Week one in Argentina!

Just minutes after stepping out of the Argentine airport (thanks customs for not making me live in the airport!)!

Dear Readers,

I’ve been in Argentina for one week today. (Well, I'm a little delayed in posting this, but just know I did write this on Sunday!)

My welcome meal...the best asado in all of Argentina.

This girl blesses me so much with the way she loves BIG. 

A week ago I woke up to the sunrise over South America, to the knowledge that I was only three hours away from the country I had only dreamed of for five years. A week ago today I swapped numbers with the kind Argentine student beside me who had just finished her study abroad experience in the United States and wanted to stay in touch. A week ago today I nervously waited in customs and officially exchanged the cold MS winter for the hot Argentine summer.

The first of many games of Sushi Go!

 

A week ago today I hugged my Argentine family for the first time and soaked in the fact that we were communicating without a dictionary or translation app or anything. I sat at their table and ate the most delicious asado, had the best café con leche in the whole world, and hugged my hermanito Renzo so hard it took him a whole day to decide he wanted to hug me back.

Renzo's laugh might just be the most beautiful sound I've ever heard.

I'll never get tired of laughing with you, Renzito! 

What a day. What a week. There have been so many beautiful moments. My favorite moments have been in the backyard, jumping in the pool with Renzo, Isabella, and Nico, playing Sushi Go more times than I can count, and cooking in the kitchen with Viviana and catching up on everything that’s happened in the last five years. I’ve loved learning so many new Argentine phrases and words and working on my Argentine accent. I’ve also loved sharing some of my favorite parts of the US with these dear ones—namely, quesadillas and chocolate chip cookies.

And just like that, Nico's practically an adult...so sweet to share time with her! 

Happy Summer :) 

I’ve started learning how to travel by Argentina’s colectivos (buses), and think I’m almost maybe ready to tackle them alone. Maybe. We’ve gone shopping, watched the trains as they come in, and played at the park in a plaza. We got to go to Renzo’s new school one day, and it was all I could do to not spontaneously exclaim, “I volunteer as tribute to work here! Would you take me?” the whole time his teachers were introducing themselves and asking his other little classmates what they loved to do. We’ve taken walks in the afternoons after the siesta that has happened every day and that I’ll so miss when school starts. One of our walks took us to a golf course, where Renzo ran and ran and ran and I strolled along, watching the sunset and chatting with Nico. Another night we pulled chairs outside the bright green fence separating their home from the street, and shared mate while people walked back with bags full from the carniceria or the verdureria and a group of young boys played futbol down the street.

 I’ve gotten to observe Renzo with his Occupational Therapist, and have delighted in getting to share in things he loves, like swimming, cuddling to morning cartoons, and watching all things that spin. Such a gift to get to do these things together.

There have been moments of confusion too, for sure (most of them happening in the supermarket.) Although I’ve picked up the Argentine accent and special conjugation forms (voseo) pretty well, a lot of the words and phrases I learned just aren’t used here, and it’s pretty dang humbling to say something and be answered with a, “Que?” Although my accent is definitely that of a yanqui (what they call people from the US here) and the rate at which I talk is so painfully slow, I find that I’m so confident when I speak, and I speak a lot. I owe that to this kind, wonderful family who gives me space to think through verb conjugations and lets me share my heart no matter how long it takes. 

On Tuesday I’ll leave this sweet home and move in with a kind woman who will house me for the semester. I’ll be living about a fifteen-minute walk from the university. It’s crazy because just when you think you’ve confronted the thing requiring bravery, then everything changes and you need to be brave again. I don’t even have any idea of what to expect for the week classes start, and then after that the week internships start. But this week has been the gentlest welcome, the most perfect ease into Argentine life, that I feel ready for whatever the rest of the semester holds.

In the months leading up to this, I often got asked, “Why Argentina?” I think the most perfect answer for that is in the actions of sweet little Isabella. The very day I arrived, she grabbed me by the hand and took me to the bathroom. “You can put your toothbrush here with ours,” she said, pointing to the already very full toothbrush holder. Later, she and Nico cleared two shelves for me to put my clothes on, and set my shoes up beside theirs.

This is why I chose Argentina. May we always be the kind of people who have room for another toothbrush or two.

Your blogger,

Claire

What I learned: Fall 2017

Dear Readers,

One of my favorite blog series is the "What We Learned" series over at Emily P Freeman's blog. I decided to join in this semester, to avoid the ten pages it would take to really describe this semester. I'm pretty sure the main demographic for these posts are middle-aged moms who take really artsy instagram photos, but even though I'm not any of that, I still love to join in.

1. Seasons of anticipation are hard.

I spent the day before I moved out of my sweet little apartment baking alfajores and packing. I've known this day was coming all semester, and knew that every step I made towards studying abroad in Buenos Aires next semester was another step closer to leaving everything I love here. When I plant roots in a place, I plant them deep. And it's really, really, really hard for me to leave. There have been so many moments when I've considered backing out of this whole plan for next semester, but each time I've wanted to, there has been someone at my side reminding me why it's important that I go. I wondered at how hard it is to live in the in-between seasons, knowing you're here now but you're about to leave. It's hard, especially if you're like me and you hate change. But I also think I cherished each moment I had this semester so much more fully because I knew it was going to be different in just a few months. I'm thankful for all the moments.

2. A&P really does end eventually. 

I finished my second semester of A&P, and with it, my last lab of college. It's so strange to already be hitting some "lasts." I hate endings (see above comment), but this was one ending I was happy to see come. I'm so thankful for every day I walked out of Hederman Science building coated in the thick scent of formaldehyde. With those long hours spent studying diagrams, models, and the gender of pine cones, I got to know so many really wonderful people who I wouldn't have known if I had just stayed over in the liberal arts courtyard of MC. Plus, I found out that the lobby chairs are the perfect spot for last minute cramming. 

3. Cook the meal before the guests arrive.

I got to live in the same apartment my dear friend lived in my freshman year. She invited freshmen over all the time for delightful nights of supper club--times to get to cook together. I was so looking forward to doing the same this semester. It was fun to host meals, but I soon realized that it really stressed me out to cook while people were waiting on food. In the worst/most hilarious of my trials, I served only four grilled cheese sandwiches for six guests, and couldn't stop my hysterical laughter as I finished the sandwiches up while everyone kept eating. My sweet friends soon transferred the meal to the kitchen and helped me finish the meal. "Sobremesas" (over-the-table conversations shared over food) are some of my most treasured moments. That night will go down as one of my favorite moments of the semester, as well as one of the biggest lessons I learned: I really need to just prepare the meal in advance, haha. 

4. Favorite album of the semester: The Undoing by Steffany Gretzinger.

Ask my roommate--I pretty much listened to these words nonstop for the last two weeks of school. When my heart was heavy and uncertain and wondering, these words brought so much peace. Good reminders to stick with me whether I'm in Clinton, Madison, Buenos Aires, or Wilmington. Steadiness despite so much shifting change. A lot of goodness here. 

5. The world is beautiful from the passenger seat of a car. 

A dear friend and I spent most of the last few weeks of school driving around Clinton, filling hours up with meaningful, questioning, intentional conversations about God and justice and futures and disability and everything in between. I drove some, but more often than not, we were in my friend's car. I wouldn't call myself a controlling person, but I really like to be in the driver's seat, in every sense of the word. I like to know where I'm going and have purpose and be able to change my own plans, if needed--not have them changed for me. I like to be the one getting to give my own gasoline; not taking up someone else's. But we went down backroads I didn't know; we had no direction, we just wandered, and it made me really uncomfortable at first. Until I started to love it. 

Welcome to Jackson, Mississippi.

Mississippi is rich in literary history. We start with the greats like William Faulkner and Eudora Welty, and move on to modern writers like John Grisham and Matthew Guin. So we’ll begin your virtual tour at my favorite place in Jackson, Lemuria Bookstore.

The warm smell of ink-coated pages greets you at the bright red doors, and the stacks of books surrounding you threaten to topple over with every step. Once you enter, it feels like time stands still, reminiscent of its namesake—Lemuria, the mythical lost continent filled with the most brilliant civilizations ever known. I often go to the bakery and café beneath the bookstore and study over coffee, with the reward of a leisurely stroll through Lemuria in mind.

Just minutes from the cozy bookstore is Eudora Welty’s house and gardens. If you haven’t gotten enough of books yet, you can make a stop at the lending library outside her house; a cute little encased bookshelf where the community can pick up a book and leave one for another. The famed author wrote some of America’s best works, and she wrote most of it from her darling cottage in the heart of my city. The house is open to the public, and her gardens host events for book-lovers year round. One of my personal favorites was the Jane Austen film series. My mom, sister, and I gathered with other Austen fans one sticky September night, spread out our blankets, and oohed and ahhed over all of our favorite parts of Pride and Prejudice beside the author’s azalea bushes. It was a night to remember.

Mississippi College

Mississippi is faithful to continue this tradition of well-read students, and it does so at its many universities. My brothers go to the schools Belhaven University and Millsaps College. All of our schools are close, with Belhaven right across from Eudora Welty’s house, Millsaps just blocks away, and my school, Mississippi College, fifteen to twenty minutes from theirs. I may be biased, but I think my school is the most beautiful—big brick buildings, towering trees, and stone statues depicting Biblical scenes dotting our campus.

Mississippi College isn’t all there is to see, though. The historical brick streets are just a few feet from my school’s limits, and they have something for everyone: from the antique stores and used bookstore to the southern dining options, local bakery, and coffee shop, the brick streets are a popular hang-out spot for all of MC’s students.

For as many learning opportunities as there are in Jackson, there are an equal amount of culinary experiences. Mississippi is home to good, old fashioned comfort food, and there is no shortage of fried, battered, and breaded chicken, catfish, and dough balls called “hush-puppies.” Jackson is also host to a variety of Greek restaurants—Keifer’s, Krilaki’s, Kristo’s, Vasilio’s; all offer authentic flavor and delicious variations of the incredible cuisine. Be careful when planning a visit to Vasilio’s, though; they close for the whole month of July while their family travels back to Greece! My family and I are constantly in wonder at the number of great Greek restaurants in Mississippi. Who knew? One of our all-time favorite places to take guests, though, is Brent’s Diner.

Brent’s opened in 1946 as a pharmacy, and its interior has remained largely unchanged, with the soda counter and bar stools still in their original places. It is still so charmingly 1950’s that it was actually featured in the 2011 film The Help. Our friends and family from out of town are always impressed that they get to sit at the same table Emma Stone did while filming! My go-to meal at Brent’s is always a burger, their famous fries, and a Nutella milkshake. To die for.

Brent’s is located in a hip inner-city area, Fondren. The city has been slowly refurbishing this area into a cultural arts and foodie hub, bringing in more revenue to a low-income city that desperately needs it. Fondren is a favorite spot for college students and families alike. I love going salsa dancing at Salsa Mississippi on Saturday nights, where students can dance until early morning for $5.00. People from all over the world gather into the vibrant, sweaty dance club and for a few hours you forget you’re in Mississippi. It’s incredible. My family and I also love to go to Fondren’s First Thursday, a street event that offers samples of nearly every culinary, music, and art attraction Jackson has to offer.

Jackson has held onto the Southern hospitality and kindness Mississippi is famous for, while also working to eradicate the state of the prejudices that have held us back. Jackson mesmerizes me. Perhaps after reading this it will you, too. Ms. Welty seems to think so, “Writers and travelers are mesmerized alike by knowing of their destinations.”