This week has been a lot of up and down. I don't start actually working at the school until tomorrow, so this past week I didn't have anything I had to do... which was nice in a way, but it has also made it incredibly tempting to hide in my room away from the world and not come out.
I didn't. It was hard, but I did manage to do things.
On Monday I was actually quite busy, first meeting with my pedagogical advisors (referentes) at the Ministry of Education, and then in the evening going to the Institute that I will be teaching at for the first to meet some of the professors. In between the meetings, I had to attempt to learn how to take los colectivos, the buses, and oh boy... that is a steep learning curve.
First of all, Google Maps knows nothing.
I do not know what version of the bus routes or las paradas (stops) it is working from, but if you want any hope of catching the correct bus and getting to the right place in Córdoba, do NOT look on Google Maps.
For a while I was at a loss about how on earth to even find bus stops. My Airbnb host was able to tell me where to find the bus stop for the 43, the only bus that comes close to the house (funny, because the 43 was the bus I took home from school all throughout high school in San Francisco... small similarities like that can be comforting). The problem, however, is that the bus route going TO Central Córdoba is not exactly the same as the bus route coming back FROM Central Córdoba. So it wasn't like I could just walk across the street and find a stop to return-- I had to figure out which street the 43 going the opposite direction was on, and then find a stop along there.
My first bus trip was from my Airbnb location down to the Ministry of Education, and it was successful (although I was concerned when the bus took several turns that were of course not shown on Google Maps, and I accidentally got off a couple stops too early and had to walk a little further).
In many ways the buses are very similar to the ones I am used to in San Francisco. The biggest difference, however, is that they don't seem to be particularly worried about whether the doors are open or closed. Above a certain speed limit, the doors to the bus do close, but when approaching a stop, the doors swing open while the bus is still moving and everyone waits until the bus has slowed somewhat and then just hops out. Sometimes the bus will come to a complete stop, sometimes you just kinda gotta go for it. And then the doors remain open as the bus rolls away from the stop.
Hey, it means you get a nice breeze.
Just gotta remember to hold on.
With some some directions from my referentes at the Ministry of Education, I successfully found the bus stop to get home. I also found that 2-3pm is siesta rush-hour on public transit, and I watched three buses go by without stopping before I finally caught a bus home, after waiting about 45 minutes.
I've mentioned my struggles to several residents of Córdoba, and I'm not sure whether I should be relieved or concerned that they seem equally befuddled by the way the buses work.
But I really am getting better at using the buses, AND I finally learned about miautobus.com, which appears to be the only website that has accurate information about los colectivos in Córdoba. Absolutely a life-saver.
In order to get from my current Airbnb to the Institute where I'll be teaching, I have to take the 43 all the way into the Center, and then hop on a different bus that takes me all the way out to the institute (quite a ways from the Center)-- overall a 50 minute bus ride one way, or up to an hour and a half when I have to wait a while for the buses (no, there are no digital clocks at the stops telling you when the next bus is coming... the best way to judge how long it will be is by the line of people waiting. At the main stop downtown, 5 people = it's gonna be a while, 25-30 people = okay this bus better come soon).
Obviously such a long commute to and from work is not ideal, especially since my classes will be at night, so the rest of my week was spent visiting Airbnb places closer to the Center so that I will just have to catch one bus from there. I have some pretty cool options, including the modern, bright, open apartment of an artist, and the cozy apartment of a vegetarian chef who lives part time in the mountains outside of Córdoba.
While visiting apartments, I got to explore the city some more, which was really nice. On Friday I went to see La marcha por el día de Memoria por la Verdad y la Justicia, the march for the Day of Memory for Truth and Justice. The 24th of March is a National Holiday to recognize the military coup in 1976 that led to the deaths and disappearances of thousands of people. (Article in Spanish, with photos, here: http://www.lavoz.com.ar/politica/masiva-marcha-en-cordoba-por-el-dia-de-la-memoria)
Another Fulbright recipient helped me get in contact with an Argentine student living in Córdoba who invited me to come with her, and it was an amazing experience. Thirteen full city blocks full of people who believe strongly in holding the memory of past trauma in order to push forward with change, promoting everything from public education to socialism to acceptance of gender diversity. Córdoba is an incredibly politically active city (it is, after all, home to a university) and there is graffiti everywhere-- not tagging, but always with a political message. I've seen graffiti calling for legal abortion (which does not currently exist in Argentina), protesting police violence, and denouncing transphobia.
One of my favorite signs at the march said Sin justicia, no hay abrazos: "Without justice, there are no hugs."
<3
The march was a little overwhelming at times, but it reminded me a lot of San Francisco in some ways.
It's funny how much familiarity can change things. I know it's a totally normal part of culture shock, but the mood swings of this week have been very real. I've felt totally down and scared and uncertain, and I've felt really calm and happy and alive. Yesterday a couple other Fulbrighters came up for the weekend and we went on a day trip up to Cuesta Blanca, a tiny town with a river to swim in, and we had an awesome day out. Taking the bus back from our outing was the first time I have returned "home" to Córdoba: the first time that coming into the city has felt like coming back to something, not arriving to something new. I kept noticing street signs as we got off the bus-- dark blue with simple white font-- and realizing they were familiar. After a week of staring at street signs trying to figure out where I am and where I'm going... I know what they look like here. I know the color and the font and the size and the numbers underneath the street name to indicate what building addresses are on that block.
I don't have a lot of that feeling yet. Almost everything I do, from buying cheese in the market to speaking to a potential Airbnb host, I have no foundation for what the expectations are. It makes me anxious, knowing that it is going to be obvious I don't know what I'm doing. But these small moments of familiarity-- when I see the bus stop I now know, when I see someone waving a rainbow flag in a march, when I recognize the street name on a dark blue sign-- it reminds me that familiarity is something I build, slowly, by doing.
And writing this blog post has reminded me how much I have done in the past week. I've written a lot, and I still haven't covered everything!
So, while I have had moments of sitting alone in my room watching Netflix because I can't handle going out into the world, I have not given in to the desire to completely hide away. I have done a lot, and parts of it have been really amazing. I know that this adjustment period is going to be one of the hardest parts, but it helps to recognize the changes each day, the small familiarities that are beginning to accumulate.
A couple pics to close (sorry I don't have many this time):
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| Racing forward at the march |
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| Did I mention my friend's brother was performing after the march? Super cool to hear local music and dance some! |
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