Friday, December 12, 2008

Belly Dance

Tonight I saw something really cool. Zen took me to this lounge/bar that has belly dancers. I have never seen this in person before so I was really excited. After waiting for 30 minutes the girls finally came out. There were two girls. They are only average looking but they really could move. The outfits really helped exaggerate their moves. They danced around to a mix of middle eastern and hip hop and Latin music. I really had a good time and I think we are going to go back next week and get some good pictures. The people tell me that on good nights the girls dance on the bars and the whole place joins in. That should be a sight to see. Interesting side note: to tip the girls people walk up to them and "make it rain" and it is considered normal. Apparently that is the way these girls are always tipped. It was interesting to see girls stand next to belly dancers in a bar in Houston and make it rain. One guy even threw every dollar directly in the face of the girl like a dart board.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Tango List Final

So the trip is over. There are some things I did not manage to do. I never sent the post cards that I wrote, I did not get to visit every city in Argentina, I missed going to Uruguay, I still have not skydived (do to financial reasons). With everything I missed I learned a lot along the way. Setting goals is good. Writing about the things you do makes them that much better. The most important lesson I have gained from everything is that you must keep the sense of adventure alive in yourself. No one is going to take you out there you have to get out there and do it yourself. That is what makes a place yours. For now on I have a new perspective that I am going to take with me to New York. I'm going to approach every place like I did Argentina - with an adventure's spirit. After all what makes an adventure is not what you do - it is the attitude you approach it with. Happy Trails!

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Cordoba, Rosario, Carlos Paz

Last week I went on about a week and a half adventure around the central part of Argentina with Miarana. I decided not to go to Iguzau falls because it is far and a lot of money. Insted I decided to go to Cordoba and Rosario. I have been wanting to go camping for a while and from what I read these are two great places. In Rosario our train was cancled because of a strike. That was a dissapointment. We took a bus insted. The first day in Rosario we went camping on the River Islands. The place was pretty cool. You had to take a boat out there. There are beaches with sand and plenty of places to camp. The first night was windy and cold. We had a group of pigs wonder around the tent all night. We decided to leave after one day because they were not sending any more boats for a few days and it was cold. When we got back to town there was a huge multicultural fair all weekend. I bought some cool gifts and ate some different food. Overall I would say Rosario was a kinda a bummer. The town wasn..t as cool as advertised but it was fun thanks to the festival.Cordoba - Cordoba was the exact oppsite as Rosario. Cordoba was so cool and chill. There were loads of things to do. I liked Cordoba more than Buenos Aires. There isn..t as much noise, everything is calmer than the capital, and you still have access to everything that there is in Buenos Aires. I wish I would have gone here sooner. After a couple of days we decided to end the trip by camping in a smaller resort town called Carlos Paz.Carlos Paz - This is a little town that kids graduating for middle school go to celebrate. The whole time there you could see groups of ¨engresados¨ laughing it up and having a good time. I felt really happy to see all the celebrations because this doen..t really exist for middle schoolers in the U.S. Miarana told me that Carlos Paz for middle schoolers is like Bariloche for highschoolers. The camping was good - not really roughing it. There was a pool and all kinds of thing to do on the campgroud. It was more like a scaled down theme park with camping. I had fun. After all the adventre we came back to Buenos Aires. I can..t wait to get back to the U.S. and then to New York.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Rosario

The UGA part of my trip is over. We all said our good bye..s and had a really nice dinner at a japanese resturant. I decided to go down the road about 4 hours to Rosario. This place really seemed cool to me b/c the city is not too big and they have camping on the river islands. We got to the trian station station and the train was cancled b/c of a strike. So we had to take a bus. We (Miarana and I) finally got to Rosario late. We ate pizza and got a cheep place to stay. In the morning we headed to the camp group. We rode a boat over and put up the tent. The islands are pretty cool. They have cool things to do and you can get sun. Everything is more expensive and it was kinda empty b/c we went at off season. We saw a group of pigs. There were two mothers and about 9 babies. In the middle of night it started to rain, the tempature droped, and the wind really picked up. I slept fine but we decied to go back to the city b/c there woudln..t be any more boats coming over for almost 2 days. The whole thing was fun and I would like to do it again where there is better weather.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Travel plans

Here is a rough guide to what I will be doing for the next month. I will add updates as thing change.

11.13 Train to Rosario for 3-4. I would like to go to the river islands and chill/camp

11.17 Bus to either Cordoba or Iguazu. If I go to Cordoba I plan on skydiving (as my birthday gift from everyone). If I go to Iguazu then I..ll go see the falls.

11.21 Bus to either Iguazu or Cordoba. Depending on time and money.

11.25 Boat to Colonia, Uruaguy

11.27 Back in Buenos Aires

12.3 Fly home to Houston, TX.

Last Days

The UGA en Buenos Aires program has ended. Last night we went as a group to eat sushi at a cool little japanese resturant. Everyone said a little something and got a little sentimential. Overall I think it was a nice ending. Personally I have been trying to transition away from the city. After coming back for Patigonia I can really see how much of a toll the city takes on me. So yesterday I went to the train station and bought a train ticket to Rosario. Ï am leaving today at 6.45 local time. Rosario is a really chill city, the third largest in Argentina. I look foward to going to the Che Gevarra measeum and just relaxing next to the river. Maybe I will do some camping. Yesterday I also bought a new knife to replace the one I had to throw away at the airport. This knife is a little better but basically the same. The price wasn..t that much more than in the U.S. and I really use the knife a lot for day to do things so I went ahead and bought it.

Disaster strikes

First of all Im safe so don..t worry about that. I had my digital camera stolen from my luggage at the airport. I know it was stolen because it was the last thing I put in my bag and I put it in a front pocket of my backpack. The charger and cables were still in the same pocket but the camera and memory card were taken. I spent an hour bitching to the manager of baggage. She said the airline was not responisble for any lost items. I really hate that I lost all the photos. There were great shot of icebergs, glaciers, moutians, me treking on an iceberg, group shots. All these shot were once in a life time and I know I won..t be able to get them back. Also, until this point in the trip I have managed to avoid any major hits. This was the first one so I..m a little dissappointed in myself for not taking better care of my things.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Yes we can!

I..m not a political guy. I think there is so much unknow in politics that it is almost silly to think you really know a topic. On the other hand I have a deep admiration for people who feel strongly about something and do something about it. Being in Argentina has really given me an idea of how American politics affect the world. I..m not talking about the direct political actions of our country - I still don..t beleive that one person can have a complete understanding of that topic. I..m refering to how American political affect the people in other countries. Here in Argentina the first thing that comes out of someome after I tell them I..m from the U.S. they ask about Obama. And they like him. For the first time in a long time I feel proud to talk about our presedent. People here seem hopeful just as I do. You can tell by talking to them that they think Obama will have an indirect affect on there personal lives. I hope Obama lives up to the hype. Not just for us but also for ¨people listening to the raido in forgotten corners of the world¨ as he put it.

Ice, Ice, Baby

The past few days the whole UGA en Buenos Aires program has been traveling. We went trecking on a glacier and took an awasome boat ride to the north and south side of the most famous glacier in Argentina. The day we went treking and the group dinner we had were two of my most faviorte memories of the entire trip. The views are amazing. I have a bunch of pictuers on the way. I can..t upload them right now but I will in the coming days. You must see the pics. There is no way to discribe the image. On a sad note I have been quite stressed with all the travle and moving around. I went to the airport and forgot that I had my Swiss Army knife in the small pocket of my cargo pants. There was no time to put the knife in my bag - I had to throw the knife away. I was really sad to see it go. It wasn..t that expensive but it was one of my favorite things. The knife said ¨Camping¨ on it and had a little teepee on it. I was supposed to give the knife as a gift to my nephew so seeing it laying next to a coffee cup in the air port trash really stung.

Gifts

As everyone must know my trip is winding down. I..m starting to plan to return back to the United States. Unlink my trip to Spain I have done a much better job managing my money (with the help and support of friends and family). With that in mind I would like to share some of my experience with everyone. If you would like a small gift from Argentina please send me a message. If you can give me some kind of idea of what you want that would save me a lot of trouble. I can..t promise anything huge but there are bunches of thing at various price levels. For example, today I saw a hand woven clutch that looked just like a llama for 15 US dollars.

Friday, October 31, 2008

UGA vs. UF

Wow. This is it. This is for all the marbles. The winnerr of this game most likely wins the SEC east, could win the SEC out right, and could go to the national championship. Not to mention this is the last time the seniors ever get to play in Jacksonville. There are countless side stories, the dace party from last year, GA maybe coming out in ALL RED, recruiting. For UGA and UF this is the Superbowl. This is how I see things playing out: Georgia has the better team but Florida has looked better all year. I think the coaching staff for UGA has been saving up for this game. I think Georgia will run Knowshon early much the same way they did last year. If the O line is getting a push early look for UGA to work off of that (play action pass). The ideal situation for GA is to kill the clock with long drives like the ones we have been seeing the past couple of weeks. FL's defensive line is not as strong as LSU so I fully expect Knowshon to go over 100 yards and basically carry UGA to a win. UGA wins 35 - 17 Here are some players to watch for:

Knowshon: He is the key to the win. If he has a good game GA wins. Watch for the O line to make huge holes to run through. 25 carries 140 yards 2 TD's (player of the game)

Matt Stafford: UF will crowd the line in order to stop the running game. This is give Stafford 1 ..s on the outside. I think it would be better of Stafford to throw less but with big results when he does throw. No turnovers is key. 16 of 26 for 240 yards 1 TD.

The O line - The young guys up front have been playing exceptionally well considering the adversity they have faced. They are going aginist a weaker and injured defense. They could dominate this game.

Rennie Curren - FL plays a speed game so look for the little quick "dart" to play a big role in stopping movent to the outside. Rennie should get 10 tackles.

Reshad Jones - The QB of the defense has been progressing in his first season as starter. Jones will have to be very diciplined with FL. One busted coverage or missed tackle could be a TD.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

La Boca

A few months ago, at the start of my trip, I went to La Boca. La Boca is an interesting place with an interesting history. "La Boca" translated means "the mouth" that is a pretty good way to describe this place. Literally La Boca is the mouth of a river and a heavy industrial center. Ships are docked on the river front and you can see factories off in the distance. La Boca is also the birth place of soccer in Argentina. The two most famous teams in Argentina (River Plate and Boca) used to share the same neighbor until River moved up town - never-the-less the rivalry still remains today. The last and most visible element of La Boca is the tourist destination "El caminito" - a series of painted metal buildings where artist gather and people from all over go. This space was created by poor people as a way to transcend a poor neighborhood and unite the people that live there. The buildings are nothing more than the painted shacks made the left over paint and steel for the shipping industry near by.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get to walk off the path that I first saw and see the other reality of La Boca distinct for the tourism and colored buildings - more human. We (our group) visited a group of people that were poor and homeless and decided to work together and build a community. Much in the same way people in the past decided to build el caminito as a for of solidarity and community, these people also decided to build buildings and unify themselves. The were many different branches, some local some governmental and some individual, basically these people worked in a co-op and banned their labor together. Some people were able to work in order to build apartments other people pay a very reduced rent. The common thread that runs through everything is a sense of community and togetherness that you can not fake. The feeling of being a part of a whole comes as much from sharing a bathroom with 20 others as it does from knowing that everyone is literally dependent on the work of the group for food, housing, health care, and support. I truly believe that this type of feeling can only exist in small groups where resources are communal.

For me one striking element of the trip was the use of space among the group. You can really see and understand the close contact that the people of co-op must have when you are in their spaces. First of all there is very little structure to the space. An office functioned as a living room, nursery, and computer room just as much as a place to get work done. As we walked through a door there was a small kitchen with and a hallway with construction tools. The large room was open but within the open space there were dividers of stills that separated the living space of one family and another's. The doors to each living area were nothing more than a old piece of wood or a curtain. Standing there you could hear all at once the crying of children, noise from the street, and sound of voices of various people. The only thing separating this space for the street was a haphazard building that had many holes large enough for a bird to make a nest and sunlight to shine through. In fact the building was so bad you could see the dripping water from the upstairs neighbor's bathroom.

You would never know by talking to anyone in this co op that they were unhappy with there living situation - quite the opposite in fact. Everywhere you looked you say smiling faces full of life. And the people were proud. There was no shame in the eyes of these people. They were more than willing to tell you how difficult it is to get the government to help.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Georgia vs. LSU preview

This is a big game a turning point for both teams. If Georgia loses this game then everyone will have to agree that this season was never going to be a great as everyone thought. LSU on the other hand has the chance to beat UGA and have a great season in a year when most would not have though it was only going to be good. Here are the back stories: Georgia is reeling (or so it seems). Georgia has managed to win but not very convincingly for the entire season. On top of everything about half the team (no stretch) has gone down at some point in the season. Georgia looks beatable (and I think the coaches want it that way). I have a hunch that UGA is going to break out some plays that they have been saving and show LSU that we only look weak. I would not be surprised to see some tricks (maybe a half back pass, wide receiver pass, or maybe a double pass). Before you see the trick you will see the O line run the rock. If that works look for the passing game to open up. Players to watch:

Knowshawn M: Look for Richt to feed the beast. Look for a dominant performance. The other running back could make a big impact as well 25 carries, 150 yards, 2 TDs

Matt Stafford: After a couple of games with picks look for Matt to manage the game. I expect a couple of long passes at select times and a well managed game. The screen game should be working. 25 for 34, 250 yards 1 TD

Reshad Jones: Jones played his best game of the year at safety. LSU is very similar to UGA so Jones should be able to read their offense. 8 tackles, 1 fumble or interception

The O line (players of the game): They WILL surprise and there will be running room - injuries and all.

Georgia wins 35 - 17

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Rock the Vote

Today after class I followed Blake to the American Embassy to vote. I just wanted to see what the Embassy was like. Of course on the way over there I was of the opinion that I didn't need to vote, I would be represented indirectly, it was a waste of time. Everyone who knows me surely has had similar conversations with me over the years. Blake played devils advocate and said basically even if the vote doesn't count it stands for something - which I agreed with. By the time we got to the voting place I had already went through most of the process of voting. I was there, I went through security, I talked to the correct people, I was waiting in line. I was beginning to wonder if I could vote. So I made a deal with myself (and to Blake to a lesser degree). If it was possible for me to vote then I would. When my turn came I asked the guy and I could vote. All I had to do was fill out 3 pieces of paper and that was it. It was easier than most visits to the Doctor. OBAMA! First time I've ever voted. I even got a little sticker.

Tango list update!

Wow last night I did something totally unexpected, totally spontaneous. I was with Blake and Will headed to Katie's birthday celebration. It was a little wet outside and a little cold so we decided to split a cab. Blake suggested crossing the street b/c the traffic was running in the wrong direction. That turned out to be a fateful decision. We hailed the cab, Blake and Will got in the back and me in the front. As we were leaving I said half joking to the cabbie that I would like to drive. He said something in Spanish and then asked me if I knew how to drive. I said yes. Then he pulled the cab over at the next block and let me drive. I could not believe it. Will and Blake were shocked as well. I drove very carefully (in rain, in a car I had never driven before, in the dark). I stalled the car a couple of times. The car needed more gas than I was used to giving and I didn't want to over do it. I got us there fine and had a blast doing it. I wish I would have had taken some pictures but of course how can you anticipate a moment like that.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Wal Mart (Argentina)

Wal Mart (Argentina) Today I ventured out of the Capital to go to Wal Mart. I was not particularly interested in buying anything I was more interested in seeing the "Wal Mart way" as applied to Argentina. Would they use the same business methods? Would the store be set up like a typical U.S. Wal Mart? Are they going to carry American brands and simply sell them at a lower price in Argentina? Keep in mind that in Buenos Aires business is done very diffrently than where you would find Wal Mart. Everything is urban and family owned. Typically stores a small shops and discount stores are rare. All of these things were intresting enough for me to make the one hour trip out of the city.

Well Wal Mart is pretty much exactly the same physically as you are used to in the U.S. Dark blue warehouse style building, all the slogans are the same only translated to Spanish (Low prices everyday = Bajos pricos todos los dias). The workers wear thoes vests and there is a door greeter (they were even old and febel). The store set up is exactly the same. Fruits and veggies when you walk in and a row of small shops (McDonalds, eye center, hair place) by the check out. I knew the layout of the store almost without thinking. The items in the store were typical of a large supermarket and electronics and clothing store combined. There were not a lot of rare American items. I did find Hinz ketcup and a few other things. One intresting element of the store was that there was a Holleween display with masks and candy. Holleween is not celebrated in Argentina so I was suprised to see that.

I didn't really enjoy the experience to tell you the truth. I was in a very American store but I was surrounded by Argentine city people. Everything was so crouded. No one walked correctly. They have not been correctly taught the Wal Mart walk. For example: if you are going to look at something for an extended period of time pull your ass over and scoot your F*@%!N cart out of the isle. Oh and this little jewel: Your adorable little 4 year old spanish speaking daughter is going to get trampled if you let her run out into a Wal Mart highway. Everything was worse because Wal Mart was connected to a huge mall. It isn't like in Georgia where there is about five football fields of parking and then just Wal Mart and a couple of little stores. Everything was mixed. I was really stressed the whole time. To add insult to injury there was no self check out but I still had to bag my own crap. The lines were crazy long with people clipping coupons and trying to save a few pesos. I just bought a buch of junk food (and a cool blow up pillow for camping) to feel like I was doing something. When I finally got to the front of the line I was short 5 pesos (1.35$). Of course I wasn't going to get out of line and I didn't want to use my card (they charge) so I put back the ketchup. I was kind of shocked at how much I spent (32.00$). I guess it isn't a huge amount but I thought it would be less. I mean this is Wal Mart isn't it

Friday, October 10, 2008

Georgia vs. Tennessee preview

Georgia suffered a huge let down two weeks ago vs. Alabama. The coaching staff has had a week off to fix the mistakes. Playing at home and vs. a team that is struggling should be a big help. Tennessee has given UGA problems in the past however they are without their offensive coordinator from previous years and they are also without a QB that is as proven as previous years. I think Georgia will play very conservative on offensive and very aggressive on defense. The coaches have had to make some changes (middle linebacker, tight end, o - line). I expect all these changes to be productive. Most of all the running game will be helped by having our blocking fullback healthy. Knowshon will run for over 100 yards - that will open up the passing game. Just like the last half of last season. Dawgs win, not pretty but progess for two weeks ago. 35 - 17. Players to watch for:

Knowshon - The coaches will want to get off to a solid start. 25 plus carries and 100 plus yards. Caleb King could see a lot of action if Knowshon elbow is a prolbem.

Matt Stafford - I think the Tennessee secondary will get exposed when it matters. I don't think Matt will have a huge day passing but I do think he will have his chances. (200 yards)

A.J. Green - I think A.J. will make a couple of long plays down field as the defense trys to shut down the running game.

Reshad Jones - All the talk coming in is about Tennessee's safty. R. Jones will play just as well for UGA.

Rennie Curren - Solid as always. New leader of the Defense with Ellerbe out.

I don't think any one player will stand out in this game. Strong team effort is all we need and that is what we will get.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Birthday vote

So my birthday is a little over a week away. Everyone please vote on my birthday blog. I still plan to do the winning activity. Right now sky dive is winning by a large margin. So as an added incentive to vote (for anyone that hasn't already) I will most likely do the second place activity also.

Drop it like it is hot

A couple of days ago I had a little conversation with my program director. Basically she was wondering why I haven't been going to my internship. My answer was that I do not like it and I felt like it was a waste of my time. I spent six hours in a office filing papers and books. I wasn't learning and I didn't like it so I quit going. I told her I would rather fail than continue going to this every week. I think she was shocked. We spent 20 minutes going over how she thought I was rude for not putting forth more of an effort. Maybe she is right but my basic feeling is...I didn't pay money and commit my time to do something I don't think is helping. Personally I think it is rude to ask someone to continue to do something that they have already said they don't like - something that stresses them. So she agreed that I could get an F for the class and stop going. First F at UGA. I guess you can cross off the get all A's from the Tango list.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Georgia vs. Alabama preview

This game is receiving a lot of hype from all directions. ESPN is featuring this game for College Game day. Coach Mark Richt called for a blackout early this week. Larry Munson retired and will not be calling the action for the first time in 40 years. To add to everything, the two coaching staffs have been going back and forth in the media for the past few days. None of that will change the game - but it will be intresting. Here is how I see things playing out. The two teams are very similar. Run the ball and pass when the time is right. That being said UGA has the better running and passing game and should win the game. I would not be suprised to see the first team to 20 points win this game. A defensive or special teams score is likley (and could decide the game). Georgia wins a tough game: 23-17.

Players to watch for:

Danell Ellerbe - The middle linbacker has taken a backseat b/c all of the teams using the spread offense. Look for Danell to play a big role in stuffing the run. 8 tackels

Reshad Jones - This guy has been so so in coverage this year but I have a hunch he will pick off a pass and "lay the wood."

Knowshon - This is the perfect game for him. Just run the rock. Look for the coaching staff to save him for late in the game. I don't think he will go for a lot of yards but the yards he get will be huge.

Caleb King - With all the running that will be going on I think King will be a bigger force. One big run. I think we might see both running backs on the field at the same time. If that happens look for Knowshon to split out wide or go in motion to the slot receiver.

Blair Walsh - He might win this game with a late field goal. What is more apt to happen is that he wins this game with several early field goals. I'm goning out on a limb and calling for him to be the player to the game.

Las Canitias

Mariana took me to a really cool part of town last night called Las Canitias. This is where the locals go for fine dining. I think this is best place in town to go out to eat and I'm disappointed that I haven't tried here before. Everything is way hip and all the restaurants are themed and modern. Almost everyone that was eating out were from Argentina and professional. I could tell a big difference in age and sophistication between people here and people in places like Recoleta. Sport coats and nice shoes were items of choice. We ate at a place called Jackie O's (a tribute). We lucked out b/c everything on the menu was half off on Wednesday's. The food was just average and so was the service. I would only go back to get the discount. Nevertheless the experience was cool b/c I found a new place to go out to eat.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Estancia

Yesterday we went on a group trip to an Estancia (Farm in Argentina). This wasn't a farm as much as a tourist attraction and museum. The farm reminded me a lot of Texas. Many of the things the Gouchos did were the same kind of things that cowboys from the U.S. do. We got to see all the cowboy items in a little museum. There were spurs, pounchos, knives, chaps and everything that the gouchos used. The workmanship on some of the items was incredible. Many of the items were made of silver and endorned with decrotive patterns by hand. The highlight of the day had to be riding the horses. I don't even know if riding these horses counts as riding. These horses knew the trail and I think they could have taken us on the trail even if we fell asleep. The trip was funn nevertheless. I hope I get a chance to ride horses again when I get back to the U.S.

Friday, September 19, 2008

Happy Birthday!

Yesterday was Susannah's birthday. We all went to a nice little Mexican restaurant in Palermo. I invited Mariana. I was a little nervous. I didn't know how everyone would get along. Everything went great. Mariana was really charming and the girls in the group really seemed to like her company. I was about that. I bought Susannah a box of chocolates. It was nice to have Mexican food. The whole night was really nice. After the Mexican food most of the group went to a little bar. Mariana and I went home. I'm glad there was a big turn out for Susannah's birthday b/c my birthday is coming up. Hopefully I will be able to have the whole group celebrate my birthday.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Georgia vs. Arizona State preview

Georgia goes west of the Mississippi to play a football game for the first time in 40 or so years. This game had a huge build up in the preseason - much of that was lost when A State lost last week to a 28 point underdog. They will be out for blood. Georgia on the other hand had a hard time beating an average South Carolina team. Here is how I see the game playing out:

Look for Georgia to get off to a fast start and carry a lead for most of the game. I think this game will come down to who plays better in the 4th quarter. Georgia has the better athletes and more depth. Look for the running game to wear down the A State D. Georgia wins 31 - 17.

Players to watch out for:

Knowshawn M. Will run for 120 plus yard and a touchdown. The real story will but the O line proving running room.

Matt Stafford - Matt will out perform Rudy Carpenter on a national stage. 200 plus yards and a touchdown. More than anything no interceptions. (285 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT)

A.J. Green - This kid has been all the buzz for the past month and word is that they coaches are looking for ways to get him more involved in the game. 5 catches for 100 yards and a long touchdown catch or trick play. (Player of the game) (8 catches for 159, 1 TD)

Asher Allen - Asher has a good chance to go against a QB that likes to throw. Asher will get a pick if they throw to his side and play good run support. (Played well, had a pick called back)

The defensive front 4 - Good pass rush for the first time. 3 sacks and many hurries. (4 sacks)

I have to give myself a huge pat on the back for this one. The game played out just about how I thought. 27 - 10 final score.

Night on the town

I took Mariana to a nicer restaurant last night. The place was called Gatto. The company symbol is the word 'Gatto' with two cat claw marks where the 'tt' appears. The place was pretty chic. Everything was done in a flat red and all the furnishing were modern. The food was o.k. I had a stake and she had pasta. My stake tasted good but was a little blackened on the edges and did not have as much flavor as I would have expected. I guess the highlight as far as the food goes would be the bread that they served before the meal. The whole meal cost $33 dollars. Not bad for the expereince but expensive if you only go for the food.

This was the first night Mariana got "dolled up" for me. She looked fantastic. I had a feeling she would b/c she made me wait 40 minutes for her to get ready. She straitened her hair and put on make up. It was a big change. More than anything you could see the change in her behavior. She really shined.

Slow days

Nothing much has been going on this week. Really the past few weeks have been slow. Everything has pretty much settled down. Classes are fine. I had my first exam yesterday. The test was easy. I was happy because if all my exams are this easy I won't have to study very much.

The group is planning a trip to Iguazu Falls on the 26th. That would be a nice way to break up the classes but I don't have the 300 dollars that it is going to take and I don't want to spend 40 plus hours on the bus. Almost the entire group is going. I really hate that I'm going to miss the chance to spend time with the group. They are going to have a blast.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Teacher

Today my buddy Will introduced me to a his girlfriend. This girl (I don't remember her name) is a teacher at an English school. So I asked her some things about teaching English (pay, typical day, things like that). She basically told me that I could be a teacher if I wanted to and that the pay is quite good. I'm going to send her my resume and she is going to take that to her boss. I hope everything works out. I would love to stay in Argentina for a while. I love that their system of hiring teachers is more relaxed. She told me there would be an interview in English and then a trial period. If I did fine then I would be a full time employee. That rocks! I'm going to keep looking into the teaching opportunities - I hope something works out. I don't know how everyone back home will feel about me extending my trip indefinitely but I think I'm to a point where it is way past time to move on. Georgia is great but you are only young once. The United States will be there when I'm ready to go back.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Beat thoes cocks

Today I get to watch the my first Georgia football game in Argentina. This should be a real treat. The dawgs are playing really well. The whole group are going to watch the game at a hip bar in Recoleta. I'm sure there will be much yelling, drinking, and all around happiness. Georgia games, more than anything else, really bring the group together. Even the girls know what is going on with the team and Katie played in the band. Here is my take on the game:

Look for a receiver A.J. Green to make at least one touchdown catch. This kid is fresh out of high school and an absolute athlete. He is also from South Carolina so he will want to play well from the home state. (I was almost right on this he had 3 catches for 61 yards and a near touchdown)

Matt Stafford will probably throw for 200 plus yards and two touchdowns. (Stafford played poorly but managed a win. 15 for 25 and no touchdowns. He also did not throw any interceptions and led us to a win)

Knowshawn 100 plus yards and one touchdown. Look for at least one big run in the second half. (20 carries for 80 yards)

Rennie Curren will play well at linebacker. (I was dead on. Rennie had 8 tackles 1.5 sacks and forced a huge fumble).

Star of the game: Reshad Jones one big interception good coverage down field and no big plays in the passing game. (He had a big interception but I think he could have played better coverage on a couple of plays. This guy is going to be an All American in the coming years.)

I think the Dawgs will coast to a easy win. The first half will be close but look for the dawgs to pull away towards the second half. 38-17 Dawgs win big. (Well I was way off on the score. South Carolina played very well. Defense dominted for both teams. The dawgs have a long way to go before they are considered for the National Championship.) Huge game next week vs. Arizona State.

Friday, September 12, 2008

El Tigre

Today the entire group went to the mouth of the river that boarders Buenos Aires (El Tigre). The place is about an hour out of the city. I almost missed the whole trip. I slept in. I got dressed and ran 4 blocks to catch the bus in 7 minutes. From nearly naked to on the bus in 7 minutes. When we finally got on the road the first thing I noticed is that everyone in the group has improved their Spanish. Today is more or less one month in Buenos Aires for the UGA group. Two months for me. So I guess today was a celebration. We passed most of the day by the river. There was a flea market and plenty of cool views. Then we ate lunch. I really enjoyed lunch - it was so relaxed. We drank wine, beer, and sangria by the river and just be silly. The highlight of the whole day was the boat ride. The program paid for us to ride on a little river boat. They took a photo of me when I got on the boat. I will try and post it. That was the only photo I have because I forgot to bring my camera. On the boat we saw all of these rivers houses. Some were shacks and some were really nice. The houses reminded me of the FL coast. At the end of the day we went to measum. I was so tired. I want to go back and camp on the nature reserve. I'm pretty sure Jesse is down. I will post pics when I go back.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Tango list update

Tango list update

Two weekends ago I crossed of the Yetti Call from the tango list. I made it to the top of Tres Picos and introduced Kelly and Jesse to the Yetti. There were many moments where I could have done the Yetti and been happy but I'm glad I saved it until the end. We were fighting time and I was exhausted plus spending time with two new friends so I think this Yetti deserves to be on the list. You might recall (if you are a regular reader of my blog) that I did the Yetti call once before with less success. I'm so glad I had another beautiful opportunity to Yetti.

In other news I will most likely have to drop dancing Tango from the tango list. Every week we have tango lessons. I have missed the past two weeks. Today Emily Goff asked me if I was going to tango and I felt bad telling her that I wasn't going. David (activities) and Kelly overheard the conversation so explained why I didn't like tango even further. I felt bad that I wasn't going to be able to meet all my goals for the trip but that is part of the experience. You can't do everything only the really important thing and learning that might be the most important thing of all.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Mariana

I have not posted in a while and I have not made my phone calls in a long time. I have a lot less free time. Class takes up a bunch of time. I have fixed times that I eat and getting to know everyone pretty much takes up all my social time. Not to worry everyone. I am doing really well. I am loving life. I will call soon.

Last night was very interesting. I had a simi romantic encounter. Nothing serious PG13 for sure. I met this girl (Mariana is her name) she is from Brazil in my dorm. We talked kissed and fell asleep together. It was nice spending time with a woman in a romantic kind of way. That is something I have been missing here in BA. If the same night happened in the U.S. I would not even write a blog about it. The whole thing was innocent and I don..t think anything further will happen. I'm just so happy to spend time with the opposite sex that is a little more personal.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Gear Update

Gear Update

I took my first trip out with new gear so I thought this would be a nice time to update the gear.

Backpack: Lowe Alpine TFX Horizon 65

The backpack held up well. I threw it around the airport, I sat on it, dragged it, pretty much treated it with wreck less abandon and all the seems are fine, no rips, tears, or breaks. As far as function I can really so some clear ways this bag could be better. The side pockets is the main drawback of this bag. You cannot carry a decent sized water bottle outside the bag. You cannot stuff the zip pockets to full capacity b/c of the shape of the pockets. Carrying the bag is great and adjusting the weight is easy. Overall I'm happy with the bag but I will take the side pockets into consideration when I buy my next bag.

Sleeping bag: REI Polar Pod +20
I didn't feel cold (except for my face) once in this bag. My only complaint is that I have trouble finding a place for my hands inside the bag. That isn't really a flaw in the bag more a function of how I sleep. I found a little zip pocket inside the bag (nice touch).

Boots: Hi-Tec V-Lite FastHike Low Light-Hiking
The boots continue to impress. I would say of everything I bought the boots were the best value. I see the exact same boots on sale in Buenos Aires for 175 U.S. $ or more. I really abused these boots and they did great. We climbed rock and the rubber soles barely show any wear. The cloth on top is fraying a bit but a lighter will take care of that.

Tent: Kelty Pagosa 4
The tent did awesome in cold and wind. I didn't tie down the tent very well the first night (not knowing the wind would come at night). The second night Jesse pretty much locked the tent down and you could tell a difference. At times the wind woke me up and it seemed the tint might need to be re staked but no. Solid as a rock. There were three of us and we had loads of room. We could have fit two children in the tent with ease or one adult.

Raincoat: Marmot Oracle Jacket
What can I say about this jacket that isn't awesome. I am so glad I decided to spend a little extra on this jacket. There is nothing I have done where this jacked didn't do everything I needed.

Camera: Olympus stylus 850SW
I think buying a waterproof may have been a bad call. I really gave up a bunch of features. In particular I can only take ten second videos. There may be a way to over ride this but I haven..t figured it out. The pictures are good.

JanSport Odyssey Day pack
I..m really happy with this bag. I let Kelly use the bag to carry her camera. She seemed to like the bag. Naturally it doesn't have as much support as an inter frame but for a small bag this thing does a lot. I would feel great just carrying this bag if I didn..t want the weight of my big bag. No room for a sleeping bag.

Swiss Army Camper Knife
This is a sweet little knife. I use it everyday to open bottles and cut into plastic items. The can opener came in handy. I'm going to give this knife to my nephew Kaleb for his birthday and buy a Leatherman or a bigger Swiss Army.

New Additions from Sierra de la Ventanns:

Thurmas (unknow brand) Paid: 30 dollars
The thurmus holds 1L and keeps it hot or cold. I didn't take it on the trail so I will have to update how it works later. I was going to buy a plastic water bottle but the thurmus was made out of brushed metal and added the ability to keep things warm or cold. I like that you can use the top as a cup and it came with a carry case. The only thing I'm worried about it weight. The thing is a little heavy but I guess I can carry an extra pound or so.

Headlamp: Black Diamond Spot LED
Paid: 70$ U.S.
I am not happy with what I paid for this headlamp. I need one but I paid almost 50% more than what I would have in the U.S. The light works great and is simple. I'm still sore about the extra 30 or so dollars. All the lights are over priced.

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Ride home

After we climbed the summit we camped at the base of Tres Picos. I was not looking froward to leaving for a number of reasons. 1) I didn't want the moment to end, 2) we had to hike all the way back in one day, 3) we had time constraints, 4) after we got back we still had to call a taxi, and finally 5) we had to sleep on the bus. Well we were lucky to run into a true gentleman that took care of the first four concerns in one swoop. He offered us a ride no just back to the start of the ranch, he also drove us (for free) all the way back to Sierra de la Ventanna (a hour by car). Trail magic is all I have to say. ;)

Summit

We made it to the top of Tres Picos today. What a day! We spent the afternoon approaching the mountain. Around 3.30 we ran into a man coming off the top of the moutian. He told us we had about a two hour hike and only 2.5 hours of light left. He told us if we wanted to go up he would wait to make sure we made it back safe. The climb approaching the moutian was brutal. Several times I felt like quitting. Seeing me struggling, Jessie gave me the following piece of advice "Take small steps, just keep moving foward." The advice didn't ease the pain in my legs and the climb was just as hard but it help. I relaxed took small steps where I normally would have stopped to rest. I could have asked Jesse to take smaller steps so I could keep up. He set a tough pace and Kelly manged to keep up better than I. I can't blame the extra weight I was carring because we dropped or packs at the base to save time. When we finally made it to the summit it was all worth it. I introduced Kelly and Jesse to the Yetti. We had a great time taking photos and basking in our accomplishment. I felt so proud of myslef and the group as a whole. I can honestly say now that if I would have known how hard everything was going to be I probally would have never even tried. But I did and I made it. That was one of my proudest moments of my life.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

Sierra de la Ventanna day 3

I woke up early today to watch the sun rise. It was cloudy so I did not get to see the sun come up. The the morning was still nice. I got to spend some time by myself. Today we are going to the top of Tres Picos. I'm so excited for the trip. I wanted to wake Jesse and Kelly but let them sleep.

Yesterday we were just finding our way. We camped by the water tank which is basically the start of the trail. After a fill up on water and a little something to eat we set out on the trail. (I did not know at the time that I wrote this how hard physically this day would be. I should have slept in also)

Friday, August 29, 2008

Sierra de la Ventanna Day 2

Today was our first day out on the trail. The day was really awesome. Our bus was two hours late b/c there was a wreck on the highway. We made it to Sierra de la Ventanna by 8 or 9. We stopped for coffe and stocked up on supplies. After a lunch of awesome pizza and empanadas we caught a cab to Paseo de Funke. I met up with Monica (trail guide). She gave us a breif (very breif) over view of the trail. We didn't even hike for 2 miles before we were off the trail. We still managed to go in the right direction. While we were finding our way back on the trail I really felt like the group bonded. We jumped some fences and helped one another. Blake did well to keep us moving and in the right direction. Kelly had that light in ther ehye while she was taking her pictuers. At one point she said:

Kelly: "O.K. if we jump this fence we can go under that gate..." (to get where we needed to be)
With some team work we did it and the she said, "Camping is awasome!"

I'm really gald kelly enjoyed herself. I would like her to come along again. She didn't complain or otherwise say one thing negitive the whole day. That is saying a lot considering all the conviences we gave up.

I got the tent up without a prolbem. I could have done a better job staking the tent down. The wind picked up during the night and the rainfly flapped all night. Otherwise the tent help up perfectly.

Jesse and Kelly made an awasome dinner. We were all hungry from the trail. Tomarrow is a big day. I can't wait to be at the top of Tres picos with Jesse and Kelly.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Sierra de la Ventanna Day 1

Today Kelly, Jessie, and I left for Sierra de la Ventana. I'm so excited for the trip. We were a little late getting to the bus station but a nice man helped us find the right place. Perhaps we got our first bit of trail magic before the trip even started. When we got on the bus it was much better than I expected. We got the front fow with a view. The seats lean all the way back and they are very comfortable. I can't wait for the morning. I really look foward to the time we are going to spend togeather.

Miles travled: 350?

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Trip 1 Serria de la Ventana

Pre trip

Today I went with Blake to buy my tickets to Serria de la Ventana. The girls made other plans so I thought it was just going to be him and I. Lucky for us Kelly came though like a champ and decided to go. So we are a group of three. I'm so glad Kelly decided to join us i really hope she enjoys the whole trip b/c she is really making a leap of faith.

The rough plan is to leave from B.A. at 11.20PM and arrive in two at around 7 A.m. It would be perfect if we could spend our first night on top of one of the tres picas. I got some info from the nice gentleman at the camping store. He said that it is cheap to camp and gave me a website to look up. I would love to wake up on top of a plateau and watch the sun rise! I can not wait. In total we are going to spend 3 days and 2 nights away for the city.

I had no idea that Jessie is the present of the UGA trekking club. I feel really good knowing that he has experience. For Kelly and I it will be out first time out on our own. I have been going over all the critical items. I think I have everything down. I gave Kelly my daypack to use for the trip. I put a few items in there so she could get the feel of some of the things she was going to bring. I really hope she can fit her camera in my bag. I just know if the takes pictures they will turn out great. I'm almost as excited for her to take pictures as I am to camp.

I hope everything goes well and wish me a safe trip. I will try and upload a map and more info about the trip so everyone can follow along. I doubt I will have internet so look for updates when I return. If you hear the Yetti call coming from the direction of South America then you know it is me at the top of the pampas.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

What a disaster!

Today I had two classes an internship and tango class. I knew going in today was going to be tough. Everything was all together from 11:30A.M. - 7:00P.M. Anyone who knows me knows I'm good for about 4 hours and that's it so today was basically twice what I'm comfortable with.

Classes went fine.

From there I went right to my internship. There wasn't a chance to eat so I made sure not to talk to much. We spent a hour talking and making our introductions. Straight from there we were supposed to go to tango class. I went up to my room thinking it would be better to take a minute to change clothes and regroup. I show up and everyone is already well into class. So I jump in as best I can. Emily did her best to show me what I missed. I thought I was catching on a little when the instructors asked us to switch. From that point on the whole thing was down hill. Either I forgot everything I learned, I was tired or hungry, maybe the music, the hot room, or everything put together but I was overwhelmed. Everyone was telling me things in Spanish and English moving around and started to wish I never got dressed to go at all. I would have been better off in a T shit a jeans. I felt so out of place. And everywhere I looked someone was moving beautifully. Of course the instructors ask someone to demonstrate. I felt like everyone expected me to break out a 50 step sequence. I could barely do the first five. I think this is one of the few time where being drunk is actually better than being sober. I literally could not clam down enough to do two things at once.

I just wanted to relax. I wanted the scene on my blog. Who cares about the steps. I was so psyched I really think that worked to my disadvantage.

I'm going to a nice dinner in my tango clothes and hope for a better night.

Monday, August 25, 2008

WILL YOU BANG THAT DRUM

Yesterday Will, Jessie, Susan, Susannah, and Carrie went to a Boca Jr. game. I wanted to get there early so we go be in the crazy section but that went out the window. We had trouble getting everything going and we had to catch two cabs. The cars took longer than expected to get there and we had a bigger group. We managed to get into our seats but everything was packed. I think we would have enjoyed the game more in the other section but it was good either way.

After the game the group split and Will and I went to Florida to get some food. We got Ugi's pizza. After we ate we were walking along the street just chewing the fat and Will says "I wonder I if I can find a band to play with down here." and I said "Go to the where they play live music where the musicans hang out." About five minutes later we got on the red line to go home and we heard some nice music in the sub way. Two guys were playing drums and singing. We sat down for a while and enjoyed the music. A girl sat down with us and we started talking in Spanish. We were enjoying ourselves so much we decided to catch the next train. Will decideds that he wants to try and play with the band. So we ask and the guys are totally cool. The drummer sits Will down and gives him the drums. After a little warm up Will starts to ROCK OUT (check the photos). People start to come up to listen and Will is killing all the little cross moves and the band memebers are amazed. The whole thing was awasome all the way around. Will and I left pumped. I felt a rush just taking the photos so no telling how pumped Will was. He said it was the coolest thing he had done in Buenos Aires.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Row, row, row your boat

Yesterday the group went for a relaxing walk near the zoo. When we got the park David the activity coordinator said in Spanish "After a week in such a huge city I thought you might like to relax in a place with a little more natural environment." I'm glad someone else thinks so also. We all walked around for 30 minutes, took some pictures, and enjoyed the park. There were a bunch of statues (check the pics) and a bunch of cats. After the park we headed for another park with paddle boats. When we got there we had to pair up to use the boats. I wanted to take a row boat. I was a little worried that I would be the only one. After a few minutes wait I finally found someone to ride alone. Blake, Jessie G. and I all set out. Just leaving the dock was a chore. There was a bunch of traffic and steering the little row boat was much more difficult than expected. After a few minutes of trial and error we finally made it to open water. Besides the splashing it was a really nice ride. We all took turns rowing. The guys were getting hungry so we went back to the docks to get food. I waited in the boat, took some pics (check the photos), and tried to get used to rowing. After Jessie and Blake got the food they did not want to row anymore. David decided to come along for a ride. The second time our I manged the rowing much better. David and I ran into (literally and physically) the other members of the group near the bridge. We all had a good time laughing it up and playing pirates. I really felt the group bonding. After all the rowing I was spent so left the group at the park and took the green line back to my room to chill for a while.

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Goooooal for gold!

Argentina won the gold in soccer tonight. I watched it at a bar not that far from the dorm. I loved the whole night. The scene was awesome. This place had all of your traditional games (darts, pool, fooseball, board games) but tonight I noticed they also have archery. Yes you heard right archery. There were people in the upstairs part of the bar shooting bows and arrows. When you think of a bar in Buenos Aires you don't think of shooting bows and arrows but this place had it. The game was good. 1-0 Argentina won. The only goal was on a one on one break away and the scorer lofted the ball with his off foot over the goalie. The bar went nuts. Everyone started chanting and banging the tables. I normally do not watch soccer but I must say I really enjoyed the entire expereince. When time ran out everyone sang and chanted. I wish I knew all the songs that they sang I enjoyed everyone else sing. I'm sure the soccer team is going to be the buzz of the town for the next two weeks or so. I guess I should brush up on my soccer words. Dale Argentina!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Now walk it out, now walk it out

I just got back from a little jogging/walking with Carrie Jensen. It was great - just what I needed. We left for the tail around 10A.M. I'm surprised I woke up that early considering how late I stayed out last night. I got a little water and trail mix and met Carrie at school. The trip over was pretty interesting. We were both decked out in running gear on the subway. Of course the subway cars were shoulder to shoulder and I had a huge back pack on. Carrie seemed surprisingly cool considering how much we stood out and how packed the Subte was. When we finally make it to the trail it was a beautiful thing. I let Carrie take the lead b/c I knew I would not be able to keep up. After about 3.5 minutes of 1/2 a mile I was winded and Carrie had hit her stride. It was great to see her in her zone. At one point she said to me "This is what I have been looking for since I got here." That really made me happy. I know the feeling. I almost made it to the half way point when I spot Carrie headed back in my direction to walk with me. We walked to the fork in the road and for the rest of the trail. I was glad for the rest, the conversation, and the views. I hope I can share similar moments with all my new friends.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Pool Hall

I just got back from the pool hall. I had a great time. Blake and I walked about six blocks to a cool place called jobsbar. I had been there before. I was happy to know that the place was so close. We played a couple of games of pool and just chilled out. I was glad to have a slow night. In fact we actually did our homework before we went to play pool so it was kinda like a reward. While we were there the table kept eating our coins so we ended up talking to two girls. They were similar in age, very cute, and friendly. I did most of the talking but I was glad to know that Blake followed the whole conversation. We talked for about 30 minutes and called it a night. I really enjoyed myself and the conversation that we had.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

We barely knew eachother

Yesterday was a huge day. I met everyone from the program. What a group we have! I'm super excited.

I met my host family. It was one lady living along. She was great. We chatted for a while and I was looking forward to living with her. Everything was going great. She gets a call from one of the other mothers and she said that other members of the group are going out (Jessie). So I go to look for them. We all end up have a big night of adventure where nothing really happened but the night seemed huge. I ended up going home around 4:00AM. I thought I knew where the house was but I spent 30 minutes looking for the door. I never found the place and ended up going back to my hostel for the night.

Of course there was hell to pay the next day. The program director was not happy. I explained that I got lost, and I didn't want to wake anyone, and that I had a key to my hostel, but the damage was done. My host mother did not want me to live with her anymore! So now I live in a dorm with a bunch of kids from Argentina. I guess it doesn't matter to me one way or the other. I deserved to be kicked out - I don't blame her one bit. I just hate that I "left a bad taste in her mouth."

More posts coming.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Meet the Parents


Tomorrow I go to meet my exchange family. I did not know exactly where the meeting place was so I took the subway to find it. The building was not that far from a mall that I had been to before. I was really surprised that I managed to make it there without getting lost. I did have to check the map a few time but I was always in the right place. The only think I'm worried about is the meeting time. My professor told me 9:45. Is that A.M. I think it is. But I could also see why it would be at night. I'm going to go in the morning just to be sure. Why would anyone meet that late at night. I'm really excited. I bought my host family a medium sized box of chocolate. It came in a little box with a bow and then the lady put it in a pretty bag with sting handles and sealed the top. Perfect.

I'm most interested to all my classmates. I hope we have a good dynamic. I really think we will based on everyone's facebook profiles. I wonder what time everyone lands in B.A. Tomorrow should be really interesting. I'm going to make sure to charge my camera.

Friday, August 15, 2008

The Subway

I have been on the Subway four of five times and I really like it. Besides just taking you from place to place it is like an interesting little world. Here are some of the cool things about the subway.

Today I saw a girl that could not have been 10 years old juggling in the subway cars. She would go from car to car and juggle for change. When I say she juggled she really juggled. Here is how she did it. First she just did something simple. Then she turning it up a little bit. I was not really impressed at this point. Interested but nothing I had not seen before. Then (while the subway car was at full speed and with people standing all around) she started juggling off the wall of the subway car. At any one time she would have a ball in her hand, a ball in the air, and a ball bouncing off the roof of the subway car. Then she started bouncing the balls off of her feet and off the ground. This went on for about two minutes. I was impressed. Everyone gave her a round of applause. Some people gave money.

People will just walk up to you and put little items in your lap. They hand out pens, stickers, hair clips, all kinds of cheep items. They even put them in the lap of people who are sleeping. Then they walk around for a little while and if you look like you are interested they sell you the item. I guess you would exit the train and not pay but they don't seem to worry about that. If you don't want to buy they come back around and collect the item. You also see many poor kids doing the same thing at cafes.

The whole experience of being in one place and then being in another when you get off the train is amazing. When you walk up the stair to street level it is like you were teleported to another world. The whole feel is different. I also like how the whole system is set up. You just find your color and direction then get off at the right stop. 1, 2, 3, easy.

Past few days

The past two days have been really relaxed. Two days ago my buddy Jon from North Carolina took me to the walking trail - I loved it. We walked and just enjoyed the sound of the water and all the trees. The views were really cool. You could see tall grass and cat tails and behind them huge buildings. What a contrast. We must have walked about 3 miles in total.

I got a new roommate from Colombia. Talking to him is very difficult. I have never heard an accent like his and he uses words that I have never heard. I try to talk to him b/c he is very talkative but I get frustrated.

Yesterday was my sister's birthday. I missed it. =( I do have a present for her but it will be a while before she gets it.

Last night I got a chance to "chew the fat" with a group of guys from the hostel. I really enjoyed joking around with them. At one point in the night I said that I was glad I asked them a question b/c I don't have many chances to talk to the "nativos" from Colombia. Well what I wanted to say was "native speakers" (nativos del lengua Espanol) but I was in a rush. They had a good laugh at my expense. They went on and on about how I think they are walking around with hand tools with feathers in their hair. It was good fun.

Today I took the subte to the campus of the University of Buenos Aires. I was very interested to see how they set up their university. When I walked in the one building that we needed to go to there were huge banners all over the place. The banners must have been 30X20 feet.

I think the UGA group arrives tommarrow and I have to meet my family on Sunday. I still need to get my hair cut and shave before then. Also I'm going to buy my family a little gift. I hope they are nice and I hope they cook well.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Stupid Americans

I had a rough night last night. Two guys from my hostel and I had such a great day in Recoleta. We should have quit while we were ahead. They are about to leave so I MADE them go to Recoleta Cemetery. We did not just visit - it was a full out adventure. We took the subway, got lost, walked, talked, ate ice cream. We were traveling in the purest way, as much as you can in the city. When we got to Recoleta I knew they would want to see Evita's grave. I knew exactly where it was. I couldn't tell them. If I told them they would not get as much from the experience. I told them that I wanted them to search for her - just as I did the first time I was in Recoleta. This way they could say they really KNOW Recoleta and Evtia. To my surprise they both embraced the idea (there are about 5000 tombs). We walked around the Cemetery for two hours. We talked about the past. We talked about the history of Argentina, what Evita means to the people of Argentina. We took photos. I really enjoyed seeing them search for Evita. You could see the desperation in there faces. I could not hide my excitement as they got closer. They knew they were close. I just let the moment happen for them. I walked around to the other side of the grave so I could see them find what we had been looking for. We stood there together and just enjoyed the moment. We all left feeling inspired and accomplished. I enjoyed watching an important moment in their journey more than when I did it myself.

Many hours later I starting looking for something to do for the night. As we were getting ready we ran into my Mexican neighbor (Lilia is her name) - the same one I took to lunch a few days ago. Of course I invited her to come along to the bar. She said she was tired (typical). So we ate and drank for a little while. Just before we are about the leave my buddy from the hostel made one last ditch effort to drag her along (I had given up long ago assuming she was not interested). She said yes. I didn't really expect her to accept naturally I was excited. The night was beginning to take shape. We took a taxi to the bar (we could have walked) b/c we had a girl with us. When we got there the scene was dead except the bar we were going to. When we got there everyone was stoked b/c there was live music and we ran into a group of friends from another hostel. The night was in turning for larva to pupa. We all drank and talked and joked. I was so happy with the way the entire day went that I decided it was worthy of a Yetti call (my happy noise, very loud, very embarrassing for those around, very fun for me). I explained the whole yetti culture to everyone in English and Spanish. This would have been the first Yetti in Argentina and an event on the Tango List. I knew all this and still decided to do it. So I release the beast. Not one minute later the girl was pissed - she walks out. The whole dynamic changed. I could not believe she was pulling this shit. She was an invited guest (not paying) and received special treatment (she sent her martini back twice) now after I use my first Yetti in Argentina she messes up the whole night. I could feel the blood rushing to my head. I just shut everything down. I paid the tab, caught a cab, and didn't say a word in Spanish to her the whole ride home. We got to my hostel to drop off the Mexican girl and left to go to another hostel to wind down (and bitch about the girls rudeness). On the way over we ran into the other group from the bar (bunch of people from Europe). I wanted to vent. I was pissed (so were my buddies) that she ruined a great night. Unfortunately, some of the European girls overheard us bitching and complaining. I didn't really give a damn so I pretty much said what I was felt. In in an effort to change the subject we started talking about linguistics and European languages. They were all breaking down the origin of various names. I chime in with this little jewel:

"Where is the name Haagen-Dazs from?"

I knew they would not have an answer b/c it is a made up name by an American company in order to sound European. They take the bait. So I go off on a little rant about American marking to European...Foreign Branding...bla bla bla. I think they misunderstood my intentions - they left. I think they were offended too.

My buddy smartly decided we should call it a night. Talking with him on the way I understood how much of a fool I made of myself and how poorly I represented my country. I never wanted to be the drunk obnoxious American. Last night I was. I fell asleep feeling ashamed. I just wanted to sleep and forget the whole second half of the day.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Boca Jr's/Tango List Update

Go to a Boca Jr's match

I went to a soccer match yesterday. I loved it. The whole thing reminded me of being in Athens for a football game. We were lucky. The whole trip was just a spur of the moment thing. My hostel buddies and I woke up and they mentioned that there was a soccer game today. We went over to La Boca and bought the tickets and got in - nothing to it. When we got there we met a really nice local guy and his son. He told me all about the history of the team and the players. He also said that there is a museum that you can go to and see the locker room, go up to the field, see all the trophies the team has won and things like that. I would like to go on that tour another day. During the game there was so much fan fare. It is almost like the fans are more intrested in cheering than they are in watching the game. There were so many flags, banners, and cheers. Right before kick off the upper level lowered a huge banner that blocked the view of the lower section. I couldn't tell what it said because I was on the inside. Then after a few minutes of cheering and songs the banner was raised and we got to watch the game. The game itself was intresting. No goals in the first half and 4 in the second. Boca won 4-0. When we got back to the hostel they were showing highlights of the game and I got to see some of the stains from other camera angles - that was cool. I loved the whole experience. I'm glad we got to sit with the die hard fans and talk with the locals that made the whold experience so much better.

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Tango List Update

Meet someone from The South/Georgia

Today I went running to Puerto Madero. I was almost there when I spotted a college Letterman jacket that said N.C. State. I could not resist the opportunity to talk these people. The guy wearing the jacket was from North Carolina and so was his friend. They were both staying in Buenos Aires for a job inspecting the amount of polution generated from a turbine. I was so excited to talk about sweet tea, southern culture, North Carolina, Georgia, just anything. The two guys were typical young Southern guys. We walked around the port for thirty minutes just sharing our stories about places we had been. These guys travled all over for their jobs. They were in Vegas, Puerto Rico, Spain just all over. After our little walk we decided to go to an all you can eat chineese resturant not far from my hostel. The food was excellent. You had all your typical options plus they had a grill. You could chose any cut of meat and they would give it to you. What a great night. The truth is that I had been feeling a little homesick earlier. I decided to take a nap. When I woke up I thought a nice jog would clear my mind. Then I run into these guys. I didn't feel one bit of homesickness after the night was over. I actually felt like I was at home entertaining guests. I guess you get what you need just when you need it.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Siga La Vaca

I went to lunch with my Mexican neighbor today. I have been dying to go to a place called Siga La Vaca (Follow the Cow) so I invited her. We must have walked for thirty minutes to get the the restaurant. I thought it was closer. Poor girl she was wearing girl shoes and her legs are about as long as my arms. The views were nice and so was the conversation so it was not that bad. We finally made it to the place. All you can eat Argentina Stake and Salad. Plus you get a bottle of wine or pitcher of drink each. I got to try all the major cuts of meat and I discovered two things. Salad really is not salad without ranch dressing and there are only two cuts of meat that I am willing to pay for. I ate some liver, yuck. I ate a grilled shrimp unpealed, yuck. I ate tripe, yuck. The asado was excellent and the ribs were excellent. Of course the conversation was excellent. We had a great time. Maybe it was the bottle of wine but there were moment were I felt like I was on an actual date - nah.

Later in the night. I found out that I was the victim of a fake 20$ bill. I clearly had a fake and I think I got it from an ATM. Now that I know the difference I will be sure to be super sure all my bills are real. Small price to pay in my opinion (20 pesos = 6.67$U.S.) I..m just glad I did not have a fake 100(33.3U.S.$)

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Can I offer you something to drink?

Today I was in the ¨super¨ shopping for groceries. I was just looking at was was there and I suddenly had a strange craving for Dr. Pepper. I almost never drink Dr. Pepper. I think the last time was when I was in Dallas at Jason´s Deli. Well I start looking around and there is none to be found. I must have been wondering around like a lost puppy looking for its mother or something. I looked almost expecting to find Dr. Pepper. but no. I have not seen a bottle of Dr. Pepper in my whole time in Argentina. Then I started to wonder what other drinks are not here. No Moutian Dew, no Fruit punch sodas of any kinda (single tear), No Sunkist of any kind, No Sunny D from what I can tell. But no worries they do have plenty of tonic water and podwer tang! Excuse me while I gather some kind of international marketing campain and bring all my frogotten drinks to Argentina. No wonder all thoes people disappeared - it wasn´t political it was thirst. They were looking for Dr. Pepper. O.K. off smart ass soap box. At least they have Coke.

Training Day 2

Today was such a nice day in Buenos Aires. There was no wind, the sky was clear and there was just enough cold in the air. I went for a little run on the same route as yesterday. I set a slower pace and a managed to run for a greater distance. I feel like my breathing is improving and my pace is good. A few more days like today and I should see a big jump in performance. I think I covered about 3.5 miles - a good bit of that was walking. Tomarrow I´m going to rest and push harder on Friday.

In the morning I made my calls home to everyone. If you didn´t get a call and would like one send me a message on facebook and I will add you to my weekly list of people to call. Mama sounded less than pleased that she had to deposit money in my account so soon. Daddy was happy that I was doing well. I caught Leslie at the perfect time - she was on her lunch break. She was happy to report that she got a raise! I missed Cathy again and Chassidy. I missed Chis and left a message. He sent me a message and I´m gald to hear that he is keeping up with our hiking plans. I can´t wait to get back from B.A. and start of A.T.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Birthday Vote

If you notice there is a little poll on the right hand side of the blog. The question is "What should I do for my birthday?" You have four options. I am going to actually do whatever wins. Since I am in a different country and no one can actually "give" me a present - this is your way of giving me a present. Of course it will be a surprise. I have a personal preference but I'm not going to say the thing I want to win because I think that would sway the vote. So vote as many times as you can. Right now there is only one vote.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Training day 1

I have been putting this off for too long. I decided to go for a little run in order to get ready to run the Nike Human Race 10K. My goal for the day was to run to Puerto Madero, rest a bit, run a lap around the port, rest, and then run back. Well needless to say that was a little but much for the first day.

When I stepped outside it was drizzling. I was glad to have my rain jacket and running shorts. I ran to the port. The trip there was so nice. The streets had less people and I felt like I was moving at superhuman speed. A walk that would have taken 10 minutes in the crowd only took 4. I was tired by the time I got there so I took a rest. Then I ran a few blocks and across the bridge. The port was so peaceful there was almost no one there. Then right as I get to the center of the bridge I cross paths with two young women joggers. We smiled at each other. They must have been feeling the same way I did. They were all deck out in rain gear too. I wanted to jog all the way back home but I could not help but stop at the little burger place. I ate a salad and water (I was feeling healthy). I caught my second wind and jogged most of the way back. I would guess that I covered about 2.5 miles. I still have quite a ways to go.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Nothing much going on

The past couple of days have been kind of boring. I have been itching to get out of B.A. for a little while but I don't want to go through the trouble. There are still two weeks until the group from UGA arrive. I want to do one more "big" thing before I have to start school.

I spent most of the day today walking around looking for the outdoor shop that I found the other day. I did not manage to find the place. I guess it is not that big of a deal - all I wanted to buy was a whistle. I must have lost my other one. I did find my shovel so that is a plus.

Yesterday I had a fantastic dinner. I ate a basket of bread, a small starter of chicken and egg, a huge rack of grilled ribs on the bone, a pint of beer, one glass of coke, and some ice cream for 14$US (that is tip included). I had such a great time but I did not have anyone to eat with. So today I asked a girl to dinner. I probably should have asked a couple of days ago but I thought I might go to Cordoba. She has not responded so either she has yet to check her mail or she does not want to go. Maybe another time.

Friday, August 1, 2008

Not that there is anything wrong with that

Wow I just had a very interesting experience. I was on my way to watch a movie when I ran into a few of my old roommates (The Chilean girls). They invited me to go out with them. I would much rather go out and speak Spanish than watch a movie in Spanish so I agreed. After much ado about nothing (20 minute metro ride, finding Vodka, waiting for people to change, typical girl things) we made it to Palermo Viejo. As we are walking around one of the Chilean girls tells me in English "We are going to a gay bar." I instantly said "Yo no." (not me). Then we went on for about 5 minutes why I did not want to go to the gay bar. Some of the reasons: Not my country/bad situation, I'm not gay, I'm a guy, and so on. Of course she said "no, it's not like that." At that moment I felt very American and very Southern. I'm was getting more and more pissed that she did not tell me this two hours earlier so I could make a choice. I tried to leave on a positive note because it was there last night in town and I didn't want to spoil the night for everyone. I caught a cab and as per usual I had the empty why-am-I-here-I-should-know-better feeling. To add insult to injury I didn't have enough cash on me to pay the cabbie so I had to ask him to stop at an ATM. Well the ATM's in this neighborhood are totally different than I have ever seen in my life. The bank closes the ATM's in a room and you have to swipe your debit card in order to unlock the door. Of course I didn't know this so I looked like a jack ass for five minutes trying to open the door and then the cabbie tried to explain how to open the door. I thought he said that I had to use a card that was located by the door. I spent another two minutes (getting more pissed by the second) trying to find a card. I got back in the cab and asked the cabbie to go to another ATM that was not locked. I told me that I had to you MY card. At this point I was embarrassed and frustrated so I just told him to go to another that was not locked. He did; and as he drove off the said that they would all be lock. "Not in the microcentro." I said. He stopped at another locked ATM and I used my card and it worked. I'm glad that I know how to access the locked ATM's but I was just mad at the situation in total. I gave him a nice tip.

On a more positive note I beleive this situation calls for an update of the Tango List. Check the next post.

Tango List Update

Tonight I can cross off #11 on the Tango List.

Tell someone how I feel even though I don't think I should.

I thought this would be one of the easier things to do on the list but in fact it was not. I really felt a rush of bad energy when I had to tell the Chilean girl that I wasn't going to go to the gay bar. She seemed surprised that I didn't give in. I'm sure I could have dealt with the hole situation better but I did what I thought was right for me at the time; that is the most important thing. If the girl can't understand the value in that then I don't mind if she is offended.

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Buena Onda

Yesterday there was a group of kids from the hostel just sitting around a table talking about everyone's country. I sat down and felt like a star. Everyone was really interested in what I had to say about the way of life in The United States. After everyone had said a little bit everyone was just being silly and talking and funny thing they had found in other places. We were all laughing and having a good time. One person said something to the effect of: "We have two people from Brazil, one from the Dominican Republic, four from Uruguay, a bunch from Argentina, and one American." Then one of the hostel workers said (talking about me): "El es el premiero Americano que yo encuernti que es buena onda." Translation: "He is the first American that I have met that is a cool guy." The moment that the words came out of his mouth I didn't have to think to translate them and my heart sank. I felt proud that I had represented the States well but I really felt bad that he really had never met an American that he could joke and have a good time with.

Mama said there would be days like this

Today was such a mess. I woke up early to say my goodbyes to the Belgium guys (7.00AM). I thought while I was up I would get some things out of the way and eat breakfast. As I was about to leave my ipod froze. The title of the song was visible but none of the buttons did anything. I spent the next hour trying to fix the stupid thing. I had to unlock all my things, take out all the wires, turn the computer back on, mess with itunes, triple check all the plugs (in the dark so as not to wake the other 3 guys in the room). Nothing worked. Then I had to put everything back and lock everything. I missed breakfast. Naturally I was pissed. I walked down the the electronics store to see if they could help. They told me to go across the street (the widest street in the world by the way - no joke) to a video game store. I couldn't find the place - of course - because I was too frustrated and he happened to use a combination of words that I'm not used to hearing. So I decided to walk ten blocks to a better electronics store. They told me that the only place that could help was across town in Palermo - the Apple Store in a shopping mall. I didn't want to go because I told my self I would not take any more taxis but I was already two hours invested at this point and I just wanted my ipod to work. So I took a cab (6$ US) to the place (hunger begins to set in). I get to this mall and I could swear I was in the United States. The mall was so much malls in the U.S. that I begin to start looking at clothes and things, comparing prices...blah blah blah. I even found a Universidad de Palermo information stand (I stopped and asked where my building was in Palermo and the girl showed me). Then I saw a Nike Human Race poster so I went into the store to try and register. They said I had to go online. Finally I found the place. I knew they could help me. The guy took about 45 seconds to look at my ipod then he hands me a little slip of paper and tells me I have to go across to tech support because they only sell the ipods not fix them. I'm 4 hours in at this point. My buddies left, my ipod is broken, I missed breakfast and lunch, and I have been three places and nothing has worked. I feel even worse because I set a goal not to take a cab and I did. Not only that, I have to take another one back and I still haven't gone to tech support. No telling where that is. So I decided to give up. I went into the little market and bought some food and went home. By this time my ipod had ran out of batteries. I was sure it was dead forever. Then when I got home and connected the ipod and turned the computer on it worked! What a day. That was the hardest 10 hour stretch I have had in Argentina. I put my groceries up and treated myself to a stake dinner well deserved (10$ US).

Phone Calls

I made all my phone calls home today. I got to talk to daddy for the first time since I left. He was happy for me. He asked a lot about my safety - I could tell that he is worried about that. He told me that Kaleb is in TN visiting. I'm really glad that daddy and Kaleb get to spend time together. Kaleb has had a lot of strong male influence in his life lately and that is a great thing that I hope continues.

Diana was over at Chasity's house visiting while she is recovering from surgery. I wish her a speedy recover (I know she will be bouncing around in no time).

I did not get a hold of mama. I wish I would have gotten the chance to thank her for the money she put in my account and I hope she know how much easier my life is now that I don't have to worry.

I did not get a hold of my Uncle Sam. I think he went out of town. I'm worried that he is not on his meds. I will be sure to keep calling. He still has not deposited the 500 dollars that he owes me for the car. I'm not really worried about that right now but I think I might have to if I don't here from him soon. I hope everything is going well for him.

Belgium Guys

For the past couple of day I have been rooming with a couple of Belgium guys. We really got along great. I really enjoyed their sarcastic cutting sence of humor for a change (that is something I have not found in any person from Argentina). They traveled all the way from Los Angles to Buenos Aries by bus! During there travels they crossed every country in Central and South American (minus a couple). They are leaving for Belgium tomorrow so I am meeting them at the end of their trip. The intresting aspect for me is seeing there reactions to the end of their time in South America. I know that I will have some of the same feelings that they are feeling when I have to leave.

Today they invited me to go to a pool hall with them. I did not know that we were going to a pool hall until we got there and I found out that that the particular bar that we were in was for pool. Of course I was excited and of course I loved every minute. The place was great in every way - the perfect place for me. We all hung out and shot pool. Nick has a girlfriend from Chile who was in town to say her goodbyes. Nick raved about what are girl she was and after meeting her I can understand why.

Tonight was one of the best so far.

Note to readers: I have a HUGE thing in the works I just don't know when it will happen. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Puerto Madero

Puerto Madero

Today I walked a few blocks past the Casa Rosada to a place called Puerto Madero. This is B.A.'s newest neighborhood. The place used to be "the docks" but the port of Buenos Aires out grew the capacity of the the old port so it was turned into a residential and fine dining area. Everything is very chic. There are all types of modern restaurants. There is plenty of recreational area along the river walk that makes for nice view. There were people riding bikes, jogging, and I even saw one person using a kayak. This must be an area of growth because many of the building are very modern shapes and made of glass and steel. There is a spectacular bridge for walkers that spans the river's center. The shape of the bridge reminds me of one in Valencia. As I was walking I found a casino! I didn't gamble any money (because I don't have any) but I was glad to know where the casino is. I might pay the blackjack tables a little visit on my birthday (Oct. 17). I must have walked three miles when I decided to stop for lunch at Burger King. While I was in line I met very nice guy named Eduardo. He must have been in his late 30's or early 40's. He sat with me as we ate and we talked about Argentina and a traditional Asado (cook out). He gave me his e mail and said that he would invite me to his family's Asado one day. I was excited to hear this because that is on my Tango list (I think). As we were talking the wind blew my napkin away. I went to pick it up and all the pigeons began eating my food! I had to scare them away. Then I threw them a few fries so they would leave me alone. That only made things worse. I eat my burger (I wasn't going to buy another, 5 second pegion rule) with an audience of about 5 pigeons and Eduardo. I'm going to go back tomarrow for photos.

Hot Dog!

Hot Dog!

Today was a pretty boring day. So I will try and give you a little piece of an interesting part of my day. I was out walking the streets looking for cheep food (as per usual). I come across an empty place with a sign that says:

Pomocion 2 Panchos y gaseosa 9 pesos

Now I don't know what a pancho is but if I get two and a drink for less that 3$ US it is worth trying! So I ask the store owner behind the counter and he says:

Store owner: UM...Hut dog (points to the buns and all the toppings)
Me: Perro caliente (how you would say hot dog in Spain)
Store owner: Um ju git two...um...panchos (extends his arms) and un coke for 9 pesos.
Me: Esta bien (that's good).
Store owner: What you want, coke?
Me: Coke esta bien (I hand him the money).

By this time I could tell this guy like to speak English. He begins to make my hot dog.

Store owner: One now...one later.
Me: (pointing to the toppings) Que son estos?
Store owner: Um...Ketup...Mayonesa....(listing all the toppings with a little help on some)

After he made the hot dog we began to talk about local points on interest (Sports, social issues, that kind of thing). He had to switch to Spanish because some if the ideas were more complex. We talked about the state of Buenos Aires as it pertains to the economic crisis in 2001 and how that has changed the goals of the city. I had no idea that in 2000 Buenos Aires was one of the cities in the running for the Olympics (Athens won). He told me Buenos Aires is in no position to host an Olympics anymore because there are too many people that go hungry. He said the investment is better spent on hospitals for the poor than hosting an Olympics games. I was sad to hear him say this. Buenos Aires has regressed and his feeling are proof. I told him about the time surrounding Atlanta when they hosted the Olympics and how much Atlanta has grown. As I ate he told me about place in the cities where children die of hunger. I could tell by the look in his eyes and the sound in his voice that he was not joking in the least bit. I felt bad for even suggesting Buenos Aires would benefit from an Olympics. I thought about the people I saw digging in the trash earlier and quickly tried to change the subject. Being a good conversationalist he let me off the hook and we began to talk about something else.

I really enjoyed talking to the store owner and I think he like talking in English. The hot dogs (panchos) were good. I think I will go back next week.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Chill’n with the Chileans

Chill’n with the Chileans

I had to change rooms at the hostel where I'm staying. My bed was reserved so they moved me to a room on the second floor. I'm happy because the internet continues to work even though I'm further from the access point. Then the attendant surprises me with the news that four of my new roommates are girls from Chile. Well I like girls and I like Chile (and chili). Naturally I was excited. These girls did not disappoint. All of them are super sweet. They speak just enough English where they can't bail me out everytime I can't think of a word. We spent the day in San Telmo at the flea market. I had already been and they had not so I decided to go for another look. Plus we walked so we didn't have to pay for a cab. While I was there I began to remember what shopping with a group of girls is like. There were plenty of interesting people to watch as they looked at all the trinkets so the waits were not bad. As night was setting in we stopped for dinner at a little restaurant. I enjoyed sitting there eating with them (check the photo under my photos). I'm excited about the new people in my life. I hope we all have a good time just as I did with my previous roommates. I'll keep you posted.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

First night out in B.A.

First night out in B.A.

Last night was my first night out in B.A. I had a blast. We did not do anything spectacular but just being out at night and taking in all the sights and sounds was cool. My roommates and I went to a little cafe in Palermo. They all had a small cafe (and managed to sip in it for over an hour). I had a Quillmes which is the Argentine beer of choice. We spent a good hour in the cafe laughing and talking about nothing. At one point that I mentioned that my camera was waterproof I put it in my glass of beer to prove that it was. That was worth a good laugh especially when I attempted to take a drink while the camera took a picture while in my glass. The photo did not take. (check the photo). Later we went to this hip little bar that remined me a lot of home. There was a happy hour and many of the bar tenders spoke English. The whole place was like a cave with many stairs to climb, many nooks, and just as many crannys (I like the word cranny). The entire ambiance was red back lighting and earthy wood tables and chairs that seemed to be cut from the stump of a tree. Oh and they played the song "Baby I got ya Money" by Old Dirty Bastard (a.k.a Big Baby Jesus). So that instantly made the place more cool. I tired out around 2:30 am. I guess that is the American last call kicking in. I caught a cab home and went to sleep. Even though I really enjoyed the night I got the same empty-why-am-I-doing-this feeling that I always get after a night out in the U.S. I thought maybe that would be different now that I'm in B.A. I guess not. At that moment, for the first time of the trip, I felt bad. It was a great first night out in B.A.

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Hostel one week update

Hostel One Week Update

O.K. it has been about one week in the Hostel and I really loved it! I was nervous coming in with the thought that this in only temporary until I figure out what I'm doing for the rest of the trip. My outlook has changed completely. I feel lucky to have stayed with the people that are in my room. There was no conflict at all. They really opened up from the beginning and made living here easier for me.

As far as the facilities go, I wonder how this place makes any money. I only pay about 9 dollars U.S. a day. My computer is always plugged in the the internet (no extra charge). There is a small breakfast everyday and the bathrooms are not the worst that I have seen. Hell they let me use the sheets and blanket (did not pack those).

I know about the horror stories - I'm just glad none of that happened to me. Because if something did happen I would probably written off living in hostels forever and I would have never got to experience the way the youth travel in other countries.

Friday, July 25, 2008

MALBA

MALBA

Museum of Latin American Art in Buenos Aires.

I love this museum! There are so many fascinating works of art. There were multimedia pieces, abstract paintings, photographs, moving industrial art, ceramics, and of course a few crazy off-the-wall things. Unlike the Fire Arts Museum this Museum had several jaw dropping pieces. The star of the show was definitely Antonio Berni's Manifestacion from 1934. There were also works from Diego Revira, Alejando Solar, among others. Everything seemed to catch your visual attention. The only bad thing about the whole experience was that I could not take pictures (I managed to find some pictures on line).

Aside from the art itself the building was a marvel of modern architecture. Every wall and floor was white stone and the individual rooms had wood floors. In the main entry you had a perfect view though glass windows. The internal frame of the wall was visible and you could see the steel cables - a theme carried though out the entire building. From the outside you can see steel, a water feature, and stone. There is also a light feature that moves according to the amount of noise on the street. I don't know if this is some kind of political statement or not. What a perfect building to house a modern art museum. All and all I really enjoyed myself and I would gladly go back to this museum again

Mate

Mate

Last night I received a big surprise! My two new roommates brought a big bag of Mate and they were nice enough to share it with me and explain a little about how Mate is drank. From what I can gather (there Spanish was a little different that what I was used to) Mate is a drink made by mixing hot water into a metal container filled with herbal leaves. Then the drinker drinks as much of the water through a metal straw from the container as they can. The bowl is filled again with hot water and given to the next person to drink. Mate can also be served cold (given a different name) and with sugar. They tell me that mate was drank by people in the in the campo and farm workers on cold nights like last night. The mate tastes a little bitter like green tea but I really enjoyed the taste. We all sat around the campfire (space heater) on the hardwood floor and in our bunks, drank our mate, and talked about politics. I did not add much to add to the discussion (sometimes it was in Portuguese) but I followed what was said and enjoyed hearing other people ideas on what is going on in their country. The discussion was genuine almost like I wasn't there and everyone was just talking. The feel of the night reminded me of a sleepover - with bigger kids and more serious conversation. I would love to say that later there was a huge pillow fight and prank phone calls in Spanish but that was not the case