Hey! You still there? Good, just checking. So I finally got my camera problem taken care of (the problem was really me and my lack of tech savvy), which means more photos! So with my functioning camera in hand, I took a day trip to Colonia, Uruguay.  Colonia, a historic colonial town, makes a nice day trip and is only a 1-hour comfortable boat ride away from BsAs. Colonia is a beautiful relaxing getaway from the hustle bustle of Buenos Aires.

It was a beautiful day with a light breeze. I strolled around on my own, exploring the town snapping a few photos and noticed the high volume of scooters and motorcycles. Everyone and their mom (literally) were riding these things around.  “I should really learn to ride a motorcycle,” I thought to myself (foreshadowing!). Then I spent about 3-hours walking around, chit chatting with locals and learning about the town, before my French friend Charlotte arrived with her friend Alice, who was also French. I had arranged to meet with them since they were arriving on a later boat.

I met them at the port, which was about a 10-minute walk from where I was. Before I could propose my already hatched plan for the rest of the day’s agenda, Charlotte exclaimed, “We’ve decided we want to rent bikes!” with the glee of a 6-year old receiving an early Christmas gift.  I paused, my brow furrowing slightly.

“Like… motorcycles?” I asked.

 “Yeah!”

“Well…I don’t know how to ride one”

“Neither do I!

“Do you?” I asked Alice

“I’ve ridden a few times,” she responded with a shrug.

I froze. I really didn’t know how to handle this.  These French girls were not only ready, but EXCITED about hopping on a 2-wheeled gas-powered vehicle barreling down the injury superhighway.  I had only broken one bone in my life, my finger, and I planned on keeping it that way…

“Ok,” I muttered… Mom, please forgive me for my poor peer pressure fortitude.  In this moment, I was not only representing myself, but the entire male species and the good ol’ US of A. Plus my own pride was on the line, which is apparently more important to me than my bodily well being (It's like I’m in middle school again).

When we went to rent bikes from the first shop we saw, the owners asked us if we knew how to ride. I described our skills generously as “mas o menos” (more or less), to which they responded with an absolute refusal, saying it was too dangerous.  I was so relieved…but my French friends would hear none of it. We finally found a place that didn’t ask questions, accepted my Texas driver’s license as proof, and Alice’s French ID that wasn’t even a driver’s license.  A huge lump formed in my throat as the moment of truth approached and the owner explained how to operate the bike (It was really more of a scooter, but calling it a scooter makes me feel even more ridiculous). I pulled away from the shop, swerving on the bike in one direction then another as I jetted forward and jerked to a stop repeatedly.  The girls were having quite a good laugh. They told me later they weren’t laughing at my driving, but at the face of the owner as I scooted away from him just missing another bike and a car… both of which were parked.

After a couple of minutes, I got the hang of it, and I had an amazing time zipping around on that little thing. We saw some local sites (see below), and I enjoyed the rest of the day with Charlotte and Alice before I took the ferry back to go to my classes that night.

I learned an important lesson on this trip though thanks to the persistent French duo.  I was terrified, but after some active learning I had an absolute blast.  If I had let my fear guide me, I wouldn’t have learned how to ride a bike (I refuse to emasculate myself further by calling it a scooter).  It was a valuable learning experience, and I committed myself to prohibiting fear from limiting my experiences on this trip, and life in general.  I also got a reminder that as terrifying as some things are, an important aspect of life, especially living in another country, is to try new things and open yourself up to new experiences.

Anyway, I’ll wrap this up, as I’m currently on a Rotary adventure in Patagonia.  I am with two former ambassadorial scholars who started an NGO called Project Patagonia (www.projectpatagonia.org), and will be helping out as they deliver computers to rural schools in the area.  I just arrived, and will be sure to update soon. I went yesterday to the District 4890 district conference in Buenos Aires, which was a great experience.  There’s so much to write about! I’ll update soon! I promise! I’ve committed myself anew to updating my blog regularly.  Thanks again, and stay tuned!

Nos vemos!