Bienvenido a Argentina! (Thursday November 11th-Day 2)

Well...I am here in Argentina! I have been counting this down for months and months, jumping back and forth between nervous and excited, between calm and enthusiastic. Now that I am here, it just feels right. I feel natural. I am wide-eyed, curious, comfortable, and happy. I am me.
Over the next six months, I will be traveling around Argentina and Chile. I´ll learn to farm. I´ll talk to be people. I´ll observe and participate in different lifestyles. And I´ll see some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. Through all of this, I hope that with this completely new reality, I will find something real. This blog is my attempt to process some of my experiences and to share this adventure with you. I cannot promise that I will update it (some of you may remember my previous attempt at blogging during my travels to Brazil, South Africa, and Vietnam--failed). And I cannot promise this will be particularly insightful, witty, or entirely accurate. But...it is something. And something is better than nothing.
So what has happened so far? Well...after 27 consecutive hours of traveling--including 14 hours of layovers, 8 hours sleeping on hard benches, 4 dehydrated meals, and many a wonderful conversation--I arrived in Córdoba, a city of culture, youth, and sidewalks. So far I am blown away by it all. I spent the past day and a half exploring the city on foot. Whether running through the parks, strolling through the streets, or perusing the market places, I have already seen so much. Argentina´s diverse culture and rich history  is preserved and presented throughout the city. Plaques, plazas, statues, and museums commemotate artists, national heroes (like Che Guevara), historical atrocities (The Dirty War), and cultural icons. My inner-urban-developer was equally impressed by the endless amount of public space and pubilc transportation. I suppose this is only to be expected, considering South America´s tendency to believe land is something to be shared by all and owned by none. But that doesn´t take away from just how diverse, grand, and well-used these spaces are. They are constantly occupied by a range of people...from kissing couples to picnicking family. Even within the city limits, the scenery is stunning.

When my explorations brought me to a town outside of Córdoba called Alta Gracia, I saw the Sierras for the first time and my I lost my breath. Such a vivid green under the bluest of skies. Wonderful.
And of course, the people. Generous. Helpful. Loving. Things haven´t changed much since Boston...I´m still talking to anyone and everyone. But what is most amazing to me is that these conversations are real. No more small talk. La pobreza. La immigración. Mi gran cambio de mi estilo de vida. El desarrollo urbano. Nuestros deseos. El idioma castellano. Todo. It is unbelievable. If I continue at this rate, I´ll meet thousands of people over the next six months. No exageration.
Now, I am off to begin farming in San Juan at Tia Granja Nora. Another adventure.

Besos.
´Pensar siempre. Lo peor es el signo de un espiritu ruin t un alma baja´-Che