Back to AZ, and a message to my Uruguayan brothers and sisters...

A mis hermanos y hermanas uruguayos,

Es su culpa que ahora estoy sentándome acá con un sentimiento fastidioso. En sólo una estadía corta de tres meses, me siento como si ya les hubiera conocido por años. Pero no me gusta hablar del tema de extrañar, sino prefiero reflexionar en el tiempo que tuvimos y lo que tendrémos en el futuro. Por eso, Escribo ésto escuchando cumbia y tomando mate.

De veras, nuestro encuentro es, de todas maneras, muy improbable, pero ahora nos conocimos. Y no tengo las palabras para expresar el imenso placer de conocerles. Estoy seguro que esto es sólo el comienzo de algo más perdurable. Así, les invito a todos (aún las personas que creen que no les conozco bien) a los Estados Unidos! Y muchísimas gracias por hacer inolvidable, esta experiencia con Uds.

Nos vemos,

Andrés Seña 

Las despedidas

I knew this was going to come, but it took me by surprise how fast these three months had passed. I am basically on the final count down until I return to Arizona and start school again. To the left is a picture of my mentor and his family. From left to right: Felipe, Virginia (wife), Mariana, me, and Santiago. As the only pictures that I took with the family, this gives you an idea of the warm and welcoming people that let me stay in their house for the first couple days in Uruguay. For my despedida, my mentor prepared a traditional Uruguayan asado while watching football.

My roommates also decided to host a despedida involving lots of grilled meats, cumbia and the Uruguayan love of dance. I was told to feel special since they didn't do anything for a German exchange student when he left. So, though I haven't left the country... I am already missing this place.

PS: Now that I have left the country, it was pure bad luck that there was a strike on the main buses the day that I had to go to the airport. Because of this, many people that had planned on going to the airport were unable to. Right before I left, the remaining people of the residence who did not have class prepared a signed flag as a going-away present (I was shoo'ed away many times, not knowing why I couldn't go to a certain area of the residence). 

And almost like a movie-style transformation, instead of backing up when people did the "hug and kiss" thing like I did when my mentor's wife first greeted me, I full-heartedly reciprocated. This was the perfect way to end the three months here.

Reflection on my research experience...

Researching abroad has definitely had its ups and downs. First with the down sides.

Right when I got used to the surgery and the experimental procedures, we ran out of fish and it was already too late to go fishing for more. So the project, as of now, will be left incomplete by the time I leave Uruguay. I was told that I had already accomplished a lot in the three month time span, but I can't help but feel that I could do more (given that I have more than a week left).

But this experience has been extremely rewarding at the same time despite these setbacks. One thing that I will definitely miss about Uruguay is the concept of time and the very relaxed pace at which things move. I will be completely honest that recently I have been consistently late for work about half an hour (especially since I now do most of my data analysis at home), and everything seems to be fine (I've even been told by one of my friends that half an hour late is often considered early). I know that in the US, if I am not 5 minutes early, I would be considered late. Also, all the people in my lab have been great and extremely supportive of my research here and for that I am extremely grateful to have gotten to know them.

This picture was taken on my final presentation for the lab. From left to right: Omar Macadar, Ana, me, Lucia, Laura, Cecilia, Niko, Felipe (my mentor) and Lucia Z.

Of social unrest?...

I seem to be in an interesting time in Uruguayan politics. I went to visit a high school under student occupation (where classes have been suspended for a week). It was very relaxed and didn't feel like an intense demonstration. My friend gave me a tour of her school as this was happening. Also, strikes and small posters proclaiming the strikes were everywhere. The street was littered with small pamphlets with all the demands of the strikers. Essentially they want an increase in educational spending in Uruguay. These problems were eventually compounded by public transportation strikes as well as medical services strikes. An old lady told me that she believed that instead of striking, that people should work harder to improve their system to merit all the demands they were asking for, rather than inconveniencing the public and promoting an image of disorder. Though I do not have enough information to make a judgement on the situation, her suggestion seemed reasonable... hopefully this won't affect my research...

Buenos Aires - Part 2: Stuck for another day...

With my return plans foiled, I had to find a place to stay one more night in Buenos Aires. I knew this was gonna be a true test of my Spanish speaking skills. So I called a cab to take my from the port back to the center (cabs are extremely cheap... with a ride from Puerto Madero to Microcentro costing about 15 pesos (or 4 bucks)). In normal Argentinian fashion, the cab driver and I talked about how amazing the city was and what I could do for my extra day in Buenos Aires.

My first instinct was to try out the hostels, but since I did not have cash my options were extremely limited. After getting turned down hostel after hostel (and to note that the streets were becoming ever more vacant), I still had no luck finding a place to stay. I asked the police about nearby hostels, and they sent me down a dark alley where the only thing I saw was an extremely dim sign that said hostel. I went in to see what they had to offer. It was true that it was cheap, and after telling the front desk guy about my situation he offered a room where I could pay the next day in cash (since I told him I did not have cash at that time). It was a tempting offer at 10 dollars per night, but the entire hostel had an interesting smell... and I knew it was probably better to pay extra for a hotel than to stay here.

As I continued my search, I passed by what I thought were the usual people passing out small ads. In Montevideo, my natural reflex was to take one of the small papers and the people would leave me alone. But I passed by one guy on Florida street and took the paper that he handed me and he started talking to me. I was a little confused since I thought the point was for him to simply pass out these notices. He asked me if I was looking for a place to "stay". I was surprised at how he knew that I needed lodging. So I told him my situation where I was looking for a cheap place to stay, and he suggested one place and I told him that I had been there but none of the places accepted credit card. And then he said he understood what I wanted and told me about an "apartment" that rents for 300 USD an hour that accepts credit cards. I thought to myself what kind of apartment rents by the hour... and then he said that there were 25 irresistible girls waiting for me there... and then I understood what kind of lodging he was offering. Apparently we had a completely fluent conversation with completely different things in mind. So I quickly turned him down and said that I need to go find a real place to stay. (Later on I read that this was a very common scamming technique in Buenos Aires).

Despite the dark alleys and the shady characters and the fact that I still stuck out, I eventually found a decent hotel to stay in. After casually talking to the manager to relieve my stress, he gave me a 20% discount on my stay there and wished me luck on the rest of my trip. So, to say the least, it was an eventful night looking for a place to stay.

The next day, I spent most of my time in Palermo. On my way to the subway station, I was passing through yet another alley (well lit this time with the major roads clearly in sight), and I noticed that there was a guy behind me. Nothing new, people are allowed to walk behind me. And then suddenly I felt something wet fall on my head - I thought it was water from the building heating system. The guy quickly comes up and informs me that I a bird had just gone number 2 all over my hair, pants and backpack, and he let me smell the supposed "poop" of the bird. He offered to clean up the mess, and I told him that it was all right - and that I would do it myself if he gave me the paper napkin in his hands. Soon, two ladies came up to me and offered the same thing. From nowhere they somehow knew that a "bird" had pooped on me. Like the previous man they offered to clean it. After quickly thinking about the suspicious nature of the situation, 1) it was physically impossible for a bird directly above me to have pooped all over my pants when my backpack would have blocked it, 2) the three people who came up to me all knew about what happened without even asking me, and appeared to be of the same family. I then remembered that there was a common scamming technique in Buenos Aires where people would squirt something repulsive (usually mustard mixed with rotten eggs and colored accordingly) and then offer to clean. As they disorient you with their politeness, they unsuspectingly take your easy-to-access belongings. I repeatedly told them that I did not need help, and I grabbed the napkin from one of the ladies so I could clean myself. They spoke English and were extremely persistent. But when I reached the major road, they stopped offering. When I got to the subway, I noticed that the marks on my backpack were straight lines - consistent with someone using a condiment bottle to spray the green concoction. Now I can truly say that I have been a tourist in Buenos Aires.

Apart from that, the last day of Buenos Aires was definitely worth it. And of course I have to talk about food. At the internationally-acclaimed restaurant La Cabrera, I had their ribeye steak (everything on the table for less than $20), and I have to say that it definitely is one of the best steaks and side dishes that I have ever had. I wish I had the chef as my personal chef.

This time I was careful to board my boat on time. And out of pure coincidence I met one of the people from my lab. I felt like a Uruguayan who always seem to see people they know wherever they go (since it is a small country with a small population, it isn't hard). 

When I got back to Montevideo, I took a taxi (way more expensive than in Buenos Aires) back to the residence. As my taxi pulled up I started hearing a cascade of  "llegó Andrew!" being yelled across the entire residence. And having only turned my back on the doorway to quickly pay the driver, a massive group of people piled at the doorway. For the rest of the night, I would not hear the end of how I made them worry that I was MIA for nearly 24 hours... of course I made sure that my mentor knew of my situation!

Buenos Aires - Part 1: Going as planned...

When you are already in Uruguay, you have to at least make a trip to Buenos Aires over in the neighboring Argentina. It is about a 3 hour bus ride and a 2 hour boat ride away. I booked an early boat to BA because I wanted to have a good afternoon to explore the city. Coincidentally, my roommates and residence mates decided that we should all go out the night before I left, which I was hesitant to participate in because I had to wake up at 5am tomorrow. The simple solution was to simply not sleep... which made the first day in Buenos Aires extremely unpleasant. Good thing the first thing on the itinerary that I planned was to have a comprehensive, non-active city tour on a tour bus. I was hesitant to purchase this tour, and my reservations were definitely founded. The stops were touristy beyond belief and everywhere we were taken was essentially an overpriced tourist trap designed for older tourists only interested in being tourists. I was there for a different experience - I wasn't there to buy 5 dollar keychains that said Argentina. But the nice thing was that this would be the only time I would get to see Buenos Aires on wheels, and the ride and brief historical overview of the city was enlightening. Buenos Aires is truly like the Paris of South America - with many buildings based on French architecture. And of course the famous obelisk...and the Congress building below:

The essence of it was that there were a bunch of Italian immigrants that had to assimilate to their new country. Beside is a picture of what one of the barrios (La Boca) supposedly looked like back in the day - it is now a major tourist attraction. That night I decided to stay in and sleep early in order to prepare for the next day of sightseeing... and of course I couldn't pass up on a delicious meat-filled meal, especially in Uruguay's ugly sister Argentina:

One friend from the lab suggested that I make a paseo through the Tigre Delta, which is about 1 hour away from the city proper, so I purchased a tour to go there. Strangely enough, I had a dream about missing my tour due to a faulty or lack of morning call. And indeed. When I woke up, the tour group had already left me. I called the front desk to voice my complaint about the lack of morning call that I had placed the night before (at first in English, and then eventually in Spanish) only to be ignored and hung up on. With this minor setback, I was still determined to see the Tigre - so I decided to try out the public transportation system. I decided to ask an old man in a park where the train station was, and in normal Argentinian fashion (with a booming voice and a youthful energy) he started talking to me about his fascinating city. I have read online that many Buenos Airesians love their city and are not afraid to brag about it in front of you boisterously - and this appeared to be very true. With his help, I eventually made it to the train station.

The trains are surprisingly cheap - about 50 cents for a ticket to one of the more distant destinations at the Delta (much much cheaper than transportation in Uruguay). On the train, I felt like I was sitting on the omnibuses in Montevideo where many different kinds of people would come and perform for money (or simply ask for money). In my many future experiences with subways and trains in Buenos Aires, I saw harpists, saxophonists, small children passing out prayer cards, all the way to a little girl asking for money to improve her education (I gave her 5 pesos).

I eventually made it to the Delta. The gist of the attraction are the many houses that are built on the many small islands, which are only accessible by boat. It was a very chilly and windy afternoon, but the skies were mostly clear and the view was very calming - a refreshing contrast to the buzz in Buenos Aires city. Of course, I took the liberty order a sandwich de lomo. And like Buenos Aires cuisine is known for, the meat was extremely well-prepared - and relatively cheap for a steak sandwich.

There are many more pictures from the many many places that I had a chance to visit - Buenos Aires is truly a fascinating city with many things to do, eat and see. By the end of my stay, I had visited the San Telmo Sunday Fair (Tourist trap. I was talking to guy that helped me get a free map of the area about how much of a  lástima it was that things turned out so touristy - and my Spanish was once again complimented and they identified my accent as Uruguayan, but with an American twist of course), Palermo, Recoleta, Microcentro (including the famed pedestrian walkways), Puerto Madero, etc. But after walking with my huge backpack for about 8 hours straight per day without resting I was ready to go back to the comforts of Montevideo.

Too bad the port was located in one of the less reputable areas of Buenos Aires in La Boca, and with the sun going down fast, I wanted to hurry to get to the port. I definitely stuck out like a sore thumb as I passed through the projects... with my huge backpack and tourist map in hand (I did pass by the Casa Amarilla though). Good thing many of the people were helpful... unfortunately their help could not prevent the fact that, due to some language confusion, I had mistaken the times on the ticket, and I had missed my boat back to Montevideo... So I was now homeless in a sketchy zone in a  foreign country without any way to contact people back in Uruguay... needless to say, I knew it was gonna be a fun night...

Atlantida and Punta del Este

My friend invited me to go visit him at his aunt's house in Atlántida, which is almost like a seaside suburb in the forests... sounds strange, but that is the best way to describe it. All around you could see trees lining the houses and the streets, all the way up to the pristine beaches. I spoke with his aunt about the music education system in Uruguay and she was surprised at how good my Spanish was. Finally, some positive reinforcement! As my friend and I roamed the beaches, we talked about Uruguayan politics, where on many occasions American capitalism was brought under fire... We had our disagreements, and without getting into any detail, I got to learn about some basic Uruguayan political views and perception of the United States. I always thought the term yanqui was a sign of endearment, but apparently it is supposed to be pejorative. Without letting any of this spoil the natural beauty of the area, we proceeded to visit all of the major views.

From Atlántida, I went by myself to visit Punta del Este, which is considered to be the rich people's playground of Latin America. In the summer it is supposed to packed with tourists and vacationers from all over the world - paying approximately $12,000 USD for 2 months to stay at private resort-style houses. I had time enough to touch all of the major tourist attractions in this now vacant tourist town. I went to Brava Beach which had the famous giant concrete hand reaching out of the sand. When I asked an immigration officer where certain things were, he was chill enough to give me a quick tour of the city (as he did not have that much work in the down season). For lunch I had yet another chivito - this time with Punta prices...

Gustatory excursions

Naturally, part of the cultural experience in any foreign country is the food. I made sure never to skimp on new eating experiences. Uruguay has a really small Chinese population and so I was surprised to find a Chinese restaurant in the heart of Montevideo. It was a nice little shop and I had been desiring something other than the usual milanesa, which is a fried meat that serves as one of the basic staples of the Uruguayan diet. Surprisingly enough, the Chinese food in Uruguay is very similar to the Chinese food in Arizona - somewhat comercialized with many fried food items. I spoke with the owner of the restaurant and asked her why she chose to settle down in Uruguay (this was also the first time I have met a Chinese person fluent in Spanish). She and her husband had originally lived in Shanghai working in a factory. They saved up enough money to move overseas and start a restaurant, and they chose Uruguay because of the laxer entry requirements (and she told me she had no desire to go to the US).

Or course I ventured to try the local cuisine - and one of the top food choices of Uruguayans is the chivito, which is like a hamburger with a very tender then slice of grilled beef piled with panceta, cheeses, olives, ham, tomato, lettuce a hardboiled egg and a fried egg - all between two buns. Needless to say, it was very good, but my life span was probably lowered by a couple of days. I also went to try out the parilla with my friends. One can't say that they have eaten in Uruguay without trying the meat, and the parilla completa is just that. It included everything from sweetbread (which is not bread... but the thymus gland of the cow) to blood sausages made with cows blood. We ate it at the very touristy Mercado del Puerto (I had a picture of the food previously when I was exploring the city, and now I have truly experienced the food here)

Extreme experiments in extreme weather

So the winter here is at it full force now, with constant rains mixed with wind and occasionally a thunderstorm. It has been reaching about 3 or 4C pretty consistently in the mornings, which is one of the reasons I think that I am sleeping more now. It is now that I realize how much I appreciate the Latin American laxness on time. Besides, bed is a lot more comfortable, and I can always make up the time by staying late into the night...

Last Friday when I was doing experiments, it was raining all morning. As such, I was fashionably late to work, given that I was now able to do a whole dissection within an hour. I've long given up walking to work when the weather became more suitable for bus rides. It was just like any other day except that it did not stop raining. When I got to the institute and wanted to start an experiment, I had to fish in the rain, which does not help that, as a productive researcher (heh heh), I have gone through many fish and they become harder and harder to find as there are fewer and fewer in the pool. After about 20min of fishing, my mentor told me to come back inside so that I don't get sick. I insisted that I would be able to catch one with the fish detector (which I had not used previously because there were so many I didn't need to use it). And so after about 10 more minutes of fishing and getting my back completely soaked, I caught a fish.

And then, as if someone really didn't want me to do an experiment, the power went out because of a power grid failure resulting from the weather, leaving me with no working equipment to probe the fish. After I worked so hard for that fish...

The situation now is that we are almost out of fish, and so I have to exhaust every preparation I make. So to make up for the lost productivity of the power outage, I stayed till 10pm in lab tonight, applying scopolamine until there were obvious signs of desensitization. I obtained a record of 4 registros from one prep. When I was walking down one of the alleys to get back to the residence, some guy came up to me and asked me for money. I could barely understand what he was saying. And then I realized he needed 3 more pesos for booze, and who can say no to that? And now to sleep...