Day 2
Well, my impression of Montevideo has altered itself slightly after today. It seems perhaps Sundays are the days to go out…The Rambla was bursting with activity, and the little amusement part that was closed yesterday (odd, for a Saturday, wouldn’t you say?) was in full operation, and its neaby cafés just as busy. I met my manager, Karen, who took me up to the “cerro” (the hill, or “mountain”), where the best views in town can be found. Ironically, it is also one of the poorer areas of town; yet, it is also a colourful and charming area of town. I’ll have to go back and take some pictures! The view on Montevideo was indeed wonderful, especially with the approaching sunset, giving the sky a pinkish hue. On the way back home though, as I walked from Karen’s house, I was reminded of the fact that poverty still does exist….As I was coming out of the supermarket and putting my money away, I saw a man notice this very fact. As I turned out of the store, I saw (or felt him) turn in my direction and follow me. I felt a sharp flash of pins throughout my body and I knew he had a motive. So I quickly and nonchalantly I went back into the store for a few minutes, and when I came out, he was gone and I scurried the entre 40 metres back home from the market.
Tomorrow is my first day with the APC! I feel excited – I am finally working in something I feel passionate about! I feel nervous – I hope I can fill in Kelly (the previous inter)’s shoues. Mostly though, I feel hopefu – this is paving the way to my future in development and I want to learn as much as possible and do as much as possible. Really, the meaning of “give and take” has never made more sense to me.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
First impressions
It’s Sunday morning; I am listening to some mellow tunes and drinking a freshly brewed coffee. I should be drinking maté, I suppose, but I’ve got a whole six months to pick that habit up anyway.
So I’ve been in Uruguay now for one night and one full day, and while in some respects I found what I was expecting, in other ones, I am picking up on some cultural differences.
I arrived Friday night, exhausted after 30 hours of traveling…(I guess saving a few bucks and taking the Ferry may not have been the most brilliant of ideas, since I waited about 6 hours at the station, and took the ferry for another three). It was 9pm or so by the time I arrived, but Analía, my coworker was there to pick me up, and in good spirits. She brought me to my apartment, where Andrea, my Uruguayan roommate showed me the ropes, and even ordered pizza for us, since she figured I would likely be hungry. Katarina, my other roommate from Germany came in shortly after, with a British friend (Patrick), and Antoine, a French-German guy who has been here for three weeks. So, within a few short hours, our apartment was already an international haven!
The next day, Andea took me for a walk about the Rambla, which is essentially a boardwalk along the river, which extends with miles of beach front alongside of it. We did mandatory stops to the cash machine and so on, but it wasn’t until the afternoon, when I set off by myself that I really started getting an idea of what Montevideo is really like.
This place redefines chill. At first I thought the city was empty because I was expecting this capital city of one million people to be bustling with activity. Instead, I found youth strolling about quietly with their parents and grandparents, groups of young people sitting in parks or along the rambla drinking maté, people walking their dogs, groups of young boys or men playing soccer in fields, but no one sitting in cafés! The people here may be more European in some ways but the café culture I was expecting certainly wasn’t there last night….until I went out for dinner at 11:00 with Andrea and a few of her friends (thank god I had already eaten earlier!). I then met up with Katarina at a friend’s house, who was having a party and spent time getting to know a few locals, and some local foreigners, from Bolivia, Germany, Japan, Brazil, etc. So far, insertion into the “ex-pat” circle has been easy, but what I am most eager to do, is get to know some locals, drink mate with them, and learn more about Uruguayan life-style and Uruguayans themselves. While I am sure poverty exists, it is not as overt as in other developing countries, so I am left with an impression of a country that defies “third world” characteristics…it truly feels like a developing and emerging country, where a new middle class is beginning to emerge.
So I’ve been in Uruguay now for one night and one full day, and while in some respects I found what I was expecting, in other ones, I am picking up on some cultural differences.
I arrived Friday night, exhausted after 30 hours of traveling…(I guess saving a few bucks and taking the Ferry may not have been the most brilliant of ideas, since I waited about 6 hours at the station, and took the ferry for another three). It was 9pm or so by the time I arrived, but Analía, my coworker was there to pick me up, and in good spirits. She brought me to my apartment, where Andrea, my Uruguayan roommate showed me the ropes, and even ordered pizza for us, since she figured I would likely be hungry. Katarina, my other roommate from Germany came in shortly after, with a British friend (Patrick), and Antoine, a French-German guy who has been here for three weeks. So, within a few short hours, our apartment was already an international haven!
The next day, Andea took me for a walk about the Rambla, which is essentially a boardwalk along the river, which extends with miles of beach front alongside of it. We did mandatory stops to the cash machine and so on, but it wasn’t until the afternoon, when I set off by myself that I really started getting an idea of what Montevideo is really like.
This place redefines chill. At first I thought the city was empty because I was expecting this capital city of one million people to be bustling with activity. Instead, I found youth strolling about quietly with their parents and grandparents, groups of young people sitting in parks or along the rambla drinking maté, people walking their dogs, groups of young boys or men playing soccer in fields, but no one sitting in cafés! The people here may be more European in some ways but the café culture I was expecting certainly wasn’t there last night….until I went out for dinner at 11:00 with Andrea and a few of her friends (thank god I had already eaten earlier!). I then met up with Katarina at a friend’s house, who was having a party and spent time getting to know a few locals, and some local foreigners, from Bolivia, Germany, Japan, Brazil, etc. So far, insertion into the “ex-pat” circle has been easy, but what I am most eager to do, is get to know some locals, drink mate with them, and learn more about Uruguayan life-style and Uruguayans themselves. While I am sure poverty exists, it is not as overt as in other developing countries, so I am left with an impression of a country that defies “third world” characteristics…it truly feels like a developing and emerging country, where a new middle class is beginning to emerge.
A second attempt
It's quite obvious that I was unsuccessful in maintaining my blog after my Euro-trip, but now that I am in Uruguay for 6 months, I decided to give it another shot (and perhaps use spell check this time!).
So, stay tuned for my thoughts, impressions and experiences in Uruguay...
So, stay tuned for my thoughts, impressions and experiences in Uruguay...
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