Back home again
07 Aug 2010 Leave a Comment
Hey everyone, below are some pictures around Cordoba including the area around my house, the city, some friends, local cathedrals, and museums. Enjoy!
18 hours left
01 Aug 2010 1 Comment
Yep, I leave Argentina in 18 hours! I decided to only do a two week program, and I´m definitely looking forward to returning to Indiana! I am so thankful my final weekend here was a blast! I feel like I never sat down the past 3 days and it´s been awesome. We went back to the same discotec last night after seeing The Inception and going to dinner. The movie was pretty good, especially since it was in English with Spanish subtitles! Night #2 at the club was just as fun and I found myself out way later than I wanted to be! Needless to say I´m pretty tired tonight! This afternoon I went on a city tour on a double decker bus and I enjoyed it alot. I got to see alot of cool parts of the city and finally got to take a ton of pictures. Tomorrow I leave here around 3pm. Thanks everyone for reading my blog. I hope you enjoyed the updates and I hope to see all of you very soon! Love, Sarah
Experiencing the night scene
31 Jul 2010 1 Comment
Hola friends! I have to post quickly, so here’s a summary of my awesome day yesterday:
I went on a city tour with some of Louise’s students. They took us into some museums and churches and we walked around alot of the city. It was pretty nice to be in a group with Argentines and they were really nice about helping me with Spanish! Afterwards Louise and I returned home for dinner then met up with more friends to go to a discotec. The club was awesome. It was in an old theatre so there was a dance floor (complete with disco ball) and a balcony. There was no cover to get in and there was free pizza! The only strange thing is that people don’t really go out until 2 am, so we were at the club until it closed at 5! I have never been out so late! I think I got in bed at 7am….craziness. Today I slept in (obviously) and we went to the mall for a little while and bought tickets to see El Origen (In English..The Inception), so I will go to a movie and dinner later with a group of about 10 people. Should be another fun night!
Operatoria (Arreglos)….aka fillings!
30 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
I was not able to get online yesterday so here is Thursday’s post, with Friday’s at the bottom!
Today has been quite a good day! I was in the Operatoria clinic this morning where they just fill cavities all day. It was actually pretty interesting to once again observe the differences between dentistry here and in the US. A lot of the differences have to do with sterilization of instruments and things, but I won’t get into that again! I’m guessing the dental materials used in the hospital are 10 or more years behind the newest and most improved materials in the US . However, it is a free, government-run hospital so it can’t be expected to be state-of-the-art. Something kinda funny….each dentist just has a giant cotton ball and they tear of little pieces depending on what they need. So there are no nice cotton rolls or small balls or anything! They are pretty creative in how they form different shapes though.
I talked to the dentist a lot (no English!) and she told me she works at the hospital in the mornings and then at two different private practices in the afternoons. She did not decide to specialize because she was able to get plenty of practice doing fillings at a job she had during school. I told her all about our dental education process (a conversation I usually have with every dentist!) and about myself and my family, etc. Whenever I talk with someone about the US education system, they seem to think it is very rigorous but they openly state that my education is better than theirs. They usually find it fascinating that I study Biology, and then I will study dentistry, since most of them just studied dentistry for 5 years after high school.
After work I went home to eat lunch and organized my room a bit. After getting a call that I received a package in the mail, I headed to the Projects Abroad office. I had to find a bus stop about 10 blocks from my house and take a bus I had never taken….but I made it! And, after going to the office, I even made it back to EL Centro. On my way to the plaza I was stopped on the sidewalk at a red light and noticed I was right next to a massive cathedral. I wasn’t in a hurry so I walked through the front gate and looked in the door. It was amazing! I had to go in! I soon realized it was open to tourists so I walked in and it was breathtaking. One of the most gorgeous and most GIANT churches I’ve ever seen. I walked around the whole thing. The decorations were so ornate and the emphasis on Mary was incredible. I then made my way to the plaza. I was in a touristy mood so I decided to walk into the cathedral at the plaza….once again, HUGE and amazingly gorgeous. I was shocked I hadn’t discovered these cathedrals before now, but I am very happy I did! I am going to try to make Sunday Mass at one of them.
So, today I gained a new appreciation for Cordoba. There were times when riding the bus that I could see how expansive the city really is. I am glad I am not going to Buenos Aires this weekend because I think there is so much here to explore that I have overlooked. At some point I will take my camera with me so I can actually capture these beautiful places!
I finished the day with some absolutely delicious helado (ice cream)! Dulce de leche and banana in a waffle cone =)
and here’s news on my day today (Friday):
Today I went to the ortodoncia clinic at first, but it was quite boring because there were barely any patients! I was disappointed, but decided to switch to operatoria since it was enjoyable yesterday. I was there for 3 hours and then went home for lunch. Afterward I went with my roommates to the Cyber, but the electricity was out! So, now I am here at the Marvic cafe with my computer. I have a departure meeting at the Projects Abroad office in a little while and then I am meeting Louise to go on a walking tour of Cordoba. I’m hoping to take a lot of pictures this weekend to wrap up my adventures here! Hope everyone has an awesome Friday!
A Day Off
28 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
Today I didn’t have to work so it was a good day to do some shopping! I didn’t buy too much but stocked up on alfajores (sandwich dessert cookies) because I love them, and they are a Cordoba specialty =) I saw a demonstration when I was out and about, but those are pretty common here. I have heard them many times, but today was the first time I actually saw the group and a whole bunch of cops around them! Strikes are popular too….there has a been a bus strike, airline strike, and hospital strike. I guess that’s just how they get things done here.
Lunch at my house was delicious homemade pasta with a salsa-type sauce…I think it’s my favorite meal that Nelly makes. Her son was over at the house for lunch, so I have now met all three of her kids and all four grandchildren. Little Spanish-speaking children crack me up. They roll their r’s and speak more clearly than adults which is nice because I can understand them!
Hopefully I will have more exciting things from the hospital to talk about tomorrow!
Day 1 in Cirugia
27 Jul 2010 1 Comment
Today I started in the cirugia (surgery) clinic. It was pretty messy and bloody. Every person who came in had at least one extraction, and the dentists didn’t rinse or suction in the patients’ mouths. I’m certain that germs were getting everywhere during the procedure and the dentists did not sanitize any of the chair or sink between patients. I was pretty disgusted and was already having stomach issues this morning, so this situation did not help! After work I returned home to take pepto bismol and nap.
I now have wifi access once again in my room, yay! I don’t think I have mentioned that they have McDonald’s here (of course) and I decided to check it out yesterday. The first thing I noticed was that McDonald’s here is expensive!! It was around $7-8 US dollars for a combo meal, which is crazy considering how cheap most food is. The coolest thing is that they have a burger with tortilla chips on it! They almost looked like Doritos from the picture. I was tempted to try one, but decided I was not willing to spend so much on it!
Another thing I have not commented on is the religion here. Argentina is supposedly around 90% Catholic, but few go to Mass regularly. However, a TON of them will make the sign of the cross on themselves whenever they pass a church. Its pretty interesting to watch this on the bus…sometimes I feel like I should do it just to blend in! I have been to Mass twice at a very old church 2 blocks from my house. It is a pretty building but very run down with cobwebs everywhere and paint peeling off the walls. The Mass has some different aspects to it compared to home, such as the homily taking about 30 minutes and being the majority of the 50-55 minute Mass. Another difference is the Communion procedure. People just start walking down the aisle in an unorderly fashion. Many don’t even receive it. Also, they always dip the Eucharist into the cup versus drinking from the cup. Did I mention I only really understand about half of what is said at Mass? Haha, it will be nice to return to an English-speaking country.
I saw Toy Story 3 the other night and it was pretty good. Movies in Spanish are easier to understand because the characters do not speak as fast and do not speak Castellano (Argentine Spanish). Tonight I may go bowling with some people from Projects Abroad. I hadn’t really thought about it, but I guess bowling is pretty widespread as a sport.
Just checked my phone…68 degrees and sunny here in Cordoba! Hope everyone has a terrific Tuesday!
Busy Monday!
26 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
Today has been pretty crazy! I was in the pediatric clinic today and mostly just watched kids cry….but also saw some fillings. I was done with work around noon and then walked around a few shops before taking the bus home. After lunch I went with Louise and our new roommate from Sweden to run more errands. Yep, we have yet another roommate. She is 17 and from the same organization as the German girl who left the house after 2 days. There have been three different people in that bedroom since I got here! We intended to go to the bus terminal but took the wrong bus and ended up at the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. It was cool to see more of the city, but we were really far away from where we needed to be and had to take a taxi back! At the bus terminal we looked into the price of bus tickets to Buenos Aires and Iguazu falls near Brazil and they are pretty expensive, so I’m not sure I’ll travel too far. We then walked to Plaza San Martin to get phone credit cards and bus tokens, and to change some money. By this time we had worked up an appetite and decided to try some more Argentine specialties. We had criolles empanadas (some sort of meat with egg…weird) and facturas (sweet pastries). They were pretty unimpressive. As soon as I got back from the city I came to a cafe that is only a couple blocks from my house…and has wifi! I ordered a water about 20 minutes ago and it has yet to come….typical for Argentina….and a dog just walked by the table. Gross. It’s definitely just one off the street that snuck in.
I am pretty tired now, and hungry again, so this post will be cut short. I’ll be back tomorrow with another update. The best thing about today was that I actually got hot…even sweaty… while walking around! It was nice to feel that sun =) I do miss the summertime.
The Argentine Tango
25 Jul 2010 1 Comment
I wasn´t able to get to the cyber cafe yesterday, but I am back today to talk about my weekend. Friday night I went with my roommates to a fancy, upscale restaurant called Alcorta, famous for carnes y vinos (meat and wine)….so, I ordered a filet steak – bife del lomo- and got a side of potatoes. I was very good!! We also ordered a bottle of Malbec wine for the table, which is made with Malbec grapes that are exclusive to Argentina. After dinner we of course ordered dessert, and I had an ice cream dish with chocolate syprup and dulce de leche (another Argentine favorite…tastes like carmel) and nuts. I had no problem finishing it, it was delicious =) We left there around midnight. Like I have probably said before, Argentines eat very late! I paid 140 pesos for the steak, potatoes, dessert, and 2/3 of the wine….less than 40 dollars! I was pleasantly stuffed with yummy food.
On Saturday I went to some stores in el centro with my German roommates, but alot of them were closed when we got there at 2pm, but had been open earlier in the day. I still don´t understand the time schedule in this country! They eat late, go to bed late, but close shops before 2pm on a saturday! After that Louise and I had lunch with our host parents for the first time! It was a nice meal of salad, chicken, potatoes and wine. FINALLY we actually had a real family-like interaction with them. I think they are trying to improve since our organization has called them twice. We are their first students from Projects Abroad and I just don´t think they know how to interact with us. Their other students usually stay there like its a hotel.
In the late afternoon I boarded a bus to La Falda for their annual Tango Festival with about 20 people from Projects Abroad. It was a 2 hour bus ride but went pretty quickly. The seats were very comfy and I talked almost the whole time with a girl from Cleveland. There was also a girl from Michigan, but others were from Germany, England, Switzerland, Australia, France, Portugal, and Italy. Alot of the people in our group were my exact age…have finished 3 years of university…so that was cool. The Tango Festival was very interesting and much different than I expected. I though it would be mostly dancing, but it as actually mostly singing. It was a big stage set up in a round stadium and chairs were set up on the floor. There wre also alot of dinner tables set up with wine glasses, nice tablecloths and covered while chairs. We ordered food at the kitchen and sat at a dinner table. I didn´t get wine, but instead opted for a giant piece of layered chocolate and vanilla cake with fruit on top =). They had an entire table of huge dessert cakes and pies…it was impressive. The desserts/sweets here have definitely been a highlight. We left the festival early to catch the 11:30 bus back to Cordoba. Apparently the festival goes on until 2 or 3 in the morning! After arriving back at Crodoba aroun 1:30, we went to a bar for a little while. The clubs don´t open until 2! We just went home around 3 though. I was pretty bored….I just don´t enjoy such late nightlife, especially when the streets are not very safe! It is commonplace to arrive home at 6 or 7 am…no thanks!
It will be nice to switch clinics at work tomorrow so I can see something different!
TGIF!
23 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
OK, so I didn´t work too hard this week, but I still like Fridays! Today was my third and final day in endodoncia. There were 6 grad students there today, like yesterday, and things were fairly uneventful. We did have one 11-yr old girl freak out alittle. She was crying almost the entire 4 hours of the procedure. Yes, there are children getting root canals. In fact, the endodoncia clinic is the largest…so root canals are pretty commonplace. Alot of times it is very easy to isolate the tooth because there are no others around it……All of you out there who have all your teeth should feel grateful today, and especially if they are white and fairly straight!
Today I learned that students do not have to pay for dental school here because it is public and funded by the government. They do, however, have to pay for their post-grad training (in order to specialize). One thing I had not noticed until today is that the students in the clinic must bring all their own instruments and materials. It seems like quite a process from setup to cleanup for them, and lasts from 8am to noon or later! It seems pretty tough on the patients too. I have only heard complaints about root canal treatment, but I bet the procedures in the US are not nearly as painful as they are here!
I finally saw Dr. Piloni (my supervisor) yesterday and he told me I would move to a different clinic on Monday, and that I would stay in each clinic for 3 days so I can see everything in the 15 workdays I have left.
There is a strange amount of English here in the signage. Alot of stores and restaurants will have English words in their titles or descriptions. It is strange to me because I don´t think the people here understand those words. Also, more than half of the music I have heard on the radio is American. I hear many songs I know while in the hospital and I feel like I am the only one who knows what the song is saying!
We got a new roommate yesterday because one of the Germans left. The new girl is also German and is 17. She was only supposed to be at my house for a month, but she will be going to school in Argentina for a year. However, she is moving out tomorrow because she does not like the house. It really isn’t that great….we are not part of the family and are just left alone except when our host mom gives us food. Speaking of food, tonight I will be going to a restaurant! Yay! I am going with my roommates to find some of the delicious meat Argentina is supposedly famous for.
Hope everyone has a good weekend!
