#nyubuenosaires

[thisisnyu]

“What I thought would be an added stress that could take away from my time to study or explore, became a release and a way to escape the demands of my schoolwork.”

mackennaalvarez:

Volunteering Abroad: An Opportunity for Growth

As an education major and someone who is deeply passionate about serving others, volunteering was something I knew I wanted to do during my time abroad in Buenos Aires. I had worked with organizations in New York designed to address education inequality in the United States and was interested in learning more about similar organizations and movements taking place in Argentina. The staff at NYU BA was incredibly supportive and helped place me in a nearby organization dedicated to providing equal opportunities for all children. Servicio Social Agustiniano Gregorio Mendel offers several programs to children in the area, most of whom come from poorer Bolivian and Paraguayan immigrant families and lack the resources to get help with school related activities. To address this, SSA provides tutoring for children ages 7-12, after school games and other recreational activities, group reading to students, and more. I personally got the opportunity to work with children ages 2 to 4 Friday and Monday mornings and assisted them through games, storytelling, and group singing.

After the initial excitement of being hired to volunteer at SSA subsided, I began to doubt my abilities and question if I had made a mistake in volunteering. I wondered if I would be able to speak Spanish well enough to communicate with staff, if I had enough time to devote each week to this commitment, or even if it was my place to volunteer there to begin with. As a privileged American student, was it right to get involved in an organization I knew little about just for my own experience? However, upon arrival, the staff at SSA quickly quelled all of my fears and welcomed me into their organization with open arms. Playing with the toddlers there and watching them interact with one another reminded me of why I got into education in the first place and reaffirmed my passion for working with students. Observing children interact as growing human beings, whether it’s through comforting one another when one is crying, sharing toys and establishing friendships, or developing an identity that is uniquely their own, is truly a beautiful phenomenon that I was lucky enough to witness. What I thought would be an added stress that could take away from my time to study or explore, became a release and a way to escape the demands of my schoolwork. Through gaining hands-on experience with instructional practices and being forced to shed my inhibitions for the sake of being goofy, I grew not only as a future educator but as an individual personally struggling with shyness and insecurity. Those three hours I spent at SSA each morning, ones which I initially dreaded, ultimately became the thing I looked forward to the most.

Much like my decision to volunteer, my decision to become a Global Wasserman Peer was motivated by my career aspirations as much as it was by my personal desire to improve myself. Both have allowed me to grow more accepting of my flaws and become more comfortable in my own skin as I am required to take initiative and act as a leader. With each opportunity, I not only get to help students achieve their future goals but teach myself how to find strength in my vulnerability along the way.

[steinhardt-applied-psychology]

APUG Advisors will L I T E R A L L Y fly across the world to hang with their students ✈️🌎. . Amanda got to spend time with APUG majors studying at NYU-Buenos Aires this spring break 💜🇦🇷 #apugnyu #SteinhardtGlobal #NYUBuenosAires . . . [Image Description: Advisor Amanda with three APUG students in Buenos Aires, Argentina.] https://ift.tt/2Wh3lMy

[knowtheuniverse-blog]

Una Madre De La Plaza De Mayo

I went to an event called “Mujeres Que Hacen Historia” at La Biblioteca Popular José Ingenieros (which, it turns out is actually an anarchist organization--no big deal--). In attendance was Sonia Sánchez, author of “Ninguna Mujer Nace Para Puta” (No woman was born to be a prostitute) and staunch anti-sex work activist, Gabriela Mansilla, author of “Yo Nena, Yo Princesa” (I baby, I princess) and trans activist, and finally Nora Cortinas, one of the founding Madres de la Plaza De Mayo. 

The crowd erupted into applause when Nora, with her famous white headscarf with its hand stitched 1977, and a photo of her son, a desaparecido (disappeared), around her neck, walked into the room. In that moment you could feel the history in the air; it was a history I’d read about in my Gender Studies class, a history I’d seen on the tour of Buenos Aires, a history I’d told my friends about--but now it was a history that was alive. It was alive when she led the crowd in a chant, and when she praised the younger generation of activists sitting beside her. I haven’t quite grasped the enormity of what it meant to be in that room, to listen to their furtive (Spanish) words, or to buy their books. But I do know that it’s becoming a familiar feeling as I near a month in Buenos Aires--this sense of a revolution sitting in the dust, just waiting to be kicked up again. 

[zeynepyenisey]

Buen dia!

Happy Friday. It is currently 10:27am, and I am at Cafe Martinez drinking a delicious concoction of melted chocolate and coffee, and I had 2 medialunas. I had an appointment with the counselor Sarah at 9, so I thought I'd do my work bright and early after my appointment.

Warning: TMI. I found the best deodorant yesterday. It's in a massive can, and it's pretty cheap, but it smells amazing and is very effective. I'm pleased.

I also got acupuncture yesterday. Apparently I have a really unfortunate yin deficiency and my liver is not doing it's job. Come on liver. Why you gotta play me like that?!?!

I have a 4 page essay on Argentine history due in a few hours, and I only have one paragraph written. OOPS.

Chau, y'all. Hasta luego.

[thefivefoottraveler]

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I have arrived in Buenos Aires! 24 hours later and I’m finally unpacked and ready for this adventure!

I have arrived in Buenos Aires! 24 hours later and I’m finally unpacked and ready for this… I have arrived in Buenos Aires! 24 hours later and I’m finally unpacked and ready for this adventure!

[thisisnyu]

“Living and studying in Buenos Aires this semester has ingrained in me a global awareness that I’ve always needed.”

yanqiudengatbuenosaires:

“¡Ni una menos!” “¡Nosotras paramos!”

On Wednesday March 8th, International Women’s Day, an estimated crowd of 250,000 strikers gathered in the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires. Coming from all age groups and professions, they protest femicide and the criminalization of abortion, and demand, among other rights, equal pay, a secular state, and longer parental leave. This strike, rooted in the Ni Una Menos movement in Argentina, ended up taking place across more than 50 countries, and evolved to represent a movement of all the underprivileged and oppressed people in a world plagued by racism, machismo, xenophobia, capitalism, neo-colonialism, neo-imperialism and neo-liberalism. Even though I could not participate in the strike, by reading news reports, watching videos and discussing it in class, I felt a strong sense of responsibility as a privileged student to contribute to this revolution.

Living and studying in Buenos Aires this semester has ingrained in me a global awareness that I’ve always needed. Every day, whatever I learn in class about Latin America, I end up seeing corresponding phenomena in my daily live and my travels. I come to see how the struggles of Latin America can represent the struggles of Third World countries in general, and how those issues relate to the U.S and the rest of the world. In my volunteer work with the Argentine Catholic Commission of Migration, I research on Chinese immigrant communities in Buenos Aires and figure out ways for the foundation to help the immigrants integrate better into the society. At first, the task seemed at once exciting and daunting to me. As timid as I am, I must stay out of my comfort zone, reaching out and conducting interviews all the time. Nevertheless, the passion for contributing to a good cause drives me on, and the further I go, the more rewarding my work becomes.

In the end, I believe that my experience in Buenos Aires will help me in my pursuit of a career in international public interest law. The global awareness, sense of responsibility and various skills that I am gaining here are invaluable.

[onbonosback]

Why do I fly? If I didn't fly my spirit would not soar

Unknown

[knowtheuniverse-blog]

Añoranza

Añoranza se significa: Sentimiento que causa el recuerdo de un bien perdido, nostalgia. 

In English, feelings that cause a memory of something good that is lost, nostalgia. When said out loud, it almost sounds like what it means...a longing, a need, desire. It’s the kind of word to describe how I’m feeling on the second cold, rainy day in BA. It’s the let down of knowing I can’t celebrate welcome week in NYC with my friends, of not celebrating labor day sleeping in, of missing Space Market and Bobst...of missing home. 

Of course, I shouldn’t be missing anything. Only yesterday, I visited the famous Teatro Colón and this past weekend San Isidro. I have tickets to see 2 Chellos and The Buenos Aires Philharmonic. But somehow, I still miss the familiarity of NYC (which, ironically, this time last year was a complete stranger to me). Maybe it’s the rain, but it definitely feels like añoranza. So if you’re out there in NYC, Maryland, or somewhere else (like Baba in SC) send me a little love from the states where they speak English and eat dinner at reasonable times (like come on dinner at 10pm?!)  P.S Here’s a picture of Teatro Colón looking creepily like Phantom of the Opera-

[zeynepyenisey]

I changed my homestay last night! 

I'm severely allergic to cats, and there was a cat in my first homestay. Because of that, I was constantly miserable at home and it was really starting to negatively impact my health. 

My new homestay is very nice and I am very happy! My room is really messy right now (as you can tell from the picture) but I'll clean up my stuff eventually. 

My bed smells like heaven and its full of pillows (I have a thing for pillows) so it feels like a dream bed.

p.s. I am currently eating a lollipop I bought for 2 pesos. I don't know how safe it is to eat, but it tastes nice!

Buen dia mi amigos!

[eli-gstuff-blog]

Porteños and non-porteños forever

[thefivefoottraveler]

Installment #1 – The beginning of my South American journey. Chronicling Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Peru, Uruguay, and Bolivia. Thanks to those who joined me along the way!

Keep your eyes peeled for the next few videos...

[fairwindsinbuenosaires]

Chau Buenos Aires. Vos estas en mi corazon por siempre. 

I flew out of Buenos Aires and South America last night with my friends and the bf. After twenty-three hours of travelling, I'm back in my bed in California where I've started. It seems unreal. I can imagine Santa Fe and Palermo and Recoleta and NYU Buenos Aires's center and everywhere else I've traveled to so clearly in my mind. It was all my reality yesterday, and now it is my memory. 

I'm in mourning and shock. Cultural and emotional and everything else kinds of shock. I keep thinking about everything and this whole semester and how much I've seen and learned and experienced and how it has opened my eyes. And how it has ended already. 

Life is too crazy. But I'm content with the best semester I've ever had in college.

Hasta la proxima vez, Argentina. 

[pesosandbesos]

I might have left Argentina, but I have a tub of Argentina right in the palm of my hand.

[thisisnyu]

“In other times I might have regretted not being with anyone, or envied those who were in large party groups…but this time, I just went on my own. And I felt free.”

knowtheuniverse:

On Being Alone

I’ve been reflecting a lot about what being alone really means. This semester, I’ve had a very hard time making friends or feeling actually connected to people. So this thanksgiving weekend, which is also my birthday week, I found myself alone. I read over 300 pages of Game of Thrones (3rd book btw) while sitting at dinners and lunches alone, saying, “yes just one person” nearly 30 times. I ate Thanksgiving dinner by myself–the familiar mashed potatoes and turkey rubbing uneasily with a dull pain and constant homesickness. And I got my birthday dinner all alone, sitting outside surrounded by strangers speaking another language in another country. I perfected the art of selfies for lack of anyone to take my picture. I booked and stayed in a hotel by myself for the first time. I took a tour with a group of people two times my age. I bought a bottle of wine and drank alone.

Read more.

[onbonosback]

From frigid Antarctica to sweltering Rio de Janeiro. I arrived at 2am and was immediately dragged to a favella party. Within an hour of arriving in Brasil I had a caipirinha in hand and was staring at an illuminated Cristo Redentor. Quite a beginning to the last leg of my journey.  

I slept in a bit and, being the adrenaline junkie that I am, headed straight to go hang-gliding over São Conrado. Within minutes of getting to the top of the mountain we were to fly from, I was all geared-up. The instructor and I attached ourselves to the hang-glider and were ready to go. Without hesitation, I ran and jumped off the mountain, instantly feeling the wind catch our wings. We were flying, soaring high above the beaches, mountains, houses, and people. It was surreal and reminded me just how much I love being in the air - seeing the world from a different perspective. My instructor had been flying for over 30 years, so I felt safe and secure and, naturally, we chatted as we watched the coast of Rio de Janeiro unfold beneath us. The view was spectacular, as I saw Sugarloaf Mountain straight ahead and, in the distance, Christ the Redeemer! There was something so special about seeing such an iconic symbol while flying through the air. Before I knew it, 25 minutes had passed and it was time to land on the beach. After a smooth descent, my instructor bought me coconut water (out of a real coconut!) and I chatted with some new friends. Hang-gliding was definitely the perfect way to kick off Rio de Janeiro! We spent the rest of the day relaxing on the beach, trying not to melt since it was about 114 degrees and humid.

[knowtheuniverse-blog]

Survival Spanish

I’ve officially survived one week here in Buenos Aires and I can tell you one thing, eight years of spanish has barely taught me anything. There are little things I never thought about like how to say fork (tenedor) or menu (carta). Sometimes I feel like Ariel with her dinglehopper. It’s strangely disorienting to be a college age, well educated and independent person who doesn’t know the word for napkin--it’s a sort of speechlessness I’ve never experienced before. 

So ordering in a restaurant without internet or a dictionary is quite the adventure.  Knowing Argentina was famous for its meat, I was excited to order carne (meat) but, I had never thought before about how to order my meat. How do you say fillet or ribeye or flank steak? Or what about rare, medium rare? Moreover, the exchange rate is about 14.9 pesos to the dollar, so the cheapest price is $130 pesos (It’s strangely hard work to convince yourself that it’s okay to ‘spend’ that much on dinner). So I ordered the $130 peso steak, “asado de tira” and was promptly asked how I would like it cooked, to which I had no answer but mediano which actually refers to size and not actually medium rare. (I now know the correct term is jugoso or medio hecho). 

Despite all of this, the meal was still incredibly good, especially since it was shared with my new (and also struggling) friends. I’ve now made a survival spanish set of flashcards with all the words for things I never learned...or words that online Argentines use. (Like, apparently Argentines use pileta instead of piscina to say pool??) But hey, at least now I know how to order a good steak.