I kept on meaning to update this, but didn't really know what to say until Alex pointed out that I hadn't posted anything in forever. Therefore, I shall try. I think I haven't posted anything because I don't think I did anything that interesting, but maybe I am wrong. I think I will stick ot my highlight format.
1. Hugo and the boys- A month or so ago I talked about the artisans in San Telmo that we hung out with one day. From there, Dana became really good friends with all these crazy, but sweet and intelligent and talented, men and women and we (well not Dana anymore because she left last week) have hung out with them a few times. This past Tuesday I went to a salsa/cumbia bar where there was live music and tons of people dancing. It was nice to feel like I wasn't in another club that could be transplanted into New York (although those are fun). Two weeks ago we also went to Hugo's band's show in the middle of nowhere in La Boca. The show was incredible. Hugo plays drums and the show was just like 8 guys playing and playing and playing. It was in this place that seemed like a restaurant in front, but then once you walked outside, all you could see was stars and the band in front of a dipladated house. It reaaaaaally made me feel like I was getting an experience I couldn't get anywhere else.
2. ESMA- From 1976 to 1983, there was a dictatorship in Argentina that ended with over 30,000 people "disappearing" from all over the country. The people were mostly activists, students, intellectuals, and anyone that spoke out about the government or caused a "threat." Many of these people were brought to detainment camps, that we out in the open, where they were tortured and then then usually gone, to where no one knows. One significant group that is connected to the Disappeared is the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo. These, mostly women, are the mothers and wives of people who disappeared. They would march around Plaza de Mayo, the Plaza directly in front of the Casa Rosada (sort of like the White House), demanding their family members be returned. We visited ESMA, one of the detainment camps in Buenos Aires, where they gave us a tour of the complex. It was very unsettling and scary. Not only because they brought us into the "prisoners" quarters and the torture room, but because I had never known about this before coming to Argentina. Not only was it a big deal, but it happened very recently. The visit also reminded me of how little we are taught about Latin America in the US. There are a lot of horrible and great things that have happened in Argentina and other countries, but all I really knew before coming were the words to "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" and that there was a horrible economic crisis a few years ago. Way to go, self.
3. The Zoo and Botanical Gardens- I went to these places about two weeks ago with Sydney. The Botanical Gardens are beautiful and almost surreal. I just felt like I was in a bigger, nicer version of Brookeside Gardens (if that is even possible!) and it was just very chill and relaxing. Also, there were hundreds of cats everywhere in the garden. They have signs saying "don't leave your pets, they need you!" but people still apparently abandon their cats in the garden. And since there is no neutering in this country, there are hundreds of cats just walking around the park. And even crazier is that people just play with the cats like they are their pets. It weirded us out, because people pet them and feed them, as opposed to avoiding them like people would do in the US. The Zoo was a weird experience. It was beautiful when we went in, it looks like Disney World, but upon closer look the treatment of the animals is pretty awful. The cages were pretty small and the animals did not look too happy. There were also random animals running around in the zoo. People were throwing peanuts at the elephants. And at one point, there were these tiny, angry monkeys in this tiny cage, howling and bearing their fangs. So, logically, a little boy jumped the "barricade" and fed the monkey his sandwich. Well taunted the monkey with his sandwich. I was very impressed that he still had a hand after the incident. One thing I enjoyed about the zoo (i still liked it even if it was a little inhumane) was that the parrots said "Hola" instead of "Hello."
I think this is a good amount of information for right now. I am leaving to go on Spring Break tonight. We are going to Mendoza, Argentina, which is the most western province (or state) of Argentina. It is also Wine Country! After Mendoza, we are going to Santiago, Chile for a few days. I am excited, but also nervous that my friends and I will kill each other. I think it will be okay, but I just want everything to start so we can be happy. Maybe I will even learn to ride a bike in Mendoza!
Word of the Day: "Dale." This is similar to alright, or okay. There is another word, "Claro," that is also used, but Dale is more informal and COOL (or "bárbaro, which technically means barbarian, but actually means cool, awesome, sweeeeeet).
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Things I Miss...
So, my experiment last week failed miserably. I haven't gone to school all week because I am been pretty sick. At first the NYU doctor thought it was the flu, but then, after going to get X-Rays at the private hospital close by, it turns out I have a lung infection! YESSSSSS! Don't worry, Grandma, I am already getting better on antibiotics. I have been bored out of my mind this past week though, there are only so many shows you can watch on the computer, so I came up with a list of little things that I miss from the good ole' USA.
These 5 are the most blatant ones. I'm sure there are others. I really enjoy Buenos Aires, but if I return I am going to bring them some Gum, Napkins, and Bagels.
- Napkins. In Buenos Aires they believe that giving you a piece of wax paper suffices as a napkin. Somtimes they won't even give you napkins and just except that the paper they wrapped the empanadas in should work perfectly. This is incorrect.
- Good Gum. Here, I really understand that I am just chewing gum paste. It looses flavor in 5 seconds and is just gross in general.
- 24 Hour ATMS in Delis. Not only are ATMs not extremely easy to come by, they all take a siesta from 3 to 4pm. I didn't know ATMs needed to rest.
- Locks on Doors. No doors seem to have locks. Sure your front door has a lock, but bathroom doors in restaurants? Forget it. There is only one bathroom in our entire academic building where the door locks. Safe to say, everyone tries to pee in that one.
- Bagels. You would think that the city with the largest population of Jews after NYC would loveeeeeee bagels. Incorrect. The only place that has bagels in Buenos Aires is McDonald's, on the breakfast menu. One day I got out of class early and was able to order a ham, egg, and cheese on a bagel, it was so very perfect.
These 5 are the most blatant ones. I'm sure there are others. I really enjoy Buenos Aires, but if I return I am going to bring them some Gum, Napkins, and Bagels.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Long Time Coming...And Going...
Hello faithful readers, so sorry for the delay in my posts, but i have just been so busy. Seriously, I do a lot, but then during the week feel like I do nothing at all. I have class at 9 every morning (which blows) and then nothing at all on Mondays and Tuesdays. I sit in the Academic Center and sleep, and talk with my friends, and eat empanadas. ANYWHO. Here are some highlights of my past couple weeks:
Getting lost on the Colectivo for 3 hours- I love public transportation. I think every city should have it and every person should use it. I particularly love buses because you can see things and it's great and I love bus culture (I think I get this love from my Grandma). So, while in BA i have been trying to use public transportation. One bus ride is about 30 cents. 30 CENTS! But, the buses are very confusing and I get lost on them a lot. On this particular evening I missed my stopped, and not knowing the city at all, didn't realize it. This also has to do with the bus map (Guia T) and how confusing it is. It's helpful, but you don't know the exact cross street of where to pick buses up and where to get off. Anyway, I missed my stop and the bus driver realized after we had arrived in to Boonies. I was really freaked out because I thought he was going to make me get off and I would have to go ask the prostitutes (the only people I saw) how to get home. But, this guy was great, he drove me until we saw a passing bus go the other direction and then told the other driver where I needed to go and to tell me when we arrived. But then I got off early to take a cab and meet my friends at a Brasilian club for the first night of "Carnaval." It really has no importance in BA, but does in cities close by. Anyway, cabs here don't take large bills so my friend Renee said she would pay once I got there. When I got there she wasn't there. I had to pay with my large bill and get almost no change back. Then my phone ran out of minutes. Then I went into the club and couldn't find my friends (I was later told that they went into the wrong bar by accident). Then I went home. $85 pesos for a SUPER FUN evening!
Las Cataratas de Iguazú- Last weekend I went to the infamous Iguazú Falls. It is a huge huge huge collection of waterfalls that is on the border of Brasil and Argentina. They were incredible. I left on Thursday night at like 7pm with my friends. We took the buses that Alex so fondly spoke of when he returned from Brasil and let me tell you, the bus was great. Our chairs reclined all the way. We had two meals. And of course a complementary glass of champagne. They played Mamma Mia but I fortunately fell asleep before it was over. To get to the Falls from Buenos Aires it is about 16 hours. We luckily stayed in the Sheraton, FOR FREE, because my friend Sam's parents had lots of unused points that we capitalized on. The Sheraton is on the edge of the park (and is the only hotel inside the gate) and from the balcony of our rooms we could see the Falls. It was incredible. On Friday we took the "Gran Adventure" which drives you through the jungle to a boat which you ride and can see the smaller Falls from. The big finale of the adventure is when you put your camera away in the waterproof bags and they drive you into one of the Falls. It was like taking a shower, we were so soaked. It was also like an awesome amusement park ride. On Saturday we lounged around the pool, where my tan got even darker, and then we took the tram (think DisneyLand) to La Garganta Del Diablo (The Throat of the Devil). It's impossible to explain how beautiful, yet intimidating it was. La Garganta is super wide and is just amazing. I will try to figure out how to post a picture. I was super happy just standing there and watching the water for as long as I could. And at night the sky was the clearest I have ever seen it. I am pretty sure I saw some galaxies and stuff (Is that even possible, Grandpa?). My friend Ilyana summed up the Falls the best. It looked like CGI animation. So beautiful.
San Telmo Times- There is a section of the city called San Telmo. Last week Dana and I went and walked around. It is similar to La Boca, because it is similar for their "fairs." Basically it is the Takoma Park Street Festival. After getting home from the falls I met Dana and Tirzah and Renee in San Telmo where Dana was attempting to sell some jewlery she made. It started pouring once I got there so we fled to a café, but not before Dana and I danced in the rain and freestyled on the street. On our way to the café we met some cool vendors who were selling drums and other things. After the rain stopped we went back and hung out with them for a long time. We bought beer and sat on the street making music. The didn't sell anything, but they didn't really seem to want to. They just wanted to hang out and jam with their friends. One of the guys gave me a necklace for free. I also got to speak a lot of Spanish.
The Week of Partying- This week, starting with San Telmo, I decided to participate in a little experiment. I decided to try and go out every day this week from Sunday to Saturday. Thus far I have been successful. Monday I got to finally see Sydney! We (and Dana and a couple of our friends from the hostel) met at a bar close to me and I am so happy she is here. Tuesday I went out with a few friends after being taught (and winning) an Argentinean card game called Truco. Wednesday I met Sydney and her house sister, Vanny, who is Argentinean, and her house cousin, Paz, who doesn't live with her but is from Buenos Aires. A friend of Sydney's from her program came along and brought her house brother, who is also a porteño. Syd left early and by the end of the night it was me, Vanny, Paz, and 3 guys Vanny works with. They were all really nice and fun, but I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't understand anything they said, so Paz, who speaks 5 languages, kept simplfying the Spanish into phrases I could understand. It was fun. Last night was crazy, I saw a girl I have known since elementary school (Julie-Anne Spatz) outside the bar. We then returned to the club where I got the steaming beer, and it was just as uncomfortable and not fun as I remember. Tonight I am going out with Syd and Vanny and Paz. AND TOMORROW a bunch of my friends from school and Syd and Dana and I are going to this drum show called La Bomba Tiempo, where you dance around and listen to this drum band. It is going to be great.
I am really enjoying the city. The people are great. My classes are fun. I have some really good friends. There are some things I really miss, but I will see them shortly (I can't believe I have been here a month). Now I shall take a nap to make up for the 18 total hours of sleep I have had since Monday. Chau.
Word of the Day: Acuchillar- To stab. I enjoy this word because in Spanish class we always make up stories and write stories to practice certain things we are learning. One day we made up a story about a ghost in a hotel room. Se acuchilló. He was stabbed.
Getting lost on the Colectivo for 3 hours- I love public transportation. I think every city should have it and every person should use it. I particularly love buses because you can see things and it's great and I love bus culture (I think I get this love from my Grandma). So, while in BA i have been trying to use public transportation. One bus ride is about 30 cents. 30 CENTS! But, the buses are very confusing and I get lost on them a lot. On this particular evening I missed my stopped, and not knowing the city at all, didn't realize it. This also has to do with the bus map (Guia T) and how confusing it is. It's helpful, but you don't know the exact cross street of where to pick buses up and where to get off. Anyway, I missed my stop and the bus driver realized after we had arrived in to Boonies. I was really freaked out because I thought he was going to make me get off and I would have to go ask the prostitutes (the only people I saw) how to get home. But, this guy was great, he drove me until we saw a passing bus go the other direction and then told the other driver where I needed to go and to tell me when we arrived. But then I got off early to take a cab and meet my friends at a Brasilian club for the first night of "Carnaval." It really has no importance in BA, but does in cities close by. Anyway, cabs here don't take large bills so my friend Renee said she would pay once I got there. When I got there she wasn't there. I had to pay with my large bill and get almost no change back. Then my phone ran out of minutes. Then I went into the club and couldn't find my friends (I was later told that they went into the wrong bar by accident). Then I went home. $85 pesos for a SUPER FUN evening!
Las Cataratas de Iguazú- Last weekend I went to the infamous Iguazú Falls. It is a huge huge huge collection of waterfalls that is on the border of Brasil and Argentina. They were incredible. I left on Thursday night at like 7pm with my friends. We took the buses that Alex so fondly spoke of when he returned from Brasil and let me tell you, the bus was great. Our chairs reclined all the way. We had two meals. And of course a complementary glass of champagne. They played Mamma Mia but I fortunately fell asleep before it was over. To get to the Falls from Buenos Aires it is about 16 hours. We luckily stayed in the Sheraton, FOR FREE, because my friend Sam's parents had lots of unused points that we capitalized on. The Sheraton is on the edge of the park (and is the only hotel inside the gate) and from the balcony of our rooms we could see the Falls. It was incredible. On Friday we took the "Gran Adventure" which drives you through the jungle to a boat which you ride and can see the smaller Falls from. The big finale of the adventure is when you put your camera away in the waterproof bags and they drive you into one of the Falls. It was like taking a shower, we were so soaked. It was also like an awesome amusement park ride. On Saturday we lounged around the pool, where my tan got even darker, and then we took the tram (think DisneyLand) to La Garganta Del Diablo (The Throat of the Devil). It's impossible to explain how beautiful, yet intimidating it was. La Garganta is super wide and is just amazing. I will try to figure out how to post a picture. I was super happy just standing there and watching the water for as long as I could. And at night the sky was the clearest I have ever seen it. I am pretty sure I saw some galaxies and stuff (Is that even possible, Grandpa?). My friend Ilyana summed up the Falls the best. It looked like CGI animation. So beautiful.
San Telmo Times- There is a section of the city called San Telmo. Last week Dana and I went and walked around. It is similar to La Boca, because it is similar for their "fairs." Basically it is the Takoma Park Street Festival. After getting home from the falls I met Dana and Tirzah and Renee in San Telmo where Dana was attempting to sell some jewlery she made. It started pouring once I got there so we fled to a café, but not before Dana and I danced in the rain and freestyled on the street. On our way to the café we met some cool vendors who were selling drums and other things. After the rain stopped we went back and hung out with them for a long time. We bought beer and sat on the street making music. The didn't sell anything, but they didn't really seem to want to. They just wanted to hang out and jam with their friends. One of the guys gave me a necklace for free. I also got to speak a lot of Spanish.
The Week of Partying- This week, starting with San Telmo, I decided to participate in a little experiment. I decided to try and go out every day this week from Sunday to Saturday. Thus far I have been successful. Monday I got to finally see Sydney! We (and Dana and a couple of our friends from the hostel) met at a bar close to me and I am so happy she is here. Tuesday I went out with a few friends after being taught (and winning) an Argentinean card game called Truco. Wednesday I met Sydney and her house sister, Vanny, who is Argentinean, and her house cousin, Paz, who doesn't live with her but is from Buenos Aires. A friend of Sydney's from her program came along and brought her house brother, who is also a porteño. Syd left early and by the end of the night it was me, Vanny, Paz, and 3 guys Vanny works with. They were all really nice and fun, but I had no idea what was going on. I couldn't understand anything they said, so Paz, who speaks 5 languages, kept simplfying the Spanish into phrases I could understand. It was fun. Last night was crazy, I saw a girl I have known since elementary school (Julie-Anne Spatz) outside the bar. We then returned to the club where I got the steaming beer, and it was just as uncomfortable and not fun as I remember. Tonight I am going out with Syd and Vanny and Paz. AND TOMORROW a bunch of my friends from school and Syd and Dana and I are going to this drum show called La Bomba Tiempo, where you dance around and listen to this drum band. It is going to be great.
I am really enjoying the city. The people are great. My classes are fun. I have some really good friends. There are some things I really miss, but I will see them shortly (I can't believe I have been here a month). Now I shall take a nap to make up for the 18 total hours of sleep I have had since Monday. Chau.
Word of the Day: Acuchillar- To stab. I enjoy this word because in Spanish class we always make up stories and write stories to practice certain things we are learning. One day we made up a story about a ghost in a hotel room. Se acuchilló. He was stabbed.
Monday, February 16, 2009
La Gente
Right now I am sitting in the computer lab of my school. It is the first day of classes and I have a pretty long break. I thought I would have some homework or something, but instead I ate some empanadas with some friends.
These past few days have been pretty great. I have been around the city and met some really cool people. On Thursday I went to a Hip Hop club that starting poppin' at around 3 or 3.30. I have been with Dana a lot and she stayed at a hostel for the past few days, so I have met some really cool people there. One girl, Renee, is even Jewish! We went to the club with the hostel friends and I have never been somewhere so hot. It was disgusting. At one point I bought a beer and it was steaming because of how hot the club was and hot cold the beer was. Gross.
On Friday we went to Tigre, a part of the city that is really cool, but we didn't really go to. Instead they bus and boated us to a "private" island resort thing. It was like being in Jamaica or something. A weird beachish place, with brown water! The river isn't that dirty, as everyone assumed, but the sediments and dirt and stuff are really prominent. Some people soaked up the sun and tanned. I obviously got so dark and tan that everyone was jealous. SIKE. Instead I spent 20 minutes putting on sunscreen. One funny thing was that there was a bar and everyone had a couple drinks except for one girl that got wasted. WASTED. DRUNK. It was embarassing. Also on this day, I mentioned my brother Eric in passing and some girls freaked out. One said she wasn't introducing herself only because of my awesome brother, but I found her highly dubious.
Saturday has been the best day so far. Dana and I went to La Boca, a working-class area by the water and the home of the fútbol team, La Boca Juniors. There is a really strong rivalry between La Boca and other team from Buenos Aires, Río Plato, that often ends in fights. Río fans are usually of a higher class and get a lot of flack for supporting them. Think of a Cowboys fan living in DC...But La Boca is the home of the colorful houses you see on postcards from Buenos Aires. There are numerous restaurants with trained couples dancing tango, and street vendors that reminded me of the Folk Life/Street Festivals in Takoma Park. We looked around this area for a while and then walked a few blocks out into the real part of La Boca. We looked at grafitti, talked with locals, and just kind of strolled around, looking at the beauty of a run-down part of the city. It happened that there was a La Boca game that day and an old porteño tried to help us get tickets, for like 20 minutes, but we did not succeed. Instead we watched the game in a bar/restaurant full of locals. An interesting fact: Store owners are not allowed to sell alcohol in La Boca during the games because of how crazy fans get, no matter the outcome. Even though La Boca lost, the vibe of the area was awesome. Everyone was wearing the blue and gold and you could hear the chants from the stadium 10 blocks away.
Sunday I got lost on the bus for 2 hours trying to go to a Hillel event. Note that taking the bus is very difficult. Not only are there so many buses, which is usually helpful, but you can only use coins to ride the bus. This is the root of the coin problem in Buenos Aires. They are saying that in the next few months they are going to get cards for all the colectivos, so you can put cash on it before, like in NYC, but it will probably happen after I leave. Instead I hoard all my change, making sure I can ride the bus to school the next day. The money is like a horrible joke. Vendors will give you more change back than you should get just so they can keep the change. Big chains don't mind, but kioscos, which are similar to bodegas, will have signs that say "no hay moneda." They also do not like 50 and 100 note pesos. So, my trip on el colectivo was made more annoying because of this stupid money problem. It was not fun. I missed the entire event. Instead, my friends Sam and Ellie and I went to the Kosher McDonald's (the only one outside of Israel!) in a mall. By the end of the night I was exhausted and ready for class.
Spanish class is okay. Kinda boring but okay. The other class I had today was Music of Latin America and I am so excited for it. I am going to learn about Tango, Samba, AfroCuban, and much more. The professor is crazy, but great.
Okay. That is all for now.
Word of the Day: Boludo- To your friend it is like "Hola, Boludo" or "What's up, Stupid." But to a stranger it is very rude and disrespectful. I think I shall be using it when I get road rage back in the states.
These past few days have been pretty great. I have been around the city and met some really cool people. On Thursday I went to a Hip Hop club that starting poppin' at around 3 or 3.30. I have been with Dana a lot and she stayed at a hostel for the past few days, so I have met some really cool people there. One girl, Renee, is even Jewish! We went to the club with the hostel friends and I have never been somewhere so hot. It was disgusting. At one point I bought a beer and it was steaming because of how hot the club was and hot cold the beer was. Gross.
On Friday we went to Tigre, a part of the city that is really cool, but we didn't really go to. Instead they bus and boated us to a "private" island resort thing. It was like being in Jamaica or something. A weird beachish place, with brown water! The river isn't that dirty, as everyone assumed, but the sediments and dirt and stuff are really prominent. Some people soaked up the sun and tanned. I obviously got so dark and tan that everyone was jealous. SIKE. Instead I spent 20 minutes putting on sunscreen. One funny thing was that there was a bar and everyone had a couple drinks except for one girl that got wasted. WASTED. DRUNK. It was embarassing. Also on this day, I mentioned my brother Eric in passing and some girls freaked out. One said she wasn't introducing herself only because of my awesome brother, but I found her highly dubious.
Saturday has been the best day so far. Dana and I went to La Boca, a working-class area by the water and the home of the fútbol team, La Boca Juniors. There is a really strong rivalry between La Boca and other team from Buenos Aires, Río Plato, that often ends in fights. Río fans are usually of a higher class and get a lot of flack for supporting them. Think of a Cowboys fan living in DC...But La Boca is the home of the colorful houses you see on postcards from Buenos Aires. There are numerous restaurants with trained couples dancing tango, and street vendors that reminded me of the Folk Life/Street Festivals in Takoma Park. We looked around this area for a while and then walked a few blocks out into the real part of La Boca. We looked at grafitti, talked with locals, and just kind of strolled around, looking at the beauty of a run-down part of the city. It happened that there was a La Boca game that day and an old porteño tried to help us get tickets, for like 20 minutes, but we did not succeed. Instead we watched the game in a bar/restaurant full of locals. An interesting fact: Store owners are not allowed to sell alcohol in La Boca during the games because of how crazy fans get, no matter the outcome. Even though La Boca lost, the vibe of the area was awesome. Everyone was wearing the blue and gold and you could hear the chants from the stadium 10 blocks away.
Sunday I got lost on the bus for 2 hours trying to go to a Hillel event. Note that taking the bus is very difficult. Not only are there so many buses, which is usually helpful, but you can only use coins to ride the bus. This is the root of the coin problem in Buenos Aires. They are saying that in the next few months they are going to get cards for all the colectivos, so you can put cash on it before, like in NYC, but it will probably happen after I leave. Instead I hoard all my change, making sure I can ride the bus to school the next day. The money is like a horrible joke. Vendors will give you more change back than you should get just so they can keep the change. Big chains don't mind, but kioscos, which are similar to bodegas, will have signs that say "no hay moneda." They also do not like 50 and 100 note pesos. So, my trip on el colectivo was made more annoying because of this stupid money problem. It was not fun. I missed the entire event. Instead, my friends Sam and Ellie and I went to the Kosher McDonald's (the only one outside of Israel!) in a mall. By the end of the night I was exhausted and ready for class.
Spanish class is okay. Kinda boring but okay. The other class I had today was Music of Latin America and I am so excited for it. I am going to learn about Tango, Samba, AfroCuban, and much more. The professor is crazy, but great.
Okay. That is all for now.
Word of the Day: Boludo- To your friend it is like "Hola, Boludo" or "What's up, Stupid." But to a stranger it is very rude and disrespectful. I think I shall be using it when I get road rage back in the states.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
I'll try this.
I didn't think that I wanted to do a blog, but after multiple conversations with friends and family, I decided to give it a go. I am not sure how often I will update once classes start and I have to do other writing, but for now I will let y'all know about my life down here.
It is my 3rd night in Buenos Aires and I am freakishly tired. We are 3 hours ahead of the East Coast, so it is not jet lag or anything, but I am not even sure I can go hang out with people tonight because of my weakness. Anywho...let's start at the very beginning.
I left DC on Sunday and all my flights were super easy. I didn't have any trouble except for the first teller at Delta who tried to tell me my visa would run out while in Argentina. Alex and I explained otherwise and my flight to NYC was empty. I was unusually social at the airport, choosing to sit with some people from my program instead of brooding in a corner with my ipod blasting music. The flight to Buenos Aires was long, but I slept 8 of the 10 hours, so I was very fortunate. Once in Buenos Aires (we got there at 12pm on Monday) we waited in el aeropuerto forever so that a bus could take us all to the city. From the first few moments in the airport, I felt this sense of familiarity with a distance I couldn't put my finger on. I still feel like that and I am not sure it is ever going to go away.
Buenos Aires is a beautiful city. I haven't even seen all of it, but from what I have, it is awesome. It is a green city, with lots of trees and huge parks, something New York can't measure up to. The main streets are really wide (they are copycats of Paris and other parts of Europe I have never been to) and the smaller ones are nothing compared to the windy streets of the Lower East Side. This being said, I have not really gone too many places besides my homestay and the NYU academic center because of this annoying orientation we are having, so the other parts of BA could be exactly the same.
I live in an apartment with my house mother, Beatriz, and another girl from the NYU program, Hannah. The apartment is in a very ritzy area of town. It is technically in Recoleta, but is on the line of another neighborhood. Regardless, these people are rich. Or at least I think so. The apartment is in a building with a doorman and Beatriz's "unit" is basically an entire floor. Both Hannah and I have our own rooms and a bathroom to share (there is also another guest bathroom that we can use when needed). There is a parlor that is never really used and a dining room that also seems to only come out when there is company. There is Wifi Internet and lots of windows overlooking Avenida Del Libertador (our street) and more importantly a train station, which is very cool because you can see the trains come and go. Most importantly in our view is a billboard for a tanning salon with a woman lying on her back wearing only a thong. Fortunately, Hannah has a better view of this billboard than I do, because at night it is lit-up. The area is like the Upper East Side of NYC, really nice, but kind of boring. It is also a little far from school, we can take the bus really easily, but it is one of the reasons I haven't ventured too far yet (that and the fact that it rained all yesterday...good for the Argentinean drought, bad for me).
Hannah is really sweet and speaks much better Spanish than I do, which is both helpful and embarassing at the same time. And Beatriz is so great. So great. She is somewhere in her 60s (as Hannah and I have deduced) and is a rich, fashionable, hip lady. She loves Los Estados Unidos (the US) and really loves NYC. She got married at 22 but her husband has been dead for about 20 years. She has 2 children and 2 grandsons, who we are going to get to meet when they all come back from their respective vacations. Beatriz is just so sweet and accomodating. Unlike a lot of the families, she is doing this solely for the company. For example, we aren't supposed to eat breakfast there, or we have to buy our own food (according to the program), but Beatriz said we could eat anything. Also, when I told her I enjoyed media lunas (a croissant that is like brushed with a sugary syrup) she surprised this afternoon with a bag of them. Her favorite shows are CSI: and Sex and the City. She also showed me some of her magazines, one of which is an Us Weekly Leah offered to give me for the flight. Basically, Beatriz is great. She speaks English pretty well and is very accepting of my lack of Spanish. I think by the end of the 4 months we will both be a little better (or hopefully a lot better).
Orientation for school is lame. I don't like a lot of the people in the program. There are a few really cool people, but A LOT of them are frat boy-esque and their annoying female followers. They just make me feel like I am back in high school and cliques are important. That is why I am so happy Dana is here (and her good, and my soon to be good, friend Tirzah). We met up yesterday and got some cervezas and food for very cheap. And then I saw them again for lunch today (I really just snuck them into the NYU building and let them eat). It's great to have them here, and Syd on her way, because it reminds me that I don't need lame people. I have my good friends coming and we can tear this city up and always have each others backs. Still, I have met some really cool people, so hopefully those friendships will develop.
The school building is great though. The staff is great. The guard is great. I just want classes to start so that I can meet people that way and get into a routine in order to sort of ground myself.
I have one story that I think is pretty good thus far and then I will let you stop reading this. Yesterday was Hannah's birthday so we tried to go find a bar to get a drink. Beatriz told us of a place close by, but of course it was raining and we couldn't find it. Instead we just walked until we found something decent. First we tried to go to one bar/restaurant (nothing too insane) but were turned away. We were flabbergasted! We are well above the drinking-age in Argentina. But, through broken Spanish the bouncer (who was about to get his membership to AARP) told us that this club was for "older people." Defeated we went to some other place and talked for a while until these two boys came up and started talking to us. They were porteños (from Buenos Aires) and asked our ages (both 20). In return they said they were 18 and 19, but Toto had braces and Clarence was just outgrowing his baby fat. They flirted and practiced English and we all pretended like they were not around 16. They had one friend there who looked like he was 12. Then some girls they knew came and sat at a table nearby. When they heard we were American they responded, "Hi. How are you?" They were also extremely drunk 16 year olds. By the end of the night the girls and boys started arguing over whose English was better, but I was only thinking about their ending summer vacation and upcoming senior year of high school.
¡Chau!
Word of the Day: ¡Andá!- A command that can mean go somewhere (go to the pharmacy, go to the bank) or something similar to "You're Lying!" in a comical way
It is my 3rd night in Buenos Aires and I am freakishly tired. We are 3 hours ahead of the East Coast, so it is not jet lag or anything, but I am not even sure I can go hang out with people tonight because of my weakness. Anywho...let's start at the very beginning.
I left DC on Sunday and all my flights were super easy. I didn't have any trouble except for the first teller at Delta who tried to tell me my visa would run out while in Argentina. Alex and I explained otherwise and my flight to NYC was empty. I was unusually social at the airport, choosing to sit with some people from my program instead of brooding in a corner with my ipod blasting music. The flight to Buenos Aires was long, but I slept 8 of the 10 hours, so I was very fortunate. Once in Buenos Aires (we got there at 12pm on Monday) we waited in el aeropuerto forever so that a bus could take us all to the city. From the first few moments in the airport, I felt this sense of familiarity with a distance I couldn't put my finger on. I still feel like that and I am not sure it is ever going to go away.
Buenos Aires is a beautiful city. I haven't even seen all of it, but from what I have, it is awesome. It is a green city, with lots of trees and huge parks, something New York can't measure up to. The main streets are really wide (they are copycats of Paris and other parts of Europe I have never been to) and the smaller ones are nothing compared to the windy streets of the Lower East Side. This being said, I have not really gone too many places besides my homestay and the NYU academic center because of this annoying orientation we are having, so the other parts of BA could be exactly the same.
I live in an apartment with my house mother, Beatriz, and another girl from the NYU program, Hannah. The apartment is in a very ritzy area of town. It is technically in Recoleta, but is on the line of another neighborhood. Regardless, these people are rich. Or at least I think so. The apartment is in a building with a doorman and Beatriz's "unit" is basically an entire floor. Both Hannah and I have our own rooms and a bathroom to share (there is also another guest bathroom that we can use when needed). There is a parlor that is never really used and a dining room that also seems to only come out when there is company. There is Wifi Internet and lots of windows overlooking Avenida Del Libertador (our street) and more importantly a train station, which is very cool because you can see the trains come and go. Most importantly in our view is a billboard for a tanning salon with a woman lying on her back wearing only a thong. Fortunately, Hannah has a better view of this billboard than I do, because at night it is lit-up. The area is like the Upper East Side of NYC, really nice, but kind of boring. It is also a little far from school, we can take the bus really easily, but it is one of the reasons I haven't ventured too far yet (that and the fact that it rained all yesterday...good for the Argentinean drought, bad for me).
Hannah is really sweet and speaks much better Spanish than I do, which is both helpful and embarassing at the same time. And Beatriz is so great. So great. She is somewhere in her 60s (as Hannah and I have deduced) and is a rich, fashionable, hip lady. She loves Los Estados Unidos (the US) and really loves NYC. She got married at 22 but her husband has been dead for about 20 years. She has 2 children and 2 grandsons, who we are going to get to meet when they all come back from their respective vacations. Beatriz is just so sweet and accomodating. Unlike a lot of the families, she is doing this solely for the company. For example, we aren't supposed to eat breakfast there, or we have to buy our own food (according to the program), but Beatriz said we could eat anything. Also, when I told her I enjoyed media lunas (a croissant that is like brushed with a sugary syrup) she surprised this afternoon with a bag of them. Her favorite shows are CSI: and Sex and the City. She also showed me some of her magazines, one of which is an Us Weekly Leah offered to give me for the flight. Basically, Beatriz is great. She speaks English pretty well and is very accepting of my lack of Spanish. I think by the end of the 4 months we will both be a little better (or hopefully a lot better).
Orientation for school is lame. I don't like a lot of the people in the program. There are a few really cool people, but A LOT of them are frat boy-esque and their annoying female followers. They just make me feel like I am back in high school and cliques are important. That is why I am so happy Dana is here (and her good, and my soon to be good, friend Tirzah). We met up yesterday and got some cervezas and food for very cheap. And then I saw them again for lunch today (I really just snuck them into the NYU building and let them eat). It's great to have them here, and Syd on her way, because it reminds me that I don't need lame people. I have my good friends coming and we can tear this city up and always have each others backs. Still, I have met some really cool people, so hopefully those friendships will develop.
The school building is great though. The staff is great. The guard is great. I just want classes to start so that I can meet people that way and get into a routine in order to sort of ground myself.
I have one story that I think is pretty good thus far and then I will let you stop reading this. Yesterday was Hannah's birthday so we tried to go find a bar to get a drink. Beatriz told us of a place close by, but of course it was raining and we couldn't find it. Instead we just walked until we found something decent. First we tried to go to one bar/restaurant (nothing too insane) but were turned away. We were flabbergasted! We are well above the drinking-age in Argentina. But, through broken Spanish the bouncer (who was about to get his membership to AARP) told us that this club was for "older people." Defeated we went to some other place and talked for a while until these two boys came up and started talking to us. They were porteños (from Buenos Aires) and asked our ages (both 20). In return they said they were 18 and 19, but Toto had braces and Clarence was just outgrowing his baby fat. They flirted and practiced English and we all pretended like they were not around 16. They had one friend there who looked like he was 12. Then some girls they knew came and sat at a table nearby. When they heard we were American they responded, "Hi. How are you?" They were also extremely drunk 16 year olds. By the end of the night the girls and boys started arguing over whose English was better, but I was only thinking about their ending summer vacation and upcoming senior year of high school.
¡Chau!
Word of the Day: ¡Andá!- A command that can mean go somewhere (go to the pharmacy, go to the bank) or something similar to "You're Lying!" in a comical way
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