Local Encounters

Whether they've been planned, random, quick, lengthy, over coffee or wine, or just passing on the sidewalk, all of our meetings with local people have been an honor, privilege and eye opening.  Snipets of our encounters follow:
Randomly met a guy from Brazil, looking for work in Montevideo as an English instructor.  It was a chance encounter with a friendly young man who was curious about why a couple of American's are in Uruguay.  Are we that obvious?

Brenda, a 26 year ski instructor from the Patagonia region of Argentina, looking for work in Buenos Aires, is bummed that her chances of a scholarship to get her masters are diminishing due to the poor worldwide economy.  A trip to Disneyworld when she was a kid inspired her to see more of the US.  She has a goal of seeing our nation's capital one day, but getting a visa to the US is difficult, at best.  She has to wait many months and deal with lots of bureaucracy.  We, on the other hand, don't have to get Visas to visit Argentina.  She admitted that she thinks most Americans are arrogant.  After our two hour conversation, she told us that we helped change that perspective.  Unfortunately we don't have a picture of her, we just like the one below.

Diana, a 67 year old psychologist, invited us into her home on the 20th floor, shared her remarkable view, accompanied us to an art museum and helped us with a chiropractor recommendation.  Her parents fled to Buenos Aires from Poland during WWII; they were Jewish.  She's lived in and had a clothing business in NYC.  Even though she's had lots of interaction with Americans she views us as warriors - using war to solve our problems.  It wasn't a complement.

We met Brian and his 2 year old daugher, Zoey, completely randomly at a casual restaurant.  It was refreshing to speak English with someone other than each other.  He told us his story about moving his family to Uruguay from San Diego a year ago.  In addition to helping us order and cautioning us on certain neighborhoods; he walked with us through old town Montevideo and guided us to the burial site of Uruguay's hero, Jose Artigas.  He generously answered our questions about life in Uruguay and opened up on why he left the US - to escape paying taxes!

Anabelle, a 33 year old TV producer graciously shared her Sunday morning with us.  We walked a local street fair.  Amongst the antique niknaks and fresh produce were cages full of birds and boxes full of puppies. We suggested a cup of coffee instead.  Although she hasn't dealt with many Americans, she thinks that in general we are nice.  We hope we lived up to that reputation as she certainly was as well.

Through a heavy glass window we conversed with our taxi driver, Gus, in Montevideo.  He loves America and Americans and can't wait to live in the US again after living in New Jersey for 5 years.  He is an industrial engineer and driving a cab.  He explained that many highly educated Uruguayans were "driving cabs" and was very surprised when we explained to him that the same thing is happening in America too.  Way too many people are underemployed all throughout the world, even in the land of opportunity.

We saw Alicia, a 39 year actress, for the first time as she was performing in a 5 person play with 40 in the audience.  And, yes, we were the only Americans.  The play was a comedy about incest - she was the mom that was having an affair with her son.  Yes, it was weird, and fantastic.  We felt so fortunate to have a truly local experience.  There are probably very few tourists who have been in that theater.  After the play, Alicia, who is completely unlike her character, took us to her home, poured wine, introduced us to her 3 year old son, fed us pasta, played Uruguayan CDs and told us why she likes living in a socialist country.  She has invited us back and offered us her bedroom.  Generous and trusting, to say the least. (That's her son's drum - note the Love Oregon sticker.)

Gaining understanding and sharing perspectives one local encounter at a time!