Living in Buenos Aires means being constantly freezing, and I mean ALL the time. You go from being inside your freezing cold classroom, because they don't have heat, to walking outside in the bitter cold and wind and then eventually go home to your freezing cold house, where there is again, no heating. I do get "warm" from a combination of a space heater, down booties, fleece sweatshirts, and my bed (which has bout 5 blankets on it. There is still a strong draft from the window next to my bed, and from the door, in my extremely small room.
Warm is still a relative term, and this just means that I'm somewhat warmer than before, which is a good thing. I know that in a few months, it's going to be unbearably hot and I'll be complaining about the heat!!
There are various cultural things that help us warm up here in Buenos Aires. Porteños (Buenos Aires citizens) drink Maté. It consists of leaves and small pieces of the coca (think cocaine) plant that they pour hot water over. They drink this through their gourds with a straw that has a filter in the bottom. I'm not super fond of it; it kinda tastes like tobacco. But everyone is pretty much addicted to it (and smoking) here.
Cafés are fun to visit in the afternoons. You can find them on pretty much EVERY street corner, and a few between. Café con leche or a nice cappuchino really helps to warm you up as well (though you still have your jacket on in you unheated café).
Third and finally, they always do save the best for last: red wine strangely has a nice way of making anyone and everyone feel warm and toasty inside. Bottles in restaurants run about ten bucks (for a good bottle) then you can buy the same in the supermercados for about four dollars. I'm going to take a wine class with the girls soon, then I can really experience and enjoy all the good local wine that I'm drinking.
I will be taking a trip to Mendoza at some point, mmmm, wine country. I'm really excited. Should be one beautiful, buzzed trip.
I think I'm getting adjusted to city life pretty well. I've decided that the people are are nocturnal, they're up all night. but unlike hamsters, they don't sleep all day long, they work. Dinner is usually between 9:30 and midnight, then after you finish, it's time to go out! Clubs open at like 1:30 or 2 (AM). For some reason, I was surprised when I looked at my phone and it was 5 am, and I was still having fun dancing! They just really use all hours of their day! Must be all that maté they are drinking :)
Monday, July 30, 2007
Monday, July 23, 2007
Priemero semana en Buenos Aires
¡Hola! After an eventful trip down to Argentina, the first week has been pretty boring. However, the city is huge and full of life. I've had many fun adventures so far, and have enjoyed navigating this crazy city with my "Guia T" map book with all the bus and subway (Súbte) lines.
We have had meetings/orientations everyday so far. They get out around four (1600) so I've had time after to explore. One day we went on a walking tour and ended up with a group of about 10 people in the middle of some random neighborhood. The tour guide pretty much said peace out and we were left alone. So a group of 7 of us went into the corner cafe/bar and enjoyed an afternoon café con leche or bottle of wine (sharing of course).
The other afternoons, I have wandered the city with friends. Yesterday, Kate and I went to the mall...it was HUGE. They had so many (brand name) stores and everything was SO cheap. I couldn't believe it. I had to indulge.
I found a great gym last night and bought a 6 month pass. I now have no excuse, there's gyms close to my house, to FLACSO (one school I'm going to) UBA, and UCA (all schools). Good times.
I'm living with a single woman, Mara, and her dog, Frida. She's 36 years old and is a literature teacher and a personal trainer. The first night, she told me that she doesn't eat breakfast or dinner. GREAT. So one night, she "cooked" for me... and it was awfu.. Because she doesn't eat, she doesn't know how to cook. Then, she watched me eat. She didn't eat, she just cringed with every bite I took. Annoying. Also, she doesn't ever go out, she just sits at home in her freezing cold house and reads and smokes. It's really not as bad as I'm making it out to be, but it's not what I was expecting, at all. I've already talked with the lady that organizes housing, and I might change. We'll see. I do live in a pretty cool house. My room is detached, and I have a really pretty terrace and view off of my room. The downside to it all is that when I have to go to the bathroom (and If you know me, you know that's a lot) I have to go OUTSIDE to get there. Let me remind you that it's FREEZING here, it's the middle of winter. So coming back from the shower...yeah, outside. Peeing in the middle of the night, outside. We'll just see how it goes.
We're getting orientations for our classes this week, and there are so many to choose from! It's almost overwhelming. I just have to make sure that I am going to get credit for the classes that I end up taking here.
Pictures to come... the security on the wireless here won't let me post them!
We have had meetings/orientations everyday so far. They get out around four (1600) so I've had time after to explore. One day we went on a walking tour and ended up with a group of about 10 people in the middle of some random neighborhood. The tour guide pretty much said peace out and we were left alone. So a group of 7 of us went into the corner cafe/bar and enjoyed an afternoon café con leche or bottle of wine (sharing of course).
The other afternoons, I have wandered the city with friends. Yesterday, Kate and I went to the mall...it was HUGE. They had so many (brand name) stores and everything was SO cheap. I couldn't believe it. I had to indulge.
I found a great gym last night and bought a 6 month pass. I now have no excuse, there's gyms close to my house, to FLACSO (one school I'm going to) UBA, and UCA (all schools). Good times.
I'm living with a single woman, Mara, and her dog, Frida. She's 36 years old and is a literature teacher and a personal trainer. The first night, she told me that she doesn't eat breakfast or dinner. GREAT. So one night, she "cooked" for me... and it was awfu.. Because she doesn't eat, she doesn't know how to cook. Then, she watched me eat. She didn't eat, she just cringed with every bite I took. Annoying. Also, she doesn't ever go out, she just sits at home in her freezing cold house and reads and smokes. It's really not as bad as I'm making it out to be, but it's not what I was expecting, at all. I've already talked with the lady that organizes housing, and I might change. We'll see. I do live in a pretty cool house. My room is detached, and I have a really pretty terrace and view off of my room. The downside to it all is that when I have to go to the bathroom (and If you know me, you know that's a lot) I have to go OUTSIDE to get there. Let me remind you that it's FREEZING here, it's the middle of winter. So coming back from the shower...yeah, outside. Peeing in the middle of the night, outside. We'll just see how it goes.
We're getting orientations for our classes this week, and there are so many to choose from! It's almost overwhelming. I just have to make sure that I am going to get credit for the classes that I end up taking here.
Pictures to come... the security on the wireless here won't let me post them!
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Longer trip than expected...
So I got off to Argentina just fine. After a nice brunch with my family, I headed to the airport about 3 hours early to go standby for an earlier flight (to avoid having a brief 30 minute layover before my international flight). I got my seat on the flight, realized that I was on the plane with Annie (the only girl I know in the program) and was on my way. I got a free bottle of wine on the plane, watched Meet the Robinsons, took my melatonin, then fell asleep with anticipation of waking up in Argentina.
Not quite. I was awakened from my slumber by the captain who was informing the plane that we had turned around and would be returning to Houston. WHAT?!!? It must have been the drugs. I rubbed my eyes and continued listening. Apparently the air traffic controls in Brazil are down and we were not able to fly over the country. Who knows if it’s a strike, war, etc. All I knew was that I was on my way back to Texas. After the announcements were finished, in both Spanish and English, everyone is awake in the cabin, and moving around and pretty much freaking out. Welcome to South America.
This is something I would have expected to happen to like Costa Rica, or Nicaragua. I mean, seriously. Who knows what REALLY goes on in those countries. But no, of course it had to be the biggest country in South America, and of course there’s no way to fly around it!
So Annie and I hung out in the Houston airport from 3 in the morning until 4:33 that afternoon.... then back on our way to Buenos Aires. LONG F*ing day.
Not quite. I was awakened from my slumber by the captain who was informing the plane that we had turned around and would be returning to Houston. WHAT?!!? It must have been the drugs. I rubbed my eyes and continued listening. Apparently the air traffic controls in Brazil are down and we were not able to fly over the country. Who knows if it’s a strike, war, etc. All I knew was that I was on my way back to Texas. After the announcements were finished, in both Spanish and English, everyone is awake in the cabin, and moving around and pretty much freaking out. Welcome to South America.
This is something I would have expected to happen to like Costa Rica, or Nicaragua. I mean, seriously. Who knows what REALLY goes on in those countries. But no, of course it had to be the biggest country in South America, and of course there’s no way to fly around it!
So Annie and I hung out in the Houston airport from 3 in the morning until 4:33 that afternoon.... then back on our way to Buenos Aires. LONG F*ing day.
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