I have loved every aspect of this program so far. It has been so interesting getting to see just how much business truly runs through Antarctica. It is not a place many think of when they are speaking about global economies, however it has a big part that it plays. My initial impression on Ushuaia is that the city is a lot larger than I would have thought it was. While the city does not have a large amount to offer, it is still more than I believed it would be. I love how quaint the city is and the locals seem proud to be from there. I got to witness even more of the lovely city during our city tour. It was great getting to visit the lab and see what it is they do. I hope that on this trip, I can gain insight into what life over here is truly like. I have gotten a glimpse of it so far, however I hope that I can see more. As for Antarctica, I hope that I can see what is done with that place in terms of tourism. Some noticeable differences I see between the culture in Argentina and the United States is how quiet the people are over in Argentina. If you walk into a restaurant or even a pub in Argentina, the people seem to keep to themselves more and stare hard whenever you are making a slight bit of noise. I respect it, however in the United States, most restaurants and bars are full of chatter and laughter. While this may not seem like a huge deal, the difference was quite noticeable to me. Another big difference was in the way the people treated us. Perhaps it was because we were tourists, but they seemed extremely snarky and rude while in the U.S. this is not the case with most strangers you meet.
