Hola from Buenos Aires

January 26, 2014

While the rest of the team is bearing the cold weather in Hanover, Kayden and I are studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina for the winter on a Dartmouth LSA (Language Study Abroad) program. There are actually two LSA’s for the Spanish department—the other one is located in Barcelona, Spain, where Katie, Alli and Kaira are right now. To clarify, seasons are switched in Argentina, so it is summer here. Because Kayden and I are from Texas, we can handle the heat.

We are taking three Spanish classes: a history/culture class, a literature class, and the Dartmouth Spanish III equivalent. Upon arrival, we were immersed in the Spanish language right away. Not only are the classes taught in Spanish, but we also live with a host family. The first day I met my host mother and sisters was awkward and challenging, but now it is much easier, and I love being in an actual home rather than a dorm.  My family is extremely hospitable and social with me.

At first, it was hard being thrown into a big city with a different language, culture and customs. Speaking Spanish constantly and adapting to a different way of life are challenging. One of the hardest things for me to get used to is how late everything is here. Sitting down to eat dinner at 10:30 p.m. is completely normal. It is also the culture to sit at the table and talk for a least an hour after everyone is done eating. Here, they call that after-dinner conversation a “sobremesa.” I find it funny that stores on the street very rarely open before 11 a.m. and close by 5 p.m. How are people making any money? Also, service here is very slow. I think porteños (the Spanish name for people from Buenos Aires) like to take their time with everything. They live casually and without worry, much different than the speed of American life. 

We have free time to explore the city as well as planned events and trips. For starters, every Tuesday we take tango classes. I am completely hooked on the dance now. It is so much fun! I love watching the locals dance. They are so passionate and great at improvising. I plan to join the tango club at Dartmouth when I go back. I have traveled some already. On a free weekend, Kayden and I went to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay to relax at the beach. It was so strange tanning in January, but I wasn’t complaining! This weekend, the group went to the Iguazú National Park, which is in the most northern tip of Argentina. Words cannot describe how blown away I was by it. The waterfalls have been named one of the 7 wonders of the world and I couldn’t agree more. The main attraction was called “The Devil’s Throat,” which was like Niagara Falls times four.  I took a million photos, but I am sure they still didn’t capture the essence. I felt like I was in an Avatar movie or something. It was so surreal. I have never been so blown away by nature. It was hands down the most amazing natural phenomenon that I have ever seen in my life. On our ten-day break, Kayden and I and our moms are going to go to Machu Picchu in Peru. I am so excited! The Iguazú Falls will have some competition.

Obviously I cannot get the same volleyball training and reps that my teammates are in Hanover, so it is an adventure improvising workouts. Kayden and I got a membership to a gym by our house and work out with a personal trainer from Germany (not sure how he got to Argentina). The gyms here are nowhere near as nice as Hanover. In February, the volleyball team at my university in Buenos Aires starts up again. I am really excited to touch a volleyball again and play in a team setting.

Overall, I am elated that I had the opportunity to go on this trip. Being a varsity athlete and being able to study abroad is very rare. In that case, Dartmouth is particularly unique, and I love it for its flexibility with the D Plan. I feel like studying abroad is an unparalleled experience and what you learn cannot be taught in a classroom. I already feel so much more educated and cultured, and it’s only been 3½ weeks. I can’t wait for the weeks ahead.

-Paige Caridi ‘16

Greetings from San Francisco!

 Former DVB setter Alissa Santa-Maria '13 and Lucia Pohlman '15

I’ve been working at my new job for 2 weeks now, and it has been fabulous. One great thing about the D-Plan is that you can avoid the winter in NH! I’ve been enjoying wearing dresses (without tights!) and lounging outside my apartment building basking in the sun. Other than the great weather, my internship has proven to be be better than imagined. The company I work for, Real NewEnergy, is a small sustainability development firm that consults, develops, and commercializes sustainable technologies. It is a super small company so I spend a lot of time with the CEO and get to manage my own project. They have a net-zero impact greenhouse configuration, GoodSpheres Greenhouses, and I’m trying to find a location, customers, and funding to build a greenhouse. One cool idea I have is to crowdfund for the greenhouse in sustainable Eco-Villages in California. As an environmental studies major at Dartmouth, I’m interested in sustainable solutions for urban areas. I’m so lucky to be experiencing the type of work I want to do post-graduation in my Junior year of university! 

Also, there is a great side note to where I work. The company owners are Dutch and many of their projects involve information sharing between entrepreneurs and businesses from the Netherlands. As such, they have worked out this special relationship with the Dutch Consulate here in SF and are their in-house-entreprenuer. Moreover, I work in the Dutch Consulate! I have to have a super security pass, and am friends with the SF Consul General and it all feels very official. Also, the Dutch Consulate doesn’t have too shabby of an office! I work on the 31st floor of One Montgomery Tower in downtown SF. They also have really cool parties where everyone speaks Dutch, and I just walk around and pretend that I can understand. Those are pretty funny.

In terms of Dartmouth, I’ve been thinking a lot about how to capitalize on the time I have here in SF and the spring and summer terms. One great thing about attending Dartmouth is that I can capitalize on Volleyball (training, mindset, practicing, goal-setting), as well as my academic and career oriented interests (sustainability). I’ve been having major cases of FOMO (fear of missing out for all the non-high schoolers that might read this blog) seeing pictures and updates from my teammates in Hanover, but am so grateful for the opportunity to explore my career interests as a D1 student-athlete. I’m so excited to get back in the gym in the spring and work through blood, sweat and tears in order to prepare for my final season in the fall of 2014!

Thanks for reading!

-Lucia

14W from the eyes of our Hawaiian

Thoughts on the first week of 14W? Cold, hectic, crazy, fun. 14W stands for the 2014 Dartmouth Winter term and it’s safe to say there was no easing into it. Between reading multiple syllabi, surviving 7:30 a.m. conditioning, and having our wet hair freeze, we have had a lot of adjusting to do. 

While a lot of the upperclassmen are studying abroad in Spain or are taking part in some rad internships, the freshmen, accompanied by the lovely Maura and Schoney (Alex Schoenberger), have been busy in the library and the gym. 

The neat part about volleyball training in the winter term is that there are only three 40-minute sessions with a group of six or less girls per week. The whole focus of each session is to focus on our technique, something that we don’t get to concentrate as closely on during the busyness of season. Aside from position and skill training with the coaches, we have also gotten to get a few reps with our men’s volleyball club team, which pushes us to play at a faster paced game. In the weight room and conditioning, Kayleigh is pushing our limits, seeing how much we can improve in our strength, quickness, and agility. Winter training is about improving our selves so that can be better for the team and we plan to do that! In regards to the weather, well that’s a whole other story. 

Coming back up to Hanover for the winter term was a pretty big ordeal in my house. Being from Hawai’i, ‘winter’ has always meant Christmas and larger waves to surf on. I’d never really associated the term with drastic weather changes. I found myself purchasing this ‘New England’ uniform that everyone seemed to have. Whether it were these so called ‘bean boots’ (a type of snow boot) or a long North Face down jacket, there seemed to be a very long list of warm clothing that I had never been accustomed to wearing. However, as much as I miss the 70-degree weather back home, I actually have come to really enjoy the cold. 1. It is extremely refreshing to have cool air blowing against your sweaty face after early morning training. 2. More importantly, it gives me a reason to dress up in cute, warm winter outfits. On top of those reasons as to why the winter is actually really awesome, the fact that I am experiencing the winter with my teammates is what makes the extremities of a Hanover winter bearable. Trekking through the icy slush and freezing temperatures becomes amusing adventures when we’re together (especially with the ever-so coordinated Lottie). 

-Julia Lau ‘17