Oh What A... Day

NOTE: Please, have read my title in the voice of Gerry Polci as he opens the song December '63 (Oh What a Night) with Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, 1975.

After being so active in preparing my first blog entry, I feel as though this week has dragged on. All I wanted to do was post yet I had nothing to report. Oh wait, I do; I repacked. For the third time. But everything fits! For now... After all, I am a girl.

So. I was originally supposed to hear back from International Studies Abroad (ISA) with regards to the host family with whom I will be living on this past FRIDAY, but as I start this entry for you all, [to thoroughly sit back, kick your feet up and enjoy], using the past indicative and negative present perfect [here ->], I still haven't heard. BUT, waiting is part of the excitement. And patience is a virtue. (Please see video at 1:33 until 1:36 for optimal imagery. SVP, pardon the French if you watch the video entirely). I'm Losing my Patience. In my time of waiting, I should like to review the grammatical constructions of the Spanish language so I sort of perform well on the placement exam. (Slash, it is IMPERATIVE I do well - graduating on time is dependent on my placement). No pressure.

While my preparations have long been under way (about 7 months maturing now), there will be some things for which I cannot prepare in any way other than to maintain an open mind. In thinking about my host family, an initial question pops into my head: WHAT THE HELL IS IT GOING TO BE LIKE!? What about the machismo factor I've heard about? (The hierarchy of family - a patriarchal structure, father figure = head honcho) And me??? Especially being an American female with this potential machismo style of new life in which to live, I may very well be stunned: we have grown accustomed to fairly equal opportunities for the sexes in the United States, but what will be evident down al Rio de la Plata remains to be determined. I have really no idea what life will be like there; I can read all I want, but living and breathing the Argentine lifestyle will be the only way to truly know.
Aside: One thing I found out today is that BsAs is the ONLY city in Argentina that has done away with the siesta (you know, the hour or two after lunch when everything shuts down and everyone naps?). My demise has been met.
#LOLjk. I hardly napped in Marietta and the Big Apple will likely be less conducive to such behavior; I am certain my days will be long and completely lleno de aventuras que desarollarán de incertidumbre y sorpresa! 

Back to this host family topic; Many of the host families are not new to this process - meaning they regularly "adopt" international students for a semester. Does this mean their flexibility and understanding of foreigners is less stringent and acute compared to the everyday porteño of BsAs? Something to note will be the Leadership Labyrinth* of la vida diara, or daily life, as well as the life of the professional, working woman. Will aspects of the role of women be more widely different than the United States? That seems to go without saying - but why would that be my immediate and perhaps naïve answer. If my observations support the blatant differences I predict, what is it that will be different? (Woman's role in the house? In the business world? What is expected attire, behavior, and communication? In private? In the public's eye? With men or women?) I look forward to sitting and observing, being absorbent and porous, you could say.

Until tomorrow, Monday, I sit and vegetate. Oh what a day... yeah right. Unfortunately (in this case) Sunday is a day of rest. For more news to pass to you I must wait also. #heyYoda

Angela

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Brains

In honor of the first day of classes at Marietta College, I have decided to make this the opening day of my blog; welcome. For the next two and a half weeks, I won't have much revolutionary information, except this: I am going to Argentina, not France as the McDonough website says. That brings me to my DISCLAIMER: As I will be in Argentina, Sarkozy will likely not be the center of my Global Leadership dissection. (#Sorrynotsorry.) I think it will be more focused on Argentina's recently reelected President, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. (That had a twinge of sarcasm: I am certain she will be involved...) Of the four bloggers for LEAD 203, I will be the only student living in a country with a female leader*. So this is an early shout out to my girl Cristina (you are welcome to partake): Beyoncé's Run the World (Girls). With the stereotypically reverse occurring in Argentina's government, female leader, I will also be reversing my seasons of the year; hence, my semester starts in early March, headed off by an intensive month of Spanish language classes starting in February. Basically, Argentine students are having their long summer break during our winter break. Some things are a bit different below the Equator; I will report back on which way the toilets flush later...

My goals for this blog are to record my preparations, my arrival, my shock, my acceptance, my rejection, my uncertainty, my leaps of faith, my revelations, my successes, my setbacks, my opinions and my perceptions of life living outside the United States. My journey is the most important aspect of this step in my life, and I am ready to take it on. This thread of blog entries that is to come will hopefully be an eclectic conglomeration of resources, photos, and stories. I look to use video clips, English and Spanish, and photos - entries that are full of color and description. To see the progression of my Spanish - speaking and writing - will be undoubtedly out of this world, and likely something I will laugh at in September and subsequent years when I look back at this blog.

If you have questions of any kind, pertinent or not to LEAD 203, don't hesitate to ask. Everything is relevant when it comes to uprooting yourself and living in another country.

This was a futile first attempt at packing: you can imagine why they suggest packing and repacking a few times before you really give it a final go.

...thinking I had this in the bag...

The explosion from the first removal of everything from my suitcase plus more from my closet and shopping bags that can be seen strewn about the room.

After meticulous repacking (time #2 and INVENTORY of everything I fit, simply so I can take it apart and redo it again.)

So far, what I have packed (my life in 6 months) is in this green suitcase. Handily, it doubles as a backpack. Surprisingly it wasn't that heavy to put on, as you can see. (Yes, that is a onezie, zip-up, fleece, footie pajama.)

*The term leader (here) is used relatively loosely, stemming from the skepticism that comes from open discussion in Leadership courses. 

Here's the food for thought with that: Cristina Fernández de Kirchner won her reelection with a margin of over 40% of the popular vote. Does this reflect support for her leadership style, her accomplishments and her goals for the country? It would seem so. Leader was used loosely in the above paragraph because the leaders of other countries can be of questionable power and nature (benevolence? opportunism? paternalism?) (cough cough, Russia's change of power...), but does that mean they are not a leader? (Does a leader have to be good? What is good? And what about the greatest good for the greatest number of people? What about Machiavelli and the ends justifying the means?) 

Author's Note for 203: I rather like the idea of an asterisk in my blog. I may try to have one of these controversial and stimulating rhetorical question sessions at the end. You need not respond but you may if you like. I have found they are generally good fun. Cheers, until next time!

Angela