USA Personalities

After six weeks living in Austin I am ready to explain the difference between my expectations and the reality I discovered in these days.

Used to watching American movies , I was completely sure about how people were: arrogant, superficial, and noisy. I was wrong. The fact is that I discovered a completely different world surrounded by them not only here at Austin, but also in the cities I visited. I consider this is a good time to give them a feedback.

People in the Streets love foreign students, they are used to them and always say polite expressions or show interest in them. Workers in supermarkets, public transports and stores always give their best to understand or indicate you something, even many New Yorkers showed respect and patience. It does not mean that Americans are a perfect society, but definitely are much better than I conceived. 

The Host family experience showed me how humble people can be. Bob and Diana receive students from all over the world in their house and adopt them while studying here, in order to give them a home and share special dates.

I learned in the ESL classes that there are no barriers for friendship. I may forget some names with time, but faces and stories will remain in my mind. Students who left their families and countries behind, and came to US to study, make me feel proud of my country and the possibilities and quality I have just a few blocks from my house. 

In brief, although I thought I was a free person, I had lots of prejudices about Americans. It is in every person life, to know other cultures and discover by your own how other countries are. When the ambassador told us the importance of this program, I did not understand why governments and companies were spending money in such a big group if it did not change them anything. Now I can see I was blind in several aspects of my life, just closed to the society I knew and the image I had about US. 

Thanks to every person who believed in Friends of Fulbright, it was because of them that I could open my mind and face a different world. 

UT Clubs

Luckily for me, we arrived Austin at the beginning of the semester. This means that all UT students are starting their classes and with them, clubs and associations.  I will share my experiences in a
activities and ideoligies. It is a good way to show diversity and cultural tolerance levels. Every group has the chance to explain whatever they want with proud, what demostrate the society maturity

Disney Trivia Night
Five Argentine in a Disney trivia night could be dangerous, specially when the know nothing about Disney in English. Well, that happened to us, when we experienced this new adventure in the UT. It was a classroom full of students (more than 50) singing and guessing Disney songs and character. Despite we lose, we had a lot of fun and a very good time with all those crazy guys of the Disney Texas Club. I would like create something similar in my university, because alternative activities can be very popular if they are well organized.

Salsa
Salsa lessons started a Wednesday, and our friends from the Ehouse (those we met in the one dollar bar) invited us. Of course I went. I lke dancing, but despite I do not know any specific rhythm, I decided to learn in two hours as much as I could. The salsa movements are really technicals! However, I learned the basic movements and took some pictures.

Longhorns
Definitely "Longhorns" is the most representative icon of the University of Texas. The orange color everywhere express the memership and pride of being part of the UT. This is part of the culture and Austin personality.

My local College...
I live a small city, so that my college is quite small and new ideas or projects not always work. Living here in Austin I have seen several organizations and social movements that use the UT gardens to publish their activitieas and I think that could be interesting in my local UTN (Technoogical University) where there are neither clubs nor associations for students extra activities.

Superbowl at Greg's

On Sunday morning we decided to go to "Peter Pan", a mini golf field, in our continuous search of american culture. I can say it was quite easy considering it was our first time playing. We spent a good afternoon with the group sharing this new sport we learned.

The Superbowl seems to be an icon in United States society, not only for football players or fans, but also for musicians and celebrities: every one want to be part of this event or watch it. In this case, California (Panthers) and Denver (Broncos) fought for the cup, and Denver won 24 to 10.

The most important fact of the day was our meeting in Gregory's house. We knew this man two weeks ago in the "Broken Spoke" bar (Lamar Boulevard) and he was so kind and friendly that invited us to watch the Superbowl final at his house.
After winning my second place in the mini golf, we took bus 3 to his house. That's how 7 Argentine guys finished in Greg's house watching the Superbowl and sharing with his family this annual event.

As soon as we arrived, Greg and his friend Justin taught us professional techniques to throw the ball in his backyard. We saw the game, drank some beers, ate snacks and talked to his daughter Johanna (who visited Argentina several times) and his son Jason.
Greg deserves a post in this blog because he changed my life during my stay in Austin. Imagine how amazing is knowing a man in a bar, talk to him and became friends immediately. Go to his house, share with him and learn about American football just based on trust. He trusted us without knowing us, and did not make prejudgments about us.

Most people is used to prejudge and stay in their comfort area, surrounded by those who know. Greg is an example of bravery due to hos ability to make friends and meeting new people. I only though that young hippies are used to this experiences, but I was wrong. My "single story" does no longer exist, now  I know that anyone could be ready to change a life, just with trust and a bit interest in others. We should learn about those who are different because it are the experiences that make us who we are.

This story does not have a happy ending, because it was Sunday and there were no buses after 10:30 p.m. so we had to run more than 1 mile and take a Uber back to the University Towers.


IN THIS POST I LEARNED: TRADITIONS , AMERICAN FOOTBALL, TRUST.

UT exchange students

Since I started classes at UT two weeks ago, my first shock was foreign students ant UT.
As soon as I started my ESL lessons and my Strategic Information Technology Management class at UT I noticed this enormous difference. Where I come from, it is not very common to receive students from other counties; It could be because my city is pretty small or because we live surrounded by Spanish speaking countries and we do not notice the variety and cultural diversity.

I met new friends on the "One dollar beer night" in the bar next door, and realize they all were from different countries. Stories are really awesome, and talking with them during these two weeks, I could understand how important is having this exchange experience.

These are some of the experiences I have learned: Andreas from Norway has been here for six months and is in the middle of his exchange program. He lives in a house with 5 guys from different countries, and is surprised about the lifestyle and the quantity of Norwegians who study at UT. Gabriel is Mexican, he has been living in Austin for 4 years and says he do not miss his family or life in Mexico. Bret is from Albany; once finished high school, his father told him to come to US to study because there were more opportunities; and he did so. He came in 2013 and visits Italy (his family now live there) once a year for two weeks. He really enjoy  living in Texas alone.

I did not have time to talk deeply to other guys yet, but every single story is interesting and show me how far I lived from this reality. Until now, I always though that studying abroad was for degree, masters or postgraduate studies, but I am realizing that I was wrong, that opportunities are for every stage of a student life and we should take them whenever we can.

I never imagined that this sort of internships were so important to hundreds of students around the world. They leave their homes and families for years in order to study here and have a better education and English level. Many of exchange students are at UT for a semester or a year, what is awesome because they decide to study a year longer in a foreign country.
I would like to share the importance of how students from countries in war, are friends here and do not care about political situations between their States. That is the case of YuTing from Taiwan and Janet from China. The same happen with Ali from Saudi Arabia and Fahad from Kuwait. The point is that exchange students grow up in a mature way and learn about serious relationships and international contact.

I finish this post with an interesting phrase I found: To create more positive results in your life, replace "if only" with "next time"

IN THIS NOTE I LEARNED: STUDY ABROAD, FRIENDSHIP

The 25 Brotherhood

This first moment of my trip is dedicated to those 24 brothers and sisters I found before leaving Argentina.

For many years I have been in different friends group; College, High School, sports, Scouts, an I have seen how long it takes to feel comfortable and part of them. It usually takes two months to start going out, sharing personal projects, grow up together and become friends and finally TRUST them.

Well, It didn't happen here. We met each other on December 15th just for a formal event on the Embassy, and I shared with a few of them, some hours at the hotel. Nevertheless, we knew since the beginning  we should share 45 days in a foreign Country, in this particular situation at University of Texas and many of them had never been out of the Country or traveled by plane, what mean they must trust in the others.

Our real first meeting was in the airport, after the check in, when we took the Friends of Fulbright photo. Since then, we have shared every moment till now, without preferences or prejudices. Suddenly, each name, each face turned into a story, a person, and we care about the other. This is why I decided to name us "The 25 Brotherhood", because that's what we are.

What do I expect from them? To be honest, I only want to keep in contact with them after this experience. We should take advantage of technology and continue sharing our life. Despite living in different regions of Argentina, we are connected trough this experience, we are joined by Friends of Fulbright and I could say we are the largest Argentine family in Texas.

IN THIS NOTE I LEARNED: TRUST, FAMILY

First Contact with USA

After 10 hours flying, the United Airlines airplane landed in the George Bush Intercontinental Airport minutes after 7.00 a.m. that Sunday morning. We had arrived to the United States!

After two months since we won Friends of Fulbright internship, 25 Argentine students started an special new chapter in our life.

Surrounded by amazing people, I decided to set aside my problems, my fears, prejudgments and let the world make his job surprising me every moment.

This blog is my personal space to share every single detail I consider that "Changes me" during my stay in Austin, Texas for six weeks in this winter-spring journey.

I hope you to enjoy readin, and you all are invited to share your comments!

Thank you!!! 

IN THIS NOTE I LEARNED: FACING LIFE! BETTER TOGETHER!