Catch up

Well, I’ve been slacking on the blog writing. Life gets a little less exciting after the first couple of weeks, so I don’t have so many fun stories to tell.

I finally have a set schedule, which is a relief. I am taking three required classes through IFSA: Spanish, Human Rights in Argentina, and a Methodology workshop that goes with my internship. Of these, the methodology class is my favorite. The instructor, Natalia, is young and energetic and easy-going. She’s a PhD candidate in anthropology at la UBA and works specifically with children of Bolivian immigrants. This is great for me because my internship is at a community center for Bolivian immigrants (more on that later). In addition to the IFSA classes, I am taking a class called Historia de la Música Barroca at la UCA and one called La Cultura de la Paz y Derechos Humanos (that one has fewer cognates, so I’ll translate—it’s peace and human rights) at la UBA. At some point I'll write about the vast differences between the universities—it’s really something. I like them both though, and I’m glad I get to experience two sides of the Argentine university system.

I am finally starting to make some Argentine friends! On the first day of my music class I introduced myself to a group of students, but the conversation didn’t progress much past hi, nice to meet you. Two weeks ago, however, they invited me to get coffee with them at the break. They were really nice and patient with my language, even though they all speak some English. They asked me some questions about myself, and then caught me up on the fútbol tournament. After class one of them, Nicolás, took the colectivo home with me, although he usually takes the train, so we could keep chatting and I could practice Spanish. I was in such a great mood afterwards and I’m so excited to be connecting with some Argentine peers! Unfortunately I had to miss class last week because I had my first meeting for my internship, but I’ll see them on Wednesday I am hopeful that I will win them over and they will be my friends!

As I mentioned, on Wednesday I had my first meeting for my internship, and I’m really pumped! I am working at La Alameda (http://ww.laalameda.wordpress.com), a community center that works mostly with Bolivian immigrants that have been working in sweatshops here in Buenos Aires. The organization has a lot of different facets, including a library, a community kitchen, a ceramics collective, a workshop that manufactures sweat-free clothes (the brand is Mundo Alameda--http://mundoalameda.com/), and direct intervention at sweatshops in BA. The center also offers a variety of classes and workshops for adults and children. They do more, but those are the things I got to see. The building is a sparse, but airy space with green walls (alameda means a grove, or tree-lined path) in a neighborhood that feels much more Latin American than Palermo. It takes me an hour to get there, but I’m excited to be working in a neighborhood where the main landmark isn’t a shopping mall with a Starbucks.

Alright, I really have to stop procrastinating and write my first paper in Spanish. It’s on a book that I didn’t understand very well and I’m pretty stressed. The only good thing about being so stressed about it is that I went to the gym, cleaned my room, and updated the blog just to put off writing it!

It won’t be so long next time, I promise. I’d love to hear from you!