A Traveler's Tale

Hello everybody! Welcome to August! Life has been busy down here in Argentina lately with a couple trips outside of the city.

GENERAL VILLA BELGRANO

My first trip, one that almost every student who comes down to Argentina does, was a day trip to Villa Belgrano with my favorite person from Kosovo, Liza. Villa Belgrano is a European town - more specifically, it's German. It's such a cute town. The architecture and decorations and very German and it did not feel like we were in Argentina still. Plus, the town was very proud of the beer it brews (in which we took a brief visit to the small brewery). 

The main attraction in Villa Belgrano for the month of July was the chocolate festival. At the chocolate festival there were many different booths filled various types of chocolate in numerous forms (bars, truffles, cakes, covering fruits, or in a fountain to dip whatever we wanted in the chocolate). It was delicious - so hard to resist! I ate various types of chocolate as Liza and I watched a children's comedian. I had no idea what the comedian was saying half of the time, but all of his exaggerated hand gestures and facial expressions helped so much! Part of me thinks that spending more time with children could actually help me learn more because of the simple exaggeration of the language. 

 In addition to the chocolate festival and sight-seeing around the small, German town, I really enjoyed the views of nature. Here in Córdoba, there nature is hard to come by. There are a few trees, but it is rare to see grass, flowers, or anything green. Sometimes, that makes me feel a little sad because I love spending my time outside. The scenery around Villa Belgrano reminded me so much of home with the hills. Even though I am halfway across the world, I can feel like I have my own refuge to go to that reminds me home. 

 

 

 

 

BUENOS AIRES 

The trip to Buenos Aires was arranged by my program (CC-CS). We took a 10-hours bus ride (overnight) to the country's capital. Buenos Aires is HUGE. There were so many people and so many places to go. It made me feel insignificant. 

La Cancha, Buenos Aires

The first place that we went to once arriving in Buenos Aires was Plaza del Mayo. It is at Plaza del Mayo that the grandmothers and mothers of the people who were kidnapped by the government 30 years ago. Many women were kidnapped when they were pregnant.  It is rumored that many of them gave birth while they were being tortured and that their children were then given to the families of the government members. As much as I wanted to, I really wanted to understand the pain of the country at this place but I couldn't. It is not something that I can just insert myself into. Plaza del Mayo represented the pain of the entire nation. I was lucky enough to be able to see where history is though.

Another area that we visited was La Cancha, the fútbol (soccer) stadium. It was amazing. I have never really liked fútbol, but I loved every minute of my time in La Cancha. There was so much passion that I could feel. I could feel the excitement of the game as I walked in. I wanted so badly to be part of everything. It is one thing that I can bring from home here to Argentina: my passion for sports. I can cheer and get caught up in the fútbol fever. Even though the Olympics are on right now, those games are not as important as they are in the United States. People do not know about other sports other than fútbol. More or less the only opportunities they have had have been to play fútbol. THAT is what Argentina really cares about. That is why I was so happy to be there. CULTURE.

ANTES DE MORIR...

 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with what the phrase "antes de morir" means, it means "before I die." One day, I was walking throughout the city, and all of a sudden, I came face to face with a site of beauty. An entire wall was painted black with large white words going across the top saying "ANTES DE MORIR..." Below this bold title, there were smaller phrases of "antes de morir __________" all along the wall. In the spaces, people wrote with chalk what they want to do before they die. I could have just stared at this wall for hours because it was filled with such insight and hope. The sad part is that I do not have a picture of it. When I was walking by the wall today, people were in the process of repainting it. I am not sure if they were doing so to create a new message or to cover up graffiti on the wall. 

 

 Some of you may know that my uncle, Brian Lewis, died Monday morning at the age of 53. I find this theme very suiting to remember him but also to remember why we are here. I am never a person who likes to suddenly talk about how much everything means to me after a tragedy happens because I believe that we should always appreciate everything we have - sometimes we are just too blind to see what is right in front of us. However, I would like to take the memory of my uncle and challenge you all to follow the lead of the random people of Córdoba. We can make our own bucket list. Please write a comment of what you hope to do before you die. Now, fill in the blank. 

 

Antes de morir, I would like to ______________.

 

The wall has done more that just make me think about my uncle. It allows me to think about all the wonderful opportunities that I have. When I was reading the responses on the wall, I saw ideas such as "find love," "travel the world," or "find peace" (of course all of those answers were in Spanish). Initially, when I thought of what I would write down, I was not sure. I have a loving family that supports me. I have the ability to get a great education at an institution that I love. I am healthy. I am IN ARGENTINA FOR SIX MONTHS - I have had the opportunity to travel the world! Part of me wants to say that antes de morir, I would like to see beauty take different forms throughout the world. Is that specific enough? What do I actually want to DO? Additionally, my service trip training kicks.

 

 I do not believe that I can answer that question right now though. I believe that my adventures will come to me as time goes by. Since I have had such luck in my life now, I believe that I will be bound for more excitement. For now, I want to focus on the what I want to do here in Argentina. Before I leave Argentina, I would like to travel to various areas of the country to get a sense of all that the country has to offer. I would like to observe various customs and get a sense of how people interact and celebrate. I would like to figure out who I am in all of this. I would like to contribute to Argentina rather than just sitting and learning from the books. I want experiences. Before I leave, I want to have stories to tell and pictures to show.

 

 I really don't have much more to share right now - I will save stories of my adventures for later. The rest is up to you. So. What will you do before you die?

 

 

 

"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.

 

Day Number One

 

I should start off by saying - I MADE IT! I am in my new home for the next six months. It is completely unbelievable that I will be here for this long. From the brief tour of the city of Córdoba I had today, I think I can adapt to living here. Probably one of the most comforting parts was flying here and seeing all the mountains in such a closer reach. It feels like home (or I should say where I grew up). Instead of being in such a foreign place, this city can be like my territory I am used to, only on the other side of the equator!  

Day one is probably the most difficult of all the 

days in a trip. Why do you ask?

FIRST - Travel 

It's always challenging. Whether it be a delayed flight, lost baggage, passport trouble, a kid kicking your seat, or a smelly plane, something always goes wrong. It's so frustrating because most of the time, the problem is completely out of a person's control! For me, I always try to be prepared, so when an issue comes up, I can be easily frazzled. Now, I am not going to rattle off all of the issues I had coming down here, because I don't want to discourage anyone from taking the opportunity. It's just that a person should be aware that for a day, they need to give up their pride and do what is asked of them. 

An unusual lesson I have learned about travel though is how easy it is for people in the United States to have the ability to visit various countries. Now, I am not saying that every family can just drop a hat and go whenever they want - not at all. However, I see my friend from a small country in Europe trying to get approval to come to Argentina and her visa keeps getting rejected time after time because something is missing here and she needs to do something there. Absolute chaos. What if she doesn't get an opportunity to participate in this program simply because her country is not as credible as the United States?

When I asked her how she dealt with all of the stress of not having her visa accepted after months of trying. She said that she was used to not being recognized because of her country's status but it is alright because she loves her country. Additionally, she mentioned that if she is meant to be in the program, it will happen. So another tool to have when traveling is faith to know that everything will work out in its own way. 

What else gets under my skin during the first day of 

a new life? 

SECOND - Culture Shock

This should not be a surprise to anyone. Anybody who has done extensive traveling will know that culture shock can wear a person down. Of course, I thought I would be prepared. I believed I had enough competence to pull it through. However, before even leaving the airport in Córdoba, I was just ready to sit down and cry. As I was having problems, figuring out whether or not I would actually be able to enter the country, the initial language barrier was so difficult. The accents here are quite different from the ones I am used to hearing at school, in Costa Rica, or at my field experience. Plus, the speed is so fast, that my head still feels like it is spinning a little bit from trying to comprehend everything. When I would ask people in general around here to repeat what they said, a lot of the time they would just say it in English. Yes, that can be quicker and possibly more helpful, but that is not why I am here. I am here to expand my Spanish and the first step in doing do is having to work through some tough conversations. I think part of that process will be me having to establish with people that even though they want to work a little bit on their English, I would prefer for them to stick to Spanish. For a while I might feel like the obvious tourist, but I want to develop to a girl who can function on her own in this new city.

What intimidates me when I am wanting to be brave?

THIRD - "New Kid" Syndrome

The Andes Mountains

Yes. That is right. "New Kid" Syndrome. I definitely made that up BUT it emanates how I initially feel. I am the girl who sticks out because people don't recognize me. I am invited to make myself at home and be myself, but it is hard when I feel like I am intruding on people's already established lives. Am I supposed to be friends with certain people? Is it encouraged to do more with my "family" so I can get bearings before completely jumping in? Plus, there is a certain loneliness that I have with my first day. I am settling in and am tired and need time to personally reflect on my current situation. I am without all of my friends and family from home - it's up to me to be the creator of my new life. While I am sitting here on the couch, I am just itching for it to start. I can't wait to start meeting people and getting into a routine. For now, I will accept that I am just lucky to be here.

Now I did not write this to complain about my day. It hasn't been a bad day. It's just been new. I can relate this process to climbing a mountain (like the Andes!). The change is scary, but it's the journey to reaching the top that really makes an impact. So as I am sitting here, figuring out what I should do for the night, I appreciate the opportunities and know that I have the strength to make it through! 

I will continue to share all of my experiences here so stay tuned! And I'm Kjerstin, signing off for the night.

How does a person know when they are really ready to do something?

Thinking about the experiences ahead, I can't help but wonder if I am ready to start a new chapter of my story. Have I practiced enough Spanish to get by? Can I conquer the fear of messing up in my speech? Will my family like me? Will I have the necessities packed? Is there a sign when the world says, "Yes, Kjerstin, GO"? I have said that even though I don't know what my next step is always going to be, the world will guide me to it. If this is the case, how come leaving is making me so anxious?

A huge part of preparing for Argentina that has been difficult for me to come to terms to is accepting that I am leaving parts of my life behind and putting them on hold for six months. I have learned to be relatively independent from my family - being two states away in Iowa - so that is not as much something I worry about. My family (hopefully) trusts me to make the right decisions and take care of myself and I think the same of them. However, after leaving home, I have created this wonderful life at school where I have friends and responsibilities. I know this may sound so cliché and typical (when I try my hardest to not follow "the norm" and be my own person), but I am going to miss all that I have worked up to create at school - my job, my friends, my relationships with professors, my leadership positions. Just coming to Córdoba for a semester forced me to choose between advancing my life in Iowa and going and doing something different. I don't like giving up things that I want so badly!

How do I solve this fear? People keep telling me that I will be having so much fun, that I will forget how much I miss everything and love what I am doing down in Argentina. Well, that doesn't help me so much right now! I know, I want instant gratification and that seems a little petty. How can I not think about everything I love when all my life will be for the next week and a half is just preparing for my travels? 

 The boys and I at the MS Open in Austin, MN

Something I will miss very much is the B-52s (my college's Ultimate Frisbee team pictured below). I have been voted co-captain for next year as one of the two girls on the team! Great, right? But that's right, I have to wait until halfway through the season to be with my team. As much I will miss the boys, they helped me accept my departure. Last weekend, after finishing a tournament in Minnesota, I had to say good-bye to everyone and I was absolutely dreading it. However, as I gave each teammate a hug, instead of saying good-bye to me, they all told me, "See you later, KJ," or, "See you in the winter, KJ." They didn't say good-bye to me because they know as well as I do that I'll be back. As I am exploring Argentina and improving my language skills, they will still be living their life just as they would with or without me. Of course, a few things might have be different, but otherwise, when the time comes for me to return to the team, I know they will be there for me.

So as I am preparing to leave my home, family, and friends, I will say "see you later" to the people I care about. There is no need to dwell on what I will be missing because I will back and I will be ready to get back into all my various activities. No need to mourn. Even though life may not be the same for me, the world has told me that Argentina is the place I will need to be so I'll let the world take care of me and my life when I get back.

Hello everyone! For the readers who aren't familiar with who I am, my name is Kjerstin, a community sociology and Spanish double major. I am preparing myself for a dynamic change as I will immerse myself into the culture and lifestyle of Córdoba, Argentina for six months. I am filled with a cornucopia of emotions - excitement, fear, nerves, and hope. Where will my time in Argentina lead me? Only time can tell.

I feel like I have a unique story that makes me more inclined to travel. I was born in Norway, lived in Texas and Oklahoma shortly, grew up in Colorado, and attend Wartburg College in Iowa. I feel like at a minimum, I have experienced various climates. However, there are other reasons why I feel like I am a born world traveler. My parents are both from the United States - Minnesota and Ohio. However, they met one another while they lived on their own in Norway. My grandpa has been to SIX of the SEVEN continents - the only one left being Australia. I, myself, have traveled to seven countries so far (Norway, Sweden, Puerto Rico, Haiti, St. Martin, Ecuador, and Costa Rica). It's in my blood! I have been attracted to the opportunity to become breathless at beautiful scenery amazed by the various cultures.

 When I started college, I knew that I wanted to travel but I didn't know where. There is an entire world to go to! However, after being influenced by my wonderful advisor (shout out!) to join the Spanish program, I started to reevaluate my options. During my week-long visit to Ecuador during a mission trip, I felt drawn towards South America. In Ecuador, I felt that people were "real." People weren't constantly worried about checking their cell phone every three minutes or finding the computer to update their Facebook status. What was really important was living. "Living" involved appreciating the beauty of their country and always looking out for the family. I want that. I want to be able to "disconnect" from everything that fights for my attention. I want to take the opportunity to just focus on what is happening now and being able to appreciate each of those moments. That is, in my eyes, how life can be muy rica. Therefore, my quest for living my life began.

 

*The photo above is from my mission trip to Ecuador in 2008 with my church. Pictured is my group from Bethany Lutheran Church as well as the adorable kids who we worked with throughout the week.

I keep telling myself that 2012 is the year of adventure for me. There are going to be so many changes. Even though I feel like I have a good understanding of my surroundings right now, I am aware that as I struggle to grow while speaking a different language and living in una cultura extranjera, I will not come back the same person. Will this be what I need to finally know what direction I want to take my life and what type of career I want? Will I learn more about myself and what I find important? Join my in the adventure of a life time - COMING SOON TO THEATERS, JULY 3RD, 2012.