Feliz Pascua a todos! Happy Easter to All!
I have been blessed beyond belief during my time here. This past week I received a totally unexpected gift that reminded me of the beauty and love that is an inherent part of the Latin American culture. I was presented with the opportunity to guide an Ecuadorian friend's family around Buenos Aires and in return received the gift of their wonderful company during what may have otherwise been a somewhat lonely week during our Easter vacation. And, in the process, met yet another Ecuadorian family to whom I was able to offer guidance throughout the city and, in return, was given the gift of the love and support of yet another Latino family. Latinos have to be the most welcoming people I have ever met. You spend one hour with them, and you become part of their family for a lifetime. This has happened to me time and time again; so much so that I joke that I have family all over the States AND South America! I say this with conviction as I feel in my heart that it is the honest-to-goodness truth!
My Ecua friends arrived Tuesday morning - mom, pop, and two daughters. Tuesday afternoon, after they had had some time to rest and recover from the long overnight journey, we wandered out into the chaos that is Buenos Aires and headed straight to my neighborhood of Palermo. I had made reservations for them at one of the best restaurants in all of Buenos Aires to experience the delicious and authentic meat-loving Argentinian culture. Argentinians are a meat-loving people to the core of their being. We ate lunch outside at a cute sidewalk cafe, wandered along the tree-lined streets, shopped at the adorable boutiques, and wandered amongst the artisan market while enjoying a gorgeous Fall day (remeber we are in the Southern Hemisphere so the seasons are the opposite of the US). I guided them to enjoy what was to be an absolutely amazing meal - leaving them with very explicit directions as to how to get home, of course!
The next morning, I woke up bright and early to give an English lesson to my cardiologist friend and then headed to their hotel downtown. In route, I spent an hour stuffed into a sweltering subway car as we were "temporarily delayed as we awaited an ambulance to attend to a decomposed person." What in the world?!, you may ask. Well, I did too. I sat their shocked for a moment imagining a person lying on the tracks in a not so lovely state after having fallen to an untimely death. Turns out the word "decomposed" here does not directly translate. It means the person is sick. No longer properly composed in a happy and healthy person. Thank goodness for people who will kindly and patiently clarify such things! And, of course, everyone laughed, but how could you not?! O
Once I finally arrived and met up with my friends, we were off to explore BA by bus. We did one of those hop on, hop off tours as BA is a ginormous city not properly suited to explore by foot, or really a taxi even, in one or two days. Years ago, when my dad and I tried to do such a thing, I nearly walked him to death on what he describes as the "Bhutan Death March." While I did not mind pushing my dad to his limit, I did not wish such an experience upon my friends. So we visited the quirky and lively neighborhoods of La Boca where we ate lunch outside and enjoyed a tango show, Puerto Madero - the swanky part of BA, and Recoleta where Evita is buried alongside many other important figures in Argentinian history. It was during this tour that I had the pleasure of meeting an Ecuadorian woman and her 26 year old (my age!) daughter whom were feeling overwhelmed and lost in the big city. They joined our group and stuck with us like white on rice until they left yesterday morning.
Other exciting adventures involved more tango shows in the street, a trip to the nearby city of La Plata, eating alfajores (the national cookie made with dulce de leche) and medialunas (sugar-glazed croissants) while drinking hot tea at outdoor cafes, and buying artisan gifts for people back home. As a gift to me, they had brought pan de yuca (cassava bread) from Ecuadlandia. These buns of deliciousness are quite possibly my favorite food on this planet! It was a great four days, and I was quite sad to bid them adieu.
Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to meet the Rotary governor of the district. He oversees Buenos Aires' 42 Rotary clubs and was kind enough to schedule a lunch meeting to get to know us while we chomped away and ham and cheese and egg sammies (they love their eggs here - they can even be found on hamburgers at McDonald's!).
To celebrate this gorgeous Easter day, I will be heading to the park to bike with a new Argentinian friend I met during our trip around the city. Within minutes here, you become fast friends with anyone you meet. I love this culture!
Saludos a todos! Hello to All!
VIVA!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Woman CAN live off of bread alone (plus a few fresh fruits and veggies;))!
Buenos dias!
I must say that given that I regularly wake up between the bright and early hours of 6:30 or 7 - by choice, no less! - and that I consider the "normal" going out hour of 2 AM to be a bit past my ideal bedtime, I am pretty confident that, try as I may, I will NEVER be an Argentinian. That, of course, is not to say that I do not love Argentinians or being in Argentina, but rather that there are certain inherent traits embedded deep within my genetic code that will not be compromised. Of course, a late night or two wont kill me, but I dont foresee this lifestyle becoming MY new normal.
I say all of this only because I am writing this at 7:30 am on a Sunday morning. Even my own parents will be in bed many more hours! But I LOVE the mornings. I love to wake up and watch the sun rise and see everything slowly come to life outside. When you live in a city of 12 million people, things are rarely calm. But I guarantee that if you go for a walk at 7:30 on a Sunday morning, you are not likely to encounter more than a few passersby. And many of them are JUST heading home after their late night escapades in one of the many many boliches (clubs) around town. NOT my idea of a fantastic way to start my day. But that's just me. Perhaps, they look at my bright and cheery and rested face and think, "How lame!" And that is just fine with me, so long as I get to feel rested and rejuvenated as I explore the city before its grand population awakes - different strokes for different folks!!
Which leads me to what I could handle and that could very well turn me into an Argentinian: Fresh Bread, Fresh Fruits/Veggies on every corner, Fresh Bread, Medialunas (sweet croissants), Cafes on every corner, MORE Fresh Bread, MORE Medialunas, and did I happen to mention Fresh Bread?!?! I think to myself, why is it that my mom used to tell me, "Man cannot live on bread alone?" THIS (wo)man sure could! Ok, maybe a few vital nutrients from some deliciously fresh fruits and veggies at dirt cheap prices doesnt hurt...but given my way, I would stuff all of the delicious breads full of the nutrients necessary for survival and live off of nothing but yummy Argentinian bread enjoyed at a cute cafe for the rest of my life! (ok, I could be exaggerating... but only a wee bit;)).
But enough of that, now on to the exciting details of my life outside of sleep and food...
Week Number One in my new apartment has been delightful, and Week Number Two of both taking classes and teaching English to two Cardiologists went swimmingly. I still need to sleep a good 9 hours after sitting through 4 hours of class spoken in Spanish, but it's a good tired, so I am quite content. And in two of my three classes, I understand the professors almost perfectly. The other professor speaks at lightening speed, so I count myself lucky if I get 60% of what he says!
This next week should be quite busy as 4 friends from Ecuador are coming to visit and have asked me to be their tour guide in my free time - wish me luck! I also have class and a meeting with the head Rotarian here in Buenos Aires. I would not be lying if I said that the idea of meeting and speaking in front of him does not leave me a little weak-kneed! But at least I have my two fellow Rotary Scholars to support me;). Then comes a four day weekend thanks to Easter. I may head south to the campo to visit my friend's family. I spent nearly 3 weeks with them on their farm during Christmas and New Year's of 2008, and they are absolutely wonderful!
Thanks for reading and stay in touch;)
VIVA!
Cameron
I must say that given that I regularly wake up between the bright and early hours of 6:30 or 7 - by choice, no less! - and that I consider the "normal" going out hour of 2 AM to be a bit past my ideal bedtime, I am pretty confident that, try as I may, I will NEVER be an Argentinian. That, of course, is not to say that I do not love Argentinians or being in Argentina, but rather that there are certain inherent traits embedded deep within my genetic code that will not be compromised. Of course, a late night or two wont kill me, but I dont foresee this lifestyle becoming MY new normal.
I say all of this only because I am writing this at 7:30 am on a Sunday morning. Even my own parents will be in bed many more hours! But I LOVE the mornings. I love to wake up and watch the sun rise and see everything slowly come to life outside. When you live in a city of 12 million people, things are rarely calm. But I guarantee that if you go for a walk at 7:30 on a Sunday morning, you are not likely to encounter more than a few passersby. And many of them are JUST heading home after their late night escapades in one of the many many boliches (clubs) around town. NOT my idea of a fantastic way to start my day. But that's just me. Perhaps, they look at my bright and cheery and rested face and think, "How lame!" And that is just fine with me, so long as I get to feel rested and rejuvenated as I explore the city before its grand population awakes - different strokes for different folks!!
Which leads me to what I could handle and that could very well turn me into an Argentinian: Fresh Bread, Fresh Fruits/Veggies on every corner, Fresh Bread, Medialunas (sweet croissants), Cafes on every corner, MORE Fresh Bread, MORE Medialunas, and did I happen to mention Fresh Bread?!?! I think to myself, why is it that my mom used to tell me, "Man cannot live on bread alone?" THIS (wo)man sure could! Ok, maybe a few vital nutrients from some deliciously fresh fruits and veggies at dirt cheap prices doesnt hurt...but given my way, I would stuff all of the delicious breads full of the nutrients necessary for survival and live off of nothing but yummy Argentinian bread enjoyed at a cute cafe for the rest of my life! (ok, I could be exaggerating... but only a wee bit;)).
But enough of that, now on to the exciting details of my life outside of sleep and food...
Week Number One in my new apartment has been delightful, and Week Number Two of both taking classes and teaching English to two Cardiologists went swimmingly. I still need to sleep a good 9 hours after sitting through 4 hours of class spoken in Spanish, but it's a good tired, so I am quite content. And in two of my three classes, I understand the professors almost perfectly. The other professor speaks at lightening speed, so I count myself lucky if I get 60% of what he says!
This next week should be quite busy as 4 friends from Ecuador are coming to visit and have asked me to be their tour guide in my free time - wish me luck! I also have class and a meeting with the head Rotarian here in Buenos Aires. I would not be lying if I said that the idea of meeting and speaking in front of him does not leave me a little weak-kneed! But at least I have my two fellow Rotary Scholars to support me;). Then comes a four day weekend thanks to Easter. I may head south to the campo to visit my friend's family. I spent nearly 3 weeks with them on their farm during Christmas and New Year's of 2008, and they are absolutely wonderful!
Thanks for reading and stay in touch;)
VIVA!
Cameron
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
All Moved In!
Buenas tardes!
It's true. I am indeed moved in. In case you did not know, I have been living out of a bag (or my car) for much of the last 3 years. It is not that I have not had a place to put my things, I simply move so often that I choose to just leave everything packed and take out only what I need in order to make the whole packing up and moving again process that much easier. In addition, in general, I HATE packing. Loathe it. AND unpacking. I tend to put it off for a long time. I am not one of those people who arrives at her new abode and immediately starts nesting. No, no, I will leave things in my bag and wear the same outfits over and over for weeks until I summon the energy to actually organize things. Ask anyone I have ever lived with (Molly, Sarah, Dad and Susan - these two win a special award as their house is more or less a showroom, so bags of clothes spread all over are not ideal;S). But this time, I am nesting. I live on the 9th floor in a gorgeous studio apartment with a balcony in the cute neighborhood of Alto Palermo with lots of fresh fruit and veggie markets and adorable sidewalk cafes. I absolutely love it. So in an effort to follow my lovely stepmom's orders, I unpacked all of my belongings by the end of Day 1 (another task was to buy flowers, but currently the only "vase" I have is the blender, so Im having to hold off on that!).
So last week was a big week for me. I started school and moved into my very own apartment. Classes on Thursday and Friday were great. My classmates have been quite nice to me, and I even met a chica from Ecuador;). Friday night's class was so packed with people in a very small room that I think we all started to feel like cattle stuffed in the barn. But, luckily, there are plans to move us into a bigger room next week. I am keeping my fingers crossed!
Saturday, I met up with a girl I met two years ago while traveling in Patagonia in Southern Argentina. She is Argentinian and lives in a nearby neighborhood, so I went over to her house to catch up and drink mate (a strong tea you drink out of a gourd and pass around). She is a really sweet person, and I love having Argentinian friends with whom to hang out and practice my Spanish. I LOVE speaking Spanish, and, in spite of living here, I actually do not get to speak it as much as I would like. I listen to it in classes, but do far more listening than speaking in those situations. I have several Argentinian and Ecuadorian friends that I meet up with each week to keep myself on top of my Spanish-speaking game!
This week brings more classes, as well as a meeting with a Rotary club to plan my first presentation...eek! Ill be sure to update you on how it all goes.
VIVA!
It's true. I am indeed moved in. In case you did not know, I have been living out of a bag (or my car) for much of the last 3 years. It is not that I have not had a place to put my things, I simply move so often that I choose to just leave everything packed and take out only what I need in order to make the whole packing up and moving again process that much easier. In addition, in general, I HATE packing. Loathe it. AND unpacking. I tend to put it off for a long time. I am not one of those people who arrives at her new abode and immediately starts nesting. No, no, I will leave things in my bag and wear the same outfits over and over for weeks until I summon the energy to actually organize things. Ask anyone I have ever lived with (Molly, Sarah, Dad and Susan - these two win a special award as their house is more or less a showroom, so bags of clothes spread all over are not ideal;S). But this time, I am nesting. I live on the 9th floor in a gorgeous studio apartment with a balcony in the cute neighborhood of Alto Palermo with lots of fresh fruit and veggie markets and adorable sidewalk cafes. I absolutely love it. So in an effort to follow my lovely stepmom's orders, I unpacked all of my belongings by the end of Day 1 (another task was to buy flowers, but currently the only "vase" I have is the blender, so Im having to hold off on that!).
So last week was a big week for me. I started school and moved into my very own apartment. Classes on Thursday and Friday were great. My classmates have been quite nice to me, and I even met a chica from Ecuador;). Friday night's class was so packed with people in a very small room that I think we all started to feel like cattle stuffed in the barn. But, luckily, there are plans to move us into a bigger room next week. I am keeping my fingers crossed!
Saturday, I met up with a girl I met two years ago while traveling in Patagonia in Southern Argentina. She is Argentinian and lives in a nearby neighborhood, so I went over to her house to catch up and drink mate (a strong tea you drink out of a gourd and pass around). She is a really sweet person, and I love having Argentinian friends with whom to hang out and practice my Spanish. I LOVE speaking Spanish, and, in spite of living here, I actually do not get to speak it as much as I would like. I listen to it in classes, but do far more listening than speaking in those situations. I have several Argentinian and Ecuadorian friends that I meet up with each week to keep myself on top of my Spanish-speaking game!
This week brings more classes, as well as a meeting with a Rotary club to plan my first presentation...eek! Ill be sure to update you on how it all goes.
VIVA!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Back to School I Go!
Buenas tardes!
Nearly five years have passed since I last stepped foot into a formal classroom. Today was the day I officially returned to school. And, I must admit, I was actually surprisingly nervous for - get this - roll call! "Roll call?," you may ask. Well, yes. Because my name in Spanish 1) means shrimp - i.e. the seafood - when not said just so, and 2) because my name is difficult for me to pronounce when I must say it in front of a large group of people I dont know and speak with a clear and strong Argentinian accent, so that I neither come across as a piece of seafood OR totally incompetent. And that's only saying my name! What if they were to ask me a question? On my first day? What is I dont UNDERSTAND the question? On my first day? AND what if I am asked a question, understand the question, but cannot ANSWER the question? Oh the horror! So instead of going out last night to "get my mind off of school," as my friend Martine suggested, I gathered my notebook and pens, double-checked the bus route, packed a snack, and even put out my clothes for the day (something I NEVER do. EVER!). So once I felt I was sufficiently prepared for my first day of school, I set my alarm for 6:30 am, read a little bit, and zonked out after an eventful day of getting lost in the city, riding 6 overcrowded and under-vented buses, and two great meetings with some Argentinian friends to practice my Spanish.
And this morning, I was up and at 'em at 6:30. I love the mornings. I love my morning ritual of showering and then taking my sweet time to eat breakfast while working the USA Today online crossword puzzle. So I did not want to be rushed, nor did I have any desire to arrive late to school. Said morning routine went as planned, I was out the door by 8am, and - shockingly - the bus ran on time and got me to school about 20 mins before 9. I got there only to find out that 1) my class had yet to be assigned a classroom ("But it starts in 15 mins," I thought to myself), 2) there was confusion as to what class I was actually taking as they combined two classes without informing me, and 3) once the classroom was assigned, I discovered the truth about Argentinians having their own idea of what "arriving on time" means when the professor arrived 15 mins late because she needed to stop and have coffee! However, there is no need to worry that my studies themselves are lacking because of the lackadaisical schedule. This is Argentina. A different country, a different culture with VERY different customs. It is what it is, and I am trying to adapt. But I LIKE things to happen on time, so it's more than a wee bit difficult for me - a true test of patience!
As for my class - a clinical class working with anorexics, bulimics, and people suffering from obesity...It was GREAT! And the most surprising part was the size, or lack thereof. There are only 4 people in my class + two professors, so I am assured plenty of attention and, thankfully, less nervous about speaking in class. I was asked about myself and my experience and must have spoken well as I got compliments for my Spanish after class. YAY! Compliments never hurt;)!
In other news, I move today!! I move into my very own apartment. I have such lovely friends who have been so kind as to offer me a place to sleep these last three weeks, but I am now quite ready to be in a place I can call mine and to no longer live out of my 50 lb. body bag.
As for the rest of my life here in BA, all is well. I have made many Argentinian, Colombian, Peruvian, Chilean, and American friends, eaten lots of tasty fruits and veggies, gone on many long long walks, and continue to get lost (and found) nearly everyday as I learn my way around the city. Also, I am making headway in the process of acquiring my student visa. It will be such a relief when I have that visa in my hand!!
VIVA!
Nearly five years have passed since I last stepped foot into a formal classroom. Today was the day I officially returned to school. And, I must admit, I was actually surprisingly nervous for - get this - roll call! "Roll call?," you may ask. Well, yes. Because my name in Spanish 1) means shrimp - i.e. the seafood - when not said just so, and 2) because my name is difficult for me to pronounce when I must say it in front of a large group of people I dont know and speak with a clear and strong Argentinian accent, so that I neither come across as a piece of seafood OR totally incompetent. And that's only saying my name! What if they were to ask me a question? On my first day? What is I dont UNDERSTAND the question? On my first day? AND what if I am asked a question, understand the question, but cannot ANSWER the question? Oh the horror! So instead of going out last night to "get my mind off of school," as my friend Martine suggested, I gathered my notebook and pens, double-checked the bus route, packed a snack, and even put out my clothes for the day (something I NEVER do. EVER!). So once I felt I was sufficiently prepared for my first day of school, I set my alarm for 6:30 am, read a little bit, and zonked out after an eventful day of getting lost in the city, riding 6 overcrowded and under-vented buses, and two great meetings with some Argentinian friends to practice my Spanish.
And this morning, I was up and at 'em at 6:30. I love the mornings. I love my morning ritual of showering and then taking my sweet time to eat breakfast while working the USA Today online crossword puzzle. So I did not want to be rushed, nor did I have any desire to arrive late to school. Said morning routine went as planned, I was out the door by 8am, and - shockingly - the bus ran on time and got me to school about 20 mins before 9. I got there only to find out that 1) my class had yet to be assigned a classroom ("But it starts in 15 mins," I thought to myself), 2) there was confusion as to what class I was actually taking as they combined two classes without informing me, and 3) once the classroom was assigned, I discovered the truth about Argentinians having their own idea of what "arriving on time" means when the professor arrived 15 mins late because she needed to stop and have coffee! However, there is no need to worry that my studies themselves are lacking because of the lackadaisical schedule. This is Argentina. A different country, a different culture with VERY different customs. It is what it is, and I am trying to adapt. But I LIKE things to happen on time, so it's more than a wee bit difficult for me - a true test of patience!
As for my class - a clinical class working with anorexics, bulimics, and people suffering from obesity...It was GREAT! And the most surprising part was the size, or lack thereof. There are only 4 people in my class + two professors, so I am assured plenty of attention and, thankfully, less nervous about speaking in class. I was asked about myself and my experience and must have spoken well as I got compliments for my Spanish after class. YAY! Compliments never hurt;)!
In other news, I move today!! I move into my very own apartment. I have such lovely friends who have been so kind as to offer me a place to sleep these last three weeks, but I am now quite ready to be in a place I can call mine and to no longer live out of my 50 lb. body bag.
As for the rest of my life here in BA, all is well. I have made many Argentinian, Colombian, Peruvian, Chilean, and American friends, eaten lots of tasty fruits and veggies, gone on many long long walks, and continue to get lost (and found) nearly everyday as I learn my way around the city. Also, I am making headway in the process of acquiring my student visa. It will be such a relief when I have that visa in my hand!!
VIVA!
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Learning the Ropes
Good afternoon!
It is a drizzly day here in BA. So after endless days of gorgeous blue skies and 80 degree temperatures, I am feeling enticed to stay indoors and finally update my blog. It has been one wild week and a half since I last wrote...
I have moved twice - once last Sunday to a smokey, but huge apt that I shared for 3 days with a lovely Argentinian girl (if only she did not smoke!) and, then, to my current temp residence with a friend from the states in her gorgeous (and also huge) apartment in one of the nicest neighborhoods in BA - and STILL am not in what will be my permanent abode.
I have started the arduous process of getting my student visa so that I may live here legally. This is something close to a 10-12 step process. I call it the "12 Steps to Student Visa Legality." I have visited the police station twice to prove that I do, in fact, live here. I had to sit around and wait for the police to come by my place of residence as you have to be there when they arrive. They were kind enough to give me a time frame of when exactly they may come - Wednesday or Thursday between the hours of 9am and 9pm. Great! That makes planning my day SO much easier. However, oddly enough, if YOU are not present, the doorman can sign for you declaring he knows you live there. Given I was in a temporary residence at the time, I had some explaining to do, but it all worked out when the police arrived Thurs around 5 pm and the kind doorman signed for me! Now I can prove I live somewhere in this city and am on my way to getting my student visa;)!
Next, I was off to the Ministry of Justice to get fingerprinted to - get this - prove I have no criminal record in the country. Now, it's true that I have been here for a few months before, so I agree that is plenty of time to have committed a crime. But the other Rotary scholars arrived within the last few weeks and, they too, must have criminal background checks. So I went, paid, waited in line, got fingerprinted, and now must return next Friday to get my results. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I did not commit any crime I am unaware of! Next step involves getting all of my documents - Birth Certificate, Diploma, Transcript, and Resume - translated into Spanish by a Certified Public Translator. All of this, dear readers, is a frustratingly expensive and time-consuming process. But such is the way things work here! And, I must admit, I kind of like the nuttiness of the process. (However, I may not be in such high-spirits come a few weeks from now when I have to wait in a 6 hour line to get the actual visa...)
In addition to dealing with my student visa, I have visited the university twice. Once to FINALLY get my acceptance letter - woohoo! Unfortunately, they gave me an unsigned copy, so now I must return tomorrow to get a signed copy for my Rotary papers. AND, I actually met with and was interviewed by the head of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Therapy. What a relief to have finally encountered the right person with whom to speak and to know that I am on the right track. I must return tomorrow to have a 2nd interview, but am remaining confident that all will go smoothly. And THEN, my classes begin on Thursday. I am thrilled! OK, maybe more scared than thrilled as it will be my first day of class in nearly 5 years, and it's in Spanish, AND it's postgrad, AND... - yikes! But I am thrilled nevertheless;). I am looking forward to the challenge and to studying psychology here!!
I have also gotten lost far more than I wish to admit. Now, I tend to consider myself a person with a fairly good sense of direction. However, I am either wrong about my sense of direction OR people who do not have a good sense of direction are truly in trouble when they try to learn to get around this city. I have gotten on the wrong bus, walked around in circles asking where the right bus stop was, and - best of all - after finding the bus stop, I walked onto the bus only to discover I did not have proper change and had to get off, then BEG at three different places for two pesos in change. I was nearly in tears when this guy finally agreed to give me a bit of change. Change is worth its weight in gold here. People may very well shed blood over it. I do not kid. But, as I have yet to start classes, I have tried my best to remain patient with myself as I conclude that this is my job for now. Learning to get around. And what better way to learn (and never get lost again) than to get lost the first time around. It's fun, right? SO fun... No, really, it usually is. I am just glad I am always alone, so no one else witnesses me nearly losing my cool in the middle of a plaza full of a hundred people!
I have started meeting with a few cardiologists each week to help them with their English. It really involves simply talking as they are just wanting the opportunity to speak and improve. It's good for me because afterward, I get to practice my Spanish as well. And, Lord knows, I need all of the help I can get as I dive headlong into my Spanish classes!
And to give you a little blurb on my living situation. All is well, but there have been a few hiccups along the way. I will be moving into a gorgeous studio apartment this Friday and plan to stay there for a good long time. No more moving, no more living out of my bag.
That's what I have for now, folks. Stay in touch.
VIVA!
Cameron
It is a drizzly day here in BA. So after endless days of gorgeous blue skies and 80 degree temperatures, I am feeling enticed to stay indoors and finally update my blog. It has been one wild week and a half since I last wrote...
I have moved twice - once last Sunday to a smokey, but huge apt that I shared for 3 days with a lovely Argentinian girl (if only she did not smoke!) and, then, to my current temp residence with a friend from the states in her gorgeous (and also huge) apartment in one of the nicest neighborhoods in BA - and STILL am not in what will be my permanent abode.
I have started the arduous process of getting my student visa so that I may live here legally. This is something close to a 10-12 step process. I call it the "12 Steps to Student Visa Legality." I have visited the police station twice to prove that I do, in fact, live here. I had to sit around and wait for the police to come by my place of residence as you have to be there when they arrive. They were kind enough to give me a time frame of when exactly they may come - Wednesday or Thursday between the hours of 9am and 9pm. Great! That makes planning my day SO much easier. However, oddly enough, if YOU are not present, the doorman can sign for you declaring he knows you live there. Given I was in a temporary residence at the time, I had some explaining to do, but it all worked out when the police arrived Thurs around 5 pm and the kind doorman signed for me! Now I can prove I live somewhere in this city and am on my way to getting my student visa;)!
Next, I was off to the Ministry of Justice to get fingerprinted to - get this - prove I have no criminal record in the country. Now, it's true that I have been here for a few months before, so I agree that is plenty of time to have committed a crime. But the other Rotary scholars arrived within the last few weeks and, they too, must have criminal background checks. So I went, paid, waited in line, got fingerprinted, and now must return next Friday to get my results. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I did not commit any crime I am unaware of! Next step involves getting all of my documents - Birth Certificate, Diploma, Transcript, and Resume - translated into Spanish by a Certified Public Translator. All of this, dear readers, is a frustratingly expensive and time-consuming process. But such is the way things work here! And, I must admit, I kind of like the nuttiness of the process. (However, I may not be in such high-spirits come a few weeks from now when I have to wait in a 6 hour line to get the actual visa...)
In addition to dealing with my student visa, I have visited the university twice. Once to FINALLY get my acceptance letter - woohoo! Unfortunately, they gave me an unsigned copy, so now I must return tomorrow to get a signed copy for my Rotary papers. AND, I actually met with and was interviewed by the head of the Department of Clinical Psychology and Cognitive Therapy. What a relief to have finally encountered the right person with whom to speak and to know that I am on the right track. I must return tomorrow to have a 2nd interview, but am remaining confident that all will go smoothly. And THEN, my classes begin on Thursday. I am thrilled! OK, maybe more scared than thrilled as it will be my first day of class in nearly 5 years, and it's in Spanish, AND it's postgrad, AND... - yikes! But I am thrilled nevertheless;). I am looking forward to the challenge and to studying psychology here!!
I have also gotten lost far more than I wish to admit. Now, I tend to consider myself a person with a fairly good sense of direction. However, I am either wrong about my sense of direction OR people who do not have a good sense of direction are truly in trouble when they try to learn to get around this city. I have gotten on the wrong bus, walked around in circles asking where the right bus stop was, and - best of all - after finding the bus stop, I walked onto the bus only to discover I did not have proper change and had to get off, then BEG at three different places for two pesos in change. I was nearly in tears when this guy finally agreed to give me a bit of change. Change is worth its weight in gold here. People may very well shed blood over it. I do not kid. But, as I have yet to start classes, I have tried my best to remain patient with myself as I conclude that this is my job for now. Learning to get around. And what better way to learn (and never get lost again) than to get lost the first time around. It's fun, right? SO fun... No, really, it usually is. I am just glad I am always alone, so no one else witnesses me nearly losing my cool in the middle of a plaza full of a hundred people!
I have started meeting with a few cardiologists each week to help them with their English. It really involves simply talking as they are just wanting the opportunity to speak and improve. It's good for me because afterward, I get to practice my Spanish as well. And, Lord knows, I need all of the help I can get as I dive headlong into my Spanish classes!
And to give you a little blurb on my living situation. All is well, but there have been a few hiccups along the way. I will be moving into a gorgeous studio apartment this Friday and plan to stay there for a good long time. No more moving, no more living out of my bag.
That's what I have for now, folks. Stay in touch.
VIVA!
Cameron
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