Sunday, September 20, 2009

Settling In

For the first time in a long time I can say with total sincerity that there is no other place in the world I would rather be than right where I am. There is no other phase of my life I look forward to or long for than the one I am living out right now. This must be what it feels like to finally get what you want.

As I settle in to my new home, so many of the things I crave in my life are showing up. Two blocks from my house is a street lined with theaters where one can see plays any night of the week. I went to dinner last night with eight 20-something year olds from France – French being the language I plan to study while down here. I enrolled for two classes – one on the literature of Borges and the other on philosophical literature - at a cultural center down the street for a grand total of one hundred dollars. The classes, in which I will likely be the only foreigner, start in October and end in December. I am meeting five girls from the U.S., one from England, tonight to check out a world-renowned exhibit featuring professional photography from all around the globe. My diet consists primarily of avocado, tomatoes, real mozzarella, olive oil and baguettes and I make hot tea every night from an actual tea kettle. There is no microwave in my kitchen and none of my meals come from a package. I have a promising internship for an organization whose stated goals are “sustainable development” and “international cooperation.” My Argentine roommate, Emiliano, is a Buddhist who chants in his room for a half hour every night (which echoes down the hallway), an actor, and a handy-man for income. I have a beautiful area in which to go running and tomorrow is the first day of spring.

I live in a city of full of artists, actors, musicians, writers, tango-dancers, yoga-lovers, students, wine connoisseurs, fine food aficionados, irresistible bakeries that you can smell a block away, restaurants with food from all corners of the globe, Sunday markets, pigeon-filled plazas and delightful cafes. There are more flavors to this city than one girl can take in and there is an outlet for any kind of passion one might hold. This city is diverse, vibrant and teeming with energy.

It’s going to be a good eight months.

1 comment:

kidzwriter said...

I absolutely have to get my passport renewed. Your descriptions remind me of how much I love foreign travel.
Have you had any mate yet?