La Pampa

Our first weekend excursion is all said and done. What a weekend we had. I had no idea what was in store for us in La Pampa, in Rojas to be exact. Kind of like when go see a movie having no idea what it's about. No expectations or preconceived notions to taint my perspective. This one turned out to be filled with culture, food, tradition, relaxation, education. I was pleasantly surprised.

We headed for Rojas early Friday morning. It was about a three hour car ride to the country, or "el campo" in Castellano (the type Spanish spoken here in Argentina.) I got us off to a good start, oversleeping and putting us about an hour off schedule. For once I was thankful for the Argentine style of driving, fast and purposeful, to put it nicely. Consequently, we were back on schedule in no time. Mario, along with his wife Marianna, were our gracious hosts and tour guides for the weekend. Mario is jovial man with a wealth of knowledge and a passion for speaking his mind. He doesn't speak a lick of English but the meaning of his words are often easy to understand in spite of the language barrier. I have noticed that most Argentines are animated speakers. They do a lot of talking with their hands. I don't mean simple gestures to emphasize their point but actually acting out words with their hands. I find this to be very helpful in figuring out what people are talking about.

Our first stop was a place called INTA, the National Institute of Farming Technology. In short, INTA is a government run research and development center for agriculture in Argentina. Their purpose is to aid Argentina in agricultural development while having minimal impact on the environment. Another one of their goals is to facilitate in helping small farmers produce better crops. The branch that we visited in Pergamino is only one of many in Argentina. We met Miguel, a director of this facility, who taught us about the goals and purpose of INTA while we passed around the Yerba Mate. It is evident that INTA and those who are involved with it take immense pride in their country and what it provides them. They seemed very excited to have us there, excited to share with us what they do for their country. We were even put on their website the very next day! Check us out.
http://www.inta.gov.ar/pergamino/info/prensa/inst/2009/vis_univers_090123.htm

Now, for those of you who don't know about Yerba Mate, allow me to enlighten you. It is a drink of health, friendship, and tradition introduced by the Guarani of South America, as I understand it. It is still a common ritual in parts of South America today. It is customarily shared from a hollowed out gourd with a metal straw and is passed around the table. In addition to being a social activity, it has numerous health benefits. I believe it to have cured my stomach sickness! We did a lot of sharing of the Yerba Mate during our weekend in el campo. I even came home with my very own gourd and bombilla (bom-bee-sha = metal straw.) It is very common to see people walking around with their Mate equipment, even here in Buenos Aires.

After we left INTA, we went to a private seed corn plant that is also in Pergamino, Argentina. This place was massive, a grand scale production. I learned more than I ever thought I would about the trials and tribulations of seed corn. Poor Bennett felt like he was back on the farm in Minnesota. It was an impressive operation, but the unfortunate heat that day hindered my true appreciation of the plant. Luckily we were only a few minutes drive from Mario's farm and just a few minutes away from the refreshment of the swimming pool.

Needless to say we spent a lot of time in that swimming pool. We also spent a lot of time eating. Mario and Mariana fed us some noteworthy meals. The traditional breakfast of Argentina is toast and coffee. Lunch is usually empanadas or something comparable. Dinner is the biggest meal of the day and is rarely eaten before 9pm. I don't know what it is but these Argentines just don't quit. We consistently stayed up until at least 4am with no sign of fatigue from any of the natives. Meanwhile, Americans were quite obviously struggling to keep up.

The first night we had a true asado. The cow was one of Mario's, killed a few days earlier. I had my first experience eating weird animal parts, the intestines and kidneys were served first. I tried them, but I can't say that I liked it. The flavor of this beef is unlike any I have ever tasted. First of all I've probably never had beef that fresh, and secondly, I think that much of the distinct flavor comes from the way the meat is cooked. I don't know if I said this before but Argentines love their beef. By the end of the weekend I was joking that the official dish of Argentina is bife con dulce de leche. They also love their dulce de leche, kind of a sugary version of caramel sauce.

My favorite meal was the second night. We had lamb. For the first time in my life I actually witnessed first hand the killing of my food. I didn't intend to actually watch this, in fact Mario and Tony had asked if I wanted to and I said no. However, I was out riding one of Mario's horses and just happened to walk by as Luis went into the sheep pen to lasso one up. After that, curiosity got the best of me and I had to see it through. I have never seen anything like it in my life! I watched the entire process from start to finish and it really made me aware of what it takes for me to eat meat. I am, as I think most people are, so detached from my food and where it comes from. Now I can't imagine what kinds of things happen to the meat that we eat and how old it must be. It really got me thinking. The lamb was served and ready to eat about 4 hours after it was killed. I will also say, hands down, that was the best meat I have ever tasted in my life.

So as I write this it seems like all we did was eat! I assure you there were plenty of other activities. In addition to eating and swimming we rode horses, went shopping, went on moonlit walks, danced, listened to the music. Rachel brought her guitar and her beautiful voice so we had the pleasure of her entertainment after dinner.

All the while we were greatly improving our Spanish speaking and comprehension. Everyone was so patient and helpful as we tried, and sometimes struggled, to learn. Tony was our tireless translator for the weekend often having to tell stories twice and fill in tidbits of conversations. I don't know how many times he must have heard the three of us ask him "Tony, how do say .....?"

All in all it was an unforgettable experience. A much needed break from the stress of living and adjusting to the city. A nice little taste of the rest of Argentina.

I don't even know what day it is!

Isn't that great? Classes don't even start for at least another week. I've just been shopping and walking and eating and enjoying life. People here really enjoy life. You can't get a coffee to-go in this place. Which is a big change for me, working at Starbucks I always have a cup in my hand. You can sit down at the cafe and you can take the time to drink your coffee. Not the sit down with your laptop for hours and work while you drink coffee. Just sit down and drink your coffee and enjoy. Such a drastically different way of life.



I'm getting ready right now to go to La Pampa for a weekend excursion with the rest of the students. The rest of the students being Rachel and Bennett (and get this, Rachel is from Akron!). Just the three of us. I'm happy there is such a small group of students. I get this feeling like we are all in it together. We have this unique bond of our location, our discomfort and our determination to go through with this.

So anyway, we are headed to La Pampa, a province of Argentina. From what I understand, the Pampas (from Quechua, meaning "plain") are the fertile South American lowlands that include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, and Córdoba, most of Uruguay, and the southernmost end of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul. The fertility is due to the temperate climate, making La Pampa the most economically agricultural province of Argentina. Ximena told me all I need to know about La Pampa is that it is hot and dry. It will be nice to get away from the city and see what some of the rest of Argentina is like. Being the horse-girl that I am, I'm really hoping to see some Gauchos in the flesh. I'll keep you posted.

Last night was a real treat. I experienced, in person, some of that reputed Argentine pride that I've been hearing so much about. Tony arranged a lovely dinner with his host family. The same family that hosted him years ago when he first stayed in Buenos Aires. Rachel has the pleasure of staying there this time around. I was in the company of some really wonderful people. These are the kind of people that allow you love people again. Ramon and Marta, parents to three grown daughters, have a beautiful home in Balvanera. This place felt so authenic. I looked around and I felt so aware that I was not at home. I have never seen ceilings so high, 20 feet more or less? The doorways were built to scale with thick, embellished molding. The elevator was imported from Paris in 1915, so intricately designed. This building, standing since 1918, has such a rich history.

The conversation was enlightening, and amusing, and thought provoking, and challenging. Ramon speaks better English than my Spanish but still pretty rough around the edges. Marta has a small English vocabulary of about 10 words. On the American side: Tony is fluent in both, Bennett is confident, Rachel has a cute little mixture going on, I am not confident but but full of questions and ears always perked. There was an exhausting and hilarious mixture of broken English, broken Spanish, and the correct forms of each. Tony made a point to gently remind everyone, and encourage us, to use our Spanish speaking skills when we'd revert back to English. I felt like I really made some progress! I am beginning to finally understand what people are saying!

The Spanish of Argentina is very different than what you hear in the states. The accent is very unique, many of the words are not the same, and the "ll" and "y" are pronounced "zhhh" (like the sound in vision) instead of the "y" sound that I'm used to (like young.) Add a new sound to trying to distinguish the beginning of a new word and the ending of another, a challenge to say the least.

I can't say enough good things about learning language through immersion. Hearing the words over and over again and giving them relevance in everyday life gives you no choice but to learn. You need them to live. To make life more comfortable. I don't want to walk 50 blocks so I'm going to learn how to tell the taxi where I want to go. Today for example, I almost got ripped off, but I knew how to count and I knew what she said and I knew she owed me more money. Funny thing is she did too. The second I turned around to walk over and resolve the issue it was apparent she knew exactly why I was coming back. I got my two pesos, but I week ago I wouldn't have even known they were mine.

Day 5

I can't believe I have been here five days! So far things are going really well. Minor set back last night. I got some sort of stomach flu that has kept me in bed for 24 hours now. Ximena (my host mother) seems to think it is due to all the change, and the stress and excitement. We had been out dancing til 4am the night before. I thought it might have been food poisoning but no one else that I ate with got sick, so who knows. The water is fine to drink here, everybody does, but maybe there is some different bacteria in there that my body is not friends with yet. Hopefully I am on the mend and can continue my exploration of the city tomorrow.

So far my host family has been wonderful. I am staying with a forty-something mother (Ximena) and her four children (Vicente 15, Alfredo 12, Eugenia 8, and Sebastian 20 months.) It took a little while to warm up to Ximena but we finally broken the ice. I brought a Cleveland mug for her from Starbucks and I don't think I could have chosen a better gift. Apparently she loves mugs, she gets one whenever she goes somewhere new, and especially likes larger ones like the one I got her. I highly recommend you bring a gift if and when you go to live in someones home that you don't know. Ever since then, we've been buds. Everyone in my house speaks English, I'm sad and also happy to report. All except for the two girls that help around the house. Which is good, at least I have to try to figure out how to communicate with them. I effectively told one of them, on my first day no less, that I wanted to go for a walk and I needed a key.

From what I gather it is pretty easy to have maids and nanny's here is Buenos Aires. A luxury in the states that seems pretty common here. Something I could really get used to. On my first morning here, I was sitting up on the terrace (which I will talk more about in a moment because it is really great) and the rest of the family was still sleeping. One of the girls that works here asked me if I wanted coffee. Of course I said yes, I had just spent two days of travel suffering from caffeine withdrawals. Ten minutes later she comes back up with a tray of toast, coffee, and melon! I felt like that was the greatest thing I had been given in a very long time! Everything here in my house that is eaten away from the table is served on these cute little trays. I am guessing this is a cultural thing. It is definitely something I plan on incorporating into my life in the states. There are also these cute little dishes for everything. A little dish for your fork and spoon, one for the tea bag, one with a little butter. I love it. You know what else is different? Mayonnaise and such condiments come in a bag. This is another thing I I love about traveling, these subtle differences in terms of everyday life.

I experienced my first asado already. Asado is the traditional dish of Argentina and some other countries in South America. It is basically a variety of grilled meats. Ours was prepared a la parrilla, one of the ways in which an asado is cooked. We had chorizo, some chicken kabobs, and of course beef. The food was incredible. Here is a little tidbit about asado courtesy of Wikipedia if you are interested in knowing more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asado. This is a big deal in Argentine culture and what a treat it was. Ximena's home has a beautiful terrace on top of the entire house and the grill is built right into the wall.

A little more about the terrace, it is definitely the coolest part of the house. As with most big cities there aren't any yards or tree lawns here so having a terrace like this on your home is enviable I'm sure. There is a small pool, tons of plants and trees and a kitchenette and bathroom of its own. Perfect for entertaining, which was also the motivation for the asado the other night. A friend of Ximena's was celebrating a birthday. It was such an interesting mix of people from everywhere: Ireland, Canada, US, Russia, Croatia. All of whom now reside in Buenos Aires. I was told these people are referred to as expats or expatriates, which are people who take up residence in a foriegn country. I really had a great time talking with this diverse group of people and hearing their different perspectives. It was truly a memorable experience. Number one question about America? Why do Americans talk about work so much. Followed closely by: why are Americans in such a hurry? There is definitely a more relaxed approach to life here in Buenos Aires. It seems like people here take the time to enjoy life a little more, they live in the moment. Another thing that I could definitely get used to.

So much more to talk about but I have to keep you wanting more! Tomorrow I plan on going to the Cemeterio de la Recoleta, a very important cemetery here where Eva Peron is buried. It is just a few blocks away within my neighborhood, which is also called Recoleta. I will try to post some pictures as well.

Caio!

Update: pictures!

I have arrived safely in Buenos Aires in spite of the shortcomings of air travel. I believe my plane took off and landed two times in addition to the scheduled three due to equipment failure of both plane and passenger. Oh the joys of flying! But I am grateful for its existence, as annoying as it can be. How else would I be able to go to sleep in Ohio one night, and in Argentina the next? The last leg of the flight was long. It has taken over the previous number one spot for my longest flight ever, 8 hours to France. After Huston it was 10+ hours of broken sleep, movies you’d never have bothered to see otherwise, and lots of turbulence. And then finally……bienvenidos Buenos Aires!

The airport was very easy to navigate. Customs was a breeze. My bag was lost and I successfully filed the claim. I can only hope it will arrive tomorrow morning as promised. I was surprised to find how many Argentines speak English. As obvious tourists approached the claim desk, I observed that they were spoken to in English first. Whether this is just an airport phenomenon remains to be seen. Now, I have actually had two successful semesters of college Spanish. Those classes feel practically worthless to me now. I find myself concentrating so hard on understanding what people are saying to me that I freeze when I am expected to respond. My mind goes blank and all I can do is stand there with a bewildered look on my face. I can’t even muster a “no entiendo.” This has been one of the biggest stressors so far. It is embarrassing more than anything else. These people are bilingual at least and I can’t even engage them in the most basic conversations. However, I must keep in mind that this is why I’m here, to be uncomfortable, to broaden my perspective, to learn.

So I walk through the sliding doors and I immediately recognize my people. The smiling, welcoming faces of Luli and Tony were a sight for sore eyes. I’m sure they were delighted to see me too, they were waiting at least two hours for my arrival. Luli is a small and sweet native who is working with Tony to help the students in our group get acclimated. She immediately greeted me with a kiss on the left cheek. Here I’d like to mention that this is one of my favorite things about traveling abroad, discovering how people greet each other. It is so much more genuine and intimate than the insincere handshake of America, and it is always a little different everywhere I’ve been.

This was also the first time I had actually met Tony. We have been communicating via email and telephone for about three months now and it was great to finally meet him. He has been my sole contact with Panrimo and he has been amazing. One of the reasons I decided to go with Panrimo, a small company as opposed to the bigger more reputable study abroad companies, was the hope of a more personal relationship. It has so far been a 100% positive experience working with them. I am really appreciating the one- on-one help that I am getting from Tony and Panrimo. This program was definitely the right fit for me so far. I think this small group of students and the personal relationship I have with Panrimo will really enrich my study abroad experience.

Tomorrow’s topic: my host family and the strangeness of living with strangers. I need my luggage to continue so I can charge my computer so cross your fingers! By the way, some comforts of home that I am glad I brought with me: my computer and my pillow. Sweet dreams…….

Two days to go........

...and I am definitely stressed.

Not only am I moving to another country for 4.5 months, but I had to move out of my apartment that I've lived in for 3 years, and quit my job that I've had for just as long. Those things alone are known to be stressful events in a persons life. Lump them all together and you've got tears, breakdowns, exhaustion, etc, etc. Although I must say, I am very proud of myself for tackling my to do list in what I think was a timely manner. There are lots of things to do in preparation for an adventure like this. Unfortunately, it seems that something else is added immediately after I scratch something off and the list never seems to get smaller. Fortunately, both Panrimo and CSU provided me with study abroad orientation materials to assist me in managing the daunting preparations.

In the beginning it was lots of paperwork and mailing documents and making travel arrangements and sending emails to Panrimo and CSU. It was deciding what to do with all of my belongings and my car and my cat. It was figuring out the finances and making a savings plan and finding things around the house that I could sell to raise money for your trip.

Then, it was a lot of waiting. There was a little while there when the semester was over, I hadn't moved yet, and the holiday season had arrived, where it pretty much just felt like the same old thing. This was just the calm before the storm. Once I moved out of my apartment I was painfully aware that my life was dramatically changing which, quite frankly, made me pretty anxious.

These last couple of weeks I have spent tieing up loose ends. When you leave for 4.5 months you have to do everything that might need to be done in the that time before you leave. And as it turns out, life goes on without me here in Ohio while I'm gone. I still have to pay those credit card bills. I am still responsible for the well-being of my animal. I still have a family, a boyfriend, and friends that I will need to find a way to communicate with while I'm gone.

I am happy to report that these last few days are allowing for my stress to dissolve into excitement. My friends at work had a going away party for me and then my family did the same. Having all of those who are close to me come together on my behalf to celebrate my upcoming departure allowed my focus to shift. They wanted to ask me questions about my trip, share their excitement, joke about their jealousy, and express their concerns. I realized that I am ready to be excited. I am prepared for this. I am in the midst of a period in my life that will probably change me in a very profound way, and I am officially excited.

As my departure approaches things continue to fall into place. I received word today from Tony (whose official title is: Tony Amante Schepers, Director of University Relations at Panrimo.com) about my host family. I must admit, this was a huge topic of concern for me. I believe strongly that the relationship one has with their host family could make or break a study abroad experience. I am thrilled to report that the family I was placed with seems to be a perfect fit for me based on the description Tony gave. My host mother, Ximena, is considering buying an iguana, but will wait to meet me first. I have a really good feeling about this.

I was thinking earlier about when I first became interested in study abroad. I remembered the reason why I chose not to go. At the time, I didn't think it seemed possible to make the necessary changes that would enable me to leave my life behind for awhile. The interesting thing to me is, nothing much has changed about my life. I simply decided I was going to do it. What I have realized as a result, which is a very valuable lesson for me, is that all you really have to do is make the decision and the rest has a way of working itself out.

Next topic.....packing. I don't even know where to begin.

This is the beginning

I must say, it really was starting to feel like January would never come. Up to this point it hasn't even seemed real. It just seemed like one of those things that you want to do, and you talk about it, but it never actually happens. It just kind of fizzles away. Not this, this is real and the time is here and I'm leaving in 10 days. I fly out of Cleveland on the 15th, I have a layover in New Jersey, and I arrive in Buenos Aires on the 16th after about 18 hours of travel.

The seed was planted about a year ago.

Studying abroad is something I have wanted to do for a long time but after meeting with someone in the study abroad office last year and looking at some programs, it was obvious that it was financially out of reach for me. Even with the $5000 scholarship I had been awarded it just wasn't enough. So, I resigned myself to the idea that the only world travel I do would be for vacation purposes only.

A semester came and went and I was contacted by the study abroad office. Just a gentle reminder that deadlines were approaching and the scholarship money was still available for me to use. This, of course, got me interested once again. This is when I found Panrimo.

I knew two things. I knew I wanted to go to a Spanish speaking country and I knew I wanted to keep my costs down. Julie (my saint of a study abroad advisor) told me about this new company that had been at the study abroad fair at CSU. They were offering customizable programs which enabled them to keep costs down, and they had a program in Argentina. This was music to my ears. Just so you all know, picking out a study abroad program is a daunting task. Comparing options, and prices, and excursions, and courses, etc, etc quickly becomes overwhelming. I was intrigued by Panrimo, so I gave them a call.

I talked to Paul first and then Tony and I was sold. I got the impression that these guys had been there, done this, and they are trying to make things better for people like me. They had been students studying abroad and realized that things could be done better. I was happy that someone else agreed that these other companies are overcharging. So I chose to go with Panrimo. I chose them not just because they were inexpensive but mostly because I liked what they were trying to do, keep the experience of study abroad within reach, keep it personal, keep it real.