Hello all,
Today is the first day of Ramadan in Morocco, and I am excited to experience this awesome cultural event! I have done a lot in the past 10 days, and I feel bittersweet knowing that I only have a few more days until I return home.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
مباركرمضان - Ramadan Mubarak!
Hello all,
Today is the first day of Ramadan in Morocco, and I am excited to experience this awesome cultural event! I have done a lot in the past 10 days, and I feel bittersweet knowing that I only have a few more days until I return home.
Monday, August 2, 2010
una montaña rusa emocional
This past week has been an emtional "montaña rusa", or roller coaster, of highs and lows. I have been impressed, frustrated, excited, nervous, exhausted, stressed, confused, satisfied, curious, touched, and encouraged, among other feelings, and have surely learned the importance of "thinking of the good times, not the bad."
After my time spent in the North Argentina indigenous lands among the poorest of the poor, I took the opportunity to travel to the famed Iguazu Falls. For those of you who know nothing about this natural beauty, here is the wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls. Basically, it is Niagara Falls times 10. maybe times a hundred. After the long, stuffed bus-ride and seemingly never-ending trek to find a cheap hostel with free beds and internet access, I took yet another bus to the site of the falls, where I could already feel the mist of the forest. Having been in the dead of winter for the previous month, I welcomed the change of temperature and climate. Compared to the dry desert of Mendoza, this place felt as if it were raining all the time. After paying my discounted price (I told them I had an Argentine residence and showed them my study abroad card - and they accepted it!) I sauntered into the national park, ready for the ropes and chains and security that i so plainly remembered from my high school church trip to Niagara. But what I saw was minimal safety measures and wooden platforms with a simple railing so close to the falls that if you came up to the edge, you were sure to be drenched. Walking on the path to the central point, I noticed the thriving flora and fauna of this place, in particular the monkey-raccoon-anteaters that my friends and parents had warned me about. As a careless traveler, I let my bag with my orange and peanut-butter-banana sandwich hang at my side, and before I could react, one of these little creatures was tearing at the bag. With others watching and jumping, I snatched the bag off of the ground with the animal attached by the mouth, and shook it violently until the creature released its grip and sulked away. Normally I am not this intense with animals - in fact, I usually timidly sneak around and try my hardest not to disturb them - but this was my peanut-butter-banana sandwich he was after. And let me tell you, the two things that are not available in Argentina, which I bought in Chile and rationed out for the next 10 days, are peanut butter and sliced bread. He could take my orange, but he was NOT going to take my prized commodities.
Shortly after this episode, camera in hand, I approached the first bridge to take my first glance at the waterfalls that so many had raved about. I was excited to see the beauty and wonder of these falls, but as I approached the edge of a platform and looked out into the vast range of water falling all around, I became overwhelmed with awe. I had seen pictures, but they are nothing compared to the experience of experiencing these falls. The breeze through your hair mixed with the mist on your skin, the rich and heavy sound of water rushing past you with impenetrable force, the scent of forest plants and tropical air filling your nose make he Iguazu Falls so incredible. With more hiking, picture-taking, and occasional snacking, I ran into two girls I met at the hostel earlier that day. They were on their second day at the falls, and having just interned for 8 weeks in Paraguay were making a trip to see this hopeful New World Wonder. We discussed the different falls and took pictures of one another, and they introduced me to the "Devil's Throat," the most famous of all of the sections of Iguazu because of the sheer pressure and quantity of water, and full of myths and legends. Named the Devil's Throat because of the mist that eternally rises from the depths of the falls, it looks as if the Devil is breathing from the underworld. It is, to put it mildly, incredible. Times like these make me think of the awesome opportunity I've been given to experience these powerful sites.
A special opportunity I had during my time at Iguazu was to go on the "Full Moon" tour of the Falls. It is only offered during the full moon of each month, and I, by chance, had come during a full moon. Those of us who signed up for the tour crowded into a train and rode to the Devil's Throat, already knowing the power of it but excited to see it in a different light. The two most beautiful parts of this tour were the way the moon shown off of the water, turning it white, and the fact that there were less than 20 of us, engulfed in this uncrowded and strangely peaceful part of nature, stars shining alongside the full moon without a hint of light pollution. Though marketed as a romantic night to remember, instead of looking into the eyes of a lover, I was able to stare into the figurative eyes of God.
After my mini-vacation I took another long bus to Buenos Aires, to spend an action-packed week full of reading about, then exploring, then interviewing, a variety of governmental, non-profit, and religious officials who work in the fight against poverty. I will not bore you with the specific stories, but I invite you to read my final report once I have compiled all of the research into an essay overview. On the morning of Monday, July 26, with my two backpacks and plastic bags I stumbled into the Subte (Metro) station, and as I sleepily and awkwardly paid for my $1.10 ticket with a $10 bill, someone, through all of the hustle-and-bustle, managed to take my wallet out of my pocket. I did not find this out until much later, but after retracing my steps and learning about that part of town from friends, I realized that the Subway station is where someone made a pretty penny. I had recently taken some bills out of an ATM, and had my Driver's License and only plastic form of payment in my wallet, so needless to say it was (and still is) a bit of a hassle to cancel my card, order a new one (and Driver's License), and figure out what to do for the rest of the trip. Thankfully South America partners up with the US to deliver funds from home to a "Banco Frances," and I was relieved at how easy it seemed to just use a code and a passport to receive money wired to me from my parents. But little did I know, even after spending 5 months in the country, that Argentina's banks, like their government, are extremely inefficient and surprisingly bureaucratic, not to mention the fact that everything opens an hour later than they say yet closes promptly at 2pm. After multiple trips form one government agency to another to prove I was who I said I was, I gave up and decided to use the much easier yet far more expensive Western Union. What a pain.
Another setback was the fact that though I had multiple contacts with whom I had arranged meeting, 9 out of 10 times they were either late, forgot about it, or hadn't checked their e-mail in a while and assumed I would not want to talk to them anymore. And the worst was when someone asked for payment for a 15 minute interview. I know I was given a stipend for use this summer, but I don't remember budgeting for "interview fees." With all of this, there were some great interviews and interesting stories: a meeting with a friend who recently made a documentary on non-profits in Argentina, one with a company owner, and contacts with doctors, priests, and a goverenmental aide (though low on the food chain) about the 2010 Mercosur conference on the Millenium Development Goals (http://www.undp.org/mdg/) in Buenos Aires, the 2001 economic crisis, and the recent government corruption in falsifying statistics on poverty and unemployment.
It was great to see some UNC-ites as well in Buenos Aires. I spent much of my time with two Morehead-Cain scholars who are on their public service summer, and they introduced me to their host family and friends. I also spent time with a good friend Daniel Sircar, and reflected on time spent in this country. A Morehead alumna, Anna Marshall ('09), treated me to coffee at the famous Cafe Tortoni, where we delved into conversation and discussion ranging from the difficulties of vegetarianism to gender expression in Argentina, among others. As we kept telling stories and sharing points of view, the time for coffee was up, so we walked along the street and decided to go for pizza. After more discussion we resolved to end with some sweets (obviously with dulce de leche involved) filled with food in our bellies and thought in our minds.
Now in Montevideo, Uruguay, I await my flight to Sevilla, Spain, where I will try to decipher the difference between South American, North American, and European approached to tackling the ever-important issue of poverty. I am sure there will be plenty of adventures to tell soon!
Until next time,
Will
After my time spent in the North Argentina indigenous lands among the poorest of the poor, I took the opportunity to travel to the famed Iguazu Falls. For those of you who know nothing about this natural beauty, here is the wikipedia site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls. Basically, it is Niagara Falls times 10. maybe times a hundred. After the long, stuffed bus-ride and seemingly never-ending trek to find a cheap hostel with free beds and internet access, I took yet another bus to the site of the falls, where I could already feel the mist of the forest. Having been in the dead of winter for the previous month, I welcomed the change of temperature and climate. Compared to the dry desert of Mendoza, this place felt as if it were raining all the time. After paying my discounted price (I told them I had an Argentine residence and showed them my study abroad card - and they accepted it!) I sauntered into the national park, ready for the ropes and chains and security that i so plainly remembered from my high school church trip to Niagara. But what I saw was minimal safety measures and wooden platforms with a simple railing so close to the falls that if you came up to the edge, you were sure to be drenched. Walking on the path to the central point, I noticed the thriving flora and fauna of this place, in particular the monkey-raccoon-anteaters that my friends and parents had warned me about. As a careless traveler, I let my bag with my orange and peanut-butter-banana sandwich hang at my side, and before I could react, one of these little creatures was tearing at the bag. With others watching and jumping, I snatched the bag off of the ground with the animal attached by the mouth, and shook it violently until the creature released its grip and sulked away. Normally I am not this intense with animals - in fact, I usually timidly sneak around and try my hardest not to disturb them - but this was my peanut-butter-banana sandwich he was after. And let me tell you, the two things that are not available in Argentina, which I bought in Chile and rationed out for the next 10 days, are peanut butter and sliced bread. He could take my orange, but he was NOT going to take my prized commodities.
Shortly after this episode, camera in hand, I approached the first bridge to take my first glance at the waterfalls that so many had raved about. I was excited to see the beauty and wonder of these falls, but as I approached the edge of a platform and looked out into the vast range of water falling all around, I became overwhelmed with awe. I had seen pictures, but they are nothing compared to the experience of experiencing these falls. The breeze through your hair mixed with the mist on your skin, the rich and heavy sound of water rushing past you with impenetrable force, the scent of forest plants and tropical air filling your nose make he Iguazu Falls so incredible. With more hiking, picture-taking, and occasional snacking, I ran into two girls I met at the hostel earlier that day. They were on their second day at the falls, and having just interned for 8 weeks in Paraguay were making a trip to see this hopeful New World Wonder. We discussed the different falls and took pictures of one another, and they introduced me to the "Devil's Throat," the most famous of all of the sections of Iguazu because of the sheer pressure and quantity of water, and full of myths and legends. Named the Devil's Throat because of the mist that eternally rises from the depths of the falls, it looks as if the Devil is breathing from the underworld. It is, to put it mildly, incredible. Times like these make me think of the awesome opportunity I've been given to experience these powerful sites.
A special opportunity I had during my time at Iguazu was to go on the "Full Moon" tour of the Falls. It is only offered during the full moon of each month, and I, by chance, had come during a full moon. Those of us who signed up for the tour crowded into a train and rode to the Devil's Throat, already knowing the power of it but excited to see it in a different light. The two most beautiful parts of this tour were the way the moon shown off of the water, turning it white, and the fact that there were less than 20 of us, engulfed in this uncrowded and strangely peaceful part of nature, stars shining alongside the full moon without a hint of light pollution. Though marketed as a romantic night to remember, instead of looking into the eyes of a lover, I was able to stare into the figurative eyes of God.
After my mini-vacation I took another long bus to Buenos Aires, to spend an action-packed week full of reading about, then exploring, then interviewing, a variety of governmental, non-profit, and religious officials who work in the fight against poverty. I will not bore you with the specific stories, but I invite you to read my final report once I have compiled all of the research into an essay overview. On the morning of Monday, July 26, with my two backpacks and plastic bags I stumbled into the Subte (Metro) station, and as I sleepily and awkwardly paid for my $1.10 ticket with a $10 bill, someone, through all of the hustle-and-bustle, managed to take my wallet out of my pocket. I did not find this out until much later, but after retracing my steps and learning about that part of town from friends, I realized that the Subway station is where someone made a pretty penny. I had recently taken some bills out of an ATM, and had my Driver's License and only plastic form of payment in my wallet, so needless to say it was (and still is) a bit of a hassle to cancel my card, order a new one (and Driver's License), and figure out what to do for the rest of the trip. Thankfully South America partners up with the US to deliver funds from home to a "Banco Frances," and I was relieved at how easy it seemed to just use a code and a passport to receive money wired to me from my parents. But little did I know, even after spending 5 months in the country, that Argentina's banks, like their government, are extremely inefficient and surprisingly bureaucratic, not to mention the fact that everything opens an hour later than they say yet closes promptly at 2pm. After multiple trips form one government agency to another to prove I was who I said I was, I gave up and decided to use the much easier yet far more expensive Western Union. What a pain.
Another setback was the fact that though I had multiple contacts with whom I had arranged meeting, 9 out of 10 times they were either late, forgot about it, or hadn't checked their e-mail in a while and assumed I would not want to talk to them anymore. And the worst was when someone asked for payment for a 15 minute interview. I know I was given a stipend for use this summer, but I don't remember budgeting for "interview fees." With all of this, there were some great interviews and interesting stories: a meeting with a friend who recently made a documentary on non-profits in Argentina, one with a company owner, and contacts with doctors, priests, and a goverenmental aide (though low on the food chain) about the 2010 Mercosur conference on the Millenium Development Goals (http://www.undp.org/mdg/) in Buenos Aires, the 2001 economic crisis, and the recent government corruption in falsifying statistics on poverty and unemployment.
It was great to see some UNC-ites as well in Buenos Aires. I spent much of my time with two Morehead-Cain scholars who are on their public service summer, and they introduced me to their host family and friends. I also spent time with a good friend Daniel Sircar, and reflected on time spent in this country. A Morehead alumna, Anna Marshall ('09), treated me to coffee at the famous Cafe Tortoni, where we delved into conversation and discussion ranging from the difficulties of vegetarianism to gender expression in Argentina, among others. As we kept telling stories and sharing points of view, the time for coffee was up, so we walked along the street and decided to go for pizza. After more discussion we resolved to end with some sweets (obviously with dulce de leche involved) filled with food in our bellies and thought in our minds.
Now in Montevideo, Uruguay, I await my flight to Sevilla, Spain, where I will try to decipher the difference between South American, North American, and European approached to tackling the ever-important issue of poverty. I am sure there will be plenty of adventures to tell soon!
Until next time,
Will
Friday, July 23, 2010
Una semana loca
Hola a todos! I'm in Resistencia, in the province of Chaco, Argentina right now, with internet for the first time in quite a few days! It has been a crazy week, starting with a sad goodbye, and since then there have been festivals, unexpected trips, food-robbers, and a voyage to every hotel in town.
I have gotten to know the feeling of an omnibus (the most common form of transportation in Argentina) and have perfected the sleep-upright-while-avoiding-contact-with-the-lady-next-to-me position, while munching on the preserved sandwich served at 11pm. I have now watched movies ranging from "It's Complicated" (chick-flick) to "Taken" (action-thriller about abduction of young people in a foreign country - not the best thing for me to watch, I must say), both with subtitles and dubbed with Spanish voices. I also now know that feeling that so many backpackers speak of when they speak of the strange feeling that all of their belongings are strapped to their body. Moving from place to place has its fair share of adventure, but has already made me want to take a break. I have had some trouble talking to some contacts, from meetings falling through to a surprise holiday when the entire city shut down to a detoured bus ride. The cool part is that I was able to focus the research portion of this week on poverty among the riches. That is, whenever there is a festival, the rich come. And whenever the rich come, so do the poor. In Chile, a holiday means no work, for anyone, and I still don't know what exactly they were celebrating.
Though I planned to head to the province of Chaco on Monday, no buses were able to make it to the city, so I spent 2 days in Catamarca, where Argentina's only winter festival was being held, a festival celebrating indigenous life and culture. It was interesting to witness this festival, because though it was celebrating the people who were traditionally subdued, put down, and forced into poverty, those who spent the most money on the celebrations were the ones whose ancestors forced these people into their separate communities. The hear the point of view of the mayor of Catamarca City, Catamarca contrasted with that of the chief of the Huarpes tribe fascinated me, that through history books and oral history two very different tales came to be. And though lined with a slight layer of tension, the festival served as a great opportunity to experience yet another culture in Argentina.
As I said, I am now in Chaco, in the capital city of Resistencia, the sculpture capital of the world, where yet another festival is being held, accompanied by contests and lectures. If I knew (or cared, for that matter) anything about sculpture, I'm sure I would know how lucky I am to experience the Bicentennial edition of this event. But instead, I sit, brooding over my lost sandwich that a stray dog stole, the oil stains that somehow appeared on my nice khaki pants, and the hotel shopping I did around town. Mind you, none of these hotels have websites, and even if they did, my computer battery managed to die - I'm talkin', dead, for good - so I couldn't look online. Hostels are not even in the question, as Chaco has absolutely nothing to give to an Australian, European, North American, or even local tourist (minus the sculptors and their enthusiasts). I took a bus instead of a taxi into the center of town, half to save the 75 extra cents and half to prove I could, and stepped off around a group of hotels. I had a map, but obviously no prices, and each hotel insisted that their price was the cheapest and that they knew of no other hotels in the area. So I took my 2 backpacks and 2 plastic bags and walked the 30-40 blocks (total) to each and every hotel in town. As I approached each building, I saw the prices, one more expensive than the other. I paused, wondering what lesson God was trying to teach me - not to be cheap? Settle with what I have? Don't push my limits? As I rounded the last corner, out of hope and ready for another starburst break (those things got me through the day), I walked into the luxor hotel, and found it: the Holy Grail of cheap 1-star hotels. for only eleven dollars, I got a full bed AND my own bathroom, and wi-fi and TV in the common area, all next to the central plaza! Then I realized the lesson: count my blessings. Twice. Everything looks so much better and nicer and cheaper compared to their ugly counterparts. This goes for people as well, as the receptionist, though not exactly happy, was at least willing to look at me without laughing at the immense amount of baggage I had surrounding me.
As I said earlier, I'm already ready for a break, and a break I shall take. I head off tonight to the world-famous Iguazu Falls, to apparently experience the awe-full sights and sounds of this tropical wonder. Hopefully it shall be another reminder of all of the things I should be thankful for, and how truly awesome this experience has the potential to be.
Until next time,
Will
I have gotten to know the feeling of an omnibus (the most common form of transportation in Argentina) and have perfected the sleep-upright-while-avoiding-contact-with-the-lady-next-to-me position, while munching on the preserved sandwich served at 11pm. I have now watched movies ranging from "It's Complicated" (chick-flick) to "Taken" (action-thriller about abduction of young people in a foreign country - not the best thing for me to watch, I must say), both with subtitles and dubbed with Spanish voices. I also now know that feeling that so many backpackers speak of when they speak of the strange feeling that all of their belongings are strapped to their body. Moving from place to place has its fair share of adventure, but has already made me want to take a break. I have had some trouble talking to some contacts, from meetings falling through to a surprise holiday when the entire city shut down to a detoured bus ride. The cool part is that I was able to focus the research portion of this week on poverty among the riches. That is, whenever there is a festival, the rich come. And whenever the rich come, so do the poor. In Chile, a holiday means no work, for anyone, and I still don't know what exactly they were celebrating.
Though I planned to head to the province of Chaco on Monday, no buses were able to make it to the city, so I spent 2 days in Catamarca, where Argentina's only winter festival was being held, a festival celebrating indigenous life and culture. It was interesting to witness this festival, because though it was celebrating the people who were traditionally subdued, put down, and forced into poverty, those who spent the most money on the celebrations were the ones whose ancestors forced these people into their separate communities. The hear the point of view of the mayor of Catamarca City, Catamarca contrasted with that of the chief of the Huarpes tribe fascinated me, that through history books and oral history two very different tales came to be. And though lined with a slight layer of tension, the festival served as a great opportunity to experience yet another culture in Argentina.
As I said, I am now in Chaco, in the capital city of Resistencia, the sculpture capital of the world, where yet another festival is being held, accompanied by contests and lectures. If I knew (or cared, for that matter) anything about sculpture, I'm sure I would know how lucky I am to experience the Bicentennial edition of this event. But instead, I sit, brooding over my lost sandwich that a stray dog stole, the oil stains that somehow appeared on my nice khaki pants, and the hotel shopping I did around town. Mind you, none of these hotels have websites, and even if they did, my computer battery managed to die - I'm talkin', dead, for good - so I couldn't look online. Hostels are not even in the question, as Chaco has absolutely nothing to give to an Australian, European, North American, or even local tourist (minus the sculptors and their enthusiasts). I took a bus instead of a taxi into the center of town, half to save the 75 extra cents and half to prove I could, and stepped off around a group of hotels. I had a map, but obviously no prices, and each hotel insisted that their price was the cheapest and that they knew of no other hotels in the area. So I took my 2 backpacks and 2 plastic bags and walked the 30-40 blocks (total) to each and every hotel in town. As I approached each building, I saw the prices, one more expensive than the other. I paused, wondering what lesson God was trying to teach me - not to be cheap? Settle with what I have? Don't push my limits? As I rounded the last corner, out of hope and ready for another starburst break (those things got me through the day), I walked into the luxor hotel, and found it: the Holy Grail of cheap 1-star hotels. for only eleven dollars, I got a full bed AND my own bathroom, and wi-fi and TV in the common area, all next to the central plaza! Then I realized the lesson: count my blessings. Twice. Everything looks so much better and nicer and cheaper compared to their ugly counterparts. This goes for people as well, as the receptionist, though not exactly happy, was at least willing to look at me without laughing at the immense amount of baggage I had surrounding me.
As I said earlier, I'm already ready for a break, and a break I shall take. I head off tonight to the world-famous Iguazu Falls, to apparently experience the awe-full sights and sounds of this tropical wonder. Hopefully it shall be another reminder of all of the things I should be thankful for, and how truly awesome this experience has the potential to be.
Until next time,
Will
Sunday, July 18, 2010
El fin de un capitulo, la empieza de un otro
So it's "el fin," or the end, officially, of my stay with my host family today, and as I sit and reflect on the past 4.5 - 5 months with this family, it is strange to think about how I felt about them at the beginning: strangers who didn't pick me and who I didn't pick. We simply ended up together, hoping the other wasn't strange or high maintenance or mean. But today, the sentiment was completely different. I said goodbye and watched as my host mom started to cry, my host dad stopping his constant joking for a second to clear his throat and wish me safe travels, and my host sister taking a pause in her fervent argument with me to give a quick hug and a kiss. Gladys, who helps around the house, stopped making the potato pie with salad and milanesa (bread chicken) to wish me safe travels and tell me she was going to pray for me. What I had come to call "home" was getting smaller as I walked away, a backpacker's backpack on my back and a student's backpack around my front, carrying 4 plastic bags because I couldn't fit everything into my luggage, and a cheese-jelly sandwich in my mouth, the last of the delicious food my "mama" had shoved down my throat the past 5 months. Feeling quite emotional walking away from street Saint Mary of Gold and my Mendozan life, I needed something to put things into perspective and some time to think and write, so I did the only thing I knew to do: drop by an internet cafe/heladeria (ice cream shop) to eat some more and go on the computer. Boy will I miss the sweets of Mendoza and Argentina.
But the good thing is I still have some time left in Argentina to scoop up more dulce de leche ice cream, accompanied by the mini-cake aka alfajor aka little piece of heaven that Argentina is so known for. I have recently started my International Research summer, the third segment of the four summers generously subsidized as part of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship at UNC. My research is part sociological, part economic, based on poverty and the different ways that government, NGOs, and individuals treat those who are impoverished around the world. Already having experienced days speaking with individuals who are either impoverished or those who tirelessly work to better the lives of these people in Asia and North America, my goal was to go to every continent to investigate the intersection between human behavior, classism, culture, and economy. I have been able to perform "case studies" of the culture in Ban Phao, Laos (see previous blog entries), Washington, DC, the Triangle area of North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia in the US, Mendoza, Argentina, and Valparaiso and Santiago in Chile. My next step is Chaco, Argentina, the poorest province of the country, plagued with local government corruption, deforestation, destruction of indigenous way of living and society, and continuous problems with child labor and sex slavery. After that, I'm off to the beautiful Iguazu Falls (a new natural wonder of the World, Niagara Falls on steroids), then to visit friends and work for a week in Buenos Aires. I will also visit and work with friends who have connections with non-profit organizations in Montevideo, Uruguay, and on August 3 I head to Sevilla, Spain, to step foot on the 4th continent I've been to in a little over 1 year. I have a few connections in Spain, and plan to travel to Morocco (marking continent number 5!) until August 16th, when I will take my tired and traveled body back to Cary, North Carolina, with a home-cooked meal, laundry machine, and family waiting for me (hint, hint, Mom, Dad, and brothers). I am constantly amazed at how much I have been blessed, to be able to have the finances, time, and wonderful friends that have helped me be able to travel and change and learn and grow so much.
Speaking of growth, since last blog post, I certainly have grown. As I said, I was planning on running a marathon, and spent my first weekend in a hostel, ending the long weekend with the 42K (26.2) mile run. It was a struggle, but I got through it in around 3 hours and 40 minutes. Though from mile 15 to mile 26 I swore I would never run again and cursed my masochistic self for signing up for this hell, but at the 26.2 mile finish line, my attitude completely reversed. If I don't control myself, I might become obsessed with running marathons. It is a feeling like no other. The satisfaction and joy of completing the race, couple with the bananas, Gatorade, and medal, minus the excruciating pain in my leg muscles and uneasy digestion system, is compared to few others. I was able to meet people who were also running the marathon, and the bond was interesting, how we were able to spend so long conversing simply because we were both going to experience this race. I also made friends with other travelers at the hostel. For those of you who have experienced the hostel culture, you know what I mean when I say the hostel culture is, for lack of a better word, unique. A 30 year-old will come up to a 19 year-old, introduce himself in whatever language he sees fit, and the 19 year-old will invite him to dinner with the 2 others he is traveling with. A Frenchman and an Australian will bond over a hatred for a certain alcoholic drink popular within the community, and locals who are traveling for a three-day weekend will go out with foreigners traveling for 3 months. I was able to make a million connections, and was definitely in my element. Now I have connections and contact information for a 40 year-old man who lives with his mom in Southern Argentina, a Coloradoan guy who works in a Chilean ski slope, 4 collegiate females from Buenos Aires, and an Australian-Indian who offered me to stay in his house in Sydney in the future (which I totally plan to do). I thought I was going to meet Lance Armstrong, but he decided not to run the race because of some stupid thing called the Tour de France; but instead I met one of the top 5 marathoners in Argentina, who chatted with me about everything from politics to health and fitness over none other than a quarter-pounder McDonald's cheeseburger. But hey, if you run that much and that fast, you can eat whatever you want.
Classes ended, as well as the program, with an Almuerzo de Despedida (Goodbye Lunch) at a lush hotel. Afterward some friends and I went to about 5 of my favorite dessert/croissant places to say goodbye to the owners who by now knew me, not by name, but as "hombre que nunca termina" - the man who is never finished. Goodbyes are always so strange to me. In fact, I do whatever I can to avoid the goodbye. I always end it with a "see you soon," know that I, in fact, will most definitely NOT see them soon or a "can't wait until you visit me" promising that we OBVIOUSLY will have the time, money, and freedom to travel the hundreds or thousands of miles to see each other. I get awkward and fiddle with my hands and squirm so that I don't have to hug goodbye, and usually go for the thumbs-up or the high-five, because I'm afraid that one more hug will break me into pieces. Of course, this is all subconscious, and I don't think about the actually meaning of "Have a good life" until hours later, curled up on an airplane or a bus trying to keep every memory of that person or place alive so it will stick forever.
So see you soon, can't wait until you visit me, and until later,
Will
But the good thing is I still have some time left in Argentina to scoop up more dulce de leche ice cream, accompanied by the mini-cake aka alfajor aka little piece of heaven that Argentina is so known for. I have recently started my International Research summer, the third segment of the four summers generously subsidized as part of the Morehead-Cain Scholarship at UNC. My research is part sociological, part economic, based on poverty and the different ways that government, NGOs, and individuals treat those who are impoverished around the world. Already having experienced days speaking with individuals who are either impoverished or those who tirelessly work to better the lives of these people in Asia and North America, my goal was to go to every continent to investigate the intersection between human behavior, classism, culture, and economy. I have been able to perform "case studies" of the culture in Ban Phao, Laos (see previous blog entries), Washington, DC, the Triangle area of North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia in the US, Mendoza, Argentina, and Valparaiso and Santiago in Chile. My next step is Chaco, Argentina, the poorest province of the country, plagued with local government corruption, deforestation, destruction of indigenous way of living and society, and continuous problems with child labor and sex slavery. After that, I'm off to the beautiful Iguazu Falls (a new natural wonder of the World, Niagara Falls on steroids), then to visit friends and work for a week in Buenos Aires. I will also visit and work with friends who have connections with non-profit organizations in Montevideo, Uruguay, and on August 3 I head to Sevilla, Spain, to step foot on the 4th continent I've been to in a little over 1 year. I have a few connections in Spain, and plan to travel to Morocco (marking continent number 5!) until August 16th, when I will take my tired and traveled body back to Cary, North Carolina, with a home-cooked meal, laundry machine, and family waiting for me (hint, hint, Mom, Dad, and brothers). I am constantly amazed at how much I have been blessed, to be able to have the finances, time, and wonderful friends that have helped me be able to travel and change and learn and grow so much.
Speaking of growth, since last blog post, I certainly have grown. As I said, I was planning on running a marathon, and spent my first weekend in a hostel, ending the long weekend with the 42K (26.2) mile run. It was a struggle, but I got through it in around 3 hours and 40 minutes. Though from mile 15 to mile 26 I swore I would never run again and cursed my masochistic self for signing up for this hell, but at the 26.2 mile finish line, my attitude completely reversed. If I don't control myself, I might become obsessed with running marathons. It is a feeling like no other. The satisfaction and joy of completing the race, couple with the bananas, Gatorade, and medal, minus the excruciating pain in my leg muscles and uneasy digestion system, is compared to few others. I was able to meet people who were also running the marathon, and the bond was interesting, how we were able to spend so long conversing simply because we were both going to experience this race. I also made friends with other travelers at the hostel. For those of you who have experienced the hostel culture, you know what I mean when I say the hostel culture is, for lack of a better word, unique. A 30 year-old will come up to a 19 year-old, introduce himself in whatever language he sees fit, and the 19 year-old will invite him to dinner with the 2 others he is traveling with. A Frenchman and an Australian will bond over a hatred for a certain alcoholic drink popular within the community, and locals who are traveling for a three-day weekend will go out with foreigners traveling for 3 months. I was able to make a million connections, and was definitely in my element. Now I have connections and contact information for a 40 year-old man who lives with his mom in Southern Argentina, a Coloradoan guy who works in a Chilean ski slope, 4 collegiate females from Buenos Aires, and an Australian-Indian who offered me to stay in his house in Sydney in the future (which I totally plan to do). I thought I was going to meet Lance Armstrong, but he decided not to run the race because of some stupid thing called the Tour de France; but instead I met one of the top 5 marathoners in Argentina, who chatted with me about everything from politics to health and fitness over none other than a quarter-pounder McDonald's cheeseburger. But hey, if you run that much and that fast, you can eat whatever you want.
Classes ended, as well as the program, with an Almuerzo de Despedida (Goodbye Lunch) at a lush hotel. Afterward some friends and I went to about 5 of my favorite dessert/croissant places to say goodbye to the owners who by now knew me, not by name, but as "hombre que nunca termina" - the man who is never finished. Goodbyes are always so strange to me. In fact, I do whatever I can to avoid the goodbye. I always end it with a "see you soon," know that I, in fact, will most definitely NOT see them soon or a "can't wait until you visit me" promising that we OBVIOUSLY will have the time, money, and freedom to travel the hundreds or thousands of miles to see each other. I get awkward and fiddle with my hands and squirm so that I don't have to hug goodbye, and usually go for the thumbs-up or the high-five, because I'm afraid that one more hug will break me into pieces. Of course, this is all subconscious, and I don't think about the actually meaning of "Have a good life" until hours later, curled up on an airplane or a bus trying to keep every memory of that person or place alive so it will stick forever.
So see you soon, can't wait until you visit me, and until later,
Will
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Comida, comida, COMIDA!
With two more months of Argentine experiences under my belt, I have become used to most of the customs of this culture: canceled class for elongated holidays or World Cup games, nights that turn to morning with both young and old awake and partying, and subsequently an abandoned city every day during siesta from 2pm to 5pm each day, but the one thing I am still surprised and excited about week to week is the food. Some days what gets me up is the thought of a good meal with good dessert. Some examples of the deliciousness of Argentine food: home-made ice cream on every corner, alfajores (imagine super-awesome moon-pies with dulce de leche inside), lomos (a huge slab of fried meat on arabic bread), milanesa (breaded beef), drinkable yogurt, and every kinda of breakfast pastry you could think of. My parents recently visited, and my mom put it very well, in between bites of "bon-bon" (vanilla ice cream covered in a chocolate shell and chocolate syrup), noting that "Those Argentines love their sweets. I think it would be dangerous for me to live here for over a month. Everything would go straight to my hips." In fact, as I right this post, I am munching on bread and crackers with cream cheese, soon to be followed by the maid Gladys's famous rice patties. After I told them about my trip to Asia last year, my family has started making more and more rice dishes. Thankfully I enjoy rice, but my complaint of having to eat rice for every meal in Laos must have been lost in translation and taken as advice on what dishes I like the most.
To combat the seemingly inevitable weight-gain that occurs after eating loads of carbs, sugar, and fat, I have been training for my first marathon. I have not been following the suggested schedule, which has made my parents a bit worried, but nevertheless next Monday, June 21, I plan to run the race in Rosario, Argentina. The race is on Argentina's Flag Day, and the city is where the flag was first sewn, so it should be an interesting place to be. AND Lance Armstrong is apparently running the race as well! Hopefully there will be pictures of us together on the next post! Once again, the only reason why I am even allowed to run this race is because we do not have class on Monday. Though technically Flag Day is Sunday, they decided to cancel class the following day for good measure. This makes at least 5 days of class canceled for bicentennial events, holidays, or World Cup games.
Argentina celebrated 200 years of the patria, directly translated as "fatherland," this year on May 25, and though many people traveled for the long weekend, I chose to stay here and celebrate with friends in a city I knew. Also, friends came to visit, one, Taylor, who is studying abroad in Valparaiso, Chile, and another, Caroline, who sings in my a cappella group and was visiting Taylor. We had tons of fun walking around town, eating, catching up, biking around wineries, and going out. They stayed in my host family's house because we have an extra room, which my host mom was more than happy to offer, because she grew up in the city where Taylor lives. I have decided that I enjoy serving as a host to visitors, because I can give an insider's view of the city, as well as explore parts of the town that I never get around to exploring.
As I briefly mentioned, my parents also came to visit last week, which they will tell you was definitely full of ups and downs. Though they experienced a multitude of travel difficulties, we were able to spend quality time together, the first time in quite a long time - maybe ever - that I got my parents all to myself, and vice versa, without other people and activities to distract us. It has been fun talking and discussing with my parents at this next stage in my life, because it becomes less of an authoritarian relationship and more of a mentorship. Though Mom still occasionally gives unwanted advice and I admittedly still back-talk every now-and-then, the vast majority of the time we spend discussing the future, developing political and personal views, and sharing stories. They spent 4 days in Buenos Aires, where I met them, slept in a SUPER nice hotel, and explored the capital city of Argentina. We went to the Casa Rosada (their White House) where Evita Peron gave her speeches, an antiquities fair in another part of the city, a busy pedestrian street market, a Tango show, and a variety of art exhibits, but by far the best thing we did was attend a concert at Teatro Colon, the newly renovated (as in one-week new!) concert hall of Buenos Aires. It is the second largest in the world, and is compared to Carnegie Hall or the Kennedy Theater, though bigger and now, much more beautiful. The performers were amazing, with acoustics that perfected the sound.
After I left to go back to class in Mendoza, my parents rode an omnibus the the Iguazu Falls - magnificent natural waterfalls on the border of Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. They had a blast and convinced me to go after I finish the program here. After Iguazu and a couple of travel delays later, my parents met me in Mendoza, where we ate traditional Mendozan meals, went out with some of my friends, learned about the making of and tasted different types of wine in a local wine vineyard, and played at the orphanage. But my favorite part was the asado (bar-b-que, but MUCH better) my host family cooked for my parents. We ate until we were full, then ate some more, while speaking in two different languages. I tried to translate in between bites, which served as an interesting way to converse with my two families. This visit was an exciting way for me to share what I have been experiencing for the last few months, as well as a much-needed vacation for my hardworking parents.
Only a month left in Mendoza before I start traveling around the world again to start research on non-profit and governmental agencies and the ways in which they address poverty. More to come on my summer later!
Will
PS e-mail, or even snail mail, is always welcome! :)
PPS I forgot to add some fun events: I had a fun birthday week, full of parties, people, and of course, FOOD! I also ran a "Maraton" 5k and came in 4th place in the city! I climbed the "Hill of Glory" for the second and third times with the visitors, and went to the last local soccer game in Mendoza this year!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Muchas cosas para hacer!
What a whirlwind of a time this has been! After writing the latest post I became engulfed in many, many things and honestly forgot. Because so much has happened, I will make a list of 20-ish things. PLEASE ask/email/Skype/Facebook me with questions for me to expand on any of the things listed below - I would love to talk more about any of it!
In no particular order:
1. Some random girls who used to study abroad here and now live here threw a pool party! With a lot of great food, especially meat!
2. There was a "fugon," or bonfire, with the organization "Amigos del Mundo", which connects study abroad students, past and present, from different countries, but I helped out at my sister's birthday party instead. It was her 16th, but here instead of throwing a big party, she and her friends looked at all of the pictures from her 15th birthday party. To which 200 people came. Crazy!
3. Apparently the word "maraton" does not mean marathon. I was pumped because everyone kept talking about hte "maraton," so I was training to run it - only to find out this past week that "maraton" means 3-mile fun run. Oh well, good for the health, right?
4. I went to an asado a my neighbor's house (his third 50th birthday party) the other day. The food was AWESOME, the people were nice, and the chocolate cake was homemade! I met one of his brothers, and he greeted me by saying "Hola, Boca o River?" Boca and River are the names of 2 soccer teams in Argentina. Apparently there was an important game on that day. When I had trouble deciding which was the best answer for him not to hurt me, my sister jumped in and said "Boca, por supuesto" or "Boca, of course." It was a close one, and we became friends after the (apparently correct) answer.
5. We have gone on many excursions, pre-paid, and the most recent one was the wine tour. The director is good friends with one of the employees, so we got extra special treatment, great food, a free tango lesson (I must say I was pretty good) and went to an art festival (kinda like Lazy Daze, for you Cary-ites). It was a great time!
6. I have found the best way to meet argentines, especially in class. I come up to someone, look at them with a blank stare, and plead for help. After about the third time, someone will respond and help me, and voila: a friendship formed.
7. My classes are great! My "intensive Spanish" class is just us talking about life for 4 hours a week, and getting graded on how well we drink "mate" (mate is like tea, only much more cultural, and you pass it around. there are rules to the mate and meanings to different flavors!) or how much food we bring to class to share. My chorus class has met a total of 3 times, starting 1.5 hours late twice and only 20 minutes late the most recent time. Oh, Argentina. But the class and music and people are great. I also tried to take piano, but there was a mix up. I talked to one person and thought it was going to be great, with music and everything, but everyone was too busy. Oh well...
8. My Sociology class is quite interesting, though much harder because it is in Spanish. I was called out because they were talking about a Sociologist from the US. We also talked about Marx, when I found out that I was the only person in the class (of about 100 people) who supported capitalism.
9. My other class, Regional Development, has to do with studying poverty, 2nd and 3rd world countries, GDP, and more. I am in the concentration that studies children within undeveloped countries. With this, I also volunteer at an orphanage, called "Brazos Abiertos," or "Open Arms."
10. I have come to love the orphanage, although at times it is depressing, tiring, or frustrating. Depressing because there seems to be a lack of hope, especially in the adults, for a change in the cycle of poverty. Tiring because I am the only male influence (other than an adolescent who stays there and takes on a role of an older brother) so all of the ninos either want to play soccer or read with me, climb on me or hit me. Or all of the above. At the end of the semester those of us in the Childhood Poverty class will write a grant for the orphanage/food kitchen. I don't have class on Thursdays and Fridays, so I walk the 2.5 miles to the place, play with the kids and help them with homework and help serve food, etc. about 3 hours a day (maybe more, who knows!) and run home, carrying my jeans in my hand. Resourceful, right? On Saturdays I go to do more work with things - organize the library, pick up dangerous glass and screws (they are in the middle of "construction" and have been for 2 years now) and clean. I'm sure I'll have many stories to tell!
11. I have gone out a lot, but not nearly as much as the Argentines. They are crazy! Obviously, wine is big here, and there are 2 beers that are known here, neither of which I like (not a fan of carbonation). Then there is a liquor that you mix with coke and that tastes like a pine forest in your mouth, called "Fernet," which everyone loves - including me, if there is a TON of Coke. We always go to the one street, called Aristedes, in Mendoza that doesn't close at 12 (it is open until 5am).
12. I went to a reggae bar, squished in a car of some newly-made friends. It was someone's birthday, and they didn't want their cake, so one of us came up to them and asked for it. We received a huge, free chocolate-with-chocolate-mousse-to-die-for-ate-half-of-it-by-myself cake in exchange for a picture with them.
13. During two of the Saturdays, I accompanied dad to work. He said it was because he needed me, but all I did was learn spanish words for different tools, a trial-and-error mechanism after he would ask for the thing. I was a little helpful moving big, awkward things (he assembles jacuzzi baths and showers. My mom sells them. Cute, huh?) but other than that, my job was to pass him things, mainly his cigarettes and Coke.
14. I have met many people, most recently exchange students from UC-Davis. Someone came up to me and said "Wow, you speak really good English!" thinking I was Argentine. What did I say in response? "Gracias."
15. I went to a free modern dance concert last night and a free movie, "Goodbye Solo" tonight. The modern dance was SO COOL and the movie was set near Blowing Rock! How crazy that I'm in Mendoza watching a movie about my state!
16. I went to a meeting for AIESEC, a club for students who want to do things internationally. I was very late, and the best part was free orange juice from McDonald's.
17. It is a full moon tonight, and we received an email about an excursion to a hill to watch it, but as is custom here, no one knew, so it didn't happen.
18. Sunday I'm going on the next program excursion, casa de cocinar, where I will attempt to learn to cook. I am a little sad because I will be doing this instead of going to the mountains with my madre, who invited me after I agreed to go!
19. I had a friend over for dinner, the sister of someone who studied abroad in the same house last year. She is doingthe same program. They have a Mexican mom, their dad is a Spanish professor, and they have lived in Spain for multiple years. Needless to say, my Spanish does not compare to his. I quote "I think you are the person most like a little boy in all of the exchange students we have had." Thanks parents...
20. I have an address! It is:
Will Thomason
c/o José Mostafá
Institute for Study Abroad
Rivadavia 122 7°76
5500 Mendoza, Argentina
21. I forgot! For Holy Week, I went to Chile and stayed with UNC alumni in their home. I was in Santiago, Valparaiso, and Vina del Mar (where I got totally sunburned!!!). SO WONDERFUL!
Also, my 3 year-old cousin left with her mom to go to their home in the US.
I've climbed hills, been through mountains, gone to rivers, beaches, zoos, parks, and vineyards. Life is so great here, I am so blessed!
Please update me on your lives!
Also, e-mail me your address if you would like a postcard!!!
Sorry for the length, I promise to write more often! Please check out my Facebook pictures, and e-mail/snail mail me if you get the chance!
-Will
Friday, March 19, 2010
¡Adios Estados Unidos, Hola Argentina!
Hey y'all, here I am again! Another country, another culture!
Right now I am at my aunt and uncle's house (which is the host family of my good friend Walt, the only person I knew before coming here), about 7 blocks from home, writing because I rarely receive internet connection at my house. I have been in Argentina since February 24, and in Mendoza since February 26. Today marks exactly 5 weeks since I left my house in the States, and my house in Argentina has started to feel a little bit like another home.
On mornings right after I get up, sitting in the living room of my home in Mendoza, Argentina, listening to the TV (which is always on), the maid Gladys cleaning the kitchen, and my 15 year-old sister (Maria Emilia, Emi for short) chatting on the phone, I think about the common thread in many families, no matter where they live. The transformation from "place of residence" to "home" always takes a while, whether from my house in Cary to college, college to Laos, or from my cousins' basement to Argentina.
Quickly, an update about life before the plane-ride to Argentina. Last semester was great, and I made some final decisions: to study abroad, NOT to major in Economics, and to concentrate on Business and Spanish.
Because the study abroad program started in late February, I worked with an awesome non-profit refugee resettlement program in Durham (Church World Service, known for the Crop Walk) in January and February. The people who I met, both clients and (especially) those who I worked for, were inspiring and taught me a lot, both conventionally (how to use certain documents, etc.) and unconventionally (through conversations, and through their actions). I was able to work with everything from Job Development to finding housing, and everything in between, and I am so grateful that they patiently showed me different roles and jobs in refugee resettlement. What a fulfilling place to be able to spend these two months!
Highlights of the past 5 weeks have been traveling around Buenos Aires, visiting the residence and grave of Evita Peron, the birthplace of tango, and a national futbol (soccer) stadium, among other beautiful places. After the first week in Mendoza, we went to San Rafael, where we hiked, swam in a lake, white-water rafted, and ziplined. I also traveled to natural hot springs for a day, and went to Cordoba with my friend Walt and stayed with a UNC alumni and his Argentine wife. I have met many people, locals, travelers, and other exchange students through going out at night, classes (some of which started this week!!!), and the program.
My host family is so kind and patient, and full of life. With 2 parents, a daughter, another older daughter with a boyfriend who visit every other day, a maid/worker/cleaner, an aunt, and a little cousin, as well as friends and family visiting frequently, there is not a lot of silence in the house. My first night in Mendoza was spent at my padre's surprise 50th birthday party, where my 15 year-old sister belly-danced, and they sang karaoke.
The food is AWESOME here, but there is not a lot of snack food, so I have found myself either eating bread or buying a lot ice cream and "dulces", anything sweet. But when it comes to lunchtime or dinnertime, there is enough for seconds and thirds, and even with my stomach, we are very much satisfied after the 2+ hours spent eating.
I am about to travel by bus to Chile for "Semana Santa," or Holy Week, where I will be starting my summer research on the evolution of Spanish music in Latin America, and visitng Santiago, Valparaiso, and Vina del Mar, where my host family is from (and where their siblings still live).
Hasta luego!
-Will
Right now I am at my aunt and uncle's house (which is the host family of my good friend Walt, the only person I knew before coming here), about 7 blocks from home, writing because I rarely receive internet connection at my house. I have been in Argentina since February 24, and in Mendoza since February 26. Today marks exactly 5 weeks since I left my house in the States, and my house in Argentina has started to feel a little bit like another home.
On mornings right after I get up, sitting in the living room of my home in Mendoza, Argentina, listening to the TV (which is always on), the maid Gladys cleaning the kitchen, and my 15 year-old sister (Maria Emilia, Emi for short) chatting on the phone, I think about the common thread in many families, no matter where they live. The transformation from "place of residence" to "home" always takes a while, whether from my house in Cary to college, college to Laos, or from my cousins' basement to Argentina.
Quickly, an update about life before the plane-ride to Argentina. Last semester was great, and I made some final decisions: to study abroad, NOT to major in Economics, and to concentrate on Business and Spanish.
Because the study abroad program started in late February, I worked with an awesome non-profit refugee resettlement program in Durham (Church World Service, known for the Crop Walk) in January and February. The people who I met, both clients and (especially) those who I worked for, were inspiring and taught me a lot, both conventionally (how to use certain documents, etc.) and unconventionally (through conversations, and through their actions). I was able to work with everything from Job Development to finding housing, and everything in between, and I am so grateful that they patiently showed me different roles and jobs in refugee resettlement. What a fulfilling place to be able to spend these two months!
Highlights of the past 5 weeks have been traveling around Buenos Aires, visiting the residence and grave of Evita Peron, the birthplace of tango, and a national futbol (soccer) stadium, among other beautiful places. After the first week in Mendoza, we went to San Rafael, where we hiked, swam in a lake, white-water rafted, and ziplined. I also traveled to natural hot springs for a day, and went to Cordoba with my friend Walt and stayed with a UNC alumni and his Argentine wife. I have met many people, locals, travelers, and other exchange students through going out at night, classes (some of which started this week!!!), and the program.
My host family is so kind and patient, and full of life. With 2 parents, a daughter, another older daughter with a boyfriend who visit every other day, a maid/worker/cleaner, an aunt, and a little cousin, as well as friends and family visiting frequently, there is not a lot of silence in the house. My first night in Mendoza was spent at my padre's surprise 50th birthday party, where my 15 year-old sister belly-danced, and they sang karaoke.
The food is AWESOME here, but there is not a lot of snack food, so I have found myself either eating bread or buying a lot ice cream and "dulces", anything sweet. But when it comes to lunchtime or dinnertime, there is enough for seconds and thirds, and even with my stomach, we are very much satisfied after the 2+ hours spent eating.
I am about to travel by bus to Chile for "Semana Santa," or Holy Week, where I will be starting my summer research on the evolution of Spanish music in Latin America, and visitng Santiago, Valparaiso, and Vina del Mar, where my host family is from (and where their siblings still live).
Hasta luego!
-Will
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