Art class

As a person who is in a constant state of reflection, I often wonder what could have been different within a span of a month, semester or year. So as I look back on my time spent in Buenos Aires I can see a multitude of things that I wish had happened or developed, I can see the difference between my perception of what I would do with my time here versus what actually materialized, and in all there are points that exceeded my expectations and points which I had not the best experience with.
Though I would like to return to my life in the states, I mostly feel that my time here was too short. Only in the past month have I started making friends with people here. And I feel like I am leaving a community that I would like to get to know better.
I think over all my time spent in Buenos Aires has been a great experience that has taught me so much about people and myself.
For me the most valuable experience was my art class. The class I took is in a taller run by a local artist Marcela BeauBeau Dsecondinier. The people in the classes are all women, mostly middle aged and there are a few younger women and some college-aged girls. Many of the women have been taking classes here for more than ten years and the taller has become my home in Buenos Aires. The women introduce me to their children, teach me dirty Spanish words and encourage my art.
For me art has always been something that I’ve wanted to take classes in but I never really had the opportunity. Taking the classes was initially a way for me to become more emerged in Argentine culture, but in the end it has showed me how much I nee to continue doing art and this continuation will keep connected not only with myself, but also with my time spent in Argentina.
The classes were casual, I could show up on Monday or Thursday if I missed one I could come in on Friday morning or Wednesday night. It felt more like a group of people coming together to receive critic from Marcela than any class that an American could envision.
Learning how to paint and create art from a Latin American perspective allowed me to let go of North American conventions of color, meaning, and subject matter. These women saw the value in bright expressive color and huge canvases that I feel many of my artist peers in the states fear.
Going to the taller or studio every Monday and Thursday gave me insight into the culture that I would’ve never gotten from a classroom or from meeting other kinds of friends. This was a space where free expression was encouraged and demanded. During our breaks talks about politics, economic meltdown, disappeared people, lovers, children, anything would break out. These women asked for my opinion and I learned from them.
My best piece of advice to anyone going abroad is to search out these kinds of spaces, join a club sport, a team, do community service, but involve yourself in the culture from the inside it will give you a perspective that you never dreamed possible.