My Wins

So I’ve now been here over 5 months (the longest I’ve ever been in Argentina for!) and time is honestly flying by. To begin with, when I first arrived, time seemed to drag and drag and drag and then eventually the weekend would be here and that would go in a flash and then bam, I was suddenly back to another week. Thankfully, it’s not like that any more since I’m super busy with my 1:1s, constant planning, Camelot and general life things! It’s so busy that I forget to pause and look at where I am now compared to where I was. Therefore, I decided to write down a list of my wins and ways that I have grown since being here, from the big things to the little things.

1. I have friends! (Haa). But genuinely it’s true and this is a big development for me. It means I have to invest in people and try and speak Spanish to people. Because of the level of Spanish I have I sometimes find this difficult because it means I have to be vulnerable with people pretty early on, allowing them to see my sometimes absolutely horrendous Spanish constructions.
2. I managed to make small talk for aaagess in Spanish the other night when I was really tired and had a long day. But I managed it!
3. I’ve been going back to the gym again and they always used to give me these tiny little weights to do exercises with (which in all honesty I enjoy. They’re tiny little pink ones. In all my time at the gym I don’t think I have ever seen anyone else use them. I regard them as my own personal weights), but the other day they upped it a bit and gave me some more big girl weights!! Goodness.
4. This is gonna sound like an odd one, but Noly and I have gotten better at arguing. Not that we argue all the time, we actually don’t argue much, but when we do, instead of being on the defense and defending my point until the bitter end (even when I’ve realised after two seconds I’m wrong) we now actually listen to the other and admit if we’ve done something wrong. An argument we had the other day was funny because part way through the argument we would stop and laugh as one party (I think it was me) had done something silly (ok, definitely me) and very mockable. Also, on this point, Noly said to me the other day “we’re not just a couple. We’re a long distance couple” which is so true. Long distance is so hard but we’ve made it this far. And I’m actually really grateful about the way it’s strengthened us and made us so close.
5. I don’t get nervous any more really for my classes and generally enjoy them 😊
6. I did a grown ups and rang my travel insurance to find out what would happen if I needed to get medial care here 💪
7. I spent my first birthday abroad and had a really lovely day! And arranged to do a few bits and bobs with various people. Plus, I withstood about 10 renditions of being sung happy birthday to 😂
8. I feel generally very settled here. I have days when I’m a bit sad or things are difficult but I don’t feel overwhelmingly out of place. When I first arrived I went through phases when I would cry most days 😂 but thankfully I’m through with that now!
9. I can more or less get by with my Spanish. Definitely not full, faultless sentences and in groups it’s still quite a struggle but if I really need to say something, generally I can. Plus people can notice the improvement and will often say to me “your Spanish is so much better than it was!”
10. Went to my first quincinera, which is kind of like a sweet 16 type party, but for a 15th birthday. Braved dancing to the Latino rhythm, which is compleeetely different to the rhythm I’m used to and next thing I knew it was 4.30 am and was feeling rather awake and not completely exhausted 😂 I also sniffed out the cabsha – was dancing with Noly and saw it over his shoulder and off I went 😂
11. I often reach 10,000 steps each day with all the walking I do here!
12. I find it easier to talk about faith here and have had a few conversations with a few people about my beliefs 😊
13. I’ve grown in confidence. I used to absolutely detest walking into a place on my own (for social events)- I still don’t massively like doing it in some situations but I can do it. I’ve done it for walking into church and also the youth group.
14. Managing to survive with all the planning for 1:1s and classes. The amount of planning teachers have to do, and especially new teachers, is actually mad.
15. Get to see Noly most days and we’re even closer than we were ☺️
16. I’m managing to stick to my budget and saving a little bit where I can.
17. I think I’m beginning to get the bus stance you need to adopt in order to not go flying when the bus driver kindly decides to break very suddenly. In truth, I don’t go on the bus very often so it may just be a recent fluke 😂 we’ll see we’ll see..
18. I regularly sing at church in the band in Spanish 💪
19. I can sometimes make jokes/funny comments in Spanish! Before, it would take me way too long to get to the point (had to keep asking “Como se dice …”, “How do you say…”) and so I’d lose my audience. I actually place a lot of importance on making people laugh so means a lot to me when I can.
20. In church I can actually understand a fair amount of the preaches these days. Massive improvement as Noly used to literally translate them for me (when he hadn’t fallen asleep in the service. Literally, that boy can fall asleep anywhere. One day he’d fallen asleep and I was teasing him afterwards and he was like, mate I wasn’t even sleepy and blamed it on the blue curtains at the front of church, saying blue has a sleepy effect on us blah blah blah. .. anyways). I can also identify words and put them in translate. Sounds like a silly one, but before I wouldn’t have been able to guess the spellings accurately enough for it to come up with something or to seperate two words from each other but I can now 💪
21. I sent my first VoiceNote in Spanish!
22. I did a whole load of sorting with my flights and having to ring my bank to unblock my card (three times) etc.
23. I’m going back home for a month or so with Noly (tho sadly Nolz will be with me for just a week. It’s a shame it’s so little time since he’s barely ever in my world with me but one week is better than nothing) and I get to go to my cousin’s wedding!! With my Nolz which is gonna be so lush as he’s not been to any big family events of mine (other than our sing along sound of music evening hahaha it was even greater than it sounds) and so should meet everyone else on mum’s side that he hasn’t thus far!
24. When I was training on the TESOL course and I would be preparing for a “teaching practice” (to give a lesson) it would literally take me about a week and all my time to plan. Now I can bosh a lesson plan out way quicker. Needs must! I don’t have enough time to faff about for a week 😂
25. The other day I wanted to wear a top which was incredibly crinkly. Unsurprisingly I don’t own an iron here but instead what did I do? Ironed it with my hair straightners 😂 it was harder than it sounds but it worked! Thought it was quite ingenious of me!
26. I did a growed up and invited two work pals round for dinner. Haven’t really done this in England so definitely a new thing for me!
27. I got stuck the other day in a thunderstorm and instead of just saying eh, I’m sure it’ll be fine and walking back in the torrential rain for 20 mins I stayed put. Such a grown up! Noly came and rescued me after a while 😝
28. I’ve learnt to respond to my needs better! Being in a different country is sometimes randomly very hard and tiring, and in these times it’s sometimes better for me to rest and give myself a rest rather than just trying to power through. I’ve always been someone to try and power through but trying to give myself a break sometimes! Even if it means I don’t get as much planning prep done as I was planning to.
29. I’ve instigated a fair few social things 💪
30. I’m surviving and haven’t melted in the heat! (Thus far, we’ll see about December 😂) This English gal is not used to 38°C 😂

Well, that’s all for now! Much love to you all at home 💜