You Can't Make Old Friends

Hola todos!

This week has been one of my favorites since moving abroad because my best friend from home came to visit! This is something that we have been talking about since I knew I was going to live here, but it was so surreal for it to finally happen. Being able to show someone around a place I barely knew 6 months ago & have favorite places to take her to was an eye opening experience into how comfortable I have become living here.

Having her here this week also made me realize how grateful I am to have people like her in my life. Someone who has never traveled out of the country before, getting a passport, taking time off work, going to a country where she doesn’t speak the language, and flying 5,000 miles in the middle of the night just to come and spend a week with me. I’ve truly never felt more grateful to have a friendship like ours & am completely convinced that I have the best people in my corner supporting me and cheering me on throughout this year abroad.

Here’s some highlights from my week of being a “local” tour guide:

Bodega Chandon

It wouldn’t be a true travel experience in the International Capital of Wine if I didn’t take her to one of the many local vineyards here. We had the opportunity to visit the beautiful landscapes of Chandon, which is a winery here that specializes in sweet & sparkling wines. We enjoyed a picnic full of traditional Argentinian foods and wines, then took a tour of the vineyard and got to see the entire process of production of the wines, followed by a tasting of their most popular and exclusive wines. The culture of wineries here is truly beautiful, and it was incredible to experience the connection that can be made over sharing a simple picnic and bottle of Chandon, while learning about all of the detail that goes into making each bottle.

Termas de Cacheuta

We also spent a day at the Termas de Cacheuta, which is a natural hot-spring spa in the Andes Mountains. It was the perfect place for a relaxing midweek break, and had amazing views! It’s located in the mountains, where there are a variety of natural stone pools at different temperatures, as well as a few natural saunas to detox and rejuvenate. Incredible!

Potrerillos

One of her last days was spent in the most beautiful place in Mendoza (in my opinion). Potrerillos is a lake located on the Mendoza River in the Andes Mountains. With the help of some friends, we had a traditional Argentinian experience driving through the mountains to the lake, cooking food over the fire on the beach, swimming in the lake, playing card games, and just enjoying time spent together. It really encapsulated the beauty of being here: living life slowly, enjoying the beauty of nature, and focusing on the people around you. It was such a blessing to me to be able to share those aspects of the culture here with someone from home.