A place has the same characteristics as a human being.
It has a soul, it can feel, it has memories, style, and life.
Just like you can fall in love with another human, you can fall in love with a place.
A place can give you feelings that no physical object can single-handedly give you.
It can cause you to remember people, feelings, and other sentiments.
It is a shame that we usually only travel for one, maybe two weeks at a time to see and visit a place. Maybe even less.
Just like a person, it takes time to get to know a place on a deeper level than to see just what's on the surface.
In a few days, you know a person's name, occupation, if they have siblings, where they live and are from, and maybe their relationship status. You get to know a place's main attractions: the top sites for tourists off of TripAdvisor, these are the places that present the best front for a city or country.
After several weeks, you may begin to understand a person's personality: their temperament, taste, and story. You start to see behind the perfect facade that you present to a stranger at first. You further understand a place's dynamic: the way the people interact, various street names and directions, the best place to eat the typical foods.
After a few months, you could know a person's secrets. You've seen them at their best and their worst, you've had both negative and positive experiences in their presence. It is identical with a place: best and worst, good and bad. But you also learn it's secrets: you get to know the places that no tourist would ever find, how to use transportation and live more like a local. The language also feels much more comfortable than it does, you speak to the place more freely as you would in a few month old relationship.
This is the furthest stage I have been with a place, and it's with Buenos Aires. I feel drastically more comfortable with where I'm going, I know where my favorite places are to get empanadas, medialunas, and pizza. I have come to enjoy mate and Fernet and coke, both which disgusted me at first. I am in the habit of drinking tea coffee or mate at around 6 pm with a snack before dinner. I know which bus to take and where the stop is. I have had some terrible experiences, and also some of the best in my entire life. I mean, I had two phones stolen from me, had some wake up calls, but also met some lovely people that I know I will treasure forever. When you are in place for just a few days or a week, you don't have time to reach past the surface and allow the opportunity for the negative (but extremely humbling and teaching) experiences to happen.
This time around, I will not have a chance to hit the year mark in this relationship I have with Buenos Aires. But I can feel that it is the beginning of a beautiful love affair, one that I am looking forward to rediscovering in the future. My host mom knows. She says to me "vas a volver, estoy segura" "you will come back, I'm sure". She can see it in my face the feelings that I have for this place. Who knows, maybe I feel this way just because of the time I've spent with it. This is the longest I've ever spent in a place, but I truly think it's more than that.
I imagine that after year, the relationship mirrors that of one with a friend or someone that's more: you feel fully comfortable, you know whether you can trust (or not trust) them, and the connection is even deeper.
I don't know how, or when, I will return, but I know that I will someday. There are too many places left in Argentina that I need to visit, and Buenos Aires has a piece of my heart that cannot be replaced by anywhere else in the world.
Te amo, Buenos Aires, gracias por todo lo que me diste, nos vemos.
I love you, Buenos Aires, thank you for what you have given me, see you later.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Thursday, June 25, 2015
No Words
Wow, so exactly a month from today, I will be on a plane on my way back to the United States. I can't believe I'm 4 out of 5 months in. This has been the craziest experience of my life and has caused me to feel so many extreme feelings like anger and then love, I'm annoyed and then I'm perfectly content, I'm sad and then I'm super happy. It is indescribable, even though I try my best to describe it on here and I will try my best when I go back and people ask me about the experience.
When I came to the realization that I only had 7 weeks left, that was a small enough of a number to freak me out about how little time we have left in Buenos Aires and Argentina. At this point, I think I started to appreciate the city even more and make an even larger attempt to appreciate every day here and take advantage of every hour I have left in this incredible place.
I had made a list of to-do's based off of my Lonely Planet Buenos Aires guidebook (highly recommended, by the way, it hasn't led me astray yet, except for prices, which isn't their fault, because of the massive and rapid inflation). I made a modified list and have been trying to see a new place or do something new or eat something new at least once a day to take full advantage of my time here.
I also have been doing a lot of searching inside, and this may be in part because I started using an app called Headspace that has daily meditations. Mindfulness is something that I have always strived to incorporate into my life more but have never really tried that seriously, but is something that when provided with a time-sensitive opportunity like this, really helps to use. The main idea that I have been telling myself a lot is to not compare myself to others, and I think this is a HUGE key in life, and something you have to learn in your 20s, not just for people studying abroad. It's so hard not to do, especially in school, when it usually makes life easier to do what everyone else is doing and wear what everyone else is wearing, etc. At the beginning of my trip here, I kept doing just that: I was comparing myself to other people on exchanges here and from Hendrix all over the world. The main part of this was with friends. I am a pretty outgoing person and have a fairly easy time making friends, but here, it has been more difficult than I expected to find Argentine friends. I have met some really amazing people more casually, but only have a couple that I would actually ask to hang out with outside of class or other set situations. But, I have come to appreciate them and also my American friends (even though at first I felt almost guilty for hanging out with Americans, like I should branch out more). But I'm gonna miss my ARMA girls so much (inside joke, ya know who you are).
I have also been trying to bond more with my other housemates, and especially my roommate and I have good conversations about the differences between here and the US and stuff. I know I'm gonna miss the craziness of living with 8 other people when I go back, even though sometimes there is nowhere quiet to study!
Every time I find myself somewhere new in Buenos Aires I am in further disbelief of how amazing the city is and how much I'm going to miss it. I am strongly considering coming back here to teach English (like I'm planning on doing after I graduate), I love it that much, and I think I will have a better gauge on that once I go home also.
Overall, I know I'm going to be heartbroken to leave, but I know I will come back to Argentina someday, there are too many place that I haven't seen around the country!! But also I can't complain, because I'm going BA-Atlanta-New York-ITALY!
Can't wait to tell ya'll more about it in person and hear about everyone from Hendy's experiences!
Beso enorme!
-Anna
When I came to the realization that I only had 7 weeks left, that was a small enough of a number to freak me out about how little time we have left in Buenos Aires and Argentina. At this point, I think I started to appreciate the city even more and make an even larger attempt to appreciate every day here and take advantage of every hour I have left in this incredible place.
I had made a list of to-do's based off of my Lonely Planet Buenos Aires guidebook (highly recommended, by the way, it hasn't led me astray yet, except for prices, which isn't their fault, because of the massive and rapid inflation). I made a modified list and have been trying to see a new place or do something new or eat something new at least once a day to take full advantage of my time here.
I also have been doing a lot of searching inside, and this may be in part because I started using an app called Headspace that has daily meditations. Mindfulness is something that I have always strived to incorporate into my life more but have never really tried that seriously, but is something that when provided with a time-sensitive opportunity like this, really helps to use. The main idea that I have been telling myself a lot is to not compare myself to others, and I think this is a HUGE key in life, and something you have to learn in your 20s, not just for people studying abroad. It's so hard not to do, especially in school, when it usually makes life easier to do what everyone else is doing and wear what everyone else is wearing, etc. At the beginning of my trip here, I kept doing just that: I was comparing myself to other people on exchanges here and from Hendrix all over the world. The main part of this was with friends. I am a pretty outgoing person and have a fairly easy time making friends, but here, it has been more difficult than I expected to find Argentine friends. I have met some really amazing people more casually, but only have a couple that I would actually ask to hang out with outside of class or other set situations. But, I have come to appreciate them and also my American friends (even though at first I felt almost guilty for hanging out with Americans, like I should branch out more). But I'm gonna miss my ARMA girls so much (inside joke, ya know who you are).
I have also been trying to bond more with my other housemates, and especially my roommate and I have good conversations about the differences between here and the US and stuff. I know I'm gonna miss the craziness of living with 8 other people when I go back, even though sometimes there is nowhere quiet to study!
Every time I find myself somewhere new in Buenos Aires I am in further disbelief of how amazing the city is and how much I'm going to miss it. I am strongly considering coming back here to teach English (like I'm planning on doing after I graduate), I love it that much, and I think I will have a better gauge on that once I go home also.
Overall, I know I'm going to be heartbroken to leave, but I know I will come back to Argentina someday, there are too many place that I haven't seen around the country!! But also I can't complain, because I'm going BA-Atlanta-New York-ITALY!
Can't wait to tell ya'll more about it in person and hear about everyone from Hendy's experiences!
Beso enorme!
-Anna
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Appreciation
The ups and downs are never ending...
The main reason i'm writing is because I realized it has been an entire month since my last post! And I need to be recording better my experience because I planned on journaling but that's not happening either, so this is the alternate.
It hit me a couple of weeks ago that I was halfway through my time here in Buenos Aires, and I was TERRIFIED. I feel like I have so much left to do and see and it feels like my time here has been very long and veryy short at the same time. Right now I have just about 8 weeks to go, which means 3 months that I've been here.
I think this week has turned over a new leaf for me; maybe it was the fact that my parents came to visit, and I needed that refresher. I think having them here definitely made me appreciate way more the city; to show it to an outsider from my perspective, made me realize how lucky I am to be in this place at this time in my life. It also made me appreciate my independence (ha sorry guys) and that I am not tied to any one person or group of people in my time here, or even in my life itself. I can wake up and basically do whatever I want, without worrying about anyone else.
I also came to a conclusion that will be expanded more in a post I plan to do about advice about studying abroad in general and in Buenos Aires, and that is that it is quite dangerous to stay inside and do nothing all day, especially if you are homesick. I find that I feel much better in general when I go out and do something as minimal as walk around or run errands. It's easy to use the internet to get sucked into a different world, the one back home, and to forget to appreciate what you have around you physically. I've had a lot of studying to do lately, so I have been trapped inside, but even so, I try to make it out at least once a day to see one new thing, and my mood improves dramatically.
This sense of almost panic that I have been experiencing like my time is coming to an end (even though I have quite a long time left) has made me think a lot about my companionship here in the city. I have a lot of opposing forces going on in my head when thinking about something as simple as friendship. Before I came, I told myself that I was going to step outside of my comfort zone and meet as many Argentine friends as possible. This has been extremely difficult, even for someone like me, who I consider to be pretty outgoing most of the time. When people have their existing friend groups, it can be hard to break in. And since I am only in classes with a few international students at a time and we don't all do things together, we are not really a group either. I am pretty close to a few American girls, and I love ya'll and appreciate ya'll so much, so don't let this make you think any differently :) I know we will be friends after this semester and we now have places all over the US to stay and visit!
This has definitely made me more empathetic towards the international students at Hendrix and I can't wait to take what I have appreciated from students here and use it on them back in Conway next year!
I have met a few people here and there, but we have mostly just talked about school stuff, which still gives me a rush and makes me feel happy when I talk to someone new in my class! So many people though, once the conversation starts, have been really interested in me as a person which makes me feel really welcomed, and have willingly given me their numbers or Facebook with the request to ask them any questions at all.
I'm excited to see how I can continue these relationships and maybe I'll even ask one or two of them to get coffee with me or something even though that scares me! I'm interested to see how Hendrix students who are studying abroad in other places feel about this topic, but from what I've observed, most people usually stick to the international student groups and have trouble breaking in to meet native students, but I'm excited to talk to people about it nonetheless.
Each time I go outside now, I have a newfound appreciation for the city because of the (sort of) short time I have left, but I'm happy this attitude came now and not a week before I leave, even though I know that it will be much stronger then!
I still can't believe how much I am learning and changing and growing each and every day here, and how I am so incredibly lucky to be able to have this experience!!! I still can't believe I'm here; it still feels pretty unreal to me.
Besos!
-Anna
The main reason i'm writing is because I realized it has been an entire month since my last post! And I need to be recording better my experience because I planned on journaling but that's not happening either, so this is the alternate.
It hit me a couple of weeks ago that I was halfway through my time here in Buenos Aires, and I was TERRIFIED. I feel like I have so much left to do and see and it feels like my time here has been very long and veryy short at the same time. Right now I have just about 8 weeks to go, which means 3 months that I've been here.
I think this week has turned over a new leaf for me; maybe it was the fact that my parents came to visit, and I needed that refresher. I think having them here definitely made me appreciate way more the city; to show it to an outsider from my perspective, made me realize how lucky I am to be in this place at this time in my life. It also made me appreciate my independence (ha sorry guys) and that I am not tied to any one person or group of people in my time here, or even in my life itself. I can wake up and basically do whatever I want, without worrying about anyone else.
I also came to a conclusion that will be expanded more in a post I plan to do about advice about studying abroad in general and in Buenos Aires, and that is that it is quite dangerous to stay inside and do nothing all day, especially if you are homesick. I find that I feel much better in general when I go out and do something as minimal as walk around or run errands. It's easy to use the internet to get sucked into a different world, the one back home, and to forget to appreciate what you have around you physically. I've had a lot of studying to do lately, so I have been trapped inside, but even so, I try to make it out at least once a day to see one new thing, and my mood improves dramatically.
This sense of almost panic that I have been experiencing like my time is coming to an end (even though I have quite a long time left) has made me think a lot about my companionship here in the city. I have a lot of opposing forces going on in my head when thinking about something as simple as friendship. Before I came, I told myself that I was going to step outside of my comfort zone and meet as many Argentine friends as possible. This has been extremely difficult, even for someone like me, who I consider to be pretty outgoing most of the time. When people have their existing friend groups, it can be hard to break in. And since I am only in classes with a few international students at a time and we don't all do things together, we are not really a group either. I am pretty close to a few American girls, and I love ya'll and appreciate ya'll so much, so don't let this make you think any differently :) I know we will be friends after this semester and we now have places all over the US to stay and visit!
This has definitely made me more empathetic towards the international students at Hendrix and I can't wait to take what I have appreciated from students here and use it on them back in Conway next year!
I have met a few people here and there, but we have mostly just talked about school stuff, which still gives me a rush and makes me feel happy when I talk to someone new in my class! So many people though, once the conversation starts, have been really interested in me as a person which makes me feel really welcomed, and have willingly given me their numbers or Facebook with the request to ask them any questions at all.
I'm excited to see how I can continue these relationships and maybe I'll even ask one or two of them to get coffee with me or something even though that scares me! I'm interested to see how Hendrix students who are studying abroad in other places feel about this topic, but from what I've observed, most people usually stick to the international student groups and have trouble breaking in to meet native students, but I'm excited to talk to people about it nonetheless.
Each time I go outside now, I have a newfound appreciation for the city because of the (sort of) short time I have left, but I'm happy this attitude came now and not a week before I leave, even though I know that it will be much stronger then!
I still can't believe how much I am learning and changing and growing each and every day here, and how I am so incredibly lucky to be able to have this experience!!! I still can't believe I'm here; it still feels pretty unreal to me.
Besos!
-Anna
Monday, April 27, 2015
como una montaña rusa
The title means "like a roller coaster".
It has been a strange couple of weeks! I go back and forth
between loving it and wanting to go home so badly. More and more though I think
I am appreciating the experience altogether, even if it isn’t always positive.
Actually it would probably be bad if it were all fun and games all the time.
But as an anthropology major I am constantly people watching and I observe the
weirdest little things that I have become so accustomed to, that I’m going to
miss when I go home! And it’s going to be weird to not see them and do them
every day.
For example, the kiss on the cheek to greet someone. Here,
it’s one cheek touch on the right cheek and a kissing noise with the mouth,
rather than an actual kiss. People of every age from children to retired people
do it. You do it when you see a friend, or when you’re meeting someone new that
is being introduced to you or also when you meet someone for the first time.
Not like when you walk into a random store, but if you go to a party and meet
someone then maybe. You kind of just learn the rules to it and know when to
expect it and to initiate it! It’s also done when you say goodbye to someone. I
think this is really cool and I apologize in advance if I start to do this to
you and then realize what I’m doing awkwardly. Because it’s become such a
habit. But I think it’s so cool how much more physical people are here and how
people aren’t as worried about their personal bubble like they are in the US.
Another small thing that I have noticed that I think is
hilarious is whenever you buy like a bottle of water or soda at a kiosko they
ask you if you want a straw. Like the bottle is bigger than the straw but
people will use them to drink out of the bottle, no matter the drink. I think
this is so interesting and I guess a reason it has remained here is because
people aren’t nearly as environmentally aware as they are in the US. Recycling,
for example, is a new effort, and the only places I’ve seen bins are at my
university and sometimes on the street next to the big trash receptacles.
Also, I just love how chill people are. But also it’s
contradictory, because when it comes to roads people are the opposite of chill.
But, for example, in restaurants, you could sit for 5 hours after you’re
finished eating an the waiter will not clear your plates or bring you the check
until you ask. If someone stays 15 minutes after they’re done at Mellow it
makes me furious, because I’m relying on table turnover to make money. But
here, they make salary and you only tip about 10% or round up, and so I guess
they don’t care if you stay or not. People can sit and talk for HOURS after
lunch or in a café. Around 5-6 pm is merienda (snack time) and so the cafes are
full of people having coffee and medialunas or tostadas and they chill forever.
I like to go and do homework but also people are talking a lot and catching up
with friends so sometimes its pretty loud at those times!
Also, this is a city, but there are so many beautiful huge
parks! And if you go in the afternoon, or any time on Sunday, you will see people
sitting and drinking mate, having a snack, or just reading and hanging out with
friends and family. Yesterday I went to Plaza Francia, right by the Recoleta
Cemetery near my house with my Argentine friend that I met on Conversation
Exchange. We had mate and just sat and enjoyed the flawless weather, and the
green space was completely full with groups of people! There is also a great
feria by the cemetery on the weekend and so that was going on too, and lots of
restaurants with huge patios to sit outside. Everyone was taking advantage of
the beautiful weather and mate is the perfect excuse to get together. If you
wanna hang out with someone and don’t know what to do you just say “tomamos
unos matecitos?" (should we have some mate?) and there ya go. You fill your thermos with the perfect
temperature water, grab your bombilla and mate, and some yerba, and you’re good
to go.
People are also chill in that EVERY Argentine is late. To
everything. I’ve probably mentioned this. But if I meet with someone I’m
usually sitting there for 10-15 minutes. I need to just start arriving late on
purpose. And I have classmates that come in like an hour after class starts.
Granted, they are 3-3.5 hours long, but still! What’s the point at that time, I
don’t get it. And people will just leave after our break or in the middle of
class. I don’t really understand.
Also- LANGUAGE STUFF! The other day I was saying phrases to
myself using the “yuh” noise for ll and y, instead of "sh" like they use here, and it sounded so STRANGE and WRONG
to me. And that’s how I’ve been speaking since I’ve been learning Spanish. It’s
so funny how my ear has changed so much. And yeah everyone is gonna be like
what the hell are you saying in my Spanish classes, and Dr. Arms is going to
make fun of me every single time I speak, but you know what, I really do love the
accent. And I read the other day that if you can understand the Argentine
accent you can understand any. Which is cool to hear since I’m fairly
comfortable with it by now.
Even though I know I’m getting so much better, I am to the
point where I can’t tell the changes and my improvement as much as I did after
spain or in the first couple of weeks here. I need to ask someone if they can
tell. I’m sure I am, but I think at my level I’ve kind of hit a plateau that’s
going to take a long time to get over, which I’m sure happens to a lot of
people! But I get compliments about my Spanish a lot when I have a conversation so that’s cool. And I’m trying to practice as much as possible! I’m
planning on doing a week soon where I only speak and write Spanish in all
circumstances except when I can’t (when the other person doesn’t speak Spanish,
when sending a formal email, ha). I think it’ll be a cool experiment, and I
think I can do it!
Also, an update if you don’t have Facebook, but my phone got
stolen again……
I know I’m like the biggest idiot in the world. But I felt
less bad when I looked on the event page for the party where it happened and
like 30 other people had their stuff stolen. So I wasn’t the only one. It was
at a club, and it was packed, and it was made for international students so
someone took advantage of that for sure.
Well anyway I’m doing better or worse depending on the day,
but now I have my family’s visit in 3 weeks to look forward to!
Besos, chau!
-Anna
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Update!
There is no special theme for this post or anything, just a random update of information since it's been a few weeks since i've written...
Right after I wrote my last post I headed to Mendoza with a group of international students with an organization called BAIS (Buenos Aires International Students) for Semana Santa (here they have off Thursday and Friday before Easter). First we took a 12 hour bus ride. Which may sound horrible (and not that it was the best time of my life) it wasn't that bad. I slept the majority of it, the ride was pretty comfortable and it was overnight. We arrived in the city of Mendoza to our youth hostel and then directly cleaned up and made our way to the first bodega to have some wine!!! We learned how they made the wine and had a tour and then tried some for ourselves. Then we could buy bottles, and I literally bought one for about $6. A nice bottle of wine. Ridiculous.
Mendoza is famous worldwide for its Malbec, if you don't know about wine. It's delishhh and goes perfectly with an asado (Argentine bbq). We went to another bodega and then to a place to where they make olive oil where we tried more samples. At this point, everyone was dead and hungry and exhausted. We then went back to the hostel for an asado. OMG. The best meat i've ever had in my life. I don't think I will ever be able to like red meat again the U.S. They just cook and season it perfectly and all the types we tried were amazing. We had some Malbec with it also which was awesome! Our bellies full and hearts happy, we slept very well. Even in a hostel.
The next day we woke up and did a hike in Parque Aconcagua, to see the highest mountain in the Andes. The day was perfect and it was so incredible beautiful! The next day we went white water rafting, which I have done before, but with the Andes around you it's so different! It was so freaking fun even though the water was freezing. And no one fell out of our boat, so I think of that as an accomplishment in itself. Pics to come from this, they had a GoPro on the boat but I haven't gotten the stuff yet. The next day, we had optional excursions, and I chose horseback riding.
About 20 of us got in a van and then drove outside the city, where we then proceeded to turn onto a gravel road that looked like it was going nowhere. As far as we could see all around us there was no sign of civilization. We were on this bumpy road for about 45 minutes until we finally saw a tiny little building with a fence with horses! This family literally just has all these horses and guides tours and then makes you an asado. What a day. They let us go on very dangerous inclines and declines which was scary at times, but so fun. And the views were amazing. Then I got to have my second asado of my life and of the weekend and wine which started off with homemade empanadas, avocado, grilled veggies, and then came the meat. So amazing. What a day! Then that night we headed back to BsAs and I had to go to class when I got back. So that was exciting.
I made a Facebook album of pics just from the trip, so be sure to check that out. It was really fun to travel with 60 20-year-olds but also very crazy and we had to wait around a lot for everyone to meet up which was sometimes a pain. But i'm so glad I got to see another part of the country because I don't really have enough money to travel anymore...so....
(if anyone knows of affordable i mean extremely affordable trips let me know please)
Other than that, i've been eating a lot (still, which needs to stop), shopping at street fairs (which i'm obsessed with), and going to class and reading a LOT in Spanish for class. I had my first exam on Monday which I think I at least passed so that's good. My classes will be hard but in a few of them native speakers have reached out to me and told me to tell them if I want to get together and study or to ask them if I had any question which is so nice!!
I also joined the volleyball team! They started practicing a month ago, but I went to practice for the first time last night. I was really nervous because I had to find my way to a new place late (it's from 9:30-11:30 pm twice a week), meet new people, and also I had missed an entire month! But when I got there one of the girls was there and explained to me how everything works and how chill it is, and the coach didn't even mind that I had missed anything (sports are SO different back home). Basically anyone that wants to can play, there are no tryouts or anything, you go to what practices you want to, there are games once every other week.... it's my style hahaha. The girls are right at my level also which is so nice, we had some great points when playing but also none of us are superstars (it's been quite a while since I played seriously!). We got to hit for a good hour before scrimmaging the rest of the time. Very chill. I loved it! They were all so nice and I got so much Spanish experience and i'm so excited to have a new group of friends in BsAs! :))
I am getting really excited to see my family who is coming in just a few weeks and I am ready to see some familiar faces! I have been sick with a stomach flu for the last week or so but the bulk of it was over the weekend so I didn't have to miss any class which was nice. But i'm fine now! All of the exchange students are getting sick from the temperature change and being in a different environment in general, traveling, etc.
Some days are better than others, and I feel more positive or more negative based on what's happening around me and depending on the day. I do feel though like i'm finally meeting more people which is awesome. There is this website called Conversation Exchange where you can connect with people and i've met up with two girls from that, and one I've met up with twice this week! We are already making plans to hang out again and so i'm really happy about that, she's super nice and I get to practice so much Spanish! And she's my age so it's great! This definitely helps with my feeling of lack of friends here.
I know this is probably a lot of random information and also not as deep or reflective as my other posts, but I know there are family members that are dying just to know that i'm alive and functioning so this is mainly for them haha.
Besos, chau!
-Anna
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
A Love/Hate Relationship
I have had many extreme emotions- on both ends of the spectrum- about Argentina and Buenos Aires and studying abroad lately. Some of my favorite times and least favorite times have all happened in the last couple of weeks.
Last week I was thinking about the discomfort and difficulties of being here, and how much easier life is at home in various ways (check out my latest blog post about that). :) I called my best friend and my godsister and as much as its awesome to talk to them, it made me miss home and them even more.
On Saturday, my housemate from Colorado and I went to Tigre, a town about an hour by train from Buenos Aires. It is much more in nature and so beautiful! It sits on a delta and has hundreds of stands where you can buy mate gourds (so. many. choices.), woodwork, baskets, amazing food, and anything you can imagine! I can't wait to take my family there when they visit. It was really nice to get out of the city for a day. So this was great.
Then on Sunday, on the way to the Feria de Mataderos with a large group of students, my iPhone was taken out of my purse on the bus. I should have been paying more attention, yes, but no reason to think about that now that it's done. That day, I HATED Argentina and Buenos Aires. Why is everything so busy all the time? Why wasn't there another bus so this one wouldn't be so packed? Why are there economic problems that cause people to live in poverty? Why won't they make Apple products here so they aren't worth so damn much so that people feel the need to steal mine? Why can't all the people just GO AWAY?!
Yeah, I was pissed. I missed home. I don't want to have to carry my bag in front of me at all times and worry about the people around me. I don't want to have to speak Spanish and then be targeted because i'm obviously not from here.
Lots of back and forth feelings. But then yesterday (I know, i'm bipolar), I was thinking about all the little things I love about Argentina! So here's the list:
1. The closeness. In the US, we constantly have our personal bubble that no one is allowed in. Even some people don't like to sit too closely to people that are close to them. Here, you will get touched in places that you may not be touched on a regular basis by complete strangers on the bus, or street. It happens. It's not creepy, it's just how many people there are. And no one bats an eye. One of my favorite things is the kiss on the cheek (just one, on your right), when you first meet someone, or see someone you know. The girl I met once in my psych class did it to me last night. When i'm introduced to someone new I do it. I think it's so cool. Friends and couples walk around hand in hand, arms around them, couples make out at the park and lay on each other's laps while drinking mate, it's just a very loving, touchy culture. I think a little more human contact would do Americans good.
2. MATE. Ok, because I do not have all the info, and don't want to explain anything incorrectly, i'm going to post this link here about mate. http://www.therealargentina.com/argentinian-wine-blog/yerba-mate-tea-love-it-hate-it-drink-it/. Or google it if you want more info. It's basically a tea, but not just any tea. It has so many rituals surrounding it. It is made to share with friends, I read something once that was like how it has different purposes with other people and by yourself. With others, it is a time to enjoy each others company and share ideas and thoughts. By yourself, you have time alone with your thoughts and enjoying your own company. You will see people drinking mate any time of day. It has caffeine, but it makes you less jittery than coffee and sometimes people with caffeine sensitivity can enjoy mate too. Students use it to focus but it won't keep you up all night either. These are all things i've heard, i've had it several times but never in these situations. At first, it is very bitter, but i've come to really love the taste. I bought my own gourd (it's literally a gourd), and I still have to cure it before I can use it. I'll do a whole post on mate later when I start the process and show some pictures.
3. Public transportation. Yeah I know I complained about it earlier. But I am very fond of public transportation. For 3-3.75 pesos (25 to 30 cents with the blue dollar) you can ride the bus. And you usually don't have to walk more than a few blocks on either end to get to any destination in the city. And (normally) you don't have to wait too long. Sundays and feriados are different. Sometimes they are full and you have to stand for an hour, sometimes you can sit and enjoy yourself and city watching. It depends on the day and time.
4. The food. Alfajores (soft cookies with dulce de leche in 2+ layers all covered in chocolate) are my addiction because they are amazing. I need to stop. Dulce de leche, like caramel but better. The coffee. The medialunas, so much better than normal croissants. I have yet to try asado (bbq) but it'll be unreal (we're having one Thursday night in Mendoza! :)) Every little candy and cracker thing you buy tastes so good to me. The pizza, the ice cream (yes its all unhealthy so what).
5. The contradictions. So much juxtaposition in this city (shown in the video at the bottom that I found). There are so many beautiful modern places and so many dirty torn down areas. There are so many wealthy people and so many homeless people. In my pictures of the Recoleta Cemetery, you could see the super old cemetery with cranes and other modern buildings in the background. It is so interesting. And going along with this, the mixture of cultures. So much Italian and European influence on the culture and the city but also a feeling of Latin America and its own spice that it brings. Fascinating for an anth major :) Another: people love to relax and sit around and drink mate but also go really hard and party until 6 in the morning.... people just love life I guess.
6. Kind of a leeway off the last one, but people are so passionate. Whether it be in relationships (very nice) or when driving (lots of honking and cussing on the street) people are extremely passionate about their lives. No passivity here.
I can't think of any more specifics right now, but each day when I get frustrated, I try to think of these things. Each morning when I wake up I still (after 5 weeks) am like WAIT! I'm in Argentina! What!? Still haven't gotten used to it.
Here is this video someone posted on FB. It makes me so happy to be here. Can't wait to see other places in the country.
https://vimeo.com/122515337
Chau, besos!
-Anna
Last week I was thinking about the discomfort and difficulties of being here, and how much easier life is at home in various ways (check out my latest blog post about that). :) I called my best friend and my godsister and as much as its awesome to talk to them, it made me miss home and them even more.
On Saturday, my housemate from Colorado and I went to Tigre, a town about an hour by train from Buenos Aires. It is much more in nature and so beautiful! It sits on a delta and has hundreds of stands where you can buy mate gourds (so. many. choices.), woodwork, baskets, amazing food, and anything you can imagine! I can't wait to take my family there when they visit. It was really nice to get out of the city for a day. So this was great.
Then on Sunday, on the way to the Feria de Mataderos with a large group of students, my iPhone was taken out of my purse on the bus. I should have been paying more attention, yes, but no reason to think about that now that it's done. That day, I HATED Argentina and Buenos Aires. Why is everything so busy all the time? Why wasn't there another bus so this one wouldn't be so packed? Why are there economic problems that cause people to live in poverty? Why won't they make Apple products here so they aren't worth so damn much so that people feel the need to steal mine? Why can't all the people just GO AWAY?!
Yeah, I was pissed. I missed home. I don't want to have to carry my bag in front of me at all times and worry about the people around me. I don't want to have to speak Spanish and then be targeted because i'm obviously not from here.
Lots of back and forth feelings. But then yesterday (I know, i'm bipolar), I was thinking about all the little things I love about Argentina! So here's the list:
1. The closeness. In the US, we constantly have our personal bubble that no one is allowed in. Even some people don't like to sit too closely to people that are close to them. Here, you will get touched in places that you may not be touched on a regular basis by complete strangers on the bus, or street. It happens. It's not creepy, it's just how many people there are. And no one bats an eye. One of my favorite things is the kiss on the cheek (just one, on your right), when you first meet someone, or see someone you know. The girl I met once in my psych class did it to me last night. When i'm introduced to someone new I do it. I think it's so cool. Friends and couples walk around hand in hand, arms around them, couples make out at the park and lay on each other's laps while drinking mate, it's just a very loving, touchy culture. I think a little more human contact would do Americans good.
2. MATE. Ok, because I do not have all the info, and don't want to explain anything incorrectly, i'm going to post this link here about mate. http://www.therealargentina.com/argentinian-wine-blog/yerba-mate-tea-love-it-hate-it-drink-it/. Or google it if you want more info. It's basically a tea, but not just any tea. It has so many rituals surrounding it. It is made to share with friends, I read something once that was like how it has different purposes with other people and by yourself. With others, it is a time to enjoy each others company and share ideas and thoughts. By yourself, you have time alone with your thoughts and enjoying your own company. You will see people drinking mate any time of day. It has caffeine, but it makes you less jittery than coffee and sometimes people with caffeine sensitivity can enjoy mate too. Students use it to focus but it won't keep you up all night either. These are all things i've heard, i've had it several times but never in these situations. At first, it is very bitter, but i've come to really love the taste. I bought my own gourd (it's literally a gourd), and I still have to cure it before I can use it. I'll do a whole post on mate later when I start the process and show some pictures.
3. Public transportation. Yeah I know I complained about it earlier. But I am very fond of public transportation. For 3-3.75 pesos (25 to 30 cents with the blue dollar) you can ride the bus. And you usually don't have to walk more than a few blocks on either end to get to any destination in the city. And (normally) you don't have to wait too long. Sundays and feriados are different. Sometimes they are full and you have to stand for an hour, sometimes you can sit and enjoy yourself and city watching. It depends on the day and time.
4. The food. Alfajores (soft cookies with dulce de leche in 2+ layers all covered in chocolate) are my addiction because they are amazing. I need to stop. Dulce de leche, like caramel but better. The coffee. The medialunas, so much better than normal croissants. I have yet to try asado (bbq) but it'll be unreal (we're having one Thursday night in Mendoza! :)) Every little candy and cracker thing you buy tastes so good to me. The pizza, the ice cream (yes its all unhealthy so what).
5. The contradictions. So much juxtaposition in this city (shown in the video at the bottom that I found). There are so many beautiful modern places and so many dirty torn down areas. There are so many wealthy people and so many homeless people. In my pictures of the Recoleta Cemetery, you could see the super old cemetery with cranes and other modern buildings in the background. It is so interesting. And going along with this, the mixture of cultures. So much Italian and European influence on the culture and the city but also a feeling of Latin America and its own spice that it brings. Fascinating for an anth major :) Another: people love to relax and sit around and drink mate but also go really hard and party until 6 in the morning.... people just love life I guess.
6. Kind of a leeway off the last one, but people are so passionate. Whether it be in relationships (very nice) or when driving (lots of honking and cussing on the street) people are extremely passionate about their lives. No passivity here.
I can't think of any more specifics right now, but each day when I get frustrated, I try to think of these things. Each morning when I wake up I still (after 5 weeks) am like WAIT! I'm in Argentina! What!? Still haven't gotten used to it.
Here is this video someone posted on FB. It makes me so happy to be here. Can't wait to see other places in the country.
https://vimeo.com/122515337
Chau, besos!
-Anna
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
The Idea of Comfort
If you know me well, you know that I am one that likes to be comfortable. It could be something physical like temperature, a cozy bed or clothes, or maybe taking my contact lenses out for the day; it could be something emotional like having a plan, knowing how something is going to occur, or knowing the people around me. I am a big fan of this concept.
As a child, I was extremely shy and anxious. Many of you may not believe this, because sometimes I can be very loud and outgoing nowadays :). I hated new situations, I would cry and cry and beg my parents not to make me go to social events having to do with school, sports, or friends. I wouldn't let my close family or friends sing happy birthday to me before I blew out my birthday candles on the cake. I wouldn't walk across the stage with the rest of my class at my kindergarten graduation at age 6 (yes, we had a ceremony, with caps and gowns and diplomas and the whole shebang). I was full of fear and anxiety caused by uncertainty, attention, and overall, discomfort.
Thanks to my parents (seriously!!!) forcing me against my will to do many, many, MANY things, I have grown as a person and, I hate to admit, usually ended up loving whatever they forced me to do. I've gotten better over the years; first they made me join the basketball team, then go to sleepover camp with my Girl Scout troop, and more recently, go on the Spanish exchange in high school. Notice, all of these are experiences that required newness: new people, places, things, situations. This is what scared (scares) me the most.
I am still very in love with knowing what's going to happen. I am the one in every friend group that I have ever been in to plan the next sleepover, get together, or party. I am the one that is OCD enough to take action so I know what my plans will be this weekend, even though it probably would have worked itself out eventually. To do lists are my jammmm.
You might be asking yourself: why is this girl rambling so much about something seemingly unrelated to travel.... for me, this is the ESSENCE of travel.
I think if I were presented with this opportunity with the same mindset that I had when I was younger, I never would have done it in a million years. I must have changed a lot, because before arriving, when I told people about what I was going to do, I got reactions of shock when I told them I didn't know anyone else coming with me, I was going to live with an unknown family, immerse myself in a foreign language, go to a continent that most Americans have some sort of strange "fear" of due to what the media and the horror stories that their friends tell them.... and all of this seemed extremely small and insignificant to me.
I have been pondering this idea of comfort for the past few days, when I find myself thinking about home and "what if" situations comparatively to the ones I find myself in in Argentina.
There is a comfort in being able to get your point across exactly the way you formulate it in your mind, with exactly the right words.
There is a comfort to traveling the same path every day and knowing you will arrive on time to class or work.
There is a comfort to having a group of good friends close to you spatially to who you can text at any time to come hang out with you, and these same people you can rely on to hang out with you on the weekend.
There is a comfort to speaking the same damn language fluently as your teachers and waiters and shopkeepers and everyone around you are speaking
There is a comfort in knowing how assignments usually are, or what professors expect of you for a test or a paper.
There is a comfort in the fact that you can text on your iPhone while on the sidewalk and know for pretty certain it won't get stolen out of your hand.
There is a comfort in being able to find the products that you're used to at the store you know for sure will have them.
There is a comfort in knowing that people won't constantly ask you where you're from or stare at you because of the way you dress or talk, immediately noticing that you are a foreigner.
This experience is a constant stream of discomfort. I am fairly proficient in Spanish and still have to ask people to repeat things to me multiple times a day. I don't understand everything my professors are saying, and I don't always know exactly what to say to get my point across, and it's FRUSTRATING.
It's hard to feel the pressure of being here for such a short period of time: trying to travel to all the places you can, meet all the people you can, speak all the Spanish you can. There is a stream of advice given to any student before they go abroad and I think we all feel a need to live up to all of these points of advice that are given to us.
I hope that this post didn't come off negative, because I am loving every part of my study abroad so far. Buenos Aires is one of the most interesting places that I've ever been and everything is so beautiful- the people, the buildings, the way in which the porteños speak.
Even though my gut usually tells me that I want to stay home and watch Netflix, I know that I should go out and force myself to meet new people and have new experiences and dance to cumbia until 6 o'clock in the morning when the sun is rising.
I know that I should see new sights in the city, even though I have to take a new bus to get there, and my bus app probably won't tell me the right intersection to catch it, so I'll have to walk a few blocks or ask someone at a kiosko.
I know that I should go up and talk to a random person and not worry about them wondering "who is this American and why is she trying to speak Spanish?"
I have been here for three weeks and it feels like a lifetime, and it terrifies the shit out of me that I have 4 plus months left. But I wouldn't trade this for the world, and I know this extended period of discomfort will only allow me to grow as a person immensely. And if anyone has any advice, that has studied abroad or is now, pleaseeeee let me know!!!!
Thanks for reading, besos desde BsAs. Chao!
Anna
PS for family that may not be on Facebook I no longer have access to my American phone line, my Argentinian SIM is in my iPhone. So let me know if you want the number for iMessage or WhatsApp! Comment on here or email me or whatever!
As a child, I was extremely shy and anxious. Many of you may not believe this, because sometimes I can be very loud and outgoing nowadays :). I hated new situations, I would cry and cry and beg my parents not to make me go to social events having to do with school, sports, or friends. I wouldn't let my close family or friends sing happy birthday to me before I blew out my birthday candles on the cake. I wouldn't walk across the stage with the rest of my class at my kindergarten graduation at age 6 (yes, we had a ceremony, with caps and gowns and diplomas and the whole shebang). I was full of fear and anxiety caused by uncertainty, attention, and overall, discomfort.
Thanks to my parents (seriously!!!) forcing me against my will to do many, many, MANY things, I have grown as a person and, I hate to admit, usually ended up loving whatever they forced me to do. I've gotten better over the years; first they made me join the basketball team, then go to sleepover camp with my Girl Scout troop, and more recently, go on the Spanish exchange in high school. Notice, all of these are experiences that required newness: new people, places, things, situations. This is what scared (scares) me the most.
I am still very in love with knowing what's going to happen. I am the one in every friend group that I have ever been in to plan the next sleepover, get together, or party. I am the one that is OCD enough to take action so I know what my plans will be this weekend, even though it probably would have worked itself out eventually. To do lists are my jammmm.
You might be asking yourself: why is this girl rambling so much about something seemingly unrelated to travel.... for me, this is the ESSENCE of travel.
I think if I were presented with this opportunity with the same mindset that I had when I was younger, I never would have done it in a million years. I must have changed a lot, because before arriving, when I told people about what I was going to do, I got reactions of shock when I told them I didn't know anyone else coming with me, I was going to live with an unknown family, immerse myself in a foreign language, go to a continent that most Americans have some sort of strange "fear" of due to what the media and the horror stories that their friends tell them.... and all of this seemed extremely small and insignificant to me.
I have been pondering this idea of comfort for the past few days, when I find myself thinking about home and "what if" situations comparatively to the ones I find myself in in Argentina.
There is a comfort in being able to get your point across exactly the way you formulate it in your mind, with exactly the right words.
There is a comfort to traveling the same path every day and knowing you will arrive on time to class or work.
There is a comfort to having a group of good friends close to you spatially to who you can text at any time to come hang out with you, and these same people you can rely on to hang out with you on the weekend.
There is a comfort to speaking the same damn language fluently as your teachers and waiters and shopkeepers and everyone around you are speaking
There is a comfort in knowing how assignments usually are, or what professors expect of you for a test or a paper.
There is a comfort in the fact that you can text on your iPhone while on the sidewalk and know for pretty certain it won't get stolen out of your hand.
There is a comfort in being able to find the products that you're used to at the store you know for sure will have them.
There is a comfort in knowing that people won't constantly ask you where you're from or stare at you because of the way you dress or talk, immediately noticing that you are a foreigner.
This experience is a constant stream of discomfort. I am fairly proficient in Spanish and still have to ask people to repeat things to me multiple times a day. I don't understand everything my professors are saying, and I don't always know exactly what to say to get my point across, and it's FRUSTRATING.
It's hard to feel the pressure of being here for such a short period of time: trying to travel to all the places you can, meet all the people you can, speak all the Spanish you can. There is a stream of advice given to any student before they go abroad and I think we all feel a need to live up to all of these points of advice that are given to us.
I hope that this post didn't come off negative, because I am loving every part of my study abroad so far. Buenos Aires is one of the most interesting places that I've ever been and everything is so beautiful- the people, the buildings, the way in which the porteños speak.
Even though my gut usually tells me that I want to stay home and watch Netflix, I know that I should go out and force myself to meet new people and have new experiences and dance to cumbia until 6 o'clock in the morning when the sun is rising.
I know that I should see new sights in the city, even though I have to take a new bus to get there, and my bus app probably won't tell me the right intersection to catch it, so I'll have to walk a few blocks or ask someone at a kiosko.
I know that I should go up and talk to a random person and not worry about them wondering "who is this American and why is she trying to speak Spanish?"
I have been here for three weeks and it feels like a lifetime, and it terrifies the shit out of me that I have 4 plus months left. But I wouldn't trade this for the world, and I know this extended period of discomfort will only allow me to grow as a person immensely. And if anyone has any advice, that has studied abroad or is now, pleaseeeee let me know!!!!
Thanks for reading, besos desde BsAs. Chao!
Anna
PS for family that may not be on Facebook I no longer have access to my American phone line, my Argentinian SIM is in my iPhone. So let me know if you want the number for iMessage or WhatsApp! Comment on here or email me or whatever!
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
This one's for you, mom and dad
Here's the link to my Facebook album of pictures (you can access it even if you don't have Facebook!)
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10204718715260076.1073741838.1002511197&type=1&l=60579b4dc3
I'm still alive and working on taking pictures of all the food to do a blog post on food! It might take me a while as I usually eat and then realize I should have taken a picture... sorry ya'll.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
the quirks of the city
I was hoping for my next post to be solely about food but i'm still working on getting pictures of everything so.... it'll come soon(ish) :)
I have been thinking a lot about the little things that I have noticed about the city in general (because i'm an anthropology major and constantly observing the world around me). There are lots of things that are probably just true to big cities but i've never noticed because i've never lived in a big city, so maybe some of these are obvious to other people but for me, they're new!
1. The dogs. There are dogs everywhere. Stray dogs, owners with dogs, dog walkers who walk 18 dogs at a time.... (see picture). They generally leave you alone but there are so many! (They also are allowed to go to the bathroom on the sidewalk. Lovely)
2. Sometimes, when you're walking alongside a tall building, you might feel like it's raining. But actually, it's just water (hopefully) falling on your head from up above. I think this is generally due to people watering plants on their balconies. I usually look at the ground to see if it's wet, and avoid that area when possible. Something i've never really had to think about!
3. The buses are extremely strange and confusing to me compared to the public transportation in Madrid, at least. You get on, and first of all you have to tell the driver your destination so he can put in how much you need to pay. Usually people scan their Sube card, a reloadable card for the subte (underground) and colectivo (bus). If you pay with cash, it has to be change (hard to come by in general) and more expensive. This ranges from about 3-3.75 pesos (with Sube card), from what i've gathered (that's about 30-40 cents, depending on how you exchanged your money). The porteños (people from Buenos Aires) usually just say how much they are going to pay. I still have no idea how they determine this, and why the driver just trusts them to just use that much distance, but who knows. Also, there is no indication of when the bus is stopping next. I have been looking at my map on my phone and seeing when I seem close enough and just getting off then. In Madrid, there is a message that says "next stop blah blah blah" none of that here. It's a guessing game for me, it'll be interesting to see if I ever feel completely comfortable riding it.
4. There is so much slang here. Holy crap. Even if you're really good at academic spanish, if you come here, don't expect to know what everyone is saying all the time. So much lunfardo. So many new words that don't mean anything like they sound. I apologize in advance for possibly using these words in class in the future.
5. The cell phone system is quite distinto (i literally can't think of a way to say this in English, it was the first word that came to mind). Distinct doesn't cut it, different doesn't cut it.... sorry guys. It's something along those lines. For us foreigners, we won't be here the entire time for a contract, so we have to use a prepay plan. For this, you get a phone, then you go to one of three major cell phone companies to get a SIM card. These are generally pretty cheap. Then, you go to any kiosko (like a little convenience store) to load money onto your SIM. Then, texts are a certain amount, minutes are a certain amount, and internet is. For my internet with Movistar, I have 15 GB a day for like 3,60 pesos (yeah, less than a dollar. super cheap). If I go over, it just gives me another 15 GB for the same price. Then you just keep loading money on as you go. Calling is significantly more expensive, then texting, then internet, so EVERYONE uses whatsapp. Like look at anyone's phone on the bus and that's what they're doing. It's like texting but over internet (think iMessage but between any smartphone). If not, they're texting. Barely anyone is talking on the phone. Also, not a ton of people have iPhones like where I am in the US. They're extremely expensive here and likely to get stolen.
6. Going out. If any of you know me well, you know that I have turned into quite the grandma in the last semester. Like when everyone else wants to part, I want to drink wine and watch Netflix and go to bed at 10 pm. Which is totally fine! So when I came to Buenos Aires, I was like oh darn. This whole going-out-all-night thing is gonna kill me.
Here, we eat dinner at 9 pm (actually quite early). Normally, people on the weekends eat at 10-12. After, they get ready and head to previa (pregame) at someone's house or a bar to drink and meet up with friends. At around 1-3, they head to the boliche (club). And then you leave at 6 or 7, go eat something, and go home and sleep all day. For me, this sounded like my worst nightmare.
The other night, the organization Argentina for All (that does events for international students and Argentine students) was hosting a welcome party at a boliche. The hours on the Facebook event were 11-6. Like at night. PM to AM. My roommate and I were determined to have the whole experience, so after dinner (at about 10 pm), we got ready, and headed to a bar to meet some other friends from ISEP. We got there at about 11:15, where we drank and hung out until about 1. And I think the only reason we left this early was because before 1:30, you got in free to the boliche. So we found the boliche, danced the night away, talked to some people (more like yelled in their ear, it's a club), and then 6 am finally rolled around. We were thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. The sun was rising overe the city. After finding our way home on the bus, we had to go get some food. So we waited for our favorite confiteria (bakery) to open at 7. Previous to this, we got asked by a couple of guys if we were European (ok, I can handle that). We ended up talking to them. We got some empanadas and medialunas, ate on the way home, chugged a whole bottle of water, and got in bed. The entire day consisted of sleeping, Netflix, and food. It was an insane experience, but totally normal for people to do this 1-2 nights a weekend. And it was much easier for me than I expected.
General note, don't believe everything you read about a city online. I read multiple things that i'm seeing are different here. For example, I read in multiple places that people don't wear shorts and flip flops unless they go to the beach. Tons of girls wear shorts here! And sandals! I would say 50/50 wear pants and shorts in the summer, which would be all shorts in the US, but still! I almost didn't bring any shorts with me. And I feel totally comfortable wearing them. Also, people said that porteños could be really rude, but everyone has been really nice from what i've seen! From now on, i'll take caution when reading about a place! Discover it for yourself!
Thanks for reading my ramblings, I hope you're enjoying them!
-Anna
I have been thinking a lot about the little things that I have noticed about the city in general (because i'm an anthropology major and constantly observing the world around me). There are lots of things that are probably just true to big cities but i've never noticed because i've never lived in a big city, so maybe some of these are obvious to other people but for me, they're new!
1. The dogs. There are dogs everywhere. Stray dogs, owners with dogs, dog walkers who walk 18 dogs at a time.... (see picture). They generally leave you alone but there are so many! (They also are allowed to go to the bathroom on the sidewalk. Lovely)
3. The buses are extremely strange and confusing to me compared to the public transportation in Madrid, at least. You get on, and first of all you have to tell the driver your destination so he can put in how much you need to pay. Usually people scan their Sube card, a reloadable card for the subte (underground) and colectivo (bus). If you pay with cash, it has to be change (hard to come by in general) and more expensive. This ranges from about 3-3.75 pesos (with Sube card), from what i've gathered (that's about 30-40 cents, depending on how you exchanged your money). The porteños (people from Buenos Aires) usually just say how much they are going to pay. I still have no idea how they determine this, and why the driver just trusts them to just use that much distance, but who knows. Also, there is no indication of when the bus is stopping next. I have been looking at my map on my phone and seeing when I seem close enough and just getting off then. In Madrid, there is a message that says "next stop blah blah blah" none of that here. It's a guessing game for me, it'll be interesting to see if I ever feel completely comfortable riding it.
4. There is so much slang here. Holy crap. Even if you're really good at academic spanish, if you come here, don't expect to know what everyone is saying all the time. So much lunfardo. So many new words that don't mean anything like they sound. I apologize in advance for possibly using these words in class in the future.
5. The cell phone system is quite distinto (i literally can't think of a way to say this in English, it was the first word that came to mind). Distinct doesn't cut it, different doesn't cut it.... sorry guys. It's something along those lines. For us foreigners, we won't be here the entire time for a contract, so we have to use a prepay plan. For this, you get a phone, then you go to one of three major cell phone companies to get a SIM card. These are generally pretty cheap. Then, you go to any kiosko (like a little convenience store) to load money onto your SIM. Then, texts are a certain amount, minutes are a certain amount, and internet is. For my internet with Movistar, I have 15 GB a day for like 3,60 pesos (yeah, less than a dollar. super cheap). If I go over, it just gives me another 15 GB for the same price. Then you just keep loading money on as you go. Calling is significantly more expensive, then texting, then internet, so EVERYONE uses whatsapp. Like look at anyone's phone on the bus and that's what they're doing. It's like texting but over internet (think iMessage but between any smartphone). If not, they're texting. Barely anyone is talking on the phone. Also, not a ton of people have iPhones like where I am in the US. They're extremely expensive here and likely to get stolen.
6. Going out. If any of you know me well, you know that I have turned into quite the grandma in the last semester. Like when everyone else wants to part, I want to drink wine and watch Netflix and go to bed at 10 pm. Which is totally fine! So when I came to Buenos Aires, I was like oh darn. This whole going-out-all-night thing is gonna kill me.
Here, we eat dinner at 9 pm (actually quite early). Normally, people on the weekends eat at 10-12. After, they get ready and head to previa (pregame) at someone's house or a bar to drink and meet up with friends. At around 1-3, they head to the boliche (club). And then you leave at 6 or 7, go eat something, and go home and sleep all day. For me, this sounded like my worst nightmare.
The other night, the organization Argentina for All (that does events for international students and Argentine students) was hosting a welcome party at a boliche. The hours on the Facebook event were 11-6. Like at night. PM to AM. My roommate and I were determined to have the whole experience, so after dinner (at about 10 pm), we got ready, and headed to a bar to meet some other friends from ISEP. We got there at about 11:15, where we drank and hung out until about 1. And I think the only reason we left this early was because before 1:30, you got in free to the boliche. So we found the boliche, danced the night away, talked to some people (more like yelled in their ear, it's a club), and then 6 am finally rolled around. We were thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. The sun was rising overe the city. After finding our way home on the bus, we had to go get some food. So we waited for our favorite confiteria (bakery) to open at 7. Previous to this, we got asked by a couple of guys if we were European (ok, I can handle that). We ended up talking to them. We got some empanadas and medialunas, ate on the way home, chugged a whole bottle of water, and got in bed. The entire day consisted of sleeping, Netflix, and food. It was an insane experience, but totally normal for people to do this 1-2 nights a weekend. And it was much easier for me than I expected.
General note, don't believe everything you read about a city online. I read multiple things that i'm seeing are different here. For example, I read in multiple places that people don't wear shorts and flip flops unless they go to the beach. Tons of girls wear shorts here! And sandals! I would say 50/50 wear pants and shorts in the summer, which would be all shorts in the US, but still! I almost didn't bring any shorts with me. And I feel totally comfortable wearing them. Also, people said that porteños could be really rude, but everyone has been really nice from what i've seen! From now on, i'll take caution when reading about a place! Discover it for yourself!
Thanks for reading my ramblings, I hope you're enjoying them!
-Anna
Saturday, February 28, 2015
First impressions
I know my family was probably waiting anxiously for me to post for the first time... sorry ya'll, I was too busy until now! :)
It's Saturday and so I have been here for about 3 days so far. I arrived Wednesday night after a longgg 24 hours of traveling, and got to my homestay safe and sound!
My host mom's name is Maria Ines and she is so kind. She has been hosting students now for 25 years and there will be 8 of us in total when everyone gets here! Right now it's just me and one other boy from another part of Argentina. She told me last night that my roommate and I will be the only two for which Spanish isn't our first language, and that we only speak spanish in the house (as a rule), so it will be greatttt!
I am actually surprised at how much more comfortable I am with Spanish in general and with the accent here. I think Argentinian castellano is beautiful. It has the influence of Italian due to immigrants in the past, and so for this it rises and falls like Italian. In terms of pronunciation, most of us learned in school that "ll" and "y" make the "yuh" sound. Here, it's "sh"! They also like to speak really quickly, with lots of slang, and so that can be difficult too, depending on who you're talking to.
My building is in Barrio Norte, right next to Recoleta, which is essentially the most upscale neighborhood in Buenos Aires. It is less than a block from Ave Santa Fe, which is super convenient, because it's a major avenue where multiple bus lines run and you can get so many places so easily. There are also tons of shops that are easily accessible.
I could literally go on and on just describing my first few days, but i'm not going to do that, because i'm already sick of typing. So moving on...
There are many things that I read before coming here that I haven't found to be true, or found to be different, or the same. Maybe it's because i've only seen a limited area of the city, but we'll see!
First of all, I read in so many places that it would be hard to find good produce. Actually, there are many fruit and vegetable stands, and lots of options in the supermarket and restaurants, and my host mom always has a salad with dinner. So that's good, so that I won't get fat.
Also, one thing I was expecting, that I love, is that people are so much more patient and go with the flow here than in the US. Dinner at my house is at 9, which is actually on the early side. When I went to my friend's apartment the other night (who is Argentinian), we had mate (a typical tea, too long to explain right now, look it up if you're curious), and then we ate dinner at about 11 and finished at about midnight. I was expecting to be starving and really tired by that time, but I actually felt okay! Anyway, we sit at the table for a good hour, eating and talking, and right now it's only a few of us, so i'm sure it'll be longer when everyone arrives! When I was at the Carrefour the other day buying some necessities, there were probably 20 people in line for the "under 20 items" cashiers, and I probably stood in that line for a good 25 minutes. It extended into the wine aisle, and so I studied the available options and peacefully, no one around me complained, sighed, looked at their phones, or asked someone to open another line. In the US, the line never has more than 3 people, and if you have to wait, someone will definitely complain to a manager. No one can wait for anything. So I love that.
When we went to lunch yesterday (me and some other Americans from ISEP), we waited a good 20 minutes for the waiter to come out to get our orders, and then a long time afterwards to get the bill. People in the US are constantly going going going, and needing to get out of places as soon as possible (I know this from waitressing myself). But it was a beautiful day and we sat outside, and so it was really nice!
I really love the city, it almost looks like Europe, but also looks and feels different to me. I still don't know how to pinpoint what I mean, but if I figure it out, I'll tell you!
Gracias por leer! Beso!
-Anna
It's Saturday and so I have been here for about 3 days so far. I arrived Wednesday night after a longgg 24 hours of traveling, and got to my homestay safe and sound!
My host mom's name is Maria Ines and she is so kind. She has been hosting students now for 25 years and there will be 8 of us in total when everyone gets here! Right now it's just me and one other boy from another part of Argentina. She told me last night that my roommate and I will be the only two for which Spanish isn't our first language, and that we only speak spanish in the house (as a rule), so it will be greatttt!
I am actually surprised at how much more comfortable I am with Spanish in general and with the accent here. I think Argentinian castellano is beautiful. It has the influence of Italian due to immigrants in the past, and so for this it rises and falls like Italian. In terms of pronunciation, most of us learned in school that "ll" and "y" make the "yuh" sound. Here, it's "sh"! They also like to speak really quickly, with lots of slang, and so that can be difficult too, depending on who you're talking to.
My building is in Barrio Norte, right next to Recoleta, which is essentially the most upscale neighborhood in Buenos Aires. It is less than a block from Ave Santa Fe, which is super convenient, because it's a major avenue where multiple bus lines run and you can get so many places so easily. There are also tons of shops that are easily accessible.
I could literally go on and on just describing my first few days, but i'm not going to do that, because i'm already sick of typing. So moving on...
There are many things that I read before coming here that I haven't found to be true, or found to be different, or the same. Maybe it's because i've only seen a limited area of the city, but we'll see!
First of all, I read in so many places that it would be hard to find good produce. Actually, there are many fruit and vegetable stands, and lots of options in the supermarket and restaurants, and my host mom always has a salad with dinner. So that's good, so that I won't get fat.
Also, one thing I was expecting, that I love, is that people are so much more patient and go with the flow here than in the US. Dinner at my house is at 9, which is actually on the early side. When I went to my friend's apartment the other night (who is Argentinian), we had mate (a typical tea, too long to explain right now, look it up if you're curious), and then we ate dinner at about 11 and finished at about midnight. I was expecting to be starving and really tired by that time, but I actually felt okay! Anyway, we sit at the table for a good hour, eating and talking, and right now it's only a few of us, so i'm sure it'll be longer when everyone arrives! When I was at the Carrefour the other day buying some necessities, there were probably 20 people in line for the "under 20 items" cashiers, and I probably stood in that line for a good 25 minutes. It extended into the wine aisle, and so I studied the available options and peacefully, no one around me complained, sighed, looked at their phones, or asked someone to open another line. In the US, the line never has more than 3 people, and if you have to wait, someone will definitely complain to a manager. No one can wait for anything. So I love that.
When we went to lunch yesterday (me and some other Americans from ISEP), we waited a good 20 minutes for the waiter to come out to get our orders, and then a long time afterwards to get the bill. People in the US are constantly going going going, and needing to get out of places as soon as possible (I know this from waitressing myself). But it was a beautiful day and we sat outside, and so it was really nice!
I really love the city, it almost looks like Europe, but also looks and feels different to me. I still don't know how to pinpoint what I mean, but if I figure it out, I'll tell you!
Gracias por leer! Beso!
-Anna
Thursday, February 5, 2015
3 semanas!
Hola!
I am posting... even though I have three more weeks until I leave for my semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina!
If this is news to you... where have you been? Just kidding; I feel like i've been posting a lot about it and obsessing is all. I am leaving the night of the 24th and I will be arriving about 24 hours later (hours-wise). So about three weeks from today!
I am just working and working on my TEFL class, and now i'm having to start actually prepping to go! I have been researching, emailing, and asking for advice from several people I know that have experienced and/or lived in the city (if you're one of these people- love you, you're the best).
I will be studying at the Universidad de Palermo in the Palermo neighborhood of the city. I am staying with a host mom in Recoleta, the neighborhood next door to it. Apparently it is super nice and beautiful, when I told a couple of my professors that it is where I am staying they couldn't believe my luck! So I have high hopes. If Google Maps is accurate, my building is gorgeous and also right next to a lovely park and cafe. My host mom has grown kids and told me that she hosts up to 8 people at a time- should be fun! I will have a rooommate who is also American and we have been communicating a lot, it's good to have an ally in this process!
All of my classes will be in Spanish, and hopefully I will be taking some like Psychology, Sociology, and a few in the "Latin American Cultural Identity Program" which include Argentinian Society and Culture, Politics, and Literature among a few more. I will probably also take advantage of an Advanced Spanish class that is included in my program just to brush up on my grammar, since it's been a while...
So- the main point of this post. I would like to start my reflection process by stating some goals, expectations, etc about my trip and see how they compare to the actual experience!
Expectations:
1. To be afraid and lost for the first few days. The Spanish is fast, an accent I'm not completely used to (but luckily have had some exposure to), it's a big city... I know that it will be stressful, but I have two weeks before my classes and orientation actually start to accustom myself so i'm sure it'll be fine.
2. To have a small freak out once I step off the plane and realize what I'm doing. Because it still hasn't hit me that I'm living in Argentina for 5 months. A new city. New people. New university. All Spanish all the time.
3. To meet some amazing people! (Expectation and goal)
4. To be stared at a lot. I already get this being tall, also I'm blonde, also I will look lost, also my Spanish is obviously not at the fluent level.
5. To have a freaking blast and never want to leave. If my experience is anywhere close to where it was in Madrid, I will fall in love with the city, have an amazing time, embrace the opportunity.
Goals:
1. To be (hopefully) fluent in Spanish by the time I leave! I feel like I'm just on the brink, and the only thing that will push me over the edge will be to live abroad. Even though I know my comfort level will go up substantially, my final goal is to be fluent (if not at the end of this, then someday soon).
2. To step out of my comfort zones (which I have a lot of, in many aspects). Push myself to meet new people, to experience new things, to party like an Argentinian 21-year-old (which goes from about 1 am to 7 am, and currently sounds like a nightmare to me).
3. To stay in shape; I've been working really hard on my eating and exercise since the new year, and it is so hard to keep this up in a new place, luckily my roommate is a runner and I'm hoping to join the volleyball team! But lots of bread and meat is in store for me. And empanadas. And Malbec.
4. To not let the newness freak me out. There will be a lot of stressful moments and getting used to the lifestyle of being late and unorganized, and the craziness of the city will take some getting used to for me.
I'm sure I will think of other things, which I will post later when it gets closer to the day!
Besos!
-Anna
I am posting... even though I have three more weeks until I leave for my semester in Buenos Aires, Argentina!
If this is news to you... where have you been? Just kidding; I feel like i've been posting a lot about it and obsessing is all. I am leaving the night of the 24th and I will be arriving about 24 hours later (hours-wise). So about three weeks from today!
I am just working and working on my TEFL class, and now i'm having to start actually prepping to go! I have been researching, emailing, and asking for advice from several people I know that have experienced and/or lived in the city (if you're one of these people- love you, you're the best).
I will be studying at the Universidad de Palermo in the Palermo neighborhood of the city. I am staying with a host mom in Recoleta, the neighborhood next door to it. Apparently it is super nice and beautiful, when I told a couple of my professors that it is where I am staying they couldn't believe my luck! So I have high hopes. If Google Maps is accurate, my building is gorgeous and also right next to a lovely park and cafe. My host mom has grown kids and told me that she hosts up to 8 people at a time- should be fun! I will have a rooommate who is also American and we have been communicating a lot, it's good to have an ally in this process!
All of my classes will be in Spanish, and hopefully I will be taking some like Psychology, Sociology, and a few in the "Latin American Cultural Identity Program" which include Argentinian Society and Culture, Politics, and Literature among a few more. I will probably also take advantage of an Advanced Spanish class that is included in my program just to brush up on my grammar, since it's been a while...
So- the main point of this post. I would like to start my reflection process by stating some goals, expectations, etc about my trip and see how they compare to the actual experience!
Expectations:
1. To be afraid and lost for the first few days. The Spanish is fast, an accent I'm not completely used to (but luckily have had some exposure to), it's a big city... I know that it will be stressful, but I have two weeks before my classes and orientation actually start to accustom myself so i'm sure it'll be fine.
2. To have a small freak out once I step off the plane and realize what I'm doing. Because it still hasn't hit me that I'm living in Argentina for 5 months. A new city. New people. New university. All Spanish all the time.
3. To meet some amazing people! (Expectation and goal)
4. To be stared at a lot. I already get this being tall, also I'm blonde, also I will look lost, also my Spanish is obviously not at the fluent level.
5. To have a freaking blast and never want to leave. If my experience is anywhere close to where it was in Madrid, I will fall in love with the city, have an amazing time, embrace the opportunity.
Goals:
1. To be (hopefully) fluent in Spanish by the time I leave! I feel like I'm just on the brink, and the only thing that will push me over the edge will be to live abroad. Even though I know my comfort level will go up substantially, my final goal is to be fluent (if not at the end of this, then someday soon).
2. To step out of my comfort zones (which I have a lot of, in many aspects). Push myself to meet new people, to experience new things, to party like an Argentinian 21-year-old (which goes from about 1 am to 7 am, and currently sounds like a nightmare to me).
3. To stay in shape; I've been working really hard on my eating and exercise since the new year, and it is so hard to keep this up in a new place, luckily my roommate is a runner and I'm hoping to join the volleyball team! But lots of bread and meat is in store for me. And empanadas. And Malbec.
4. To not let the newness freak me out. There will be a lot of stressful moments and getting used to the lifestyle of being late and unorganized, and the craziness of the city will take some getting used to for me.
I'm sure I will think of other things, which I will post later when it gets closer to the day!
Besos!
-Anna
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