The concept of Risk vs Reward is a well understood one, the more you are generally prepared to put on the line, the more you gain. For example, blasting out Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen in your boardies rocking out the air guitar in your apartment might seem relatively low risk, but the satisfaction of knocking down a power stroke to the end of one of the greatest guitar solos appears to be high reward in comarison!!
Now consider the job of painting the outside of an apartment block, a well secured lift, a nice and quiet job outdoors in beautiful weather with fantastic views seems another of those reasonablly imbalanced scenarios. Now combine them... I'm reasonably confident that tomorrows greeting of "Buenes dias, ¿Como Estas? will be made with no eye contact.
On a more serious note, I have been finding the last few days relatively difficult. My spanish is coming along in leaps and bounds, but its basically exhausting to be constantly around a language where you need to be continuously concentrating just to survive. I have been finding that I am requireing a lot more sleep and that naps are becoming a native part of my day, as soon as I get home from work I have a brief kip so I can recharge the batteries.
The other thing I have been struggling with is not being able to get in on jokes. You are having a conversation, and I am doing my utmost to keep up with everybody and all of a sudden everybody is laughing. Even if I do understand whats being said, I mightn't pick up on why its funny - the Graduate Program here is called "Jovenes Talentos" directly translating to Young Talent. However, if you put the emPHAsis on a slightly different syLLAble it can become "Joven esta Lentos" which translates to Young is Slow. When this comment was made, only the gringo didn't laugh, at least my cubiclemate was patient enough to explain it to me!
Anyway as difficult as the last few days have been, they have also been some of the most rewarding. I have personally achieved quite a deal, successfully navigating my way around Santiago on the Metro, performing well above my rating in a Blitz Tournament (including beating the current Chilean champion), conversing for several minutes with complete strangers and having over half my meeting today in Spanish. Its been fantastically rewarding and right now the only feeling I have more of than exhaustion is pride.
I am extremely fortunate to be in the position I am, and am feeling like I am well ahead of schedule in what I am expecting to achieve here. Looking forward to friday night, having a few of my Jovenos Talentos amigos around for an Asado and a few cervazas.
As for now, I think an early night is in store. But first I must finish watching Jason Statham going nuts in The Expendables as him, Stalone, Bruce Willis and the crazy electrical dude out of Ironman 2 go all commando in Cuba!
Peace!
