Yillabean

vine vi que conquistar

2009-12-27T13:17:00.002-05:00

vine vi que conquistar / i came i saw i conquered

MY

2009-12-27T12:51:00.010-05:00

(photo above: my street; a canopy of sycamore trees)(photo above: in my opinion, the best street in b.a. )
(photo above: my home for the past year)(photo above: my super tiny elevator)
(photo above: my view from my dining room)(photo above: my view from my balcony. i'll miss the family who lives across the way. i call them 'the happy family'. they're always playing with their kids and laughing.)
(photo above: my kitchen; where i learned how to cook)(photo above: my bus stop, where i stood many many times)
(photo above: my favorite bus. The 110.)
(photo above: my subte stop. jeeze, how many times did i walk down these steps...)
(photo above: my veggie place)
(photo above: my 'chino' (mini grocery store owned by chinese people). after one year, they still gave me a strange look when i said "no bag please' )
(photo above: my lavenderia)
(photo above: my ICE CREAM place!!!)
(photo above: my favorite park)(photo above: my favorite statue. she looks like she's thinking "jeeze, where did i leave my clothes last night")
(photo above: my bench, my last time on my bench with A)(photo above: my view from my cafe. how many times did i look out this window and people watch. to many to count.)(photo above: my favorite cafe...my last breakfast in b.a.)

case of the missing bra

2009-12-26T17:00:00.006-05:00

ok, now i am stressing, but just about the packing.
as i'm putting all my clothes in to one of three bags i noticed that i couldn't find a sports bra and my favorite jeans. i kept thinking "damn-it where are they!" as i drink more coffee.

then i had coffee this afternoon with my landlord and his wife. they could see i was stressing about having to pack. i told them i was missing some clothes. he suggested i lost my sports bra 'somewhere'. i told him i don't live THAT exciting of a life, beside it's a sports bra.

when my roommate came home i asked her. she said she didn't see it then suggested that it might be at the lavenderia. i asked her to call over and describe it for me, since i didn't want to walk over and i'm too hyper from the coffee and stress to be describing a sports bra in spanish.....sure enough it was there!!!

when i went to pick it up, i asked about my jeans too. i described them and the name brand (which they don't sell here). she looked and came back with my jeans and TWO other items of my clothes!!!!! What the H ?

she told me another worker took them out of the dryer and hung them up because they were still damp, then forgot who they belonged to!!

ok...i have them back...breath...

photo: centro

2009-12-26T11:18:00.002-05:00

is it real?

2009-12-26T11:08:00.002-05:00

it doesn't feel like it's real, it doesn't feel like i'll be leaving in less than 48 hours. i would think i would be super sad, super sentimental... don't get me wrong, i'm not ready to hightail it out of here either. i had the same sorts of feelings when i left the states and everything turned out well. i have a good feeling about the next 3 months.

photos: jardin botanico

2009-12-25T08:33:00.007-05:00

(photo above: across the street from the botanical gardens, on av.general las heras)

This is my favorite park in Buenos Aires; The Botanical Gardens

photo: quickfood

2009-12-25T08:25:00.000-05:00

some honest marketing...

christmas eve fireworks

2009-12-25T08:08:00.002-05:00

(video above: no it's not a war zone in buenos aires, it's christmas eve at midnight)

photo: mail box

2009-12-25T07:42:00.002-05:00

(photo above: public mail box)

photos: mary jesus & amigos

2009-12-25T07:29:00.003-05:00

photos: asking lujan for safe travels

2009-12-24T18:40:00.007-05:00

for the next 3 months i'll be traveling through south america. even though i'm not catholic it can't hurt to ask argentina's saint of safe travels, Lujan, to look over me. i'll be wearing her image on my bracelet and my necklace.

Lujan's image can be found throughout the city of Buenos Aires, you just have to look for her. you can find her in the subway, next to police stations, in parks, in train stations, in most taxis, on buses and places you wouldn't think to look.

i'm going to miss running into her.

Lujan is pronounced: "Lou-hon"

(photo above: lujan appears in an old electrical box in the recoleta neighborhood)
(photo above: pueyrredon subway station line D)
(photo above: tigre train station)

(photo above: next to the cathedral in plaza de mayo in the may time frame)
(photo above: chacarita cemetary. safe travels in the after life)
(photo above: a park in the cabellito neighborhood)
(photo above: police station in the mataderos neighborhood)
(photo above: plaza italia)
(photo above: in the nueve de julio subway station where all the subway lines cross)
(photo above: this is my favorite photo, taken in the las canitas / belgrano neighborhood. many believers stop in front of lujan)

photos: street art

2009-12-24T18:19:00.006-05:00

This past year I came to love the Buenos Aires street art or graffiti art. I love discovering it or stumbling across it, I love the creativity of the artists, I love how it's underground therefore not regulated bought sold or purchased, I love how many times the art makes a statement and I even love the guerrilla marketing (marketing campaigns that intertwines art, imagination and sends a message).

The streets of Buenos Aires are my art museum.

a common & not common sight

2009-12-24T15:26:00.002-05:00

A decent Bike Lane with a raised median in Buenos Aires: Not a common sight.Several large dogs, tired, all getting along, waiting for their dog walker: A common sight.

ladies of the noche

2009-12-24T00:10:00.007-05:00

last night my landlord and his wife took me out to dinner. they are truly wonderful.

we went to a very nice restaurant in san isidro (a very charming suburb of buenos aires near the city limits). we arrived around 10pm. i realized just how much spanish i know because the menu was in italian and i could barely read. i felt frustrated and like a fish out of water, where i now feel very comfortable with a spanish menu. thank god spanish is a little like italian so i could make my way. nevertheless i needed to ask the waiter some questions. i ate fish and we shared a bottle of champagne.

after dinner (1:30am, seriously), on the way home we took a spin through the lake district of buenos aires (a lake in palermo, not the rose garden lake). they wanted to show me where all the 'ladies of the evening' are. i was curious to find out too.

while driving to the area there weren't many cars on the normal streets or the street leading up to the park...but then, holy crap there was a lot of traffic around the lake. it seriously looked like rush hour. there were many trannies in bras and panties with super high heels and super long hair. it was like one of those zoos that you can drive through at six flags. the ladies were coming up to the car and shaking their goods. many looked like men in ladies undies but most looked like bona fide ladies.

my naive side just hopes that most of those cars were just doing a curious drive-by too.

little boogers

2009-12-24T00:05:00.003-05:00

a couple weeks back i was shopping for a backpack for my next adventure. that particular day i was speaking more spanish than usual so i was in a rhythm.

when i entered the camping store i confidently told the salesman that i wanted to see a backpack, he showed me one. it was easy to understand his spanish since all his words correlated to the backpack and his demonstration of the different features.

then he said something like, well since you're going to ecuador you won't need winter clothing so it doesn't need to be that large. i corrected him by saying that i needed pants and "mangas largas para los moquitos" it was my attempt at saying that i needed long sleeves for the mosquitoes. he looked at me, smiled and then touch his nose and repeated "moquitos". i agreed then quickly realized that the word mosquitos without the s means "little boogers".

to recap, i told the salesman i needed long sleeves for the little boogers.

photo: Armando

2009-12-23T15:07:00.003-05:00

(photo: taken on the platform of Tribinales on Subte line D. )

Armando is the name of the business that makes signs, keys, rubber stamps and house number plates.

random argie things

2009-12-22T20:36:00.007-05:00

just wanted to write about some random argentine things that i observed today.

i haven't been in centro in awhile... so, it caught my eye how many young businessmen with nice suits and nice shoes have long hair. whether it's a mullet they're sporting or slicked back long hair or even slicked back in a pony tail, generally speaking most of the young business men have hair that touch their white collars.

i got on a crowded subway today. today was an 84 degree day, so the subway felt like an oven disco. a woman carrying a 5 month old baby squeezed her way on to the car. she didn't seem to mind standing. a man next to her went out of his way to get the attention of someone with a seat to point out that the woman with the baby needed the seat. she thanked him and sat down. how nice was that?!

fireworks are a summer thing for us in the u.s., and so it is here too. but summertime means christmas time. christmas fireworks it is!
when i used the subway again today. the train was there waiting at the stop, but i was stuck in a line waiting to buy a ticket (since i forgot my subway card). the line was really long too. normally there is a police or subway worker guarding the turnstiles so that no one jumps them. today the guy guarding them opened the handicap door and let everyone that was in line on the subway for free. score! i was surprised though that no one but me said thank you.

the catholic people of this city know where all the churches are. on a bus you'll see people do that hand thing that all Catholics know how to do when they see a church. tonight my taxi driver did it 4 times on the way home...then he gave someone the finger for cutting him off.

the city's alive with music

2009-12-22T20:22:00.012-05:00

these past few days i've been running into, and taking the time to enjoy music throughout the city.

on friday i was having coffee with a friend in the botanical garden. as we were leaving we noticed people practicing (violins, chelos etc...) so we asked a what was going on. we were told that there was a free concert that night. it was lovely.
sunday i tried to go to a pato game (much like how polo is played), but since BA got the heavy rain showers on saturday, they couldn't use the field, so it was canceled. instead we headed over to the rose garden where there is music every sunday at 5pm.

afterward but later in the evening there was a mariachi band playing next to the rose garden.

tonight, while wasting time in the congresso area and before meeting a friend, i ran into a peruvian (or i think its peruvian) music and dance.

after living in a big city for one year, i can honestly say i love city life. i love that there is always something going on, there are numerous free things to do, there is always something new and i always seem to run into random events. i love city life.

rain rain buenos aires rain

2009-12-19T13:56:00.003-05:00

the saying is true in buenos aires "when it rains it pours", but in the literal sense. it's like the buenos aires clouds are conspiring, saying "if we're just going to drizzle, what's the point? if we're going to do it, let's do it right".

when it rains, the sidewalks flood immediately, the sky goes dark, the subway often shuts down, businesses close because water starts to seep in...and then i just stand there in amazement...

(video below: 1pm in the afternoon after an extremely humid 85 degree morning)

balcony produce

2009-12-19T13:41:00.002-05:00

two months ago in october i bought two tomato plants. just the other day i finally got to eat my first 8th floor balcony grown tomato...and it was amazing. my tomato was eaten with some balcony grown basil, store bought wheat bread and pepper cheese. yum yum yum.

to know it to love it to savor it...

2009-12-17T18:04:00.002-05:00

a little more than a week to take it all in. i have such unusual feelings. i feel sure that i've made the right decision to move on. there is no doubt, but i'm feeling anxious. only normal i tell myself. my heart hurts with each thought of "is this the last time?", then i begin to think "walk slower, take it in", "eat your passion fruit ice cream slower, savor it".

even though these feelings are a bit overwhelming i am happy i get to feel them. some people never leave their comfort zone, they really never know what they have until it's gone; never having had the chance to really know it, love it and to have had a chance to savor it.

photos: barracas

2009-12-17T15:39:00.006-05:00

this week i went to the neighborhood of barracas. in 2000 a local artist took over a sleepy street with his creativity. he also lives on lanin street.

photos: oui oui

2009-12-16T15:46:00.002-05:00

yesterday i got my healthy food fix at "oui oui". a friend and i split a bowl of fresh fruit, granola, yogurt, a bagel and fresh oj. it's just what i needed!

photos: polo boot shop

2009-12-16T15:41:00.002-05:00

desensitization

2009-12-15T04:50:00.007-05:00

My Argentine desensitization process is almost complete. I've started to become unresponsive and find what should be shocking, not surprising. Things that I use to find inappropriate, I now find myself thinking what's the big deal. Well, I am thankful that I'm not fully desensitized yet.

This weekend I joined friends at Guido's restaurant in Palermo. I've walked past Guido's several times this past year; it's on my way to the Rose Garden. The restaurant is painted in the traditional Argentine style. It's the kind of place where the owner is there kissing almost everyone who walked in like they are close Italian family members. It's has a family atmosphere and the food was quite good.

So, when I was told that the men's bathroom was plastered with porn I was shocked. (thank god I'm still shocked at something in B.A.). It's one thing to have a nightclub bathroom decorated in porn, or to have 1920's style naked ladies on the wall, but in a family style restaurant, where children go...its wrong.

Since I wasn't able to enter the men's room, since it's right next to where the waiters stand, I sent my camera in there with my lunch-mate. Sure enough, it was of the raunchy variety. A poster of 'hair styles' from the 80's, posters of multiple activities, and another of men and the shapes and sizes that they range. I was going to try to do some creative cropping to post one, but even with my photo editing skills i couldn't.

i find myself saying 'this would never happen in the states'... well, maybe in a truck stop?

(photo below: Guido's restaurant in Palermo...the G rated photo)

food fight II

2009-12-14T22:45:00.012-05:00

and so my fight continues with food, even if i anticipate the punches i'm still left bruised from the battle.

last night i planned to purchase items to make a simple sandwich with healthy bread. ( i should know better. healthy food = hard to find food. )

#1. frustration: cheese shop
goat cheese isn't common, so i thought i'd stop in a cheese shop because it makes sense that they would have goat cheese, being that their whole business is based on cheese. this was a logical thought, but this is not a land of logic; my mistake #1.

yes they had goat cheese but when i asked the price on one, the cheeser (cheese worker) removed the cheese from the case and smelled it. hmmm, strange i thought, is it good? he told me the price and asked if i wanted it. i asked him to taste a small piece. he smelled it again and said it wasn't good.... what! seriously? he was going to sell it to me even though he knew it was bad? THIS is his business!!! why would he sell me funky cheese!

#2. frustration: bakery
i stopped at a bakery where i know they have whole wheat bread. their b.s. slogan on their website says something to the effect of "returning to nature". they didn't have whole wheat. so i asked for multi-grain bread, nope. so i asked for a healthy bread. at this point the baker chick was annoyed by my silly yankee healthy requests.... there were plenty of sugary breads for sale.

#3. frustration: "is it healthy?"
this past weekend i ate at "natural deli" with a friend. on the menu they listed their 'natural' drinks. we decided on a blueberry and peach juice to share. when the waitress appeared at our table i asked if the juice was natural. she confidently said yes. when she returned with the juice she promptly opened it and poured it into our glasses. as she walked away i picked up the bottle, read the ingredients; one of which was high fructose corn syrup. (this is not natural or healthy)

what i get so mad and frustrated with is that this failure is a reoccurring theme. even when i try to plan and be strategic, knowing how the city works i still loose the food fight.

photos: anti u.s. graffiti II

2009-12-14T17:38:00.003-05:00

in all honesty i don't see much anti u.s. graffiti, so when i do, it stands out.

in addition, after living here for one year, only one person has made an anti-u.s. comment to me...and it was a bush comment, so maybe that doesn't count.

photos: a day in the park

2009-12-13T22:25:00.006-05:00

(photo above: i love jesus sticker. since jesus is a spanish name, i wonder if the sticker is referring to the big guy upstairs or an argentine jesus?)
(photo above: yellow blooming trees are shedding their blossoms)
as my friend and i entered the park we immediately saw strange people walking around...i mean really strange, but there didn't seem to be any rationale or theme to all their costumes.

the girl above in the eyeball mask and eyeball dress was just strolling around the park. the woman in the table cloth was just sitting on the bench seemingly waiting for someone.photo below: there was a ninja was drinking mate...
the guy below was practicing martial arts. after his practice he was 'slow motion running around the park'...it was super funny.
photo below: this guy was dressed up like a buffalo who was charging everyone. he would start out by stomping his feet, preparing to run, then he'd charge straight at you...
photo below: at times the strange people in the park would interact.
i still don't know why, what ever it was, it made me smile and laugh.

just another day in the park in buenos aires.

photo: moving truck

2009-12-13T16:40:00.003-05:00

(photo above: mover taking a siesta.)
Notice how there are baskets in the back of the truck? The moving company doesn't give you boxes; instead you put your things in these huge baskets.)

photo: get in line

2009-12-13T16:31:00.002-05:00

(photo above: waiting in line for a bus)
Waiting in line is a pretty normal thing. No one seems to complain, whether it be an ATM line, a huge supermarket line or a line for the bus.

One time I was in a line of 10-15 waiting. When the bus came to a stop it went about 12 feet past the first person. Everyone waited for the first person to get on the bus even though the last person in line was right in front of the door. Also men generally let women onto the bus first. I really like this especially when the bus driver starts to drive away and the door is still open and the last person is right on the ledge with half their body out the door.

photo: spiciness

2009-12-12T09:38:00.002-05:00

(photo above from left to right: for the argentines, for the mexicans, very spicy)

argentines do not like spicy foods; the blander and saltier the better, so it was nice for me to find some spiciness at a taco shop.

photos: Lujan

2009-12-08T21:33:00.011-05:00

i made the pilgrimage to argentina's beloved city of Lujan.

st.patrick is to ireland as lujan is to argentina. (so she's the shit.)

(photo above: almost immediately after we stepped off the bus we made our first friend who followed us all the way to the church, stopping when we stopped)
(photo above: a saintly dog made it into the church and was sleeping under a pew)

(photo above: i'm going to just be honest. i knew the real lujan was going to be small but i didn't realize what dark skin she would have. to my defense all the lujan souvenirs statues have white skin.)(photo above: stepping out of the church; many stray dogs were taking their siesta)
(photo above: the main street in lujan. it's a tiny town.)
(photo above: christmas trees for sale)
(photo above: the only graffiti i could find)

(photo above: for all the stray dogs in lujan this pooch has the life)
(photo above: the house numbers in lujan are BLUE! in b.a. they are all white)

(photo above: all the vendors in front of the church.....all sell the SAME thing)

(photo above: lujan hot plate 45 pesos)
(photo above: pick your lujan any lujan)
(photo above: hot dog stand)

photo: Núñez

2009-12-08T16:40:00.002-05:00

the evil 29

2009-12-08T16:17:00.007-05:00

this past weekend a friend and i went to check out núñez together (a neighborhood in the north of buenos aires). we consulted the guia-t (bus bible) and determined that the 29 was the bus we needed. equipped with coins we boarded bus 29. while en route we followed the map to make sure we knew about where to get off. then the bus made a funny turn...then another strange turn, where was this bus going?

we weren't in núñez any more but instead in another neighborhood in the other direction, so we quickly got off and consulted the guia-t again. ah-ha! there are two bus number 29's but they are both called 29 but they don't go to the same place! guff, i should know this by now that some buses have the same number but go different places.

(whoever you are out there that plans these buses have you ever thought of adding perhaps an A or B to the bus line? or how about just giving it another number, eh?) i determined that the bus we got onto was the evil 29.

(photo above: we came across some graffiti art in Olivos while we were lost)
(photo above: graffiti art in Olivos)
(photo above: art in front of "la escuela guerra naval" that depicts the disappeared. this building is now a memorial for the people who disappeared during the argentine dirty war between 1976-1983. between 9,000 and 30,000 people,depending on the source, had been killed or disappeared.)

christmas confusion

2009-12-08T13:27:00.004-05:00

there is no feeling of christmas in the air. maybe because the air is 75 degrees and tends to be humid?

i constantly forget that it's christmas time. the other day i walked into the grocery store and the first display was of christmas foods. while wearing flip-flops and a summer dress i thought to myself, "that is strange, why do they have christmas food on display, it's summertime".

another day i was in "easy" (the home depot of argentina). again, wearing my flip-flops, the christmas music was blaring. on one side of the aisle there were your typical christmas decorations and on the other side of the aisle were patio sets.

giddy up!

2009-12-05T18:46:00.007-05:00

i went horseback riding once before in b.a., but i didn't write about it though. during that time i was going through a ruff period with work and the life that surrounded work. but that ride, 2 months ago, i'll never forget.

2 months ago i couldn't stop thinking about my work situation and my life here. that day that i went horseback riding bad thoughts clouded my thinking, it's all i could think about and i couldn't shake it. i felt like i couldn't do anything right and everything was falling apart. the owner of the horses and the group leader encouraged me to gallop. i would try and then quickly say no; it just wasn't working. he was kind and patient and kept encouraging me. i was at a point where i wanted to turn around; i just couldn't do it and my already bad mindset was getting the best of me.......then, all of a sudden, i was galloping, with complete ease. that moment that i was galloping i didn't hear anything else, i just felt the movement, all my negative thoughts were gone and i was able to just focus on the moment. what an amazing feeling, what an amazing mental health instant recovery.

--------

this weekend i woke up early to go horseback riding again. i needed it just one more time before leaving argentina. (that natural high, the same natural high i feel from salsa too) the experience is like no other (ok, maybe it's like salsa). it's easily the best 180 pesos i can spend. both exercise and rushes of positive energy.

we took the 129Plaza bus from Once. it was a 40 min rainy ride. unfortunately the rain never let up. at the farm we sat in a gazebo drinking coffee, chatting while waiting, then we all decided just to go. at first i was hesitant, not sure if i was going to be miserable riding in the chilly rain. we were given hats (safety helmets with a brim (and waterproof too) and we were also given ponchos. once we were up on the horses and moving the rain didn't bother me at all! at times it felt nice, especially when galloping.

this was probably my last time riding in argentina. in a way it feels like my last salsa in the states before leaving. the day was perfect, everything about it, i even enjoyed the rainy day. what a wonderful amazing memory i'll always have.

http://www.caballos-alapar.com

photos: fabric row

2009-12-03T15:33:00.003-05:00

Taken in the Once area on Lavalle, between Pueyrredon and Pasteur.

11 pesos of happiness

2009-12-02T21:57:00.006-05:00

there is no doubt that i love argentine ice cream. for how much i complain about the food here, ice cream kinda makes up for it (kinda). on the days where i have no appetite and i don't eat three meals a day, i let myself substitute a meal with ice cream. (at least i get some calories)

what adds to my 11:30pm - midnightish experience is that the heladeria staff knows me and happily greets me when i walk in the door (i love the small town feel of my neighborhood). it's like cheers but in an ice cream parlor kind of way.

being honest, now that it's summer time again, i'm there 4-5 times a week. i love the stuff. especially at the midnight hour (pre-bedtime).

i will surely miss searching for 11 pesos, running out the door, hair a mess, just made it in the heladeria and the big smiles that await me midnight ice cream dash...then the slow enjoyment of 250 grams of heaven.

photo: brains

2009-12-02T17:33:00.003-05:00

found at the local supermarket. there is never a shortage of brains, intestine, kidneys, and the rest of the cow, however i can't always find limes, cucumber, red onions, cilantro, mint, and my list could go on...

photos: Villa Crespo & Chacarita

2009-12-01T17:41:00.012-05:00

today i went on a walk through Villa Crespo and Chacarita. in my opinion both are not tourist neighborhoods. i base my rationale on the number of whistles and odd men behavior i encountered today. on a normal day around my neighborhood i receive 2 to 3 whistles or comments a day. at this point, it's a normal to me. if they didn't catcall me i would question why not. today i received 2-3 catcalls per block. today was a kind of day where i wished i DIDN'T know enough spanish. as i walked past one man he told me my boobs looked delicious. eww.

besides the constant catcalls, i enjoyed my walk and all the graffiti art i found...

(photo above: hey! i think this is a bike line??? well, i'm not the only one who isn't sure; a block down there are a couple cars parked in it. typical, eh?)
(photo above: car for sale, hence the yellow jug on the roof)
(photo above: love this little demon. somedays i feel just like how he looks)(photo above: an old lady was giving her dog some fresh air, allowing him to hang out the window. i stopped to pet him and talk to her. both were so sweet)
(photo above: LLAMA!)
(photo above: this was my favorite of the day)
(photo above: taken in palermo hollywood)(photo above: taken in palermo hollywood)(photo above: i thought he was fake at first...but wasn't. i wonder if he thought the floral table cloth were real flowers)
(photo above: movie shoot in palermo hollywood)

hello telo

2009-11-30T20:59:00.005-05:00

ok, so i'm just going to admit it...i'm curious about the telos (no tell motels)

most have a parking garage to hide your car...er um 'park' your car. this one calls the parking garage "private beach".
telos are widely popular and accepted. argentines tend to live at home a lot longer than in the states and in my opinion tend to cheat a lot more than in the u.s. (but that is my opinion)

the other day when i passed a telo with friend i expressed how much i wanted to see the inside. he said why not, so we went in to check out prices.

to me it looked like something out of a movie. something between tacky and sexy. i think in the 80's it would have been more sexy.

if you're just as curious as me, here is a site with photos of all the telos and photos of the rooms that are sometimes themed
(tip: room = habitaciones).
http://www.alberguestransitorios.com/

i drive a pomegranate car

2009-11-28T15:01:00.006-05:00

this morning i was laying in the park studying. two interesting things happened.

in the botanical gardens there is a part of the park where a sketchy "spanish teacher" hangs out. he looks normal and nice enough. today was the 3rd time in a year that he approached me. (obviously not remembering me even though i always seem to hang out in his part of the park).

on each occasion he sits down on a bench... watches... then starts talking on his phone "to a student" and then walks over to me...talks more...then asks to borrow my pen that i'm using...talks more...writes down the "students" phone number...hangs up, then asks if i speak spanish, where i'm from, introduces himself as a spanish teacher, bla bla bla... then tells me his teaching methodology... bla bla bla.

after i shooed him away, i resumed studying fruit names and tree names. i came across the translation for pomegranate (the fruit ). the translation is granada... why does that sound so familiar to me???

(photo above: Ford Granada)( granada / pomegranate photo from: http://www.medicinewithoutprescriptions.com/2009/03)
(Ford Granada photo from: http://webnerhouse.com/2009/05/18/real-lemons/)

photo: rainbow out my window

2009-11-27T19:31:00.000-05:00

awww, i love moments like this!

last dentist appt.

2009-11-27T11:52:00.005-05:00

two weeks ago i went to a new dentist, a dentist that is in my health insurance plan. she cleaned my teeth and i asked her to take x-rays to make sure i didn't have any cavities. she told me i'd have to go to an office that specializes in x-rays. she wrote me a recommendation.

the next day i went to the x-ray specialist and had x-rays taken of all my teeth. afterward, they gave me all the x-rays to hold onto. (seems like the doctors here don't keep your records, rather you do).

yesterday i went back to the dentist, knowing that a filling of mine was cracked and needed to be replaced. i was so happy to find out the rest of my teeth were healthy, yay! so, she proceeded to remove the old filling in order to replace it. long story short, she wasn't gentle, she was sloppy and i was very uncomfortable. after she was done i told her the tooth didn't feel right. she told me my cheek was still numb and that when it wore off it would feel better. that wasn't the case. it still didn't feel right.

so, today, not wanting to go back to 'dentista dolor' and not wanting to make an appointment at another dentist i went to the hospital.

[the hospital provides non-emergency immediate doctors appointments within the hospital. it's included in the plan.]

when i went into make an appointment to see a dentist, i was told to go up stairs to the next floor. on the 2nd floor (1st floor in argentina) i told a secretary that i needed to see a dentist. i handed her my insurance card and then i explained to a dental assistant what my problem was. behind the receptionist's desk there were several dental exam rooms. i only waited 10 minutes until i saw a dentist. (10 minutes!) luckily she spoke english and it took her just 2 minutes to fix my tooth.

hospital aleman had nicer, more modern equipment than the dentist's office that i previously visited. the dentist at the hospital was much more gentle too.

[fyi: everything was covered by the plan. i didn't pay for the cleaning, x-rays, new filling or when the dentist fixed the filling the next day.]

that's it for me. no more dentist appointments for 6 months or a year.

(big healthy smile from me)

the feast

2009-11-27T11:38:00.002-05:00

i'm not talking about the big thanksgiving feast i had yesterday, but rather the nightly feast the mosquitoes have on me.

yesterday i woke up with a swollen eye. they got me twice on the eyebrow and once under the same eye on my cheek; it's still swollen today.

i sleep with a fan on me, thinking they can't fly well in the wind, however they can still land well.

now that it's getting hotter, it's harder to sleep covered up by my blanket, but if i don't... i'm doomed. just when my face and back stick out i wake up with bites. i know could lather up in OFF mosquito repellent before bed, but i try not to use a lot of nasty chemicals on my skin. i also tried burning citronella incense last night.

tomorrow i'm going to go shopping for a mosquito net and look into natural citronella oil or lotion.

photos: Boedo

2009-11-24T17:47:00.009-05:00

one of my favorite things to do in buenos aires is to explore new neighborhoods. today a friend and i went to the neighborhood of Boedo.
(photo above: hey! today is the 24th of November!)
(photo above: lunch at Pan y Arte on Av.Boedo)
(photo above: a cafe along Av.Boedo)
(photo above: walking up to the "Museo Monte de Piedad" or the Bank Museum on Av.Boedo. We got a free private guided tour. The museum was really nice and interesting. The tour was all in Spanish but I was able to understand the tour guide. Her Spanish was clear. )(photo above: Esquina del Tango Sur on Av.Boedo)
(photo above: the Boedo library)
(photo above: indoor soccer arena)
(photo above: a step back in time)
(photo above: the argentine love of the bum. i could never imagine this sign in the states, eh?)
(photo above: wall of fruits and veggies)
(photo above: i can't say it enough....i love love love the graffiti art of buenos aires)
(photo above: something else that just wouldn't fly in the u.s.)
More info on the neighborhood of Boedo: http://www.boedomas10.com.ar/
The 160 bus goes there from Palermo.

photo: the scent of playboy

2009-11-23T22:41:00.001-05:00

1 year in Argentina!

2009-11-23T15:37:00.008-05:00

One year ago today I arrived in Buenos Aires. What a truly amazing year it has been!

Buenos Aires is an amazing city. There will always be a special place in my heart for Tina. Always.

Today not only marks my one year anniversary but it also marks the beginning of a new journey.

This morning I bought a one-way ticket to Ecuador. I'll leave my lovely Tina in just one month.

The last two months for me were difficult. I went through a ruff period. I wasn't happy with my job and it seemed to affect every part of my life. I have the mentality that if something is not working, than I need to do something to change it. A solution doesn't always pop into my head, but rather it comes to me slowly, but it comes with assurance, assurance that it's the right decision. there's no doubt and my heart knows it.

I want a career where I can make a difference and where I have the feeling of making a difference. Living a green eco-friendly life has always appealed to me. I want to turn this interest into a career. I want to make a difference in our world, in our environment.

To make this happen, I'll live in Ecuador for two months. I'll volunteer on an eco-project. After Ecuador I'll go to Colombia and then to another country that begins with a 'C'. Come the end of March I'll make my re-entry into the U.S.A.

I'm truely happy and I'm truly looking forward to my new adventure. I'm going to learn so much, gain experience in the field, and grow. Once I return to the U.S, I'm looking forward to eating and dating again.

I have the same excited, with a dash of fear feeling of joy that I had when I made the choice to move to Argentina. I never regretted the decision and this decision feels right too.

I loved my year here more than anyone can know, but I can feel it's time to move on.

photos: the parks of palermo

2009-11-18T15:23:00.006-05:00

hi my name is pigeon

2009-11-17T10:42:00.001-05:00

in my spanish lesson last week i learned that "Paloma" (pigeon) is a woman's name.

was that what i thought it was

2009-11-16T21:45:00.005-05:00

tonight i was having dinner with a friend in the palermo nuevo neighborhood. it's a very nice upper class barrio. after our dinner, around 10pm, we were walking towards santa fe (a major avenue) to head back to our apartment.

on our walk back we were deep in conversation. i noticed a woman with high high boots and a short short skirt. she stood-out right away because she looked like a prostitute in the nice neighborhood. as we got closer i wondered why she had her back turned and was standing so close to a building alcove. when we were only 6-7 feet from her, we realized she was peeing....standing up....then she shook it.

my friend and i both continued to walk, then a half block later grabbed each others arm with a face of shock..."no way!" "was that a.......?" "oh my god!" "hahahahaha"

as we rounded the corner on santa fe we passed a subway staircase. a man with a red tee-shirt ran up the stairs with a small black bag and hopped into an armored truck with guard standing next to the door. then another red tee-shirt man and then a third. all three ran up the subway stairs with a black bag and hopped into the armored truck. as the truck pulled away they put up a sign in their window "hola linda" (hi pretty).

photos: palermo viejo market

2009-11-15T13:52:00.004-05:00

saturday farmers market around "plaza armenia" / "plaza palermo viejo" on armenia and costa rica streets.

photos: jacaranda arbols

2009-11-13T18:51:00.005-05:00

my favorite month in buenos aires is november. the weather is warm, 70's-80's, the sky is always blue and the trees are bursting with purple.

a day of doc appts

2009-11-12T16:58:00.007-05:00

i feel like an old person....well, no not really, but my schedule today was one of an old person... it was filled with doctors appointments.

nothing wrong, just trying to make use of my new health insurance plan.

Dentist
i switched dentists, my last dentist isn't in my plan. my new dentist came to me as a recommendation. she was nice, spoke little english, but we made it work. she cleaned my teeth. first with an annoying ultra sonic water-pick like thing. it bothered me so much i told her to stop. uff the sensation of nails on a chalk board went right through me. next she cleaned my teeth and then gave me a referral to get an x-ray taken at another office. the appointment was included in my insurance so i didn't need to pay.

Contact Lenses
while walking up santa fe avenue i stopped in just about every eye glass place looking for new specs and contacts. i stopped in one place and got a quote on contacts. (insurance doesn't cover these). i have a astigmatism in one eye, so those contacts are a little more expensive. so, for 6 contacts for my astigmatism eye it was 340 pesos ($89) and 6 contacts for my other eye 195 pesos ($51); i was just shopping around.

Eye Doctor again and contact lenes
i already went to the eye doctor last week. i saw an older woman doctor who didn't speak english. she was sort of strange. when she took my glasses off she used a machine to examine them to get my prescription and then handed them back to me all smudged up. so, i asked her to clean them and she gave me a strange look. then she asked me to lean forward to examine my eyes and instead of telling me 'ok' she gave me a slight shove back in the chair! sheesh no bed side manners there.

so, today, i went to another place that sells eye glasses and asked for a price on contacts. the man took my name, i sat down and then was called right away. a woman asked me for all my info and i told her that i didn't need a doctor i just wanted a price. she told me to take a seat in the other waiting room. then a young doctor came out to get me, we walked into a eye examination room and i told him i just wanted a price on contacts and that i already saw a doctor and gave him the prescription. he said ok and motioned to the chair, took out my contacts and examined my eyes. my spanish isn't the best, but i was able to make this clear...why didn't he want to understand me?

so, he examined my eyes, handed me off to another older doctor who spoke english to me. he put in a new pair of lens, examined my eyes and gave me a price for the same lenses i found earlier in the day but his price was double (over 1000 pesos). when i gave the older doctor my earlier quote he looked stunned (maybe because he was caught giving me the ol' foreigner fee, eh?) he couldn't' come up with a reason so he just said, yes it's cheaper.

allllllllll that and i just left, without contacts and without paying either (i guess all the fuss was covered by my insurance?) (wait, i did leave with a new pair of contacts in.) i didn't mind so much wasting the time, the young doctor was cute.

more doctors
i went into 'hospital aleman' to ask for a recommendation on an english speaking doctor but ended up there for 3 hours....

so, in spanish i asked the front desk for an english speaking doctor. a doctor was right next to me and asked why i wanted to see one. i told her what i needed and she told me i needed to see two different doctors. (in the states one family doctor could have done the job)

so, then the guy at the front desk handed me over to another lady who handed me over to another and then another lady. i gave my plan medico card and she scheduled two appointments at this time. the first doctor i saw didn't speak any english, and then the second doctor spoke english to me. the doctor visits were included in my plan. i did have to pay 160 pesos for the yellow fever and typhoid vaccination. the injection itself was included in the insurance plan.

glasses
on my walk home, only a couple blocks from my apartment i found a new pair of glasses that i love! pretty funny since i walked pretty much all of florida (a pedestrian street) and all of santa fe (a long avenue) and i found them right around the corner. the other day i fell in love with a pair of dolce&gabbana glasses on florida street but they're 2400 pesos ($631) ouch! the ones i found today are just as super cute and they'll be around 600 pesos ($162)...but i forgot to ask if i get a discount since i have insurance...so maybe they'll be less? (the price is with the lenses and an anti reflective material on them)

over all going to the doctor here is similar to the states, unless i've been away from the states for too long that i've become accustom to the ways here. for the most part i always spoke spanish (because i wanted to) but on some occasions when i didn't understand i was surprised that the doctors didn't speak much english. on one occasion the doctor left the room to get another doctor to explain something, so my recommendation, if you live in b.a. and want to see a doctor, either know spanish or take someone with you who does. you'll get by with basic spanish.

photo: city tree down

2009-11-09T22:19:00.002-05:00

we've been having a lot of rain in b.a. lately. my new super cool rain boots have already paid off.

this fallen tree came down across a major street. i can only imagine the grid lock that incurred when it came down.

photo: avenida a la noche

2009-11-05T19:06:00.001-05:00

photos: anti u.s. graffiti

2009-11-04T20:44:00.008-05:00

the last work of graffiti is my favorite. [get out yankees ]

the creator of this work wasn't thinking about their target audience. if they intended to offend the "yanki" audience (people from the u.s.) than they should have communicated in a language most americans know. i think english would have been more effective on this one.

Plan Medico / Health Insurance

2009-11-03T16:09:00.003-05:00

so, i finally got some health insurance.

a friend of mine did all the leg work, i just asked her some questions and followed her steps.

last week i went to Hospital Aleman, i sat down with a woman in the Plan Medico office. we spoke all in english. she told me about the different plans. i got the most basic (A3). it covers everything. if i want to see a doctor at the hospital (not emergency but no appointment either) it cost 10 pesos ($2.60), if i want the doctor to come to my apartment it cost 15 pesos ($4.00), but if i make an appointment and go to the doctor's office than it's free. i can go to the psycologist 30 times for just 18 pesos ($4.70) each visit and more...

i asked to see the next plan up (A6). she explained that it was a similar plan with no co-payment and plastic surgery was included. huh? i said to her "while i'm not interested in plastic surgery can you explain to me how it works?". she told me i have to be with the plan for one year an then i can have one free plastic surgery.

i opted for the (A3) plan. the month of november there is a 50% promotion. [warning: if you're american hold onto your seat]. for the month of november i paid 167 pesos ($44) to see any kind of doctor and it's all included in the plan. next month i'll pay 350 pesos ($92).

calle chino

2009-10-24T20:38:00.008-04:00

i went to "barrio chino" (china town) today. it's super tiny so i refer to it as "calle chino" (china street).

i was told that i can get so many more types of cooking ingredients in barrio chino than the regular argentine supermarkets. it's not far from my apartment, maybe a 10 minute bus ride. i've been to barrio chino before but i didn't look in any of the "chinos" (chinese grocery stores). i thought they would just have chinese food. so wrong...so wrong.

they had a lot of variety. spices, loose leaf tea, sauces, and....fruit. i found limes (which are sometimes hard to find) and i got my beloved passion fruit that i can't find anywhere else in the city (so yippy). i also found what i thought was lemongrass so i asked a supermarket employee "que es esto" (what is this)....lemongrass she answered back. so i asked "como se dice lemongrass in espanol" (how do you say lemongrass in spanish?) "lemongrass" she responded.

one chino we walked into stank. it was such a strong stench i had to hold my nose.

here are the stench suspects...

(photo above: pigs feet)(photo above: chicken feet)
(photo above: more chicken feet)
(photo above: liver)
(photo above: heart)
(photo above: clams? what are those things coming out of the clams?)
(photo above: i don't see a safety hazard in this photo? big knife where anyone can grab it? what?)
(photo above: octopus)(photo above: sugar cane)

sos hermosa

2009-10-24T20:23:00.005-04:00

this afternoon i was at a cafe with a friend. after lunch she studied and i was on my computer. we had the same waiter we normally have; he's really nice, quick and polite.

after a couple hours in the cafe (very normal here to hog a table at a popular cafe for hours)...the waiter quickly came over to me, set down a flower and a note and walked away. it happened so quickly i didn't process what happened until he already walked away...
the note said "you are beautiful" and his name.

ahhhh, so sweet. it really made my day.

home hyperlink

2009-10-19T21:42:00.005-04:00

I'm back in B.A.. I returned this morning. I got to see my family and I got to eat American food. It was much more difficult to come back this time. I started to feel anxiety as soon as I knew my time was up. I didn't want to return.

While waiting for my flight back, the airline announced that the flight was full and that there were people standing-by. "ohhh" I thought, maybe they'll ask for volunteers to give up their seat!? It wasn't the case though, so I boarded as normal.

As the plane lifted off I felt sad, in my mind I was saying "no no no". Shortly after I fell asleep.

When I woke up the plane was low enough for me to see B.A. (province). Once the plane landed I wasn't happy or sad. Once I got off the plane it felt so normal, knowing where to go, picking up my bag and walking out of the airport. It felt just normal to see the city on the way home, to walk into my apartment, to take a shower and to head off to work. In a weird way it feels like home....but it's not....but where is home?
(The photo of the graffiti art above is perfect for how I'm feeling. Where would it go if I click the home link?)

blog break

2009-10-11T17:53:00.005-04:00

i'll be out of town for a bit. (town = buenos aires and a bit = 'bout a week).

photo: alcohol delivery

2009-10-07T20:11:00.002-04:00

virtually everything is deliverable in b.a., alcohol and cigarettes included. this company delivers without a charge, their ad says to "consume with moderation" and they won't sell to anyone under 18. "Speed" is what we call "Red Bull" or "Energy Drink"
some examples of their drinks are: 6 beers and snacks for 25 pesos ($6.50), smirnoff and 4 red bulls 53 pesos ($14)

photo: the PINK house

2009-10-06T19:16:00.003-04:00

'casa rosada' (pink house) is like the u.s. white house but the argentina president doesn't live there; just work. well, lately the 'pink' house is living up to it's name. not only is it pink (or something close to a salmon color or a burnt sienna) during the day but at night there are PINK lights on it making it a pink panther color.

update: i read in the newspaper today that the casa rosada is lit up pink for breast cancer awareness month.

photo: my eco bag friend

2009-10-05T18:23:00.000-04:00

tired of contributing to buenos aires' waste, i bought a reusable bag to do grocery shopping. it's not only better for the environment, but i can now comfortably carry more bottles of wine home.

reusable bag: 8 pesos ($2.10)

photo: barfy burgers

2009-10-04T19:44:00.000-04:00

photos: villa devoto

2009-09-28T23:34:00.009-04:00

Photos from a barrio in the west of buenos aires city (capital) called Villa Devoto.

(photo below: pipe cleaner looking flower)
(photo below: "Caution Dangerous Crossing"...hmmm, one of these should be at every intersection in the city)
(photo below: car registration sticker)
(photo below: painting in the park)
(photo below: kiddy park traffic. it seemed like every kid was driving some sort of mini vehicle)
(photo below: cruising in the park)
(photo below: i witnessed so many kiddy car accidents. most of the time the kids were looking to the left as the car was moving to the right. in the photo below the little girl was still moving as she was looking back waving.)
(photo below: this is my favorite photo from the day. she reminds me of a granny on a jazzy scooter)(photo below: ice cream time)
(photo below: my new flavor...passion fruit!!!! it was hidden by the mango ice cream on the top)
(photo below: on the train home we passed many poor dwellings along the tracks.)
(photo below: it appeared the cartoneros (trashpickers) were unloading and sorting recycles here )
(photo below: there is no problem hanging out the door while the train is still rapidly moving )

6 things that make me smile

2009-09-27T13:45:00.001-04:00

1. being able to walk to work

2. seeing palm trees everyday

3. men who still whistle at me when i'm having a bad hair day, wearing glasses, baggy pants and sneakers

4. greeting and acknowledging everyone when you walk into a room with a cheek kiss

5. looking out my window and seeing green leaves on the trees

6. my new rain boots on a rainy day

150 pesos ($40) for the rain boots.

1yr.later: removable things-gone

2009-09-25T20:39:00.011-04:00

one year ago i was still in the planning stage of moving to b.a.. i over came many internal hurdles to move here. something like "how can i give up a great job, a 401k, health insurance" and on and on.

some other internal issues i was having was giving up all my belongings, all my possessions. i really thought i would feel worthless if i didn't have anything to show for my X number of years in school. i would have nothing tangible to prove to society that i was successful.

well, that was my fear then...one year later and i have no regrets. at times i miss driving my car but that's about it.

i'm glad i made the move.

read my post from one year ago titled: removable things gone

the joy train

2009-09-25T19:31:00.005-04:00

all aboard! er...um...last call?

in b.a. people can rent a "train" or um a "drunk bus" for celebrations. when i've seen the train at night, there was always loud music coming from it and the people inside were always drinking and dancing. occasionally i see dressed up characters dancing with the people too. there may have been a dancing part of anatomy on this train.
Tren de la alegria

feria de mataderos

2009-09-24T18:32:00.015-04:00

this past weekend i went to the "feria de mataderos" or in english the "slaughterhouse market".

the neighborhood is called "mataderos" (slaughterhouse) because...well, it used to be an area of live stock markets and slaughterhouses. the area is far away from the center of the city, well back then it was, now it is a neighborhood within the city of buenos aires, and no longer a area of slaughterhouses. It took one hour to get there by colectivo.

i really enjoyed the market. there were more handcrafted goods than the other markets in the center of the city and there were real gauchos (argentine cowboys). there was dancing, both a show and people on the street, tons of food and what looked like a guacho horse race on the street.

(photo below: the llama is wearing a for sale sign. the sign reads "Llama for sale")(photo below: ok ok, so the sign really reads "LLAM for sale")
(photo below: the sign on the wall reads "cine" cinema)(photo below: gaucho dancing)(photo below: gaucho dancing)
(photo below: people in the streets gaucho dancing)(photo below: even a nun is gaucho dancing)(photo below: cooking beef on the street or a grill over the street.)(photo below: home made alcohol)
(photo below: i love this llama! (pronounced "shama" in argentina). check out his tiny sombrero and pacifier around his neck )(photo below: the sign clearly states "no parking". must be an illiterate horse)(photo below: gaucho gearing up for a fast pace canter down a macadam street. once at the end he stands up in the sturrups positions his knive and trys to put his knife through a hanging ring)(photo below: giddy up)(photo below: putting a new ring up for the gauchos)(photo below: llama still for sale but with a new sign)

tip: take the 92 collectivo, it drops you off right at the fair (Av.Directorio and Av.Lisandro de La Torre) the stop to take it back to the centro/recoleta/palermo area is right there too (on Av.Lisandro de La Torre very close to the intersection of Av.Directorio). both tell the bus driver where you are going so he can tell you and follow the route in your guia-t or another map so that you know when you are close. it will take one hour from recoleta.

balcony protest

2009-09-21T22:36:00.003-04:00

after work i met up with a friend, on our walk back to our apartments we heard a bunch of noise in our neighborhood. i slowed down looking closely for something, anything that could be making the all that noise. i got a bit scared thinking there was a protest in my neighborhood. i was trying to see where it was coming from so that i could avoid it...but then i noticed there wasn't a large group on the street protesting, rather the people in the balconies were protesting... or celebrating, or scaring away winter hoping it will never come back?

The noise was ricocheting between the buildings.

i now regret not getting my pots and pans out and joining my neighbors. next balcony protest i'll be out there!

chau winter, hello spring

2009-09-21T22:32:00.000-04:00

Bonjour Spring!

5 things that scare me

2009-09-17T19:00:00.003-04:00

1. looking at a map and seeing just how south i really am

2. walking away from the atm

3. taxi drivers once they hear my spanish

4. ordering from a menu in b.a. and not knowing how it's going to look and taste

5. living in argentina forever (love it, but i can't imagine forever...sorry tina)

if you're happy and you know it

2009-09-16T19:29:00.004-04:00

when i returned to b.a., from my visit to the states in late july, there was a strong indicator that i would have a new job that would require me to stay in b.a. for another year. i was thinking that if i didn't get the job i would consider moving back to the u.s..

when i learned i got the job i was extremely excited. in so many ways it is perfect for me, my career and my life here, but at the same time it invoked fear of having to commit to argentina for a year or more. i'm still struggling with this feeling, but i'm accepting the permanency more with each day. to tell you the truth this isn't an argentina specific problem. i felt the same way (pre-argentina move) when i thought about living in the u.s. my whole life and never having the opportunity to live abroad. i'm not sure i have the ability to commit to a country.

it's like tina and i were just dating. if i wanted to break-up it wouldn't have been that difficult and i could have found many justifications to leave her. now it's like we're engaged (not married). it's more difficult to break up, it's still possible but a lot harder, especially when tina is treating me so well.

i've decided to overcome my commitment phobia with tina by addressing my issues and trying to create solutions. i think this will help me deal with my commitment phobia; at least temporarily.

i realized all this last night when i was salsa dancing.

dancing gives me so much joy; to hear the music, to dance, to be exercising and to feel healthy. it puts me in a fantastic mood. so, when i was walking home afterward i realized that i haven't felt that happy in a long time (except the day when i received the news about the job)(and when i visited the states in july and saw friends and my family...that made me extremely happy)

i realized that i was in a rut and still mulling over the idea of being a resident of b.a., at least until april 2011. i'm getting use to the idea and i'm happy that this growing pain is almost through.

not too many people can say they followed their dream. i'm happy and i know it.

aqualactica

2009-09-12T15:11:00.009-04:00

this weekend i couldn't get enough sun and fresh air... i also couldn't stop admiring the blue blue sky and the tiny new leaves on the trees.

saturday morning when i woke up i went to my favorite park to sit in the grass and read...i've been having trouble concentrating lately, so reading didn't quite work out, so i just closed my eyes and lay in the sun. i had on a long sleeve shirt and thin summer pants; so wasn't very hot out but in the sun it was just right.

after the park i changed into gym clothes and jogged to my 2nd favorite park. once i reached the park i heard violins. it was 3 guys, two large speakers, their strings and some really beautiful music. so, i joined the scattered crowd on the grass, closed my eyes and just listened to these guys...

(photo above: taken from aqualactica's facebook page.)

this impromptu concert is one of the things i love about this city. i truly enjoyed the music.

later in the day i met a friend at "natural deli"; it's my new heavenly eatery. there wasn't a boring thing on the menu. i had a brie and fruit sandwich on a pita with grains and raisins! yum.

sunday morning i went back to my 2nd favorite park and rented roller blades for 10 pesos ($2.60) an hour. my first lap around the lagoon and i was a little wobbly and my muscles already hurt, but by the second lap i was in a groove just swaying back and forth on the "rollers" <---that's what they're called here). it felt really good after not working out all winter long (the last 3 months).

after rollerblading i met a friend for lunch near the park. after some lunch we dodged all the people in the park (the park population doubled in size in the late afternoon.) then we found a spot in the grass and sat there talking, taking in the sun.

it was a nice sun filled weekend.

the museum

2009-09-11T18:38:00.005-04:00

this week i went to the museum. no no, it's not sophisticated and intellectual like it sounds, it's quite the opposite. museum is a club.

well, i didn't exactly know what i was getting myself into when i accepted the invitation but i did know that it was a bar / happy hour kind of place.

myself and two friends arrived a little after 9pm. the place was huge. the entire downstairs is open with high ceilings and there are two additional levels but only around the parameter, leaving the center open.

we arrived to a sea of handsome, tall, well dressed argentine men. the men really are handsome here. after some admiration, we had something to eat. but, by the time we finished our food and drinks most of the handsome happy hour crowd left. the downstairs was filled with seating when we arrived, but it was being removed, the lights were being dimmed and the grabby dance floor experience was starting to form. i wasn't mentally prepared. i was still in my work clothes, i wanted to relax rather than dish out discipline to the grabby hand owners. i really feel nasty wagging my finger at all of them, but it seems like they understand that more than just simply peeling their hands off my arms or wrists (this really happens).

not only was i not mentally prepared for this experience but i also wasn't prepared for all the smoking; the plumes of clouds that the dancing smokers were creating; i wish i wouldn't have worn my nice jacket.

i like to go to clubs now and then, but just on the weekends....especially when i'm able to drink myself to a comfort level where i don't mind being grabbed at...

in a sort of way i'm getting use to the grabby hands. it doesn't seem to be as annoying or shocking as when i first arrived. it seems like it's just a part of the life here...one of many things that i need to accept since I'll be here long-term.

photo: graffiti mule

2009-09-08T22:49:00.000-04:00

chicken skin

2009-09-08T21:06:00.005-04:00

"chicken skin is what goosebumps are in spanish."

what ever you call them, my body was covered in them today. spring is has retreated; winter is back. i thought i would walk to work today but once i got outside i saw just how depressing it was (raining and very very cold (40's)) i took a bus half way to work (there isn't a direct bus) at least i don't have to do the subte smoosh anymore.

tonight, next to my bed was a fan from the heat wave two weeks ago. i had to swap it back out for my electric heater.

however, every day the trees are greener. it gives me hope.

i'm looking forward to 7 months without chicken skin.

photo: graffiti in action

2009-09-07T23:14:00.000-04:00

photo: gripe graffiti

2009-09-06T20:33:00.003-04:00

(photo above: and this little piggy went to buy a face mask... for the"gripe porcina" (swine flu))

photo: my 50 falso

2009-09-03T20:26:00.012-04:00

(photo above: my false 50 peso note)

crap, how did this happen again? it happened once before when i first arrived. i remembered who gave me my first "falso" (a hotel) so i went back to complain and they gave me a real 20 peso note in exchange for the 20 they passed off onto me.

i know that "falsos" float around. when i receive a 50 or 100 i always check to make sure i see the metal like strip through it. when i go to use a 50 or 100 i always check it again before giving it to make sure no one does a "swapperoo" on me.

tonight i went to pay with my "falso" 50 with a metal like strip and a watermark and it was handed back to me.

if you have argentine fingers than you are skillfully trained to detect a falso by rubbing it between your finger tips. my american fingers have a more difficult time deciphering paper quality. but when this note was pointed out, i could tell the paper quality wasn't the same.

should i be honest and rip it up or should i be desperate and try to pass it off?

i'd like to think that i try to make decisions that i can be proud of...but for this time i'm going to disappoint myself. it will be my shameful mission for weekend.

UPDATE:
mission accomplished; although i don't feel accomplished.

i got rid of my falso this weekend. i thought i would feel relieved getting rid of the thing, but i don't. i feel guilty.

i tried to pay with it at a supermarket but they detected it right away. or maybe they smelled my guilt? i told some friends about my dilemma. one suggestion was to lay it down at a restaurant when paying the bill and then walk out. so, that was my non-confrontational tactic; it worked. but i felt like i was a shoplifter who was obviously leaving with a stash worth of clothing under my flasher like jacket.

what a bad feeling. i just really hope i don't get another falso. i need to practice the fingertip rubdown of money.

photo: arg.walmart beef

2009-09-01T23:26:00.006-04:00

yep, walmart is in b.a., but i've never been.

their slogan is still the same south of the equator "save money. live better"

1 kilo = 2 pounds, 1 pound = 3.245 pesos = 0.84 dollars

updated: conversions. my math was way off on that one. thanks for all the correction comments.

photo: thumb toys

2009-09-01T08:01:00.001-04:00

the chino

2009-08-31T22:00:00.004-04:00

"the chino" is how people here refer to the chinese owned grocery stores.

tonight as i'm in the middle of cooking (**thai lettuce wraps) i realized i didn't have enough soy sauce. "ummm, should i go without it, no no no, run to the chino." i tell myself.

i didn't want to change from my comfy pj pants to acceptable outside pants, but i did. if it were cold outside i probably would have ditched the idea altogether. i didn't even wear a jacket outside; perfect.

luckily my chino is only one block away. i don't know why, but the two chinos that i go to always have salsa or meringue music playing. sort of funny because i rarely hear this music being played around the city. it's funny to me to hear latin music in the chino, but no complaints from me, it's just sort of odd.

so, when i walked in, i couldn't find soy sauce. "ha ha, you know...i wouldn't be surprised if a chinese store in b.a. doesn't have soy sauce...it really wouldn't surprise me" i thought. my spanish isn't good, i wish it were better, but i at least have 'grocery store spanish' so asking wasn't a problem at all. i was told where it was, next to the spices on a separate shelf. there was only one kind and one brand...at least there was one.

at the register i told the little chinese girl bagging (in spanish) that i didn't need a bag. she looked at me strange. i said i have so many at home...she still looked at me strange.

no one carries cloth grocery bags and everyone seems to get a bag for any tiny purchase.

on this same topic when i went to the grocery store yesterday, after having my wine scanned at the check out, i put a bottle of wine in my purse. the cashier looked shocked (he just scanned it so it was obvious to him that i was paying for it). he tried to tell me no because of the cameras, i tried to tell him but i'm paying for it and my purse is much stronger than the plastic bag. in the end he was fine with it but i know he thought i was nuts.

**in order to make the thai chicken wraps in b.a. you need to go to china town for the hoisen sauce.)

spring is here

2009-08-30T20:51:00.002-04:00

i had an amazing weekend in flip flops and a sundress; spring is here.

i woke up saturday morning after a little too much wine on friday night. i crawled out of bed and threw my hair in a pony tail, put on my favorite summer dress and headed out the door...realizing i should have taken my sunglasses too.

i met a friend for coffee and medialunas and then i met up with another friend for lunch where i arrived early at our determined meeting place so that i could sit in the sun. it felt amazing...really amazing. once we met up we found a restaurant that had outside seating.

later in the night...much later (1 o'clockish) i went salsa dancing (my love). i only had one salsa song before it turned to reggaeton; so i began to pout.

a 'loverboy' type of guy must have found my pouting attractive. he came up to me to dance. in spanish i told him "i don't dance reggaeton, i prefer salsa". he had loverboy qualities because he kept saying loverboyish nice things to me and touching my arm and waist like we were dating (at least he wasn't aggressive and grabbing at me so he didn't bother me). then he suggested we go upstairs. i automatically thought "where, to the make-out room?", but when he mentioned salsa, my two friends and i went upstairs to check it out. we entered a small room where there was salsa and salsa dancing...my eyes widened and i smiled so big. this is what i wanted, what i needed.

just 2 songs and i was beat; i haven't danced in so long. it also didn't help that my feet are swollen from mosquito bites. they look like two stuffed sausages and it felt like i was dancing on rocks.

sunday afternoon (or my morning from staying out until 5am) came. i put my swim suit on with shorts and a tank top, went to my cafe to pick up some medialunas and went to the park to lie out, in the sun, on the grass.

after the park i ran into a friend we were chatting on the sidewalk for so long that we decided just to go to a cafe and have a smoothy together....outside in the warm evening air.

after catching up, i went grocery shopping for my week of food. no cucumbers or red onions...no instant mash potatoes, no limes (i went to a fancy big store in a fancy neighborhood too. why is grocery shopping so difficult?) umph.

i quickly forgot about not finding what i wanted. while carrying my heavy bags back to my apartment i didn't even mind, the air was so warm, my body is finally not covered in chills. i think i may be falling in love with buenos aires again.

photo: b.a. child bike seat

2009-08-30T19:52:00.001-04:00

photos: spring in b.a.

2009-08-30T19:49:00.005-04:00

(photo above: can you see it? there are buds on the trees)

my last student

2009-08-28T00:01:00.002-04:00

exactly one year ago today i taught my first student. it's sort symbolic that today was my last student, even though it didn't end well.

the last battle

2009-08-27T23:35:00.006-04:00

at 8am i started the day off well. it is finally warm. i don't need to wear a jacket outside and the sun was shining very bright. i enjoyed all my morning students. i really enjoy them. saying good-bye was a little hard.

since it was my last day with the morning students i dished a little gossip to one of them. i told the student that i was asked to teach a high exec based on how i look. without surprise i got the 'ojo' (watch out) under-eye pull-down. i said that i was aware. then i learned that the exec has a camera in his office. wha??? nooo!?!? i asked why and who watches it, but the student wasn't sure, but just knew that there is a camera. the student also made a comment about how, since it was one of my last days, the exec may pull out all his weapons and try to win this war.

shit, i didn't think of it like this.

i arrive a little late to the battle grounds. when i entered his office i passed the naked lady statue. she was staring at me today. he motioned to the sofa and sat next to me. the conversation started off well. he told me that his company just received a large contract. i congratulated him. he told me he wanted to celebrate by taking me out to dinner. i felt too awkward to tell him the truth so i lied again by saying there was a happy hour where i would be meeting up with my friends. he told me to ditch them, i told him he should celebrate with his wife. he said that they live together but they haven't been together in a long time.

i kept avoiding the subject and changing the subject asking him more about the new contract. he asked me to dinner friday, then monday then tuesday. i kept saying no. he finally said "if you don't want to go to dinner with me just say so, i prefer this". so I said so. then he starts in on "why? am i too old for you, don't you find me attractive?".

i think of myself as a strong willed person, but when put in this situation i feel like a little weak girl. i really have a hard time saying to some ones face "no, i am not attracted to you, i do not want to have dinner with you and you are being inappropriate." so, i kept changing the subject acting happy about his contract, ignoring his declaration of war.

finally he brought out the big guns. he leaned into me while staring deeply and said "you have the most beautiful lips". i said thank you and continued speaking about his contract. then he said "i'm not listening to anything you're saying, i'm just watching your lips".

looking back i have so many things i would have loved to say or do, but then, at that moment i felt so helpless, so awkward, so nervous, so uncomfortable. where were all my words?

luckily when i looked down, my watch signaled that the battle was coming to an end. no winners just two losers. (i lost too because i should have stood up for myself). i began collecting my things and physically stood up. i quickly passed him and walked to the door to open it. i stood right in front of the open door and then i leaned in for the customary very normal argentine cheek kiss. we said good bye and see you tomorrow for the last class.

going back and forth in my head thinking what to do. on one side i was thinking that i should go back, be strong and stand up for myself. use this as a learning opportunity, he's not my boss and it's my last day; i have nothing to lose. the other side tells me not to go into an obvious bad situation.

i think i made the right decision... i sent my boss an urgent text message. she called and i told her it was obvious that he did not want me for english lessons. i told her what happened. she honestly and sincerely sounded shocked and pissed off at him. she sincerely apologized for his behavior and kept saying sorry. i asked her what she wanted me to do. she said "don't go!!! i will call his secretary tomorrow".

for all the bad experiences i had with my boss, she really came through in the end. she seemed sincere and thought of me before her high level important student.

.....well. it looks like that was the last teaching english story from me.

i didn't go out with a bang, but i didn't wave my white flag either.

teaching english in b.a.

2009-08-26T19:03:00.008-04:00

this is my last week of teaching.

before moving here i wanted to know more about teaching english in buenos aires but i couldn't find specific information and stories. it was the initial motivator for starting the blog. so, i'll try to sum up my experience for the next wave of english teachers coming to buenos aires. over all i had a good experience.

how i found work teaching english
the best advice i could give is to start networking as soon as you land. meet people, other english teachers and ask how they found work. they might even have a job lead or extra students they don't have time to teach.

i found work through an institution by sending my resume to a long list of language schools in b.a.. i just googled 'language schools in b.a.' and sent my resume to them all. it helps to have a b.a. address on your resume and a b.a. phone number too. it's my understanding that schools don't call you if you're not already in b.a.. experience and a certification is always helpful on the resume too.

all my private students i found through recommendation. i was too cautious to teach complete strangers. some of my students, through the institution, recommended me to their friends who then recommended me to others. it took me around 4 months to find my first private student, but again that was without advertising.

pay
what is a fair hourly wage, what are others getting paid. i didn't find too much info on this. so here was my experience...

(rates are from january 2009 - august 2009)
i was paid 26 pesos an hour through the institution. after 6 months of work i asked for a raise and was granted two more peso an hour bringing my hourly rate to 28 pesos.

when i went on other interviews, at other institutions, i was offered 13 pesos at "wall street" and 25 at another that i can't remember the name.

when i first started teaching private students i charged 30 pesos per hour. after i got some more private students i raised it just for the new ones to 40 and the last student i took on 45 pesos per hour.

the work
i mostly had conversation classes; depending on the class and students. through the institute i was only given conference call simulation materials, nothing else. the first day of class i wouldn't plan anything for the student. i would ask what they wanted to improve (speaking / listening) and I would also ask in what area they wanted to improve their english (business english, general conversation), i would also ask about their interests (hobby, family, technology, politics, gossip / entertainment).

each sunday i would send an email to each of my students confirming the class date and time (sometimes over 30 emails). i would usually get emails back canceling the class, asking for another date and time or just confirming. also in the email i would tell them what we were going to do in the next class. sometimes i would email them a link to an article to read, sometimes i would ask them to watch a video on the internet or i would give them a magazine. depending on their motivation level i would ask them to choose an article or i would choose it for them.

in the very beginning i would just choose a topic and a few questions on that topic. i would ask 5 or 6 questions related to one topic like: what is healthcare like in b.a., what are the school systems like, or the university system, etc... the students seemed to like teaching me.

hours
hours ranged every month (see below). it seemed like each month i got 5 new students, lost 3 students and then lost 1 more. the number of students were never consistent. when people would ask me how many students i had i could never answer since each week was different. students would go on vacation or have meetings and the worst was when the swine flu hit. businesses canceled their classes, and all high school or university students went on an early winter break.

recommendations
if you work for an institute, ask what their cancellation policy is. i was still paid for the class if a student did not cancel more than 24 hours in advance.

ask for a raise! in the 8 months i taught 26 pesos went from $7.80 to $6.80 while my rent, which is quoted in dollars, went from 1155 to 1330 pesos per month. so, with each month i made less dollars but paid more pesos each month for my apartment.

some private students i would meet in a cafe for class. some students paid for what i was drinking while others didn't. so in those cases i usually made 20 pesos per hour since i spent around 10 pesos on coffee or tea.

advice
if i could go back and do things differently? i would take more spanish classes. i would make more time in my schedule to take more spanish classes too. between classes i would have tried a different cafe each time instead of going to a comfortable favorite. also between classes i would have taken more free time to explore the city.

here is a summary of how many hours i worked each month. based on the hourly rate (above) you can estimate how much money i was able to make from january 2009 to august 2009.

January
14 hours - through the institution

February
30 hours - through the institution

March
46 hours - through the institution
05 hours - private students

April
64 hours - through the institution
12 hours - private students

May
70 hours - through the institution
23 hours - private students

June
92 hours - through the institution
36 hours - private students

July
16 hours - through the institution
15 hours - private students

August
65 hours - through the institution
22 hours - private students

bad liar

2009-08-26T00:38:00.007-04:00

from what i am told argentines are good liars. (and i have been told this more than once....by argentines)

i on the other hand am a bad liar; i need practice.

so today i'm with a student that i get strange "i wouldn't mind taking you home" vibes from. he asks what i'm doing after class. i anticipate he'll ask me to dinner so i say i have another class ( i didn't, just me trying to lie). we end class and he actually ends up asking me to dinner another night this week. i couldn't think of a lie fast enough so i said maybe. ( i don't want to put myself in a situation)

when i leave his office he says that he's leaving too. we ride the elevator down together. the doors open at the lobby. when i go to get off, he puts his hand on my arm suggesting that we will continue down another floor to the parking garage.

i accept the ride, forgetting that i previously lied. when he asks me where i'm going i say the name of my neighborhood. he asks 'i thought you had to teach another class in the centro?'

bad liar.

gas is on

2009-08-25T18:52:00.002-04:00

....and there are showers and cooking too, which come along with the new gas in my apartment.

i'm buenos aires tuff, 12 days without showering or cooking.....in my apartment that is.

(i'll admit, it wasn't really tuff at all. the owner of my apartment was super accommodating and very prompt with calling all the workers and dealing with the gas company.)

smthng young to look at: update

2009-08-24T17:22:00.004-04:00

so i arrived at the office to teach or be canoodled...the secretary greeted me saying "he's waiting for you".

i enter his office and the first thing i see is a naked lady statue. i'm not offended by naked lady statues, but in this context it made me feel uncomfortable. i thought the lady without clothes was foreshadowing something.

however and thankfully, the class wasn't creepy. he was a respectable man and didn't make any uncomfortable comments.

smthng young to look at

2009-08-23T15:55:00.005-04:00

on friday my boss called me. in a very nice way she asked me to pick up a new student. i told her "it's my last week of teaching". she said she knew, but a high level executive is traveling to the states soon. he saw me in the hallway in the office and specifically requested me to teach him.

she even said this "he saw you in the hallway and requested you.", not that he heard i was a fantastic teacher...but rather "he saw me". if i were in the states i would be pissed that someone wanted me to teach them because of how i looked rather than my skill. but here, somehow it seems normal.

i told her the days i could, she asked me for more days, i said no (because i didn't want to spend 45 min to travel to his office just for 1 hour and then 45 min back and only make a couple pesos)...so she offered to pay for a taxi so that i could teach him....again, she said "he's specifically asking for you. he's an important person." so i agreed.

it makes me feel dirty..... some exec wants something young to look and he's being obvious about it. i should have asked if he has any special request on what i should wear.

work clothes

2009-08-20T15:32:00.003-04:00

on tuesday i had an internal argument with myself about shopping.
side one: i need clothing for my new job. side two: you should wait until you earn money. side one: but then i won't have the time to shop for clothes. side two: you should go shopping.

so, i headed out to zara (sort of like express at home) to buy a couple basics.

2 pair of pants - 119 pesos each ($31)
2 casual shirts - 89 pesos each ($23)
2 cardigans - 99 pesos each ($26)

the pants are a little too long and the shirts could be a little tighter at the top (the size smaller was too small). so this morning i took my things to the seamstress near my apartment.

also, my coat needs a button sewn back on and the pocket has a hole in it.
my favorite pair of jeans are now too big, so i'm getting them taken in a bit.
2 pairs of pants hemmed.
2 tops taken in a bit.
109 pesos ($29)

life with no gas

2009-08-20T15:14:00.003-04:00

this past friday i invited a friend over for dinner. i went out to pick up some items and when i returned i ran into one of my neighbors. she told me, in spanish "there's no gas". i thought "ugg, that's what all that jackhammering this morning was about."

no problem, i went to my friends house that night to cook dinner and take a shower.

the next day the owner of my apartment explained the situation. there was a gas leak detected, the gas company shut off the gas, an inspector will then come out on tuesday (since monday was a holiday) and he'll inspect each apartment in the building for a leak and to ensure each unit is upto code.

the owner is being wonderful about the situation, so i can't be mad. he's had workers over at my apartment every day installing what ever is needed to bring me up to code, i've been showering at his apartment and he's been very accommodating and he's discounted my rent so that i can eat dinner out each night since i don't have gas to cook.

i should have gas tomorrow or by next week. i should and do feel lucky. two others in my building that i know of have a gas leak. that means they won't have gas until they replace their pipes...which will be a month time frame. eek.

friday
cooked at a friend's

saturday
38 pesos at for a sandwich and pot of tea ($10)

sunday
33 pesos for 3 tiny yucky chicken tacos and a diet coke ($8.64)

monday
friends fed me at an asado

tuesday
out to dinner with a friend. i didn't like my rice and chicken so i just picked at it (the chicken tasted funky), but he like it so he took it home for lunch for the next day and didn't let me pay for it. so so kind. so i left the tip, 7 pesos and 10 pesos for a taxi home.

wednesday
friends had a work gathering at their apartment and invited me over to feed me...AND sent me home with food too!!! what a bonus! (the brownies they sent home with me didn't make it to the next day.)

aug17,2009

2009-08-19T20:57:00.004-04:00

August 17th, 2009
Monday was a holiday in Argentina. In the morning I went for a short jog, something I haven't done in a long time. I didn't jog much, instead a bench in my favorite park called my name. I sat down and took in some sunshine. When I opened my eyes, I was blinded by the green of the palm trees that I was sitting under. It reminded me that I have a good life.

After the jog/bench warming I went to meet a friend for ginormous medialunas.

After breakfast I went to a rooftop asado with some friends...

(photo below: this view of the city scares me. when i'm down below, walking in the streets i feel like i'm in a large town or a neighborhood. not until i see it from this view point that i realize i'm in a huge city)
(photo below: hahaha, i just noticed that that is my plate in the photo...bread and salad!!! i don't eat meat...but i love going to asados (bbq) for socializing)

you will!

2009-08-19T20:37:00.005-04:00

a year ago today i had so many questions about my future. "will i" was the title of the post..

My post one year ago read:
"Do you you ever wish you could go back to your past self and say "Don't worry, you're going to be ok"? I wish I could go back and tell my college self, who was struggling with money "Don't worry, it's all going to work out. You'll find a well paid job. Don't worry so much and for heaven sake enjoy yourself, you're in college!".

Right now, I wish I could ask my future self some questions. Will I be ok? Will I be able to easily find a job teaching English in BA, will I find a roommate and apartment? Will I make enough money to survive? Did I make the right decision or going with my heart wasn't the brightest move? Will I get mugged? Will I learn to tango or will I snub it for my beloved salsa? Will I really learn Spanish?"

Will I really make the move to Buenos Aires?

Today I can answer my past self...finally!

Dont' worry, you're going to be ok....actually more than ok. Yes, it was fairly easy to find a job teaching English. It works sending out a ton of resumes and waiting for calls and you didn't have to look for any private students.... all of them found you. Finding an apartment was fine; going with your gut is always best; It worked out well. Making the decision to follow my heart to Buenos Aires was better than a bright idea. You are very happy with life and you just found a job in your field. so, career wise and life wise, it was a good move. Nope, you haven't gotten mugged yet, but you are very cautious, so I'm thinking that has played into the not getting mugged thing. Nope you're still snubbing tango and still very much in love with salsa. Although you do have an appreciation for Tanghetto. Hmmm, the Spanish language and you learning it is still in question. You can get by and are no longer shy or embarrassed, but it's not easy.

Yes, you really moved to Buenos Aires!

photos: caballito

2009-08-15T16:43:00.007-04:00

caballito is a neighborhood centrally located in the city of buenos aires.

(photo below: "perro" means dog)
(photo below: traditional buenos aires house number plates)
(photo below: little sale signs)
(photo below: young men throwing bricks up to the second floor)
(photo below: school bus stop)