Sunday, March 7, 2010
"We're not in Minnesota anymore"
An exact quote from the lady who came to our orientation to give the US embassy security briefing. However, because I am so situationally aware (not), I happened to notice I wasn't in Minnesota two weeks ago when I was given banana for dessert, and then again when a stray dog licked my face while I was trying to sunbathe in the park - but I think this lady's point was less about getting used to having to eat mayo on my potatoes and more about getting our shit together so that we don't get mugged or assaulted. So, after shannon (whom I will resent forever) scared the shit out of us, our ten days of orientation concluded, and we were sent to manage buenos aires on our own.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
It's 11:30pm and I'm sweating!
I'm also sunburned! It is finally starting to sink in that I'm actually in Buenos Aires. I've been so overwhlemed by all of the adjusting that I've hardly had the time to stop and think about the fact that I'm actually here....and I love it! Our ten days of orientation are almost over and classes will start within the next two weeks. Although I'm anxious to see what things will really be like, I'm content with spending afternoon breaks in the park and eating empenadas and tortas like it's my job. Before I left, I was talking with my older sister about taking classes through Argentine Universities with Argentine students and all Michaela had to say was,
"Mal, you're going to crap yourself when you sit down to the first day of classes, it's going to be so funny." Probably not for me, thanks.
This last weekend some friends from the program and I adapted to Argentine lifestyle by taking on a parrilla, their version of a steakhouse. We had steaks the size of our head and four bottles of wine for $15/person. How does that work!? We stayed out dancing until 7am, the sun was literally shining through my bedroom windows as I was getting into bed! The crazy thing was that as we walked down the streets back to our houses, the clubs were still bumping. There was also a line at Burger King out the door, apparently BK is Argentina's equivalent to Ian's pizza?
Sunday I spent the day completing a photo assignment by wandering around an art fair that they have every saturday and sunday in my neighborhood, one of the coolest things ever. The art fair reminded me of Madison's farmers market, Latino style.
This is the same park that I had initially ran through and loved. The fact that it has this farmer's market type fair only reaffirms why it is so freakin' sweet.
I also looked around the cemetary near my house where they buried alot of important people in Argentine history, including Eva Peron.
Two new additions to my list of favorite interactions have been with:
1. The two Swiss travelers that have moved into my house for 15 days, they speak 5 different languages, including english, so we eat our dinner together and bond over our trouble understanding Mirta.
2. My doorman, Alfredo, is. the. shit. He is this cute little man with a mustache that smiles and unlocks the apartment building door for me each afternoon. After taking note of the fact that I often leave the apartment to go running, he stopped me today on my way back in with a little card of information about the Argentine running club that meets every monday, wednesday, and friday near the park by my house. Alfredo, let's join the running club together and be best friends forever.
"Mal, you're going to crap yourself when you sit down to the first day of classes, it's going to be so funny." Probably not for me, thanks.
This last weekend some friends from the program and I adapted to Argentine lifestyle by taking on a parrilla, their version of a steakhouse. We had steaks the size of our head and four bottles of wine for $15/person. How does that work!? We stayed out dancing until 7am, the sun was literally shining through my bedroom windows as I was getting into bed! The crazy thing was that as we walked down the streets back to our houses, the clubs were still bumping. There was also a line at Burger King out the door, apparently BK is Argentina's equivalent to Ian's pizza?
Sunday I spent the day completing a photo assignment by wandering around an art fair that they have every saturday and sunday in my neighborhood, one of the coolest things ever. The art fair reminded me of Madison's farmers market, Latino style.
This is the same park that I had initially ran through and loved. The fact that it has this farmer's market type fair only reaffirms why it is so freakin' sweet.
I also looked around the cemetary near my house where they buried alot of important people in Argentine history, including Eva Peron.
Two new additions to my list of favorite interactions have been with:
1. The two Swiss travelers that have moved into my house for 15 days, they speak 5 different languages, including english, so we eat our dinner together and bond over our trouble understanding Mirta.
2. My doorman, Alfredo, is. the. shit. He is this cute little man with a mustache that smiles and unlocks the apartment building door for me each afternoon. After taking note of the fact that I often leave the apartment to go running, he stopped me today on my way back in with a little card of information about the Argentine running club that meets every monday, wednesday, and friday near the park by my house. Alfredo, let's join the running club together and be best friends forever.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Poco a Poco
Little by little, step by step.
1. I finally got my local cell phone to work by taking it to the company's store and explaining to them (in spanish!) what was wrong, why, and what I needed to do.
2. I acquired an adapter and charged this bad boy right back up.
3. I located on a map and then in person the most beautiful park I've ever seen in my life. no exaggeration. It was JUST like in a movie or a painting. When I got to the park, the entrance had a man in a black suit with a big hat sweetly playing the guitar. As I ran past him, there were two lovers sitting on a bench to my right, a women feeding pigeons to my left and next to her was an old man sleeping on another bench. Kids were running around playing and friends were picnicing. Seriously, from a movie.
4. My first successful collectivo ride!!!!
bus # 152 to Avenida Sucre. All bah mah self! Como una Portena.
5. My first legitimate night out to the bars in Buenos Aires where I made some new friends from my program and mingled with a group of australians. If I hadn't realized it before, I know it now... I am a sucker for their accents.
While these small personal triumphs have made me feel more comfortable in Argentina, I have felt even more empowered through simple yet significant interactions with the people here. Three of particular importance to me have been:
1. During my first dinner with my house sister, she took my salad plate that had accumulated a small puddle of balsamic from my accidental overdose of dressing, asked if I minded, and poured it over her own pile of lettuce. That. was. awesome. I loved how informally and comfortably she helped herself to my dirty plate. This sounds kind of odd and gross but it made the initial boundaries between two strangers disappear.
2. Dario, my guia T guide and a professor for the study abroad program is one of the finest people I've ever seen. I shamefully admit to a bashful giggle every time I have to address him. I feel like I'm in fifth grade again, swooning over Jonathon Taylor Thomas. Scratch that, I feel like I'm a freshman in college again, swooing over David Archuleta.
3. This last one is my favorite. My ongoing conversations with the brazilian woman that works for Mirta. After 8 years of hosting students, the novelty of having a foreigner around has worn off for Mirta and her family, but not for her. I don't know how to spell or pronounce her name, or else I would, but the way she excitedly engages me in warm coversation makes me feel right at home. She looks like Aurelia, the Portugese woman from Love Actually and I imagine our realtionship to be like the one Aurelia has with Colin Firth but in a non-sexual way, if that makes any sense at all.
Aurelia wishes me luck every morning when I leave for school.
1. I finally got my local cell phone to work by taking it to the company's store and explaining to them (in spanish!) what was wrong, why, and what I needed to do.
2. I acquired an adapter and charged this bad boy right back up.
3. I located on a map and then in person the most beautiful park I've ever seen in my life. no exaggeration. It was JUST like in a movie or a painting. When I got to the park, the entrance had a man in a black suit with a big hat sweetly playing the guitar. As I ran past him, there were two lovers sitting on a bench to my right, a women feeding pigeons to my left and next to her was an old man sleeping on another bench. Kids were running around playing and friends were picnicing. Seriously, from a movie.
4. My first successful collectivo ride!!!!
bus # 152 to Avenida Sucre. All bah mah self! Como una Portena.
5. My first legitimate night out to the bars in Buenos Aires where I made some new friends from my program and mingled with a group of australians. If I hadn't realized it before, I know it now... I am a sucker for their accents.
While these small personal triumphs have made me feel more comfortable in Argentina, I have felt even more empowered through simple yet significant interactions with the people here. Three of particular importance to me have been:
1. During my first dinner with my house sister, she took my salad plate that had accumulated a small puddle of balsamic from my accidental overdose of dressing, asked if I minded, and poured it over her own pile of lettuce. That. was. awesome. I loved how informally and comfortably she helped herself to my dirty plate. This sounds kind of odd and gross but it made the initial boundaries between two strangers disappear.
2. Dario, my guia T guide and a professor for the study abroad program is one of the finest people I've ever seen. I shamefully admit to a bashful giggle every time I have to address him. I feel like I'm in fifth grade again, swooning over Jonathon Taylor Thomas. Scratch that, I feel like I'm a freshman in college again, swooing over David Archuleta.
3. This last one is my favorite. My ongoing conversations with the brazilian woman that works for Mirta. After 8 years of hosting students, the novelty of having a foreigner around has worn off for Mirta and her family, but not for her. I don't know how to spell or pronounce her name, or else I would, but the way she excitedly engages me in warm coversation makes me feel right at home. She looks like Aurelia, the Portugese woman from Love Actually and I imagine our realtionship to be like the one Aurelia has with Colin Firth but in a non-sexual way, if that makes any sense at all.
Aurelia wishes me luck every morning when I leave for school.
Disorientation
After a disgruntling first day on Monday, I was looking forward to our orientation scheduled for the next day, to see a few other helpless faces. When I returned from orientation at 7:30 Tuesday night, I felt more lost and frustrated than I had when I left the house at 9am. The day was beyond long, filled with spanish everyone else seemed to understand and awkward freshman-like greetings. Although it was well organized, a room full of 180 people trying to figure out what is going on begs confusion. We had an afternoon lesson on how to utilize "La guia T", the guide to the subway and bus stations. As Dario (prounounced darEEo and NOT dario - mind you, I found this out the embaressing way) patiently attempted to explain which streets crossed each other and how to look up the right bus or "collectivo" to take, I wanted to pull a Billy Madison on his ass by throwing my guia freakin' T at him and screaming "I hate school and I hate all of you, I'm never coming back".
When I got home, I met my house sister, Mili, for the first time. She is a kindergarden teacher in the city. Mirta, Mili, and I ate dinner together. Mili complimented my spanish. Mirta laughed.
Later, I retreated to the tv/computer room, where Mirta started to rattle off DVD recommendations from their collection. She came across phantom of the opera and stopped. Es mi favorita, me encanta la musica! For the first time all day, relief washed over me. Common ground! Mirta likes to geek out to musicals, too! She just about crapped herself when I told her I had the soundtrack on my ipod. She asked me to burn her a cd.
Little does she know, she'll be receiving more than she bargained for with her new cd. Hairspray, mama mia, wicked!? shabooya!
When I got home, I met my house sister, Mili, for the first time. She is a kindergarden teacher in the city. Mirta, Mili, and I ate dinner together. Mili complimented my spanish. Mirta laughed.
Later, I retreated to the tv/computer room, where Mirta started to rattle off DVD recommendations from their collection. She came across phantom of the opera and stopped. Es mi favorita, me encanta la musica! For the first time all day, relief washed over me. Common ground! Mirta likes to geek out to musicals, too! She just about crapped herself when I told her I had the soundtrack on my ipod. She asked me to burn her a cd.
Little does she know, she'll be receiving more than she bargained for with her new cd. Hairspray, mama mia, wicked!? shabooya!
Monday, February 22, 2010
I'm hungry and I don't know what to do
My first blog from Buenos Aires!
I have made it safely to Avenida Santa Fe, my new home for the next 4 1/2 months. I feel like I've spent so much time talking about and anticipating this trip that it's weird to actually be here. The travel went smoothly, despite a minor panic attack in Atlanta's airport, waiting to board my flight. My stomach knotted with nerves. The feeling has yet to pass.
My new home is a posh little apartment, where I have a room with two window/doors looking out on to Avenida Santa Fe. It's Thunderstorming here right now, apparently very unusual for February in Argentina. I'm grateful. I love Thunderstorms.
I've spent the afternoon getting to know my house mom, Mirta. Firecracker! She speaks no english - which I think will be good for me - but she also is quite strict about the rules in her house and I think she's frustrated that I can't really understand.
I think I already got yelled at for not closing the bathroom door properly after I was finished brushing my teeth. I can't be sure though. oops.
I can tell I have alot to learn not only about their language, but about their culture as well.
Mirta sat me down at the kitchen table, we both did our best to manage a conversation. She chain smoked 3 cigarrettes while telling me about her family, I smiled politely, only catching every 3rd word, and using "como?" more than I wanted to.
When I asked her if I could go exploring, she was excited that I wanted to get a feel for the neighborhood. Mirta gave me a 5 minute saftey speech. When she finished, she asked if I understood. "entiendes?"
"ummm... mas o menos?" I replied
Mirta grabbed my hand witih one of hers and she put the other to my face.
"ohhh pobrecita"
This is going to be rough......
So, like a true American, I put on my nikes, jorts, and tie dyed shirt and wanderded aimlessly along the streets of Buenos Aires. The trek helped me orient myself a little bit, but I have a feeling I'll be getting lost quite frequently, it's in my nature.
I finish this blog entry with my initial problem solved. After waking up from a nap really hungry, I realized I didn't know the house etiquette for food and meal times. Is it rude to ask for food? Is she serving a meal soon? Should I just secretly sneak a snack in my room? No, don't do that. Mirta interrupted my thoughts by offering me coffee and cookies. crisis averted. for now, anyways. Regardless, I'm finding that one of the biggest adjustments is going to be living in someone else's home and not feeling the liberty to be as presumptuous as I would like. I'll get over it. Despite a few intial adjustment issues, my first impression of Buenos Aires is wonderful!
The weather is perfectly humid and sticky, the fresh rain makes me smile, and the bustling city is definitely what I was hoping for.
Besos!
An outing to Ted's Bar - (woo woo Roseville!) the night before I left.
Miss you guys already.
I have made it safely to Avenida Santa Fe, my new home for the next 4 1/2 months. I feel like I've spent so much time talking about and anticipating this trip that it's weird to actually be here. The travel went smoothly, despite a minor panic attack in Atlanta's airport, waiting to board my flight. My stomach knotted with nerves. The feeling has yet to pass.
My new home is a posh little apartment, where I have a room with two window/doors looking out on to Avenida Santa Fe. It's Thunderstorming here right now, apparently very unusual for February in Argentina. I'm grateful. I love Thunderstorms.
I've spent the afternoon getting to know my house mom, Mirta. Firecracker! She speaks no english - which I think will be good for me - but she also is quite strict about the rules in her house and I think she's frustrated that I can't really understand.
I think I already got yelled at for not closing the bathroom door properly after I was finished brushing my teeth. I can't be sure though. oops.
I can tell I have alot to learn not only about their language, but about their culture as well.
Mirta sat me down at the kitchen table, we both did our best to manage a conversation. She chain smoked 3 cigarrettes while telling me about her family, I smiled politely, only catching every 3rd word, and using "como?" more than I wanted to.
When I asked her if I could go exploring, she was excited that I wanted to get a feel for the neighborhood. Mirta gave me a 5 minute saftey speech. When she finished, she asked if I understood. "entiendes?"
"ummm... mas o menos?" I replied
Mirta grabbed my hand witih one of hers and she put the other to my face.
"ohhh pobrecita"
This is going to be rough......
So, like a true American, I put on my nikes, jorts, and tie dyed shirt and wanderded aimlessly along the streets of Buenos Aires. The trek helped me orient myself a little bit, but I have a feeling I'll be getting lost quite frequently, it's in my nature.
I finish this blog entry with my initial problem solved. After waking up from a nap really hungry, I realized I didn't know the house etiquette for food and meal times. Is it rude to ask for food? Is she serving a meal soon? Should I just secretly sneak a snack in my room? No, don't do that. Mirta interrupted my thoughts by offering me coffee and cookies. crisis averted. for now, anyways. Regardless, I'm finding that one of the biggest adjustments is going to be living in someone else's home and not feeling the liberty to be as presumptuous as I would like. I'll get over it. Despite a few intial adjustment issues, my first impression of Buenos Aires is wonderful!
The weather is perfectly humid and sticky, the fresh rain makes me smile, and the bustling city is definitely what I was hoping for.
Besos!
An outing to Ted's Bar - (woo woo Roseville!) the night before I left.
Miss you guys already.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Bridesmaid dress!
After months of looking accompanied by surges of panic that she would never find "the right one", my older sister Michaela has chosen a bridesmaid dress for her August wedding! Our quest began in August with a few fun appointments at different bridal boutiques, Michaela didn't like anything we found, everything was too "brides-maidey". go figure. Finally, after a Saturday afternoon of 3 bridesmaid dress appointments at 3 different places where I can honestly say I tried on over 50 dresses, Michaela has chosen a dress!
This is the dress she has chosen, except that the dress will be short instead of long.
This is the dress she has chosen, except that the dress will be short instead of long.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Ten days of happiness in Madison
After a month and a half away from Madison, I was anxious to be back in the excitement of my college town. January 28th - February 7th served both as a homecoming from winter break and a goodbye for the semester, all in one. This period of time includes some of my best memories in Madison as it involved so many of my favorite people. Roommates, ALPs, 7B, Roseville, all of you made it great.
A quick recap of the last ten days and why my love for Madison runs so deep.
1. Joe Field's 21st Birthday party on Mifflin. Movin' our hips like "yeah".
2. ALPs drinks spotted cow at the vintage and heads to the frequency to get our groove on to James Brown's drummer and his band. Funky Monday's are. the. best.
3. 7B Irish car bombs Wando's, dominates the darts board and dance floor at Brats, closes out Monday's and devours Ian's.
4. Roseville overtakes Madison. Including but not limited to Monday's, The Pub, The Nitty, Church Key, Lucky, and Camp Randall.
Despite my reluctance to leave Madison, I'm happy to be back in Roseville as home is almost always sweet - and comes with hot dinner on the stove. My life since being back has revolved around wedding planning with Michaela (I'm in charge of arranging cake tastings!), fitness classes with my mom and American Idol. Simple pleasures.
A quick recap of the last ten days and why my love for Madison runs so deep.
1. Joe Field's 21st Birthday party on Mifflin. Movin' our hips like "yeah".
2. ALPs drinks spotted cow at the vintage and heads to the frequency to get our groove on to James Brown's drummer and his band. Funky Monday's are. the. best.
3. 7B Irish car bombs Wando's, dominates the darts board and dance floor at Brats, closes out Monday's and devours Ian's.
4. Roseville overtakes Madison. Including but not limited to Monday's, The Pub, The Nitty, Church Key, Lucky, and Camp Randall.
Despite my reluctance to leave Madison, I'm happy to be back in Roseville as home is almost always sweet - and comes with hot dinner on the stove. My life since being back has revolved around wedding planning with Michaela (I'm in charge of arranging cake tastings!), fitness classes with my mom and American Idol. Simple pleasures.
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