I'd like to say I had been planning on going to the beach the weekend I embarked but the truth is, I really had no idea. I was flung into the plans the day before and didn't know what I was getting myself into even as I curled into my semi-cama seat for the 5 hour bus ride to who-knows-where.
Turns out we were going to Mar de Plata, one of the closer beaches in Argentina a popular weekend spot. With the intense heat still circulating through the city, we were all ready for a weekend get-away. About 16 of us from CEA piled into our double decker bus at 2am ready for a weekend in the sun. The bus ride was not bad at all, besides sitting next to a fairly smelly man and being paranoid about my huge bag being knifed open (the travel books can really get you paranoid) and before I knew it we were there. Finding the next leg of transportation to the camp ground proved to be a little more difficult seeing as how every available bus seemed to be bursting of people. Definitely not enough room for a bunch of bagged down tourists. We ended up taking a taxi, and the driver was very helpful in telling us about the area.
We ended up staying in the nicest the bungalows, because of our group’s size. They were cute little condo-type buildings with a kitchen, fridge, bathroom, bunk beds and a loft with a double. Pretty nice place for being right on the beach!
True to form, we found a small bakery up the road and began what would be a daily ritual of buying pastries and sandwiches from the very appreciative owner. In the same place, we picked up a small pack of stray dogs, who - despite our disinterest - befriended us for the length of our stay. The grocery was a decent walk down so we loaded up on cheap food to bring back - I bought pizza sauce, french bread, a pan, and cereal. We weren't really planning on gourmet dining anyway.
The first day was all beaches, sun, and in my case: sunburns. I am still sporting a very unique sun "tattoo" from where the bows of my suit and a partial handprint were printed white on the red canvas that was my back. Apparently I was very sleepy, because my day at the beach was more zombie-like than anything. I passed out on the sand, then went to bed in the bungalow...but the good news was I was ready for day 2!
Day 2: The weather was a bit dreary, so we headed into town to see the ship port and the sealions...and to get some real food. The port was relaxing and the sea lions kept us entertained for longer than I thought they would. We met some local guys selling all kinds of sardines and pickled sea life and I was tricked into tasting my first whole sardine. Really, I just thought it was fun to be practicing spanish with these guys, but I took the free sample with a cracker. Sardines aren't too bad! Plus, they gave us little lemon shots to follow it up, so can't really complain. They happened to be amazing beat boxers as well.
Churros and hot chocolate happened twice for me this weekend. It was just too good. It was that thick, rich drinking chocolate and the churros were hot, sugary and filled with creme de pastel. Mmmmmmmm is all I can say. And, if you're ever in that area, order the same thing at Monolo's. You won't regret it.
With our stomachs full and our fill of the lobos de marinas (sea lions are called sea wolves here) we headed back to camp. Earlier in the day we had gone to a local market and bought vegetables for amazing prices, olive oil, and some lemon. I grilled some pizza dough and marinated eggplant, tomatoes, and onion in some left over desert wine and olive oil. After grilling them outside over the coals one of the other girls had started I enjoyed a pretty good dinner.
By this time, the motorcycles had shown up. Apparently, our seemingly quiet campground was the meeting point of a motorcycle convention this specific weekend. Great timing. The estimated guest count: 1,500. We couldn't wait. Although we feel like it had to be less that 1,500 we found ourselves mingling as night got closer. The bikes were everywhere along with leather and denim jackets sporting groups names and studs. A tattoo and piercing stand was set up, and ACDC t-shirts were the clothing of choice. A few of us headed towards the noise and found ourselves at mini-rock concert in the middle of the camp. We talked to a few of the guys, and found out one of the band members was from the states. Turns out he has been in Argentina for 15 years..working for a fishing company and playing the occasional gig around town. He said he was just trying to escape ""all the crap" that was happening in the world. He picked a good place.
As the night went on and the ACDC band played louder and louder, we made more friends. A group of guys around our age began speaking to us in english, and surprisingly good english at that. I ended up hanging out with the group of them and the girls they were with all night, practicing spanish and english, laughing at each other’s mistakes, playing some guitar, and laughing at the drunken old motorcycle men trying to get into their tents.
It's amazing to be living in such a huge and diverse city, but it felt great to be moving, to be seeing more of this awesome country. We made a few friends, got our beach time in, and got closer as a group.
Not too shabby for a last-second weekend!
¡Bienvenido a mi vida!
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Leather factory and the re-discovery of my favorite bakery!
Todays excursion turned out to be a bit more personalized than usual. The rainy weather and classes ended up keeping everyone but myself and another girl from coming to the leather factory. I mostly decided to go becasue I didn't have classes, had nothing better to do, and have heard about how amazing argentine leather is! (5th largest producer in the world I believe with rare leathers from animals like antelope and capybara) I was able to experience yet another bus and another part of the city...this time we ventured out of the city proper into one of the surrounding neighborhoods.
So in case you didn't know, the smaller the animal, the more expensive the leather. Just thought I'd pass on that tid bit I learned today. Makes sense. The whole trip lasted about 3 hours and I came out of it with a very cute keychain, small leather makeup bag and a thick leather belt for under 25USD...so not bad!
It was looking dreary early on but began to drizzle on the way home (my CEA friend and I figured out the right bus stop and I made it to the residencia on my own!) but on the way home I passed a very familiar a very upscal looking bakery. Then it hit me. I had been there before!
I ran in, asked for a sampling of the tiny bit-size dulces and started my selection. By the time the woman had described to me each of the miniature sweets, I was dying to try them all. I came away with this mouth watering selection: two teensy lemon merengue pies (shortbread with raspberry jam, lemon curd and merengue).. a little napoleon with dark and white chocolate on top, pastry, and dulce de leche.. an even smaller glazed cream puff filled with dulce de leche (the country is literally obsessed with this caramelly-goodness).. a walnut brownie topped with chocolate mousse and baked whipped cream..and then the king of all little sweets that I have no way to describe. She kept saying the word for drunk "borracho" and "que rico" so I figured I had to try it. She was right. Incredible and impossible to describe...like a caramelized, squishy pound cake topped with fudge is as close as I can get.
The leather factory was great....but I cannot wait to get back for some more of those little drunken sweets. Whatever they were. And for under $2USD for the whole lot, I will be going back soon.
Yeah, I go to school
But you won't be hearing much more about it. Not really the highlight of the trip, despite it being the reason for my being here. I'm taking all classes in english unfortunately, I'd have to be a lot more advanced in my spanish to be taking classes in it. I am, however, in the intermediate spanish class which is funny becasue I most definitely tested into beginner. I did some begging to be put in this level which I definitely don't belong so as to push myself to learn faster. Funny how that works...I'm definitely struggling but it is the only class I really enjoy. Plus, the teacher is awesome. So heres the schedule for those of you who are interested:
(M) Lunes - 10.00-12.00 Political and Social Change in Latin America
13.00-15.00 History of Latin America
(T) Martes - 15.00-17.00 Español Intermedio
(w) Meircoles - NO CLASS :)
(Th) Jueves - 13.00-15.00 Argentina: The Making of a Country through its Literature
15.00-17.00 Español Intermedio
(F) Viernes - NO CLASS :)
So all in all, not a hard week at all. The history classes are interesting, the literature should be OK and I'm actually learning in Spanish. I take the subte when I kinda feel like walking (or am out of centavos - change) I take the bus when I'm lazy, have change, and the weather is bad. And I walk when I'm feeling adventurous or am out of money. Not that it saves a lot of money as both the subte and bus are less than 50cents each way...but it feels healthier :)
The school is in a really nice neighborhood and it's fun to say I go to La Universidad de Belgrano. It has a lot of stairs and the glass elevators are always packed. The cafeteria is OK priced and their blended coffee is pretty awesome, despite it being instant coffee powder. You see international students everywhere, espescially on the 9th floor, where classes are held. It is not a campus, just one of many university buildings throughout that part of the city but there are two eating areas, some shops in the basement, auditoriums, ATM's and a bookstore/copy store/computer lab. I actually go to two different buildings for classes, but they're only a street or two apart. Everything is very modern and pretty much resembles a nice school in the states. I'm pretty sure it's one of the nicer schools in Argentina though. Definitely a step up from white hall!
(M) Lunes - 10.00-12.00 Political and Social Change in Latin America
13.00-15.00 History of Latin America
(T) Martes - 15.00-17.00 Español Intermedio
(w) Meircoles - NO CLASS :)
(Th) Jueves - 13.00-15.00 Argentina: The Making of a Country through its Literature
15.00-17.00 Español Intermedio
(F) Viernes - NO CLASS :)
So all in all, not a hard week at all. The history classes are interesting, the literature should be OK and I'm actually learning in Spanish. I take the subte when I kinda feel like walking (or am out of centavos - change) I take the bus when I'm lazy, have change, and the weather is bad. And I walk when I'm feeling adventurous or am out of money. Not that it saves a lot of money as both the subte and bus are less than 50cents each way...but it feels healthier :)
The school is in a really nice neighborhood and it's fun to say I go to La Universidad de Belgrano. It has a lot of stairs and the glass elevators are always packed. The cafeteria is OK priced and their blended coffee is pretty awesome, despite it being instant coffee powder. You see international students everywhere, espescially on the 9th floor, where classes are held. It is not a campus, just one of many university buildings throughout that part of the city but there are two eating areas, some shops in the basement, auditoriums, ATM's and a bookstore/copy store/computer lab. I actually go to two different buildings for classes, but they're only a street or two apart. Everything is very modern and pretty much resembles a nice school in the states. I'm pretty sure it's one of the nicer schools in Argentina though. Definitely a step up from white hall!
The One Man Band
So, as with any big city, the street performers here are as diverse as the people themselves. After an incredibly long night last week Joe and I ended up wandering after a few of us had tried and failed to find a pancake place for breakfast. After two subte rides and a bus, the rest of the group headed to Friendly's. Maybe it's just that I have not been here long enough, but the idea of paying double for American food - no matter how much it "brings me back" was not appealing to either of us that particular morning. We had ventured to Belgrano by noon and were by the president's pink house and the San Telmo market. We wandered quite a bit, taking not of the future sights we should re-visit and chatted about how strange pigeons are as the scattered around out feet. Still incredibly hungry and very tired, we ran into a corner store to buy some juice and yogurt to hold us over. While there we heard something that can only be described as...strange. Even for a city as crazy as this one.
We looked out across the corner and heard a mass of drums, guitar, harmonica and kazoo. And a roaring, raspy voice singing in....English? So we took a peek. We ended up sitting down among the small crowd, eating our snack and listening to what sounded like 5 people on five or more instruments but was in fact just one scrawny, long haired, goofy guy with a huge contraption stuck to his back, chest, and mouth. A one man band.
Anyways, as the crowd dispersed we stayed true to form and decided to chat up the guy - he looked like someone with a pretty interesting story. Approaching him, we didn't even bother with Spanish as his seemed just as broken as our own. He was from Norway, and had been travelling for some months but told us (many times) how difficult it is to lug his contraption around, so he will be staying in BA for a bit. His condensed story is this:
He was studying philosophy in Norway but got restless, he said he liked it but it was all theory, no action...so naturally he did the only thing there was left to do. He dropped out of college, had no money to his name, and disassembled an old drum set one afternoon (He said he had one, but had no idea how to play the drums). He jumped on the subway with his makeshift instrument, tested to see everything made its correct sound...and began playing. Just like that.
It really is true that in times of desperation you give it all you have. Since then he has been travelling because he told us it is "weird" to play in his home town. I'd imagine so. The guy looked tired, skinny, and very street-esque. But he looked happy. He looked like he was meant for the bum life anyway, definitely not the philosophy type...at least not the nose in a book philosopher anyways. A life philosopher though, I can see him being that.
Maybe it's just that I am captivated by the type of person who can just let go like that, who can carve their own path and never look back...and act like it's the most natural thing in the world. He only complained about the weight of his drum, and of the crowded musicians’ area at the market, but not of the life he was leading. I don't think that was even in his mind though, seeing as he was the one who chose that lifestyle.
Don't get me wrong, I am not romanticizing the life of a bum...and definitely not of the one man band type...but I am glad we met. He was dirty, a little twitchy and perhaps still a little strung out on something. He looked to be closer to 40 even though he said he was only 22. But I wish him the best, and am happy with the impression he left on me. Who knows, maybe I'll see him around BA again...he might not remember me, but I'll be sure to throw some centavos his way.
We looked out across the corner and heard a mass of drums, guitar, harmonica and kazoo. And a roaring, raspy voice singing in....English? So we took a peek. We ended up sitting down among the small crowd, eating our snack and listening to what sounded like 5 people on five or more instruments but was in fact just one scrawny, long haired, goofy guy with a huge contraption stuck to his back, chest, and mouth. A one man band.
Anyways, as the crowd dispersed we stayed true to form and decided to chat up the guy - he looked like someone with a pretty interesting story. Approaching him, we didn't even bother with Spanish as his seemed just as broken as our own. He was from Norway, and had been travelling for some months but told us (many times) how difficult it is to lug his contraption around, so he will be staying in BA for a bit. His condensed story is this:
He was studying philosophy in Norway but got restless, he said he liked it but it was all theory, no action...so naturally he did the only thing there was left to do. He dropped out of college, had no money to his name, and disassembled an old drum set one afternoon (He said he had one, but had no idea how to play the drums). He jumped on the subway with his makeshift instrument, tested to see everything made its correct sound...and began playing. Just like that.
It really is true that in times of desperation you give it all you have. Since then he has been travelling because he told us it is "weird" to play in his home town. I'd imagine so. The guy looked tired, skinny, and very street-esque. But he looked happy. He looked like he was meant for the bum life anyway, definitely not the philosophy type...at least not the nose in a book philosopher anyways. A life philosopher though, I can see him being that.
Maybe it's just that I am captivated by the type of person who can just let go like that, who can carve their own path and never look back...and act like it's the most natural thing in the world. He only complained about the weight of his drum, and of the crowded musicians’ area at the market, but not of the life he was leading. I don't think that was even in his mind though, seeing as he was the one who chose that lifestyle.
Don't get me wrong, I am not romanticizing the life of a bum...and definitely not of the one man band type...but I am glad we met. He was dirty, a little twitchy and perhaps still a little strung out on something. He looked to be closer to 40 even though he said he was only 22. But I wish him the best, and am happy with the impression he left on me. Who knows, maybe I'll see him around BA again...he might not remember me, but I'll be sure to throw some centavos his way.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Another great food adventure
I would like to describe to you a small miracle, a little chance happening I had last week. I was walking back from our excursion to Tigre with Joe. Joe and I share a lot more in common than being in the same CEA program...most notably that we eat and wander and stay up all night…and do so often. So we were walking discussing possible cheap options – the usual options came up: Small sandwiches on the corner, empanadas down the street. Both are great places with better prices but you can only eat so many tomato sandwiches and meat-filled pastry.
And then it happened. Walking down Thames, the street we had been walking since classes began and have been familiar with, something new stuck out. We were almost past it, but my stomach reached my brain in time to read a small chalk board and better yet to notice the price: 6$. I stopped excitedly, did the quick math (less than 2 bucks!) and told Joe we had to try out this place we had never noticed. I saw the word Choripan and remembered someone telling me to try it in South America. So we ordered two.
On top of the thrill of finding a potential new eatery close to home, I happened to see an “old friend” sitting close by. AKA – a Norwegian guy I met at a pub crawl that plays professional poker and was headed to Vegas the next day. It was a funny coincidence and we had just about the same conversation as when we met but all was well because he definitely has a crazy and intriguing life to talk about.
Back to the mysterious choripan. The restraint, if you can call it that is very humble to say the least. The fact that I did not notice a cheap place to eat in my many walks down the same street speaks to this fact. It’s basically about 5 small tables, a 3 stool bar and a huge grill with all kinds of meat that you order from. The choripan turned out to be a spicy, delicious, charred-yet-still-juicy and full of spice sausage. They split it down the center, put it on a toasted French bread hoagie roll, added tomato, lettuce, and (the best part!) an awesome homemade chimichurri sauce on one side with another oniony salsa on the other. They served it to me still piping hot and wrapped in paper. As I peeled it back and took the first juicy bite, I immediately considered myself a regular. This event was going to be happening again, and frequently.
And then it happened. Walking down Thames, the street we had been walking since classes began and have been familiar with, something new stuck out. We were almost past it, but my stomach reached my brain in time to read a small chalk board and better yet to notice the price: 6$. I stopped excitedly, did the quick math (less than 2 bucks!) and told Joe we had to try out this place we had never noticed. I saw the word Choripan and remembered someone telling me to try it in South America. So we ordered two.
On top of the thrill of finding a potential new eatery close to home, I happened to see an “old friend” sitting close by. AKA – a Norwegian guy I met at a pub crawl that plays professional poker and was headed to Vegas the next day. It was a funny coincidence and we had just about the same conversation as when we met but all was well because he definitely has a crazy and intriguing life to talk about.
Back to the mysterious choripan. The restraint, if you can call it that is very humble to say the least. The fact that I did not notice a cheap place to eat in my many walks down the same street speaks to this fact. It’s basically about 5 small tables, a 3 stool bar and a huge grill with all kinds of meat that you order from. The choripan turned out to be a spicy, delicious, charred-yet-still-juicy and full of spice sausage. They split it down the center, put it on a toasted French bread hoagie roll, added tomato, lettuce, and (the best part!) an awesome homemade chimichurri sauce on one side with another oniony salsa on the other. They served it to me still piping hot and wrapped in paper. As I peeled it back and took the first juicy bite, I immediately considered myself a regular. This event was going to be happening again, and frequently.
Tigre and fresh squeezed fruit juice
Went to Tigre on an excursion with CEA this past Saturday. We took the train about 40 minutes which was a lot more comfortable on the way back when we were able to actually sit down. We took a boat tour around the delta and it felt amazing to be around water and be out of the city for a bit. The history and culture of the place is very cool, definitely worth google-ing ;) Many houses were on stilts and each family or residence had their own dock. There are no roads - only canals, docks, and a type of water taxi. I imagined myself living there for about 15 minutes but then decided the brown water would get old and as cool as it would be to jet ski and kayak everywhere, I like the feeling of solid ground a lot too. A very cool insight into one of these floating communities. Afterwards we hea
ded to the market which was a little more touristy than the others I've been to but still good nonetheless. I bought a couple pairs of earrings from a brazillian shop that I love and a dress/shirt I've been wearing (needed warmer weather clothes!). Best purchase of this trip so far also happened in Tigre: fresh squeezed fruit juice. I ordered pineapple and mango and just about died of happiness as I watched them scoop chunks of the juicy frsh fruit into a blender with sugar and some ice. They then strained it out and filled a huge cup with it, and even better - they served me the cup and the bowl to refill the cup with what was left over. All I could think about was how at home with my star bucks or smoothies, they would throw the remainder out and how it has always frustrated me. Here in Argentina, success finally. Anyways, the stuff was incredible. I am craving fresh fruit more than ever, and this drink hit the spot. Good hot day on the delta, some fun shopping, and heavenly juice to top it off. It was a good day.
ded to the market which was a little more touristy than the others I've been to but still good nonetheless. I bought a couple pairs of earrings from a brazillian shop that I love and a dress/shirt I've been wearing (needed warmer weather clothes!). Best purchase of this trip so far also happened in Tigre: fresh squeezed fruit juice. I ordered pineapple and mango and just about died of happiness as I watched them scoop chunks of the juicy frsh fruit into a blender with sugar and some ice. They then strained it out and filled a huge cup with it, and even better - they served me the cup and the bowl to refill the cup with what was left over. All I could think about was how at home with my star bucks or smoothies, they would throw the remainder out and how it has always frustrated me. Here in Argentina, success finally. Anyways, the stuff was incredible. I am craving fresh fruit more than ever, and this drink hit the spot. Good hot day on the delta, some fun shopping, and heavenly juice to top it off. It was a good day.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Dear Juanes, Mi corazon...Es Por Ti
Might as well admit that I'm slowly falling into the Juanes fan club trap. I'll also admit that Enrique is not completely excluded either - he's got some good stuff.
I'd say my dream day in South America would include swinging in a hammock on a beach doing nothing but soaking up the language, the drinks, the fruit...and Juanes. But that's just me.
The most recent sountract to my afternoon siestas. A little sappy I know, but a little love song never hurt anyone...
I'd say my dream day in South America would include swinging in a hammock on a beach doing nothing but soaking up the language, the drinks, the fruit...and Juanes. But that's just me.
The most recent sountract to my afternoon siestas. A little sappy I know, but a little love song never hurt anyone...
Midnight snacks and the conquering of the subte
Helado; Spanish for heaven on earth, melt in your mouth goodness, and everything nice. AKA - ice cream. Now, I've had some amazing ice cream, and I am not saying that this is the best ice cream I have ever had the pleasure of tasting, but setting, temperature, and cravings can do a lot to a simple cone of this stuff. One of my residencia friends (and photo buddy!) headed to the corner to grab a cone and I am almost regretting the decision. I had chocolate with rocher pieces and dulce de leche with brownies. Enough said, right? So I just wanted to prepare you for more posts on this stuff seeing as how it is located dangerously close.
On a completely different note - I conquered the Subte on my own today. Well, almost. Now, a lot of the people here are from big cites and know a lot about public transportation. I am clueless. In my frustration, I will sometimes blurt out comments like, "where I'm from, they still have tractor days!" A little absurd I know, even if it is true...but it gets the point across. Anyways, I made it to the Subte. First success, seeing as how it's not a completely straight line (it almost is but there's one corner that if you know me, you know could throw me off completely). Then I got on the right one. There are only two, but hey that’s a 50/50 gamble I won, right? I did manage to go out of the wrong exit, but upon doing a very confused 360 turn, I found my landmarks - the magazine guy and Milka. From there, I made the right turns, the three sum block walk to another turn and arrived on the steps of Universidad de Belgrano. Huge relief. Within the next hour I had registered for classes (looks like I will have Monday classes, but no Wednesdays so I'm not complaining!) made copies (this took some skillful broken Spanish and a lot of pointing) and had attained my student ID. Perfecto. Now, becasue I'm not huge on dwelling on failures, if you can call it that - I prefer "experiences" - I will just tell you that the way back home didn't go quite so smoothly. I might have tried walking home, and I might have walked for an hour only to give up and take the subte one stop. I might also have realized that I had in fact been incredibly close to being home when I gave up. I might have done all of that. This is a learning experience right? I think so too, but try telling that to my feet.
On a completely different note - I conquered the Subte on my own today. Well, almost. Now, a lot of the people here are from big cites and know a lot about public transportation. I am clueless. In my frustration, I will sometimes blurt out comments like, "where I'm from, they still have tractor days!" A little absurd I know, even if it is true...but it gets the point across. Anyways, I made it to the Subte. First success, seeing as how it's not a completely straight line (it almost is but there's one corner that if you know me, you know could throw me off completely). Then I got on the right one. There are only two, but hey that’s a 50/50 gamble I won, right? I did manage to go out of the wrong exit, but upon doing a very confused 360 turn, I found my landmarks - the magazine guy and Milka. From there, I made the right turns, the three sum block walk to another turn and arrived on the steps of Universidad de Belgrano. Huge relief. Within the next hour I had registered for classes (looks like I will have Monday classes, but no Wednesdays so I'm not complaining!) made copies (this took some skillful broken Spanish and a lot of pointing) and had attained my student ID. Perfecto. Now, becasue I'm not huge on dwelling on failures, if you can call it that - I prefer "experiences" - I will just tell you that the way back home didn't go quite so smoothly. I might have tried walking home, and I might have walked for an hour only to give up and take the subte one stop. I might also have realized that I had in fact been incredibly close to being home when I gave up. I might have done all of that. This is a learning experience right? I think so too, but try telling that to my feet.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Executive Decision: waking up to crepes and kiwi is more important than attending class
So, this might sound bad...but hear me out. I woke up early this morning, around 7:30 with roaring hunger pains. (the massive pollo empanada and two olive sandwiches must not have been a big enough late night snack) I woke up, got dressed and headed over to an empty dining room minus one of the cooks. I almost died when I saw the kiwi plate - it feels like all I have eaten since I've been here is empanadas and little sandwiches. So I indulged. I probably ate 5 or 6 kiwi and had 4 crepes (they're actually a little thick to be crepes, but you know) They had this awesome sugary spread, maybe a type of mild honey and really good fruity jam. I then realized I had 3 hours until my first "class."
Here's where the hard decision making came in. I am not technically registered for classes, and I don't have my card to swipe for attendance. The classes I had today are also offered on Wednesdays. I barely got any sleep the night before, and it was finally cool in my room, plus I had a full stomach. So, I decided when I went to my advising appointment this afternoon, I was going to take the wed. classes. Decision made. I fell asleep until 1pm, went to lunch and one of the guys and I headed to the subte to get to school. I might know my way now, mildly, and am almost ready to just wander pretty soon.
But, the whole system is crazy so I have another appointment tomorrow at 10am. Quick cultural note though: people here do not like appointments. The woman I spoke to could not understand for the life of her why I would want to hold myself accountable to a certain time. Anyways, it was a good transition day...mostly play, some work. Maybe tomorrow I'll be more prepared to get into the swing of things. For now, I'm still enjoying the fact that most of my days are spent walking around this beautiful city, eating, and sleeping. I'm also enjoying the fact that my spur of the moment decision to sleep instead of go on with the day has scored me a tuesday, wednesday, thursday class schedule. So things are working out!
And just because I mostly slept and ate today does not mean I did not learn, here are a couple of the things I picked up:
· There is a place to take polo lessons for cheap close-by (around 25USD/day)
· The hombre from the sandwich shop nearby now knows me well enough to say "hola" when he sees me out
· Fresh squeezed orange juice is one of the best things in the world to wake up to
· Subte is not the only means of transportation: Bus 55 may be my new amigo..walking works too
· My on-the-side spanish teacher (one of the maid's daughters)really likes having her picture taken..and grapes
I'm sure I learned a lot more than that, but that's all I have for now. BA is becoming less overwhelming every day...as Nahuel said to me today:
"The city is alive, it has a rhythm...to not get lost in it you have to learn that you don't have to become that rhythm.. you can find the quiet in the rush hour."
Here's where the hard decision making came in. I am not technically registered for classes, and I don't have my card to swipe for attendance. The classes I had today are also offered on Wednesdays. I barely got any sleep the night before, and it was finally cool in my room, plus I had a full stomach. So, I decided when I went to my advising appointment this afternoon, I was going to take the wed. classes. Decision made. I fell asleep until 1pm, went to lunch and one of the guys and I headed to the subte to get to school. I might know my way now, mildly, and am almost ready to just wander pretty soon.
But, the whole system is crazy so I have another appointment tomorrow at 10am. Quick cultural note though: people here do not like appointments. The woman I spoke to could not understand for the life of her why I would want to hold myself accountable to a certain time. Anyways, it was a good transition day...mostly play, some work. Maybe tomorrow I'll be more prepared to get into the swing of things. For now, I'm still enjoying the fact that most of my days are spent walking around this beautiful city, eating, and sleeping. I'm also enjoying the fact that my spur of the moment decision to sleep instead of go on with the day has scored me a tuesday, wednesday, thursday class schedule. So things are working out!
And just because I mostly slept and ate today does not mean I did not learn, here are a couple of the things I picked up:
· There is a place to take polo lessons for cheap close-by (around 25USD/day)
· The hombre from the sandwich shop nearby now knows me well enough to say "hola" when he sees me out
· Fresh squeezed orange juice is one of the best things in the world to wake up to
· Subte is not the only means of transportation: Bus 55 may be my new amigo..walking works too
· My on-the-side spanish teacher (one of the maid's daughters)really likes having her picture taken..and grapes
I'm sure I learned a lot more than that, but that's all I have for now. BA is becoming less overwhelming every day...as Nahuel said to me today:
"The city is alive, it has a rhythm...to not get lost in it you have to learn that you don't have to become that rhythm.. you can find the quiet in the rush hour."
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Salsa: like the food, love the dance
So after a series of events yesterday with a new friend (including visiting nearly every hospital in the city), we ended up having a pretty great night. She is fluent, so was able to hook me up with a pay-per-go phone which looks like it's going to be pretty useful even if only giving me more sense of security. We ended up meeting with two of her friends who took us to this really nice place in Belgrano called Milion. Gorgeous courtyard with vines and nice tables, music, but an overall nicer chill feeling about the place. It's been really hot, so the nights are amazing. Mostly hung out there, ordered some delicious fruity drinks and talked. Well, they talked, and I picked out a few words every other sentence.
For someone who likes talking as much as I do, I think learning Spanish will be much easier if I run into more situations like I did last night. Just hearing it, being around it and not being afraid to pop out a couple of heavily accented words on my part is what it's all about.
Anyways, it was around 1:30am or later by the time we headed to Azucar - the Latin American night club in town. In case it's news to you, people here rarely go out before 1am here, and many times later than that. They joke that BA runs 25 hours a day, and it's so true: this city NEVER sleeps. Vanessa, the girl I was with knew someone at the club so we got by the first bouncer easily without paying but the second one ended up making us pay.
I'll go ahead and apologize right now, because beyond that I can’t really describe it. It was loud and hot and VERY Latin American. The quick version is that it looked like it does in the movies. There were great dancers, couples spinning and throwing their hips, a bachelorette party and younger girls just getting into it. It is very possible that I was the only American in the place, and I'm just hoping it wasn't embarrassingly noticeable based on my dancing. With some lessons though, I'll definitely be back! I am so happy I am meeting people who are into the culture of this place and not just wanting to go clubbing to go out. My first huge step out of my comfort zone since I've been here, but so worth it! Got home around 5am – I might be built for a 25 hr a day lifestyle after all.
Yerba maté, the national drink, and my new remedy for all nighters
You know how people are always looking for that something unique, that something about a far away land that brings you back in time, brings you far away..Well, in BA you don't find a lot of those. I am not living in a jungle, or in a 3rd world country. This is a huge delveloped city with Starbucks, McDonalds and Microsoft.
But then there's maté. I'll relay what I've learned about this awesome tradition as best I can, but for a quick brain teaser I'll give the short description: It's a form of infusion (like loose tea, but stronger) that you drink out of a pipe. Yeah, it's definitely that something unique you're looking for.
What it is: Maté is the nationa drink of Argentina but it is enjoyed all over south america. The short history lesson we were given was that when the Spainards came to South America, they noticed the indigenous drinking this infusion of the powdery yerba and heated water. They saw that the peopele were strong and imagined the drink to have some healing or altering properties and began drinking it too. Turns out it was just a healthy dose of mateine - been linked to caffine, keeps you awake but is supposedly healthier! Imagine loose tea, but more raw in a sense. There are hundreds of varieties, ranging from the milder softer version to the strong dark teas. The leaves and twigs that make up this concoction is called Yerba. The bowl is the "mate." There is a small finely filtered straw that tapers off on the end much like a smoking pipe called the "bombilla."
When to drink it: Anytime really, but most often with company - although we were told around finals week everyone uses it as their energy drink. Traditionally the host prepares mate, and the visiting friend brings dulces, little pastries and cookies.
What you need: A mate with bombilla, some yerba, azucar to taste (sugar..not traditional but makes it taste better), lots of hot water and a friend ( or twenty)
Step-by-step: There are many differences in how peopel make mate, and no set way or order to do things but very basically, you fill the mate with yerba (add sugar if you like at this time) and pour very hot, but not boiling water over it. If you are the host and will be preparing the mate, you are the "cerbador." After preparing your mate, you pass it to the next drinker, bambillo facing them. It's polite and some say if you pass it with the straw facing away it is a sign of disrespect and basically saying you don't like the person. Gotta love the subtelties. When you drink, you drink it all - no sipping allowed. The taste is extemely grassy and earthy, and even a little bitter and is compared a lot to strong green tea.
My personal opinion? Awesome drink, good energy boost, and a fun thing to do with friends. Reminds me of hookah in the sharing and passing and rituals. And I can't wait to buy my first mate at the market! Interesting last note: the traditional mate is made out of gourd, and all have to be cured before you can drink from them. With the gourd you have to actually scrape out the dried flesh but with all, you prepare yerba and let it set for 12 hours or more and throw it out. You only ever have to do this once. There are tons of different mate bases, from metal to wood to gourd to the more abstract. So far I've got my eye on the cow hoove mate ;)
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Me gusta Dulce de Leche
Alright -- finally up to date! Woke up late today, finally got a good night's sleep...it is HOT here. Crazy humid too, but we keep our door open. Our room opens to a small balcony over the street and is always open. Still not confident enough to get around by myself although I think I'm gonna start wandering pretty soon now that I at least know what streets I live on! Went to a dulceria and had the best fruit tarts and a banana pastry with dulce de leche. So good, and they are everywhere -- I'm thinking of joining a gym so that should help. Theres a small sandwich place right across the street too and I got a couple of those for lunch. Basically two layers of white bread with different fillings, I got tomato/ham, olive/ham, and tomato/queso...3 little sandwhiches for 4 pesos (barely over a dollar)! They were good, but I'm still a fan of the empenadas. Getting ready now for a CEA event to eat, drink, and learn to prepare mate - a local drink, as far as I know it's an infusion. More on that soon!
A little bit of Boca
Still catching up: Arriving in Argentina was made a lot more comfortable by the fact that they flew me Business class! That alone is worth telling about, and being a poor college student, I was not about to hide my excitement. I spent the entire 12 hour flight playing with the buttons that turned my overstuffed huge chair into a bed and a recliner and back to a bed again...playing with my personal television, and wiping my hands with hot lemony towels. They gave us warm nuts and orange juice, and a 3 course meal (I had some incredible steak and shrimp for my main course). And yes, it's true they offer you champagne and wine constantly. The merlot wasn't too bad ;) I got to know the man next to me and was completely humbled by his story. He had been on my previous flight to Santiago and was now on his way to find his family whom he had not heard anything from. They live in Concepcion, the epicenter of where Chile's devestating 8.8 earthquake hit. We talked all night about his options, about the uncertanties, about how hard it is to believe things like this can happen to people like us. We talked about the culture, and some lighter things: latin american nightlife, the best completo combinations, and how good our first class meals were. I have never met someone going through something even close to what this man was and it truly was a blessing. I am awaiting a response to how he is doing and if he has found his family and encourage everyone to look into what they may be able to do for Chile.
Customs was easy this time around, I was incredibly nervous but I just had to hand over the money, sign a couple of things, hug my new friend goodbye, and go through immigrations -- they didn't even check my bags! I was picked up by Pamela, a CEA staff who has made things SO much easier. I met my room mates, and we went on a city tour. Everythings kindof a blur, but the tour was amazing. I will not tell too much bcasue everything we saw I will be going to again and seeing/telling about in more deatail!
Customs was easy this time around, I was incredibly nervous but I just had to hand over the money, sign a couple of things, hug my new friend goodbye, and go through immigrations -- they didn't even check my bags! I was picked up by Pamela, a CEA staff who has made things SO much easier. I met my room mates, and we went on a city tour. Everythings kindof a blur, but the tour was amazing. I will not tell too much bcasue everything we saw I will be going to again and seeing/telling about in more deatail!
No estoy en Chile
So, this is just to get everyone up to date. And to tell the story one last time ;)
For the past several months I have been enrolled in a program to study in Vina del Mar, Chile. I flew out of Atlanta friday night to Santiago but was woken up to an announcement that we had lost communication with the airport...soon enough we were informed Chile had suffered a major earthquake and they broke the news that we would be headed home. I'm still surprised at how calm it all was with all things considered. It ended up being around a 12 hour flight from and to the Atlanta airport. From there, let's just say it was a long and incredibly trying process to get anywhere! I made it home with my bags still in Atl. and had to chose another program or to not study abroad this semester. I chose to join the program in Buenos Aires, Argentina....and have been here since Tuesday morning!
For the past several months I have been enrolled in a program to study in Vina del Mar, Chile. I flew out of Atlanta friday night to Santiago but was woken up to an announcement that we had lost communication with the airport...soon enough we were informed Chile had suffered a major earthquake and they broke the news that we would be headed home. I'm still surprised at how calm it all was with all things considered. It ended up being around a 12 hour flight from and to the Atlanta airport. From there, let's just say it was a long and incredibly trying process to get anywhere! I made it home with my bags still in Atl. and had to chose another program or to not study abroad this semester. I chose to join the program in Buenos Aires, Argentina....and have been here since Tuesday morning!
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