Staring and sprinting down the runway...

Dear Readers,
The last article you read was rather frusturated as the news of the school closures and my frustrations with conceptions of time domintated that blog. At that time the governement was starting to shut down the essential institutions of Argentina due to the swine flu, something that is never seen in the US. A good example of this difference of style is a message I recieved from the embassy stating that US citizens in returning to the states in time for the fall season should stay in good health, along with various messages about washing your hands and which medicines to take if you are sick. Despite all of our bullying and terrible foreign policy overseas, our lack of good healthcare etc., I have found through this experience that I appreciate more our government not overhyping pandemias (Instead we overplay National Security)...It was in this context that I wrote to you...the frustrations of running out of time, and not being able to add in person all of the emails of my professors in my contact book!.

AS I WAS PUBLISHING THE LAST BLOG HOWEVER...my father said that he had already arranged for me to meet with the President of the University of La Plata and the Director of Institutional Relations to discuss asking a certain United States Intellectual to come to the UNLP (and to talk about my experience in Argentina and interest in Politics). The meeting went very well and I received the email for the director of Institutional Relations, and so whatever the results of my efforts on the official buisness, certainly I should be able to facilitate something between UT and this world renowned University (Rene Favloro came from the UNLP). The Next day hours before my trip we went to go visit the Street 30 house, where the dictatorship in a show of force in their new regime, surrounded the house and killed everyone inside. The museum was very moving and brought to life the crimes of the state (which the US eventually funded).

I then left for Resistencia Chaco to meet up with my exchange group to travel to Iguazú here are some highlights of that trip:
1. Met a very freindly girl on the Bus to Resistencia and we talked for the 12 hours of the trip (which was especially comforting because when I met her I had suddenly chaged buses).
2. The Volunteer Luis Falcon was hilarious.
3. Lawerence from New Zealand shared exchange experiences.
4. Added more contacts.
5. Found out that I missed my host family as if they were my family in the states.
6. Great views and over a hundred pictures of JUST Iguazú.
7. The glass of beer after every dinner late at night.
8. The aquarium

The most annoying part of the trip occured during Iguazú where I overheard United States' tourists trashing Argentina and making fun of Spanish even though they can not speak any Spanish and turning around and saying that all Americans that try to speak Spanish are wasting their time...and that "at least they went to Iguazú so that their trip to Argentina was worthwhile". This is American Tourism I guess...
Well I know where my reverse culture shock will come from.
I came back Thursday morning to La Plata to the house of Manuella where I:
1. Debated with Mormon missionaries.
2. Translated the conversation between my father and host father.
3. Called Max for Manuella to practice her German.

I probably will start saving money when I get home for a vacation to Argentina to visit...I am sure that the most expensive part of the trip would be the flight...because me and my dad know how to "live of the land" with the regards to spending, and we would already have stuff to do...
I cannot wait to return to the US and share my experiences about Argentina.

Another exchange student asked me if I would ever want to go back to my country that he would NEVER want to go back. I thought to myself "not only is this defined as false cultural adjustment, it implies that going back to the US cuts connections with Argentina". I replied that having done what I needed to do that I have no desire to wish for what not is, and that I would rather focus on how to meld the two distinct cultures as I travel in between the two countries during my life (God Willing).

Looking down the runway at DFW (figuratively) I see this not as the end of an experience, but simply a new begining (it is even more this way with Facebook and Email and Skype). There are no regrets if you have done what you needed to do.

John I hope you will sometimes let me use Skype.
Max I would love to go to La Duni to speak with the Argentine owner.
Yes dad I will save money for our return trip to Argentina.
Yes Nathaniel I got a mate in April as a gift from my adviser as a late birthday present.
Sorry Jimmy I am more Socialist not less.

Sincerely,
Fellow Citizen of the World,
Travis Knoll

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Part of trip: AFS Foreign Exchange

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