Goodbye Post

The most dreadred day is about to come. Six months ago I had never imagined all that life had prepared for me. Applying for a scholarship was not in my plans. Three days before the registration term came to its end one of my friends told me that I should apply for "Friends of Fulbright Scholarship". I didn't have a clue what this program was about. Besides, I had so a little time to fulfill the application form and I wasn't sure I was going to be selected. However, God, the universe, Buda, destiny, or call it whatever you want made me be part of this, and you don't imagine how thankful I am.

Since the beginning, when I received the good news, I realized I was going to share this opportunity with a person I already knew. Lucho and me, we have shared almost 10 years of friendship and sharing this together was an amazing blessing. Besides, back in Buenos Aires for our first meeting I found myself surrounded with a group of people as excited as I was. Luckily, the best part of that group is now in Austin. Most of them have become family within two months. We had share rooms, trips, worries, happiness, cheeseburgers,donuts, parties, mates, etc. We arrived as mates, we leave as brothers and sisters.

Second, Austin is a unique city, full of diversity and empty of prejudgments. The UT is an astounding University. I love all that it has to offer to students. Libraries, documents, common places, clubs, shops, teachers, schools, coffee shops, an incredible stock of unbelievable sources, all these things make me so jealous, in a bad way of course just like kids. I would love to have access to all that UT students have and take advantage of that. I would do my best to come back and have the chance to study here one more time.

Applying and being selected was not the only challenge; indeed, the experience was a challenge itself. Thanks God, we have two beautiful persons by our side: Rachelle and Katie. They have made of this trip the best one. Moreover, they have helped us and support us like nobody did. I am so thankful to them.

Nowadays, I am about to come back home after spending one month and half in this beautiful city surrounded with amazing people. I cannot say that the fact of going back home doesn't excite me, but it feels like one piece of me is staying here. I believe that home is where you leave your baggage, and Austin has definitely become part of me, a piece of home in this long journey that life is.

THANKS AUSTIN!!

La Belle

Today I will talk about something that I discovered in the Bob Bullock Texas History Museum some weeks ago. I love History, but I love the most Colonization History, so when I arrived to the Museum and I saw the pieces of an old boat and I learned the story behind this boat I went crazy. Since I knew I was coming to Texas I have this doubt of wheter French, Spanish, Mexican or English people were the first in arrived to this beautiful land. Watching around the Museum I had the chance of reading and taking pictures about this topic. Later in my room I continue doing some research and  what I found is an amazing story...

Once upon a time (1681), a french noble Robert Cavalier de La Salle launched an expedition down the Mississippi River. He wrongly believed he was going to find a path to the Pacific Ocean, but instead he found a route to the Gulf of Mexico.

Although, this land had been claimed by Spanish people one and a half century before, La Salle claimed it for French king Louis XIV and named it Louisiana. Yeah, Louisiana like the king Louis, you know what I mean?

So, anyway, when La Salle returned to France three years later he said to Louis: Howdy! What's up man? Why don't we take some french dudes back to Louisiana, we promote Christianity among the natives down there and we make some bucks with "Spanish's" silver mines? Native Americans were angry over Spanish enslavement, so it was a good and feasible idea. 

La Salle planned to sail with only one ship, but on July 24, 1684, he left La Rochelle, France with four:  Le Joly,  L'Aimable, La Belle, and the St. François, you know frenchies "More is Better". Louis also provided 100 soldiers and full crews for the ships, as well as funds to hire skilled workers to join the expedition. The ships carried a total of nearly 300 people, including soldiers, artisans and craftsmen, six Catholic missionaries, eight merchants, and over a dozen women and children. It was like a Noah's ark. Nice mix La Salle!!

On February 20, they set up a temporary camp near the site of actual Matagorda Island, Texas. One of the men who had escorting the colonists across the ocean, returned to France aboard the Joly in mid-March 1685. Although he delivered a message from La Salle requesting additional supplies, French authorities, having made peace with Spain, never responded. That's what I call a friend!! The remaining colonists suffered from dysentery and venereal diseases, and people died daily. The consequences of colonizing my friends...

For several months after the permanent camp was built, the colonists took short trips to explore their surroundings. At the end of October 1685, La Salle decided to undertake a longer expedition taking canoes and the Belle. After a few days travelling the Karankawa (a typical tribe from Texas) killed a small group of the men who had camped on shore, including the captain of the Belle. According to those who remained on the Belle, the new captain  was always drunk. Many of the sailors did not know how to sail, and they grounded the boat on Matagorda Península  That's being organized! French style. The survivors took a canoe to the fort, leaving the ship behind. The destruction of the ship left the settlers stranded on the Texas coast, with no hope of gaining assistance from the French colonies in the Caribbean Sea.

The Belle remained mired in mud for 310 years!!! After years of unsuccessful searching, archeologists from the Texas Historical Commission finally found it in 1995. This discovery is considered one of the most extraordinary engineering feats ever associated with an archaeological excavation. 

P/D: La Salle was killed trying to reach New France (Canada).

Living in a movie

Today's topic is "Living in a movie", and you will ask yourself why did I choose this. Well, every time somebody in Argentina asks me about Austin, Texas or USA the only thing that comes to my mind is: MOVIES. If I have to describe this three weeks in Texas I easily can compare them with a few movies. For example, if I think about my first time in the Cafeteria one scene of Twilight appears in my mind. 

If I think instead about my first time at the campus or in the building "Mean Girls" or "Legally Blond" replace "Twilight" (I know the first one takes place in a High School but it was the first thought that came to my mind). Big corridors, full of students with different styles: nerds, mean girls, athletes, cowboys, handsome guys, foreigners, punk, etc. UT campus is a real melting pot!!

Let's talk about the fraternities and sororities, guys in one side girls in the other, lots of greek letters, beautiful houses, initiation ceremonies and parties!!! That sounds like "The House Bunny" or "Monsters University".

If we think about party at the  I-House "Proyect X" and the typical american movie with the red cups suddenly appear. Beer pong, music, people breaking a house down, and red cups is all you need to party before the 6th street in Austin.

When we went to watch the Spurs' game in San Antonio I thought about the scene of "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days". People going crazy, thousands of T-shirts with Spurs'and Lakers' name printed in them, hotdogs and cups with coke everywhere.

What about going to The Domain, Bartons Creek Mall or any other of the millions malls in Austin? Don't you feel identified with "The Girl in the Green Scarf"? "I'm going just for a pair of boots”, yeah sure. Then you come back with tonnes and tonnes of bags and a hole in your credit card.

And if you didn’t go to San Antonio yet, you will miss the chance to feel like in “Miss Congeniality” watching the Miss USA beauty pagement or in “Selena” when she sings at The Alamo or her boyfriend proposes her in the famous bridge.

While drinking a coffee at Mozart’s Bar, looking at the river and leaning in the fences remember me the landscape of the movie “The Lake House”, having a coffee at a Starbucks or similar coffeshops automatically takes me to the “Central Perk” in the famous TV serie "Friends". That kind of peaceful and inspiring places are perfect for spend a winter evening  either doing homework, reading or sharing time with friends.

Think about music videos and tell me if ten minutes before the end of the Writing class you don’t feel like Britney Spears in “Baby One More Time”. I am pretty sure you do.

Last but not least,  you have probably seen that thousands of movies where there are two cheerleader teams that compete for winning a National Championship. Now, think about the cheerleaders in the Longhorns' basketball game or in the Spurs' game and you will understand how I felt.

Of course we all know that Hollywood is inspired in USA people’s life, but for someone that doesn’t live here to experience that kind of life style is a chance of a lifetime.

Going outdoor at Austin!

Today, it is exactly two weeks since I arrived to Austin. I thought it was a university city where you can only have fun at night in the 6th street`s bars and study hard during the day. Well, I was wrong. This city does not stop to surprise me. It has so many options for doing outdoor activities and get you in contact with nature that I never imagined. 

If you like hiking or climbing you do not need to go to the rock climbing at the university gymnasium, although it is awesome, may be you will prefer Mount Bonnell. This is a prominente point alongside the Lake Austin (a portion of the Colorado River). It is the perfect place to have an incredible view of Austin, Lake Austin, and the surrounding hills. From the top you can see some bridges, beautiful houses, the lake and just enjoyed yourself with the peace this place brings to you. Besides, it has sort of stones tables where you can enjoy a romantic dinner or a picnic with friends. You can take bus 19 to get there.

 Mt. Bonnell

Mt. Bonnell

Another place that worth to go if you like kayak, canoe or standup paddle board is Lady Bird Lake. From the UT campus you can take either bus 3, 801 or 803, and if you have your student ID you can go for free. It takes almost 20 minutes to get there. You can rent any of the ítems I mentioned above for 10, 15 or 20 dollars per hour (if you go on weekends or holidays it will be 5 dollars more expensive). It is a beautiful, healthy and powerful activity. Probably you will find a lot of people in the lake either doing water activities or just taking sunbathing. The lake is full of ducks, herons and birds, and If you are lucky and sharp-eyed you can also see some turtles. A lot of people take their dogs so they can swim and play catching the ball in the lake. If you like running or walking, you can also enjoy of the lake´s view by doing your routine just at the side of the lake. Something that surprised me a lot and made me laugh was that men take their children in the baby carriage and run with them. Besides, the lake counts with a few bridges that make the view even greater. One of them is the famous South Congress Bridge where when the sun sets, a great quantity of bats leave the bridge to snack on insects lingering over Austin’s Lady Bird Lake on the Colorado River. The bats are best seen in the spring and summer, when it is incredibly hoy in Texas. 

 South Congress Bridge

Lady Bird Lake

Finally, a great place to go if you like swimmig is Barton Springs Pool. You can get there also by bus from the UT campus. Barton Springs Pool is a man-made swimming pool located on the grounds of Zilker Park. The pool is filled by water from Main Barton Spring. You can go either in summer or in winter, due to Austin's winter is not so cold, at least this year. It is a beautiful and relaxing place to take a bath and swim. It is not so deep and you can see many fish around. There are always life guards when the pool is open and you can jump from a trampoline into the water.

 Barton Springs pool

Barton Springs pool

It has take me only two weeks to discover all these places, I cannot wait to see what awaits me the next four!!

Kendra Scott

When I arrived to Austin one of the things that caught my attention was a kind of jewelry made with colorful stones that almost every woman at Austin wears. After asking about it to some friends they told me these products bellong to a local designer: Kendra Scott. 

Photo: Kendra Scott Webpage

Kendra is a designer, CEO and philanthropist. She started to run her company, Kendra Scott Design Inc., in 2002 with only $500, and ten years later it was named the number one Fastest Growing Company in Austin in their under $10 million category.

The key of success for Kendra has been her innate ability to combine natural stones with amazing shapes. This combination has resulted in a ageless, trendy and stylish product. Her collections have won loyal fans, including celebrities like Hillary Duff. If you like jewelry and fashion you can choose for a wide variety of necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings inspired in Kendra´s travels. There is also a bridal collection and charms to personalize your style.

Currently, the company operates out of Austin, TX with a focus on Family, Fashion and Philanthropy. Besides, you can find Kendra Scott Jewelry in over 800 stores internationally. Not only is Kendra Scott available in stores, but also available over the internet in numerous boutiques. At her webpage you can check the different collections, colors, stones, shapes and prices but most important you can check the SALES; in case you are interested I leave the URL right here:

Although her amazing success, Kendra has not forgotten about giving back to the community, that is why Kendra Scott Design Inc., has always something to give. Through its partnerships with individuals, local and national charities, the company enjoys hosting a variety of unique store events where 20% of the proceeds benefit your cause. Kendra is proud to support programs benefiting patients at MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital through the sale of the MD Anderson Charm. Also, inspired by her dear friends and breast cancer survivors, Lisa and Holley, Kendra designed the Lolley Charm to benefit The Seton Breast Care Center. That are the reasons why in 2010 she was named the most influential woman in Central Texas by the Austin Business Journal. Scott was listed as a "Fashion Influencer" in the Pantone Fashion Color Report in 2013 and 2014 and won an Austin Under 40 Award in the Business & Entrepreneurship category. At the 2013 Austin Under 40 Awards Kendra was named the Austinite of the Year and the same year she was given the Lady Bird Johnson Humanitarian of the Year Award at Luminaria 2013.

If you are planning to travel around the United States, Kendra Scott Design Inc., is a must for you shopping schedule! Do not miss your chance to fall in love with Kendra´s jewelry and help the community!!

P/D: If is your birthday month you can get 50% of discount in all the items!! In case you need a last-minute gift, you can give the gift of instant gratification with and e-gift card from Kendra Scott. You can choose a design that fits the occasion, write a message and just send to the inbox!!!