Eli W-M's blog

I'll miss you choripan (at least for the two months I'm gone, until I come back next semester)I have to just start off by saying that I truly enjoyed this class. Going in, I expected to just fill out a meaningless blog post every few days, giving a couple of updates of the things I’ve been doing during my same here. However, as the semester went on, I realized that both the readings and the questions challenged me to think about travel and the whole study abroad experience in a way that I never would have. Having to read, write and reflect has really helped me understand and verbalize the importance of my experiences here. I don’t think that there’s been one “most rewarding aspect” of my time here. Instead, I feel that the entire experience of beginning to master another language and truly immersing myself in another culture has been incredible. It not only has helped me to appreciate the Argentine culture, but my own as well. As for problems, I really can’t say I faced anything to drastic. Probably the most difficult challenge I faced was deciding where to travel/what things to do. However, I knew that I’d want to have more than just four months here, so I will actually be staying on in Buenos Aires for the next semester to continue studying abroad here. So, I’ll be able to continue traveling and exploring, both the greater Argentina and South America as well as Buenos Aires. Instead of going home during the two-month break, I will be traveling to Brazil for about a month and then Chile for two weeks, before returning back to Buenos Aires. I think that NYU could do a few things to make this study abroad better. For starters, they should let students have the option of renting an apartment, instead of forcing them to either live in a residence or with a host family. It is ridiculous, we’re all adults, and we should be able to choose where we live. Secondly, they should allow students to have the option of taking a class/classes at a local university. Thirdly, they should establish the possibility of getting credit for an internship. I had a really cool internship here that I would be getting credit for in New York, but they don’t have it set up here yet. Other than that, I must say that I’ve been really pleased with my study abroad experience here. Years from now, while I’m sure I won’t remember all the specific names of people I’ve met and places I’ve gone, I will remember the excitement and the incredibly feeling of possibility that each day brought. The feeling of exploring and meeting a new friend or experiencing a new adventure at any moment. That and the awesomeness that is choripan.

There's a HUGE city out there to explore

How can it already be four months? I mean, I know that everyone says that the study abroad experience is always feels short, but I guess I just had to find out for myself. Firstly, I think studying in Buenos Aires is a great choice. This city has an amazing amount to offer. The program here is really fantastic. The only downsides (for me) were that you’re not allowed to take classes at local universities and that all of the students are from the states. I have two pieces of advice that I’d offer: one, have an open mind and take advantage of any opportunity you’re given, and two, get involved in an activity outside of NYU. Some of the things I’ve treasured most about my trip and some of the best times I’ve had have come from meeting and talking to random people I’ve met here. I think that having a certain openness and willingness to meet new people, something that MANY lack at NYU in New York, will truly enhance your stay. Even if it’s just someone or something you meet or do for one random night, those can be the best experiences you’ll have. As for number two, I, for example, played in an ultimate frisbee league here in Buenos Aires. This activity was not only fun, but I also got to meet a lot of great people and be part of another community here. Whatever you’re interested in, try to find it here in Buenos Aires.
Preparation? The only thing you need to prepare yourself for in being open and ready to have an amazing time. There are a million cool places I could list in this post, but honestly, the most fun part is exploring. My million cool places aren’t going to be the same as your million cool places, which I’m sure you’ll find when you come here. To be real, exploring is one of the best parts about studying abroad. Of course you should travel around Argentina/South America, but don’t forget about exploring the city. One thing I’d highly recommend is to never stop exploring. It can be easy to just go to the same places over and over, but take the initiative to venture to new neighborhoods and restaurants and you’ll be highly rewarded. There’s soooo much to do this city, more than anyone could possibly do, so don’t restrict yourself to staying in just a few/one neighborhood–Palermo–like so many people on my program did (even though there’s a lot of cool bars/restaurants there). Lastly, stay with a host family, you already lived in the dorms freshman year. If you don’t like your situation you can always switch, but you’ll be infinitely more rewarded living with a host family, you won’t regret it.

The Three Musketeers

On Thanksgiving Day, I went to work. I volunteer with an organization here in Buenos Aires called Fundación Pro Vivienda Social (www.fpvs.org – check it out!) and it was just another day at the office. It was funny trying to explain to my coworkers here about Thanksgiving. Nobody real cares about the history, it’s all about family and eating, a lot. Anyways, not that it was a stressful day, but I’m just so used to spending Thanksgiving Day relaxing with family, playing or watching some football, and maybe watching a Bond or Rocky marathon. To be honest, it was kind of strange. It was just another day. When the day ended, I headed home and got ready for dinner. The academic center here in Buenos Aires hosted a Turkey Day feast. I personally thought it was a lovely thing for them to do, and an unexpected surprise to say the least. All I really wanted for my Thanksgiving here was to be with friends and eat a lot of food. I had been planning on going out and getting a huge steak to celebrate, but when NYU announced that they’d have dinner for us at the center, it was an easy and awesome way for all of us to get together and celebrate. To be real, my expectations weren’t too high. I thought we’d have some mediocre food, but great company. When I arrived at the center, it was decorated in a lovely fashion, with classic autumn colors (even though its late spring/early summer here). It ended up being a lovely. I mean, obviously they can’t touch my mama’s stuffing (or turkey, or sweet potatoes, or green beans for that matter…) but it was not bad. There were two whole turkeys and they were carving them right there. It really was a wonderful treat. Even though the “pumpkin pie” wasn’t really pumpkin pie, I was very pleasantly surprised by the rest of the meal. The best part was that I could be together with my buddies here and just have a nice, long, enjoyable meal. While this was the first Thanksgiving without any family (being from California and going to school in New York, I usually spend it with extended family, not my parents) it was still a really nice meal.

Stopping to smell the flowersI found it DeBotton’s chapter “On Habit,” to be one of the most interesting pieces we’ve read from him. I loved the concept of the “travel mindset” and of “room travel.” I think that far too often people, including myself, slip into a routine where things that were once marvelous become ordinary, or even worse, boring.

Just recently, a week or so before reading this piece, I was hanging out with my host brother Mickey and we went out for a walk. He dropped something off at a friend’s house, and afterwards when I asked him what he wanted to do, he said just walk around the city for a bit. At first, I thought, walk around the city? Why? What for? I often think about walking around the city as a pain, something I have to do in between other activities. Getting from my house to school. Getting from school to a park. Getting from a park to a museum, etc… In fact, I couldn’t remember the last time that I had just walked around just to walk around. As we walked and talked, I started to look at buildings that I pass regularly, buildings that I see almost everyday, and really appreciate them. It’s easy, especially in a big city, to slip into “tunnel vision” (just look at EVERYONE in New York). Everybody’s talking on their cell phone, living their lives, getting from place to place, each person in their own universe. It felt so good to just walk and chat and look around. The buildings here are incredible. There are so many amazing things to see and appreciate. I realized how jaded I had become to this spectacular city, in only 3 plus months! Not that I was/am bored (on the contrary, I’m loving it here more and more), but just that I had slipped into my own “tunnel vision” when I walked around. I’ve made it my goal to do more exploring, both of new neighborhoods and my own, and really look at and appreciate the beauty that Buenos Aires has to offer.

I think that this is the “travel mindset” that DeBotton was talking about. When we travel, we take in so much more than in our day-to-day lives and we appreciate things that we might otherwise pass over. In many ways, the travel mindset is a way of “stopping and smelling the flowers,” and I believe that’s something that we could all use more of.

Typical chori shack/cartThe first time I saw this man was about 2 or 3 weeks into my stay here in Argentina. I had spent almost my entire time either with NYU kids or with my host family, so needless to say I had not met very many people yet. My friend Charlie and I were on the way back from playing Ultimate Frisbee and we stopped to get some choripan in the park (you can refer to my 6th post if you want to get the lowdown on choripan). There was a small shack/mini-parrilla, typical of parks here in Buenos Aires, with two guys inside chatting it up. As Charlie and I approached, I the guys talking and they were speaking in Spanish, but parts sounded a little different. After ordering my chori, I asked if they were speaking Portuguese, and he said yes. I’ve taken a year of Portuguese at NYU, so I began to try to chop it up a little bit, speaking in a mix of Portuguese, kind of like the guys were before.

He was the first person with whom I’d struck up a random conversation. He asked us what we were doing in Argentina and we told him we were studying. He spoke incredibly fast, and the fact that he was switching between two languages didn’t help my understanding. While he was friendly, at the same time, there was a sense that he was spiteful of us. I picked it up in his tone and then finally I heard him say “chetos,” which in Argentina is a derogatory term for the rich. There’s not really much to argue with there, compared to a guy that is selling choripan out of a shack in a park, I am EXTREMELY rich. All I felt I could do was be genuine and try to have a nice conversation. When we parted ways, after about 15 minutes of chatting, he gave us a nice goodbye, whether it was genuine or not, who knows.Meeting this man was confirming something I already knew: as a North American in Argentina, there are going to be people who do not like me. The chori vendor was not an aberration, he represent a feeling held by many here in Argentina. There’s graffiti around the city that reads: “yanquis afuera del sudamérica” (Yankees out of South America). All I can do during my stay here is try to be the most respectful visitor I can and try to promote a good image of the “yanquis.”

I know I talk about chori a lot, but it’s really just that delicious.

Choripan: learn about itThere’s countless parrillas here in Buenos Aires. A parrilla is basically a grill/restaurant. However, in parrillas they are literally barbecuing the meat in front of you. As in, there is a man, tending coals, cooking meat over an open fire, in a restaurant. Obviously each parrilla is different, and there is definitely a range of the not so great cheap to the over-priced, gourmet, but in between there are many wonderful parrillas around this city. There’s a parrilla about a half block away from my place called “Parrilla Di Carlo.” I had walked by it many times when I first arrived and the sign always caught my attention. After I finally decided to walk in and try it, my stay here in Buenos Aires was instantly changed for the better.

Upon walking into Parrilla Di Carlo, one is instantly struck with two lovely sensations: the smell and sight meat over hot coals. There the “asador” (grill master) wields his saber (to call it a knife simply would not do justice to that beast) and tends both flame and meat. There’s a narrow area leading into the restaurant, with the grill and asador on one side, and a bar to sit at on the other. Next to the grill sits the dueño (owner): Carlo. A wise, turtleneck wearing, pipe smoking, older fellow, Carlo watches over his parrilla from his stool, perched like a falcon. Slow moving and deep-voiced, he calmly takes your order. While there is a whole restaurant extending further back with tables and waiters, a place where one can sit and eat leisurely, for me, I prefer sitting at the bar. After ordering, I hop on one of the bar stools and wait, drooling with the others as we watch the master at work. When it’s crowded during the lunch rush, the asador is like an artist: cutting, slicing, carving, and flipping the meat, while he’s keeping track of the orders AND tending the coals and making sure that he’s got the perfect amount of heat. The combination Carlo’s stoic leadership and the asador’s quick and meticulous work make for a fantastic parrilla experience. They create a wonderful atmosphere that is almost as great as their meat.

The obelisk

Recently a few of my friends from back home arrived here in Argentina. They were originally going to go to Rio de Janeiro and then come here to Buenos Aires, but there was some complications with their Brazilian visas, so it seems that they’re just going to get an apartment here and maybe travel around Argentina. I wasn’t expecting them until a few weeks later, but a few days ago my buddy sent me a message on facebook letting me know that they’d touched down. Last night we hung out for the first time, and it was an incredibly strange, but awesome experience.To begin with, it was so cool seeing my friends, three people who I’ve known since before high school, in Buenos Aires. With their arrival, I’m seeing this city with new eyes again. I’m remembering what it was like when I first came here, before I got settled here. I want to be able to show my buddies what my life is like here and give them a good, fair, portrayal of Buenos Aires, the good and the bad. Not that I’m an expert now and I definitely don’t know the city perfectly (it’s huge!), but I live here, I have places that I go to regularly, and it is my home. Seeing my friends really made me realize this. It brought together two totally separate worlds and it made me realize that I have a pretty established life here. I have an identity. This is no longer a new and exotic to me, it’s simply Buenos Aires, my home. In many ways, is kind of like how my relationship with New York changed. Before coming to NYU and living in New York, it seemed like this magical, dream-like place, but after living there for a while, the awe kind of wore off. I am NOT trying to say that I’m tired of it here (or in New York for that matter), instead what I really mean is the opposite. Now is when I am really enjoying living in this city, not just visiting. I’m discovering and enjoying many new aspects and realizing just how much it truly has to offer. The arrival of my friends has made me look back on my time here and realize how great it’s been and how wonderful it will continue to be.

Jorge Luis Borges

Labyrinths: Selected Stories and Other Writings (Jorge Luis Borges) While Argentine literature is extremely interesting, with many different and important writers, Jorge Luis Borges is without a doubt the most prominent. You simply cannot mention Argentine literature without Borges and in many ways he both embodies and defines it. He truly has a unique style and captures many important aspects of Argentine culture and history in his works.Reading this book has been fascinating for a number of reasons. Not only is JLB just an absolutely genius human being and incredible writer, but I am also currently taking a class called “Borges and Argentine Literature”. Thus, I have already read a few of the stories in this book, but, since my class is in Spanish, I read them in Spanish. Furthermore, in my class we’ve read a few pieces by peopled who have translated Borges’ work, in which they talk about their experiences. In short, I have had MANY different things to think about and ways of going about analyzing this nice little piece of work. This book is not a novel (Borges didn’t write novels), instead it’s a collection of different stories and texts by Borges on a topic that fascinated him: Labyrinths. For Borges, there are physical/spacial labyrinths, like in his story “The House of Asterion,” which depicts the labyrinth on a Crete at the center of which awaited the mythical Minotaur, but there are also mental/temporal labyrinths, which he believes can be constructed through literature. For example, he uses the example of One Thousand and One Nights (a book that Borges adored) in his many different ways of speaking about labyrinths.While this book in particular focuses solely on labyrinths, I actually think it takes away from Borges’ work. The beauty of Borges is the universality with which he writes, all the while relating it back to Argentina. While Borges loves writing about labyrinths, he would never write a book about labyrinths. His three most acclaimed books, El Hacedor, Ficciones, and El Aleph are all collections of different stories and texts with a very wide range of topics, but they all come together to create something new and profound.  I love reading Borges because I believe that through him I can achieve a better understanding of Buenos Aires and of Argentina.

9 kilos of bomb-ass meatIf there’s one thing that I just absolutely love about Argentina, it’s the meat culture. Basically, they just go hard here. Firstly, there are countless “parrillas” (i.e. barbeque restaurants) in this city and country. When I say barbeque, I literally mean that there’s a “asador” (griller) tending coals and manning a grill, inside a restaurant. They’re literally barbequing right in front of you. It’s awesome.

I recently traveled around this lovely country for my spring break, and somehow ended up in San Juan, Argentina, hanging out with a bunch of awesome people at a skydiving club (VERY long story for another post), and they kindly invited myself and my two friends I was traveling with to join them for an “asado” (i.e. barbeque). We went with our new friend Mauricio to the “carniceria” (meat store) to shop for our feast. They do not mess around in San Juan. They no joke had an entire side of a cow hanging in the fridge, and proceeded to cut parts straight off the cow for us. Then, when Mauri asked for some ribs, the guy cut them with a table saw. That’s right, the carniceria has a table saw. After it was all said and done, we walked out of that joint with a whopping 9 kilos of meat (and that’s not even including the 13 chorizo sausages). For those not on the metric system, that’s about 20 pounds.

We took a quick trip back to Mauricio’s house, where he picked up his tools (every asador has got to have his own knife and sharpener) and then we headed back to the skydiving club (where the asado was being held) and got ready to cook. As we were informed by Mauricio, the people in Buenos Aires use “carbon” (charcoal) while the folks out in San Juan, they use nothing but the best: “leña” (wood). They love their meat so much that they don’t dare jeopardize the flavor by using charcoal (our friends out in San Juan would be appalled by the concept of a “gas grill”). As far as preparation of the meat: salt. Argentines don’t care much for sauces or marinades because they don’t want to take away from the true flavor of the meat. With three different cuts of beef, two types of ribs, and sausage, coupled with some cold brew, made for without a doubt the best and most complete asado I’ve had in Argentina.

El CaminitoI would definitely agree that what the traveler seeks is “authenticity”. Everyone here always wants to have a “real” Argentine experience or go out to a restaurant that the “locals” go to. I am not an exception to this desire and it is something that I’ve thought about a lot during my time here. However, I must clear something up: while I can’t speak for everyone, I do not feel that I am a traveler or tourist here in Buenos Aires. I live here. I have a home here. I have a daily life here. With that said, I think that my way of going about discovering the “back region” is different that a traveler or tourist.

For example, during our first week here, before I had a sense of Buenos Aires, we were taken on a tour around the city, where we checked out the famous neighborhood “La Boca”. There we visited El Caminito, a small, colorful, architecturally fascinating little street. The only problem was, it was a complete tourist trap. The street was lined with people selling trinkets, artwork, “real” tango dancers, etc… The only problem was, the only people there were tourists. Every single person who looked at us on that street did not see faces, but rather dollar signs. What’s worse is that La Boca is advertised as this quaint little working class, immigrant neighborhood when it actually has one of the higher crime rates and is one of the poorer neighborhoods within Capital Federal.

My reason for this anecdote is this: to the tourist or traveler, who’s just passing through Buenos Aires, he/she might visit La Boca’s Caminito and say how beautiful and wonderful it was, how it was so full of color and the people were so joyful, how it was a real “authentic” experience. This area is the exact type of place MacCannell was talking about, it’s “arranged to produce the impression that a back region has been entered even when this is not the case.”

As for me, I’ve come to the conclusion that the reason why I want to get into the back regions is simple: my desire to learn Argentine culture. Once again, I’m living here now, this is my home. I don’t just want to bring my same self and my same customs and habits from the states and live my same lifestyle here. Living and understanding a different lifestyle than my own is one of my main goals here, and I believe that one way of helping to achieve that goal is by discovering the back regions.