I have never considered language separate from myself; "es decir que" I never considered language a tool, I took it for granted that I could say what I felt. When I arrived in South America, I quickly learned here that my self expression had nothing to do with language -- it couldn't because I couldn't "manejar" (manuever) the language well enough. There were so many days I was beyond frustrated because I wanted the people to see "Megan." However, I was taken out of my zone completely: I couldn't make others comfortable by asking them questions (because I couldn't formulate the questions well or understand the answers), I couldn't voice fun observations about society or carry on a political conversation, I couldn't be comforting when things happened to my family or Argentine friends here... I felt like I couldn't care for people well, or I couldn't be silly or intelligent or interested... because I had no words. I had to depend on others to have patience while I spoke, or ask me questions, or hope we connected in another way...
And I realized quickly that my personality is completely separate from words, and if there were no words, I would still be Megan. My personality would still need expression. My little sisters were the first people who knew me well. Kids don't need words as much -- silly faces across the breakfast table, pillow fights, spontaneous dance parties, and cuddling while watching movies is sufficient. I listen well -- if I can't be sincere and loving with words, I can be that through listening - using my eyes and attention to show people that I do want to know of their lives. I laugh a lot here. I laugh because sometimes I understand things but can't respond quickly enough to be witty, or just because people need to know I'm fun. I dance. -- yeah, tango! By doing something that doesn't require words, my friends know: how I am when I'm frustrated (when I constantly error in a step), how to encourage me, that I don't take things too seriously because we laugh when I screw up, and that I have tons of energy (am "feisty" as one friend calls me). I also had to find other ways of loving people (I'm a big words of affirmation person) -- so being attentive to people through quality time, buying thoughtful gifts, cleaning the kitchen...
In the past three months, my language has improved incredibly. But I still search for other ways of self-expression. It's been stretching, challenging, frustrating, and fun, but I think it's a really beautiful lesson... and if anything, I'm even MORE dynamic now...
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Mullet photo...!!!
Here it is -- the infamous girl mullet!! A bit grown out... but I'm getting a fresh trim Friday and will post the photos soon... so you can see the real funky-ness of it!! haha. I love the fun of life.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Buenos Aires Slang
For those of you who speak Spanish, I want to give you a look into my Argentine slang. Disclaimer: These are not sentences I would normally say but I was trying to construct sentences with slang words... haha. It's translated below. Here you go:
¡Hola, negra! ¿Como andas? Che, recién estaba en bondi y vi un hombre lindo… estaba refuerte. ¡No! ¡Boluda! No hable con el. ¡Boluda! Había otro tipo con el, y el le dijo algo de su mujer… pero estaba confundida porque hablábamos de minas, y de un gato especifico. Que bajón. Pero el estaba refuerte. Bueno. Fui a un café y tome un cortado con dos facturas y una medialuna – era rebarato. Y tuvo buena onda. Pero había un tipo refeo que me dijo, “Gorda, ¡que linda sos!” Yo pensaba, “que feo sos.”
Che, ¿cómo están tus viejas? ¿Hablaste con ellos vos?
Escúchame una cosa – quiero comprarme unas zapatillas. Porque con la lluvia (un plomo ayer, ¿viste?) y con solo zapatos… es un lío. Bueno, tus nuevos zapatos te quedan bien. A ver… ¿qué más iba decirte? ¿Querés salir a bailar rock esta noche? O sé de una milonga -- ¡me cargás! ¿Salís a una milonga esta noche vos? ¡Mirá vos! Tal cual. Dale, si tenés ganas, ¿querés arreglarte y entonces encontrarnos para hacer un asado antes la milonga? O, qué sé yo, ¿ir a una parrilla? No quiero mas carne porque ya comí una milanesa pero comería pollo o algo. Ya compre fernet y Coca para después pero tengo fiaca… no quiero salir a bailar. Voy a quedarme en casa con las nenas y mi cuarto esta hecho un kilombo… necesito organizarme un poco.
Bueno, Ya esta. Listo. Nos vemos. Un besito.
Translated:
Hi term of endearment! How are you? Hey, I was just on a bus and I saw this really cute guy… he was super attractive. No! (Boluda is like swearing, but not… it’s only used between really good friends, or calling someone a boludo/a would start a hardcore fight in the street. In this sense, it means, something like idiot, or… has the sense of, "of course not! How could you think that? That’s ridiculous!”) I didn’t talk with him! There was another guy with him, and he said something about his woman. (When guys call someone their “mujer” it means they’re either married or have been living together for a loooong time. A girlfriend is never a “mujer”.) But I was confused because they were talking about women, and one slut in particular. How annoying. But he was so cute. Well, anyway. I went to a café and drank a tiny coffee and had two pastries and a croissant – it was really cheap. And had a good atmosphere. But there was this ugly guy who said to me, “Gorda! How beautiful you are!” and I was thinking, “How ugly you are.” (Gorda or gordo is only used for someone you are dating.)
Hey, how are your parents? Have you talked with them?
Listen, I want to buy some gym shoes. Because with the rain (was so annoying and frustrating yesterday, you agree?) and with only my cute shoes… it was a mess. Hey, your new shoes look great on you! Let’s see… what else did I want to tell you? Do you want to go to a club with rock music tonight? Or I know of a place to tango… you’re kidding me! You’re going out to a milonga tonight? Look at you! (I can’t really translate tal cual… like a term of being even, of affirmation, of agreement with what the other person said.) Well, if you feel up for it, do you want to get ready and then meet up to barbeque before you go? Or… whatever… we can go out to a (restaurant where there’s tons of amazing argentine meat). I don’t want meat because I had a milanesa (argentine food… breaded steak) for lunch but I’ll get chicken or something. I already bought fernet (national cheap hard liquor of Argentina that is always mixed with Coke) and coke for after. But I don’t really feel like going out tonight. I’m going to stay home with the girls and my room is a mess… I have to catch up on life a bit.
Okay. That’s it. We’ll see each other soon. A kiss.
¡Hola, negra! ¿Como andas? Che, recién estaba en bondi y vi un hombre lindo… estaba refuerte. ¡No! ¡Boluda! No hable con el. ¡Boluda! Había otro tipo con el, y el le dijo algo de su mujer… pero estaba confundida porque hablábamos de minas, y de un gato especifico. Que bajón. Pero el estaba refuerte. Bueno. Fui a un café y tome un cortado con dos facturas y una medialuna – era rebarato. Y tuvo buena onda. Pero había un tipo refeo que me dijo, “Gorda, ¡que linda sos!” Yo pensaba, “que feo sos.”
Che, ¿cómo están tus viejas? ¿Hablaste con ellos vos?
Escúchame una cosa – quiero comprarme unas zapatillas. Porque con la lluvia (un plomo ayer, ¿viste?) y con solo zapatos… es un lío. Bueno, tus nuevos zapatos te quedan bien. A ver… ¿qué más iba decirte? ¿Querés salir a bailar rock esta noche? O sé de una milonga -- ¡me cargás! ¿Salís a una milonga esta noche vos? ¡Mirá vos! Tal cual. Dale, si tenés ganas, ¿querés arreglarte y entonces encontrarnos para hacer un asado antes la milonga? O, qué sé yo, ¿ir a una parrilla? No quiero mas carne porque ya comí una milanesa pero comería pollo o algo. Ya compre fernet y Coca para después pero tengo fiaca… no quiero salir a bailar. Voy a quedarme en casa con las nenas y mi cuarto esta hecho un kilombo… necesito organizarme un poco.
Bueno, Ya esta. Listo. Nos vemos. Un besito.
Translated:
Hi term of endearment! How are you? Hey, I was just on a bus and I saw this really cute guy… he was super attractive. No! (Boluda is like swearing, but not… it’s only used between really good friends, or calling someone a boludo/a would start a hardcore fight in the street. In this sense, it means, something like idiot, or… has the sense of, "of course not! How could you think that? That’s ridiculous!”) I didn’t talk with him! There was another guy with him, and he said something about his woman. (When guys call someone their “mujer” it means they’re either married or have been living together for a loooong time. A girlfriend is never a “mujer”.) But I was confused because they were talking about women, and one slut in particular. How annoying. But he was so cute. Well, anyway. I went to a café and drank a tiny coffee and had two pastries and a croissant – it was really cheap. And had a good atmosphere. But there was this ugly guy who said to me, “Gorda! How beautiful you are!” and I was thinking, “How ugly you are.” (Gorda or gordo is only used for someone you are dating.)
Hey, how are your parents? Have you talked with them?
Listen, I want to buy some gym shoes. Because with the rain (was so annoying and frustrating yesterday, you agree?) and with only my cute shoes… it was a mess. Hey, your new shoes look great on you! Let’s see… what else did I want to tell you? Do you want to go to a club with rock music tonight? Or I know of a place to tango… you’re kidding me! You’re going out to a milonga tonight? Look at you! (I can’t really translate tal cual… like a term of being even, of affirmation, of agreement with what the other person said.) Well, if you feel up for it, do you want to get ready and then meet up to barbeque before you go? Or… whatever… we can go out to a (restaurant where there’s tons of amazing argentine meat). I don’t want meat because I had a milanesa (argentine food… breaded steak) for lunch but I’ll get chicken or something. I already bought fernet (national cheap hard liquor of Argentina that is always mixed with Coke) and coke for after. But I don’t really feel like going out tonight. I’m going to stay home with the girls and my room is a mess… I have to catch up on life a bit.
Okay. That’s it. We’ll see each other soon. A kiss.
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