first impressions

First, I want to thank those who sent me emails and comments--it's always great to hear from you guys, and I appreciate your thoughts and support! Please keep the messages coming.

After a longer than expected and somewhat complicated flight, I am writing you all from Montevideo! Since I arrived a few days ago, the weather has been perfect (70 degrees, bright blue skies), the food has been great (wonderful seafood, and I hear the steaks are great too), and the people have been extremely nice (more on this below).

I've never had a hard time expressing my initial impression of a new place. But I always feel embarrassed and surprised by my naivete when I look back on these initial impressions after I've spent some time in that place. That's probably because my initial impressions are always based on other places I've been, which denies my current location its uniqueness and autonomy. I think these naive, premature analyses are all part of the fun though, so here's my very superficial take on Montevideo:

I think Montevideo seems like a smaller, more tropical Buenos Aires, mixed with the kind of hospitality I've discovered in Colombia. For my Chilean readers, the city feels like a slow-paced, smaller version of Valparaiso and Viña del Mar. Throughout the city there are palm trees standing next to old European buildings and monuments, and a beach runs along the length of the city. There are constantly people running and cycling along the beach--everyone is in great shape and has a nice tan. Sometimes it's intimidating.

By Latin American standards, I would describe Montevideo as affluent. For example, I see brand new BMWs constantly. Interestingly, Uruguayans are proud that they live in one of the most socioeconomically uniform countries in Latin America (the disparity between the rich and poor is not drastic, relative to other countries in the region). I must admit, though, that I haven't yet visited the poorer areas of the city, which locals reassure me do actually exist.

One of the best characteristics of Uruguay has to be its people. I always say that Colombia and Mongolia have some of the nicest people I've met--which, with respect to Colombia, I think is an interesting paradox considering its history and violence--but now I have to add Uruguay to that list. I think my experience buying a cell phone today is a revealing example of what I'm talking about. As soon as I walked up to the cell phone kiosk and started browsing the phones, a young guy in the Uruguayan navy offered to help me choose a phone...by talking with me 45 minutes about not only the phones, but also his plan to sail around the world, how he built the beachhouse he lives in with his father, and about what my plans are in the country. I have been warned that Uruguayans don't hesitate to start asking personal questions soon after they meet a stranger. This wasn't an exaggeration. At the end of the transaction, the young girl who sold me the phone thanked me and then leaned over the counter to give me a customary kiss on the cheek. That's one thing I've noticed here: people kiss each other on the cheek way more often than they do in other countries I've visited. Strangers will actually walk up to you on the sidewalk just to say hello and give you a smack.

When not taking in the sun and exploring the city, I've been attending the orientation for my program. This has actually been a lot of fun since all of our meetings and "lectures" are very informal. Yesterday a history professor took us on a walking tour of the city, and the day before we were treated to an incredible meal near an outdoor market. Today I had a chance to visit the US Embassy and meet some of the administrators at the school I'll soon be teaching at. Both experiences got me very excited to begin teaching and doing research. I should also mention that the support network here is very impressive. One of the great strengths of the Fulbright Program is the number and quality of contacts that we are constantly being introduced to. A few hours after my plane landed in Montevideo, my group and I were driven to the home of a woman who works at the US Embassy, where we were given a wonderful reception and introduced to other people affiliated with the Fulbright Program. At the reception a woman approached me, and told me she had read my essays and was familiar with my application (and my plan to do research on the Tupamaros). She then handed me the personal phone number of Raul Sendic, Jr., the son of the founder and leader of the Tupamaros (who, after surviving years of torture under the military dictatorship, has passed away).

I am posting some pictures below that I took yesterday, during the walking tour that I mentioned above. This first one is of what is probably Montevideo's most famous landmark:



Montevideo has lots of these busy little cafes:



Along the length of the coast, there are several remnants of Montevideo's military history, including this fort:



Uruguay has some amazing food. This is a picture of a man eating at a grill similar to those found throughout Buenos Aires:



This is a picture our waiter snapped at that nice lunch I mentioned above. The group consisted of administrators, Fulbrighters in my program, as well as grantees who will specifically be doing research.



Tomorrow is the last day of orientation. Then, on Friday, I will leave for Salto at 6am, and begin teaching the following Monday. I think that's about all for now. Keep in touch, and check back soon!