5 November rains
November rain
I was a cold Sunday; I walked to the front door just to find out that it was raining. I was late for church so I didn’t go back to find an umbrella.
It was cold, and it was almost raining. The fall was almost over; there were no more yellow leaves in the trees.
I was walking to the train station while admiring the mountains and the dieing trees. It wasn’t pleasant.
I was the only person walking in the street. I was the only person standing in the solitary train station. My nose started to get red and I could see my own breath.
Suddenly, I remembered the first day I put a step in the United States of America.
I remembered really well, and the weird thing is that I never thought about it before.
For some reason I could see it in my mind like it was yesterday.
My last day in Argentina (November 2003)
Before I jumped on the plain in Buenos Aires, I said goodbye to my mom, my dad and my older brother. They were all crying.
I didn’t cry, I didn’t want to make it harder for them. So I didn’t cry at all.
Airport in Buenos Aires
After I enter to the hall that went to the plane I exploded… I cried like never before. But before I boarded the plane I stopped did a last look behind me and then kept walking forward.
The first look of the US from the air was wonderful; I could see all the lights of Florida from the plane.
My first day in the US
Before I walked out of the plane that brought me from Argentina I wanted to look good so I put on me my new blazer my mom bought for me before I left. “Here is hot, but there is cold” she said.
I was scared; it was the first day of my “new” life completely different from what hours ago was my “old” life.
The security people were really nice to me, and I was happy because I understood everything they said.
It took me a while to find the right way to the plane that went to Salt Lake City.
I was amazed and overwhelmed about how huge the Atlanta Airport was. They have a subway over there!!!
New Culture
When I finally found the right place I sat in the waiting area and kept looking to at the other people who were waiting to go to Salt Lake City… Maybe one of them would talk to me. (I thought everyone in Utah was like the missionaries)
Two big women (a daughter and her mom I assumed) were sitting right in front of me. They were two white, blond, big, big women and they were eating fried chicken (which I found very unusual)
They were eating like if they were in a restaurant or even their own house. They were using their hands!!! Their hands were greasy, their face were greasy… it was a mess.
If I see something like that now I wouldn’t find it weird at all, but then I was shocked.
And then I remember telling myself, “This is going to be hell of a ride Hernan”
(Posted in melastome.blogspot.com in November 11, 2007)
Nikname
Rexburg, Idaho
(The topic of this post might be offensive for some people)
My friend Amanda was telling me that while in High School people used to call her “Mandy’ or “A J”.
That reminded me to the nicknames that my high school mates used to call me.
Most nicknames in Argentina come from the physical appearance, your social situation, or something embarrassing you did (or do) for example one of the most common nick names out there is “Fat” or “Fatty” (Gordo, Gordita)
It is not uncommon to hear nicknames such as “bones” or “skinny” (Flaca) to someone who is really skinny, “black” (negro o negrito) to someone with darker skin or humble situation, Shorty (Petiso) to someone who is short, big nose, big head, big butt, big boobs, etc (you get the picture) all of those nicknames are socially acceptable.
What it is uncommon is to have a nickname using the initial of your name unless it sound really funny or descrives you, like my friend Candela, her nickname was KQ (CA-CU) which in spanish sounds like ‘Candela Big Butt’.
For a while I had a nickname with the initial of my full ‘OHB’. (Since the H in Spanish is silent it was just O. B)
It was fine until a huge advertising billboard (right in front of my school) showed my initials on an ad for “O. B. Tampons”
Divided
It snowed last night but when the sun came out formed a sort of division that according to my friend Amanda reflects how the country is now days because of politics and misunderstandings.
I hope that the incidents going on in California against religious institusions stop now… I understand that they could feel frustraited but this is totaly ridiculous.
Race
Rexburg, Idaho
President
Obama won the 2008 American presidential elections. The pictures of the people waiting to vote reminded me to some other country’s election who wanted that over used word: “Change”
California people waiting to vote.
Somewhere in south Africa people waiting to vote.
It’s a good thing that Michael Phelps didn’t run
Election days!
Rexburg, Idaho
I went to a debate here in BYU Idaho where the school (political) parties discussed issues for the forthcoming elections.
There is nothing else people are talking about than what’s going on for the election days.
McCain or Obama? That’s the question that’s going to be answer in a few days.
Newspapers in Argentina (as the local media in the US –with exception of Fox news) are all for Obama, I guess W. Bush didn’t left a good impression of his party internationally speaking.
Anyway, I don’t like to talk about politics that much, especially when I don’t understand it… to even begin to explain why is this election so important (more than perhaps EVER) not just for Americans but possibly for the world, we would all have to learn Politic science 101, Economics 101, International Relations 101 & Business 101, and maybe go a little into American History and World History.
It bothers me when people try to defend their vote so passionately. If you are not an expert on all those areas that I mentioned, I am sorry my friend, you don’t know more than the average Joe. AND, the fact that you speak louder won’t make you an expert (it just makes you and idiot).
In the United States is not obligatory to vote so if one wants to be involved one has to register first.
Like in Argentina, in the US there are two main parties: Republicans (Conservative) and Democrats (Liberals)
Some people said that Most Americans are Democrats but because voting is not a liberal thing to do republicans are more likely to win in the elections…
For that reason the democrats invested a lot of money this year in advertising to motivate democrats to vote.
Another thing that was discussed was the proposition 8
California Prop 8
.
The same day that every one is voting for a president, in California, people are voting to pass or not the proposition 8. That basically is to avoid the same sex marriage.
This divided society, creating a huge debate mixing religion, gay rights, human rights, foundation of families, and it’s a very sensitive topic for a lot of people.
