Colombia

I left from Bogota yesterday at noon and arrived in Buenos Aires this morning at 8. I stopped in Medellin, Colombia then Quito, Ecuador, then Lima, Peru and finally Argentina. Needless to say, I am a sleepy girl after traveling for almost a full day! But I had plenty of time between flights so I wrote down my adventures and will update soon. Tomorrow I'm leaving for Pinamar to play in a beach tournament and I will be back with a new temporary apartment on Monday! I'm coming home for Christmas in 11 days!

Springtime in Buenos Aires

For a city named Buenos Aires, you´d expect the weather to be paradisal. It´s actually crazy. Sometimes it´s beautiful and then it pours hot rain, sometimes it´s chilly and you wonder why you have sunburn, and sometimes it´s incredibly humid so you feel like you are walking around in soup. But this weekend was perfect springtime weather.

Quick summary: I tried a new salsa class across the city and played in the finals on Sunday. Lack of sleep definitely hit me. I am still on a mission to find a decent Mexican restaurant. This past week and next week I have final exams for classes. It´s been overwhelming to say the least, but Sarah and I had amazing quesadillas on Friday and got cracking on our final presentation.

Flor invited me and some friends to her house for an asado. It was fantastic, not just because I tried chinchulines (intestine), morcilla (blood sausage) and something I think was ear, but also because we took a walk around the neighborhood. Her family is so incredibly nice!

The meat cooking on the parrilla. Please do not drool on the keyboard.

I always wondered what my life would be like if I went to art school...Apparently painting classes have final exams too. For our final painting project, Meghan and I have to do a painting on an open subject. But first we have to hand in 5 still life paintings using complementary colors. So here are the last two of my I Never Want to Paint Bottles Again series, and the beginning of my free subject.

Another thing: Kennedy and Megan came to visit! Megan is Kenn´s friend who I met when I visited Chile, and they came to Buenos Aires for the weekend. I met them on Thursday night at one of my favorite salsa places, and it was fun because even though I am by far one of the worst dancers there (one regular is a professional bailarina) it was great to introduce them to such a subculture of BA. Friday we went with my Venezuelan frisbee friend to a club that was celebrating Venezuela night. We met some of her friends and danced merengue and salsa in their apartment.

It rained all day Saturday, so the girls did tourist stuff and I worked on a paper. We grabbed dinner at a typical cafe and they tried the essentials like ham pizza, medialuna sandwiches, and alfajores. Later, we went to a peña. It was amazing!!! It was like at this "underground" unmarked door and I thought I wrote down the wrong address. The girls left at 2am because they had an early flight but I stayed until 7 in the morning. It was like a huge family reunion, because everyone knew everyone. It was obvious that I wasn´t from Argentina, since I was the only one who didn´t know the words. But everyone was so friendly and so excited to tell me the history behind the songs. They even danced traditional folkloric dances that looked like roosters (the men) conquering the women (with handkerchiefs). My host mom said whenever they had family parties, that´s exactly what they would do, but they would move from house to house singing and dancing from dinner until morning. No wonder why these people love coffee!!

Baby Duckies!

Things I did this week:

Went for a run and discovered the most amazing park with a track, baby ducks, rollerbladers, and paddle boats. A man saved a baby duckling crossing the street and reunited it with his Mama Swan. So cute!

Fixed my laptop. It must have fallen (even though I don't recall dropping it) and my ethernet cable snapped. You should have heard me trying to explain this to the computer shop guys in spanish!

Went to an electronic tango concert with a Venezuelan friend I met through frisbee.

Hit up Barrio Chino after our game for my very first chicken and rice in this city. The Chinese lady gave us a much needed chopstick lesson.

Les and the chopstick teacher

Lionesses!

Papita's first time ever using chopsticks

Joined Sarah, her Argentine boyfriend, his friends and exchange student for a quiet afternoon at his family’s Jewish country club-like isla. I had my first kosher hamburger.

Field of a Thousand Mosquitos

Tigre!

Sarah's boy and his friend hard at work...well one of them is!

Kosher BBQ (Chairs are empty because everyone's to the right eating)

(Drum roll please…)

Bought my ticket to Colombia! There’s a huge international Frisbee tournament in Medellin and I’m going to spend my birthday there. I’m leaving Nov 24 and returning Dec 10 to Buenos Aires. SO EXCITED! http://www.tepmedellin.com/web/ingles

Cultural Differences Part I

Argentina is a third world country. Let’s just throw that out there before I start talking about cultural differences. Anyway, I’ve been here for 3 months and I guess it’s time for a brief compare and contrast. Here's Part I:

Portenos use a different clock.

Literally. Everything here is on the 24 hour clock. You would never, for example, say “Hey let’s meet at 18 o’clock” but when you write 6 pm, it’s easier to say 18 instead.

Expect your Argentine friends/colleagues/teammates/professors etc a half hour later than scheduled. This usually works out in my favor, but not when I show up to my 8:30 am class and wait around for the professor to come in with the test an hour later.

They also eat LATE! You will not find a restaurant open at 7, when we usually eat dinner. Most families eat at 9 or 10 (excuse me, 21 or 22). This is one custom I don’t think I’ll adopt- I really hate sleeping on a full stomach!

The American Eat-and-Run

When you go to a restaurant, café, or bar, you have to practically hunt down the waiter for the check. They will not give it to you because they don’t want you to feel rushed, even if there’s a line around the corner. I remember Sarah and I got ice cream with David and we finished and got up to leave. He didn’t understand why we were leaving since we were mid conversation. It was just reflex. We order, we eat, we go.

Lines

I’ve only eaten fast food in BsAs twice, and twice I got cut in line because I stood too far away from the cash registers. The ATMs are the same way. People stand on top of each other!

Showing skin

I’ve found the dress code to be relatively conservative for a city. Girls do not wear shorts. When I wear knee length dresses, I get looks. There is generally no cleavage and definitely no tank tops. But (no pun intended) there is an abundance of lingerie ads, naked massage flyers handed out on the streets, and porn magazines in FULL view on newsstands.

When I first came here, everyone said portenos dress up. I’ve only found that true in the sense that it is very sloppy to wear sweatpants. I think a better term would be “overdress,” because it’s 75 degrees, sunny, and I saw a woman with a winter coat, scarf, boots, and gloves!

Spring Break in October

Buenos Aires-Santiago-Valparaiso-Cordoba. I survived spring break! Since I didn´t pack much entertainment, I wrote almost a notebook´s worth on the bus. But I promise I will condense everything for this recap!

Little Victories

I listened to Matt Nathanson on the 20 hour bus trip to Santiago. I´ve always loved his music, but I never really paid attention to the lyrics until we left Retiro. Little Victories seemed so perfect for my adventure:

This time, I'll be sailing
No more bailing boats for me
I'll be out there on the sea
Just my confidence and me

And I'll be awful sometimes
Weakened to my knees
But I'll learn to get by
On little victories

This time, I'll have no fear
I'll be standing strong and tall
Turn my back towards them all

And I'll be awful sometimes
Weakened to my knees
And I'll learn to get by
On the little victories
And if the world decides to catch up with me
Still little victories

And that was the theme of my spring break-living with less inhibition. Not in a dangerous way, obviously one has to be cautious, but there are so many things you miss if you always say no to new potentially embarassing experiences.

Jitterbug in Buenos Aires??

(This is a valid segue) Last night I went to the salsa place with friends from my program... and my host mother came too! I laughed the whole time! But during the middle of the salsa classes, there is..well they call it rock here but basically it´s 50s music. I learned some swing in North Carolina, so I danced with a boy from my program in the middle of the floor... Among the most advanced dancers! They were practicing difficult footwork and there we were...No choreography, no lessons, nothing. Just two crazy Americans dancing to our own (really old) music. It was hilarious. We even got a standing ovation!

To me, overcoming embarassment and just saying yes was a little victory. Traveling alone was a little victory. Taking tests in Spanish with Argentine students and living in a big city without knowing anyone and making meaningful relationships has all been a series of little victories. This isn´t meant to be self-congratulatory, I just think the fact that I will no longer be a teenager when I go back home is more than symbolic. I´m finishing out the teens in Argentina and this trip made me realize how much I´ve grown up here. Here are my notes in brief:

A creative legacy

I am sitting on a red pleather seat between a pudgy porteno reading Clarin and a vintage coffee machine. My rusty reflection in the stainless steel is a blurred version of myself. I´m not tired yet, but the man next to me is speaking very loudly into his cell phone. He looks like a professor in his faded gray sweater vest, owl-like glasses, and a belly full of laughter. Apparently he is going to Mendoza to spread the ashes of his recently deceased friend. They were neighbors and childhood friends but she moved to France to become a ballerina. She asked that her remains be spread in all different parts of the world so the people she loved can have a chance to meet. What a valuable legacy! He says it is an honor to have been chosen to meet her family in the other side of the country to transport her ashes. I guess it´s a morbid idea, but I think I´ll request that my ashes be spread in exotic places so my loved ones can travel!



A warm welcome

I´ve met two kinds of portenos. Some, like the girls in my UMSA classes, want nothing to do with me and I feel like I´m the smelly kid in middle school. And lot of men make the feminist inside me feel like a machisto´s punching bag...But some people here are genuinely nice people who invite me into their lives and are excited to share the city that I´ve come to love as well. I am so grateful to those who have enough patience with my Spanish and to take the time and share their lives with me. I promise when I am an immigration lawyer, I will pay it all back! So I guess I was surprised at how friendly people were when I arrived in Santiago after an incredible trip through the Andes. I met up with Bobby and his girlfriend Sofi and couldn´t have met a kinder chilean! Sofi invited me to have lunch with her friends at the law school. They did a potluck with healthy food (finally!!) and the most incredible fruit. I went to class with them and learned about the Chilean Constitution, we got ice cream and chatted in the park, visited an art museum, posed with street art, listened to chilean music on the walk to her dance class...


Go Bananza

Oh yes I went to her dance class. We danced arabe... also known as belly dancing. This was my worst nightmare! I stayed in the back and told her I´d watch, but she brought me clothes! So we changed and I jumped right in, belly chain and all. Someone in the class recorded a video with my camera. I refuse to put it online, but let´s just say I didn´t exactly hit all the choreography! It was still fun though and now I can say I bellydanced in Chile. Little victory, check!


Little Italy?

My first impression of Valparaiso was that it looked identical to the Amalfi Coast we visited as a family in Italy. Same quaint cobblestone steps and winding streets, same colorful houses nestled on hills overlooking the water. Kennedy had class during the day so I climbed the cerros on foot and got quite a workout. Little did I know they had elevator lifts I could have taken advantage of! I wondered why everyone going downhill gave me looks of pity as I powered up those hills. When I finally arrived at the hostel, I met two British girls who made me laugh until I cried. They told funny self-deprecating stories for about an hour and I had tears streaming down my face. One explained that her dad didn´t quite understand Skype, but he wanted her to see the dog so he chased it around the house with the laptop in his hands instead of bringing the dog to the webcam. The other girl talked about her obese uncle who married a string bean Indian woman.

Once

Once is my neighborhood but it´s also 11, which is the time that Kenn and her host family gather to eat bread and cheese. They made fun of Kennedy and the fact that she doesn´t bathe everyday. The sister asked why she even bothers to change her underwear if she doesn´t use a bidet. I almost died! I loved the way they all poked fun at each other but in the end there was nothing more important than gathering around the table and sharing a simple meal. Later, we went to a bar with Kenn´s friend from her program and we drank wine mixed with fruit juice. It was amazing! Then we went salsa dancing on the roof of a boliche and I even got to whip out the bachata I learned in Buenos Aires.

Cordoba!

I had to rush back to Santiago to catch my bus to Cordoba, but the woman next to me was so sweet. She told me all about her life as a ski instructor and her family´s farm in Juyjuy. She shared her pastry with me and we talked about the differences between Chile and Argentina. She was great company when we had to wait 3 hours at the border! I met some interesting people outside waiting as well. There were hundreds of motorcyclists of all ages but I met two with Batman masks. I guess one of the guys just got married and his bachelor party theme was Batman. The tournament was a blast, even though we played on dirt fields! The city felt more like Argentina than Buenos Aires, just because there were no tourists. We had a big frisbee asado and played card games and enjoyed each other´s company. That´s what I love about frisbee. It´s not just a game. Off the field there´s a community of people who have many varied interests and stories.

There was a storm at the end of Day 1... the wind blew dust into my eyes, so I wore sunglasses at night!

Universidad del Museo Social Argentino- Pintura I

Bad news: I sound like Darth Vader and I'm currently addicted to Sudafed. The crazy weather is really getting to me. But...

Buenas Noticias: I finally bought a camera!! Sarah had to pick up ID pictures at the Kodak store and they had cheap EasyShares in the store. And since I'm going to Chile on Monday, I figured it would be a good "investment." I brought it to my painting class this morning so you can see what my Wednesday mornings are like.

Naturaleza Muerta I (first assignment)

Naturaleza Muerta II (our second project)

Naturaleza Muerta III (in progress)


Hard at work haha

The studio

Meghan and I get hot chocolate and medialunas on our break

The museum next door

I love the murals

Well I have two midterms tomorrow and a presentation on Friday, pickup on Saturday, and class on Monday. But then I'm going to visit Bobby in Santiago (Chile), Kennedy in Valparaiso (Chile), and a frisbee tournament in Cordoba (Argentina). It's going to be a busy week, but I will update as soon as I get back. Without stealing all Sarah's pictures haha!

Cheee

It's midterm week!!?? What??? Well I guess I only have three midterms- one with the IUNA class and two with my study abroad program. The UMSA classes have a different schedule. But I still feel like I just got here!

Last weekend I went to Iguazu with some friends from the program. The mosquitos really seemed to enjoy my blood, and the 20 hour bus ride wasn't exactly thrilling. But the waterfalls were incredible! It was absolutely a spiritual experience. The next day we went rapelling, ziplining, and "trekking" and we also went to Tres Fronteras (three borders) where Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay meet.

This is not a green screen:

Tres Fronteras

This is only half!

Sarah taking the leap of faith (I'm the light blue dot at the bottom):

I had a little friend in the hostel when I rolled over to fall asleep:

There has been a whirlwind of birthdays! I went to our new favorite bar/restaurant to celebrate Emily's birthday. I love that place because it's in a neighborhood farther away from the microcentro and there are absolutely no tourists or other exchange students. I also went to a porteno friend's house for a birthday asado. He's on my frisbee team, and it was fun to be with the team off the field. I bought a torta (birthday cake) with chocolate cake, chocolate mouse, chocolate fudge, chocolate icing, and chocolate shavings on top. It was a hit!

Feliz Cumple!

Reflection:

Going to school in North Carolina forced me to open up to new people and new experiences. There was certainly culture shock at first, but going to school in Argentina is just a whole different level of newness. Whenever the oh-so-chatty taxi drivers ask if I like their city, of course I tell them yes. But actually, Buenos Aires and I have a love hate relationship. I hate struggling every day to express myself, not understanding jokes, not having deep meaningful conversations because I don’t have the vocabulary for it, unreliable public transportation, the moneda crisis (there’s a bizarre shortage of coins that you need to use the buses), playing frisbee in 80 degree weather one day and in 45 degree freezing rain the next, Argentine girls who ignore me in their classes, etc. I really lose a part of my personality due to the language/culture barrier. But what I’ve been posting in this blog is everything I love. To me, this city is like a relative that you absolutely love to death but it drives you crazy at the same time!

That’s where Iguazu comes in. You can’t stand in front of something so giant and majestic and not feel something. It sounds silly, but it was reassuring to see something constant because it was such a contrast to the city. Calming, like those sound machines people use to sleep but you can’t turn off the water! I remember standing next to the edge of the falls thinking, this never stops. I could barely hear my own breathing from climbing all the stairs against the roaring falls! It was just an experience that commands attention. After living among concrete and pavement, walking around in that forest reminded me that we're a part of something bigger than ourselves.

Life update

I’m coming home!

…in December. I finally booked my plane ticket! I will be leaving Buenos Aires on Dec 21. I’m flying through Mexico City again, but I’m not sure what I want to do the three weeks after my program. Since it will be freezing at home, I'd like to volunteer and paint en plein air- that would be ideal.

Nothing like Niagara

Speaking of travel plans, we don’t have any games this weekend, so I’m going with some friends to Iguazu (Ig-Wah-Zu). It’s on the border of Brazil and Argentina, and we’re taking a bus 20 hours overnight because there is no class on Monday. I'm sure I'll steal someone's pictures after we go but here's a general idea:

Salsa Class

On Thursday, I went to my grammar class and a girl mentioned that she’s going to salsa classes that night. She gave me a flyer, and it turns out it’s just a short walk from my apartment! So I went and took some beginner level classes for the equivalent of $3. I was really nervous, because I remember I tried to do clases with Josh and there’s not much connection between my brain, the music, and my feet! But Kelly is really good and she knows everyone who works there, so it wasn’t too bad. After, we went to Abasto (the mall) to eat with a new porteno friend. My madre said she wants to come this week, so I can’t wait for our “family bonding time!” This is the new move I'm working on ;)

El Teatro Ciego

Friday night I went to a really unique theater with Kristen, Emily, and Eduardo (my neighbors). It’s called a blind theater, and we sat in darkness during the performance. We could only hear the performers speak, but during the ocean scene, for example, they spritzed us with water and we could smell the sea salt. During a romantic scene, it smelled like flowers. You get the picture. Most of the actors were blind, so it was something different.

Frisbee

Joining a team has been really stressful, because I live so far from the parks where we practice and it’s difficult to travel at night unless I want to take a taxi every time. It took a while for me to finalize my class schedule and on top of that, before the league started, not all the teams had decided on their practice schedules. Anyway, Aqua seemed to work out best and this was my first week practicing and playing with them. They play with 3 handlers back and a vertical stack, and I had a lot of trouble understanding the motion offense and double sided defense. And during the first point, I ripped off my pinky toenail because I hadn’t yet put on my cleats. That baby hurts!! I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t want to be “that girl.” But despite my bloody foot, I couldn’t imagine NOT playing when the weather is this beautiful. The team is really fun, even if they do make jokes that I don’t understand!

Mexican food

Sunday night I went to get Mexican food with Sarah, Emily, and Kristen. It was good, but definitely not the best I’ve had. I had a drink, the special (tacos pastor), and we split nachos as an appetizer and it came to less than $6 USD for my meal. I also went to an Arabic place near the IES center for lunch the other day, and the swarma (wrap) I had was to die for. And I had sushi two days ago. Next on the list is thai. I love the food here, but I'm used to a little more variety.

Fighter Jets?

Sarah and I were walking downtown when all of a sudden I heard a guy shout shut up in spanish and we noticed that everyone on the street had stopped moving and were staring at the sky. It scared me at first, but then some fighter jets trailed blue smoke across the sky right above the obelisco (it looks exactly like the Washington Monument). In the restaurant, they said something about France on the news but I couldn't see because we were sitting directly under it. When I find out what was going on, I will keep you posted!

Buenos Aires, Mi Amor

I think I’m going to have to suck it up and buy a camera even though they’re so expensive here because Sarah is going to start charging me royalties!

Check out my new gym: http://www.keltia.com.ar/

The first week, I tried to join a gym but they wouldn’t let me because you need A) to be examined by one of their doctors or B) a medical certificate. I’m glad I didn’t join then, because I just got a copy from IES and haven’t had time to actually go until recently. I’ve been going when I don’t have frisbee practice, and the cool thing is that you don’t have a card to enter- they take your fingerprint and you scan your finger to get in!

San Isidro

IES took us to San Isidro, which is a barrio outside of the city. I found a ginormous pinecone. We went to a few museums and a small feria, but the best part was having tea and pastries over the water. There was a great view of the city skyline, and the sun setting over the water was so beautiful. The day was kind of boring (I prefer to explore rather to listen), but the end made it all worth it.

Food fight!!!

This happened a while ago, but I forgot to write about it. Sarah and I went to the Facultad de Medicina after I went with Matt, because the plaza is a great place to study. While we were reading, we noticed there were small groups of families and students in the middle of the plaza. All of a sudden, people started clapping and hugging. I thought it was an engagement, but then they started throwing eggs at each other! They also had bags of flour and dumped it on each other’s heads- some students chased each other around with food and wrestled on the ground! We found out later that this is the custom when students graduate from med school- apparently their reward for passing their exams was a giant food fight!

IUNA Class- La Historia Socio-cultural del Arte

I realize that I haven’t written much about my classes- yes, I’m actually studying here! I’m taking a class that’s kind of like the philosophy of art, or the history of the concept of art. It’s very interesting, and it’s held at IUNA Movimiento, which is the school of dance, so the other students are training to be professional dancers. Some things about this class:

• I understand the professor and the readings pretty well, but the students are more difficult to understand because they talk so fast! We have a group project coming up, but of course Sarah and I were the kids picked last for gym class and don’t really have a group yet.

• The class is 4 hours on Fridays, which I actually don’t mind. Perks: during the break, there’s an amazing empanada place next door where the empanadas are less than a dollar. Also, after class it’s fun to walk around the school and look in on students learning modern, tap, tango, ballet, etc.

• It’s close to my apartment! I can walk there in 20 minutes. It’s also close to Abasto, the mall. After class on Friday, I went with Sarah and David (a student we met in class from Ecuador) to the mall. David and I watched an Argentine film called “El secreto de sus ojos” which was really good. He was helpful whenever I needed a translation because he speaks English.

UMSA Class- La historia del arte argentina del siglo XIX

I also had my first “parcialito” which is like a unit test! I was so nervous because it was for the 19^th century argentine art history class and Brittney and I are the only non-native speakers in the class. But we studied together, and I wrote about 2 pages worth of everything I knew about new artistic techniques that emerged from European artists in Buenos Aires before Argentina officially became a nation. Wish me luck!

…ETC

Other things I did this week…I’ll expand on them if you skype me- how’s that for an incentive ;)

Some students in my program met at a local bar to watch the soccer game against Brazil. They won, but I got to eat nachos for the first time in a long time! (Can you tell how passionate I am about soccer??) Me and Matt at the bar:

I went to Hallie and Sarah’s neighbor’s apartment to hang out after the game. Two of the crazy Argentine boys went to the balcony, spread their arms, held each other, and sang “My heart will go on” from the Titanic. And since they’re on the top floor, they pretty much serenaded the entire neighborhood at 3 am. No they were not drunk- I think people here just have less verguenza (less shy) than we stuffy Americans do!

It's Officially Been a Month!

Ahh sorry I haven’t updated in a while! Here’s a recap of the past week (and a half…). I think 90% of these photos are not mine so thanks to everyone whose photos I borrowed! :)

• I went to an Argentine birthday party and a grad party the past two weekends with friends from the city and friends from my program.
  
  Observations:
  Portenos know how to dance! The boys know how to twirl you around the floor, and everything is just so much more fun! It was perfectly acceptable that we didn’t know who the party host was, as long as we went with someone who had a friend who knew the party host! The parties were held at boliches (clubs) or bars that they rented just for the occasion. The time schedule is also different. We left at 2am for the party and got home at 6am after dancing all night.
  
  
  

• Every Sunday in San Telmo, there’s an antique fair with live music, tango dancers, drum circles, etc. I went both weekends because the atmosphere is just so cool. San Telmo has a lot of design shops. I bought two dresses for about $25 USD at one really cool artsy clothing store. The second time we went, there were Brazilian drummers and dancers dancing something I’ve never seen before- it was almost tribal. I love the feria, because there’s always something new (haha get it? It’s an antique fair!)

• Last week was Buenos Aires Fashion week (BAF) so I went with some friends to a fashion show. I can hardly begin to describe the episode that ensued, but basically we waited four hours in line and lied our way inside. I lied to an event organizer that my friend lost her VIP ticket, so he gave us two more. Then I had my friend lie that someone stole her ticket, etc. We ended up getting into the last show after waiting all day and paying only $5 USD. I don't feel bad because that's the only way we could have seen it. There were hundreds of people in line who paid the entrance fee, waited hours in line like we did, and then had to turn around and go home. And we made an awesome Argentine friend in line who has been showing us around the city! She came with us and her friends to the party last weekend.

• One free afternoon Matt and I went exploring. I looked up where we live on google maps and found a green square so we met there. It ended up being the University of Buenos Aires Facultad de Medicina (med school) with a big plaza in front. So he took some pictures since my old point and shoot died. We went to the top floor, climbed up on the windows, and Matt got some really cool shots of the city.

• So my classes are underway. I won’t bore you with details, but the painting class is pretty comical. I’m taking it with Meghan, another IES student. She just told us to set up and start painting a still life that was set up. Every time she came over, she’d critique my work very loudly and point out all the things wrong with it. I noticed she didn’t do that with the other students. But the next class she was really nice. I think maybe it was a test to see if I would stay or not. Anyway, I finished the still life and learned to bring my ipod. I listen to Spanish podcasts, because the Spanish immersion in this class is minimal, and the students don't really talk.
  

• After class one day, Eduardo and I went to this ice cream place that I pass everyday on my way to the bus stop. It was the most amazing ice cream I’ve ever had! It’s more like gelato than ice cream, but there are so many flavors. We have a list and check off the ones we’ve had with the ratings we give it. The guys who work there always laugh at my Spanish, but I don’t care because this stuff is better than anything I've ever had (this includes all the gelato we ate in Italy)! On the list:
  
  
• Chocolate Amagro- super rich dark chocolate but not too sweet for a whole cone
  
• Dulce de leche- almost like caramel. dulce de leche is to Argentina like peanut butter is to the US
• Samboyon- rum flavored ice cream. Strongest rum I've ever tasted- almost more rum than ice cream! Not a favorite.
• Banana split (bah-nah-nah splEET)- banana ice cream with dulce de leche swirl and chocolate chips
• Tramontana- my favorite so far! french vanilla ice cream with cookies covered in chocolate.

• My madre is cuter than ever. She got a slideshow from a friend’s email and started watching it. I heard a scream and came running into the comedor to see pictures of topless women on the beach and my madre with her hands over her eyes giggling like a little girl. I think it was a breast cancer awareness thing, but the whole episode was pretty funny.

• We’re having a few problems with the salad situation. Argentines don’t understand salad. The first day we had salad, I got a bowl full of lettuce with salt and olive oil. I explained that it was very good but usually I eat salad with dressing, for example olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The next time, I got a bowl of lettuce with olive oil and…get this…white vinegar! Like the kind you’d use to clean your kitchen sink! But wait, it gets better. Tonight we had salad again with lettuce and tomatoes. And ketchup! She told me she remembers that I like dressing so she squeezed a bottle of ketchup all over my lettuce!!!

PS this is my new favorite song: Te Amo (Makano) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg7M5wjHgBM