Easing Into It...

So after my first weekend I am learning that Buenos Aires had nothing to do with my presumptions...there are no rice and beans...basically I thought it would be a lot more like Mexico...it's not. nothing like it. I presumed my Spanish skills would get me by fairly well. They are not. not at all. I always thought I was a big city girl deep down ... I don't think I am ... that might change.

Saturday we went on a city tour with Virginia and Guillermo. We drove around the city and got a better idea of where things are in relation to our house...parks, other barrios, tourist sites, bus stations, etc. We stopped at the horse club for lunch. It was sweet; like a country club with horses everywhere and a place for them to practice for jumping competitions. Virginia made sure to get me a sandwich without meat and bought me soy stuff for dinner. She's great. I am easing into the meat and want to start with small portions. So tonight we had chicken...the texture still is ehhh. it squeaked against my teeth, the flavor isn't bad at all...the texture is what gets me.

Sunday Kathryn and I went exploring again. We went to the 'ferria' (like a market) and walked around the infamous cemetery. And I went with Chloei to church; I could understand about half of the sermon. We took the bus there and the subway back so I felt more a part of the city after trying both.

The feria was fun...matte cups, jewelry, bags, scarves, shoes, lots of leather and glass. I was talking to Miguel (a scarf salesman) about how I liked colors less bright (brillante) than the scarves he had been showing me; I'm not used to the Argentine accent yet and he didn't understand my Spanish because I didn't pronounce it "brishante". And I learned that no one knows where Kansas is. Then Kathryn and I got stuffed bread (pretty much a sandwich) at the feria...she got a meat one, looked like good hot normal bread. I ordered a tomato one and the guy ran away for a minute or two and brought back a charred piece of food resembling bread....yumm....I had to wonder if it was because of the no meat.

The cemetery was pretty but creepy once the fact that it was an above ground huge cemetery hit me. The structures were really elegant. The closer I got and the more I saw, I started noticing broken windows, cobwebs, creepy stairs in each tomb leading to who knows where. caskets with lids off, drawers for dead bodies, pigeons eating out of a cremation jar....the usual cemetery stuff.

Today we had the first day of classes: oral and written tests and orientation of the city systems. Once again, I am disappointed with my Spanish skills ... speaking at least. There are about 20 kids in the intensive language program with me; most from the US and a few from Europe. We went out to eat after class at a cafe ... I ordered 'huevos fritos' and ended up with 'papas fritas' (once again my glorious speaking skills...I even pointed to the menu). I explored with a few more walks and finally got to perform the Preston ritual of feeling at home in a new place: going to the grocery store for entertainment, leisurely strolling down the isles looking at the funny foods in the new home.

Things to ease into: no peanut butter, my teeth squeaking when I eat meat, prejudice of the restaurants against vegetables, no Mexican food, bettering my speaking skills, the Argentine accent, school?

Love.

Meat Me Already

I show up at the airport after 14 hours of planes. I trade too much money stupidly at the airport for the worst exchange rate. Whoops. Luckily I eventually find a man holding up a sign 'Universidad del Salvador' to pick me up from the airport. After meeting up with some other American International Students, I learned how little I knew about my trip and how many emails I didn't get.

These whole 4 days I have thought I was staying at the Residencia Alfa 2000 (dorms). After getting dropped off at an apartment with Kathryn (my roommate from Illinois) I learn I am living with a host mom (Virginia). She's really sweet and funny. She knows a bit of English and likes slowly saying "Oh my god" when something is really dramatic. Love it. We live in Barrio Norte which is part of Recoleta. It is right next to the part of the city that specializes in stores that sell dentist chairs and utensils...Funny.

Another girl (Courtney) is living with my host mom and has been here for 5 months and leaves in a week and a half, she said we got one of the best and most relaxed host mom's out there. Courtney and her friend (Chloei) gave us lots of advice and tips for the city and traveling. We got empanadas for lunch...I stayed vegetarian...they were nice...more Italian tasting than I expected.

Courtney and Chloei gave us a lesson in matte (an herbal drink that is like a bonding/sharing ritual in Argentina) and biscochitos (little cookies). There is a 'server' who drinks the first and strongest matte. The server adds more water to the herbs and passes it to the first person. The server refills the gourd using the same herbs each time passing it around the circle for a long afternoon time of sharing the same conversation and matte through the bombilla (straw). I am not a huge fan of the taste yet. It is very bitter. Kinda tastes like what would happen if you chewed on tea leaves. Very strong.



When I had first arrived and was getting to know my house mom, I told her I was vegetarian and was going to slowly ease into the meat of the culture. As she was preparing dinner she joked that 'Now that I am in Argentina, there's no vegetarian" ... she wasn't joking. 2 whopping pieces of meat and potatoes for dinner with some salad, bread and wine (Malbec - the type Argentina is known for). As the plates are slowly clearing over conversation I managed to down 1/2 a piece of my chunk of cow. The texture will be the hardest thing to get used to again. Everyone is pretty much done eating and my host mom starts to clear a few plates. She returns from the kitchen with a huge tomato on a little plate saying that I didn't eat enough. She said that if you don't have meat with a meal here it is not considered a meal but she understands that I have to ease into it. She is sweet.


There are a few things to get used to: Meat, Matte, City sounds and lots of honking, Milk and yogurt from bags, Dentist chair stores, Argentina time schedule (Breakfast 8-10, Lunch 1-3, Snack 5-6, Dinner 9-11, Hang out 12-6)


Love.

9 days

The countdown has begun...

Love.