No tags yet.
This trip to Argentina has transformed me in so many ways. Not only have I had the chance to experience the same things, such as grocery shopping and working, in a different light, my eyes have been opened to the differences and inequalities that are present in every city. When you view life from the outside looking in, life seems so much more shocking. At the same time, it all seems so much more alive. My time here in Buenos Aires has been a time of exploration and discovery for me. It has been a time of growth and learning. Here are the ten realizations that sum up all I have learned during this trip.
It’s okay, and sometimes it is better, to go it alone.
Due to conflicts in schedules and in interests, I ended up doing most of my exploring solo when I wasn’t doing activities with the Volunteers of Environmental Education at Aves Argentinas. The first two weeks, everything was so new and exciting walking and discovering a city was so exciting I could have cared less that I was alone. I had more time to absorb the world unfolding around me. But, after week three, I began to hit a low. I felt consistently alone, even in a room full of people. This feeling intruded into my emotions and I wasn’t the most positive for about two and a half weeks, in these weeks I had my biggest issue with culture shock due to simply craving something familiar. But through that low, I learned to be comfortable with myself and now I prefer it. Especially when I want to absorb and experience a place. Walking it alone is the best way to get a feel for a city, neighborhood, or location. Especially if the things you want to see, or find value in, are not the interest of your companions. Go for it. Embrace the silence. Breath. Soak in the sunshine. Being alone doesn’t equate to being lonely, sometimes it means being in the moment.
2. Making mistakes is okay and practically unavoidable. Just be real and people will accept you anyway, those who don’t aren’t meant to be a part of your life, and that is alright.
When speaking your second language, or really even your first, mistakes are unavoidable. They happen. Sometimes you don’t know how to say something in an already embarrassing situation, and it makes things worse. Just be humble, maintain your calm (or try to regain it), and explain yourself in the best way possible. Apologize, if needed, and let them know this isn’t your first language (which they probably already guessed), learn from it, and live on.
3. Language opens up entire worlds that you didn’t truly see before.
Viewing a culture or country from the outside is an experience that opens your eyes to new possibilities. However, not knowing how to communicate with those inside the culture leaves you as a clear outsider. Knowing the language opens up the entire world embodied in the culture and country to you. Watching an entire way of life unfold before my eyes has been the most amazing experiences I will come away with from my time here in Buenos Aires. Doing life alongside other porteños has taught me ways of life, etiquette, and hidden gems of the city that I would not have known otherwise. Without having been invited into doing life with the people I have met along my adventure, I would not have learned how to properly greet others, serve and take mate, or what chipa is (it is a bread made with a flour from mandioca).
4. You cannot go somewhere and live it without leaving a piece of yourself behind.
A part of living in a place, and discovering the world that resides in that place, is becoming a part of it. I have made friends, experienced things that I will never again do for the first time, learned skills, and worked alongside amazing people. For some of them, not only have they given me a piece of their hearts, I have given them a piece of mine. This city has been my home for two months and it will always be familiar to me now. I will never again be who I am in this moment, in this place, at this time, with these people again. Nor will I ever be the same. This will remain a part of me for the rest of my life.
5. Being quiet is okay, except when it is causing you to feel left out.
I, by personality, am quiet and calm but also loud and goofy. In new situations and locations, I observe before I interact. This became accentuated as I was not only adjusting to a change in scenery and people, I was adjusting to a change in language. Often, I didn’t say much in meetings or group events with Aves Argentinas, but absorbed. At the same time, I missed opportunities to make connections because of this. Towards the end of my lonely low, I decided to push my self to engage. As soon as I did and even attempted to be present and participate in conversations, my world felt a lot less lonely. I realized I truly did have friends.
6. Frustrations are unavoidable. Just don’t let them absorb you.
Not being able to express myself in the words I want to is the most frustrating experience I have had. The words were there, but they weren’t translated. And by the time I had them formed, the moment was gone. This, as frustrating as it was, was a key part (and still is) part of the learning process. I have learned more about Spanish and compassion for those learning English in the Unites States by having these experiences where I look stupid and feel embarrassed by lack of language, not lack of mental capacity. I have learned that this is inevitable, frustration in general is unavoidable in whatever capacity, and if you dwell on it, it can ruin an entire week. The frustration can’t be undone, feel it, understand it, and let it go. Otherwise you will miss out on life.
7. Getting lost is half of the fun.
Due to a fault in my mind, I cannot simply easily arrive to a destination using public transit in the correct manner described in the directions. The bus always takes the other option of the route, the stop I get off on is two (or more) stops too early or too late, or I simply confuse my left from my right. In these moments, which are nearly weekly, I have learned that I have become more comfortable and discovered more from the city by these lost meanderings to the status of ‘not lost.’ Each time, by some miracle of God, I generally get unlost by maps and an innate sense of direction I feel in my gut as to where to go. If my gut says turn right, we are turning right and verifying the move on the map later.
8. My metabolism is faster than I anticipated….
Considering I have eaten more than my fair share of cookies, baked goods, and ice cream while here in this sweet-lovers paradise, I should have gained around forty pounds. Yet, I have not. I can’t explain it, but I’ll take it.
9. I need to pay more attention to my health. Spiritually, mentally, and physically.
About a month into my time here, I got sick. Really sick. For a week (okay, six days). I felt like I was dying, and it turns out I had a bacterial infection in my intestines. I do not wish to repeat the experience. I still have no idea how I got it or where, but it led me to reflect on the fact that this was the first time I had been so sick I was rendered useless in almost a year (or more). Usually I don’t pay any attention to being sick and continue as usual, other than increasing my attention on nutrition and getting a little more sleep and am generally going through activities and life at a fast-paced business. Often, that leaves me unaware of problems until they are occurring- prevention is not my strong suit. Maybe I should work on that.
10. Being young can get awkward sometimes, let it.
In Argentina, it is common for young people to live with their parents until they are in their early to mid-twenties, and sometimes later. Additionally, university is done at a slower pace than in the states and most degree programs are 5 to 7 years long but less classes are done in a semester, allowing time for volunteering, a job, and life. Thus, the idea of me doing an international internship program, away from my parents, with two years left of my degree, at the age of 20 is surprising. The comment I receive most from people when I tell them I am 20 is of shock. They respond in one of two ways: a cooing over a puppy ‘aooooh so young, jovencito’ response or a ‘wow. You’re really young.’ Most people peg me for 22 to 25 years old simply because of how I act. I know I have a habit of acting older than my age, but I didn’t realize I was this out there. I mean, how are 20-year-olds supposed to act? This concept is lost on me. I dislike the ‘oh so young’ response, because it gets awkward, but I can’t prevent it, so I just respond with a ‘yup.’ One day I will be the one having the same response to some 20-year-old doing something I consider rather mature, it happens.