An Interview with Middle Schoolers

This past week I had the opportunity Skype with Maria's 8th grade class. Unfortunately technology wasn't being friendly, so she sent me a list of their questions. I thought I would share my responses in case any one else was curious. Some of these are repeats from my last post:   

What do you like most about being there?

This is another hard question. I love so many things about living here but one of my favorites is the chance to use and practice my Spanish every day. I also love being next to the ocean and surrounded by different cultures.

 What do you do in your spare time?

I spend a lot of time doing things in the city. There is also a soccer game to watch, a presentation to go to, or some other fun event with friends.

What is your host family like?

My host family is great. I have a host mom and dad who are both retired. They have 3 children but only one lives with us, he is 32 years old. It is really common for children to live with their parents until they get married.

Have you gone to any parties in Uruguay?

I have, I went to really fun costume party. I dressed up like a Power Ranger and I was surprised how internationally known it was, everybody knew who I was!

What is it like in Uruguay? How is it different from the US? What kind of cultural differences are there in Uruguay?

In a lot of ways, it is really similar to the United States. Some major differences are that obviously they speak Spanish. They eat meals way later than we do, between 9 and 10! Soccer is really important her, the whole town shuts down when Uruguay plays in the World Cup.

What is the population of the city you are living in?

I live in Montevideo, which is the capital of Uruguay. 1.5 million people, about half of the population of Uruguay lives here.

What do you like to do there?

I love to explore. There are so many cool places to check, I can spend hours just walking around. I also like to hang out with my friends.  

Did you know Spanish before you went to Uruguay?  How has knowing another language helped you on your trip? How has knowing another language improved your life?

I took Spanish in middle school, high school and in college. All of my classes are in Spanish and only a few of my Uruguayan friends speak English. Knowing Spanish had made this trip possible to communicate and get to know some amazing amazing people.

How often do you meet other people who speak English?

I live with 4 other Americans and I go to school with a lot of other exchange students. Other than them, there are a lot of people who know very basic English but it is not common to meet someone who is fluent.

What are some of the traditions or holidays there?

A really big tradition here is Carnival which is celebrated during lent. They celebrate by having festivals and parties. They hold plays, dress up, and sing and perform plays. ‘

Do you have peanut butter there? Our foreign exchange student was amazed by peanut butter!

GREAT QUESTION! Peanut butter exists here but it is in unbelievably expensive and hard to find. Most Uruguayans have never tried it. My parents sent me some in a care package because I miss it so much.

What is the weather like?

Right now it is our winter because I am in the southern hemisphere. The daily temperatures have been in the low 50’s and a lot of rain. The Uruguayans like to complain about how cold it is here but for us Wisconsinites, 50 is practically summer. A lot of my friends have never even seen snow.

 What is your daily commute like?

I walk to school every day which is a 40 minute walk. I could take the bus but it costs $1 and takes about 25 minutes

What is different about the schools?

The University system here is much different than back home. The students pick a career and then take specific classes with the same people for the next 4 to 5 years. Also, public colleges are free. Their systems for exams and attendance policies are a lot different too.  (I’m not sure if this answer will make that much sense to middle schoolers who don’t know much about the college system in the States.)

Were there any bugs you were really scared to see, or experienced?

This past weekend I saw a huge spider and it was really gross.

What do you miss most about where you left?

I miss my family and friends the most but I also really miss the food.

What is a dish they have that is not here?

They have a dish that is called milenesa. It is a thin strip of chicken, battered in flour and then fried for a quick second. They also have dulce de leche which is kind of like caramel. They put it on everything and it is amazingly good in ice cream.

Do you like being a foreign exchange student?

I love it! I have learned so much about the Uruguayan culture and surprisingly, a lot about my own. Every day is a new adventure here.

What is it like to be a foreign exchange student?

At first it was a little weird because I felt really different from everyone else but as soon as I got to know people, I realized that even though we are from completely different places and speak different languages, we are much more alike than different.

What is your favorite thing about Uruguay? Least favorite?

My favorite thing is impossible to pick but one thing I love is that the people are so nice and willing to help. My least favorite thing is that some internet sites don’t work (like Spotify) because I am not in America.

Are you happy that you did it?  

This has been the best experience of my life.

What kind of sports are there?

Soccer is by far the most common sport but they also have basketball, handball, and tennis.

What kind of wild life do you see every day? Like what are the deer of that place?

I live in a big city so I miss wildlife a lot. There isn’t really an animal comparable here because there isn’t a lot of green space in the city. Outside of the city, they have millions of cows. More cows than people live here

What does the average neighborhood look like in your city?

They neighborhoods don’t really look like the ones we are used to because the city is so big. There are houses everywhere mixed in with corner stores and other businesses.

All the grey are houses and buildings!

What was your most interesting experience there?

I got to meet with one of the senators in the national government building. We got to talk about some of the new laws that were passed in the country. It was really interesting and exciting to meet with someone who played such an instrumental role in the country!

What are the toilets like?

The flusher thing is a button above the toilet

Is there food from other countries there? Like German, Italian, etc.

I wish! I miss the variety in food, it is really quite plain here. Every now and then you can find a restaurant with a different type of food but in general, it’s pretty basic.

What is the time difference?

2 hours

What kind of music is popular there?

A lot of music that is popular in the United States but also a style of music called Cumbea that is really popular here. Tango music is popular in the older generations because Tango originated here in Uruguay.

Who are the most popular artists?

Calle 13, Prince Royce, Shakira, Pitbull