So here it is... the last day. It´s been kind of crazy to think of how far we all have come and what we´ve done. These last few days have definitely been emotional. The final presentation went well and we each made a page about one experience that we had and made a take-away point from that to be applied to other urban development projects/thoughts. It was a really great way for us to show the faculty what we think is important and what we´ve really been thinking about.
It´s been hard to say good-bye. It´s been hard to even realize that we all are saying good-bye. I really feel like every person has been a great part of this trip and even though there are the frustrations and annoyances, when it comes down to it, it was a wonderful group. I don´t know, I´m sad and confused and excited all at the same time so I guess I don´t have much to say. Last night was great though, and we all hung out together, even the faculty, had a hilarious time! A great ending.
Today I went back to the Recoleta fair to get a few more things and we are just killing time until we all meet at 6 back at the hotel. I´m pretty sure we´re all gonna pass out on the plane and then it´ll be Houston before we know it! Amazing. I´m definitely not ready for the Christmas craziness when I get back and I´m sure it´s going to hit me in the face!
Ok well I should go spend my last few hours in BA. See you very soon
xo
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Da Retreat and Da Workshop
Hi everyone, I just have a few minutes to write before I have to jet off to class. Yes, class. We all thought we were done with that but this final workshop is turning out to be, hm, well I guess none of us really understand it. We are in La Plata right now and we are using it as a "platform" to build the perfect city. Hm, yeah, not too clear and definitely not the way I think most of us would like to spend our last week together. The faculty keeps saying that it´s up to us to decide what we want to so we´ll see how it ends up.
The retreat was nice. It was pretty overcast and chilly so even though we were at the beach we didn´t get to soak up any sun. We did lounge around a lot and just hang out which was a nice break. Ken and Barbara, the Cities program directors, had us all talk to them one on one to discuss what we didn´t like or what could be improved. It was pretty ironic because one of my main complaints was that they didn´t respect our time and there we were on our day and a half retreat and we were taking time out to talk to them! It was fine. I think the most frustrating part is being able to express what you think and feel like possibly that could have some influence and then be back in the same atmosphere in this workshop. Maybe I´m judging it too much, today is only the second day.
There are other people here too like Joan Tiffany who is the president of IHP and another country coordinator from the spring program.
We are split into two different hostels. I really like mine, it´s very cute and we´ve decided to cook together every night. We had such a good time last night, and ate very well! We even played a game of intense telephone.
Okay, off to class. I´m person of the day today so I definitely can´t be late! I will see you all very very soon! xoxo
The retreat was nice. It was pretty overcast and chilly so even though we were at the beach we didn´t get to soak up any sun. We did lounge around a lot and just hang out which was a nice break. Ken and Barbara, the Cities program directors, had us all talk to them one on one to discuss what we didn´t like or what could be improved. It was pretty ironic because one of my main complaints was that they didn´t respect our time and there we were on our day and a half retreat and we were taking time out to talk to them! It was fine. I think the most frustrating part is being able to express what you think and feel like possibly that could have some influence and then be back in the same atmosphere in this workshop. Maybe I´m judging it too much, today is only the second day.
There are other people here too like Joan Tiffany who is the president of IHP and another country coordinator from the spring program.
We are split into two different hostels. I really like mine, it´s very cute and we´ve decided to cook together every night. We had such a good time last night, and ate very well! We even played a game of intense telephone.
Okay, off to class. I´m person of the day today so I definitely can´t be late! I will see you all very very soon! xoxo
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Giving Thanks in the B.A.
Hello! So officially two weeks from today I will be in Chicago. Isn´t that crazy? I know I must say this a lot in these posts but time really messes with my head. I´m constantly amazed about where I am and what I´ve seen and yet somehow it´s almost December. I can´t even comprehend it. Also I´ve been thinking a lot about how to explain to all of you at home my experiences and I just dont know how I´m going to do it. I see myself in certain situations and I just won´t be able to explain everything, or even remember everything! So be warned, be patient with me...
So it was interesting spending Thanksgiving over here. This week was our case study week, and I was in the Waste group. Interestingly no one wanted to be in the waste group so we were the volunteers that left the other case studies and joined this one. It was a completely different experience though because we had to rely on our guide for everything and we had specific meetings with organizations and people instead of the freedom we are used to with case studies. They had to do it this way because of the language barrier, but it made for a completely different experience than the one I had with HIV. Despite the rigidness of the two and a half days and the daunting sound of Waste, we actually had a very interesting case study. There are so many factors that really go into it and it was more than just the environmental concerns but also so many social, economic and political ones as well. One of the most interesting was the perspective of the cartoneros, people who after the 2001 economic crash started to collect cardboard for a living and sold it back to private companies. Now t heir are cooperatives and collaborations with the government for some of these people but it just completely changes your perspective. I think that´s what really tied in a lot of the factors that we experienced, it made it more real to an everyday perspective. On Thanksgiving we had the day to prepare our presentation for the next day. Hm, yeah, we spend 12 hours creating our presentation which was frustrating, especially on a day when everyone was missing home a bit and we didn´t get done until 10-10:30. But afterward Rashidah, Phoebe and I went out for a delicious steak and wine dinner, you know, Thanksgiving Argentina style! It was wonderful. Great conversation and a good way to release the frustrations of the day. The presentation went well, we did a talk show style to incorporate a dialogue between all the different factors to show that there is more to trash than just trash but at the same time trash is just trash (confusing but it became our slogan).
Now I´m at the internet cafe where I came to write my paper but intead I´m catching up with you all. Ha, it´s hard because this next week is our last week of classes per se. We have a lot due but it´s hard to stay motivated at the end. At the end of this week we leave for La Plata where we have a retreat for a few days and then next week we do a final workshop before we leave to come home. Crazy.
I´m definitely sad about my camera, many tears have been shed. But I´m trying to see a better side of it. In a way it´s kind of good for me because that is the worst thing I could lose, at least in my perspective, and this trip is all about growing. I use pictures a lot, to show other people my experiences as well as to reflect alone but I will have pictures from other people and this way I´m not using them as a crutch. Maybe this is all just a way to make me feel better but I´m definitely going to work on flipping this situation. It will take some time but I´ll get it eventually, just don´t ask to see any pictures when I get home...
I´ve been having fun there though! I mean, it´s definitely a different vibe. I think we are all pretty tired and also have a lot of work so we haven´t been doing as much exploring as we have in other cities, which is frustrating but at the same time I want to enjoy myself! I went to a great show on Friday, it was this dance-theatre performance which was a lot of fun. Very interesting. Also I went back to the Jazz club, even better this time. It´s a strange time of knowing that we are going home soon but not actually realizing it.
I am excited to go home though, not anxious but excited. I want to see you guys, catch up, I think I´ve missed out on a lot. Ok probably time to do this paper. Miss you but will see you very soon...
xoxo
So it was interesting spending Thanksgiving over here. This week was our case study week, and I was in the Waste group. Interestingly no one wanted to be in the waste group so we were the volunteers that left the other case studies and joined this one. It was a completely different experience though because we had to rely on our guide for everything and we had specific meetings with organizations and people instead of the freedom we are used to with case studies. They had to do it this way because of the language barrier, but it made for a completely different experience than the one I had with HIV. Despite the rigidness of the two and a half days and the daunting sound of Waste, we actually had a very interesting case study. There are so many factors that really go into it and it was more than just the environmental concerns but also so many social, economic and political ones as well. One of the most interesting was the perspective of the cartoneros, people who after the 2001 economic crash started to collect cardboard for a living and sold it back to private companies. Now t heir are cooperatives and collaborations with the government for some of these people but it just completely changes your perspective. I think that´s what really tied in a lot of the factors that we experienced, it made it more real to an everyday perspective. On Thanksgiving we had the day to prepare our presentation for the next day. Hm, yeah, we spend 12 hours creating our presentation which was frustrating, especially on a day when everyone was missing home a bit and we didn´t get done until 10-10:30. But afterward Rashidah, Phoebe and I went out for a delicious steak and wine dinner, you know, Thanksgiving Argentina style! It was wonderful. Great conversation and a good way to release the frustrations of the day. The presentation went well, we did a talk show style to incorporate a dialogue between all the different factors to show that there is more to trash than just trash but at the same time trash is just trash (confusing but it became our slogan).
Now I´m at the internet cafe where I came to write my paper but intead I´m catching up with you all. Ha, it´s hard because this next week is our last week of classes per se. We have a lot due but it´s hard to stay motivated at the end. At the end of this week we leave for La Plata where we have a retreat for a few days and then next week we do a final workshop before we leave to come home. Crazy.
I´m definitely sad about my camera, many tears have been shed. But I´m trying to see a better side of it. In a way it´s kind of good for me because that is the worst thing I could lose, at least in my perspective, and this trip is all about growing. I use pictures a lot, to show other people my experiences as well as to reflect alone but I will have pictures from other people and this way I´m not using them as a crutch. Maybe this is all just a way to make me feel better but I´m definitely going to work on flipping this situation. It will take some time but I´ll get it eventually, just don´t ask to see any pictures when I get home...
I´ve been having fun there though! I mean, it´s definitely a different vibe. I think we are all pretty tired and also have a lot of work so we haven´t been doing as much exploring as we have in other cities, which is frustrating but at the same time I want to enjoy myself! I went to a great show on Friday, it was this dance-theatre performance which was a lot of fun. Very interesting. Also I went back to the Jazz club, even better this time. It´s a strange time of knowing that we are going home soon but not actually realizing it.
I am excited to go home though, not anxious but excited. I want to see you guys, catch up, I think I´ve missed out on a lot. Ok probably time to do this paper. Miss you but will see you very soon...
xoxo
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Very Sad...
So I got my camera stolen last night with all of my pictures on that memory card. I really do not want to talk about it. I´m very upset but I thought you all should know now.
I´m still having a great time though and I really want to get over this and just have a great last three weeks.
xo
I´m still having a great time though and I really want to get over this and just have a great last three weeks.
xo
Saturday, November 21, 2009
¿What´s new Buenos Aires?
Wow! Two weeks here already. Argentina is incredible. Sorry I haven´t been able to write lately, I get internet at the building where we have classes on my ipod but I can´t write on the blog from there so I´ve been less motivated to go find an internet cafe. But I did today! Yeah, so things have been good. It´s weird to start a new program but at the same time realize that the entire trip is winding down. Argentina just feels good. I think we all think that it feels more like what we are used to. Those from NYC think it´s like New York and it remnds me of Europe, but still with a Latin aspect. I feel like where I am, and that hasn´t always been the case (Cape Town).
I´m also really excited because now I perpetually have Evita stuck in my head! Ha, I went to the Casa Rosada and wanted to belt out ´¨Don´t cry for me Argentina!¨ but I held back. I am struggling a bit with the language, others in the group can communicate really well but not so much for me. Some conversations I can understand but have a hard time responding. At the same time it feels good. We´ve been able to get by in other countries with English and sometimes it feels a bit like cheating. So in some aspects Buenos Aires feels more familiar and in others it feels further away.
The culture is fabulous. I love my homestay family and I´m living with Natalie, the other girl from BU on the trip and we get along great! I can´t wait to go back to BU and hang with her. The group is really good right now. I feel like we´ve definitely ebbed and flowed on the group dynamics but I think the freedom that we get while we are here, the safety of the streets and the walkability of the city really lends itself to good attitudes. At the same time, it´s hard to be academic with so much going on. People stay up so late, eating dinner at restaurants at 1 am and coming home at 5 or 6am is an early night. Hard to keep up, but we can all sleep when we get home. I went to some great jazz last week and am definitely planning on going again. The builidings are gorgeous too! I just really like it here. I would definitely come back, I would live here even if I could learn the language. Last night some of us went to a private restaurant for dinner and although it was more expensive than I should be spending it was absolutely worth it! The food was incredible and the atmosphere was just, perfect.
In class we´ve been talking about transportation and the political atmosphere. Assignments are already starting to be due and we do our case studies next week. It all goes by so fast! But at the same time that I am thoroughly enjoying myself here, I am also excited to go home. I´m definitely sick of my clothes, but it will be nice to be back and decompose for a bit. I have been thinking about home and also school a lot (especially figuring out where to live!) and I´m not homesick but I´ll be ready in three weeks for sure.
We aren´t really sure what we are going to be doing in La Plata in the last week here, some sort of workshop. Our host mother said something about creating the perfect city but we haven´t been officially told. I think we are all annoyed that it´s for a grade but eh, whatever. This experience is about so much more. It´s funny because I was definitely feel a lot of frustration in the middle of the trip but now, I don´t know it´s hard for me to complain, I just want to soak it all in. I mean, dont get me wrong I am definitely annoyed with things and people and all of that but in a different way. Ah! So much to think about...but there will be time for that soon enough.
I am thinking about you all a lot. I wish I could get some pictures up here for you...I´ll work on it.
xo
I´m also really excited because now I perpetually have Evita stuck in my head! Ha, I went to the Casa Rosada and wanted to belt out ´¨Don´t cry for me Argentina!¨ but I held back. I am struggling a bit with the language, others in the group can communicate really well but not so much for me. Some conversations I can understand but have a hard time responding. At the same time it feels good. We´ve been able to get by in other countries with English and sometimes it feels a bit like cheating. So in some aspects Buenos Aires feels more familiar and in others it feels further away.
The culture is fabulous. I love my homestay family and I´m living with Natalie, the other girl from BU on the trip and we get along great! I can´t wait to go back to BU and hang with her. The group is really good right now. I feel like we´ve definitely ebbed and flowed on the group dynamics but I think the freedom that we get while we are here, the safety of the streets and the walkability of the city really lends itself to good attitudes. At the same time, it´s hard to be academic with so much going on. People stay up so late, eating dinner at restaurants at 1 am and coming home at 5 or 6am is an early night. Hard to keep up, but we can all sleep when we get home. I went to some great jazz last week and am definitely planning on going again. The builidings are gorgeous too! I just really like it here. I would definitely come back, I would live here even if I could learn the language. Last night some of us went to a private restaurant for dinner and although it was more expensive than I should be spending it was absolutely worth it! The food was incredible and the atmosphere was just, perfect.
In class we´ve been talking about transportation and the political atmosphere. Assignments are already starting to be due and we do our case studies next week. It all goes by so fast! But at the same time that I am thoroughly enjoying myself here, I am also excited to go home. I´m definitely sick of my clothes, but it will be nice to be back and decompose for a bit. I have been thinking about home and also school a lot (especially figuring out where to live!) and I´m not homesick but I´ll be ready in three weeks for sure.
We aren´t really sure what we are going to be doing in La Plata in the last week here, some sort of workshop. Our host mother said something about creating the perfect city but we haven´t been officially told. I think we are all annoyed that it´s for a grade but eh, whatever. This experience is about so much more. It´s funny because I was definitely feel a lot of frustration in the middle of the trip but now, I don´t know it´s hard for me to complain, I just want to soak it all in. I mean, dont get me wrong I am definitely annoyed with things and people and all of that but in a different way. Ah! So much to think about...but there will be time for that soon enough.
I am thinking about you all a lot. I wish I could get some pictures up here for you...I´ll work on it.
xo
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Leaving so soon?
Wow, so I am back from my vacation and we are leaving early tomorrow morning for Argentina. Crazy. Vacation was good. Our house was pretty nice and we had a great beach day, where I swam with a seal. It was definitely a highlight of the week. We saw something in the (freezing) water and got scared but then a local told us that it was actually a seal and that they come up to sunbath in the late afternoon. Well I got all excited and dove into the water and swam up to it. I was so close, it popped its head up and I was going to touch it but it has small teeth and I was scared I was going to lose one of my fingers. We played together though, it dove under me and we swam around for a bit (I may be squealed a couple of times).
We also went to Simon's Town on the other end of Cape Town and there are actually penguins there! Needless to say I had a great time playing with the penguins but they didn't want to be as close as the seal. Fun filled animal vaca! Simon's town was really pretty, very different from the other places we had been and we really lucked out with the beautiful weather.
Yesterday I went to Constantia, wine country, with my friend Phoebe. It was gorgeous! We had to take 3 minibus taxis and a 20 min walk (we like adventures) to get there, but the vineyard was so pretty. We walked through the vineyard and did some wine tasting. It was a great afternoon of pretty scenery, good conversation and tasty wine.
I really wanted the vacation to be a time to think through a lot that I've seen/experienced here but didn't really get around to it. I won't really until I get home, which is in 5 weeks, isn't that crazy? Time flies.
South Africa has been wonderful. Challenging and different but I really have enjoyed being here. I've seen so much and I'm really thankful for a lot of the people I've met and have been willing to show me their homes and families. I wish I could write on here everything that I've seen and all of the stories of the people we've met, or at least put up some damn pictures, but alas, you will all have to wait until I get back. Soon, very soon.
I don't really know what to expect for Argentina, I haven't really thought that far in advance yet, I guess it's not too far in advance anymore. I am excited not to have to pack/unpack every few weeks so that will be nice for home but I just can't wrap my head around the time...
Ok, I love you all and miss you! Hopefully the internet will upload faster in Argentina and you can see some pictures! xo
We also went to Simon's Town on the other end of Cape Town and there are actually penguins there! Needless to say I had a great time playing with the penguins but they didn't want to be as close as the seal. Fun filled animal vaca! Simon's town was really pretty, very different from the other places we had been and we really lucked out with the beautiful weather.
Yesterday I went to Constantia, wine country, with my friend Phoebe. It was gorgeous! We had to take 3 minibus taxis and a 20 min walk (we like adventures) to get there, but the vineyard was so pretty. We walked through the vineyard and did some wine tasting. It was a great afternoon of pretty scenery, good conversation and tasty wine.
I really wanted the vacation to be a time to think through a lot that I've seen/experienced here but didn't really get around to it. I won't really until I get home, which is in 5 weeks, isn't that crazy? Time flies.
South Africa has been wonderful. Challenging and different but I really have enjoyed being here. I've seen so much and I'm really thankful for a lot of the people I've met and have been willing to show me their homes and families. I wish I could write on here everything that I've seen and all of the stories of the people we've met, or at least put up some damn pictures, but alas, you will all have to wait until I get back. Soon, very soon.
I don't really know what to expect for Argentina, I haven't really thought that far in advance yet, I guess it's not too far in advance anymore. I am excited not to have to pack/unpack every few weeks so that will be nice for home but I just can't wrap my head around the time...
Ok, I love you all and miss you! Hopefully the internet will upload faster in Argentina and you can see some pictures! xo
Saturday, October 31, 2009
V-v-v-vacation!!
Ok, sorry I've been MIA and actually I don't have much time to write this post but, yes it is my vacation here in South Africa! Finally! It's been a great time here. I went through an emotional period, definitely overwhelmed with the group dynamic, not necessarily the people in the group but just being in a group, if that makes sense. Also we had this incredible time in Langa and when we moved to the Bo Kaap, a colored Muslim neighborhood in town, we all of a sudden has so much work to do that we never really got a chance to explore where we are or spend much time with our new host families. So that was frustrating but over now, thank goodness.
We did our case study on HIV and it was one of the most incredible experiences I've had on this trip. We just learned so much, got to see so much and met so many inspiring people. It's an issue that I'm so happy that I got to spend time learning about and taking information away. Also for our presentation we did a knock off Vagina Monologues and did an HIV monologues which was really emotional and went off really well.
Some of us went to Parliament and got a tour and a meeting with the DA (the official opposition party) with the leader of the DA and some shadow ministers (housing and labor?). Also we sat in on a debate in the national assembly and president Zuma was there. Pretty cool...
Ok just to quickly sum up, also we had our farewell dinner on Wednesday night and it was great. It was difficult to balance our Langa and Bo Kaap homestay families but it worked out ok. Also we had traditional African music and dancers and I got dragged up on stage and danced with them. There are pictures and videos to document it, it was pretty funny. I will definitely share, I'm sure they will be put up on facebook when we get back.
Ok my vacation starts TODAY! I actually need to go because our taxi is coming soon and I need to get back. I'm staying in Table View with 6 other girls. Should be fun and beautiful. Complete with a pool and a 20 min walk to the beach. Can't wait for some r and r! MIss you all so much!
xoxo
Lizzie
We did our case study on HIV and it was one of the most incredible experiences I've had on this trip. We just learned so much, got to see so much and met so many inspiring people. It's an issue that I'm so happy that I got to spend time learning about and taking information away. Also for our presentation we did a knock off Vagina Monologues and did an HIV monologues which was really emotional and went off really well.
Some of us went to Parliament and got a tour and a meeting with the DA (the official opposition party) with the leader of the DA and some shadow ministers (housing and labor?). Also we sat in on a debate in the national assembly and president Zuma was there. Pretty cool...
Ok just to quickly sum up, also we had our farewell dinner on Wednesday night and it was great. It was difficult to balance our Langa and Bo Kaap homestay families but it worked out ok. Also we had traditional African music and dancers and I got dragged up on stage and danced with them. There are pictures and videos to document it, it was pretty funny. I will definitely share, I'm sure they will be put up on facebook when we get back.
Ok my vacation starts TODAY! I actually need to go because our taxi is coming soon and I need to get back. I'm staying in Table View with 6 other girls. Should be fun and beautiful. Complete with a pool and a 20 min walk to the beach. Can't wait for some r and r! MIss you all so much!
xoxo
Lizzie
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