Life abroad begins outside our comfort zone:getting hopelessly lost and being perfectly okay with it

Transportation: both here at school and at home, the luxury of having car is something we often take for granted. If I want to go somewhere, I simply grab my keys and get In the car and drive. In Argentina... Not so much. Public transportation is not something I have dealt with a lot in my life. Back home, public transportation is almost frowned upon as if only the lower income citizens use it for transportation. In Argentina, and South America as a whole, public transportation is what's up. 

Also... Me and maps.. We don't do well together. This summer in Italy, I got lost in Venice for an hour with a map in my hand.. Instead of staying calm I freaked out like I always do and almost started to cry. Of course my friends thought about looking for wifi to look for me.. This didn't even cross my mind. Just instant panic did. It wasn't until I finally asked for help from a man at a restaurant that I was pointed In the right way.

The bus system and me will need to become best friends in order for my time in Argentina to be a breeze, especially because I will be located downtown and so is my school. I know I will be lost at first and I won't understand anyone and I will get frustrated, but if I use my experience for Italy and do the exact opposite of what I did, I should be okay. Kirsten mentioned last class to have a notecard or something that has the written address of where you are going and keep this handy, incase of some serious language barrier issues.

I will also need to get used to the bus schedule, routes, stopping points and all that jazz. This sounds simple and concise.. But it won't be at all.. i'll Remember what my mom says:  Just breate, and regroup and everything will be fine. I'll know ill be angry, frustrated and every other emotion possible.... But will that get me any where ? I can sit on the corner crying or use my time wisely and explore the city and create life long memories. Good thing being late is acceptable In Argentina...Because I'm sure  I'll be later than I've ever been in America. 

I hope that in my 5 months abroad I come back a changed person. While abroad, life will begin outside my comfort zone and it's my job to make the best of the this.  Not many people get to experience what we will be able to- we need to embrace the changes presented to us and make the best of everything... Even if the best means getting hopelessly lost in a city where it's hard to communicate other wise.