I'm just 4 days away from finals-freedom! I've taken three so far and will take the very last one July 20th in the morning. I got my grades for the first two, Sociology and Social Psychology, which were really tough classes for everyone: a 7 and 8, which is really pretty good! Estoy muy contenta! (I'm very happy!) My hard work is paying off. =)
Some of my US professors mentioned that they still have nightmares about important tests sometimes. Tests are the terrifying central theme of many Korean horror films. While there is certainly more to life than tests, they can be life-determining, life-delaying, and ominous... And not only the kind you take at school. I love this poem, "Exámenes" (exams), from one of the old books I bought.
Exams: by Pedro Miguel Obligado (Argentinean), translated by Kaeli
I always dream that I'm about to take a test
and that they will discover my inadequacy—
that, being mercilessly attacked with questions,
I will not know what to answer.
I suffer like an artist competing,
like a prisoner awaiting sentence,
like everyone, throughout existence,
captives of trial and judgment all.
Maybe I feel, dreaming, that it's inside myself,
that shadow of the night that surrounds me,
and fear the light above the void.
When I awake each day,
I see that I'm still a student,
and again, I have to take a test...
—
One of my all-time favorite quotes, attributed to Plato, is: "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." Thank you all for your kindness and support through my current tests!
Besides my studying and testing, I've been doing a bit of cooking (nothing too fancy: stir-fry, miso soup, spicy tofu, milanesa [breaded pork], peanut butter and blueberry toast), maintaining my sanity with occasional chat and email breaks, and hanging out with friends.
On Wednesday Nam and I went to the botanical gardens (full of plants, beautiful statues, and cats), Chinatown (my go-to for spicy food), and the Sarmiento Museum. I'd never been to the Sarmiento Museum — it was really nice! Domingo Sarmiento was Argentina's president from 1868 to 1874. He was an advocate for public education, scientific progress, public parks (one of the joys of Buenos Aires!), and the census. He traveled to other countries in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the United States (which is even more impressive if you think about the arduous journeys all that globe-trotting must have required! — much more hassle than annoying airport delays and baggage checks). One of Sarmiento's heroes was Abraham Lincoln, and he traveled to the United States to meet him there. Unfortunately, Lincoln was assassinated one month before he arrived. At the museum we saw some of Sarmiento's clothes and weapons (Remington pistols, swords...) and the most beautiful aristocratic parlors I've ever seen.
Thursday I went to Benihana, an American-Japanese restaurant, with Fede and Nam, and saw the new "Transformers" movie in 3-D. We originally meant to see "Harry Potter," but there was an error with the tickets— since we bought them online, they probably scammed us and sold them to someone else. Still, though, the "Transformers" movie was pretty good. The best part was getting to see my city, Chicago!! I remembered while watching the movie that I had been there in the city while they were filming — I'd seen a part of the set!
Last night, after taking my Suicidology final, I went to Jorge's house and helped make delicious beef empanadas. I'm better at repulgando (twisting the dough at the edges to contain the meat) than Jorge is! We're a good empanada-making team, because while he likes cooking and dislikes repulgando (more of a decorating job), I am the opposite!
While eating, we watched "Some Like It Hot," a hilarious movie starring Marilyn Monroe, and "Wayne's World," featuring nerdiness and suburban Illinois (haha).
And now, more pictures, courtesy of Jorge and Jun!
Jun, Nam, and I eating homemade ham-and-onion pizza and drinking Quilmes, the Argentine national beer, at Jorge's house.
Jun, roquera fashion (stylish rocker)!
Me at the Recoleta craft feria one Sunday.
Hip hop dancers at Fiesta Emergente.
Funky street dancers. This show was great!
Stand-up comedy at Fiesta Emergente.
And now, the more random/artistic photos:
The color my naturally blonde hair eventually turns if I dye it brown (not complaining...).
One of my favorite paintings at el Centro Cultural Borges. It's called "Alegría de Vivir" (Joy of Living).
A great mural at el Centro Cultural Recoleta.
Jorge's picture of me writing a blog at his house. He says it looks "muy escritora" (very writer-ish).
*A warning passed along from my poetry professor, Gina: don't rely on alcohol or drugs as creativity-enablers — that causes much more harm than good.
A picture that, according to Jorge, is "very rock," haha.
La luna at Recoleta.
Cariños, mis amores! I can't thank you enough for all of your support!
Kaeli
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