Kara Strohm
Kara Strohm
Argentina, 2022
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Hi I’m Kara! Since graduating from Belmont in 2020, I’ve been working as a nurse here in Nashville. I’m thrilled to finally invite you along as I spend the next 5 months in Buenos Aires, Argentina working with Venir Al Mundo, a doula association aiding high-risk individuals through their pregnancies, births, and postpartum journeys. ¡Vamos! Read More About Kara →

Cue “Here Comes Goodbye” by our lord and savior, Rascal Flatts

Welcome to this tiny corner of the internet where I will feverishly write blog posts every other Sunday for the next 5 months, thanks for bopping your head in!

If you have been a part of my life the past two years, in any proximity, you know that a core personality trait of mine has been “hopefully, someday, maybe going to Argentina.” Well, we are T-12 days from departure and I am just as shocked as you that we made it here. I was talking with my therapist this week about my goals for the upcoming months and have compiled a list to share with you (and for me to reference):

  1. Inviting in the discomfort and loneliness associated with moving to a new country while still learning the language, meanwhile being careful not to pay too much attention to the voice in my head trying to prepare me for the worst (i.e. “What if I can’t make deep connections because I am still learning the language,” “What if I always feel insecure about conversing, so I shy away from opportunities to practice and meet new people,” etc, etc). While these anxieties are not unfamiliar to me, especially prior to undergoing big life changes, my goal is to trust in the process that so many have undergone before me (and in much more challenging circumstances), and to continue to find balance between not taking myself too seriously and having confidence in my efforts and abilities,
  2. Writing a sentence a day. This is something I have done on/off throughout summer breaks in college and find it a helpful tool not only for remembering the events of my daily life, but also for checking in with myself consistently without the pressure of filling an entire blank page. I will be sharing a few of these in each blog post, so hold onto your hats,
  3. Inching towards conversational Spanish fluency (this one felt obvious but will motivate me to study and speak and listen),
  4. Gaining and sharing knowledge of empathetic birth support with the other doulas at the association. Forming friendships with the women I work alongside and getting hands-on experience providing labor and lactation support.

 

I have much to do between now and June 5th, including finishing up my vaccines, 3 more full shifts at the Health Department, a pre-orientation meeting with my organization’s point of contact in B.A., packing up my belongings and moving them out of my house, an intimate “going away temporarily” party, and a 5 day trip to Scotland with my boyfriend’s family…woof! I grow more excited as I converse via Whatsapp with the women I will be living and working with, and plan to bring them a small gift representative of Nashville–lmk if you have any insight into something that could fit into my suitcase and is reflective of this city. A pedal tavern keychain? A “Team Bride” tee? Will a cowgirl hat come across earnestly? Sounds off in the comments below!

 

I would like to say a quick thank you to the people who have helped me plan this project and encouraged me to take the plunge after 2 years of global uncertainty–if you’re reading this, or if you’re not, I love you, thank you. S/o to everyone who has put me into contact with their friends or family members in B.A., I’m so grateful to have people to look forward to meeting and to call if (when) I need a hand. Also s/o to my MPHD team, thank you for your overwhelming support in this season, ¡te veré en octubre! Finally, thank you to Thandi, Shauna, and the Lumos Committee for trusting me with this project and allowing me to take this opportunity long after its original timeline.

 

Ok I’m dropping the mic, will pick it back up from the other side of the hemisphere in a few weeks!

 

Xoxo,

Much love,

Kara

 

Pictured below is me in the required scrub color for the doula association! (the Crocs are a personal choice ;))

One thought on “Cue “Here Comes Goodbye” by our lord and savior, Rascal Flatts”

  1. Thanks for finally writing about > Cue “Here Comes Goodbye” by our lord and savior, Rascal
    Flatts | Lumos Student Travel Award Program < Loved it!

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