My Argentina Adventure

I haven’t written on this blog in a long time, but I wanted to share some thoughts on how exchange has influenced my thinking and actions long term. It has been over a year since I returned from my exchange to Argentina, and I can’t say that I talk about it in detail all that much, though I mention it pretty often. I still speak Spanish, though it is getting a little rusty. I am attending the University of Oregon as part of the Clark Honors College, and I love it here!

So how has exchanged prepared me for college, or changed the way I think about college? Mostly, exchange left me a step above as far as independence, as many said it would. When someone asked me if I have been homesick in college yet, I almost laughed out loud. Why would I be homesick in a place where I know people, where I speak the language, where my family is an hour and a half away? But it does happen to many people, which is something I hadn’t thought about. I also know how to navigate and ask questions, do my own laundry, and monitor my own budget and time. For many people, college is the first time they’ve been away or had to deal with those responsibilities.

Quick disclaimer: In our big Rotary Facebook group, some people post screenshots of their friends who are so upset about their long distance relationship where they live 30 minutes away, or people being so sad and dramatic about leaving for college. These people are silly, it seems, to be so worried about so little, when as an exchange student you have survived so much more. While I agree and I sometimes feel this way, I do not promote or suggest that because of being an exchange student I have the right to judge other peoples’ circumstances as they head off to college. If this is your first time away from home and you are upset, that is in your right and I dislike that some exchange students publicly shame others for it.

Part of why I chose to go to the University of Oregon was because of the diversity and the number of activities there are to do here. I can join a rowing team, a community service club, the pro-choice club, the sailing team, take classes in hip-hop, meditation, or kickboxing, among a thousand other things. I went on Monday to a Spanish circle simply to practice, and was surrounded by others speaking French, Mandarin, Arabic, Portuguese, and more. (If you are interested in more about the UofO you can message me privately.) And something that exchange gave me in a more subtle way is the ability to be alone and to be okay with it. I don’t feel like I need a friend accompanying me at all times to all events. I can navigate my way and show up by myself. In fact, some of my favorite moments in life are when I am off by myself – like I am off the charts, like no one has to know where I am or what I’m doing because I can do it on my own.

Stay tuned for another post about my exchange and Anthropology (which is my current major)!

One big difference between Argentina and the United States that occasionally bothers me is that of transportation. While this is not true for all cities in the US, it is the difference I have felt being home for 9 months now. 

In Argentina, everything is flat, which is of course the result of the place and the surrounding environment. Because it was flat, I was able to ride my bike (that my host family let me borrow) basically anywhere I needed to go. They also have motos -- like motorcycles but less hardcore. The kids drive them around and don’t even need a full license in order to drive it. On top of that, there is good public transportation in most towns, as well as micros that take people from city to city. In Argentina, you can get by without a car, given that you have a bike or moto. Even better, the city is set up with kiosks in a way that the distance to get milk, break, or basic necessities is likely less than a block -- any larger distance is going to be to an event or friends house. 

In contrast, here where I live in the US, it is incredibly difficult to get by without a car. I have been slow getting my license, and it have been difficult finding rides to and from places. The distances are walk-able but just barely -- from school to home takes me more than 30 minutes. To the grocery store is even farther, and there isn’t a closer place that I would be likely to buy milk or bread. Because of the hills and our population, bikes are nearly impossible, and the public transportation system is essentially unused, and not practical for getting me to my house. 

I made this video for a Spanish project so it's all in Spanish, but there are subtitles and pictures if you want a 3 minute overview of my exchange! 

Yesterday we had our rebound orientation, now that we are all back! 

There are about 35 of us in the district that were outbounds in 2013-2014. We had orientations before going, so we were all pretty close, plus we've had a facebook group. These are some great people and they have helped me a lot this year. For the record, every single one of us finished our exchange. Not one of us went home early or were sent home early, which is a pretty big deal! 

We arrived yesterday at 3PM. We got together with our country officers who asked us all some questions about our exchange, our districts and clubs, and any feedback we might have. We also did a group "no filter" circle to discuss some of the worst and best parts of our exchanges with each other. 

A rebound who went to Switzerland about 10 years ago came and did a presentation to us about what we can do next to stay in touch and involved with Rotary. Of course there are options like RYLA, Interact, Rotaract, and Rotary itself, which I do plan to stay involved in and do. 

What Jen announced, along with the other officers, is that we will be starting a Rotex group! (Rotex- Rotary Exchange) We will be promoting Exchange, helping the outbounds and inbounds to and from this district, and doing community service projects. Our year will be the founding year! In a few weeks we will be electing the committee and organizing.

For my language learning followers! 

How to have faith that everything will work out, and how to ask for help when I need it

One thing that I learned is how to have faith that you will reach your destination. Everything will be okay. As an exchange student or traveler, you might get into sticky situations. You are lost in your city, you miss your flight, you can'f find something or someone, you have to prepare a speech. In these situations that may cause panic, you need to see the bigger picture. 

One way to do this is to play the "Worst Case Scenario" game effectively. By effectively, I mean that the worst case scenario is always death or something to that extreme. But let's take out those ridiculous ones. You are lost in your city. Worst case, you don't make your way home and you sleep on the street, but even that's an extreme. Worst case, you have to walk into a store and ask to borrow someone's cell phone, or ask someone for directions. One way or another, however it works out, this moment will pass and you will get home. This can  be applied to anything in life. Let's take school presentations. Worst case, you pee your pants or something equally embarassing, but that's highly unlikely, too. Really, the worst case is that you mess up, you get a word wrong, you skip something. But are any of those worth getting THAT worried about? 

One way or another, everything will work out and you will find your way.

5 things that happen when you get home from foreign exchange.

I am starting what will probably be a series on some ideas and qualities I learned while on exchange.

#1 Each moment is a moment, each day is a day, and it will all come and pass.

Before going on exchange, I had problems with always living in the future. "Someday, things will be great and I will graduate and go to college and get married ad be happy and and and...." The motivation was for a day far in the future, and all the sacrifice would eventually pay off. In Argentina, I tried to learn to live and enjoy each moment. 

You have those dates in your head. September 24 I am leaving on exchange. It starts as a future date, and before you know it, it's September 24th. it doesn't feel like you thought it would. It isn't dark and scary- it is just a collection of moments. You pack, you drive to the airport, you say goodbye, you get on the plane, the plane takes off. That was your someday, your distant idea, and that someday became real individual moments. Now, more than 9 months later, that someday is passed and it's a memory. 

Good times will end. Bad times will end. I learned to (or have gotten better at) not wishing the day would pass just to be closer to a someday. When that someday was coming home, it was less looked forward to. But that date, too, came and passed in moments and is a memory.

Now I can choose a new someday- graduation. While it seems so far off, I now that each day will pass as a day, each hour will pass as an hour, and then that will be me, once again living in live moments what was only a someday a year before.

Everyone speaks English! All the time! I have accidentally spoken Spanish quite a few times already, especially when I just wake up. 

The amoung of technology- Everyone has iPhones and is constantly taking pictures for Snapchat and Instagram. 

How light it is, and time differences. (See my last post.)

Not greeting people. I knew this would be weird, but I always feel weird saying goodbye without a cheek kiss. 

Streelights are black instead of yellow, and road signs are really small.

People actually stop at stop signs and obey traffic rules.

Doorknobs and the water controls in the shower feel really short.

We have carpet in our house and it is not weird to walk around barefoot.

The knives aren't very sharp and I'm not sure how you can cut meat with them.

Thee difference in time between Oregon and Argentina is four hours. For example, when it is 4PM in Oregon it is 8PM in Argentina. This is not very much, so I actually didn't come home jet lagged or tired. 

I got home around 10AM on Wednesday, and stayed awake all day until bedtime. One of the first things I did was watch Argentina play in the World Cup! I have already unpacked my suitcases and cleaned out my room with three big boxes to donate to Goodwill. I think I learned to live with less stuff, because coming home to so much clothing was overwhelming. My initial reaction was that I didn't want or need any of it. 

As far as jet lag, I am not overly tired. I feel fine with what time it is- the weird part is what is going on at what time. I came from winter, where the sun comes up at 8 and goes down around 6. Here, the sun comes up at 6:30 and goes down around 9:30. I have woken up at about 6:30 every morning because it is so light outside! 

It's also just different because we do things at different times. It is very weird to be eating at 6:30, when it is perfectly light out. We go and do our errands around 1 or 2 instead of at 5 or .6. I am up in the morning at 8 or 9 instead of 11:30. Social events start at 7 and end by 10.

For now I feel fine here, because it's like everything is new again. I am excited about seeing everyone again and giving out my gifts. I am sure I will crash in a few weeks when things get boring, though.

Here are my plans:

I leave tomorrow night at 9:20 from the bus terminal here in Pico. I arrive to Buenos Aires Tuesday at 7AM, and some Rotarians are going to pick me up (the same guys from my first day). My plane leaves Buenos Aires at 10PM. Wednesday morning I arrive in Dallas Texas, I have a short layover and I arrive in Portland Wednesday mid-morning. 

I am not going to post again until I am in the US, because I will be without wifi and without time.