Voting, Sweating, and Moving

One Presidential election, one extreme heat wave, three days straight of rain, one new apartment in the city and two new roommates. The latest from Uruguay and the hottest topics, politics and the weather!

First the election. I can't help but have an immense admiration for the political participation and energy I've witnessed, not only since I arrived, but especially during the two weeks leading up to the elections. From parades, to volunteers, to decorated front lawns and cars, to political acts filling the streets. This country's heart beats to a loud political drum, no matter what your rhythm!

With obligatory voting, more than 95% of the population visited the polls on Sunday, October 26th, a record setting number! The energy on the streets that Sunday was incredible. People were busing and driving to their allotted polling stations, the streets were packed, and you could feel the excitement! The night before the elections and the day of many people gathered in their homes with family and friends. Being a Sunday, people would go to vote early for example and then cook an asado (BBQ) and gather around the TV for the earliest results. Alcohol stopped being sold at 7:00 pm the night before, so people had already stocked up on the Friday.

I can only describe the elections as ceremonial. People take pride in the privilege of voting and their enthusiasm and passion for the future of their country is admirable to say the least. I would like to think that it doesn't take a dictatorship in your countries history or an obligatory vote to render this kind of political engagement, but maybe it does. I was sad I didn't get to participate, I missed the registration deadline by only weeks. Hopefully for the next election, five years from now, they have the expat vote in place and I can cast my ballot from anywhere in the world. The end result was a nearly majority government for the Frente Amplio, with 47.8% of the vote. This is the same political party that has led the country for the last 10 years and has brought Uruguay international recognition most recently for being progressive and liberal. In short, they vote with pride. It is not just a duty, it's a privilege, and I felt lucky to witness this event.

Political acts leading up to the elections. I love all the bikers!

Along with voting, we transitioned from October to November with a massive heat wave, which I'm told is not typical for this time of year. We reached temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) on a few afternoons. It was a hot humid heat and the sun is very strong here (we live below an ozone layer hole). Your eyes burn if you don't wear sun-glasses and the shade is the only place to be. I've been to Cuba in September and Las Vegas in August, and this was just as hot. The heat makes you a little crazy. You don't want to touch anyone's skin, god forbid your arm touches someone else’s on the bus. You want to take naps, it takes you 15-30 minutes to recuperate after coming in from outside, you may need to take multiple showers a day and you have a layer of sweat and dirt stamped on your face by the time you get home. It is gross, and I am told that it only gets hotter in the summer. If this is the case, I will be on the beach January and February, but from noon until 3:00 pm daily I will be eating lunch and napping. Just an FYI.

As if the heat wasn't extreme enough, it was followed by three very long days of consistent rain and wind. Blow you away winds that make it hard to walk straight! Not to exaggerate, but I would say that we have nearly one thunderstorm per week, so when you start to get jealous of all my heat talk, remember the rain that comes with it! 

As for housing, I moved this past Sunday to a three bedroom apartment in Buceo, a neighbourhood in the downtown core of Montevideo. The apartment is totally furnished and has everything you could need when you move to a new country with only clothes! I am living with two other foreigners who arrived in August of this year. A French-Canadian guy named Keno, who I met through salsa classes, he is studying international commerce here. My second roommate is a Turkish guy named Cihat that was living in Switzerland before moving here. He works in finance in one of the free trade zones here and so far he doesn't like Uruguay. I've decided it's my personal mission to show him the beauty in the disorder of a Latin country. It has been less than a week, but we are settled in and slowly discovering our new hood! We have a big shopping mall and the waterfront all in walking distance, plus restaurants and bars. I've already discovered a cheap nail salon nearby for my weekly addiction and a little shop with yummy ready to go homemade food.

The view from our living room window. Fourth floor.

All in all, it's been an eventful few weeks, filled with political passion and extreme weather conditions, plus my big move to the city! Politics and the weather are go-to topics of conversation here, so feel free to sip some mate and have a second read through this, it would practically be like you're right here with me! I'll leave you with a photo of my mate just below!

Spring has Arrived and My New Vida is Blossoming!

Spring tends to bring a sense of new beginnings along with it's warmer weather and fresh breezes. It's the promise of summer and the sneak peek to the beaches and sunshine that is to come. You could say, spring is like the opening act to the concert you've been excited for since you bought your tickets six months ago. Well, it took us a few extra weeks here in Uruguay, but we are officially in short sleeve worthy weather and it feels great after so much rain and cold!

In line with the change of seasons things are starting to flourish for me as I try and get settled into my new city and life.

Last Friday, you may have seen my Facebook or Instagram post about getting my temporary residency card. This was a process I started a year ago with the consulate in Toronto, when I began the steps towards getting my Uruguayan passport. Getting that ID card last week felt so good, like I had finally gotten somewhere after months of laying the groundwork. It also made my being here feel all the more real. The card itself is only good for one year and I still need to jump through one more hoop before I'm an official national, but woo-hoo! One step at a time.

Happy girl, last Friday afternoon after getting my ID card (la Cédula de Identidad)

Last week I also took the first steps towards getting involved with a non-profit organization (NPO) here in Uruguay. Techo is an NPO that is active all across South America. From what I know so far, they work to alleviate poverty through community projects, like building emergency homes that protect families from flooding. They also capacitate community members with workshops that focus on opportunities for education, micro-credit loans for small businesses, and other empowering initiatives. Right now I am still learning about their work and looking into what areas I'd be interested in volunteering in. Getting to know an organization like this and seeing how and if they add value to the communities they work in is usually best done by getting your hands dirty. So here I go!

Yesterday I interviewed with a language school here (Eureka) that was recommended to me by a Canadian friend that teaches there. This school is involved with Plan Ceibal, a government program that coordinates the delivery of online English classes to students all across the country. These classes are set up so that the teacher sees the class on a big screen TV and the students see the teacher on a projector screen. I am really excited to say that I will be teaching English to primary and secondary students next year as part of Plan Ceibal. On top of this, I'll also be teaching conversational English and business English to adults. Yay for meaningful and flexible work!

And lastly, I am officially looking for shared accommodation in the city. I am so grateful for the time I've had with my Tios. We've had quality time together and we've been able to get to know each other, something that was never possible before now. I've also been able to experience first hand how half the population lives, the 1.5 million that aren't in Montevideo. It has been a luxury arriving to a new country and having a comfortable and safe home base from which to get settled and familiarize myself. Having said that, I should be in the city for November 1st and I can't wait!

I'm looking forward to more salsa classes (I've been going for 3 weeks now), followed by beer and pizza with new salsa class friends and more Coffee Shop hanging time where we talk about everything and anything. Plus all the other things I have left to discover!

This year, I have spring fever for Montevideo!

Sitting in the sun outside the Coffee Shop, watching the people walk by and talking about life.

Country Living is Slow and Slow can be...

How have 15 days gone by since that last post? Sometimes it feels like time is moving so slowly here and then I realize I've almost been here a month...maybe things are moving faster than I realize.

I've seen a lot more since I last wrote. I am slowly discovering new parts of Montevideo and the surrounding cities and towns.

Right now I am living in the country with my aunt and uncle (mis Tios) about 3.5 kilometers from the border of Montevideo. A province or state, as we would call it, is called a departamento here. I am living in the departamento of Canelones, which borders much of Montevideo, the province. I live in a small neighbourhood in between two slightly bigger towns or pueblos. Each town is equipped with the basic necessities, a clinic, a grocery store, a gas station, a hair-salon, a pharmacy (maybe two), a bakery, a butcher and no, not a candlestick maker. Each town has a primary school and a high school. If you were 14 and living where my Tios live for example, you would bus into the closest town to go to high school. (If I want to be fancy about it, I can say that I am living in wine country, there are vineyards all around this area.)

There is also a military zone near where I'm staying, they own a huge piece of land here, divided by a main road. On the one side of the road you can enter and walk near the perimeter of their training and living quarters. On that side, there is a street lined with gorgeous trees, like at the Palace of Versailles. On the other side of the road there is a huge field that they use for firing practice. We are obviously not allowed to walk on that side of the road, although the gate is always wide open. Sometimes at the kitchen table, in the backyard or while in bed, you here shots go off. You'd be surprised at how quickly you get used to this occasional yet eery sound.

Today I walked about 5 km up the road that goes in between the military land, and around, circling near the nearest town without going in and crossing the train tracks twice (I go in a big circle). This has become my new route for fresh air and a little exercise. Today on my walk I saw two brothers, lets say one was about 14 and the other 8, riding horses while they walked another horse along side them. The older boy had the typical gaucho hat on his head, tilted to the side, naturally. They looked like true countrymen, but because they were young they also just looked plain adorable.

Other curiosities I see when I walk my route in the middle of nowhere include half finished construction projects, like new roads, an abandoned train station, and a bright pink property that looks like a gorgeous hacienda with lots of land. I also see cows and horses. Lots of people speeding by on motorcycles, often holding their shopping or their children while they drive (helmets optional). I see big open fields and unfortunately lots of littler in certain spots along the road and in the gutters. 

Can you envision the country image I'm describing? It's sunny, the skies are blue and everything's just a little dusty. If it sounds small or slow, that's because it is. It is slow in a way where everyone hangs their clothes out to dry in the sun and you say buen día to everyone you see. It is slow in a way where you walk your garbage out to the end of the road to dump it and visit the bakery every other day for fresh bread.

The view from the end of my street. Vineyards in the distance and the garbage dump.

 It has been a huge adjustment being in the country. What I'm primarily getting out of this slower and simpler pace though is an appreciation for time. I feel time rich here. When everything really truly slows down in your life you become very conscious of time, how you use it, what you spend it on, and just how much of it you have. At times I get bored or I feel impatient and I definitely plan on moving into the city, but for now, I feel like I have access to this unique time bubble. So until I get back into the city, I will choose when to move fast and when to move slow and I will use my time deliberately and consciously and I will keep going for walks.

First Impressions

They say that when you meet someone first impressions are made within the first 10 seconds, but how about when you 'meet' a new city? Do first impressions count? Can it be love at first sight?

I arrived to Montevideo on Friday night. My first impressions of the airport and in some ways therefore of the city, were all very positive. The airport was gleaming white with orange features. It was shiny, modern, new, and very clean. I especially enjoyed it's emptiness and cleanliness after more than 24 hours of travel and having already been in four other more congested and well trafficked airports along the way. Although Montevideo was off to a good start, proper introductions to the city centre weren't done until Sunday afternoon.

Sunday we walked over 13,000 steps (according to my trusted step counter). I was shown the city highlights, albeit quickly, by my Aunt and Cousin, who have lived in neighbouring Canelones their whole lives. We visited the boardwalk along the water (La Rambla), did a quick walk through one of the main parks, Parque Rodo, and it's very popular weekend market. We visited the main Plazas, including Plaza de la Independencia and a park bench lunch stop in Plaza Fabini. We walked through the old city, visited the legislative palace and finished off the day at a beautiful and modern indoor market (MAM).

Although I 'saw' a lot, it was a whirlwind and if I had to give first impressions I feel like they would be uninformed and that it would be too soon. On top of this, seeing a South American city on a Sunday is like visiting someones house while they are napping. Most of the store doors and windows were boarded up and the streets were nearly empty.

For now, here is what I can say with certainty. The streets are lined with large gorgeous old trees that add loads of character. They have just started a recycling program in the city, the bins are shiny and new. The streets are a bit littered and the buses leave a trail of black fumes behind them. The colours as the sun sets are unreal, the brightest pinks I've ever seen. People walk around EVERYWHERE with their thermos of hot water and mate, there is no where you can't carry it with you! There is still so much to explore! There are countless barrios (neighbourhoods), each with their own characteristics.
 

Empty tree lined streets and recycling bins in the distance.

In other words, I have only scraped the surface and I can't wait to know the city in my own way. I can't wait to discover my favourite place to have coffee, my favourite park to sit and have lunch or read a book, the best vintage shops and so on!

Many more introductions and firsts are to be had.