Last night I went out with the other two students staying in the house. We just walked to a local spot and shared a bottle of wine. The german girl and I shared a slice of chocolate cake. It was just 21 pesos ($6.40) total. They're both very kind and fun to hang out with. We laughed out loud so many times.
(photo below: our bottle of wine was served with a small bowl of olives and a small bowl of cheese. The olives were wonderful...the cheese, not so much)
10:30 Sunday Morning
I rolled out of bed and showered. I quick checked some emails and left the house by 11:45. Along the way to view another apartment I stopped at the same patisserie as yesterday and bought just two croissants for 2 pesos (60 cents)
12:00
I met with an Ecuadorian girl to see her apartment. I love the neighborhood (my current hood), the building is on a busy street, but the apartment is in the back of the building so you don't hear the noise. The building is modern and has a security guard. It's on the 9th floor. It's cheap, just $280, BUT I would be sharing a room with a Brazilian girl. The Ecuadorian girl would be gone for one month and then return. I like the apartment, it's simply furnished and I really liked the girl, she seemed very caring. I like that it's very cheap, especially because I don't have a job yet and I may not find one until March (which is the Argentine September (when people return from vacation)) and I love love love the location. Going with my gut, it feels right.
12:30
I hoped the subte to head into San Telmo (another neighborhood) to meet with a classmate to study. Taking the bus would have been quicker IF I knew how to use it, so subte and walking I did.
When I arrived at the same subte stop I've been arriving at this whole past week but when I climbed the steps of the subte I thought I was at the wrong place. The downtown (business district) is always packed with venders and people. Today...nada! It looked like a ghost town. They really close up shop in the business district on weekends.
1:15
I walked about 15 min to the cafe to meet my classmate.
(Here are some photos from my walk to the neighborhood of San Telmo)
My classmate wasn't there. Eh, I just got a table and studied by myself. I had a large cafe latte (8 pesos or $2.40) and a tomato, mozzarella, basil sandwich (14 pesos or $4.20) and a plastic bottle of water (5 pesos or $1.50). I kind of wish my classmate was there, I still had some questions about pronouns and reflexive verbs. If the verb is reflexive do you always conjugate the verbs in the entire sentence or you just conjugate the first verb in the sentence? I wasn't picking up any patterns in the examples.
(photo below: my lunch. the sandwich isn't big, but for me it's the perfect size)
(photo below: this was taken across the street from the cafe)
3:45
I left the cafe to travel back to my barrio (neighborhood) to see another apartment. When I walked out of the cafe I noticed the San Telmo feria that everyone talks about. In this neighborhood there is a large street market with artist and antiques. It was just a block away from the cafe...I wish I would have know that. I walked around just for 10 min but had to leave. I must return next week!
(photos below: walking through the street market)
(photo below: tengo dancers preforming in the street)
(photos below: walking back to the subte to return home (can you tell I like the graffiti art?))
(photo below: my subte stop. i haven't been taking photos during the week because it's not a good idea to have my camera out. i don't want to target myself as a tourist. i try to blend. today no one was in the subte so i sneaked a photo)
4:30
When I returned to my barrio, I took a short walk to the next apartment to view. The building is one street off of the busy/shopping street and trees are lining the street. the girl renting the 2 bedroom apartment will be traveling back to the U.S for december, january and february. her roommate will also be gone during this time. she wants someone for these 3 months to take care of her cat. i sat and talked with her for an hour and a half. she's really a great person and her apartment is SO charming. It's on the second floor and has a super cute balcony off of the living room. she has it decorated very nice and I love the bedroom I would be staying in. the bedroom has a large window that opens in to a courtyard, so it would be quiet.
oh shit, i really like it! BUT, it would just be me in the apartment; I'd really like to live with someone and it's also more money than I'd like to spend (being that I don't have a job yet). It's $450 a month and it's only temporary; until March. ohhhh, what a difficult decision.
Both apartments I looked at today include all bills with the rent which would be: water, electric, internet, maid service once a week (they even change your sheets and launder them), and building security guard at the door.
6:00
On my walk home I finally bought a flower for my hair that all the Argentine girls are wearing. So so cute! Just 4 pesos! ($1.20)
Ahhh, I don't know what to do! I'll make a positive / negative list.
Apt. #1
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POSITIVES
inexpensive so i can be cautious with my money
i'll live with two spanish speakers
i love the neighborhood
NEGATIVES
i have to share a room
the apartment isn't furnished well, it's not very cozy
Apt. #2
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POSITIVES
I love the neighborhood
I love the apartment
I love the bedroom
I love the balcony
NEGATIVES
I don't want to live alone yet
I don't want to spoil myself with a nice place to live
It's expensive
It's only temporary
I can't move in on Saturday the 6th, it would either be the 8th or 9th, so I would have to negotiate to see if I could stay with the host family longer.
money spent today:
2 peso for two small croissants (60 cents)
1 peso for the subway return to San Telmo (30 cents)
8 pesos for a large cafe con leche ($2.50)
14 pesos for a sandwich ($4.00)
5 pesos for a plastic bottle of water ($1.50)
7 pesos for a med. sized cafe con leche ($2.00)
1 peso for a return subway trip (30 cents)
4 pesos for a silk flower for my hair ($1.20)
___
42 pesos ($13)
1 comment:
Great pix! I'm anxious to hear which apartment you will choose. They both sound great. Tough decision!
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