10. My senior year at the great University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, I applied very last minute to a grant previously unbeknownst to me called the William Fulbright program. I interviewed in October, assumed I wouldn't get it and now 16 months later, I'm applying for a visa and making my flight arrangements to move to Mendoza, Argentina for eight months. The Fulbright is the best thing the government ever did for me :)
9. The U.S. government is financing it. I'll get paid stipends each month to live in Mendoza.
8. Not quite ready for the "real world."
7. Mendoza has 1000 wineries, and I'd love to become a Malbec wine connoisseur . And steak in Argentina is supposed to be the best in the world.
6. Living abroad is on my list of 1,000 things to do before I die. The advice all my "elders" give me in the U.S is: "Go while you still can. Once you have kids, you'll never do anything fun again..." very inspiring...?
5. I'm teaching at La Universidad Nacional de Cuyo as a English Teaching Assistant...!!! I'd also like to work on my Spanish.
4. I've never been to South America, much less Argentina.
3. If I live in Raleigh, North Carolina (or the RDU region) the rest of my life, I might die.
2. Anthony Bourdain recommended it on No Reservations.
1. Why wouldn't I?
That said, unlike Bourdain, I do have reservations. Here are my Top 10 Reservations About Moving to Mendoza...
10. The economy is terrible, and I actually have a job I like.
9. Winter is finally ending and with the seasons being opposite in Argentina, I'll be heading into fall when I move there.
8. I haven't really practiced my Spanish like I should since I lived in Spain.
7. I've found that most countries outside of the U.S. require a great deal of patience from Americans as we're used to everything running on-time in the most efficient manner possible. I wouldn't say that this makes the U.S. better or anything U.S.-centric like that, but rather it takes acclimating when you travel.
5. And good friends.
4. This is the first time my whole family has lived in the same area since my brother left for college (2004)...and now I'm leaving
3. I'm not sure if leaving the country is exactly great for your career....4. This is the first time my whole family has lived in the same area since my brother left for college (2004)...and now I'm leaving
2. I've had to put my life on hold since I graduated since the grant doesn't start until March. Thus, to save money, I have had to live with my parents for the last seven months. You can stop reading now that I've revealed I'm a bum living at home. Actually had a good time hanging out with the family, but it's not the most liberating feeling to move from your own place back to your parents.
1. Shortage of peanut butter abroad...? Ran out of reasons...
