i miss science

The three stages of studying abroad

When you decide to go abroad, you are required to attend the big “study abroad information session.” And at this information session, someone stands up and tells you exactly what your time abroad will look like…emotionally anyway. First, you have the honeymoon stage. You arrive, you’re in love with the city, and everything is new and exciting. Three and a half months post arrival, I can say that my “honeymoon” with BA was very real. I like to think of my first subte ride–getting crushed by the closing doors, being pressed up against complete strangers, hugging my backpack for dear life…and loving absolutely every second of it.

It’s not hard to be captivated by this big city, the most intriguing quality being its perfect combination of fast and slow paced movement. Step out onto the street and half the population is walking their dog or hustling to their next destination. Buses fly by and can barely come to a complete stop to pick up awaiting passengers. Yet, you walk into a cafe and the commotion disappears–all is “tranquilo” (calm). Argentines can sit three plus hours with only a coffee and dos medialunas (two croissants) to keep them occupied…And I’ve not only witnessed it, I’ve done it.

Unfortunately, the honeymoon can’t last forever (although I’m proud to say mine lasted for a wonderful three long months). I’ve officially hit stage two–the inevitable dip. It’s not that I’ve grown tired of the culture or run out of things to do. Rather, it’s that I miss some particular things that only the beloved U.S./HC can provide. And while the list includes Chipotle, reasonably priced clothing, and the obligatory family/friends, there is one thing that I need more than anything else. SCIENCE.

Dreaming of organic compounds and pig dissections

I am taking zero science classes here in Buenos Aires. And as a Biology major, it is killing me. Maybe I didn’t notice it so much at the start of classes because I was busy trying to comprehend everything in Spanish. But recently I’ve found myself researching tropical diseases in Argentine Lit or reviewing the anatomy of the human heart in Philosophy. Not good, I know.

Luckily I’ve got a whole Biology semester in Costa Rica to look forward to!

Only goin’ up from here

So that’s it. I’m missing my science classes and that has caused my dip. But don’t worry, there’s still a stage 3. We call it the rise and it basically goes like this: As your time abroad comes to a close, you fall in love with everything all over again. You choose to rise from your dip, be happy, and appreciate all the things that being abroad has to offer.

So what does this mean for me with an official month and a half to go?

It means spending time with friends, adding guac to salad, riding bikes at midnight through the city, sharing homemade picnics in parks on sunny days…and maybe the occasional daydream of organic chemistry mechanisms.

It means soaking in all I can of this beautiful city and country. It means allowing this semester abroad to shape me, change me, and grant me a new perspective come November…and trust me, it already has. 🙂

Ready to rise! Until next post…

Besos,

Haylie 🙂

This week I learned…

1. that the local peluqueria (porteño for hair salon) charges a very small amount for a wash, trim, and blow dry.  I walked all of ten feet from my apartment door and paid 100 Argentine pesos (the equivalent of 8 American dollars). A pretty successful visit if you ask me!

2. that in Argentina, October showers bring November flowers.

3. that there’s a picture of me in the Holy Cross brochure that we handed out to USAL students at the international fair. Almost everyone noticed that the girl promoting the school was also the girl photographed (the fact that I was wearing the same exact shirt probably helped…). 

It was fun to share our HC pride and tell our fellow Argentine students all about life on the Hill 🙂

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 30th, 2015 at 11:39 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

2 Responses to “i miss science”

1. Alicia Eppinger says:

   October 5, 2015 at 2:05 am

   Looks like your having a grand time. Pretend you’re talking about a boyfriend and these are the stages of your relationship. Enjoy your time there, after all its not permanent !! Love you! !

2. Bonnie Neumeier says:

   October 5, 2015 at 4:10 am

   I understand those three stages. The students from Miami who live here in Over-the-Rhine for a semester go through those stages. Hang in there Haylie. Sounds like you are learning a lot, even though you miss science.
   Love
   Aunt Bonnie