Metas. fiaca? nada mas!

Ok. 

So, now that I've made my decision to stay. It's time to get busy thinking about how I'm going to really make this worth it.

1. No more boludeces on the internet.

That word translates to bullshit, more or less. In days when I felt sort of gray, my bright white mac would suck me in and I could spend hours upon hours doing absolutely nothing of value while the big, wide world waited for me outside. There's nothing wrong with updating the blog and keeping in touch with friends and e-mail. But that's not really what I was doing. I need to get my head in the game for real. This is part of the reason I really need more time here. Get rid of distractions!!!! 

2. Make the days richer.

I've learned that I'm a sedentary person. It's a tough life, because I'm a homebody but a complete extrovert--I am energized by interactions with people. If I lived alone, I would die. With Ines, we can screw around all night at the house and have a grand time, but I need to be more proactive about seeing and taking advantage of the things I've yet to see in the city. Ines has literally started  calling me (endearingly, I hope) chanchita, or little piggy, because I spend a lot of time lounging. I'll continue to have "recovery" days, especially given the nightlife schedule here, but I can't have those kind of days unless I'm actually recovering from something!! So what does a richer day look like? Well there are a million restaurants I haven't tried, lots of staple cultural centers I've yet to explore, and shopping? I've purchased a dismal amount of souvenirs and virtually nothing for myself. For the amount of freedom I have, I am not taking advantage of the nightlife. Here's to another six months being of legal age!! Time to get social. Oh and tango? I have not even touched that whole dimension. When it comes to music, I've been more into the folkloric stuff and boliche scene (OK i admit, i LIKE reggaeton!) Tango has sort of felt like a big, weird, touristy joke, but we'll see. 

3. Travel!!

I am getting prepped for a trip to Rio de Janeiro (a place I never thought I'd go!!) with Amy. I am really looking forward to it because it will be WARM!!! I have no concept of Portuguese and it will feel incredibly different. A nice change of pace from Buenos Aires. And Sean will be there!!!! There are also a few other friends getting prepped for study abroad. Celine leaves for Chile at the end of July, so I'll have a contact in Valparaiso! And Jenna is getting ready for her semester in Salvador, Brazil. She studied in Buenos Aires her this time last year, so if she is down for visit, it would be great to put our heads together for a "Best of BA" clip show trip. Also, now that I will be here for longer, I can host more of my friends who weren't able to plan something earlier.  Ines and I have plans to see parts of Uruguay that neither of us went to. Also, I skipped out on a lot of the classic travel destinations for lack of momentum/trying to balance the money. The truth is, compared to most of my friends on the program, I have been living extremely cheaply. I only made one trip besides the ones the program paid for, which was to Bariloche. And that one ended up being quite economical after we met a local named Mau whose amazing family fed us on a few occasions. There was one steak lunch that set us back, but it was worth it. And most of our activities were virtually free. In Brazil, I will have free lodging, and plan to live as cheaply as possible (the real is doing better than the peso...wish me luck). So, I think an adventure to Iguazu Falls, Salta/Jujuy, Mar de Plata, Montevideo, or maybe even Tierra del Fuego (there are penguins there!!!) should be reasonable. 

4. Maintain! 

In the grand scheme of things, I think I did a pretty good job with balancing things. I met quite a few south americans and got to enjoy a part of the latin cosmo culture in Buenos Aires (because there are people from aaall over the world here) but I also did decently in school and bonded with kids on the program. I've been very lucky, all things considered. So, I think I need to keep up my good attitude, but put myself out there a little bit more. The fruits of what I've done first semester are getting ripe, so I think this second part is going to be a blast. And my spanish is about to overcome a plateau...I know it. It'll probably be put on hold for a second while I'm in Brazil, but after that...it's going to take off!! Yeah!

It's been awhile! The chapter is incomplete.

I've made a big decision and decided to give up some things next semester in order to spend another semester here in Buenos Aires. 

It took a lot of thinking, paying attention to "signs," and just feeling what was the right decision.

It was a difficult because I was in a situation that I don't think there ever could be a right or wrong decision. It was basically a matter of whatever I want to do. I am feeling strange now, sort scared and nervous. I always imagine when you make the "right" decision, everything will settle, especially the butterflies in the stomach. But that's not what I am feeling right now. I am feeling anxious. I hope this goes away because one of the major indicators in this decision was whatever I was going to imagine as a bigger distraction should be the life I grab. If I was going to go home and wonder what it would have been like...all lingering thoughts and doubts...I wouldn't be able to live my life fully at home. But if I decided to stay, and all I could think about was what I am missing out at CU, then I should go. 

I had A LOT of lingering thoughts about Buenos Aires.

There were things I felt like I didn't achieve and I simply felt like the story wasn't over. The truth is, it takes nearly an entire semester to get used to a place. That's not really an exaggeration. Especially, if you've never spent more than month away from home or family. I didn't have severe bouts of homesickness because I always felt very connected plus I was lucky to have two visits from family members. 

(Which by the way, the trip with Robert and Mom was great, we kept ourselves very busy, so I haven't had a chance to write a ton about it, but I saw another, sort of luxurious side to the city that I wasn't entirely familiar with, and that was great). 

But dealing with being away for so long sort of manifested itself in being more reserved than I would have liked, being really sucked into my computer and internet communication, and sort of shutting people out and disappearing into a weird nothingness space. 

But my relationship with Ines has taken off and I finally feel sufficiently comfortable in the city. I feel like I'm on track to developing some long lasting relationships that will make the next semester all the richer. I feel like I have only tipped the iceberg on the culture. And now that I feel more or less 

'at home,' I can do some cultural explorations that before weren't really available before. 

I think I mentioned this in an earlier blog, but the advice to stay abroad a year always stuck with me even though I thought it wasn't feasible. Now, I realize it is, just a matter of making sacrifices and a decision. 

But it's not even that big of a decision. In the grand scheme, I'm going to look back with fondness, but it's only a few months of my life. I'm not moving to Buenos Aires forever, I'm not dropping out of college and dedicating my life to tango. No, I'm spending a few more months improving my spanish (which, I have to admit, is not as far along as I hoped---another big reason another semester will serve me well) and digging deeper into a new culture. The first semester was also very much a comparison to life in the States. "Hmmm, it's interesting how they do this, that, and the other thing differently..." But now it's more about Buenos Aires and Argentina for their own sake. I want to appreciate them for what they are on their own, not for why they are different than home. 

When I get home, my friends and family and relationships will be intact. My professional opportunities will still be around. Boulder probably still won't have experienced the 100 year flood, and I will be able to enjoy the city even more. I have spent my whole life there!! 10 months away is probably the best thing I can do to make the most of my last semesters. 

And I have a mountain of cafes to still explore, chill in, and sip a café con leche....

This semester is going to be lived with great intention and I am going to make it a worthwhile decision, you can count on that!!!!!!!!