The long and winding road

Backpacking in Argentina has been an exhausting experience, but it has also been a blast!

I spent three days near the Andes mountains in Mendoza in central Argentina and three days among the dry, rocky terrain of Salta in northern Argentina. I rode three buses for a combined 48 hours and met people from all corners of the world. I saw the white-tipped peaks of the Andes and the pastel colors of the rocks in Salta. I drank fine wines and tasted fatty meats. I peered into the eery pools of salt flats and got lost in a maze of Incan ruins. I climbed into canyons and parasailed above cliffs. I survived entire days on a diet of cookies. I took chances and made mistakes, but I learned a little more about this crazy world - and that made it all worthwhile.

I'm tired. I'm weary. I'm ready to go home.

So that's just what I'll do.

International day-tripper

I took a day trip to Uruguay the other day. I get a kick out of typing that sentence. Growing up in Indiana, the only feasible day trip to another country is Kentucky - and that really isn't worth the gas money.

Uruguay is my fourth South American country to have visited for those of you keeping track at home. Barring any dramatic turn of events, my country-counter will be at four when I return to the United States.

To get to Colonia del Sacramento, a small Uruguayan historical town, I took a ferry from a nearby port across Rio de la Plata, the largest estuary in the world. An estuary is a place where one or more rivers meet before hitting the ocean. Looking out across Rio de la Plata, you'd think it was the ocean. The ferry that I took was really nice inside with a cushiony seats, TV, concessions - even a small store. It took 45 minutes of comfortable water-churning to make it to Colonia from Buenos Aires.

Colonia used to be a major point of contention between the Spanish and the Portuguese, strategically located outside the joining of the Parana and Uruguay River. It was conquered and re-conquered several times in its history. Seeing that the common language in Uruguay is Spanish, I guess it's not hard to guess who won in the end.

It's the dead of winter here, so the tourists aren't exactly flocking to the port city these days. It was pretty much me and a few American tourists wondering why they were wearing sweaters and jackets in July. The historical section reminded me a lot of Paraty, the other historical Portuguese port I had visited in Brazil last January. I guess if you have seen one colonial port, you´ve seen them all. We can now add old Portuguese ports to a list that includes Wal-Marts, wax museums and civil war battle fields.

I am traveling solo these days, so the highlights of Colonia del Sacramento were marveling at the breadth of Rio de la Plata atop the lighthouse and serenading a stray cat and a sea dog at the end of the pier. They were a very attentive audience.

It was a grey and blustery day, so I took the ferry back in the afternoon.

Uruguay seems like a much more relaxed place than Brazil or Argentina, although its currency makes me uneasy. The Uruguayan peso is something like 22 to the dollar and most things cost in the hundreds of pesos. It's hard to decide what to order for lunch when you see that it is going to cost you in the hundreds. With all the large numbers floating aroung in that country, I wished I would have brought a calculator.

One of the things about taking an international ferry is that you have to go through customs before and after the trip. Customs is always an adventure for me - especially since my passport was accidently washed in the washing machine. It looks like an historical document with its worn cover, smudged ink and creased pages. I like to say that it has character.

Customs officials do not seem to appreciate my colorful passport, and with all the random slips of paper they hand you during these trips (boarding passes, receipts, entry/exit cards, etc.), it can get a little confusing. It seems like I spent half my day figuring out paperwork.

In the end though, I'm glad I made the trip. Not even Kentucky has a lighthouse.

As different as their dance

I boarded my plane for Buenos Aires ten minutes after it was supposed to depart. Sometimes, you've gotta love Brazilian airlines. I knew I was leaving Sao Paulo for an entirely different city in South America, but how different, I had no idea.

After three days in the capital of Argentina, I can tell you that the cities are as different as the tango and the samba.

Buenos Aires used to be considered the New York City of South America about 100 years ago, the financial and cultural capital of the continent. Of course, today the financial hub of South America is Sao Paulo, but Buenos Aires still packs a cultural punch.

I spent my first day in the city taking a first-class, personal tour of the area courtesy of a couple of American friends. It was a great way to learn about the history and the variety of BA. From the beginning it was apparent that Buenos Aires is different than any Brazilian city I've visited. The streets meet at clean, 90-degree angles, you don't feel like your suffocating in concrete and it's really not necessary to look over your shoulder every couple minutes to make sure you're not being followed.

On my tour, I got to see the variety in architecture that exists and learned oodles about the neighborhoods. I saw the colored houses of La Boca, the renovated industrial buildings near the river, which now offer restaurants like Hooters, and the granite mosques of the wealthy in La cemeterio de la Recoleta where the body of Evita Peron rests. I am staying in an apartment in the neighborhood of San Telmo, an historical area which used to house the city's wealthy before an outbreak of yellow fever in the mid-19th century. The architecture in San Telmo is supposedly Spanish, and the neighborhood is currently undergoing a revitalization process. At different points, I've heard parts of Buenos Aires compared to Paris, New York and New Orleans. All I know is that it definitely isn't Sao Paulo.

Even the people are classy. At one point during my tour, the money pouch that I had strapped around my waist beneath my sweatshirt fell off onto the ground. Before I had even noticed its absence, a man had picked it up, looked at the name on the debit card and was looking for the owner. I had my only way of withdrawing money and 100 pesos in that thing and found it before I even knew it was lost! Had I lost my debit card and cash in Brazil, I am 99.9% sure I would not have got it back.

We made some stops at historical cafes, nice restaurants and extravagant churches. I drank the richest cup of hot chocolate in my life at Cafe Tortoni, a cafe famous for having regulars such as the author Luis Borges. I got a better taste of Argentine beef on Friday and Saturday. (I think the beef I had on Argentina's side of Iguacu is why I was running to the bathroom that night.) I also visited an art museum and toured an old navy ship that was active around the turn of the 20th century. On Saturday night, I had my cheapest night/morning out abroad at an Irish pub/club. Argentines likes to go out late as in early-late. I made sure to take a nap beforehand.

The exchange rate here is much more favorable than in Brazil. The peso is around three to the dollar, and food and public transportation seems dirt cheap. Argentines seem much better educated than Brazilians as a society. I heard the average Argentine reads more than seven books a year. That is several times more than the average Brazilian. Instead of focusing on the body like Brazilians, Argentines prefer to obsess over the mind. The psychiatrist replaces Brazil's plastic surgeon as the glamor profession. It's common for the residents of Buenos Aires to visit their psychiatrist regularly to improve their mental and emotional health. To me, this seems nuts.

Another noticable difference between Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires is the racial makeup. People appear far more homogeneous here than in Sao Paulo, although the blue eye/blond hair combo is just as uncommon. I no longer see the Asian and African characteristics that are common a country away.

Although Portuguese and Spanish are very similar, there are enough differences to make communication a challenge at times. Pronunciation is completely different. Luckily, a lot more tourists frequent Buenos Aires and many people speak English.

The weather is a tad chilly, hovering around 50 degrees during the day and 40 degrees at night. Makes me wish I'd packed a few more long-sleeved shirts and a few less pairs of shorts, but I'll survive.

On July 5th, I'll be traveling west towards the Andes mountains to the wine country of Mendoza. Then, I plan on going north to Salta, where the dry climate and low pressure create a unique climate.

It will be my first time outside of urban life since April. Definitely gonna soak it up.

Beijos and abraços

Today is my last day in Brazil. I am getting on a plane this afternoon and flying to Argentina.



I've spent the last week saying goodbye to the friends that I have made during my six months here and finishing up final papers for classes. I just finished the longest paper of my life yesterday - in another language. Regardless of the quality of my paper, I consider that an accomplishment.



I think my grades will turn out pretty good during my semester at PUC thanks to my professor's gringo grading scale. It's much more forgiving than the normal grading scale and the more gringo you look, the more forgiving it is (and you can't look much more gringo than me).



It will be strange visiting another country and another culture after living in São Paulo for the last six months, but I am looking forward to it. Buenos Aires is South America´s version of a european city, and I hear that it is a lot more aesthetically pleasing than São Paulo. Of course, that wouldn't take much.



I'm leaving behind a lot of memories here. Just for fun, here are five experiences that were absolutely unforgettable:



1. Hang gliding in Rio. I had never been hang gliding before - let alone hang gliding in one of the most naturally beautiful cities in the world. I had the beach, the forest and the city all from a bird's eye view for an amazing 15-minute ride. Sure it was overly touristy and set me back a pretty penny, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.



2. Foz de Iguaçu. Just an amazing natural wonder. I cannot overstate the beauty of over 200 waterfalls side-by-side, including Garganta del diablo, which makes Niagra look like child's play. Standing at the mouth of Garganta felt like the whole world was being sucked down the drain. Now that's the power of nature.



3.JUCA. Definitely my most amazing weekend with Brazilians. Sports at all hours of the day. Beer at all hours of the day. Randomness at all hours of the day. Almost like being back in Bloomington. JUCA was supposed to be my opportunity to play basketball in this basketly-challenged country, instead, it turned out to be my time to be the token gringo. Eh, you win some, you lose some.



4. Seeing Protestors against the red, white and blue. When President Bush visited in March, there were some people who were not happy and took to the streets to prove it. It was a very interesting experience to see a bunch of people trashing the flag of your country and depicting your country's leader in a negative light. (Although the latter part you can get at home.) I think it really speaks to the prominence of the United States and the responsibility we have as a global leader.



5.Meeting people from all over the US. Not only did I get to chill with Brazilians here in São Paulo, but I also became friends with people from coast to coast back home. It was really interesting to see and debate about the cultural differences that exist right in my own backyard. Of course, I defended Indiana at every opportunity. Our highways rock.

JUCA and my last trip

Wow, my last month here is really flying!

If you'd like to read about my amazing weekend at JUCA with the cachorros loucos, click here. It was a very unique experience being the only gringo among a bunch of wild and crazy brazilians, and I doubt I will ever hear my name chanted again repeatedly like it was at JUCA.

Only thirteen more days in São Paulo. The 28th of this month marks my sixth in this country. To commerate this grand achievement of surviving outside one's country of origin for half a year my Brazilian travel visa will be expiring, and I will be getting on a plane for Buenos Aires.

I'm looking forward to exploring Argentina for about three weeks before returning to the United States. It will be fun to see another part of South America with a very different culture, and who knows if I will ever get another chance to revisit this continent.

For now, it is final papers and assignments.

Oh, and soccer. Soccer game tomorrow. But that's a given.

UPDATE: The soccer game between Corinthians and Parana was another scoreless thriller. If you're keeping track at home, that means I've been to three soccer games in São Paulo and witnessed one measely goal! What a sport, huh? I think soccer is the only sport where the fans cheer for narrow misses. Which is kind of like congratulating Charlie Brown for almost kicking the football. Good grief!

The end is near

Now that June has arrived, I can say that I am in the homestretch of my abroad experience. This month will be my last outside of North America for awhile. Anything that I had planned on doing in Brazil and haven't done yet better be accomplished in the next 30 days or so.

Actually, I don't really have too many unfulfilled wishes left. And now that the weather has turned for the worse (cold and rainy today), I am actually looking forward to a little midwestern sun in the states - but not before going on one last trip-to-be-named-later.

This week I felt as if I was starting to get a better understanding of the culture here in Brazil and some of the problems and contradictions that arise from this culture. Many people have predicted that Brazil will be a world power someday, but I can say with confidence that it will not happen in my lifetime.

If this nation is ever to become a world power, it will be completely unrecognizable from the society that resides here today. Too few businesses and politicians are held unaccountable in today's Brazil, and many of the interests of the common man are neglected. Despite being one of the world's leaders in agriculture and possessing ample resources, millions of people go hungry every day in this country. This is only one of many discrepancies that exist here.

For now, I am attempting to make it through my last month with three pairs of long pants, two sweatshirts and a light jacket. I've parted ways with the tropical paradise of January and February. It's a mental struggle to peel off the warm comforter every morning with the cooler air circulating the house.

Next week, I will be participating in a college sporting extravaganza for the communications schools of São Paulo called JUCA. Basically, a bunch of college students take over a small town outside of the city for four days and play sports, have parties and sleep on uncomfortable mats. I will be playing basketball for PUC and carrying the albatross of being the only American on the court. I will do my best to carry on the tradition of excellence created by exported American basketball players, but there's a reason we play overseas and not in our country of origin.

To business

I finally began my final research project today after two and a half months of procrastinating, err, brainstorming. It will eventually become a ten-page paper in Portuguese. I don't think I've written more than a five-page paper in college. Good thing I'm getting a headstart.

Doing any kind of academic work in Brazil is at least 10 times harder than in the US. Internet access is much harder to come by, and printing documents can be a slow and expensive process. All my assignments at PUC can be turned in handwritten. It's not even an issue. Obtaining copies of old newspaper articles, however, has proved trickier than I thought.

For my research paper on Brazilian athletes, I have to go to the Arquivo de Estado, a large, blockish building located on the north-side of São Paulo. I am analyzing sports articles that appeared in old newspapers, so I have to know the exact dates of the newspapers I want to see. Once I submit my requests (limited to three at a time), I sit and wait at a desk in a sterile, white room with other researchers and a couple security people to make sure no one steals/destroys any documents.

I wear rubber gloves when dissecting the stack of yellowing newspapers that arrive at my table and take care not to allow my elbows to rest on the table. This is forbidden. When I find an article of which I would like a copy, I place a white marker inbetween the pages and write the issue and page number down. When I'm finished with everything, I return the old newspapers in their binder and submit the articles I would like copied.

After I leave, the arquive people make microfilm copies of the pages I requested, transfer the images into JPEGs and put the JPEGs on a CD. Then they mail me the CD. I should receive my articles in a digital format in roughly two weeks.

If this process seems entirely drawn-out and complicated, that's because it is. In fact, if I were to try and invent a way to make something simple, like getting a copy of a previously published article, into something difficult, it would fall far short of the above-mentioned process.

This is one of the challenges of conducting research in a developing country. It's also why most of the leading academic people of Brazil work for universities and colleges in the United States - because in my country we have splendid devices called scanners!