Highs, Lows, and Shoutouts

Hola! 

I’m not going to lie, sitting here staring at a blank screen that soon needs to be filled with 500 words feels really daunting this week. The past couple weeks have been full of the big and little moments that come with living abroad. So, today I’m going to try something new. Back when I used to bring groups of volunteers to Mexico, it was really important to be able to share with each other the things we were experiencing, some people for the first time, and be able to connect as a team in those moments. Because of that, we would end every day by going around and answering three questions: What was a highlight? What was a low point? Who is someone that you want to give a shoutout to? It really is a great way to summarize how you experienced your day and be able to reflect on the good, while still acknowledging the hard or challenging things. So today, I’m going to share my high, low, and shoutout with you all from the last two weeks. 

What was a highlight? 

This week I was able to go and celebrate some of my friends here graduating from University and I had the best time! I learned that graduations here are celebrated a lot differently here than they are at home. Rather than having a formal graduation ceremony (walking across the stage, wearing a cap and gown, receiving a diploma) the University hosts all of the graduates and their families for a formal dinner and then they have a party afterwards for students and their friends. So, when they asked me to come and celebrate with them, it was an immediate “yes”! But, to be honest, once I got more details on exactly what this entailed, I wanted to look for every reason why I couldn’t go anymore. Turns out, these parties start at midnight, end at five o’clock in the morning, and take place on a weeknight. Needless to say, as someone who doesn’t usually enjoy leaving the house past 9pm, this was something that made me nervous, especially considering I had to work the next morning. But, even though it scared me, I chose to embrace this “you only live once” moment (& the late-night Argentinian culture) and go to support and celebrate my friends. Obviously, it turned out incredible and I had so much fun. So, it was a good reminder that, even if something scares me or I’m not sure how it’s going to all turn out (like going to work after not sleeping at all), it usually means I’m going to experience something amazing that I will remember forever. This was definitely one of those moments. 

What was a low point?

Somewhere between the changing seasons and a lot of business of life catching up with me, I caught the flu, which meant I spent almost all of last week in bed alone in my apartment. As someone who already doesn’t like being sick and unable to do anything, it was ten times worse to be sick 5,000 miles away from home. It made me feel homesick in a way I hadn’t experienced yet, which made it feel like a very long week. 

Who is someone that you want to give a shoutout to?

Truly, I can’t choose just one person, because I want to shout out every single person here who has made life abroad a little bit easier and a lot less lonely. The ones who come to check up on me with medicine and soup when I’m sick and can’t get out of bed, the coworkers who bring me a variety of pastries and make me try every single one of them so I can taste all of the traditional Argentine flavors, the friends of friends who barely know me but drive 25 minutes out of their way to make sure I get back home safe. As cheesy as it is, it really takes a village, and I am so thankful for mine. 

With love, Sarah