2016 in books - part one
9 years ago
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Argentina, ¡ahí voy!
Ok, it's official! I'm going back to Argentina this summer! I'm so excited, I can't believe it's actually happening for real! I just bought the plane ticket and everything, so no turning back now! I always knew I wanted to go back, but I didn't ever think I'd be able to go back until I graduated and had a real salary. But then, in September, I crunched some numbers and figured out that if I saved really well I could possibly go back this summer. I'd been saving a lot and with my new job I was planning on buying the plane ticket at the end of the month. BUT THEN I got the surf grant and they just put all that money straight into my checking account so I was able to buy it now! Plus, I'd been looking at flights (really probably at least once a week since september and more like every day recently. You could say I'm obsessed) and they went down like $300 today. So I just did it. I bought it! And then of course my bank put a hold on my account due to the unusual activity-I've never spent that much money all at once apparently, but I worked it out. So June 13-28 I'll be back in the land of tango, mate and fútbol. I still can't believe it's real! I'm so so so thankful and so excited. One year ago I was spending my first real weekend in Buenos Aires. Six months ago I wanted to go back so badly but was sure it wouldn't happen for three more years. And here I am today, plane ticket and all. It's real!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Antes que yo muera
Things to do before I die- in no particular order:
Visit all of Latin America
-- Argentina- CHECK
-- Uruguay- CHECK
-- Venezuela
-- Colombia
-- Ecuador
-- Bolivia
-- Chile
-- Paraguay
-- Peru- CHECK (Thank you, Chilean volcano that made getting to Buenos Aires this year nearly impossible)
-- Panamá
-- Nicaragua
-- Costa Rica
-- Guatemala
-- El Salvador
-- Honduras
-- México
-- Puerto Rico
-- Cuba
-- República Dominicana
-- Brasil
Learn French
Be able to cook something without using recipes- CHECK
Go to D.C.-CHECK!!!!
Go to New York City- CHECK!!!
Ride a subway- CHECK, many times!
Go to Greece
Go to London
Buy a pair of ridiculously expensive shoes
Ski/Snowboard
Ride a double-decker bus- CHECK
Go to Cairo/See a pyramid
Gamble in Las Vegas- CHECK
Get my Masters degree
See a painting by a very famous artist up close and personal- CHECK, Frida Kahlo, Van Gogh, Monet, Andy Warhol...
Go to a fancy opera
Make it up that stupid Washington Monument
See a show on Broadway
Go to every state- I'm getting really close to this one too! I'm just missing-Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, West Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
Take an open-ended, decide as you go road trip
Sleep under the stars- CHECK
Go to a place where I don't know the language at all
Be a regular at a restaraunt or cafe- CHECK, a few places in argentina (including a starbucks) and the starbucks on campus
Own a pair of hot pink stilettos- CHECK!
Own a puppy- I've had dogs before from when they were puppies, but I want to get one and be it's true owner.
Buy a house and build a library (as close to the beauty and the beast one as possible)
Stay out all night- CHECK! Thank you, Argentina!
Meet one of my favorite authors
Go to an intense argentine football match
Run a 5K and or walk a half marathon- Ok so a lot of people shoot for a marathon, but nothing about 26.2 miles appeals to me
Fly in a hot-air balloon
Ride a train- CHECK
Go zip-lining through a rain forest
Ride the amtrak
Teach in an urban high poverty level school
Live in a really big city (Ok so I've already done this but I want to do it again)
Go paragliding and/or bugee jumping
Publish a book
Go rock climbing on real rocks
Experience a surprise party and be really surprised
Vote on one of those shows (like american idol) where the audience decides who stays and who goes - CHECK!! Live to Dance!
Make a canvas painting good enough to hang up in my house/apartment
See more than a foot of snow- CHECK! Snowstorm 2011
Fall in love
Visit all of Latin America
-- Argentina- CHECK
-- Uruguay- CHECK
-- Venezuela
-- Colombia
-- Ecuador
-- Bolivia
-- Chile
-- Paraguay
-- Peru- CHECK (Thank you, Chilean volcano that made getting to Buenos Aires this year nearly impossible)
-- Panamá
-- Nicaragua
-- Costa Rica
-- Guatemala
-- El Salvador
-- Honduras
-- México
-- Puerto Rico
-- Cuba
-- República Dominicana
-- Brasil
Learn French
Be able to cook something without using recipes- CHECK
Go to D.C.-CHECK!!!!
Go to New York City- CHECK!!!
Ride a subway- CHECK, many times!
Go to Greece
Go to London
Buy a pair of ridiculously expensive shoes
Ski/Snowboard
Ride a double-decker bus- CHECK
Go to Cairo/See a pyramid
Gamble in Las Vegas- CHECK
Get my Masters degree
See a painting by a very famous artist up close and personal- CHECK, Frida Kahlo, Van Gogh, Monet, Andy Warhol...
Go to a fancy opera
Make it up that stupid Washington Monument
See a show on Broadway
Go to every state- I'm getting really close to this one too! I'm just missing-Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, West Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
Take an open-ended, decide as you go road trip
Sleep under the stars- CHECK
Go to a place where I don't know the language at all
Be a regular at a restaraunt or cafe- CHECK, a few places in argentina (including a starbucks) and the starbucks on campus
Own a pair of hot pink stilettos- CHECK!
Own a puppy- I've had dogs before from when they were puppies, but I want to get one and be it's true owner.
Buy a house and build a library (as close to the beauty and the beast one as possible)
Stay out all night- CHECK! Thank you, Argentina!
Meet one of my favorite authors
Go to an intense argentine football match
Run a 5K and or walk a half marathon- Ok so a lot of people shoot for a marathon, but nothing about 26.2 miles appeals to me
Fly in a hot-air balloon
Ride a train- CHECK
Go zip-lining through a rain forest
Ride the amtrak
Teach in an urban high poverty level school
Live in a really big city (Ok so I've already done this but I want to do it again)
Go paragliding and/or bugee jumping
Publish a book
Go rock climbing on real rocks
Experience a surprise party and be really surprised
Vote on one of those shows (like american idol) where the audience decides who stays and who goes - CHECK!! Live to Dance!
Make a canvas painting good enough to hang up in my house/apartment
See more than a foot of snow- CHECK! Snowstorm 2011
Fall in love
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Hace un año...
Hace un año desde que aterricé en Buenos Aires por la primera vez. Justo en este día del año pasado, estaba embarcando en una aventura que cambiaría mi vida para siempre. Me estaba enamorando en serio y no tenía ningún idea. No lo puedo creer.
One year ago today my plane touched down in Buenos Aires for the first time. On this very day, last year, I was embarking on an adventure that would change my life forever. I was falling in love for real and I didn't even know it. I can't believe that this much time has passed. I also can't believe that just over a year ago I had never even been to Argentina. I didn't know or think about any of the wonderful people that I came to know and love so well. I spoke Spanish without saying vos, something that now comes so naturally. I remember being at home, excited but terrified at the same time. When I finally found out who my host mom was and where I'd be living, it all suddenly seemed so real. Yet really I didn't have a clue about what it would all be like. I had never eaten an empanada or an alfajor and I had certainly never been to an asado. I had never lived by myself. I'd never taken a city bus or subway (the DART rail does not count, lol). I had never given tango a second thought. I had never stayed in a hostel, I had never been to a club. I had never ridden 16 hours on a double decker bus, haha. I'd never pronounced calle, cah-shay or anything else with a porteño accent. I had never gotten a C. I had never walked home from school. I still thought the food would be kind of like mexican food. Oh how wrong I was, hahaha. I'd never gotten to live in Spanish. Mostly I had never fallen in love with another culture. I have two friends that are starting their Buenos Aires study abroad experiences today, also with ISA and I'm so jealous. I miss it so so so much. And I don't even know what in particular I miss so much. Just all of it together I think. And it's funny because I know that even my experience there wasn't perfect. There are definitely things I wasn't crazy about and things I missed from home, but nevertheless, I loved it all. I kind of still can't believe how affected I was by all of it. Does this happen to everyone that studies abroad? ¡ni idea! But I do know that that experience, that city, that culture, those people truly changed my life. I honestly think that not a day goes by when I don't remember it or think about it or wish I was there. I'm so very much in love with Buenos Aires now that I can't imagine not ever having gone. It feels like such a huge part of my life that I can't even picture how I would be without it.
Which is funny, considering that just over a year ago I didn't know or love it at all. Well, maybe that's not true. I feel like really since that first study abroad fair I went to, I'd been preparing myself for it. And when, I really decided and picked a program and signed up, that's when things really began to change. All last fall, even though I was still in the U.S., so much of me was already in Argentina. I had always planned to study abroad, although I had no idea where I wanted to go (although obviously to somewhere where they speak Spanish). I wonder if it would have been different had I gone somewhere else. Is it just the experience of being on my own in a different country and different language that made it so impacting? Or is there something truly special for me about Argentina. I'm not sure. But I do feel like that entire trip was completely ordained by the Lord. Just the random way in which everything came together. People ask me why I picked Argentina, why ISA, why did I choose classes with only Argentines? But it's the same way I ended up at Arkansas. I just kind of picked a place, not really sure why and only learned afterwards how perfect it was for me. I had no idea when I signed up that I would be the only ISA student at my University the first two months I was there. I had no idea how unique my particular program was, I just kind of picked it randomly. But looking back, if anything had been different, I feel like my experience might have been completely different. It just all worked together perfectly, even with the things I didn't like so much. It was just such a perfect time and I miss it so much.
People also ask me would I want to go back and live in Argentina. I don't really have a very solid answer to that. I think I would absolutely love living in Buenos Aires, because I did for 5 months (and I could have stayed for so much longer). But at the same time, this is my home. This is where I've grown up, this is where my family and a lot of my close friends are. This is where I see myself living and teaching. But then why do I miss Argentina so much? In my children's lit class we read this book Grandfather's Journey, by Alan Say and I think it exemplifies how I feel. It's this true story of this man's grandfather and how his life and heart were split between Japan and the U.S., particularly California. It talked about how he would go back and forth between his two loves but when he was in one place, he would love it, but still always miss the other. I think that's exactly how I feel. But see then, in the end, the man dies still split between the two countries. Terrible terrible ending. I cried. I hope that's now what my life will be like. But I guess I'm also very privileged to know and love both places so well. And I know to be happy and fully enjoy life wherever I am. But still so much of me longs for Argentina. Oh how I can't wait to go back!!!! Sigh.....
¡Pero gracias a Dios que nos da la victoria por medio de nuestro señor, Jesucristo!
Unlike the grandfather in the story, I know that neither of these two wonderful places is my real home. This world and my life in it is temporary but what the home I have waiting for me in heaven is forever. Yay! So who knows what lies ahead. I'm sure it's filled with both argentine and estadounidense adventures, but thankfully, I know the best is yet to come!
One year ago today my plane touched down in Buenos Aires for the first time. On this very day, last year, I was embarking on an adventure that would change my life forever. I was falling in love for real and I didn't even know it. I can't believe that this much time has passed. I also can't believe that just over a year ago I had never even been to Argentina. I didn't know or think about any of the wonderful people that I came to know and love so well. I spoke Spanish without saying vos, something that now comes so naturally. I remember being at home, excited but terrified at the same time. When I finally found out who my host mom was and where I'd be living, it all suddenly seemed so real. Yet really I didn't have a clue about what it would all be like. I had never eaten an empanada or an alfajor and I had certainly never been to an asado. I had never lived by myself. I'd never taken a city bus or subway (the DART rail does not count, lol). I had never given tango a second thought. I had never stayed in a hostel, I had never been to a club. I had never ridden 16 hours on a double decker bus, haha. I'd never pronounced calle, cah-shay or anything else with a porteño accent. I had never gotten a C. I had never walked home from school. I still thought the food would be kind of like mexican food. Oh how wrong I was, hahaha. I'd never gotten to live in Spanish. Mostly I had never fallen in love with another culture. I have two friends that are starting their Buenos Aires study abroad experiences today, also with ISA and I'm so jealous. I miss it so so so much. And I don't even know what in particular I miss so much. Just all of it together I think. And it's funny because I know that even my experience there wasn't perfect. There are definitely things I wasn't crazy about and things I missed from home, but nevertheless, I loved it all. I kind of still can't believe how affected I was by all of it. Does this happen to everyone that studies abroad? ¡ni idea! But I do know that that experience, that city, that culture, those people truly changed my life. I honestly think that not a day goes by when I don't remember it or think about it or wish I was there. I'm so very much in love with Buenos Aires now that I can't imagine not ever having gone. It feels like such a huge part of my life that I can't even picture how I would be without it.
Which is funny, considering that just over a year ago I didn't know or love it at all. Well, maybe that's not true. I feel like really since that first study abroad fair I went to, I'd been preparing myself for it. And when, I really decided and picked a program and signed up, that's when things really began to change. All last fall, even though I was still in the U.S., so much of me was already in Argentina. I had always planned to study abroad, although I had no idea where I wanted to go (although obviously to somewhere where they speak Spanish). I wonder if it would have been different had I gone somewhere else. Is it just the experience of being on my own in a different country and different language that made it so impacting? Or is there something truly special for me about Argentina. I'm not sure. But I do feel like that entire trip was completely ordained by the Lord. Just the random way in which everything came together. People ask me why I picked Argentina, why ISA, why did I choose classes with only Argentines? But it's the same way I ended up at Arkansas. I just kind of picked a place, not really sure why and only learned afterwards how perfect it was for me. I had no idea when I signed up that I would be the only ISA student at my University the first two months I was there. I had no idea how unique my particular program was, I just kind of picked it randomly. But looking back, if anything had been different, I feel like my experience might have been completely different. It just all worked together perfectly, even with the things I didn't like so much. It was just such a perfect time and I miss it so much.
People also ask me would I want to go back and live in Argentina. I don't really have a very solid answer to that. I think I would absolutely love living in Buenos Aires, because I did for 5 months (and I could have stayed for so much longer). But at the same time, this is my home. This is where I've grown up, this is where my family and a lot of my close friends are. This is where I see myself living and teaching. But then why do I miss Argentina so much? In my children's lit class we read this book Grandfather's Journey, by Alan Say and I think it exemplifies how I feel. It's this true story of this man's grandfather and how his life and heart were split between Japan and the U.S., particularly California. It talked about how he would go back and forth between his two loves but when he was in one place, he would love it, but still always miss the other. I think that's exactly how I feel. But see then, in the end, the man dies still split between the two countries. Terrible terrible ending. I cried. I hope that's now what my life will be like. But I guess I'm also very privileged to know and love both places so well. And I know to be happy and fully enjoy life wherever I am. But still so much of me longs for Argentina. Oh how I can't wait to go back!!!! Sigh.....
¡Pero gracias a Dios que nos da la victoria por medio de nuestro señor, Jesucristo!
Unlike the grandfather in the story, I know that neither of these two wonderful places is my real home. This world and my life in it is temporary but what the home I have waiting for me in heaven is forever. Yay! So who knows what lies ahead. I'm sure it's filled with both argentine and estadounidense adventures, but thankfully, I know the best is yet to come!
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Y ¿qué hago con tantos días de nieve?
Things to do on a snow day/week:
Have a Disney movie marathon. So far Chelsea and I have watched Mulan, Mulan 2, The Princess and the Frog and I feel like Cars or the Little Mermaid might be next.
Watch a whole cycle of America's Next Top Model
Train for the game show, Minute to Win It
Bake
Stitch up a favorite pair of old jeans that had a hole in them
Clean
Read. I've lately developed this habit of reading a lot of books at once.
So as of right now I'm reading...
La Casa en Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros -short stories and prose from the point of view of a Mexican American girl living in Chicago
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley -an endearing mystery investigated by an inquisitive young scientist in 1950
Sushi for Beginners by Marion Keyes -cheesy British chick-lit
El Dios Olvidado (The Forgotten God) by Francis Chan- non-fiction about embracing the power of the Holy Spirit (from the author of Crazy Love)
Captivating- Jon and Stasi Eldrege- also non-fiction, about finding our identities as women of God
Catch up on Português lessons with the help of livemocha.com
Blog (note that most of the 2011 entries have occurred within the past couple of days)
Go sledding (Chelsea and I haven't actually been sledding this year-I don't know if our apartment complex is very hilly, but I have done my fair share of sledding in past years and I feel like it should not be overlooked. This year however, we've pretty much just gone two straight days without so much as undoing the dead bolt on our front door. Sad.)
Homework- Only for when you get reeeeeaaaaalllllllllllllllyyyy desperate
Have a Disney movie marathon. So far Chelsea and I have watched Mulan, Mulan 2, The Princess and the Frog and I feel like Cars or the Little Mermaid might be next.
Watch a whole cycle of America's Next Top Model
Train for the game show, Minute to Win It
Bake
Stitch up a favorite pair of old jeans that had a hole in them
Clean
Read. I've lately developed this habit of reading a lot of books at once.
So as of right now I'm reading...
La Casa en Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros -short stories and prose from the point of view of a Mexican American girl living in Chicago
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley -an endearing mystery investigated by an inquisitive young scientist in 1950
Sushi for Beginners by Marion Keyes -cheesy British chick-lit
El Dios Olvidado (The Forgotten God) by Francis Chan- non-fiction about embracing the power of the Holy Spirit (from the author of Crazy Love)
Captivating- Jon and Stasi Eldrege- also non-fiction, about finding our identities as women of God
Catch up on Português lessons with the help of livemocha.com
Blog (note that most of the 2011 entries have occurred within the past couple of days)
Go sledding (Chelsea and I haven't actually been sledding this year-I don't know if our apartment complex is very hilly, but I have done my fair share of sledding in past years and I feel like it should not be overlooked. This year however, we've pretty much just gone two straight days without so much as undoing the dead bolt on our front door. Sad.)
Homework- Only for when you get reeeeeaaaaalllllllllllllllyyyy desperate
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Una Canción
We sang this song in church the other day, and I had never really thought much about it but suddenly it just hit me that rewording the questions into answers by changing the will yous to I wills and so on is exactly what my heart has been praying. Osea, exactly what I want to be able to say.
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known,
will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?
Will you let the blinded see if I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free and never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean and do such as this unseen,
and admit to what I mean in you and you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide if I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?
Will you use the faith you've found to reshape the world around,
through my sight and touch and sound in you and you in me?
Lord your summons echoes true when you but call my name.
Let me turn and follow you and never be the same.
In Your company I'll go where Your love and footsteps show.
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.
Ventisca/Nevasca/Tempête de neige/BLIZZARD!
IT"S A BLIZZARD! Well, the closest thing I've ever seen to one (outside of Dairy Queen of course!). The university closed last night before it even got cold enough to snow. Supposedly before my freshman year, the university hadn't closed for weather in like 20 years. Since I've been here it's probably closed 20 times. Ok, not really, but it has closed at least twice every year! Crazy! But last night made for a really fun bachelor watch party (I know, the bachelor, but what can I say. Everybody has a guilty pleasure). The grocery stores yesterday were completely ransacked. It's like the world is about to end or something. Or a repeat of Ice Storm 2009. Today it hasn't stopped snowing. It's all just swirling around out there. Crazy! Tomorrow we're going to get down to -7 degrees. That's -22 Celsius! AGHHHHH!!! And three days ago it was 70 degrees and sunny. Is this real life? I guess you just have to roll with it and enjoy those snow days!
I'm really thankful not to have to wake up early tomorrow either, but I'm starting to realize that snow days are more fun when you're on campus. On campus, all of your friends are there with you and you can walk everywhere. It's fun having a day at home but there's really only so much you can do when you're far away from everyone and the roads are solid ice. Hmmm. Also, at this rate, I'm never going to finish research for my thesis.
And is anyone else noticing the trend of singers saying their own names at the beginning of songs? Is this a growing trend or have I just mostly missed it. Ex. Jason Derulo, Usher, DJ Khaled, Rihanna, Dev and the Cataracs, Pittbull, and the list goes on. I just think it's random.
Also, I finished reading the Pioneer Woman and guess what! The book is here!
So good!!!
I'm really thankful not to have to wake up early tomorrow either, but I'm starting to realize that snow days are more fun when you're on campus. On campus, all of your friends are there with you and you can walk everywhere. It's fun having a day at home but there's really only so much you can do when you're far away from everyone and the roads are solid ice. Hmmm. Also, at this rate, I'm never going to finish research for my thesis.
And is anyone else noticing the trend of singers saying their own names at the beginning of songs? Is this a growing trend or have I just mostly missed it. Ex. Jason Derulo, Usher, DJ Khaled, Rihanna, Dev and the Cataracs, Pittbull, and the list goes on. I just think it's random.
Also, I finished reading the Pioneer Woman and guess what! The book is here!
So good!!!
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