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Published: February 5th 2010
Hello All,
I am closing in on my first week living the life of a porteno(thats what natives to Buenos Aires call them self). Last weekend I spent a lot of time with my host family getting to know them and what they expect of my as a guest in their house. Nelly is a wonderful women every morning she wakes up with me and makes me a cup of coffee and breakfast which is typically fantastic. She is really doting and always asks how I am doing and the family makes me feel like a true part of their family. Dinner time is quite interesting, I am what you would call an engaged observer. They talk pretty fast and by the time I have formulated something to say they have moved on to a new topic and my insight is moot at that point. I don't find it frustrating though, I am learning a lot through these experiences. I would say that I understand about 75% of what they are saying. It's just trying to get the words out fast enough is really difficult. Like I said I live in a really nice neighborhood of the city where the cobbled
streets are just lined with huge trees. It takes me about 7 minutes to walk to school everyday which is just perfect. I already have found a nice little location to kick back and relax called Palermo park, or something like that. There is a lake that is surrounded by a path and enjoy sitting on a bench and reading during the afternoons.
Now on to some of the activities that I have been doing during my time here. On Sunday we had an orientation meeting which the ISA staff really put some fear into my heart. They were giving horror stories about students getting robbed and what not. I know they were probably just trying to make sure that we are all aware of what can happen in the city and prepare us for the worst. After the meeting we went on a city tour and the highlight of that day was probable the Plaza Frances in an area of the city called the Recoleta. There is a cemetery there that has huge marble mausoleums where the prominent families in Argentina are all buried. Some of them have huge marble statues on the top of them and I was
told that the most expensive of them runs around 1.5 million American dollars. It is a maze of graves that is really quite impressive. I wish I could furnish photos of this area at this time but my host dad scared me into not taking my camera out yet. Which I have been pretty upset about. But soon I will be able to provide photos hopefully with the next blog. We also went to a couple of street fairs that are up to 20 blocks of artisan shops that sell everything from mate gourds(which is the traditional drink of Argentina) to intricate mixing spoons. Truly something to behold. The city is just gigantic I go to school on the 13th floor of the University of Belgrano and as far as the eye can see there are high rises. It is like nothing I have ever seen before.
It is interesting to see the duality in the city from the tree lined steets of Belgrano(my neighborhood) to the abject poverty of La Boca. There is so much going on here, I want to see it all and I intend too. Me and a couple of other students are talking about spending
time in every area of the city. Then trying to characterize them through photos, writings, and video. I will keep you all updated on the goings on with that. I have gone to four five hour Spanish classes, I was placed in intermidiate 1 which I feels accurately reflects my skill level. My professor Mercedes won't speak English so we are forced to learn through circumlocation. I enjoy learning an I am engaged in the class so the time just flies by. I am thrilled with where I am at and look forward to learning more about the language and through those skills delve into further study of the culture here.
I have my first experience getting lost in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. I had to go down to the middle of downtown and get a local background check for my student visa. It was pouring rain and I got really turned around. I wasn't so much lost in the literal sense of the word but I was late and they said I might not able to do it if I was even a little late. My heart started racing and my breathes became quick and short. The panic of
being in a enormous city set in. I eventually calmed down and found the office. Reality poured down on me like the torrential rains. I am in a place where I have no idea where I am going. Its an intimidating feeling but when you can conquer it, it becomes quite empowering.
Tomorrow I am going 30km north of the city to an town called Tigre which is right on the River Plate. We are going on a boat tour and get to spend some time on the beaches which I am really looking forward too. After that we are going to an area where we get to see the city from the river. So you look forward to those being the first images of the city that you see.
Here is a little something I wrote which gives the city a little more poetic character.
I walk out of the door of apartment one A on 11 de Septiembre in Buenos Aires. Reaching into my pocket I feel for the supple leather tassels that characterize my keys. There they are! I pull out the oddly shaped key. Slide it in the key hole and turn right. The city looms
Living room.
Thats my homestay sister, Maria Lisand stares me right in the eye. Left or right. Not sure what I want to do or where I want to go. Super market. There I buy a baguette, salami, a bag of cherries, and a diet coke for ten pesos(3 american). Fumes from the passing diesel bus saunter through the air and tickle my nose. My shirt sticks to my back, the humidity in the air is palpable. Decide to wander to Palermo park to see the sky. The trees dance up from the sprawling concrete and reach for the sky in between the high rises. The bounce in my step is due to the music in my ears and the hope in my chest. 8, 9, 10 blocks. Across the train tracks, staying right, keeping my eye on the golf course to the left. Greens look nice. I stroll down the avenue feet exposed to the suns rays. Arriving at the park I see the cobbled path the belts the beautiful lake. These stones are difficult to walk on but I push on in hopes of finding a bench. People in paddle boats spin circles in the lake. Found it, a good looking bench. I seat my
self and unstrap my bag. Rip into the baguette with my teeth which is soon followed by a slice of salami. A session of intense chewing is followed by a surge of diet coke down to my stomach. Relaxing more now. Deep breathes slow everything down. I begin to appreciate where I am, so far away from home, from everything I love. A Twinge of sadness creeps in and it mixes with the joy in my heart. This time is a somber one. Silent. Thinking. Dreaming with my eyes open.
Hope that was suitable for everyone. Feel free to ask any questions if I left out something important out. My head is swimming right now. Thanks for reading, I will be writing about once a week in a similar format but with more pictures!
Sincerely yours,
Patrick
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