Yesterday was a busy day spent looking at apartments/houses, cooking with friends, my first class, and my first Rotary meeting in the evening. So far, I haven't found an apartment or a house that I love yet, and since I'm settling in for the semi-long haul, it's worth it to wait. My Rotarians are pushing for me to rent an expensive place in the extremely modern, expensive, foreigner-friendly, and far away north of the city, but I'd rather have a modest (but safe!) place in the area where la U is located, maybe even with another student roommate. In the end, I might compromise by paying more for a single apartment in this neighborhood and just invite lots of friends over.
My first class yesterday was Politics and Society in Latin America, taught by my Latin American Studies coordinator. He's a fairly dramatic guy, and started the class by telling us that it would be hell. As far as he's concerned, it's the only class that we're taking so he expects us to do all of the reading and arrive completely prepared. Apparently, even the Director has told him that the reading load is insane. I agree 100%- he refers to the photocopied coursepack (front AND back!) as "el mueble"- literally, "the furniture". It truly is a tome. The class looks like it'll be interesting though, and I suspect that after trying to scare away a few uncommitted students that he'll turn out to be a funny, smart professor who's willing to help out during office hours if I need some guidance. I spent an hour and a half today reading one (the shorter) of two of our reading assignments for Wednesday. Tonight I have a double class (two 1.5 hour segments of the same class)- Conflict Management and Resolution.
After I made some photocopies and talked to my very friendly classmates yesterday, I rushed back to the hostel to change my clothes for the Rotary meeting that I was taken to. I was immediately offered a strong mixed drink (I declined), and was lightly kidded for the rest of the night, being referred to as la niña que habla como chilena- the girl who speaks like a Chilean. The Rotary meeting operated pretty similarly to my club in Lakewood- they started off by mentioning personal details (Guillermo has a new grandchild, Francisco recently retired, Esteban's wife underwent surgery), although unlike my Lakewood club, the Rotarians weren't "fined" for the positive events. They discussed some club business, they introduced me and I gave a mini-presentation about the scholarship and my studies, and then one of their members gave a presentation about his scientific missions in Antarctica. He talked a bit about global warming and how it affects the poles and glaciers, and then showed some videos about what their missions were like down there, which were interesting and even occasionally comical. While he presented, we all ate dinner (good thing I told Gonzalo I was veg- they gave me a "cesar" salad with Italian dressing and mushrooms- I ate the mushrooms too, to be polite). Dessert and coffee followed, while they did a raffle of sorts and the secretary gave a detailed report on all of the national AND international soccer teams- there's definitely nothing like that in Lakewood!
The Rotarians were all very friendly, asking me about my classes and where I was staying (and prodding me to move further north), and even telling me that they wanted to invite me to eat with their families at some point. Gonzalo told me that I should just let him know when I wanted to go again and I would be welcome, so I think I'll make my formal presentation in a few weeks.
It's time for me to pick up my new Ecuadorian bank card for my new bank account, see if my Chilean phone has been unblocked, and pick up my tome from the University photocopier. Oh, and read my second chapter for my Wednesday class- a mere 75 pages in Spanish about The Social Origins of Dictatorships and Democracy: Lord and the Peasant in the Formation of the Modern World. My last reading was on civilization and barbarism and European elites, so it seems that this will follow a similar course.
lots of love being sent home
I often forget how jarring it is to be in a country with such distinct upper and lower classes, yet little in the middle. I'm glad you are using safety as a primary objective for housing!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the Rotarians were very hospitable towards you, even though they are not used to having women in their midst - a tribute to your charming nature.
Your classwork sounds demanding - do you find that your fellow classmates are putting in the efforts to slog through such voluminous materials? Are they there to learn or party? Please tell us more about how a S. American institute compares to one in the U.S...
You are missing what I'd guess are the last few non-rainy, 70's weather here in the NW. It cools way down at night, and I'm guessing the rain, cold and gloom will make their semi-permanent appearance by the weekend...
Lots of love from tu familia -