Holly

I can’t believe after this week there are only two weeks left in the quarter! Of course, now I am beginning to experience the obligatory end-of-quarter sense of urgency about my final research project. This quarter I am researching the fantastic little country of Uruguay, specifically about how the people in exile during the time of military dictatorship were able to organize and practice activism from outside the country’s borders. The first country to experience a military coup during this dark era in South American history was Uruguay, which caused a mass exodus of politically left-leaning people to Argentina and Chile. People thought they were out of danger since they left Uruguay, but then the military coups began to sweep over the entire Southern Cone, and Uruguayan exiles were persecuted due to Operation Condor.

This topic is incredibly relevant to me since I will be studying abroad in Uruguay next quarter. My trip includes five weeks in Brazil, one week in Argentina and one month traveling throughout Uruguay and Southern Brazil. In all of my Latin American Studies classes, Uruguay has always been passed over, but I know from previous visits to the tiny country that there is a rich culture and history that should not be ignored!

Yesterday I received my passport with the addition of a Brazilian tourist visa! I didn’t need a student visa since I am doing an independent contract and not actually studying in a university there. My Portuguese classes are arranged through a private language school and not a public university, so as far as Brazil is concerned I’m just a tourist. I’m so relieved to have everything set up! Now I’m just waiting for March 21 to arrive…

Last week I began to realize that besides homework, almost everything I do that requires large amounts of effort is for something in the future.  I’m so extremely future-oriented that sometimes it leaves me feeling like what is it all for right now?  I have this driving tunnel vision and often I find myself not participating in my life because I’m always too busy planning it.  And if I am not planning something, I am waiting waiting waiting for what I have planned so meticulously to finally come to fruition.  I would like to reconcile this and find a bit more balance between what is going on now and what I am planning for in the future.

Right now I am banking on this reconciliation to occur in Brazil.  I have been planning this trip for over a year, and I cannot believe that I am finally leaving in less than four weeks!  Last week I submitted the first draft of my academic contract to my sponsoring faculty, and now I am waiting for his feedback so that I can submit it to the dean for approval.  I am also still waiting for my Brazilian travel visa to arrive, and if it doesn’t come this week I am going to begin to worry.

I am also waiting to hear about my graduate school applications.  Whether or not I am accepted into a Masters program will determine everything about my future for the next couple of years.  It’s so difficult to just relax and be patient.  If I don’t get into a program, I have already started formulating Plans B, C, D and even E.  Everything is contingent on one decision that is completely out of my control!  I’m sure my fate will be revealed to me shortly, or at least hopefully before I leave for Brazil!

I also have to start thinking about graduation in June.  There is a bit of paperwork involved for that, all of which has to get done before I leave in March.  Better start planning that too… It never ends.

It’s the end of Week 5 — already!  Every quarter progresses with increasingly astonishing rapidity and I am finding myself completely amazed that the quarter is halfway over.  Tomorrow marks six weeks until I leave for the desert and begin my adventure studying abroad!  Earlier this week I mailed my visa application and passport away to get my tourist visa for Brazil.  I should get it back within three weeks and once I have that, I’ll be good to go!

Tomorrow is Preview Day at Evergreen and I’m so excited to come to Olympia and help out with the open house!  We are expecting close to 600 visitors on campus, and I will be participating in the student interview panel in the late part of the morning.  I can’t wait to meet all the prospective Greeners and talk with family and friends about my experiences studying at Evergreen and at UW through the partnership consortium.

Tonight I am going to a book presentation and discussion called Globalization on the Ground: What Bolivia Teaches Us.  The presentation is by Jim Shultz and Leny Olivera Rojas of the Democracy Center and I am volunteering as a co-host from the Latin American Studies Association at UW.  The discussion will be centered around the new United States political era and what we can learn from Bolivia’s battle to define it’s own way in an increasingly globalized society.  There has been a lot of local publicity supporting this event and we are expecting an enthusiastic turnout!

I hope to see everyone tomorrow at The Evergreen State College!