The Aftermath

Shalom from Tel Aviv, Israel! After my program ended in Buenos Aires, I boarded plane after plane after plane – and after a layover in Santiago, a mere night at home in New York City and then yet another layover in Paris, and ended up in the Middle East. I barely had time to process my semester in South America as I did as much laundry as I could, ate as many bagels as possible (alas, only two) and tried to prepare myself to move to a country whose language I cannot read, let alone speak. Coming to Israel has been an incredible culture shock and an unspeakable challenge, while delaying my assimilation back into American culture. I immediately started two internships, both of which require academic work of an entirely different nature than the work I did in Argentina. However, being here and struggling everyday makes me appreciate the ease with which I was able to navigate Buenos Aires and the level of comfort I attained there. My goals going into study abroad was to establish a life for myself, and on this level I believe I succeeded. I had my volunteer job twice a week, where my students would greet me by name and try to trick me into speaking spanish with them. I had my classes, my favorite bus lines, the bakery I probably visited a bit too frequently. I strengthened my friendships with two porteños, who gave me a goodbye card so beautiful I arrived to our final IES event in tears. I improved my spanish to the point where I was having in depth political discussions with anarchist cab drivers who recommended various documentaries and books to further my political education. Buenos Aires was so good to me – I will miss her busy streets, never ending cultural life, and political fervor. While at times I was frustrated by her traffic, or driven to the point of madness by the relaxed professional attitudes, or just plain hungry as a strict vegetarian in the meat capitol of the world, I cannot deny that Buenos Aires gave me exactly what I wanted from study abroad – a sense of normalcy and a complete life of my own. She proved to me that I can handle everything I take on, and more. I have always had a wandering heart, maybe it is because I grew up surrounded by New York City’s never ending energy, and Buenos Aires proved to me that I am capable of moving my life. Everytime I catch a snippet of spanish conversation on the streets of Tel Aviv, I am brought back to Argentina-oh, and they sell alfajores here too!

Youth from the non-profit I work with dialoguing together in a eco village south of Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv beach – a racket game called matkot is incredibly popular

It was weird coming from Buenos Aires winter to the middle of a Middle Eastern summer – there are flowers EVERYWHERE!

juice at the shuck (market) carmel

Still missing Argentina <3

A friend and I at the peace wall – a community art project – on the Israeli side of the Gaza Border