There is something I think about quite a lot here - it happens maybe every day simply because a new day becomes an old day, and before I know it, it is gone.
I can't believe I'm in Buenos Aires. EXCUSE ME BUT I AM LIVING IN A SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY. It's called Argentina. What's more, is I'm living in a city of 13 million people. Yep, I'm here. I have been for three months, and I cannot believe it. Still.
I look at my blog lists; January, February, March, April and May are all up there now. IT WAS JUST JANUARY I SWEAR!
I was walking to school today stepping around the dog poop and on the fallen leaves thinking about how I live here now. Yes, it is temporal; yes, it is transitory; and yes, it is transient. Nevertheless, I am here.
This bewilderment with the truth, the shock that it is actual, (and quite satisfactual), reminds me of philosophy class a month or two ago (A MONTH OR TWO!!! #whatttt) where our professor was talking about what it is to philosophize; What we discussed was how we go on living and the players can never philosophize so long as they are playing. When they take a spectator's position, that is when they can remove themselves from the action and reflect; hence, philosophy. I was doing that on my way to school as I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I live here. Every day I wake up here, and go to school here, I go grocery shopping here, I go out here, I do touristic things and exercise and eat and study and shower and LIVE here!!! But I never really realize it until I'm walking alone at 7:45 AM to class. That's when I think of the world and where I was born (Connecticut) and where I am now (way south; on a different continent) and I can't really fathom it.
Still, I find myself utterly shocked that I am here and that it has already been three months, almost to date. I have a bit over 2.5 left - that's down hill, folks. But we're just going to keep going faster and not think about the end, because this adventure has me so high I have to live in the moment - anything else is insupportable.
Upon contact with Argentines, I come out of my observation state and have to resume playing: after all, I have said, the city never sleeps, so neither do we.
Angela [from Connecticut]
Hey Angela,
ReplyDeleteI like the way that you view your experience abroad. While it may sound obvious, i think it's imperative that students who study abroad adopt the mentality that they are living abroad rather than just visiting. WIth this mentality, people who study abroad are able to gain more from their abroad experience as well as be much more respectful to the culture that they are in. While I'm abroad this summer I will think about this and try to understand each day that I am living here rather than just a visitor. I hope the rest of your trip is amazing!
-Drew Parenti
Hi Drew,
DeleteThe kind of mindset that "I live here" is really good, I think, because you can some days not feel like you have to go anywhere or tour anything, and that's when you really see what the culture is like: people watching at a café, running in a park and seeing where you actually are, or forcing yourself to take a wrong turn (or a different turn) to see what you find or if you can get yourself home.
Plus I feel like if you think of it like a vacation, you're always counting down days.
Do take advantage of your time because as long as 6 months is it goes fast, and the summer will be just as sneaky.
Good luck (where are you going?) and Go Flye.........
Angela
Angela,
ReplyDeleteI can only hope one to experience a trip as grand as yours! While circumstances do not currently allow for me to do so, A few questions came to mind when I read your blogs. What do you believe is the strangest thing or difference that you have run into between Argentina and America? Is it simply a day to day thing or is a way of culture that makes it so different?
Enjoy your time!
Sarah Campfield
The strangest difference I've noticed, Sarah, is the political activity and avidness of virtually every person, especially the youth.
DeleteMy host brother is SO radical - the things that come out of his mouth while watching the news at dinner are shocking; almost scary, to be honest. As in, "this is what the future of Argentina is looking at as potential leaders?!" The dinner conversation turns into an argument between the write and wrong interpretation of something and the direction that should be taken for WHATEVER subject - could be a new law, the opening of a slaughterhouse or a rape. Anything. Everything becomes a huge affair.
The political activism is constant; there is always a strike or march for something. Whether it is in remembrance of those disappeared in the Dirty War, truckers wanting more benefits, subway workers wanting higher wages or the English to get the ___ out of the Malvinas (Falkland Islands), they are always causing a ruckus.
All in all that's really what I notice - the people seem to be genuinely informed and opinionated about politics. Granted there is a lot of focus on such things so there is constant exposure, but the fact that it actually means something to people especially youth is a the biggest difference.
Thanks :)
Angela