The ground here is not actually orange.
Preface: By the way, I've moved to South America until July for study abroad. My new home is Córdoba, Argentina.
Background:
Where I am: Where I'm from:
City/Country: Córdoba, Argentina City: Waverly, Iowa
Population: 1.3 million Population: 9,876
My school: PECLA-- Programa de Español My school: Wartburg Collegey Cultura Latinoamericana, a part of La My home: A very small campus.
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.
My home: I live with a very nice woman named Betty.
City/Country: Córdoba, Argentina City: Waverly, Iowa
Population: 1.3 million Population: 9,876
My school: PECLA-- Programa de Español My school: Wartburg Collegey Cultura Latinoamericana, a part of La My home: A very small campus.
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba.
My home: I live with a very nice woman named Betty.
Living Abroad: They Forgot to Mention...
I have a few friends who have already participated in this study abroad program in Córdoba, and they recommended it to me when I had to choose (Argentina v. Spain v. Costa Rica). Of course, the stories I heard before leaving were brief snapshots of iconic parts of Argentina--mate, the favorite drink of the Argentines, meeting people from all over the US and from other countries, and the chance to travel until my suitcase falls apart from heedless baggage handlers at the airport.
So I left the US on February 10 and arrived in Argentina on February 11 after layovers in Florida and Chile. For the past week, I've been to a few orientation activities, taken a placement test, started a month-long intensive Spanish program, and tried to adjust to living in a new place.
All of the friends who recommended this program to me told me I'd love it and that it would be the best decision of my life. They obviously had amazing semesters, learning great Spanish and meeting people. Six months is a few years short of a long-term move, but five months long of a vacation. By the time my friends arrived back in the States to rave about Argentina's infamous asados, they'd forgotten the pangs of homesickness and culture shock that came with their arrival in Córdoba. There were a few things they forgot to tell me about, little aspects of daily life that you wouldn't think would make a difference in the long run, but really seem to matter the first few weeks.
So I left the US on February 10 and arrived in Argentina on February 11 after layovers in Florida and Chile. For the past week, I've been to a few orientation activities, taken a placement test, started a month-long intensive Spanish program, and tried to adjust to living in a new place.
All of the friends who recommended this program to me told me I'd love it and that it would be the best decision of my life. They obviously had amazing semesters, learning great Spanish and meeting people. Six months is a few years short of a long-term move, but five months long of a vacation. By the time my friends arrived back in the States to rave about Argentina's infamous asados, they'd forgotten the pangs of homesickness and culture shock that came with their arrival in Córdoba. There were a few things they forgot to tell me about, little aspects of daily life that you wouldn't think would make a difference in the long run, but really seem to matter the first few weeks.
Poco a poco
My first week in Córdoba has felt as though it's lasted ten years; everything is new and unfamiliar, and the simplest tasks are now pretty challenging. As you can guess, speaking Spanish with native speakers is A Lot different from speaking Spanish in the classroom. Buying credit for my pay-as-you-go phone, asking for the bus stop, and sorting out paperwork to get my student visa are formidable tasks as I get tongue-tied and frustrated.
The good news, though, is that things will get easier; I'll get a routine, I'll meet new people, and everything will be fine