My Return to La Sur Sucia

 
I’m hotly anticipating my return to Buenos Aires. As a Global Liberal Studies major, we spend two semesters abroad in the same site. Therefore, my approach and perspective coming into my second semester is completely different than when I first arrived in August with mediocre Spanish and an embarrassingly low knowledge of the city for someone who’d visited before. My family traveled to Buenos Aires when I was fourteen and I fell in love with the city and vowed to return in college for study abroad.
 
Many find it strange to spend two semesters abroad in college, at the same site furthermore, but I very happy with my decision to do so. Even after spending four months there, I feel as if I’ve only skimmed the surface of the rich, mysterious and vibrant city that is Buenos Aires. Like NYC, it’s incredibly easy to stay within the nearby neighborhoods, Recoleta and Palermo. Now I’m familiar with the city and finally have the collectivo (bus system) figured out, I hope to expand my horizons into the more colorful areas such as San Telmo and La Boca. Beyond Buenos Aires, I still have many places I want to travel including Iguazu Falls, Mendoza, Rio de Janeiro and return to Punta del Este and possible Chile.
 
I’m allowed great flexibility with my classes this semester. Since I am now “proficient” by NYU standards through the completion of Advanced Grammar and Composition, I am taking three electives in Spanish. I expect my schedule to change once I attend classes during our shopping week. Since coming home, people are eager to know if I’m fluent. I think that’s a difficult concept to determine. In short, I know all the tenses and have an extensive vocabulary. However, I feel that I can’t genuinely express my emotions in Spanish and that I don’t always say things in the best way they can be articulated. I feel that taking electives in Spanish will help to improve this. Learning whilst abroad isn't all in the classroom. I'm making a firm committment to learn to draw and improve my tango (the picture is one attempt from last semester). 
 
The most resounding difference between Buenos Aires and New York City is how people use their time. In NYC, we’re always rushing around and micromanaging every second. In Buenos Aires, punctuality means nothing. At first, this bothered my type A nature intensely, but I’ve come to embrace the fluidity of the day and the four-hour dinners. Even back in the United States for break, I’ve been much more patient and casual with tardiness and changes in plans. I think a balance can be struck and I’ll perfect it only over time and appreciation of both cultures.