My particular reason for visiting Uruguay was curiosity. As a sixteen-year-old high-schooler, my wife Kay went to Montevideo as an exchange student. Off and on, she’s mentioned what an adventure it was, how it boosted her self-confidence and had her experience a summer very different from one in Michigan. Kay has given me a good feeling about Uruguay, and I wanted to see for myself.
A note from Kay: After reading Eric’s write-up about his time in Uruguay, I read my daily journal from the two months I spent there as a summer exchange student when I was 16 going on 17. Up until then, I’d been a wall flower, or as my best friend in Montevideo put it, a “flower wall.” In Uruguay, I blossomed, living an active social life with the girls and boys in my school and others I met along the way. So many parties and other get-togethers! Lots of talk and dance, no alcohol but lots of cigarettes (my one puff was enough to convince me to never smoke). My first almost boyfriend. Looking back, I can see how the experience helped me become the person I am today.
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