The Little Things

I can't believe I've been here for over a month! And I am SUPER behind on my blogging. Since my last blog, I've started school, gone to Mendoza, and so much more; but one thing at a time.

Life in Buenos Aires is much slower than in the U.S. What one might get done in three or four hours back home takes all day here. Honestly, I've gotten used to this and I've also learned to appreciate the little successes everyday.

When you're in an entirely new culture, everything seems just a little harder to do. For example, today I needed to buy batteries for my camara. After walking for about half an hour, I finally found a place that sold batteries. I could have done this in five minutes back home. I didn't mind, though. It's satisfying just to be able to accomplish even such small tasks.

Here's a list of little things that I've felt successful in by accomplishing them here:

1. Finding my way to my new home the very first day.
2. Figuring out that if I play about five minutes of Solitare on my computer BEFORE I try to get my internet running, it works much better.
3. Leading a group, successfully, to a place I've never been.
4. Finally understanding the joke on a billboard I have passed a few dozen times.
5. Telling someone in another language a funny story, that they not only understand, but even laugh!
6. Discovering a little place with really good food at a super cheap price.
7. Figuring out that if you drink coffee during that really boring class (which happens to be at the time my body is ready for a nap), I can stay awake and even participate in Spanish.
8. Finding a really cool place that no one told you about and sharing it with others.
9. Not getting hit by traffic. (this is an everyday success)
10. Not stepping in dog poop. (again, another everyday accomplishment)
11. Finding friends you can relate to so you don't feel alone in a big city.
12. Realizing you may know the streets in this city better than the ones back home.

I hope, even back home, to remember the little successes can really add up. I'm glad for this lesson that Buenos Aires has been teaching me.