Tango Tuesdays

I've survived the first two days of class. Monday was a bit rough, I must admit. I got ten hours of sleep Sunday night/Monday morning and couldn't quite wake myself from the lovely slumber. I ended up floating through three classes not really absorbing too much information. Today was a different story, however. I only have one real class and this class meets once a week for three hours. It is called Global Commodities as Cultural Icons which really is just a bunch of gibberish. What the class actually is about is the place that tango currently has in the world and Argentina and how this has changed since tango began. It is incredibly interesting and the profesor is very lively and makes the three hours seem much shorter than they actually are. In April, I will also start my tango class at the local arts university IUNA. It will be Tuesday nights from 6-10. What this basically all means is that I am going to be a tango queen by the time I get back. I really am so fortunate to have this opportunity to learn about something that I wouldn't get to study in this kind of depth back at UPS. This semester is really shaping up to be what I had hoped it would be-a break from the usual science classes and a chance to step outside my own comfort zone and learn more about myself and the world around me. I really am living a blessed life.

Besos

Class? What's that?

Monday it begins. It has been quite some time since I have had to do anything academic and I'm not quite sure how this is going to go. I am actually excited, though, and in some ways feel very ready to get back into the academic rhythm. Especially since it will probably help me get further into the language. My schedule worked out very nicely leaving me without class on Fridays. This will hopefully give me ample opportunity to travel around the country on the weekends. I also signed up for the tango class at the local arts university which should be a blast. All in all, its a little scary thinking about getting back into school after such a long break but also pretty exciting. We will see how it goes...

Oh, I Love the Nightlife

You didn't expect me to come here and sit at home on a Friday night, did you? The nightlife here is incredible and wildly different from in the states. Clubs or discos don't open until 2 in the morning. It is completely common for young people to stay out until 6 in the morning or earlier if they are going out dancing. It is crazy, but I feel like I've adjusted to it well because I am just falling back on the Pacific Northwest time zone. When I'm eating dinner at 11, its really like I am eating at 6 back home, right? Ok, maybe I'm being a little delusional on this one, but I'm giving myself a break because I still haven't quite wrapped my head around the time zone and seasonal diferences.
The thing I have enjoyed most about the nightlife so far is the diversity. I have met people from Englend, Ireland, France and even another student who is originally from OR and actually knew about Keizer. And of course I've meet lots of Argentines. I really feel as though I am expanding my cultural perspective which is exciting because it was one of the main reasons I wanted to come here.
And the language: most people know english and are very understanding of us students. I feel like I have been speaking a lot of Spanglish but it works and I think it helps connect the two languages. I feel like I am getting better but still have times when my brain just wants to shut down and hear english and only english, but part of this experience is powering through those times. To become fluent, I'm going to have to learn to speak spanish when I'm tired or frustrated. And it is a long road to fluency but I really do want to make the trip. So here I am, one week into it and looking ahead towards all the adjustments, joys, difficulties and times of pure madness that come with integrating into another culture. I'm going full speed ahead :)

Besos

Una Cuentita Para JD and Annie

Hokay, so here i am in Buenos Aires. We have had orientation out the ears so far and it has not been very interesting but I guess its what you have to get through to get to the good stuff (by which, I mean classes?). My host mom is the absolute cutest thing you could ever imagine. She is tiny (I have to bend down to hear her when we are walking on the street) and has short blond hair and tons of energy. She is great and knows little english, ensuring that I will be working on my Spanish. My host sister has also been very kind and helpful and we have had no problems getting into some sort of a rhythm with each other.

Though everything has been great in my house so far, the first night I was in my new home, I had a little experience. My host mom and I were sitting down at the table, after dinner, watching tv and relaxing. While sitting peacefully in my post-food coma, I saw something scurring across the dining room floor. At first glance, it appeared to be a large beetle. I had never seen a beetle quite so large, though, so continued to silently watch it to see if I could discern exactly what species of bug the little intruder was. Then, as my new friend was scaling the wall, it hit me: he was in fact a cucaracha! This information paralized me. Having never encountered a cockroach before I didn´t know how to politely tell my host mom (whom I had just met that day) that the most vile of insects was mere feet away. Fortunately, the little guy got a little too eager and climbed higher than he should have. He fell off the wall attracting the attention of my host mom. Ay, una cucacracha! She exclaimed and shuffled into the kitchen, telling me to keep an eye on it. Her fright instantley spread and made me wish I could pull my feet up onto the chair. Soon enough, she came scurrying back in yielding a huge can of bug spray and proceeded to blast the little bugger. The cucaracha flopped around trying to escape the spray, but to no avail. He was gone. As my mom returned the bug spray to the kitchen I had to press my lips to conceal the giggles that were trying to erupt from me. I really was in shock that I had actually seen the most dreaded cockroach. In this state, the stories from JD and Annie were the only things that came to mind and I decided the cockroaches were internationally trying to keep things in the family.

Even including the cockroach experience, my stay thus far has been incredible. This is indeed a big city and I am enjoying the perks and differences that come along with it. I walk everywhere and now consider 12 or 13 blocks a short distance. I have only seen the section of the city that I live in but I am getting to know it well and am excited to see more.

Con un beso