MY TRIP TO URUGUAY BY MALENA LOPEZ

THE PLANE On the 11 th of March we went to Uruguay for six weeks. This was my second time on a plane, but the first time I was too little to remember. I thought it would be exciting, I didn’t expect to get sick. I felt dizzy and had a tummy ache. When we got to New Zealand we had to wait nine hours in the airport because our plane was delayed. Auckland airport is small and there's not much to do. Luckily the airline gave us some food vouchers and we ate at Burger King. After that I tried to sleep but I couldn’t because my brother was too noisy. When we finally boarded our flight it took us twelve hours to get to Santiago, Chile. And then we had to catch another flight to Montevideo, Uruguay which took over two hours.

Malena & Alejandro

WHEN WE ARRIVED When we arrived in Uruguay I met mum’s family. I was happy to see grandma again after four years because I had missed her. I was surprised to see what a big family my mum has, there were about fifteen relatives waiting for us at the airport. I also met my grandpa, I didn’t imagine him having grey, curly hair. When i saw my grandma’s two bedroom house I wondered how all of us would sleep. Grandma said that we would sleep in her bedroom. My seven year old cousin, Melanie, and I slept on a mattress on the floor. My brother, Ale, slept on the bed next to us and on another mattress was Melanie’s sister, Sofia, and her mum. Mum and grandma slept on the big bed. It felt like camping!

MUM, UNCLE AND ME

THE KIDS AND GRANDMA

ALE CLIMBING TREE AT GRANDMA’S

COUNTRYSIDE The day after we went to the country and had a barbecue at my great- grandparents house. There I also met my great uncle and aunt and cousins. I felt sad to great grandma, Adelina, in a wheelchair. I greeted her and went outside and the first thing I saw was a horse pasturing next to the house. We got on and grandma took the lead rope and took us for a ride. That was my first time riding a horse! My great uncle made a fire and cooked asado. After that my 22 year old cousin, Hugo, my brother and I went for a walk through the apple orchard. When we got back the three of us and my cousin Romina went horse riding. It was funny! Later Ale and I went climbing on top of a big pile of wooden bins that they use to collect apples. There was a hole in one of them and when we got in the hole it led to the other bin underneath. It was cool!

GREAT TIME WITH THE FAMILY

ALE AND I CLIMBING THE BINS

ALE IN TRACTOR AT ADELINA’S

AT ADELINA’S MAKING NOQUI’S

ALE,AND I HOLDING TITO

ALE AND I RIDING SAYNO

Us with Sebastian & Camila

CHURCH The second Sunday after we arrived, my grandmas neighbour invited us to a local church. There we met the kids that attend a local soup kitchen that we helped raise funds for in Australia. I was happy to meet them and we played together.

MELANIE, ALE & I WITH THE KIDS FROM THE SOUP KITCHEN

MELANIE AND I AT THE CHURCH

GRANDPA’S HOUSE Later in the week we went to my grandpa’s house. It was a cottage and the roof was made out of straw. I saw a well for the first time and my mum showed me how to wash my clothes in a stone basin. My brother asked grandad to take us on a tractor ride. It was exciting! My brother and I got to drive too. Later my brother saw grandad’s motor bike and asked if we could have a ride. We also helped grandad collect apples from the orchard. And we asked grandad if we could use some of the wooden boxes to build a cubby house. My brother built the kitchen and his room and I built the lounge and my room.

ALE STANDING IN FRONT OF GRANDPA’S HOUSE

PLAYING UNO WITH GRANDPA

WASHING IN THE STONE BASIN

ALE AND I IN CUBBY HOUSE

ALE, ABUELO AND I

ALE AND I MAKING PASTA

ALE AND I PLAYING IN PUDDLES

MY BIRTHDAY On Saturday the 30 th it was my birthday. Mum and grandad organised a birthday party at my cousin Ana’s house. Grandad hired a trampoline and a jumping castle. The trampoline was a hit! Nearly everyone got on it, even my mum’s aunty, Gladys, who is 68 years old! It was really funny! Then we had the cake, which had a picture of a horse on it. By then everyone knew I like horses.

EATING AT MY BIRTHDAY PARTY

PLAYING ON THE JUMPING CASTLE

NATALIE AND I AT MY BIRTHDAY

ALL THE KIDS JUMPING ON THE TRAMPOLINE

THE BIRTHDAY CANDLE

MERCADO DEL PUERTO A few days later we went to Mercado del Puerto, which means Market on the Bay and is a bunch of restaurants set up together under a big tent selling traditional uruguayan food. There are also stalls on the street selling handmade crafts. We ate in one of the restaurants. It was beautiful! We had chips, barbecue and some salad. It was delicious! Then we went for a walk and bought some ice cream.

AT A RESTAURANT IN MERCADO DEL PUERTO

SUSANA, PAULA AND I AT THE RESTAURANT

SAYING GOODBYE On Saturday the 20 th of April it was time to say goodbye. Everyone came to grandma’s to spend the day with us. After we ate Camila,Romina and I talked and played together. And then I went to play with Natalie and Melanie. We played tigi and hide the rocks. Then I went inside to get chocolates for everyone. Then people started going and we hugged each other goodbye. I felt sad because I would miss them.

CAMILA AND I SAYING GOODBYE

Grandad, mum,titi, and Daniel at the airport