Schooling Down South

This post is looong overdue.

To start off, I would like to blame school work as the primary culprit in my tardiness. Since I still have not described my school situation in any sort of depth (and since this blog serves as meaningful procrastination from studying for my Economic History of the World midterm), it only seems right to begin this game of "catch up" with post about good ol' UADE (Universidad Argentina de la Empresa [The Argentine Business University]).

In order to make this post more fun, it is necessary that you know how to pronounce UADE. We don't simply say U. A. D. E. like most people do with UCLA or UT. Instead, UADE is spoken as a word, which to the English ear sounds something like "WAD" + "AY". WAD+AY=UADE. Go ahead and say it out loud, I promise not to make fun of you…until I get back.

I decided to attend UADE in Buenos Aires mostly for the fact that St.Edward's and UADE have a reciprocal exchange program for students who want to study abroad. That just means that while I'm here in bustling Buenos Aires, an Argentine student from UADE is studying abroad in sunny Austin. I pay all of my fees to St.Edward's and they pay all of theirs to UADE. It's a simple program, but it definitely works.

UADE is located off of Avenida 9 de Julio, the main street in BsAs. From the outside the school looks like any other modern building in the heart of the city. Of course, a gigantic "UADE" and the school's seal face the Avenida, accompanied by another sign that says "UADE Art Institute" (in case you were wondering whether or not UADE offers other majors besides business degrees, the answer is yes). The campus, converted from a hotel into a school in 1957, covers one entire city block. It rises eight stories high and reaches four stories underground. Similar to practically any college or university in the States, it boasts plenty of classrooms, a library (which just won a cool award), professional offices for the faculty and administrative purposes, a gym, student residences, an auditorium, a big courtyard, and six widely varied places to buy food (including a Starbucks and the only Subway that I have seen in Argentina). All in one city block!

An astounding 15,000 students are currently enrolled in classes at UADE. That's five times greater than the undergraduate enrollment at St.Ed's, roughly the size of Lamar University and only about 10,000 less than Texas Tech! Needless to say, their use of building space is very efficient. However, I still miss the beautiful lawns and buildings of St.Edward's. Go Hilltoppers! Like many things in BsAs, the entrances are guarded by a private security company, On top of that, in order to pass into the school and leave it, I have to swipe my UADE card across a scanner that is linked to a system which keeps track of who is in the school at what time. The classrooms are small and most can hold thirty to forty people, although a few rooms have a larger capacity. Wide windows line at least one wall of most of the classrooms and every single room is rigged with the latest Mac technology.

Curriculum wise, the school is very similar to any in the United States. Unlike the majority of other schools in BsAs, UADE is structured on the British/American systems as opposed to the French system. This means that the average student graduates with her or his degree in four years, usually taking five classes at a time. The classes, however, count for 4.5 hours instead of the typical 3 hours in the States. The structure of school week is also obviously different: each class only meets once a week…for four straight hours. My short American attention span suffers every time. Classes take place in three separate time slots: 7:45am-11:45am, 2:00pm-6:00pm, and 6:30pm-10:30pm. About two hours into the lecture, each class takes one thirty minute "recreo" in which the entire student body either 1) escapes the building, hoping that the professor does not notice their absence in the next half of class, 2) rushes outside for a cigarette break, 3) floods the many sources of food and coffee including the conveniently located deli stands and coffee vending machines which provide a dixie-cup worth of caffeine for one peso, or 4) slips into a 30-minute power nap.

While all of our European friends are required by their home schools to take five courses (some in English AND some in Spanish), we lazy Americans are only taking three. Trust me…it's enough. I cleverly arranged my schedule so that I don't have any classes on Monday or Tuesday. On Wednesday, I take Economic History of Argentina at night. Thursday is Economic History of the World in the afternoon and by Friday afternoon, I'm barely hanging on in Comprehension of Contemporary Art.

None of my classes exceed 30 students, much like the classes at St.Edward's, and the students come mostly from Argentina, but also from Colombia, Brazil, Venezuela, El Salvador, and many other Spanish-speaking nations. All of my professors are women and they are all very, very, extremely, unquestionably intelligent and well-versed in their respective subjects. Unlike many of my classes at St.Edward's where the professor simply speaks while the students take notes or stare at the pretty pictures on the power point slides, the classes at UADE have proven to be much more interactive. Students constantly ask questions, offer hypotheses, or provide pertinent information and my professors ALWAYS feed on the discussions and are fully capable of responding to any question, whatever it may be. On top of that, hold their students accountable for the information in class and the information from the required readings (which is a boatload). I've found that the midterms are CLEAR evidence of these high standards. I cannot speak for the hundreds of other classes at UADE, but the three that I am taking have truly impressed me and as far as I'm concerned, UADE could easily hold its own against any average or above average university in the States. Honestly, the only characteristic that rubs me the wrong way would be the grading scale. Possible grades range from 0-10 and SOMEHOW, the administration has decided that a 4, not a 6 is equivalent to 60%. Who knows.

In any case, I'd say it's a pretty good school and it's definitely keeping me on my toes.

Ciao chicos,

Clint

La primavera

As I've come to learn, I'm terrible at keeping up with this blog.

So I plan to post a blog about my school and my classes tomorrow...

But for now, two more days until Spring! The weather is warming and I have thoroughly enjoyed not wearing my jacket.

Ciao, chau, chao (however you want to spell it),

Clint

#32

Today, I learned another valuable lesson:

Always count your change! I was shorted 18pesos today at the train station. Oops.

¡Hace un mes!

We landed in BsAs a little more than a month ago, but it feels like it has only been a week!

This grand city continues to amaze me, and that is part of the reason I haven't had any time to blog. Homework can also take some of the blame. Although I know I haven't described my university yet, it just so happens to be a Friday and school has quickly retreated to the back of my mind.

Instead, I've decided to recount 31 things that I have learned from BsAs from the first 31 days.

1) Walking everywhere is such a fun way to see a city.

2) Every block (in Recoleta, at least) has an average of two small grocery stores, two cafes, and one 'Maxikiosk' (essentially a gas station without the gas).

3) It is also super easy to find a bookstore. They're everywhere.

4) When walking on the sidewalk, keep one eye on the beautiful buildings and the other on the ground to watch for dog poop.

5) Pirated movies, doorstops, socks, scarfs, books, maps, incense, magazines, lighters, power converters, toys, flowers, necklaces, and thermoses are just a few of the things that people sell on the street.

6) It is RARE to see an African-Argentine.

7) American stores are few and far between.

8) The 'Subte' never gets old. Get back to me in another month.

9) However, at certains times of the day, the 'Subte' becomes less of a subway and more of a human sardine can.

10) When in Argentina, arriving on time is of little importance.

11) Parties do not start until 1 or 2am (I have yet to find out when they end. I always leave before it's over).

12) Argentines talk with their hands. They even have hand signals for certain phrases like 'I don't know' or 'It's the absolute best'.

13) Every restaurant (big and small) charges a fee for the use of their tables. DO NOT unknowingly order to-go, then sit at a table. The staff of the restaurant WILL whisper to each other and point at you.

14) Waiters will only come to your table if you make eye contact with them or call them over.

15) Argentines LOVE mate(a drink), alfajores(a dessert), sandwiches, steaks, olives, coffee, empanadas(heaven), pizza, and ice cream (an entire blog devoted to food coming soon).

16) I love all of the above, especially empanadas.

17) Peanut butter and salsa are nearly impossible to find...I don't want to talk about it.

18) Argentines love art in every form.

19) Public displays of affection are commonplace.

20) Rollerblading. It happens here.

21) Everything can be delivered to your doorstep.

22) Drying clothes on a clothesline has its perks.

23) 'El Colectivo' (the public bus system) is a ruthless monster. The newspaper said that ten people were hit by buses last week.

24) Over-the-counter medication requires a prescription.

25) The trash is left on the curb and collected (almost secretly, it seems) during the night.

26) Fewer Argentines like Evita than I imagined (stereotype officially broken).

27) Not everyone dances the Tango (stereotype #2 officially broken).

28) Graffiti is not only everywhere, it's also very political.

29) Street signs are sponsored (for example: 'Claro' the name of a phone company here, sits above all of the street signs in Recoleta).

30) Who said dogs need leashes?

31) 308,000 students attend the University of Buenos Aires. Yes: 308,000. (It's free).

I'm still enjoying every day and my Spanish is improving rapidly!

Although I miss home, I can't complain. This month has proven to be wonderful and I can't wait to see what I can learn in the next four!

Nos vemos,

Clint

I've been too busy to blog lately, I need to catch up!

But alas...I'm about to go eat empanadas which means I will definitely be enjoying those instead of typing on my computer.

First class!

My first class was perfect!

The teacher, like all Argentines, speaks rapidly, and I did not understand everything, but she is EXTREMELY sweet, very wise, and empathizes with international students because she has studied all over the world. She made it clear that if I need anything, it won't be a problem.

Also, a side note...

The vast majority of people that I have met, Argentine or not, can speak at least broken English, as well as a possible third language.

At orientation, there were only 6 students (out of 200-ish) who live in English-speaking countries. However, they presented everything in Spanish, then in English for all of the foriegn students who already know English AND German/Italian/Swedish/Portuguese/French and/or some other language.

Cheap food is good food

For less than US$15, I just bought a 2liter bottle of water, a small mug, four mandarin oranges, a family pack of crackers, a 5-pack of instant soup, a box of tea bags, bouillon cubes, a jar of jelly, and an eco-friendly shopping bag. Whoa.

More from the first week..

Hola otra vez,

I hope this post finds you well.
Without question, I'm still enjoying every minute in this 'ciudad bellísima'!
Where to begin?

The other students (and some non-students) in our 'residencia' not only welcomed us, but have been happy to hang out, party, and travel the city with us as well. Most of them arrived within the last month, although a few have been here for half a year. They hail from many different countries: the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, France, Peru, Germany, Spain, Canada and Mexico. Although Jose (my roommate) attends St. Edward's, he is originally from Mexico, which makes me the resident American.* Not only are we geographically diverse, but we are all here for different reasons. We have a girl getting an advanced degree to be a doctor, two guys pursuing culinary degrees (one of which gladly cooks delicious meals for us all the time), an artist who is about to move to New York for an exhibition, and quite a few undergrads just studying abroad. Everyone in the 'residencia' speaks Spanish, and for the first few days, I could not understand anything. The Spanish that I had always heard seems about 85mph slower than Venezuelan, Peruvian, Argentine, or Dominican Spanish, but I'm beginning to pick it up little by little!

Our first afternoon, all four of us from St. Edward's met downtown to see UADE and to eat dinner, which in Argentina typically starts at 8pm or 9pm, maybe later. In fact, the typical restaurant or cafe won't close until 1am or 2am! We picked a nice cafe (there are thousands here) near UADE and ate tostadas and pizza. After that, we decided to hang out in Recoleta in our 'residencia' with all of the other residents. We quickly learned that staying up until 4am is not uncommon....and neither is sleeping in.

The next day, the four of us decided to look for the Atlantic Ocean, so we met again near the school on Avenida 9 de Julio (the main street of the city), and walked toward the blue part of our map. BA is divided into many 'barrios,' or neighborhoods.** We walked through San Telmo, which seems to be an older 'barrio' with more colonial architecture and cobblestone streets. It has a lot of antique stores, street vendors, and Calle Florida, a nice shopping center.

By this time, the weather was horrible and we were freezing, but we persisted toward Puerto Madero, the newest and nicest 'barrio'. Puerto Madero houses the ports, which have been a key feature of the city since it was founded, as well as modern high rises, calming parks that offer a much needed escape from the busier 'barrios', and a really fun and abstract pedestrian bridge called Puente de la Mujer. We never officially saw the ocean, but we did see plenty of people rollerblading and a cool boat.

Miserable from the cold, we walked back to the Subte (the 'subterráneo' or subway) to head back to Recoleta. The Subte has been really convenient, so far. It consists of six separate lines that fan out from the center of the city. We have an entrance to the Subte very close to our 'residencia' and it only takes us ten to fifteen minutes to reach our exit at the school! It can definitely get crowded at times, but I prefer it over taking the bus, which much slower. On top of that, it's extremely cheap! The people of BA claim that their public transportation is the cheapest in the world because the government pays for half of it. For 1.10pesos (about 30cents in the US) I can ride from one end of the city to the other! Maybe it's because I've never taken a subway before, or maybe it's the price, or the speed, or the freelance musicians near the exits and free newspapers on weekdays, but I love it!

On Saturday, I visited the Zoológico de Buenos Aires with people from the 'residencia', It's in Palermo, near the Plaza Italia.*** Even though it was crowded beyond imagination, it was definitely elegant. I also learned a lot of fun animal names in Spanish!

Yesterday, we were invited to eat with other international students from UADE at a Peruvian restaurant in Palermo. Wow. It was some of the richest food that I've tasted in a while and the Peruvian students that were with us gave it their stamp of approval. We paid for the buffet, which included traditional Peruvian delicacies from every part of the country. They had three different kinds of ceviche, yucca, a potato and lemon puree, purple rice, a sweet potato thing that wasn't a sweet potato, a fish soup, and some kind of out-of-this-world dessert which tasted like Christmas. It was a little expensive (US$20), but we ate until we were full!

Check out my pictures! Hopefully the link on the right side is working. We went back to Puerto Madero yesterday and took better pictures. Also, in the spirit of keeping things authentic, I will no longer spell 'ciao' the Italian way. I forgot I was in a Spanish-speaking country!

So....chao!!

Clint

*Dahn-dahn-daaaaaaaaaahn.

Only kidding! Contrary to popular belief, aside from jokingly calling my Yankee (yes, I told them I'm from Texas) no one has treated me any differently simply because I'm from 'los Estados Unidos'...knock on wood.

**Boca, Constitución, San Telmo, Monserrat, San Cristóbal, Puerto Madero, San Nicolás, Retiro, Recoleta (where I live), Palermo, and Belgrano, constitute the major parts of the city, although there are many more.

***Buenos Aires is very Italian. Sometimes I think that the city has purposefully and methodically stationed pizzerias on every other block. What's more, they say 'chao' instead of 'adios'!

I forgot some important characteristics of the people!

Not only do they dress well, but everyone here is beautiful in general.

On top of that, almost everyone smokes, and everyone is skinny. I have seen maybe four or five overweight people. Crazy.

If you don't have time to read what is about to be a lengthy post, please read the following summary in order to understand my general feelings about my experience thus far:

LA AMO BUENOS AIRES!

Before I met this brilliant city, I rode on some pla

nes. That was both fun and horrible at the same time...thank you Delta.

We had no problems on the flight to Atlanta except that we were slightly delayed. Fortunately, in Atlanta, the flight to BA had been pushed back one hour. So we ate, waited, boarded, then were subject to some horrid Delta management which is definitely not worth writing about.

After much deliberation and frustration, I ended up in the middle aisle between two men who were very skilled at sleeping on airplanes. I do not have those skills, so I stayed awake for most of the flight and watched Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, part of Invictus, and another movie which never gave its title.

When we landed in BA, we had no problems passing through customs for our overly expensive Visas or finding our luggage. We were able to exchange our dollars for Argentine pesos easily (the exchange rate is a little more than 3 pesos per dollar). It was almost 10am by this time, so we found a cab that took us directly to ou

r 'residencia.'

When the cab dropped us off, we walked around the block until we found the place where we (Jose and I) live. The dull and slightly rude landlord greeted us and took us to our room.

I will make it a personal goal to NEVER climb six flights of stairs while carrying eighty pounds of luggage. It was worth it when we finally reached the top of the 'residencia,' sweating and panting. Our room is pretty sizable with a high ceiling, beautiful wood floors, two large windows, a desk, two beds, four chairs, a dresser, some nice abstract art, and one bathroom for the two of us. The bathroom is large, as well, with another dresser, a shower, sink, toilet, and yes, a beday.

I'm still too afraid of the beday...

The 'residencia' has a community kitchen, living room, washing machine, and, my favorite part, a large terrace right outside our room where we can look down on the street!

After we settled into our room, we went to the bank to get our rent money. This was my first real experience IN the city. I was waaaay too curious and I had to stare at everything! Even though it was in the middle of the day, the streets were full of people. I thought this was pretty interesting because technically we do not live downtown. We live in Recoleta, a neigborhood or 'barrio.' But since around 13 million people live in BA, the whole city seems busy.

Most of the stores open up to the street and on every block there is at least one news/magazine stand and multiple street vendors who lay their merchandise on a blanket on the ground. They sell everything! Scarves, electrical converters, pirated DVDs, socks, underwear.

The people themselves are very interesting: Buenos Aires is a very European city with very European citizens. Everyone has very light skin with dark hair (for the most part), and everyone dresses very well. It's winter here, of course, and these past two days have been relatively warm for the winter (or at least that's what I hear). Yesterday it was around 50 degrees and today it rained a little and the temperature dropped about ten or fifteen degrees. So nearly every person wears a pea coat or some other kind of nice coat.

Unfortunately, I am very tired. It is almost 3am here and last night I stayed up late as well, getting to know the people in the 'residencia.' I have only typed one-fourth of what I wanted to say and I haven't even started on the good stuff!

I will write more later!

Things I have learned about BA:

Everyone dresses fashionably.

Crossing the street without the 'WALK' sign is completely allowed, if not recommended.

When it rains, most of the stores close.

The public transportation is one of the cheapest in the world. Twenty-five cents for a subway or bus ride!

The only picture that I could get to load was the picture of my school, UADE.

I will put some more picture on Facebook tomorrow.

I miss you all!

Ciao,

Clint

Hi everyone!

Tonight I will post about my first two days!

I'm just having too much fun to stop and write it all down.

Ciao for now,

Clint

I officially leave today!

How do I begin a blog entry,

I have nothing to report on (what I assume will be) the beautiful city of Buenos Aires. I am just typing this first entry to see if this technology stuff works.

I leave today! Woohoo!

How do I end a blog entry,
Clint