Long time, no talk.

I want to truly apologize for being so lax about keeping up my blog. SO MUCH has happened that I have failed to mention to all of you. Anyhow, I have decided to do weekly bites instead of long, detailed blog posts, as I don't have the patience nor silence to sit down and compose something of worth. From now on, you can expect a brief post every week! Hopefully this will help keep everyone informed on my "foreign" life and help me remember everything that happens over the course of the next year.

Monday 01/11/2010:
As you all well know, I am currently attending Colegio Nuestra Senora del Carmen, a private, Roman Catholic, all girls school located in downtown Rio Cuarto. The nun, a robust, gnome-like woman from Salta, teaches two of my sixteen courses. At the beginning of each class, we all rise and the nun leads us in the recitation of a prayer. I, though not Catholic myself, have found that I do believe in some of the teachings of Catholicism. I like to think of religion as a sample platter from Fazoli's--a little bit of each dish is the best way to go. However, today during Bioetica (essentially a class that teaches me how to not have sex, serve my husband and make lots of little Catholic babies---a dish that I prefer to not order with my sample platter), we discussed sexuality and I was absolutely, completely and totally offended. The nun bashed homosexuality for about an hour, calling it an "illness" and a "disability." I wanted to whack-a-nun at that very moment, but decided against it as I'm sure the Church would frown upon that sort of behavior.
After physical education (from 3:00 to 4:00 in the afternoon), I went to Caetano's school to speak to his English class. Basically, a bunch of 6-year-olds asked me how to say such and such a word in English--everything from tooth to cat. It was really cute when Cae introduced me to the class as his foreign exchange cousin from England. The United States, England, what's the difference to a 6-year-old?
After the presentation, Paula (my aunt), Camila (my cousin), Cae and I all went shopping in el centro. Cae bought these bright green, plaid pants that reminded me of something a grandpa would wear to play golf. The entire time we were downtown, Cae held my hand. I think I found my Argentine boyfriend, ladies...too bad he is six! We all drank orange juice at an outdoor cafe in the plaza and got home around 10:00 that night.

Tuesday 02/11/2010:
Today at school, my friend Yamila introduced me to another delicious Argentine specialty called gomitas--basically little fruit-flavored gummy bears covered in sugar.
Almost every day after my siesta, I go on a 6 kilometer walk from my house to the park and back. Today, as I was on my way back to the house, I failed to realize that there was construction going on in front of me. I just kept walking, not thinking much of it, and ended up stepping in freshly poured concrete. Oops! Hoping that no one saw, I switched to the other side of the street and picked up my pace significantly. I guess I made my mark (HA!) in Rio Cuarto.
Papa told me about the Two Year Marathon that happens annually in Rio Cuarto. On New Year's Eve, there in a 10 kilometer marathon through the city. I think I am going to participate in it...or at least try. I have been gaining a whole bunch of weight here (probably weigh about 10 pounds more than when I arrived), so it might not be a bad plan to do something active. They weren't lying when they said AFS stands for "Another Fat Student." Anyhow, the plan is to join a gym and start track with a trainer within the next week. That way I will have about two months to whip my ass into shape before the marathon.

Thursday 04/11/2010:
I went to the AFS reunion today with Rocio and Ayrton tonight. I guess I looked better than usual because before we left for the bus stop, Rofi (my grandmother) said, "Ojo con los chichos, Taylor!" I told her to do the same, which she thought was pretty funny.
After the reunion, we had about an hour to kill before the next bus came. We went to the radio station where Leti, a volunteer with AFS, works. There, she was having a little pre-gathering for her 23rd birthday party. After drinking some Coronas in celebration, we had to run to catch the bus. I lost my shoe while running, which we thought was really funny but the bus driver did not.

Friday 05/11/2010:
Today, I went to el centro to purchase supplies for my trip to the Sierras planned for Sunday. Sunscreen, sunglasses etc...Everything a gringa needs to face the sun. Krypton is to Superman as sun is to gringa. However, my plan to shop failed, as the ATM would not let me take out any money. Let me just tell you, it is very stressful to be in a foreign country without any means to get cash.
Later that day, Rocio and I went downtown again to find fabric to make her dance costume.

Saturday 06/11/2010:
This morning,Patricia (aunt) and I went to the grocery store and then downtown. The ATM worked, thankfully!
Every Saturday from 4:00 to 7:00, I go to Chochi's (grandmother) pottery class. I just finished a really simple starter piece last week and this week started working on a Pre-Columbian piece.
Mama made two cakes today--SO GOOD! One was a Ricotta cheese and orange zest cake (similar to cheesecake but with a distinct texture) and one was a chocolate cake with dulce de leche and rum.
Before having the opportunity to try either one of the cakes during merienda, I went to a cafe in front of the Teatro Municipal to hang out with some friends from AFS. The group consisted of Emiliano (from Rio Cuarto and headed to the US in August), Lisanne (from Belgium), Nina (from Iceland), Sofie (from Austria), Maxi (from Rio Cuarto and Nina's host brother), Elli (from Rio Cuarto and headed to Germany in August) and me. It was a really fun time. Sofie is having a bunch of problems with her host family here, which made me realize how incredibly lucky I am to have such an amazing host family. In a lot of ways, I feel more at home here than in the United States. Don't get me wrong... I love you guys back home, too!
When I got to the bus stop, it was fairly late, so Negra (my dog) met me at the bus stop and walked me home. It always makes me nervous crossing the highway to get to the house---lots of nasty truck drivers think it's cool to honk at the blonde chick. It's nice to have a furry companion by my side to protect me!

Sunday 07/11/2010:
Almost every Sunday, we have an asado with the family. This time, Papa made choripan. So delicious. Basically sausage on bread with tomatoes, lettuce, mayo etc...Never liked meat until I came here.
That night, there was a huge wind storm. As most of the streets in Banda Norte (my neighborhood) are dirt, it was really more of a wind/dirt/trash storm. I felt like I was in that beginning scene of The Wizard of Oz, right before the tornado comes.

Chao until next week!

HERE!

Oh, dear. Where do I even begin? It has only been a week, but everything is so new, so different. I'm absolutely exhausted from thinking, speaking, hearing, writing, understanding (and sometimes not), and functioning in Spanish 24/7. And to think, I am one of the only AFS students who came to Argentina with a solid foundation of the language.

From the beginning then. This is not going to be composed with care or with any particular outline in mind--sorry for jumping between thoughts.

My bus arrived in Rio Cuarto at 6:00 in the morning on the 25th. I was greeted at the station by my host dad, mom, and sister, along with a bunch of AFS volunteers. On the car ride to my new house, I remember thinking, "Holy shit. What did I get myself into?" My new family was speaking Spanish at a rate foreign to my American ears. On top of that, I was absolutely terrified that the rusty, old van was going to malfunction in some way (faulty brakes, flat tire etc...), as it too was producing noises foreign to my American ears. No seatbelts either--just a bench in the back. Thankfully, we arrived at the house (which is about 25 minutes outside of downtown) safely. Claudia (mom) and Rocio (sister) had made an assortment of pastries ready for my arrival. So delicious. You have not lived until you have tried these little dulce de leche cookies! We chatted briefly and then I slept like a baby in my new bed. Never have I been so happy to be sleeping in a horizontal position--after so many plane rides and bus trips, my body was craving a true good night's sleep. That afternoon, Rocio and Ayrton (brother) took me to an exposition in a nearby neighborhood. There, AFS had set up a booth. For the majority of the time, we sat around drinking mate. Then there was a concert...It was like Ricky Martin had cloned himself three times and created the NSYNC of Argentina. The women in the crowd (so, really, the whole crowd) were just drooling over these guys. I'm surprised panties weren't thrown onstage.


My family lives in the countryside. Lots of land, lots of people. The whole extended family lives on the same land, in separate little houses.
House 1: Claudia (mom), Luis (dad), Rocio (sister), me.
House 1 and 1/2 (the upstairs of our house): Chochi (Claudia's mom)
House 2 (just behind our house): Belen (sister, from Claudia's first marriage), Frederico (Belen's husband), Nacho (their 5-year-old son), and Sofia (11 mo. old daughter)
House 3: Patricia (sister of Claudia), Ro-something (her husband), Trini (their 19-year-old daughter)
House 4: Ezequiel (brother, from Claudia's first marriage)
Then, in the neighborhood really close to the house lives...
House 5: Rofi (Luis' mom), Ayrton (brother)
House 6: Fabricio (brother, 1st marriage), Silvana (his wife), Valentino (their 7-year-old son), Lara (11 mo. old daughter)
House 7: Paula (Claudia's other sister), Something (her husband), Camila (7-year-old daughter), and something (their son)
Our house is the gathering place for the whole family. There are always at least 10 people in the house at any given time. No privacy, which I both like and hate. The whole family eats meals together--breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It's more like an event than a meal because each one lasts about 1.5 hours. Also, the concept of "un poco" is apparently irrelevant here. Every meal, my entire plate it filled with food, FILLED! My mom dishes out the food like there will be a famine the next day.

A few nights ago, my brother/sister's friends came over. It's true what they say--the men here are absolutely gorgeous! Franco and Facundo (the friends) could be models for Calvin Kline underwear. We made a few different types of pizza (way more delicious than American pizza) and drank some cervezas. The lights went out because of a wind storm (apparently common here), so we played cards (game called Trucha) and played the guitar. I really like how everything here is so simple. That night was so much fun and involved so little--just the company of interesting people.

The night after that, my family and I went to Hector's house (a family friend, author, musician, awesome guy) for coffee. I cannot even desribe how fantastic this man is. He is probably in his late 60's or early 70's, grey/green eyes, white hair. Imagine an Argentine Merlin--that's Hector. He recited poetry for us (has one of the most lovely voices and speaks absolutely impecable Spanish). Then he proceded to play the piano for us. This is a scene I will never forget. Again, so simple, yet so absolutely perfect.

Started school today at an ALL GIRLS, CATHOLIC, PRIVATE school called Carmen. Yeah, I couldn't ever have pictured myself there either. No makeup, uniforms, hair pulled back at all times, no nailpolish. Thought it was going to be really strict, but it actually wasn't. The girls in my class (about 13 girls total) are super friendly and are plannig an asado in my honor on Friday. I felt famous today--while walking to the bathroom, a group of about 25 girls from other classes spotted me (not hard--the tall chick with pale skin, blue eyes, light hair) and proceded to talk to me for about the next half hour. School is from 7:30 to 5...ugh.

That's it for now. Pictures soon.

Estoy en Buenos Aires

I can feel it. This was the right decision for me.

Currently, I am at an orientation in Buenos Aires. Interestingly enough, the venue in which it is held is an old Catholic boarding school. Pictures coming soon...I have met so many people from all over the world--Myrthe from Holland, Lisanne from Belgium, Karl from Sweden, Victoria from Sweden, Ellen from Norway. It's like a mini United Nations here. Apparently, I do not fit the typical American stereotype as everyone, upon meeting me, thinks I am from Sweden. Perhaps I should not correct them and let them continue to assume this.

Last night, we had a talent show followed by a dance party. I don't think I have ever danced so much in my life! If that was any indication of the night life to come, I cannot wait.

I leave here in about an hour to meet for the first time my host family. The bus ride will be approximately 12 hours, depending on traffic and such. Finally, this all feels so real. I cannot wait to meet my host family, although I'm sure it will be uncomfortable at first.

"Hola, me llamo Taylor. Mucho gusto. Lo siento pero necesito dormir. Buenas noches."

I have not slept for more than 3 hours at a time for the past week. Now I understand why siestas are necessary!

Besos y abrazos until next time.

Last Days

Here is a little photo essay of my last days in town. Coffee with the girls, packing, etc...

Going Far, Far Away Fiesta

As reluctant as I initially was to host a going away party, I am so glad that I did! Thank you all so much for making my (almost) 18 years in Fort Collins so memorable. The cards, pictures, and gifts were lovely and much appreciated. I, the one who is accused of being an emotional blackhole, couldn't help but shed a few tears while reading the kind words in all of the letters. Thank you all for everything, and I will see you guys in a year!

A special thank you to the following people for their generosity:
The Lagonis
The Walronds
Sra. Silveira
The Baums
The Sanders
Stacy Evans
Jeff Randall
Dick Christensen and Tom Lundberg

Now comes the part where I must pack up my belongings. Two days left, folks. It's difficult to express in words how I am feeling at this point. This is a huge transitional phase in my life--I am not mentally in Fort Collins anymore and am not physically in Argetina yet. Where do I invest my time and energy? I'm thinking of just investing everything I have into myself, rather than concern myself with physical location. After several months of dreaming, wishing, wondering, worrying, and stressing, IT IS FINALLY HERE! Hasta luego, amigos.

Lions and tigers and Patricia! Oh, my!

For the past several months, I have been communicating with a lady named Patricia who works at the Consulate General of Argentina in Houston. To make a long story short, we do not have the warmest relationship. It's sort of an estrogen-filled, modern day version of Hamilton vs. Jefferson. Of course, I am the good guy.

Anyhow, I had been dreading my inevitable encounter with this Cruella Devil. As I walked into the office in Houston, I was relieved to see a man working behind the glass-enclosed desk. I politely told the man that I had an appointment to receive my visa, thinking he would be the one to issue it.

"Sure," he said. "Let me get Patricia."

Well, fantastic. Functioning on only an hour of sleep, I was not entirely confident that I could "play nicely" with this bitch. May the peace be with me, I thought.

A few moments later, a tall, skinny, gorgeous woman walked out from the back of the office. My mind momentarily flashed to that scene in The Shining, where Jack Nicholson peeks in from the hole in the wall and says, "Here's Johnny!"

"HERE'S PATRICIA!"
This was equally, if not more, terrifying than the movie version of this scene.

Patricia was holding all of my documents (which I had sent a few days prior) in her skeletor hands. Good sign, I thought. Then she passed me the checklist, which now had two requirements highlighted. Impossible!

One was the requirement to have a return flight, which I had already discussed with Patricia via email. AFS does not provide a return flight until a few months before I leave. Patricia had assured me that as long as I had an estimated return date, the requirement would be fulfilled.

Secondly, I needed to provide secondary international medical insurance, even though AFS and my mom's insurance cover me fully while abroad. Worst of all, Patricia demanded that I read this requirement ALOUD to her. How condescending!?! At that point, I was so thankful (for Patricia's sake) that that glass was separating us. I have some tempermental Scottish blood running through my veins, and when someone pisses me off, I simply cannot control myself. I transform from Taylor to A-Taylor the Hun.

So, to correct these problems, I contacted AFS in order to book a return flight. I talked to three different people, only to be connected with the travel coordinator in NYC. As for the medical insurance, my cousin Stephanie (who was hosting us while in Houston) contacted her insurance man, who then connected us with Doug, an insurance guy in NYC. Doug apparently has dealt with the Houston Consulate on multiple occasions and provided us with secondary international medical insurance for the low, low price of $270. I feel like this whole experience has been one long MasterCard commercial.

Translations:$250
International Medical Insurance: $270
Two tickets to Houston: $700
The wonderful experience in Argentina: Priceless

Luckily, everything worked out and I will be getting my visa in the mail in about 2 days.

Oh, forgot to mention this. In the waiting room at the Houston Consulate, I met a man named Jeff. As I was talking with him, I learned that he is from Fort Collins and has lived in Buenos Aires for about 5 years. Although he was a bit evasive about his line of work, he told me that if I ever needed anything while I was in Argentina, he is close friends with the Swedish Ambassador to Argentina. SWEET! We exchanged information and I plan to contact him before I leave to thank him for his kindness. He had overheard my conversation with Patricia and said, "You know, the people are REALLY nice once you actually get to Argentina." I will be holding him to that!

Death by Visa

I figured an update was in order, as all I have done up until this point is beg for money. Now that my tuition has been paid in full (with the help of many generous contributors), my mind is free to worry about other Argentina-related things, like the acquisition of a visa. Little did I know, obtaining a transitory visa for Argentina is notoriously difficult and expensive.

My quest to complete this seemingly impossible task began in early June, when I received a 10+ page packet via email from AFS detailing the visa process. Each state is assigned to a specific Consulate, and, as luck would have it, the Consulate General of Argentina in Houston has jurisdiction over Colorado. Every Consulate has its own set of requirements, and Houston is one of the few that requires an in-person interview with the applicant. Really? If I must travel domestically to receive a visa, it might as well be to a desireable location. Alas, my father and I will have the pleasure of visiting a city that magnifies all of the ills of American culture. We leave on August 10th and return on the 11th, so as to not expose ourselves to Houston's harmful rays for too terribly long.

Today, my dad and I went to Denver to the Secretary of State in order to receive authorization from the Apostille on some of my documents. A few days prior, we had the documents notarized by a Notary Public. Apparently, the Notary Public had mistakenly defaced my birth certificate. The Secretary of State Office closed in about an hour, and my dad and I were faced with the challenge of obtaining a new birth certificate in a short amount of time. We sped off to another government building in Denver (getting lost a few times along the way) where we would be able to replace my birth certificate. Luckily, we were able to return to the Secretary of State Office before it closed. Phew! Another trip to Denver would have been such a hassle.

Now, all that is left to do is get the documents professionally translated from English to Spanish. I cannot shake the feeling that I have overlooked something, even though I have checked that damn list more times than Santa checks his list. Ugh...a Santa reference? Proof that I work with kids far too often.

Oh, and I don't believe that I have mentioned where I will be staying yet! It's a town of about 150,000 people located in the provice of Cordoba. Rio Cuarto is the name, which means 4th River in English. So far, AFS has not provided me with details concerning my permanent host family. However, I do know that I will be staying with the Vilches family for the first month of my exchange.

That's all to report for now. Next time I post something, I will probably be writing from Argentina!

Más Gracias

The generosity of those around me is truly incredible. Without the financial support of my friends and family, this trip to Argentina would never be possible. Recently, more people have donated to this cause and I would like to extend my utmost gratitude for their selflessness.

A special thank you to:

Jennifer McKee

Jim Knight

Rita Murphy

Emily Eisele

Great Western Bank

Maurice Cutler


It's not too late to donate! I have a remaining balance of $5,000.
Here's how:

Option 1:
Click the Chip-In button on the top left corner of my blog. This will lead you to Pay-Pal and your donation will be sent directly to my AFS account.

Option 2:
Send a check made out to Taylor Wright with "AFS Argentina Fund" in the memo to my home address.
5238 Fox Hills Drive
Fort Collins, CO 80526

Thank you!

I feel so very lucky to have such an amazing support system. After just a few days of my fund-raising efforts, some people have already contributed generously toward this cause.

A special thank you to:

Rob and Renice Lake

Lynnae Whitehead

Marion Cutler

Michael Toland

Kasey Darling


Your support means the world to me, and I will be forever indebted to all of you. Additionally, thanks to all of those who have offered words of encouragement and kindness. Without your help, I would not be able to make this once in a lifetime opportunity a reality.

I want to especially recognize the following for their continuous support:

Stephanie Silveira

Sara Cummings

Chrystal Kelly