Experiencing Mariposas (Butterflies)
So it's my last night here in the good old US of A. I have enjoyed some time at home in Park Ridge, IL with friends and family (and I've especially enjoyed playing with my new little niece), but now I'm ready to begin my Argentine adventure. I'm not going to lie, I'm actually pretty nervous. I absolutely LOVE to travel and experience new cultures, but I always get a bit worried that something will go wrong, that I won't make any friends, etc. Of course, people who know me always laugh when I tell them this, and say "Kate, you could have a 3-hour conversation with any person, anywhere, regardless of what language you each are speaking." Lucky for me, I do speak Spanish.
In preparation for the change of seasons (the Argentine winter is just beginning), I made sure to bring home all of my long-sleeve shirts and pants, and even a pair of mittens! While this was extremely depressing, the fact that I get to spend 10 weeks interning at the Center for Human Rights and the Environment in Cordoba, Argentina's second largest city, rather than the WM law school library, far outweighs my small, seasonal sacrifice.
Tomorrow I'll be flying out of O'Hare Airport and will have two stops before I reach Cordoba: one in Miami, and one in Santiago, Chile. By about 1:30 PM on Friday, I will officially be a Cordobesa until August 9. I am so excited to polish my rusty Spanish (and to make a few changes to my very Sevillan Spanish), eat lots of empanadas and carne, drink too much Fernet, and, of course, form a part of the team at CEDHA and put into practice all of the legal knowledge and skills I gained during my first year at WM Law.
Hopefully I will have my next post up by Tuesday or Wednesday, once I get settled in a departamento (apartment) and at my job. Maybe I'll even have a night at a boliche (dance club), and a trip to the local zoo under my belt to talk about. It's going to be my pleasure to share all of my experiences with you, including stories and pictures from both inside and outside of the office. It is my hope that you feel like you're right there with me. :)
Well, I better go finish (really, start) packing!
Hasta pronto!!
Kate