How is it already October 15th? It feels like I just arrived, but also like I've been here forever. On Saturday I went to the Argentina v Peru fútbol game with my roommates and some other people from school. The game was at 7pm, but we met at 3pm for a variety of interesting activities. First we boarded a bus and drove to the stadium. Well, we thought we were going to the stadium. In fact we drove in circles for about an hour and ended up vary close to where we started. Apparently it was supposed to be some kind of city tour, but no one knew that so we were busy talking to each other instead of looking out the windows. We eventually arrived at a park where there were some pre-game activities...sort of like tailgating. Everyone recieved a ticket for either a free Coke or a free beer. After beverages were distributed we were free to mingle with some other people at the park. This was more an exercise in avoiding the overenthusiastic Argentinian men than socializing. Eventually we boarded the bus again and went to the stadium. We had about a half hour walk from the bus to the actual entrance of the stadium. Along the way there were at least four security checkpoints where we were frisked and our bags were searched. Due to the rowdy nature of fútbol games they do not sell alcohol at the match and drunk people are not allowed in. Random breatholizers were given to ensure everyone's sobriety. Along the route to the stadium there were also a million places to buy jerseys, tshirts, hats, balloons, noise makers, etc. As our group weaved our way through the festivities we clutched our belongings close to prevent anyone from snatching our purses, wallets, etc. Among the chaos I somehow dropped my ticket. I don't know how it happened, one minute I had it and the next I didn't. YIKES. By some freaky miracle I found my ticket on the ground a few steps away. Thank God! Not sure how I would have handled going through all the pregame stuff only to miss the game.
We finally got in, and although our seats were at the TOP of the stadium, we still had a great view. The game was awesome. Neither team did much in the first half...they did incredible things that I could never do with my feet...but neither team looked very cohesive. In the second half Argentina's play improved and they finally scored a goal. Has anyone ever seen Messi play? This man can move his body and the ball in ways I can't even imagine. That is some serious skill. With twenty minutes left in the match the sky opened and we nearly drowned. It sounds funny, but I've never seen so much rain in my life. HUGE drops poured down on us and no one was prepared. It was like jumping in a lake, fully dressed, then going and standing in a shower while trying to watch the game. LOCO. We huddled together until finally a few of us decided to move in search of cover. Unfortunately 5,000 other people decided the same thing at the same time and there was a swarm of people heading for the exit. I feared there would be a stampede, but thankfully we survived. Just as we got under the walkway into the stadium we heard the crowd go wild. We had just missed Peru's goal! OY! As we tried to fight our way back in the crowd went wild again and then manic euphoria erupted. Argentina scored in the last minute to win 2-1 and hopefully secure a place in World Cup 2010. Incredible.
As the rain continued to dump on us we swam out of the stadium and into the streets. I wish there was a way to describe the amount of rain we had in just forty minutes. The bottoms of parked cars were submerged. We didn't bother avoiding puddles, just plowed through them. We dumped all of our electronics in a plastic noisemaker and tied it closed in hopes of saving phones and cameras. No part of me remained dry. When we finally got home we took hot showers, donned sweats, drank hot tea while watching the highlights on TV. Check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0CEcWeO664. The video doesn't do justice to the weather, but it gives you an idea. It was awesome. So incredible and so wet.
Unfortunately spending several very cold hours in the rain led to a sinus infection. I've been sick for several days and it sucks. Yesterday I finally ventured to the pharmacy to attempt to purchase medicine. Not exactly sure what I got because I left with two packets of pink pills that did not come in a box or with instructions. Where is Tylenol Cold when I need it? I googled the meds and learned they are decongestants...not perfect, but hopefully will help. Yikes. Going to the pharmacy was frustrating, but also gave me an idea of what it must be like for a non-English speaker to go to the doctor or pharmacy in the US. When I'm sick I want comfort. I want a warm bed, hot tea, and some extra care. Trying to explain to the pharmacist exactly how I felt was like trying to catch sand at the beach. I had an idea of what I wanted to say, but then everything seemed to slip away and I was left pointing to my nose and my head and making sniffling noises. It's easy to take for granted the ability to share a language and express ourselves to our peers, teachers, families, etc. I left the pharmacy feeling frustrated and overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with my purchase. These types of experiences are why I came here. I hope that being able to speak, or at least try to speak, Spanish will help patients feel comfortable and able to explain what they need. Hopefully my experience will also remind me to take the time to ensure the instructions are clear and understood. Anyway, just an overall interesting experience and I really hope to be well soon!
It's Wednesday and my application for the accelorated BSN/MSN program at Penn is due tomorrow. YIKES. I'm so close to being done, but I'm having such a hard time wrapping up my essays. Oy. I visited the campus last month with Bess and it was beautiful. I loved the school and the nursing program seems awesome. Must finish this app so I can at least have a chance at getting in! Please send some good vibes my way :) Miss you and love you all!
p.s. Cal had a bye week...hopefully they spent their off week practicing touchdowns.
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