Up to this point, it’s been really hard for any of this to feel very real. When I said goodbye to my friends I knew I’d be seeing most of them again at different points throughout the month, so if I didn’t express everything the first time I’d have plenty of time to properly express my love for them. I knew that I’d see my boyfriend again at least twice, and I just wanted to avoid feeling sad and lonely and really missing them, so I didn’t really think about the fact that I really was leaving.
There are so many opportunities that I know are waiting for me in Argentina, but I just don’t know what to expect. I’m excited for the opportunities, but I’m a little bit terrified of the challenges. I have so many wonderful friends who are always there to talk me through things and support me, and I don’t know what I’m going to do without them. Of course, I’ll probably make good friends when I’m in Córdoba, but they won’t be these friends. There’s no replacing these friends. But they’ll be here waiting for me when I get back, and I am so so excited to see them again.
I’m going to be honest with you, before I left for this trip I really didn’t know what to expect. I’d read some cultural guides and guidebooks and I’d even completed a research project for two of my classes about the history and culture of Argentina, but I honestly felt like I was going in blind. As my plane descended into the city of Córdoba, I was first struck by the transformation of the landscape. Flying over Chile, the Andes mountains had been brown and the trees had been sparse. But in Argentina, the forests seemed lush in the Sierra mountains and the city was nestled right next to it. I was exhausted when I got off the plane, but I made it through all the security checkpoints and when I walked out of customs, my host mom recognized me right away. Her hug made me feel so welcome.
I was really nervous in the car, but I was able to understand the questions she asked me, and I was excited to start understanding more. The first night I felt a little overwhelmed, and I had a bit of trouble adjusting, but the next day I got to know my host mom and her cousins and aunt, we went swimming, and I even got to drink mate with them. Mate is a traditional Argentine drink that’s served in a gourd or other, similar cup, and it’s passed from person to person while everyone chats. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip so far, because I felt as if I was being welcomed and initiated into the Argentine culture.
Today was the first day of classes, and I was so nervous. I didn’t know any of my classmates yet, and I had no idea how everything was going to go. When I got there, however, I found that they were just as nervous as I was, and just as excited to get to know me as I was to get to know them. I found friends with common interests and a passion for the Spanish language. We shared our struggles and our goals for the semester, and we had a wonderful lunch together. To be honest, I have not had a bad meal since I got here. After classes, I felt so confident and hopeful. I can tell that this semester is going to fly by. To top it all off, I was able to find my way home all by myself! There was a small incident where I tripped on the sidewalk, ripped my jeans, and broke my water bottle, but that’s not really specific to Argentina. I guess I’m a bit of a klutz no matter what the culture.
I feel like I’ve finally overcome my nervousness, for the most part. The knot in my stomach has almost gone away. I am so excited to see what this semester will bring.
