Despite being passed out for only a few hours after a night of…wine, Argentine cocoa puffs, wet socks, and a lot of creative thinking, Erika and I woke up especially early to meet up with Maddy TO SEE SNOW!
I’m sure the guide that took us was saying a lot of interesting about the water in Villavicencio [which is one of Argentina’s prime drinking water sources], but I was just too damn excited. I had only seen snow from afar in a car in Japan 2 summers ago. We got to the first stop up the mountain, and just getting out of the van, I saw probably one of the most beautiful sights I’d thought I’d only be able to see in National Geographic.
Unfortunately, my camera phone had died prior…
There was no snow at the first stop, but it was clear that we were near something when I almost fell on my ass crossing over the bridge. It was definitely frozen and my shoes were definitely not made for ice. Second clue that I knew we were near snow: there was a sheet of ice/snow near the bathrooms that I just couldn’t help but freak out over.
And oh yes. I was freezing.
When we started up ramping up the mountain in the bus, slowly we approached more snow, until we could see it right outside the bus windows. I had never seen anything so white. I don’t think I could ever define anything as pure white ever again.
We didn’t reach the top of the mountain, but we sure as hell stopped where there was untouched snow. I got out of the bus and to my surprise it wasn’t as freezing as the first stop we made [but, it was also much sunnier than the first stop]. It was warmer…but I was still cold. I was wearing my X-pants, a t-shirt, 2 sweatshirts, a scarf, and Erika’s beanie. Oh yeah, and of course socks, covered in a plastic bag and sneakers. XD
But, you know, I don’t think it occurred to me that I was that cold when I picked up some snow and balled it up in my hand. It was surprisingly soft and…not crystally; very fine and not chunky. We stopped and made a snowman [I swear, my fingers felt like they would fall off after that]. Erika wrote “SUA” in the snow and put the snowman next to it. W00t. Some people in our tour took a picture of it. XD
That was definitely the highlight of my day…and probably study abroad, actually [as of yet].
Afterwards, we went out to eat. We were literally attacked by a bunch of restaurant waiters and waitresses just hanging around outside their place to try to get us to eat there. It got annoying after a while…but we were also pacing back and forth on the street wondering which place was vegetarian-friendly and affordable. While we were doing that, we saw the restaurant that Carrie had told Erika and Maddy not to eat at.
El Faro. Remember it. Don’t go there. Apparently, there was a cockroach in one of their meals and they still had to pay…
But, yea. The guy who works there tried to lure us in, too. It was funny. Erika took a picture of him and the place. XD We ended up eating at a place across from there, and we were just thinking that the guy at El Faro got pissed cuz we ended up eating elsewhere. Sidenote: Vegetarians, make sure you say “no jamón.”
We talked a lot…about a lot. It was quite fun and very Soka-like. XD A couple of hours of eating and talking led to a too soon of a “see ya later.” We told Maddy to come to Buenos Aires, so we’ll see what happens.
Because it was Sunday, nothing was open today, so Erika and I picked up our luggage from our hostel, did a little window shopping inside the bus terminal, and then sat in a café.
…for 5 hours.
It didn’t seem like 5 hours, though, thankfully. We talked some more, and I was writing. It was funny how Erika mentioned J.K. Rowling, when I was thinking the same thing, about how she got some of her ideas in a café. We saw many people come and go. It’s really interesting, how in Argentina, the bus terminal is equivalent to our airport terminals. People were saying their goodbyes and giving bear hugs and kisses, and waved goodbye as the bus pulled away. It was very interesting. We also saw a couple of the guys we saw at the first tour we went on, and a guy who wore one platform shoe, whom we saw the first day we got here.
So, it was an interesting adventure, being outside of Buenos Aires for 3 days. It was refreshing, but I miss Buenos Aires. I see why people travel randomly now. It’s a time to take a break from who you know you are and to continue discovering yourself, where your boundaries are and how far you can stretch them. I think I found my place in Argentina, in Buenos Aires, and I can start fresh.
Thank you, Mendoza.
“So I found a reason / To let it go / Tell you that I’m smiling / But I still need to grow / Will I find salvation in the arms of love / Will it stop me searching will it be enough / I don’t want your sympathy / Sometimes I don’t know who to be / Hey what you're looking for / No one has the answer but you just want more / Hey who’s gonna make it back / This could be the first day of my life” – “First Day of My Life” by Melanie C.
End – Week 4: Test Flight
Showing posts with label Week 04: Test Flight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Week 04: Test Flight. Show all posts
Day 27: Of Wine & Bread
You ever wake up and wonder why the alarm clock had to go off? I swear, if Erika wasn’t there to pester me out of bed I would’ve slept through the day. I have never been so happy to sleep in a bed. Okay, so the buses were comfortable as hell, but there’s definitely a point where you want to actually lie down rather than recline in a chair.
My body cried out for a bed at some point during that 14-hour bus ride.
But, yes. The alarm clock woke me up. When I got out of the room, there was a dog there. Erika had told me about it and how big it was…but it was still a nice surprise 8/
Morning with the family again. I swear they’re the coolest people I will probably meet on this study abroad experience. I swear they look like a family that would appear on the Amazing Race [I looked them up, and they were never on it]. It must be crazy to travel as a family for a year. They were still closing their accounts and stuff. It’s insane. One day, I will do that. One day…
So, Erika and I checked out of this place, which made me really sad, cuz I really like this hostel. No words could describe how homey it was, how polite the staff was, how friendly the other tenants were. They just were. And when we got out…it was raining. Yay. It was cool to see the ditches at work. Actually, what was really interesting was the streets had water running down them. It looked like a really shallow river. We were hopping on every dry piece of concrete we could find with our luggage on us.
What’s crazy here is a lot of the streets are concrete tiles so they were really slippery. Both of us were struggling to get some traction going on our shoes to keep us from falling flat on our faces.
Rest assured [once again] we made it to the hostel safely.
When we were taken to our room, it was a big SHOCK. Literally, the room was a cubicle that had two beds. And the bathroom was across the hall and needs to be opened with the same key that opens our room. Yay, right? This was the hostel we preferred too. When we were checking in, it was kind of frustrating because he went on a tantrum about how they don’t accept passport copies. He ended up accepting them, but he’s like it’s Argentine law to have your original passport with you at all times. Our program told us otherwise.
Anyway, so signed up for the winery tour, where they take us to two wineries, see how wine is made and get to taste it, and an virgin olive oil factory. The tour lady was bilingual and really good at it too, interaction and all. So we went to the first place, which was family-owned winery. I didn’t like their wine too much. It didn’t have much of a taste at all…cept old grapes. XD We did learn to see what good wine looks and smells like.
Afterwards, we were taken to an olive grove. The process of making olive oil was quite complex, especially the process for making virgin olive oil. We tasted olive oil…by itself… It was interesting…though I think I will never do that again. While we were eating bread with sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil, we met a guy from Israel who was happy to find people who could speak English. He was in Argentina because he had just finished a mandatory 3-year military service, and it’s mandatory to travel around outside of Israel to clear the mind after serving. I thought that was interesting. He said most people in Israel can speak English well too.
The second winery seemed much…like the first one. But, they had little snackies with the wine that we got to taste. It had the jam that they were selling. Really good. Better than anything you can get in a grocery store. The wine there was much stronger.
By the end of the day…I couldn’t stop laughing. It was kind of bad.
Actually…it was pretty bad.
My body cried out for a bed at some point during that 14-hour bus ride.
But, yes. The alarm clock woke me up. When I got out of the room, there was a dog there. Erika had told me about it and how big it was…but it was still a nice surprise 8/
Morning with the family again. I swear they’re the coolest people I will probably meet on this study abroad experience. I swear they look like a family that would appear on the Amazing Race [I looked them up, and they were never on it]. It must be crazy to travel as a family for a year. They were still closing their accounts and stuff. It’s insane. One day, I will do that. One day…
So, Erika and I checked out of this place, which made me really sad, cuz I really like this hostel. No words could describe how homey it was, how polite the staff was, how friendly the other tenants were. They just were. And when we got out…it was raining. Yay. It was cool to see the ditches at work. Actually, what was really interesting was the streets had water running down them. It looked like a really shallow river. We were hopping on every dry piece of concrete we could find with our luggage on us.
What’s crazy here is a lot of the streets are concrete tiles so they were really slippery. Both of us were struggling to get some traction going on our shoes to keep us from falling flat on our faces.
Rest assured [once again] we made it to the hostel safely.
When we were taken to our room, it was a big SHOCK. Literally, the room was a cubicle that had two beds. And the bathroom was across the hall and needs to be opened with the same key that opens our room. Yay, right? This was the hostel we preferred too. When we were checking in, it was kind of frustrating because he went on a tantrum about how they don’t accept passport copies. He ended up accepting them, but he’s like it’s Argentine law to have your original passport with you at all times. Our program told us otherwise.
Anyway, so signed up for the winery tour, where they take us to two wineries, see how wine is made and get to taste it, and an virgin olive oil factory. The tour lady was bilingual and really good at it too, interaction and all. So we went to the first place, which was family-owned winery. I didn’t like their wine too much. It didn’t have much of a taste at all…cept old grapes. XD We did learn to see what good wine looks and smells like.
Afterwards, we were taken to an olive grove. The process of making olive oil was quite complex, especially the process for making virgin olive oil. We tasted olive oil…by itself… It was interesting…though I think I will never do that again. While we were eating bread with sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil, we met a guy from Israel who was happy to find people who could speak English. He was in Argentina because he had just finished a mandatory 3-year military service, and it’s mandatory to travel around outside of Israel to clear the mind after serving. I thought that was interesting. He said most people in Israel can speak English well too.
The second winery seemed much…like the first one. But, they had little snackies with the wine that we got to taste. It had the jam that they were selling. Really good. Better than anything you can get in a grocery store. The wine there was much stronger.
By the end of the day…I couldn’t stop laughing. It was kind of bad.
Actually…it was pretty bad.
Day 26: The World Outside of Buenos Aires
I wanted to wake up with the sun. But I couldn’t. I woke up too early, fell asleep, and then woke up too late. Erika and I arrived in Mendoza around 10am-ish. We headed out and grabbed a cab that ended up misreading the address we gave him and took us down the wrong end of the street. I got a little worried because he was kind of pissed…flooring the accelerator and whatnot, but rest assured, Erika and I made it to our first hostel, safe and sound.
We got into the place, and it was really nice. Very homey. We were actually surprised at how nice the place looked because this hostel was just a back-up for one night because the other hostel we wanted to stay at didn’t have an opening for today. The room was a double room with 3 beds and a bathroom attached. I would say it’s about the size of an ADA double room at Soka. It was pretty roomy and comfortable.
We went into the kitchen to fill out a paper to check-in. There, we met a family who was traveling…AROUND THE WORLD. A husband and wife with 2 kids (9 and 11). Erika asked for their blog site, so I posted it on the side, under Konnections. They completely set aside their life in San Diego to travel for a whole year around the world. They had already been to Peru, and plan to travel to Egypt, Cambodia, Tanzania, Laos, and all these other places. Anyway, Erika found out that the wife heard about Soka, so we ended up sharing what Soka was about and stuff. Wouldn’t it be awesome if their kids were future SUA students! Anyway, they were awesome, and kept us company for the one night we stayed there. Check out their blog. >>
Anyway, after that we went to check out the other hostel we were going to stay at for the tours. We got there and asked about going to Villavicencia which is Argentina’s main water source and to see if it’s possible to go see the mountains, or check out some wineries. It was recommended to us not to go to the mountains because the road might be blocked by snow, so we decided on the wineries for Saturday, and Villavicencia for Sunday.
Mendoza was calling us. So we walked around. Erika was looking for the great fountain of Mendoza and when I spotted a small one that was on Paseo Saramiento, she burst out laughing and told me she wouldn’t make me walk so far to show me the dinky fountain I pointed out. XD Then, we found the big fountain in Plaza Independencia…
Wow.
Never in my life had I seen streams of water twirling in the air. It was quite a sight. And they had a feria there too! So, I bought a bracelet. It’s amazing how vendors here make their own goods and sell it for such a cheap price. Why couldn’t Americans be like that?
We had a map that showed us where we were going, and we noticed that two blocks from each corner of Plaza Independencia, there were other parks, so we walked around and found Plaza Italia, Plaza San Martín, Plaza España, and Plaza Chile. They all looked so different and were designed in a way that represented each place. People actually took the time to make the parks here look nice and worth staying in.
Shortly after, Erika got a text from Maddy. So we met up!
She gave us a little tour of the city. She even took us by her house and to her university via bus. It’s crazy how big her campus is compared to where I’m going to be taking my classes. Although all the buildings for the different facultades are spread out, I think it could still be…three times the size of my film school? It’s in a very open area. It was nice and very different from Buenos Aires, where everything is so compact and close to each other.
Mendoza is very different from Buenos Aires. It’s definitely calmer, breathe-able and much cleaner. I didn’t have to look down every two seconds to check whether I was about to step on doggy poo or not. The city itself isn’t as crowded and the streets aren’t as heavily filled with cars. There are a lot more trees in Mendoza, too; the streets are lined with them. And you can hear running water! We walked over canals and streets are bordered with deep concrete ditches that had small streams of water running along them. It was definitely refreshing.
After a long day of walking, we were on the way back to the hostel when Erika wanted to buy a tomato and I remembered I needed to buy a converter for my laptop. She got her tomato... The guy I asked in the electronics shop completely spazzed and said stuff like I needed to bring in my laptop or a manual so he can check which one to give me…when there’s only one converter… So…I couldn’t re-charge my comp.
But anyway, I did what I could before my computer died. I uploaded pictures for uneventful July and wrote my blog for yesterday. While I was doing this the black cat at the hostel ran up to me and sat herself down on my lap and fell asleep. It was funny. Aww… I wish my cats did that. It was refreshing…to see a cat.
Just that made me happy.
We got into the place, and it was really nice. Very homey. We were actually surprised at how nice the place looked because this hostel was just a back-up for one night because the other hostel we wanted to stay at didn’t have an opening for today. The room was a double room with 3 beds and a bathroom attached. I would say it’s about the size of an ADA double room at Soka. It was pretty roomy and comfortable.
We went into the kitchen to fill out a paper to check-in. There, we met a family who was traveling…AROUND THE WORLD. A husband and wife with 2 kids (9 and 11). Erika asked for their blog site, so I posted it on the side, under Konnections. They completely set aside their life in San Diego to travel for a whole year around the world. They had already been to Peru, and plan to travel to Egypt, Cambodia, Tanzania, Laos, and all these other places. Anyway, Erika found out that the wife heard about Soka, so we ended up sharing what Soka was about and stuff. Wouldn’t it be awesome if their kids were future SUA students! Anyway, they were awesome, and kept us company for the one night we stayed there. Check out their blog. >>
Anyway, after that we went to check out the other hostel we were going to stay at for the tours. We got there and asked about going to Villavicencia which is Argentina’s main water source and to see if it’s possible to go see the mountains, or check out some wineries. It was recommended to us not to go to the mountains because the road might be blocked by snow, so we decided on the wineries for Saturday, and Villavicencia for Sunday.
Mendoza was calling us. So we walked around. Erika was looking for the great fountain of Mendoza and when I spotted a small one that was on Paseo Saramiento, she burst out laughing and told me she wouldn’t make me walk so far to show me the dinky fountain I pointed out. XD Then, we found the big fountain in Plaza Independencia…
Wow.
Never in my life had I seen streams of water twirling in the air. It was quite a sight. And they had a feria there too! So, I bought a bracelet. It’s amazing how vendors here make their own goods and sell it for such a cheap price. Why couldn’t Americans be like that?
We had a map that showed us where we were going, and we noticed that two blocks from each corner of Plaza Independencia, there were other parks, so we walked around and found Plaza Italia, Plaza San Martín, Plaza España, and Plaza Chile. They all looked so different and were designed in a way that represented each place. People actually took the time to make the parks here look nice and worth staying in.
Shortly after, Erika got a text from Maddy. So we met up!
She gave us a little tour of the city. She even took us by her house and to her university via bus. It’s crazy how big her campus is compared to where I’m going to be taking my classes. Although all the buildings for the different facultades are spread out, I think it could still be…three times the size of my film school? It’s in a very open area. It was nice and very different from Buenos Aires, where everything is so compact and close to each other.
Mendoza is very different from Buenos Aires. It’s definitely calmer, breathe-able and much cleaner. I didn’t have to look down every two seconds to check whether I was about to step on doggy poo or not. The city itself isn’t as crowded and the streets aren’t as heavily filled with cars. There are a lot more trees in Mendoza, too; the streets are lined with them. And you can hear running water! We walked over canals and streets are bordered with deep concrete ditches that had small streams of water running along them. It was definitely refreshing.
After a long day of walking, we were on the way back to the hostel when Erika wanted to buy a tomato and I remembered I needed to buy a converter for my laptop. She got her tomato... The guy I asked in the electronics shop completely spazzed and said stuff like I needed to bring in my laptop or a manual so he can check which one to give me…when there’s only one converter… So…I couldn’t re-charge my comp.
But anyway, I did what I could before my computer died. I uploaded pictures for uneventful July and wrote my blog for yesterday. While I was doing this the black cat at the hostel ran up to me and sat herself down on my lap and fell asleep. It was funny. Aww… I wish my cats did that. It was refreshing…to see a cat.
Just that made me happy.
Day 25: Midnight Trip to Mendoza
I woke up to the sounds of silence this morning. It was absolutely amazing to not wake up to the door slamming and the keys rattling signaling that the maid had walked in for duty. I woke up a couple of minutes before my alarm clock. It felt just like Soka again.
I met up with Erika to buy bus tickets to come back to Buenos Aires from Mendoza, since she had only bought tickets for the trip there. It was interesting. They have 3 different types of services on the buses: semi-cama, cama, and full. We got there the camas to go there because it was only a few $$ difference from the semi-cama, and it was actually better. So we bought 2 tickets for A$306. That’s pretty cheap in my opinion. I was slightly afraid because I realized that the station we were leaving from was Retiro, one of the danger zones that my program had warned me about.
I chanted for nothing bad to happen to us.
Later on, we met at the C subway line. I had never been to the C line before, so it was a completely new experience. I personally like the subs in this line better because they have handles that people can hold onto, not just poles. Anyway, we stepped out of the station and it was completely a different world. I wondered whether we were still in Buenos Aires or not. The streets were much wider; the sidewalks were wider, but still congested vendors and people. The atmosphere was much different, slightly more mysterious and less cosmopolitan.
We walked to the omnibus station…and I swear to pesos in my pocket, it looked like an airport. There were 75 platforms and double-decker buses coming and going throughout the terminal, while on the inside there were small shops and kiosks, cafes and restaurants serving customers who were on the go. We looked up at the TV and found ourselves looking up at the arrivals and departures of buses that were coming and going.
The moment we stepped outside to the platforms [which, by the way, were just parking spots with numbers on them] we were completely shocked at how much the area looked like a private airport terminal. People were just waiting around, turning around to see if their buses were coming on time. Ours came right at the minute it was supposed to leave. Erika and I were slightly worried up until that point, not wanting to miss our ride.
First and foremost about the buses, the world of service and transportation will NEVER surpass what we experienced on the bus to Mendoza. We got the cama seating which allows for our seats to recline pretty far back. When we got on, we were given a couple of sandwiches, which were absolutely delicious. We thought this was our dinner…until we stopped at 10pm in the middle nowhere at a café to have steak, mashed potatoes and flan for dinner. When we got back on, we were given pastries for the morning.
The seats are much bigger than first class seating in airplanes, and without a doubt much more comfortable, coming with a nice leg rest and large food tray. It was amazing. Oh, and they showed movies and music videos, too, which were bizarrely English/American movies/music videos. It was probably the most comfortable transportation I will ever take in a lifetime.
P.S. I’ve posted pictures from July in one post and back-dated it. If you just scroll down to “23 Weeks” on the right-hand column and click “Screenshots,” you’ll be able to see them. Or just click here.
I met up with Erika to buy bus tickets to come back to Buenos Aires from Mendoza, since she had only bought tickets for the trip there. It was interesting. They have 3 different types of services on the buses: semi-cama, cama, and full. We got there the camas to go there because it was only a few $$ difference from the semi-cama, and it was actually better. So we bought 2 tickets for A$306. That’s pretty cheap in my opinion. I was slightly afraid because I realized that the station we were leaving from was Retiro, one of the danger zones that my program had warned me about.
I chanted for nothing bad to happen to us.
Later on, we met at the C subway line. I had never been to the C line before, so it was a completely new experience. I personally like the subs in this line better because they have handles that people can hold onto, not just poles. Anyway, we stepped out of the station and it was completely a different world. I wondered whether we were still in Buenos Aires or not. The streets were much wider; the sidewalks were wider, but still congested vendors and people. The atmosphere was much different, slightly more mysterious and less cosmopolitan.
We walked to the omnibus station…and I swear to pesos in my pocket, it looked like an airport. There were 75 platforms and double-decker buses coming and going throughout the terminal, while on the inside there were small shops and kiosks, cafes and restaurants serving customers who were on the go. We looked up at the TV and found ourselves looking up at the arrivals and departures of buses that were coming and going.
The moment we stepped outside to the platforms [which, by the way, were just parking spots with numbers on them] we were completely shocked at how much the area looked like a private airport terminal. People were just waiting around, turning around to see if their buses were coming on time. Ours came right at the minute it was supposed to leave. Erika and I were slightly worried up until that point, not wanting to miss our ride.
First and foremost about the buses, the world of service and transportation will NEVER surpass what we experienced on the bus to Mendoza. We got the cama seating which allows for our seats to recline pretty far back. When we got on, we were given a couple of sandwiches, which were absolutely delicious. We thought this was our dinner…until we stopped at 10pm in the middle nowhere at a café to have steak, mashed potatoes and flan for dinner. When we got back on, we were given pastries for the morning.
The seats are much bigger than first class seating in airplanes, and without a doubt much more comfortable, coming with a nice leg rest and large food tray. It was amazing. Oh, and they showed movies and music videos, too, which were bizarrely English/American movies/music videos. It was probably the most comfortable transportation I will ever take in a lifetime.
P.S. I’ve posted pictures from July in one post and back-dated it. If you just scroll down to “23 Weeks” on the right-hand column and click “Screenshots,” you’ll be able to see them. Or just click here.
Day 24: Conversation With Kami-Sama v(=_=)v
Dear Kusho,
This is your conscious speaking. You’ve been out of touch for a few days now. Where are you! You must be really stressed. Last time you tuned out of your head was back in February when you completely ignored me and your body. What is it this time? Nothing’s started yet. Oh, there you are.
Kusho: Whoaa. Are you Kami-sama*”
Conscious: No. I am not. I am your conscious.
Kusho: Aw… can I call you Kami-sama?
Conscious: No, you may not—
Kusho: Kami-sama, why are you talking to me, after not replying to me for so long?
Conscious: (=_=)
Kusho: Why do you make that face at me, Kami-sama?
Kami-sama: …aren’t you a Buddhist?
Kusho: v(=_=)v
Kami-sama: … How was your day today?
Kusho: It was a good day. I learned many things.
Kami-sama: What did you learn?
Kusho: I learned that first impressions are always important, so always SMILE.
Kami-sama: What made you realized this?
Kusho: I was on the subway, listening to a really good song that reminded me to have a good time, and I started smiling. I started bouncing to the beat and people were watching me. But, they were smiling too. Dialoguing is one thing, but facial expressions are another way of connecting. Smiles are contagious!
Kami-sama: Mmhmm. What else did you learn?
Kusho: I learned how to jump off of the cliff of uncertainty and into the depths of the unknown.
Kami-sama: What’s the story behind this one?
Kusho: I was really reluctant to go to class today because I hadn’t received any syllabus or readings for it. But, I took the step into the university and waited outside the classroom. I found myself sitting next to a classmate. I started talking to her and she helped me remember to not be afraid to tap someone on the shoulder and talk to them.
Kami-sama: Lesson well learned.
Kusho: Mmhmm. And I was totally wrong about that class. Now, I don’t know what to do between the two classes I have to take outside of FUC, which one to take. Hah…decisions, decisions. Kami-sama, what should I do?
Kami-sama: I’m only your conscious…
Kusho: You know, I had the worst nightmare. All of my friends were crazy angry and attacking me. It was scary. It made me finally made sense. We each have a good and a bad within us. It reminded me of this one story that my district leader had told me about, a story she had heard from someone else:
“An old Cherokee chief was telling his grandson about the battle the old man was waging within himself. He said, ‘it is between two wolves, my son. One is an evil wolf: anger, envy, sorrow, greed, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is the good wolf: joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.’ The boy took this in for a few minutes and then said, ‘Which wolf won, grandfather?’ The old Cherokee replied simply, ‘The one I fed.’”
Kami-sama: Mmhmm…
Kusho: All you’ve been saying is “Mmhmm…” Don’t you have anything else better to say?
Kami-sama: Open your eyes. That’s what YOU always say.
Kusho: …
Kami-sama: Well, it seems you’re sane enough. I’ll leave you be. Remember to keep in touch sometimes.
Kusho: Aww, leaving already?
Kami-sama: I’m in your head. Just remember not to turn it off the next time you stress yourself out. Chau, kid
Kusho: Wait, Kami-sama.
Kami-sama: ?
Kusho: v(=_=)v
Kami-sama: …
Kusho: v(=_=)v
Kami-sama: v(=_=)v
(* = Kami-sama means God)
P.S. I'm going to Mendoza with Erika so I may not post until Monday. But I'll be writing every day and post it later. Peace out.
This is your conscious speaking. You’ve been out of touch for a few days now. Where are you! You must be really stressed. Last time you tuned out of your head was back in February when you completely ignored me and your body. What is it this time? Nothing’s started yet. Oh, there you are.
Kusho: Whoaa. Are you Kami-sama*”
Conscious: No. I am not. I am your conscious.
Kusho: Aw… can I call you Kami-sama?
Conscious: No, you may not—
Kusho: Kami-sama, why are you talking to me, after not replying to me for so long?
Conscious: (=_=)
Kusho: Why do you make that face at me, Kami-sama?
Kami-sama: …aren’t you a Buddhist?
Kusho: v(=_=)v
Kami-sama: … How was your day today?
Kusho: It was a good day. I learned many things.
Kami-sama: What did you learn?
Kusho: I learned that first impressions are always important, so always SMILE.
Kami-sama: What made you realized this?
Kusho: I was on the subway, listening to a really good song that reminded me to have a good time, and I started smiling. I started bouncing to the beat and people were watching me. But, they were smiling too. Dialoguing is one thing, but facial expressions are another way of connecting. Smiles are contagious!
Kami-sama: Mmhmm. What else did you learn?
Kusho: I learned how to jump off of the cliff of uncertainty and into the depths of the unknown.
Kami-sama: What’s the story behind this one?
Kusho: I was really reluctant to go to class today because I hadn’t received any syllabus or readings for it. But, I took the step into the university and waited outside the classroom. I found myself sitting next to a classmate. I started talking to her and she helped me remember to not be afraid to tap someone on the shoulder and talk to them.
Kami-sama: Lesson well learned.
Kusho: Mmhmm. And I was totally wrong about that class. Now, I don’t know what to do between the two classes I have to take outside of FUC, which one to take. Hah…decisions, decisions. Kami-sama, what should I do?
Kami-sama: I’m only your conscious…
Kusho: You know, I had the worst nightmare. All of my friends were crazy angry and attacking me. It was scary. It made me finally made sense. We each have a good and a bad within us. It reminded me of this one story that my district leader had told me about, a story she had heard from someone else:
“An old Cherokee chief was telling his grandson about the battle the old man was waging within himself. He said, ‘it is between two wolves, my son. One is an evil wolf: anger, envy, sorrow, greed, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is the good wolf: joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.’ The boy took this in for a few minutes and then said, ‘Which wolf won, grandfather?’ The old Cherokee replied simply, ‘The one I fed.’”
Kami-sama: Mmhmm…
Kusho: All you’ve been saying is “Mmhmm…” Don’t you have anything else better to say?
Kami-sama: Open your eyes. That’s what YOU always say.
Kusho: …
Kami-sama: Well, it seems you’re sane enough. I’ll leave you be. Remember to keep in touch sometimes.
Kusho: Aww, leaving already?
Kami-sama: I’m in your head. Just remember not to turn it off the next time you stress yourself out. Chau, kid
Kusho: Wait, Kami-sama.
Kami-sama: ?
Kusho: v(=_=)v
Kami-sama: …
Kusho: v(=_=)v
Kami-sama: v(=_=)v
(* = Kami-sama means God)
P.S. I'm going to Mendoza with Erika so I may not post until Monday. But I'll be writing every day and post it later. Peace out.
Day 23: Thinking Too Much
The more I think about the situation I’m in [the fact that I’m studying abroad in a country where English is not the primary language, taking university level courses], the more my eyes open up to this rude awakening that I’m having.
I’m starting to get nervous about classes.
I don’t quite know what it is that’s getting me so nervous, and you know, I don’ think it’s even the classes I’ll be taking at FUC, the film school. It’s more about the one class I have to take outside of FUC that I’m worried about. It’s very unfortunate that I missed the first couple of classes for both the classes I’m trying out. I think if I had gone to the first class for both of them, I’d feel much better, since I would actually know what’s going on. I don’t know what to expect of these classes, but I think I just need to give it some time for me to get settled.
It’s great that COPA is allowing us to try out these classes, but it’s very hard to coordinate among 4 [5 options in my case] different universities with very different policies on registration and try-out periods. I’m in this predicament partially because the class schedules for FUC didn’t get released until mid-last week, when all classes started last week and after registration had ended. So, I had to choose classes that I wasn’t even sure would fit into my schedule. It was pretty hard to coordinate. But apparently, a lot of universities here don’t have the class schedules till a week before their classes start…
Imagine having to do that at SUA… It’s definitely a different system here than in the U.S.
Anyway, I’m going to attempt to see my advisor tomorrow or Thursday and see what I can do to alleviate some of this unnecessary stress before next week when the rest of my classes at FUC start. It’s definitely stressing me out far too early on in the semester, so much so that I have a headache.
On a good note, this weekend is a holiday weekend, so there are no classes Monday. Erika and I are planning a trip to Mendoza, which is a 12 and half hour bus ride from here. It’s gonna be fun. I’ve heard crazy rumors about the buses here, so I don’t know what to expect. Regardless, it’ll be a chance to see Argentina outside of Buenos Aires, the grand metropolis. Something to calm my nerves before classes start.
I never realized till today how uptight I was, so stuck to routine and a pocket planner. I realized that outside of school, I am almost nothing. I look back on high school when I used to use IB as an excuse for not doing things like getting a job or doing club activities. I solely concentrated on my academics [and I hated it, I only did well because I competed for the better grades among my friends]. And at Soka, I got more involved within the school, but I hardly ever left campus because I had used academics and responsibilities on campus as an excuse.
Now that I’m here, with nothing, I realized I’m a coward. I don’t have the courage to step out and explore. Some days I do just for the spontaneity, but most of the time I lack action. I don’t know how to have a good time. I’m afraid of stepping out of routine, and stepping into the unknown. It’s human nature to be cautious around the unknown, but this is definitely karma biting me in the ass, and I’m seeing it now for a reason.
It’s time to break down some walls inside my mind. And this headache, too…
P.S. In this week’s COMUNICADO from COPA, there were 5 wallets reported stolen over this past week. Uwa, right? I know.
I’m starting to get nervous about classes.
I don’t quite know what it is that’s getting me so nervous, and you know, I don’ think it’s even the classes I’ll be taking at FUC, the film school. It’s more about the one class I have to take outside of FUC that I’m worried about. It’s very unfortunate that I missed the first couple of classes for both the classes I’m trying out. I think if I had gone to the first class for both of them, I’d feel much better, since I would actually know what’s going on. I don’t know what to expect of these classes, but I think I just need to give it some time for me to get settled.
It’s great that COPA is allowing us to try out these classes, but it’s very hard to coordinate among 4 [5 options in my case] different universities with very different policies on registration and try-out periods. I’m in this predicament partially because the class schedules for FUC didn’t get released until mid-last week, when all classes started last week and after registration had ended. So, I had to choose classes that I wasn’t even sure would fit into my schedule. It was pretty hard to coordinate. But apparently, a lot of universities here don’t have the class schedules till a week before their classes start…
Imagine having to do that at SUA… It’s definitely a different system here than in the U.S.
Anyway, I’m going to attempt to see my advisor tomorrow or Thursday and see what I can do to alleviate some of this unnecessary stress before next week when the rest of my classes at FUC start. It’s definitely stressing me out far too early on in the semester, so much so that I have a headache.
On a good note, this weekend is a holiday weekend, so there are no classes Monday. Erika and I are planning a trip to Mendoza, which is a 12 and half hour bus ride from here. It’s gonna be fun. I’ve heard crazy rumors about the buses here, so I don’t know what to expect. Regardless, it’ll be a chance to see Argentina outside of Buenos Aires, the grand metropolis. Something to calm my nerves before classes start.
I never realized till today how uptight I was, so stuck to routine and a pocket planner. I realized that outside of school, I am almost nothing. I look back on high school when I used to use IB as an excuse for not doing things like getting a job or doing club activities. I solely concentrated on my academics [and I hated it, I only did well because I competed for the better grades among my friends]. And at Soka, I got more involved within the school, but I hardly ever left campus because I had used academics and responsibilities on campus as an excuse.
Now that I’m here, with nothing, I realized I’m a coward. I don’t have the courage to step out and explore. Some days I do just for the spontaneity, but most of the time I lack action. I don’t know how to have a good time. I’m afraid of stepping out of routine, and stepping into the unknown. It’s human nature to be cautious around the unknown, but this is definitely karma biting me in the ass, and I’m seeing it now for a reason.
It’s time to break down some walls inside my mind. And this headache, too…
P.S. In this week’s COMUNICADO from COPA, there were 5 wallets reported stolen over this past week. Uwa, right? I know.
Day 22: The Academic Challenge…
So, today [last night too actually], I did a little calculating with my GPA and grades. I need to get all A’s [A/A+’s, not A-’s] either this semester or at least do well enough this semester and get all A’s next semester back at SUA, in order to bring my GPA back up to a 3.5. I’m kind of mad at myself for not putting in that extra effort for those “required” courses. Oye, makes me so angry. -__-;; Yes, so I’ve decided, or rather re-determined, I’m gonna work hard, much harder than usual in academics this semester, mainly because I have the time. And, I’m going to get all those A’s, and bring myself up.
Well. Aside from this rude awakening, I decided to take a trip to Chinatown, more in depth, and it turned out, half the stores were closed, probably because the festival they had over the weekend for the opening of the Olympics. But, I found more [smaller] Asian marts, some slightly cheaper than the one I went to before. So bought a small lunch there, and ate it in the park.
Oh! I bought Paradise Kiss, a manga that I absolutely, absolutely love, by Ai Yazawa. And it’s in Castellano, not just Spanish! So, I was happy I was able to READ some Castellano [because the books I bought thus far are more traditional Spanish, than Castellano] and to be able to read MANGA again. So, when I was in the park, eating lunch, I was reading ParaKiss and learning new phrases like “qué hice yo para merecer esto” which means “what did I do to deserve this?” XD You know, manga here are the same price as Japan, and they maintain the size of the book. I think Americans are the only ones who try to rip manga-buyers off.
So, while I was reading and eating, I somehow got distracted and started looking around at the park I was sitting in. It was different than the ones I’d been to. There was more concrete. I can imagine a lot of street performers tangoing and break-dancing there. Then, I had this idea. I wanted to make a movie. Right there. So, I took out my cell and started texting people in my film track. 4-5 months to create a short film IN ARGENTINA. How exciting, right? It’s definitely a national and international endeavor, working with students from all over the U.S., filming in a country that we’re not from.
Makes my heart race happy thoughts.
ANYWAY, I’ve decided to give myself a weekly budget. Because I have to pay for everything [food, water, pesos for my cell, laundry services, transportation, plus the extra I want to use] money goes fast. I realized back at SUA how much I needed to watch my spending [especially that one month I was in debt], but here, I’ve become more conscious of it because it’s not just about using it for that extra thing that I want; it’s for survival.
It’s gonna be slightly difficult, since there’s a slightly big difference between what I’ve been spending up till now and what I am allotting myself starting this week. But, I think I’ve got my pesos down for my cell phone since I put enough to hopefully last me the semester [if I don’t make anymore long distance calls]. So, no need for that. I can do it.
Outside of all the exciting things that happened to day, I had class at 9pm. Since night classes were offered here, I decided to experience what it was like to take a night class, especially since I’m more of a night person than a morning person. So, 8:20 came rolling around, and I left. USAL is only about 10 blocks down. While I was walking, it started thundering.
WOW. I didn’t think it was possible to hear thunder or rain here.
But, I was happy about it. I missed walking in the light drizzle at night [it was quite a normal thing for me back at SUA]. Rain is definitely much appreciated for me at night than in the day. There’s something about how the light reflects off of the wet asphalt of the streets that bring about a love for the city. Something so nostalgic about it.
Anyway, I got to the university, and I asked the security guy where the classroom was, and he didn’t understand me. So, I kept repeating “V202, V202.” He finally understood and pointed the way. So, this V202, I got from the secretary of the uni. But, it was the wrong classroom. I was totally lost. So, I had to go to the counter and ask where the class was. Even though I arrived 5 minutes early, I ended up finally sitting in the class 5 minutes late. And the professor knew. I had to explain to her my situation, and she seemed cool about it, though she had to mention that the class was an annual class and not a semester class, so I had already missed half of the material, which was fine.
So, I was sitting there, and I started to get worried, because in this class, everyone has to talk and a lot of what they were saying made no sense to me. I think they were reviewing stuff from last semester. But, it was interesting, to go over prehistory, in Spanish. About halfway through the class, I was ready to call it quits. I didn’t think I would be able to take the class and pass. A little hard to understand, but then I thought I’m sure with a little background reading, I would understand it. I just lacked the vocabulary to fully comprehend what was going on [luckily, a lot of the words are cognates].
After class, I asked the professor where I can get the reading material for the class. She said she would gather everything for me, for Wednesday, which is when our next class is. I’m so glad she’s nice. At first, she kind of scared me, because when I walked in late, she tips her glasses down and says, “Y Señorita, ¿cuál es tu situación?” But, yes. She reminds me of my high school world history teacher. She was really strict, but was a great teacher with a dry sense of humor.
So, I think I’m going to officially register for this.
It’ll no doubt be a challenge for me, on all different levels, but I think it’ll be for the best in the end… hopefully. So, here I am, a person who used to study for the wrong reasons, trying to turn things around to study for the right reasons. Straight A’s would be nice [really, really nice]…but I have to remember what’s most important is what I get out of the class and how I can apply it to how I live my life.
All my energy that used to be channeled to extracurricular activities, work, and academics, will be channeled for this one semester towards this academic endeavor, all while enjoying what Argentina has to offer.
Ganbarou!
Well. Aside from this rude awakening, I decided to take a trip to Chinatown, more in depth, and it turned out, half the stores were closed, probably because the festival they had over the weekend for the opening of the Olympics. But, I found more [smaller] Asian marts, some slightly cheaper than the one I went to before. So bought a small lunch there, and ate it in the park.
Oh! I bought Paradise Kiss, a manga that I absolutely, absolutely love, by Ai Yazawa. And it’s in Castellano, not just Spanish! So, I was happy I was able to READ some Castellano [because the books I bought thus far are more traditional Spanish, than Castellano] and to be able to read MANGA again. So, when I was in the park, eating lunch, I was reading ParaKiss and learning new phrases like “qué hice yo para merecer esto” which means “what did I do to deserve this?” XD You know, manga here are the same price as Japan, and they maintain the size of the book. I think Americans are the only ones who try to rip manga-buyers off.
So, while I was reading and eating, I somehow got distracted and started looking around at the park I was sitting in. It was different than the ones I’d been to. There was more concrete. I can imagine a lot of street performers tangoing and break-dancing there. Then, I had this idea. I wanted to make a movie. Right there. So, I took out my cell and started texting people in my film track. 4-5 months to create a short film IN ARGENTINA. How exciting, right? It’s definitely a national and international endeavor, working with students from all over the U.S., filming in a country that we’re not from.
Makes my heart race happy thoughts.
ANYWAY, I’ve decided to give myself a weekly budget. Because I have to pay for everything [food, water, pesos for my cell, laundry services, transportation, plus the extra I want to use] money goes fast. I realized back at SUA how much I needed to watch my spending [especially that one month I was in debt], but here, I’ve become more conscious of it because it’s not just about using it for that extra thing that I want; it’s for survival.
It’s gonna be slightly difficult, since there’s a slightly big difference between what I’ve been spending up till now and what I am allotting myself starting this week. But, I think I’ve got my pesos down for my cell phone since I put enough to hopefully last me the semester [if I don’t make anymore long distance calls]. So, no need for that. I can do it.
Outside of all the exciting things that happened to day, I had class at 9pm. Since night classes were offered here, I decided to experience what it was like to take a night class, especially since I’m more of a night person than a morning person. So, 8:20 came rolling around, and I left. USAL is only about 10 blocks down. While I was walking, it started thundering.
WOW. I didn’t think it was possible to hear thunder or rain here.
But, I was happy about it. I missed walking in the light drizzle at night [it was quite a normal thing for me back at SUA]. Rain is definitely much appreciated for me at night than in the day. There’s something about how the light reflects off of the wet asphalt of the streets that bring about a love for the city. Something so nostalgic about it.
Anyway, I got to the university, and I asked the security guy where the classroom was, and he didn’t understand me. So, I kept repeating “V202, V202.” He finally understood and pointed the way. So, this V202, I got from the secretary of the uni. But, it was the wrong classroom. I was totally lost. So, I had to go to the counter and ask where the class was. Even though I arrived 5 minutes early, I ended up finally sitting in the class 5 minutes late. And the professor knew. I had to explain to her my situation, and she seemed cool about it, though she had to mention that the class was an annual class and not a semester class, so I had already missed half of the material, which was fine.
So, I was sitting there, and I started to get worried, because in this class, everyone has to talk and a lot of what they were saying made no sense to me. I think they were reviewing stuff from last semester. But, it was interesting, to go over prehistory, in Spanish. About halfway through the class, I was ready to call it quits. I didn’t think I would be able to take the class and pass. A little hard to understand, but then I thought I’m sure with a little background reading, I would understand it. I just lacked the vocabulary to fully comprehend what was going on [luckily, a lot of the words are cognates].
After class, I asked the professor where I can get the reading material for the class. She said she would gather everything for me, for Wednesday, which is when our next class is. I’m so glad she’s nice. At first, she kind of scared me, because when I walked in late, she tips her glasses down and says, “Y Señorita, ¿cuál es tu situación?” But, yes. She reminds me of my high school world history teacher. She was really strict, but was a great teacher with a dry sense of humor.
So, I think I’m going to officially register for this.
It’ll no doubt be a challenge for me, on all different levels, but I think it’ll be for the best in the end… hopefully. So, here I am, a person who used to study for the wrong reasons, trying to turn things around to study for the right reasons. Straight A’s would be nice [really, really nice]…but I have to remember what’s most important is what I get out of the class and how I can apply it to how I live my life.
All my energy that used to be channeled to extracurricular activities, work, and academics, will be channeled for this one semester towards this academic endeavor, all while enjoying what Argentina has to offer.
Ganbarou!
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