November Newsletter - KD in Uruguay

KD’s Uruguayan Adventures
November 2007 Issue

Find Yourself, Brad Paisley – Cars Soundtrack
When you find yourself in some far off place
And it causes you to rethink some things,
You start to sense that slowly you’re becoming someone else
And then you find yourself.

When you go through life so sure of where you’re headed
And you wind up lost and it’s the best thing
That could’ve happened
‘Cause sometimes when you lose your way,
It’s really just as well
‘Cause you find yourself, yeah,
That’s when you find yourself.


(Allowing time to) Find Yourself
One thing I promised to myself after my freshman year at Gustavus is that I would do my best to live life without any regrets; if I feel, even slightly, that I might look back and wish I had done something, I dive in feet first as not to miss my chance. This has led to lots of enjoyment, an overcrowded schedule and many opportunities to find myself. Coming into the YAGM program was no exception in that I knew whole-heartedly that I would regret not being a part of this program; I knew that it would change my in many unexpected ways.
One such example is the gift of time; allowing space for reflection and processing hasn’t been a priority in the past five years. The people that I find myself in accompaniment with in Uruguay have helped me to make room for this much-needed time and I am extremely grateful for this gift. It is my hope that, through my presence here, I am able to give back as much as you have given me. Muchas Gracias.
Thank you for your cards and letters – they mean a lot to me!


Cultural Corner
Get to know Uruguay

Murga Season!
As the Northern Hemisphere settles into the winter season, Uruguay is enjoying the beginning of summer – which means that it is time for Murgas. In the past, murgas were used to express political views and, although times have changed, Montevideo is still known for its murga season. The modern day murga consists of groups of up to 17 young people who come together to write a melody and lyrics and they practice for several months to perfect their performance, political or not. The 30-40 minute murga is full of dancing, acting, singing and underlying meaning. I have had the delight of seeing Karin and Sebatian’s murga, Pan Quemando, perform and would love to share that video with you upon my return!

The Wonderful Word of Omnibuses
Many of my Uruguayan adventures are directly related to the omnibuses of Montevideo. The bus system works fairly well – besides crazy scheduling and the difficulties of trying to figure out their routes – and it has been great to travel around Montevideo with the kids from La Obra. Students who wear their túnicas are able to ride the buses free of charge from Monday through Saturday, which allows us to take trips all around the city to enjoy a large variety of free activities. It has also been a great opportunity for me to get to know Montevideo!