The Last Push

After an incredibly indulgent Thanksgiving weekend at home in California, I am now getting ready to go back to the daily grind: class, final projects, stage managing, and hours of rehearsal a day!

I'm so overwhelmed about what is to come in the next and last 3 weeks of the semester, the next 6 months, let alone the next year. Below is the poster for the play that I'm stage managing, I hope everything goes well...the organization and efficiency of everyone on the team is my job!

So here's to taking life one day at a time, or maybe better yet, one hour at a time, getting through with this semester, and moving on with life, no matter what comes!

My latest project...

For the past couple of weeks, I've been assisting the director of the production The Physicists being produced by Barnard's theatre department. It was a last minute opportunity offered to me by the director (who also is my directing teacher) just to take notes for her in rehearsals. It somewhat escalated into a larger commitment when I offered more of my time and she continued to use it.

It was a great decision, I learned a lot and just absolutely love being around the creation of theatre. Here's the description of the play:

Einstein. Newton. Möbius. Three men in an insane asylum believe themselves to be three of history's most brilliant scientists. Or is their madness merely a ruse, a means of hiding (or pursuing) a scientific discovery that could lead to inconceivably destructive forces being unleashed upon the world? "Drama," Swiss playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt observed, "can dupe the spectator into exposing himself to reality, but [it] cannot compel him to withstand... or even to master it" — a fitting motto for the Barnard College Department of Theatre's 2010-11 season, which aims to "expose" audiences to the intersection of history and politics through the provisional reality of the stage. Dürrenmatt's scalding and farcical parable about the moral dilemma of the modern scientist is an excellent place to begin this yearlong project. Alice Reagan, Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, directs.

I feel honored to have been apart of this production, and I can't wait to continue to learn from Alice in my directing class. Check her out on her website here: alicereagan.com!

This semester has been one of my busiest, with visitors, rehearsals, homework, and friends. My parents are coming next weekend and Monday I start my official Stage Managing position. I will post pictures of Amanda's visit soon and of my parent's visit/Halloween after next weekend! I get scared when I think about how much I love theatre, and this semester has really seemed surreal being able to learn and experience so much related to the field I love. I feel so lucky!

Lovely weekend in NY

Niall came to visit this weekend! We had a great time exploring the city. Saturday morning we had a brunch with all my friends! It was lovely.

Reunion with Argentina friends, Niall and Kara!

See my kitchenette below!!!

I have so much homework, I'm so sleep deprived that this is gonna stay short! Rehearsal starts next week...so I guess this means that I'm gonna have to be come close friends with caffeine.

New Shoes

On Saturday Rachel (my best friend and next-door neighbor) and I went to an awesome park called the High Line, that used to be a freight train track. Look at the awesome New Yorky view...

Then we decided that it would be a good step towards becoming adults and being healthy people to buy some work out shoes. So we bought matching ones at Payless.

I am happy to say that I have used them twice since Saturday and went to the gym for the first time on my own terms without anyone forcing me to with threats of failing a PE class. It felt great, I exceeded my expectations for how long I could stay on the eliptical and this is gonna become a regular thing. Wahoo for new shoes.

I promise more posting soon!

Reunions

This past week has been a whirlwind unlike any other. I've reconnected with many friends from my NY life, and some from Argentina! I took my grandma to 3 doctors appointments, packed for my new apartment in NY, visited Boston and Amherst, Massachusetts, moved into my apartment, went to my first day of class and had some drinks for the first time (legally) in New York.

First highlight of this crazy week was when Sylvie, one of my closest friends from Argentina, came over for dinner. She goes to Scripps College (only 45 minutes away from my house!), so it was easy to get together. We got empanadas and Quilmes, the food and beer we consumed most in Argentina!

Then literally the next day I flew to Boston to visit Amanda, my best friend from South Pasadena. She had an internship in New York all summer, so I hadn't seen her since December 2009!!! We had a great day spent in lovely Bostonian parks, and at the Samuel Adams Brewery!

Here we are trying some delicious summer ale...

After Boston, I took a 3 hour bus ride to Amherst, MA to see Niall. It was great to see his school and see how different life in more of a rural setting is. I found it much calmer and more spread out. The little college towns were so cute and full of hippies that they reminded me of little beach towns! It was great to see him, but as all of these visits were, it was too short!

Now I'm in NY, in my own own own apartment (see below!), with my NY family and with many lists of things to do and to buy. Moving in is such a process! Rachel is sitting on my bed, and Jackie and Seth (famous from our Youtube collaborations) are sitting at my desk area.

I'm really happy to start getting more settled, because the first 2 days of being here at school have been completely overwhelming. I felt a little disconnected with my school and these people since I haven't seen and in some cases talked to them in a very long time. Slowly but surely I'll feel more at home again, and I can't wait to continue studying theatre and learning about new fields within the theatre world.

I'll post more pictures of my ADORABLE apartment when its all decorated! We're going to Target and some thrift stores to find some cool decor this weekend. Come visit!

Alyson, What are you going to do after you graduate?

Great question everyone in the world!

It has come to my attention that college will soon be over and I will need to make some serious decisions: where to live, what to strive for, where to apply (jobs NOT grad schools), what to spend money on, etc.

As you can imagine these thoughts are overwhelming and nerve wrecking. So I just keep thinking of this little highlight that happened yesterday on my way home from work. I was riding my bike down my street, it was dark and mysterious (for south pasadena lol) and I started singing "Frosty the Snowman". I've always loved Fiona Apple's version.

I thought, "ummm its august, no Christmas songs Alyson" but I just kept singing, riding and laughing at myself. I think that's what I'm gonna do after I graduate, keep singing, riding along the path at hand and laughing at myself.

Good Exhaustion

Being home has been a complete whirlwind! I've worked 30+ hours in a week and a half (I know its not much but getting up early and having responsibilities even after just a short break is hard!) I've gone to the beach with my grandparents and Fortner cousins for 2 days, gone to the So Pas Farmer's Market, seen 2 plays, reunited with friends and more family and made my first summer pie! It was tart because I made it with fresh berries, but it was still yummy! And...the top crust was inspired by the Martha Stewart Valentine's Day issue last year!

Today I also hung out with Becca, Niko and a surprise appearance by our old friend Ryan! It was a truly ideal summer day and I loved every minute of it.

It ended with Stitch and Pitch (the Dodger game where we knit!). This is my little panda friend that I'm making for my friend Amanda's birthday 3 days after mine...in one week!!!!!!

Even though I have not been this exhausted in at least 5-6 months, it feels so good to know that I have people to love (and therefore spend time with) and people who love me enough to spend time with me. I think this is the worthwhile exhaustion.

P.S.-I'm reading Sula by Toni Morrison, which is beautifully written, as always. Next up: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (7) by J. K. Rowling. I am so excited to get to read soon...after all the newness of being home wears off! These are easily my 3 favorite authors of all time!

Let's Stay Together

After the whirlwind that was my last week in Argentina, I spent the past 4 days in Spokane, Washington and Sandpoint, Idaho for my cousin Sara's wedding to Rob! They are really awesome people and seemed so happy together all weekend long, throughout all of the stress! I've really come to look up to them and am so happy they are in my life, and that we were able celebrate their special day with them.

The wedding party on Schweitzer Mountain!

The view from the ski lift we rode up to the wedding!

All of Sara's cousins! The ones in the front are mine too! :)

Mia and I at the rehearsal! The view was spectacular!

I love weddings, especially because one can take hints and tips on what would be ideal at yours! This also was my first weekend back in the states, and it went by very fast and it all felt very surreal. I don't see my cousins very often from Spokane, so it was a treat to spend some time with them. I just got home to S. Pasadena, and that return has been the weirdest. My house and my room seem like artifacts from a previous life! I'm sure by tomorrow I'll feel right at home again, especially after I visit Grandma!

It's official.

My B+ and I will be back to the country of origin in less than 48 hours.

Oh and we're seniors in college.

I know the end is near...

...because my peanut butter ran out!

Countdown: 5 days until I get into the E.E.U.U.; 9 days until CA!!!

Tomorrow I move into the hostel to stay with my friend Sylvie for a couple of days, then I'm coming back to my host mother's house for the last night! Look how adorable the hostel is!

I'm reading a lot, trying to stay sane by listening to more Harry Potter and taking walks to the library. I can't wait for all the fun things to come after all of this stress and reading! Tuesday about noon, I'll be free (and a senior in college).

Wow its going fast.

[Also--ARGENTINA LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE. No H8!!!]

What my life has become...

The past two days have seemed like a play that I'm getting really bored with and can't wait for the intermission. Here is a quick scene...(Barbara is my host mother).

BARBARA: Do you like my boots? (barbara enters alyson's bedroom and proceeds to put her fake leopard skin boots up on the bed in front of alyson's face, dangerously close to alyson's laptop) They're like skin!
ALYSON: Oooh. (She feels them hesitantly.) Ugggh. (She makes a sound of seemingly joking disgust, but that is really based in 5 months accumulation of real disgust.)
BARBARA: It's a dead leopard!! Ha Ha Ha. (She walks out of room without another word, opens the door to the apartment with her keys and exits.)

The great parts about these past few days are when I'm listening to Harry Potter 5 on the way to the library, skyping my family, and dreaming about all the good things that will come when I'm done with all of this work.

I need to get my stuff done.

This video explains pretty much what I did today.

Tales of Mere Existence

Let's hope tomorrow is different!

Los últimos abrazos

The last three days have been jam packed with tourist sites, hugs, goodbyes, and lots of reminiscing. Niall, Kara and Mel left today to go home, back to our "real lives", which means that this porteña life is officially coming to an end!

Above is my favorite picture I took at El Caminito en La Boca. Its a really dangerous area, but we heard that we HAD to see that street with the colored houses, so we took a cab there and back--just to be safe. It turned out to be sort of a let down--just like most hyped-up tourist attractions. It was fun to wander and see a different part of the city that we have lived in for so long.

After La Boca, we went to Plaza de Mayo to see Las Madres de los desaparecidos (Mothers of the disappeared). They are the mothers, and some grandmothers, of the citizens who were unrightfully captured and obviously killed during the dictatorship that ruled between 1976-1983. In many ways Argentina is still in a post-dictadura phase, and the country is still very much hurt by this terribly violent and oppressive rule. These mothers' faces are so sad, and many of them hold the picture of their lost child. Some people (like Niall's host mother) HATES them, even though they were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for all their lobbying. Its mainly because many of their sons/daughters could have been criminals and so many people don't see why everyone feels so sorry for them. I'll tell you why--there is NO REASON ever to kill another human being!

The day after was 9 de julio which is Argentina's Independence Day! We went to Tigre for our last hurrah. Above is a beautiful Van Gogh-y pic of the river!

Here is us (minus Sylvie the amazing group photographer) on our last night out. We were toasting all of our favorite, and many of our not-so-favorite memories, being silly, and expressing our love for each other. Mel said it well when she said "I'm really surprised that I like you as much as I like you." We really did get super lucky that we found such beautiful people to spend this adventure with, and I feel so blessed to have all these contacts and life-long relationships!!! This experience would've been so different without them!

And now back to reading and writing...

Game Plan

Friday 9: Last 24 hours with Buenos Aires family. Excursion to island city called El Tigre (where Niall and I did Urban Biking before!)

Saturday 10: Despedida :( ;( Goodbye Brunch. Read lots of theory about Samuel Beckett. Try not to cry because I miss my peeps.

Sunday 11: Continue reading and start outlining paper. See a play with my Argentine friends.

Monday 12: Write some of the paper. Go to Beckett review session from 7-11pm.

Tuesday 13: Write a LOT of the paper.

Wednesday 14: Finish paper (12-15 pgs in spanish) and send it to awesome Argentine friend to correct it, then turn it in!

Thursday 15- Monday 19: Finish reading for Theatre History class. Prepare Oral presentation, eat dinner with Argentine friends so I don't feel alone! (During this time I also have to move out of my room because the girl that is going to live in my room for the next semester is coming!)

Tuesday 20: 9AM ORAL EXAM. Scream in the streets, because I'll officially be a senior in college. Frolic for the last time in Buenos Aires!

Wednesday 21: Peace out Latin America! Hello Spokane! ***Practice wedding song!

Thursday-Sunday 22-25: Spokane wedding activities!

Monday 26: GRANDMA, GRANDMA, GRANDMA.

Iguazú Falls

This weekend was a whirlwind...Friday night - Saturday morning we spent on the bus, once we got there, we watched Germany beat Argentina :(, ate, hung out by the pool of the hostel and slept. Sunday was waterfalls day! We spent all day at the national park, taking in the wildlife, the falls and the jungle! Then Sunday night - Monday morning was more bus time!

It was all pretty surreal, but really beautiful. My thoughts are elsewhere, mostly residing in California, and so this beauty was hard to even understand.

Here are the pictures. I'm so lucky I found such awesome people to spend time with and share this magical adventure with!

Blah Blah

Its really silly that I've been to 14 countries, but the only place I want to go right now is Valencia Street.

Today I'm going to get my mind off things and see some majestic waterfalls with the gang. I'm so lucky I have them to support me and listen to my rants about life and death. I can't handle the idea of most of them leaving in 8 days.

This quote from a terribly popular and catchy song, "California Gurls" is stuck in my head...

"You can travel the world, but nothing comes close to the golden coast!"

Everyday sights

Finished with 2/4 classes, I'm trying to stay positive, while soaking up the last days with my Argentine friends, who have become my family while I've been here. This weekend we're going to Iguazú Falls for our last hoorah.

Here are some things I've been seeing in the city lately:

A one-legged pigeon. He was walking really well though, you go bird!

This sign is translated "Give your tit to your baby." A breast-feeding advertisement? They're lining Avenida Santa Fe.

My final art project! Its a statue in the Botanical Garden close by. I got an A- in the class!

This week I'll be correcting my paper, starting the next one, and celebrating Niall's birthday!

Smattering of thoughts...

I have 4 days to write about 8 more pages about tourism, plays and symbolist theatre. This is what I'm thinking about....

New favorite blogs:

blog.caseybrowndesigns.com

inthewabe.wordpress.com

jayandelle.blogspot.com

I made this little cupcake one day and had to fill it with toilet paper because I don't have any polyfil :( I want to make 4 more for all my friends!

I made this little cabley pouch in midst of reading plays and "doing homework"...
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. El billete de 50 pesos. If you cover the eyes and the bald head, he looks a lot like R.D.V.
Possibly the statue that I am going to draw this weekend for my final project in my art class:
What I will be doing when I get home to Cali:

Movies to watch:

-La Vie en Rose

-Dead Man Walking

Crafts to make:

-make a dress

-embroider things

-finish little birdy mittens (i have made one!)

-tote bag with mexico fabric bought in 2002

Books to read:

-Tulsa-Toni Morrison

-Will Grayson, Will Grayson -John Green

-Harry Potters

-david sedaris

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLL

Yesterday I watched my first partida del Copa mundial, probably ever. Unless I was sitting with Grandpa when he was watching one. It was the third game Argentina has played so far, and the third one they won. I didn't watch the others because of class and the fact that one was at 8 in the morning, but I also was sort of nervous that it would remind me too much of my Grandpa.

I've recently been playing this game where I grade the old men I see on the streets according to how much they look like him. I've seen a lot of good noses and ears and slicked-back hairdos, but obviously no one will ever get an A!

Back to the game--the first half I knitted through, because it was boring and nothing happened. The second half was awesome. Messi (the star and captain of the game) was sort of slacking, but he did make this amazing shot that bounced off the pole of the goal. So crazy. Then finally this other guy made a goal and then Palermo (another famous player, and also the name of the ritzy neighborhood of BA) made a second one, when the team's morale was already pretty high. Of course they gave Palermo all the credit and didn't even interview the player who made the 1st goal! Lame!

We went to a bar in San Telmo to watch. We were lucky we got a seat, it was the second bar we went to because the first was packed. In the minutes before the game, the streets were moving at an even faster pace than normal; everyone was rushing to get to there game-watching station. I know that sports are really important to many people in the states, but I have never seen any event that EVERYONE in the country/city/neighborhood gets so excited about.

At church on Sunday the priest made a pretty crazy connection with the word "mesias" that means messiah and Messi the player. I didn't understand all his fast words around the reference, but the connection was made. I'm sure he only blasphemed a little bit.

Sunday its on: MEXICO v. ARGENTINA. I would cheer for Mexico in Grandpa's honor, but my friend said that if I value my life at all, I should not. We have no doubts that I would get attacked probably by the barra bravas (the super intense fans). So cheer for Mexico for me and Grandpa, I'll be here cheering for Messi!

Meta obsessions

“Me embodying the position that I’m analyzing is the very thing that makes it so powerful.” -Lady Gaga

You must read this article on Lady Gaga. It outlines every reason why I love her.

Life update: I'm happy that everyone liked my father's day video! I'm gonna be even happier when all my work is done and I get to frolic around some epic cataratas with my awesome friends.

Happy Father's Day

Watch this.

Love you Daddy!!! I am so lucky to have a father who encourages me to see the world and live life to the fullest!

Last year Uncle Mickey said it the best, something like Thank you for all the people who guided us, who were fathers, who are fathers and who have been leaders for us in our lives.

Espero que no lloren mucho mis tías, tenemos que agradecer el tiempo rico y lleno de amor que tuvimos con R.V.D.!!!!

Papa-I'm so glad you're driving again and doing well! Have a great day!

Blast from the Past

Hey you L-7 weenies! We decided to have a flashback to childhood night and watch, yup, you know it SANDLOT! We were all re-obsessed with how hot Benny The Jet is and now we're craving s'mores since we all haven't seen marshmellows in fooooreeeeevuuur.

I've been spending my time reading about Belgian playwrights and drama theory--prepping for my 2 monografías (final papers!). June 29th 1/2 of the battle is over. July 2nd I'm going to Iguazú Falls (google it, they're impresionante!).

The count down till return is on, 33 days.

Rosario

Last weekend the program took us to Rosario in the provincia of Santa Fe, Argentina. Above is the calendar garden that gardeners change every night to keep it up to date. Apparently its a tradition to get your picture taken with it every year on your birthday and for special occasions, like weddings.

This was at the Monumento a la Bandera (of the flag). We're all there except Mel! The little boy in the background was so silly, we didn't mind that he ruined our picture.

This was the 3rd course of our 6 course dinner the program provided for us. 1=Empanada de carne. 2=ensalada. 3=Cow brain, intestine, sausages, and blood sausage. 4=más ensalada. 5=steak. 6=ice cream with meringue. Delish (minus the brain).
Pretty sunset-ey bridge picture.

Overall it was just another city, and compared to my last weekend trip (patagonia) it was just another day in Argentina urban life. It is always nice to get a change of pace from BA and spend time with the group and not have to worry about our host families. The best part of the trip was watching Project Runway and Sex and the City reruns together in the Holiday Inn Express we were all staying at.

The next week and a half will be filled with finishing 2 final papers, doing my final art project, and preparing an oral presentation. After that day (June 29th) I'll be done with 2/4 classes, and everyone else in the program will be done with all of their classes. Wahoo. At least I'm writing about theatrical things. It could be worse!

Amelie

Yesterday I got back from Rosario in a funk. I was seriously homesick for the first time, missing my bed, hardwood floors, the morales girls, aunts, everyone, and just the comfort of consistency and love. There was no way I was going to do homework, so I decided to google "happy movies" and found a great list that had Amelie on it.

This movie did the trick. I have always allowed movies to affect me very much, many times too much, but this one affected me for the better. I didn't want to watch a sappy love story, and although there is a quest for love in this film, the best parts about it are the quest and the beautiful nuances of the characters and the film-making.

I suggest everyone should watch this movie now! Even if you've already seen it lots of times, I think that the magic and happy details will bring some sunshine into your life, like it brought to my cloudy night yesterday!

"Without you, today's emotions would be the scurf of yesterday's." Thankfully I have all of you to thank and to know that my emotions are never scurf.

My new favorite hangout...

One of my friends from UBA recently shared a vital piece of information regarding being a student in BA. There is a library called the Biblioteca Nacional that's 7 blocks away from my house, silent and beautiful.

There is a view of the river on the 5th and 6th pisos and you can see the famous metal rose in the park (I'm not sure of the significance of the rose, just that its on lots of post cards and people seem to know it as a point of reference).

Due to the 3 final papers and 2 oral exams (these consist of giving a speech about a prepared topic to the professor and then answering questions that can potentially be about ANY of the material we have gone over all semester) that I have in the last weeks of my stay here, I will be living in this library for the majority of that time.

My friends are all leaving July 10th, and I'm here until the 21st finishing my assignments. Yay for picking the hard classes at that most exigente universidad in the city.

Patagonia Adventures

Glacier Perito Moreno, El Calafate in the provincia Santa Cruz, Argentina

Patagonia is the general term for the south of Argentina that actually occupies the majority of the country. Patagonia is known because of the sport clothes store in the U.S. The logo is based on a mountain in El Chaltén that we would have seen on Day 2 if there wasn't so much fog!!!

My facebook album is finally complete and you can see it here, even if you don't have one! Its really hard for me to pick the best pictures and put them here, so check it out!

The whole weekend was a well needed break from the city life. It was so nice just to chill for a couple days and explore new things and not have to worry about how many pages of theory I have to read! Now I'm back to the grind and missing that peaceful place! I loved remembering what its really like to be a traveler, finding a hostel to live in with your stuff on your back and constantly meeting other travelers with the same passion for discovering the world as you.

I wish it weren't true, but I'm hooked on seeing the world. My next points of travel: India, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Finland, Finland. More practically, I'm going to the city Rosario next weekend with the program.

I hope you like the pictures! I simply can't explain the wonder we experienced there!

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

So apparently there was some widespread worry about my safety this weekend while I was traveling in the south of Argentina.

I'm home and incredibly happy. In short this weekend was one of the most magical weekends of my life up to now.

I can't wait to share with you more details and epic pictures tomorrow. Special shout out to everyone that helped make this trip possible, especially Tutu, Auntie Cristina, Nana&Papa, Gramsey and my incredibly supportive muther and popper doodle. I feel so honored and loved to have been able to experience this weekend and that people worried about me while I was even farther away than I already am.

My friends always make fun of me when I say this but, what did I do to deserve this love? I just think I got lucky enough to be given such a beautiful family filled with love and support. So, thank you, and get ready for some majestic glacier pictures.

Bundled up!

I packed my toiletries, I'm going to pick up my clothes at the laundromat and I'm trying on my new fleece I bought so, I think I'm ready for Patagonia!

All be back Monday night in time for the last 3 hours of my Beckett seminar, unless the glacier wipes me out and I can't handle it.

Get ready for the pics!

Post parcial purchases

My parcial came and went. I wrote lots of things that were right and that related to one another, but I think I wrote them in a rushed, extranjera (foreigner) way which isn't 9 or 10 (A) material para la UBA. Mis amigas argentinas told me that they'll probably ignore the spelling and grammar mistakes. Vamos a ver!

I've been craving some clothing with llamas (pronounced here jamas) for a really long time. Since I'm going to El Calafate in patagonia on Friday, I realized it was time.
Back to reading for my other classes that I sort of forgot about for a while...

Touristy Night with Argentines!

Niall's friend recommended this program called "Spanglish" that takes the format of speed dating for the purpose of practicing Ingles y Castellano/Español. Each pair (or in our case trio) speaks for 5 minutes in English and then 5 in Spanish. Some of the people we talked to have been 3 and 4 times! Its great practice and good to get some tips from the locals. For them its awesome because there really aren't places to practice speaking English other than touristy bars with crazy drunk Americans. They seemed really appreciative of the opportunity! Even though we are forced to speak Spanish with everyone in public, this was different because it was forced mingling with Argentines. We loved it and we're going back the next time.

After Spanglish, we met up with our Argentine friend Romina that we met in Mendoza. Sometimes she is hard to make plans with and our cultural differences keep us away from her for a while. But tonight she was super fun and we had a great time. We ate dinner at La Cabrera a pretty famous, although touristy, parilla (argentine grill). I had been waiting for a moment to go, because our group of friends are half vegetarian, so they would have never wanted to go...

It was really yummy, and we got a crepe with dulce de leche and ice cream after. It was expensive but it crossed something MAJOR off my list of things to do before I come home. We got done with dinner at 2AM and then I went home to sleep so I can keep studying today.

Its. almost. over.

After Tuesday my life will be consumed with getting ready to go to Patagonia--which tights and sweaters to bring! My after midterm present will be Sex and the City, which I have to admit I'm pretty excited for.

I'm so happy I had a fun night in between this studying---it makes the studying worth it!