I was born here in Annapolis, Maryland, United States. The development of Project CHAOS in this territory was based on the recording of entities with which I already had ties and those I met. I sought to integrate the experiences of past trips with those of my current stay
Due to the type of connections I formed and the past histories that connected me—such as my parents' ties to people from the area—the communities I interacted with during these trips were Christian and Hispanic religious communities. I also had the opportunity to learn the inner workings of one of the most well-known fast-food chains in this country, which specialized in donuts and coffee drinks. My daily life also led me, as a customer/visitor, to various banks, insurance services, supermarkets, national parks, police stations, the post office, and more.
Although it's not Miami, I also found that almost everything in Annapolis is multilingual, to the point where I struggled to activate my English almost due to a lack of need. And, although it's not New York, it's a larger city than the one I grew up in (Neuquén, Argentina) and with a huge computer frenzy/voracity, which at times was almost unbearable to endure. As a good Western-American consumer society, the number of machines available to do "everything" is insane (for me). Accustomed to washing by hand (by choice), I find that it's "essential" to have at least two machines to make your morning coffee, while another sweeps the floor and the five-device screens tell you the situation: traffic, the weather, the previous day's homicide rate, the cancer rate, and national and international politics.
The state of Maryland had a strong slaveholding imprint, and while today we can find multiple mobilizations against the current Republican government, for the first time in my life I was called "brown," and now I can identify when someone feels "attacked" by my Latino accent. At first, I felt ugly, falling prey to the white colonial discourse; but then, and even now, what I feel is shame, shame that racial discrimination exists, discrimination in general... Differences are good, and I proclaim them! But to see them as vital powers and not as enemies of life on earth.
This last stay in the area lasted four months, a time of pure change, adaptation, and integration. The over-adaptation strategies I'd used before were already obsolete. This trip, I came back with a better understanding of my needs, desires, interests, and personal pursuits, so setting boundaries was imminent. It's a country that "offers you everything," but if you're not grounded, all of this can come to nothing—and lead you to loss.
Some things that pleasantly caught my attention, because I was also unaccustomed to it, were the level of organization they have as a population and their community identity; their state administrative system works, as does their mail! (The pleasure of seeing my packages arrive on time, left at the entrance of my house, and no one taking them). In the neighborhoods where I lived, I was always very welcome and felt safe (they encouraged me to leave my car unlocked, telling me nothing would happen to it). Children on bicycles and cars driving slowly alongside, traffic rules respected, and paved streets free of potholes. I wouldn't say all of Annapolis is like this, but on all my trips to this area, this is what I generally encounter. Even the trailer parks, which are those belonging to lower socioeconomic groups, are well-beautified.
I've always said that Annapolis is like a forest overlooking the bay (the Chesapeake Bay) and that its city is nestled among the trees. It's a place with a strong environmental and wildlife conservationist influence; the number of species of animals, plants, insects, fungi... is insane, the biodiversity is howling: red foxes, squirrels, crows, eagles, earthworms of every color, butterflies with mind-blowing colors, lizards, snakes, deer, hairy and bald bees, blue crabs, rockfish... and the list goes on.
I arrived in spring, so a huge explosion of pink filled my heart, while the magnolia trees lifted me into the air.
