"Same difference"

Hello everybody! Sorry it has been a while since I last wrote, but I have been busy experiencing the world and getting adjusted to everything here. Plus, I have been in class! When starting to write this blog, I was not exactly sure what I should write about. However, something that I have been trying to work through is making sense of the things here that are similar yet different than what I am used to.

FIRST: Pizza

Pizza? That is your first topic, Kjerstin? Why, yes it is. Pizza is wonderful. It's a comfort food, it goes great with a sports game, and it is delicious for every meal. As a college student, I have become accustomed to having pizza at least once a week whether it be in the Mensa (school cafeteria) or ordered from one of the five pizza places that we have in town. Now you may be wondering, how can pizza really be that different? When I ordered my first pizza here in Córdoba, I was shocked when instead of normal tomato sauce, my sauce was something like a combination of tomato paste and onions. Instead of the shredded mozzarella cheese, it was fresh mozzarella. I took my first bite and thought, "This isn't pizza!" 

Now it's time to reevaluate. Of course it's pizza. It just happened to take a different form than the greasy, meat-loaded, delicious food I am accustomed to. I think initially when I came to Argentina, I felt like I would continue to live the way I was accustomed to, just in another country. I need to adapt to the changes here and try something new. I may not like everything that comes my way, but that is how I will learn and develop in my life.

SECOND: Family

This was more expected - with my sociology background and all. However, of course, Argentina has decided to throw a change-up at me. For starters, I live just with my host sister for the first week because my host mom and her two youngest children were on vacation in Buenos Aires. For that first week, I was a fish out of water as my host sister gave me the freedom to eat whatever I wanted from their kitchen and do whatever I wanted to do whenever. I had no idea what I was doing! I did not know what food was what and I was expecting a family who would be strict on meals and eating together and would be more traditional. The traditional Latin Family tends to be patriarchal in which the father works and the mother does everything else - cook, clean, take care of the kids. I have learned that I am living with a "modern" family of Argentina. My host mom (twice divorced) is busy trying to keep up with her five (yes, five) kids that range from the ages of 7 to 20 as well as make a living for her family as a lawyer. She is very relaxed upon what I do and respects my needs for food - I can eat when I need to and I do not have to eat anything I do not like. Of course, I am not going crazy with this freedom that I am not as used to in a home setting. I still have my own freedoms while abiding to the rules of the household.

The lovely kitchen of my house

In the same category as family, dinners are a unique experience here in Argentina (yes, talking about food again). For one, usually the family does not eat until at least 9:00 PM if not later. When the family finally does get together, dinner usually lasts for a minimum of 45 minutes (and that is on the shorter side). The family uses dinner to talk, relax, enjoy the food, and enjoy the presence of one another. Unlike dinner at my house which is orderly as we wait to hear everyone take their turn to tell about their day, throughout the meal everyone talks at the same time, talking over one another and having separate conversations. I cannot keep up at all. However, everyone seems to know what is going on all the time. I find it simply amazing! All the talking keeps me awake and attentive. I find it comforting as well that there is a time for all the family to come together to enjoy delicious food! I feel like that tradition is being lost in the United States because of how much people have going on in their lives. It really shows to me how important family is here. Is it possible to start sacrificing a little time that is spent on Facebook or the television to follow in the footsteps of the family-oriented Argentinians? I am not saying that one group of people is better than another, but I feel that we can all learn from one another.

THIRD AND FOURTH: School and Transportation

These will be more short and sweet. Today I was warned that school may be a rude awakening for me for my one class at la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Teachers will not let me know when classes are cancelled, I will have to use the copy machine to get a homework assignment, and there will be MANY more people in a class than I am used to. In a school of 120,000 students, classes are bound to be large. That means that unlike some people I know who sleep in until 10 minutes before their class, I may need to arrive 30-45 minutes in advance to get a seat up front where I can hear. How do you feel about that, Wartburg friends?

Drivers are speedy and crazy in comparison to what we are all used to. Lines sometimes seem optional at times and people are no real obstacle. WARNING: You take your life into your own hands when you cross the street. However, I would rather be walking than driving (as is the general consensus from people I have talked to from around here). Other than walking, people generally take the bus. I still haven't figured the bus system out yet, but I enjoy walking! Taxis are expensive, but have come in handy as a last minute option.

This is just a small glimpse into my life right now. I really want to experience more before I tell all my stories :)

This blog post, especially the family section, is dedicated to my Uncle Brian who died yesterday morning.