, but I did!

It's a good thing my spanish teacher made us do a project on a country in South America, and a good thing I had to do Managua, Nicaragua. Here are just some basic facts: Managua is the capital of Nicaragua, so it's a pretty big city. Its main language is Spanish, with 5% Miskito. Also, the food looks delicious!

One of their main dishes is called Gallo Pinto. Its a fried blend of fried rice, peppers, onions, and beans. When I saw some on display, I couldn't wait to try some, but my family had to find a hotel. They allowed me to walk around, specifically a nearby park, where some kids were playing baseball. We went our seperate ways, and I caught up with the kids.

Gallo Pinto Recipe

http://costa-rica-guide.com/travel/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=282&Itemid=489

Cali, Colombia

Oh wow! Yesterday, we finally landed in Colombia and made our way through Cali to the home of my host family, the Lopez'. They have a girl, Carolina, who is my age and a younger brother, Andres, who is 12 years old. They have been so kind to me and so understanding of how tired I am after traveling all day. I am so thankful that we were all able to just relax last night and get to know each other a bit.

We did have a very delicious meal, though. The food here is absolutely delicious. I love Mexican type food in America, but this is so much better! Last night, I was introduced to a National favorite- "bandeja paisa" or paisa platter in English. This is a great blend of rice, red beans, beef, plaintain (which I've never had before), dirty rice, chorizo, chicharron(fried pork rinds), avocado and fried egg. Sounds a little weird, but it was so good. To go along with it, we also had some "agua panela" which is a very popular drink in Colombia. It is made by dissolving panela (sugar loaf) in hot water. I added some lime juice to mine for flavor and the Lopez' put some cheese in theirs. The cheese actually melts into the drink because of the hot water. I tasted a little sip and it was o.k. I think I have to get used to cheese in my drink!

For breakfast this morning, we had all kinds of fruits- like I have never seen before! And some yummy pastries from the "panaderia" down the street from the house. Then, we spent the whole day exploring the city of Cali, Colombia.

Welcome to the Travel Blog!

You are on the trip of a lifetime! As an exchange student to a Spanish speaking country, you are going to have some amazing cultural experiences. As you "travel" through the country, you will have the opportunity to blog about what you see, eat, hear, do...basically, share your travels with friends and family.

There are a few rules to the blog, of course.

1. You must write correctly! Check your spelling, punctuation and grammar. Others will be reading your entries as they follow your travels. Please make it easy to read!

2. First name only! And do not include any personal information in your entries.

3. When it applies, include hyperlinks to websites that contain information or pictures that will enhance your entries. Please make sure the hyperlinks work.

4. All entries will address the project and include appropriate language and information.

5. Student postings can be removed by the teacher.Blogging is actually a very simple way to share your experiences with others. Enjoy your travels and have fun posting and reading the blog!