Buenos Aires, Week Ten

I can feel my trip beginning to wind down, and I'm slowly realizing that a great "summer" is finally coming to an end. I feel like I've accomplished and done so much here in Buenos Aires, but there is still so much that I want to do that I just won't have time for both at work and around the city. Many of my friends have already left the city, so the past few days have been rather quiet. Seeing them upset as they climbed into their taxis to go to the airport made me sad, and I can't even begin to imagine how I'll feel when it's my turn.

I've been very busy at work over the last week. Several applications for funding have deadlines that are quickly approaching, and I've been working on formatting them and organizing supplementary documents to submit. I've really enjoyed the past week or so. Outside of being proud of the work I've done, I've had a lot of fun with talking and joking around with my coworkers. They're really a great group of people, and I greatly appreciate the way they have respected me and guided me throughout my internship. We're scheduled to have a party for the day another student and I will be leaving, and I'm sure it will be a great time.

Outside of work, I've finally decided to begin my souvenir hunting search. It's been pretty tough so far because I'm so indecisive, but I'm sure I'll be able to find something for everyone. I also finally went to a tango show, and I was really impressed. We went to the famed Café Tortoni for a show that featured live music, singing, and (of course) dancing. There are still a few touristy things that I want to try to do, so hopefully I’ll find the time during my last week.

On a scarier note, a man actually gained entry into our residence last Sunday, entered several girls’ rooms, and stole a laptop and two phones, among other things. Although I did not see the burglar or have anything taken from me, it was still a very sobering moment. Thankfully, nobody was physically hurt and we are currently working with our supervisors at the residence and the COINED school to resolve, or at least appease, the situation. I guess the whole ordeal has altered my perspective on the issue of security and petty crime in places like Argentina. Until the incident, hardly anyone had lost anything. I guess it just goes to show that you’ve always got to be extremely careful when living in a strange place.

I hate to end my post that way, but I haven’t got much else to share. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with my last full weekend in Buenos Aires, but I’d at least like to see some more of the beautiful city that I’ve grown so accustomed to over the past three months.

Buenos Aires, Week Nine

Last week was incredibly cold here. For a couple of days, it couldn't have been more than 35 degrees and it rained the entire time. I didn't wind up doing that much outside of the office on those days, but I did get to catch up on some much-needed rest. It hasn't rained lately, but it has still been freezing outside. The summer sun is definitely one of the things I'm looking forward to most about going home. Other than that, I'm not ready to leave. The time has really flown by, and I can't believe that I've got just over two weeks of work left. With that said, I'm really pleased with the way my trip has gone thus far. I've learned a lot at work and I'm having a great time with all of my new friends.

My workload has picked up considerably since the middle of last week. I've begun work on another application for funding from INADI (el instituto nacional conttra la discriminacion, el xenofobia, y el racismo). This application is entirely in Spanish, so it has been more of a challenge. I've also been contacting scores of other organizations and embassies (the Japanese Embassy, the British Embassy, a Spanish organization called MAPFRE, and the Italian Embassy, to name a few)and researching new potential supporters as always. It definitely feels good to be working hard and accomplishing a lot.

Outside of work, I haven't been too terribly busy. I've finally started to buy souvenirs for myself and my family, so that has kept me occupied. I'm not sure if I'm going to be traveling outside of Buenos Aires anymore because I've got such a short amount of time left to spend in the city, but I still hope to continue exploring the great expanse that is Buenos Aires. The city has really grown on me over the past few weeks, and I'm starting to see exactly why everyone here loves it so much. A lot of my friends have left recently, and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to deal with it in two and a half weeks. I'm excited to get back to the States and to start school again, but I feel like I'm going to miss this place for a long while after I come home...

In other news, I got the internship with GIEU that I had applied for a couple of weeks ago. My interview (via a poor Skype connection with no video) must have gone well, and I signed a contract for the job yesterday. My job will basically be to help GIEU in their recruitment process until applications for the program are due in November. I'm excited about the opportunity, and I think it will be a good experience for me as far as work goes.

Buenos Aires, Week Eight

My eighth week in Buenos Aires... Where has the summer (or winter, rather) gone? Time has definitely been flying by, and I can't believe that I've got just a little under a month left until I return to the States. There is so much that I still want to do, but I don't think I'm going to have enough time to do it all. I guess that means I can always come back!

At any rate, my work week was cut short again last week because I traveled to the wine region of Mendoza on Thursday evening. Monday through Thursday were fairly relaxed, and the office was less crowded because of a new work schedule (used to prevent the spread of the Swine Flu, of course). By the end of last week, I completed my "Cooperation Plan", a huge collection of information about various organizations and networks and the funds that they offer to NGOs. I believe that my boss and I will finally be taking on some new applications in the final weeks of my internship, and the prospect of doing something other than research is exciting. In all, I feel very comfortable in my office, and it's such a shame that I'm going to have to leave just when I am beginning to find my niche. I guess I'll have to make the most out of these last four weeks.

My weekend was great (outside of having to take two fifteen hour bus rides in two days). We left Buenos Aires for Mendoza on Thursday evening from the Retiro Bus Station (which is definitely not the ideal place for a bunch of tourists to hang out) and arrived Friday morning. After checking into our hostel, which was only $10 U.S. a night, we rented bikes and rode around the wine country all day (stopping to tour two wineries--La Bodega Rural y la Bodega de la familia Tomasso--and a chocolate factory on the way). Talk about a great day. That night, the guy at our hostel cooked a huge asado (Argentine barbecue) for all of us. After having more than my fair share of everything beef--lomo, chorizo, stomach, and even intestines--I hit the sack. On Saturday, we took a day-long trip to the Andes, and it was breathtaking. We saw Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas, hiked around the snowy peaks of the cordilleras, sledded to the best of our abilities, and visited a historical site of the Inca civilization. Before returning home on Sunday, we strolled through the city of Mendoza a little bit and spent the afternoon in their largest park.

I had to go to work almost immediately after we returned on Monday morning, so I was thoroughly exhausted to say the least. I've been able to catch up on sleep, so the week has gone fairly well so far. It feels great to be back in Buenos Aires after a long weekend of traveling! As for the rest of the week, I am going to continue my Spanish classes and try to fit in a few touristy activities here and there. I've also got a Skype interview for an internship with GIEU, a Michigan program that I participated in as a freshman, tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully that goes well. Until next time...

Buenos Aires, Week Seven

Last week was a short work week because Thursday the ninth was Argentina's Independence Day. Many businesses, including my office, also closed on Friday. The Swine Flu outbreak was the official reason that everything was shut down, but I really think that most people used it as an excuse to go to the Mar de la Plata for a nice long weekend (just my opinion).

My shortened work week went pretty well, but I didn't have a huge amount of work to do. I spent most of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday researching various funding opportunities. My work has mostly consisted of this kind of research since I submitted our last funding proposal, and I'm kind of getting tired of it. I briefly met with my boss this Tuesday to discuss the pros and cons of each of the opportunities. Hopefully we will be able to work together more frequently in the coming days to start narrowing down our options. As of now, it looks like we might be applying for aid from several of the following organizations: The Finnish, New Zealand, Italian, and Canadian embassies and the Soros Foundation. I enjoyed formatting and translating the applications which I dealt with in previous weeks, so I hope to be doing more of that next week.

I also began to take additional Spanish lessons last week at a hostel in the middle of town. So far, I have found them very helpful (and affordable). The lessons are one on one, and I get to do a lot of talking. My teacher usually chooses an interesting historical topic or current event and lets me give her my opinion on what happened/is happening. I really don't get many good opportunities to have more in-depth conversations with my coworkers, so I really appreciate the opportunity to speak with someone else for a solid two hours in Spanish. In all, I can notice that my Spanish is improving, but I know that I've still got a ways to go as far as speaking goes.

After taking it easy in Buenos Aires on Thursday and Friday, I went to Uruguay for the weekend with a bunch of people from my residence. First, we went to Colonia--a picturesque little town about an hour away from Buenos Aires--by boat. After spending the day strolling around the town, we took a two hour bus ride to the capital, Montevideo. We mostly did sightseeing during our short trip, but I really enjoyed the place. Colonia was a great change of pace, and Montevideo reminded me of a smaller, quieter Buenos Aires. This weekend, I've got plans to travel to the wine region of Mendoza with a few friends. I had to take a day off of work because the bus ride is between 13-15 hours, but I've heard that it's really worth it. We'll see!

Buenos Aires, Weeks Five and Six

I've been really busy over the past two weeks, so I haven't gotten the chance to sit down and write in a while. Everything has been going well at work, though, and I'm really starting to feel like Buenos Aires is home. This Sunday marks the halfway point of my trip, and it has dawned on me that time is flying by and I still have so much that I want to accomplish, do, and see. A couple of people from my residence moved out this weekend, and having to say goodbye to them was tough. I guess it shows just how close I've gotten with everyone who I've made friends with. With that said, I want to make the second half of my trip even better than the first six weeks.

I've had plenty to do at work to keep me busy over the last two weeks. Last Tuesday, we submitted the first application for funding that I had been working on (the IADB World of Solutions application that I mentioned in my last post). Everyone in the office seemed very proud of the work we had done to get it turned in, and I felt a real sense of accomplishment when I submitted the final copy to my supervisor. Since turning in the application, I've done a lot of research on potential funding options for my company. Among the organizations I've read about or contacted via e-mail to find out more about their funding programs are the Italian, German, New Zealand, Canadian, and Finnish embassies, the Soros Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and many more. I've found it pretty interesting to read about all of these organizations and their programs, and I think I've been able to learn a good amount about NGOs aside from the ways they try to find funding. In the coming week, I am going to be having several meetings with my supervisor to decide which grants are the most logical to apply for. I'm looking forward to interacting with my supervisor a little bit more, as I have been doing mostly individual computer work since we turned in the last application.

Outside of work, a lot has been going on in Buenos Aires. A week or so ago, midterm elections were held for about a third of the seats in the National Congress and Senate (Buenos Aires was the main province that went to the polls). These elections were particularly important for the country because they basically served as a referendum for the nation's Peronist President, Christina Fernandez de Kirchner. Kirchner's husband (and the former president of the nation), Nestor, actually lost his bid for a congressional seat by a wide margin. The rest of the Kirchners' party did not fair well, and the results will likely severely hurt the President's chances of governing the way she would like to and winning reelection. Something I didn't initially know about the elections was that voting in Argentina is compulsory. Essentially everything was shut down the night before elections and even the sale of alcohol was suspended from the night before polls opened until the night after they closed.

Speaking of closing things down, a swine flu scare has forced the closure of many schools as well as some shops, businesses, and other venues. The province of Buenos Aires officially declared the H1N1 outbreak a national emergency, and it seems to me as if the entire city has gone into panic mode. People in the streets donning masks appear in greater numbers every day; hand sanitizer dispensers and vendors are popping up all over the place; the subte (subway) is no longer packed wall to wall with businessmen, tourists, and families; nearly every discussion at work has something to do with the "gripe". Thankfully, I have felt totally fine since recovering from the cold I had been dealing with a week or two ago. My office has not been affected and I haven't had to take time off of work, but more and more cases are reported every day. Hopefully flu season won't be just like this during the winter in the United States...

I haven't done as many cultural activities over the past few weeks as I did when I first got here, but I think it's just because I've really begun to settle into a working routine. I have been to a couple of street markets, fairs, and local restaurants, but I think I'm beginning to feel much less like a tourist and more like your typical expatriate. There are still several places that I would like to go, however: a real tango show, the Recoleta street fair, the Japanese Gardens (they're supposed to be very nice, believe it or not), etc. I did actually do some exploring and I found a cheaper Spanish school to take additional lessons over the next few weeks. I really want to focus on improving my speaking skills (I get to read and hear a lot of Spanish at work, but there really isn't too much verbal communication that goes on in the office for extended periods of time). Other than that, I've just been getting to know my housemates more (we had a great Fourth of July last night) and making some travel plans (we're heading to Uruguay next weekend and the wine region of Mendoza after that. This week is Argentina's National Independence Day (July 9), and there should be plenty of reason to celebrate the short work week. I can't believe my trip is already halfway over!!

Buenos Aires, Week Four: Work, Work, Work

Since my last post, I've been adjusting to my internship at La Usina. So far, I feel very comfortable in the office. Everyone is very friendly, and they have been willing to help me whenever I have had any doubts about my duties or assignments. The office is very small (there are only nine employees and four students, including me), but I think that it makes for a close-knit work environment.

Since my first day on the job, I have begun to take on several interesting projects. Aside from researching potential funding options like the Soros Foundations, multiple embassies, and the Ford Foundation, I have been editing two applications for grants. The first application is for a grant from the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB). My organization is applying for funding from this organization because one of their projects, called "Education as a Path to Freedom", falls in line with the criteria for the IADB's "World of Solutions" grant. The grant is essentially for organizations committed to using technology to benefit people with disabilities in some fashion. Through "Education as a Path to Freedom", La Usina will use distance learning education and other special teaching technologies (like brail software) to help 50 students with disabilities graduate from high school. I have been working on modifying my company's application for the grant by editing an English proposal that they had previously written up.

The second application is for funding from the Finnish Embassy. The Embassy of Finland in Buenos Aires offers funding to various NGOs that foster community development, sustainability, human rights, etc. This project has been a bit more challenging because I have been translating their application from last year into English. Nonetheless, I have enjoyed the work because it has given me a solid opportunity to learn more about my organization and some of the specifics of the Spanish language.

Needless to say, work has kept me pretty busy. I haven't found it especially hard to connect with my coworkers, but I am still slightly timid about asking them to steer me in the right direction. My main supervisor only works in the office two days a week, and I sometimes find myself wondering what to do with my time. I think it's going to take a little bit more getting used to, but I am gaining confidence and becoming more comfortable day by day.

I've had a rough cold since I last posted, so I've really tried to take it easy after work. I am feeling much better today than I have over the past few days, so that's a good sign. I have still found time to explore the huge expanse that is Buenos Aires, often by walking without very specific plans and stumbling upon something very interesting. Among the sites I've discovered over the past week: the botanic gardens, La Feria de los Mataderos (a gaucho fair), Palermo Viejo (a quiet neighborhood with cobblestone streets and dozens of shops and restaurants), and an indie rock venue.

Homesickness is something I haven't really brought up, but I don't even worry about it any more. After the first week or two I really began to miss my Memphis summer, but I've kept in touch with my friends and family via Skype and I haven't been upset about losing 100 degree heat since. I guess it was totally natural to miss home, but I'm glad that I'm growing evermore comfortable with my surroundings here in Buenos Aires. I really hope to travel to Uruguay and other regions of Argentina soon, so hopefully I can take a couple days off to do so.

Chau! Until next week!

Buenos Aires, Week Three: Starting Work

I finally got word on my job status last Monday (the day I was supposed to start working) from my adviser. She sent me a brief e-mail before I was scheduled to attend an orientation meeting with her and several other interns from different programs. In the letter, she informed me that I would be working with an NGO called La Usina. She described La Usina as a nonprofit organization that works to promote social justice for people with disabilities in Argentina by launching awareness campaigns and promoting similar programs. During the meeting, I learned that I would primarily be working to find appropriate funding options for the organization's various programs.

I must admit that I was pretty nervous about my job placement at first. Initially, I didn't think that working for La Usina would necessarily suit my academic and extracurricular interests and experiences. The goals of the organization seemed heavily oriented towards issues in sociology and psychology. As a public policy major interested in politics and diplomacy, I wasn't sure that La Usina would be a good fit for me or that I would be a good fit for La Usina. To make matters worse, it didn't seem like the representative from CDS in New York (who had actually spoken with me about my interests and prior experiences in an interview) had played much of a role, if any, in placing me. I felt like the people at CDS had essentially transferred my files over to COINED (the school where I took classes for the first two weeks) and distanced themselves from the very process which they were supposed to facilitate. To keep myself from rambling on, I'll put it simply: The entire ordeal to this point left me nervous and wondering what to expect next.

A day later, my adviser accompanied me to La Usina for a brief orientation. A fifteen minute walk from my residence (SO convenient), the office is in a fairly nice part of town that is very easy to get to. When I got there, I was greeted with hugs and kisses (a customary greeting that I've grown accustomed to) by the employees and treated very nicely. They explained to me that I would be working in a branch of their development department called international cooperation. They said that my primary objectives would be to search for embassies, social organizations, and other international organisms that offer funding for NGOs like La Usina, contact those organizations, and collaborate with my coworkers to choose the most appropriate grant programs to apply to. OK, I thought. This is more down my alley. After about another half hour of introductions, I was set free. Just before I left, they told me that my first full day would be that Friday.

After enjoying a two day break in the middle of an otherwise hectic week by going to the famous Recoleta Cemetery (where famous Argentines like Eva Peron and Domingo Faustino Sarmiento are buried), exploring Puerto Madero (a neighborhood close to the banks of the Rio de la Plata), and attending a folk music concert/traditional Argentine dinner at a restaurant in Palermo, I had my first real day of work in Buenos Aires. The atmosphere was very laid back--we spent a good deal of time sipping mate and getting to know each other--and it was easy for me to get into work mode. Virginia, the woman with whom I will be working very closely, really wanted me to get a better feel for the mission of La Usina and the goals of the development department, so I spent the entire day taking in a ton of information. Although it felt like I was being presented with a mountain of facts and data at once, I found it all very interesting and relevant to my field of study. After researching a few institutions (the World Bank, several embassies, the Ford Foundation, etc.) into the late afternoon, I was allowed to leave for the weekend.

My weekend was extended yet again because of a national holiday on Monday (Flag Day). I had originally made plans to travel to Uruguay, but a temporary hike in the ferry price to Montevideo forced me to put the trip off for now. I've been developing a cold since last Thursday or Friday, so I mostly (and I say mostly because I was foolishly out until after 4 am at least twice over the weekend) took it easy on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Work also went very well today. I'm beginning to compile a list of institutions that may be able to provide funding for La Usina and I've learned a lot about the most effective ways to find viable options, as my coworkers have flooded me with all sorts of literature regarding "international cooperation". In all, I think that I will be able to have a very positive, enriching experience during this internship. My uneasiness has faded, and I think that this will be an excellent opportunity to see how an NGO functions and how they collaborate with other organizations interested in promoting favorable policies that pertain to a vast array of issues, from the issue of civil justice for the disabled to the problems regarding climate change and environmental degradation. Hopefully I'll have much more to report after my first full work week comes to an end this Friday!