¡Fuerza Mami!

That’s what I hear when I’m running through the streets of Buenos Aires towards the parks of Palermo, my usual place to run. ¡Fuerza Mami! I laugh every time I hear it. It’s usually said, or I should say, yelled by a man on the street, who I suppose is not accustomed to seeing a woman running through his city.

Hmmmmmmm.

Fuerza = strength mami = little mama or baby

Hey, I’ll take that; my running does give me strength. Call me what you want, I know who I am and where I came from.

I’m a runner.

I’ve been a runner for over 15 years now and it has always been a part of my life. My running has been through a lot with me: good times, bad times, surgeries, breakups, good weather, ohmygodIcantbelieveImrunninginthis weather, vacations, moves to different cities and now living on a different continent. It has always been a source of steady support. It helps me be the best person I can be.

I’m a Texan.

That sounds a little funny, but it’s true. I’ve lived in different cities in the US, and now I live in BsAs, but I always feel that in my heart I’m a Texan. The culture of Texas might be a little hard to explain to someone that has never lived there. I would just say that it’s in my nature to be friendly, to wave and say hello, and to get to know my neighbors. I can’t help it; I’m from Texas – The Friendly State. (-:

I’m also adventurous.

I jumped at the chance to move to Buenos Aires to learn Spanish and to experience a different culture. I’ve always wanted to do something like this. For me it is really exciting to learn something totally new and different, but at the same time it can also be a little overwhelming.

I never anticipated how much I would love living here. I never imagined that BsAs would be such a first-class city, that the people would be so warm and welcoming towards me, or that they would have so many interesting and endearing parts of their culture (that I can’t wait to tell you about). I certainly didn’t anticipate that they would have such a vibrant running community with so many different types of races offered at all times of the year.

So, I’m trying to assimilate myself into their culture and to learn their language. At times, this process can be pretty rough and really embarrassing. Knowing who I am and being consistent with my running has helped me stay centered through all of this and has been a constant source of strength as I navigate my way in a new culture. In essence, it gives me the fuerza I need to be an expatriate.

Welcome to my blog, ya’ll!

Jenn