Qué hizo?

It has been a while since I wrote which is probably a good thing because I have noticed that the months I post a lot were the least happy for me. I am happy.

I have had a wonderful two months in my new apartment and I can't believe how fast that time went! Spring has arrived and I have moved on from Buenos Aires. I now live with a family in cordoba and am a nanny! Yes I can't believe it either...

I arrived last week to Cordoba and have been amazed at just how much I miss Buenos Aires. I will try to begin posting a little more regularly and tell you about how the city finally won my hear after 5 months and of course about my new life in Cordoba.

Last week in BsAs

Next week will be the last week here in buenos aires!!! I have been here about 5 months. Throughout these months I have had good and bad moments but it has really been in the last two months that I have began to really enjoy this city. I have decided that this is not my city... I have not fallen in love with it and it has not fallen in love with me. With this said I will miss it for it's energy and all that makes it the passionate city of Buenos Aires. I will miss my apartment and my wonderful roommates. As well I am going to miss knowing where things are and how to get places.

I know that I made the right choice to move to Córdoba and become a nanny, because even though I will miss these things I don't feel like I am leaving anything I can't live without. I am excited to live in a more quiet city with hills! And to have a stable job I can count on.

Now that I have so little time left here I need to figure out what I need to do here before I leave. Also I can appriciate it more because I only have a little bit of time left to enjoy it.

I will keep you updated as I begin my next journey :)

How do I know spring is near?

Dare I say it... I think we are almost done with winter. I have survived :) As a whole I really can't complain about the winter here, most of the time it is sunny and even though it can feel very cold it never freezes. All the same I am very excited about the beginning of spring and have began seeing some signs of it. First of all the days are getting longer, when I work at 6:30 there is still some light, yay! Second there are baby leaves on a few trees. Next it is going to start to be warmer but that hasn't happened yet. Similar to NorCal we do have a few of those perfect 75 degree days in winter but having just been through my second winter in a row I am ready for some more heat.

Food and friends

I have been enjoying my two favorite things in life lately. Since I have moved into my new apartment I have had the luck to move in with a lovely girl, Malú. Malú is from Peru and has become my friend from the first moment. Through her I have also met a group of wonderful ladies all of which love to hangout and eat... We have had a couple dinner parties where we are having a theme or country as the focus.

The first was 'mexican' which ended up being a intestesing mixture of fresh salsa, roasted veggies, a salty hummus on top of a quesadilla. It was then eatten in the French way with a fork and knife. Definently not Mexican food but very good.

Our second dinner get together we had a French theme and Helene of Paris made excelent crepes. For the first course we had savory crepes of ham and cheese and later finished with crepes filled with homemade apple sauce and Dulce de leche.... Mmmmm.

Martes agosto 9

I have discovered the power of being proactive about ones happiness. I have decided that thing haven't been going quite how I wanted them to go here so I need to change some key parts of my daily existance to change my frame of mind. I already feel good about my change of apartment and now I am begining to explore the other job opportunities here that may better fit me. I am focusing mainly on au pair jobs and have had one interview with a family yesterday. Here I would like to make note of the apartment I went to for my interview. It was clean crisp and all windows had one of the most absolutly beautiful view of the city and its magical roof tops. We will see if I get the job but I still feel a sense of power because I can activly change my life and I don't feel stuck.

I am also enrolling in a language school here and will soon begin an intensive course which is much needed in my Spanish skills. Can I tell you a little about the system here... To enroll in this class I had to first go and wait in a long line in the cold for a while and then they gave me a number and told me to come back the next day. I then came back the following day with my number to wait some more until they called us to talk a test to see our level. After we turned in the test they gave us a new piece of paper and told us to come back the following Thursday. I then went back the following Thursday with my piece of paper hoping his would be the moment they would write down my name somewhere so I would feel legit but no. Instead they looked at the test and wrote a new date a time for me to go back to the school for who knows what. I still don't know when the class is or if I am actually enrolled yet. The funny part is that I have talked to a few people from here and to them this sounds completely normal. It drives me a little crazy but at least I'm trying jajaja!

Simple pleasures

Today I moved into my new apartment. It is a big step for me because I left my familure neighborhood and familure buses for a new part of town. Now that I have moved and am sitting on my big bed with a REAL mattress I am surprised by how long I lived in my other room. I can now make noise when I'm home! and can cook with whatever I want! Simple pleasure such as cooking with onion and garlic I can now fully appriciate. I have been here about 1 hour but I already feel very good about my change even if I am no longer next to my beloved parks.

Now it's time to get to know a new neighborhood and all the tricks of the public transportation.

More then three months

It doesn't feel like vacation anymore. It is more like daily grind in another language. I think this is a hard point in the adjustment because it is the point when it's not all new and exciting. Instead you feel you should know more but you are not that sure of anything. I still have a hard time ordering the right thing, taking the right bus or understanding the answers to the questions I am able to ask. It's frustrating but I knew this wasn't going to be easy.

I move in a week to a new apartment. I worry about moving out of my little room and changing my routine. I love routine and there is so little of that with this teaching job that my little room is the most stable part of my daily life. I keep telling myself that this is going to be a good change but I don't think I can fully convince myself until it actually happens.

One this is for sure... I am going to be frying up a whole lot of onion and garlic :)

Monday after a difficult week

Another busy week of running around. The weather here has been unpredictable last week was beautiful. We has a week of 75 degrees and sunshine. It was a good thing too because many things kept going wrong for me and if it hadn't been for the sunshine I would of taken it much worst. I kept forgetting stuff places and having to go 1hour or more out of my way to get it back. I continue to be lucky though because I keep getting all I loose back. I had many students cancel on me for a day or a month and some maybe forever. That was difficult because sometimes I had traveled all the way to the class to just wait for nothing. I also had a frustrating friday when i got lost and just wandered for over an hour looking for the class. I never found it and with much regret gave up and made my way to the other side of the city for my next class.

In my wanderings in saw a crazy thing. I saw a taxi driver jump out of his car and through a huge rock at another car. He (the taxi driver) then tried to get away in his car but did not in time. The other man ( the one who had the rock thrown at him) came after the taxi drive with a huge stick and started beating him through the window. I didnt stick around to see what would happen but it made me feel awful. I am not use to such violence it it really made me miss home.

As one of my students told me I must be thinking negative for so many negative things to be attracted to me. I am starting this week with positive thinking and will see where it will take me :). So far the beautiful weather is gone and it is cold, windy and rainy. Jaja maybe it's a good sign ...

I have been working this last week. I am teaching classes which means that I spend about 30 percent of my day on public transportation and another 10 percent walking. This city is too big. I think fondly of the days that I went to work in one building and was there all day.

Ururguay and getting mugged a day of firsts

My trip yesterday ended up being quiet an adventure because while I was walking to catch the ferry I was mugged. Two guys attacked me, one from the front and one from the back trying to get my phone. They grabbed my purse and literally ripped it off me breaking the strap and started running away with it. Now is a good point in the story to stress that I was going to ururguay to renew my visa so I had my passport in my purse along with everything else. I was not going to let them get way with my passport so I took off after them and started yelling (who knows what) so someone might stop them. I chased them into the subte and then back out. While I was coming out there was my purse on the ground. I'm not sure why they dropped it but I am so relived they did. At the end of the fiasco I only lost my map and apple. I am so lucky!!

So after that I went to the ferry to find out that my friend had slep through her alarm and hadn't left her home yet. Now I decided that I could only be zen because I had already been so lucky that morning and patiently waited to see if she would make it in time for us to go. (did I mention that she had my ticket too?) well... it all worked out in the end, margo arrived with plenty of time thanks to a very fast taxi.

It was an absolutly beautiful day and colonia ururguay was a very relaxing place to enjoy it. I didn't realize how nice it is to be in a small town away from the noise of the city. We had a long slow lunch at a charming restaurant with very well played live guitar music. We went to the top of a lighthouse and checked out the view. The best part of the day we just sat by the water and soaked up the sun. In the end it ended up being a great day.

Jeejee

:) heehee can't help myself

Winter blues

I had the winter blues and I sever case of homesickness. I never had homesickness until two years ago when I moved to Oakland. Funny how the more I grow up the more I miss my home and people.

I am on the mend now and am recovering well. I found something about the winter that I love and that makes all the difference. I found manderins just like my favorite at home. I plan to buy kilos of them :)

Also talking to my family helped alot always good to hear from people.

Besos

Sandwich completos

This is not just a sandwich. Like I promised here is a picture of the parilla sandwiches but this time I ordered the compete sandwich and was surprised when it came not only with the BBQ pork but also with ham, cheese and a fried egg. They then have a salad bar for you to put all sorts of toppings including purple cabage and tomato.

Funny how excited I get over food.

While I ate my wonderful sandwich I watched a huge flock of green parrot looking birds fly around and make lots of noise. All in all a great post rollerblading lunch.

Still a touist

Before I fill my time with work and classes I have taken some time to walk around and see some sights.

It took me a long time to find this flower. I thought it seems so cool but every person I asked about it was very vauge and uninterested in it. I walked by it about 4 times while looking for it but it was hidden by the trees. I think it is beautiul and I am impressed that it opens and closes. Glad I finally found it and will have to come back in the spring to hang out on the lawn around it.

Beauty in fall

Last night a termendous thunder and lightning storm blew through BsAs. It was a very impressive show of buckets of rain filling the street while the night sky was lit up by continuous lightning.

It has been a long time since I saw a real thunder storm and I have to admit I am a fan even though they can be very inconvienent. In a pause in the storm I went into the post storm city to find several traffic lights out and several streets too flooded to cross.

This is a picture of a tree I saw as I was rollerblading the other day. I think there is something magical about it.

A new favorite thing

This is proof that great things come from challenge and creativty comes from restrctions. Here is my new favorite dinner. Nothing fried. No onions or garlic; but still extramly tasty.

In theory it is nothing special at all just veggie roasted with olive oil, salt, pepper, and sharp provolone grated ontop. Looking beyond it's sheer simplicity I am quite proud of my oven roasted delight.

And yes I eat that entire pan for a meal I really can't help myself. I stand by coliflower being my favorite veggie as well.

The weather

It is fall/winter here. There are some days that are absolutly beautiful. This last sunday was one of those and I was so happy to walk around and sit in the sun. These kind of days make me not feel so bad about missing summer up north.

The days are getting shorter, luckily and unluckly for me, I have hardly been working so I can sleep in as long as I want and dont noitice that the sun doesn't come up until 8. I do notice that the sun goes down around 4:30 which forces me to do indoor activites such as read or drink coffee. Often both :)

This week has been rainy and cold. It feels like winter in Ukiah but not too bad. The funny thing is that the people here bundle up like the are braving upstate new york weather. Like I said before the argentines love to exaggerate.

I hear from many sorces that spring here is unbelivably beautiful. On these stormy days I just think that after this next week the days will be getting longer here, yay!

Doors

The doors here are very special. They are huge and beautifuly put together. I will take a day soon to just walk around the city and just take picture doors. Even the door knobs are worth pictures. It is hard to capure their grandeur because their size is part of what makes them so impresive. Like I've said this city loves to exaggerate it's gradness through sheer size. Big avenues, doors, sidewalks and trees... But small coffees and dogs.

Beautiful men

Beautiful men. It's true, they are everywhere around here especially on the buses. I thought this one looked like some kind of Greek or Roman god and couldn't help myself from being super sketchy and taking a picture.

The problems are 1) to every extremly good looking man there are about 3 stunning women and 2) they all know they are extremly good looking 3) many have the sleazy attitude of the Italian man and even though they are good looking you can't bring yourself to trust them

I have been told by many sorces that the best way to learn Spanish is to find myself a porteno so I will remain openminded :)

A Sunday in June

This last Sunday I decided to adventure the ritzy barrio of purto madero. I went with the full intention to go rollerblading but when I arrived I began wandering aimlessly on foot, never actually putting my 'rollers' on. I actually really like this part of the city it is much quieter and calmer then most of the city. It is also well maintained and has little parks and paths everywhere. I guess I am starting to get a little tired of the noise and garbage that come with a huge city. I found it was very peaceful just walking around looking at the trees and all the families out for a picnic.

I enjoyed a parilla or argentinian BBQ booth where I ate one of the biggest sandwiches of my life. It was very very tasty and I know it has just triggered a new craving that I will have to fulfill from time to time. Wasn't able to take a picture because they just hand you the hot sandwich off the grill with just one napkin (no plate) so there is no way to put it down until you are finished.

I think this might become a regular weekend escape for me though I don't think I could get such nice weather anytime soon. It was a perfect day with that beautiful smell of fall and the warm sunshine of spring. I was happy to beable to lie back and soak it all up.

Shopping

I gave in and went shopping. It is not any less expensive here and cotton is hard to find so shopping for plain longsleeve shirts made me miss having places like target. The score of the day was my Jean leggings with pokadots! I am glad a slurged because they are that fantastic. Now I better find a job.

What I have learned so far.

I think I am learning a little.

I have found a new favorite coffee drink. It is only here in Argentina, it is esspresso with a little milk and foam. It is called cafe cortato and it is how I start my days.

I am learning how to stay up late and sleep in the mornings. It still is weird to eat so late but when I cook for myself I find that now I don't eat until 8.

For you who have heard about the limits to my kitchen use you will be glad to know that I am making it work out quite well. I roast a large amount of veggies every few days that I eat with rice or crackers. I even found refried beans in the grocery store. I never thought I'd be so happy to see refried beans!

Cold!

Winter! I knew it would happen, but that doesn't meen I need to be happy about it! It is cold outside and it is dark when I get up in the mornings. I expected this to be one of the difficult parts of adjusting here.

At first when I got here it still had the after glow of summer. It was the final days of heat and hanging out in the parks. Having those nice days were very important for me. If I had gone from warm spring to cold winter rain I would not think so much of my new city.

With the cold weather comes germs and bugs. Yes that is right, I have had my first Argentinian cold. In case anyone is wondering they are the same here too. On a possitve note, I have a bakery/cafe down the street that I hang out at when I wish I had a livingroom here I found that they make beautiful soups. I had their chicken soup which was just what I was hoping for when I had a cold. It tasts like really good homemade Lipton soup.

Subte

This is a very big city which is good for me because it has been challenging me to take public transportation.

For the first time in my life I am actually using buses and the subway ( which is called el subte here). The subte is very crowded and with all the bodies it get quite stuffy and uncomfortable. The good thing it has going for it is that it has beautiful ceramic murals. I will eventually take more pictures of these murals but thisis all I have right now.

Funny story

The last couple of days have been very long. I am tired. Not your normal tired but the kind of tired that comes with learning everything you know over again and a new language and culture ontop of that. I understand why most babies sleep all the time, that is all I want to do.

Well last night I was staying late working on my lesson plan to prepare for teaching grammar Friday. Time went by until it was just Lula and myself working in our classroom. The place closes around seven but we decided we would work until the people who close up decide to let us know it is time to leave.

It is 7:01 and Lula gets up to get a piece of paper off the printer when the worst kind of siren begins to go off. We have no idea what is going on and go look into the hall to see if anyone is around. Nobody is there, we have been locked in the Bridge Argentina office.

All I can say is I am so glad that Lula as there with me because I really wouldn't know what to do. The saving grace was that Lula had saved our teachers number in her phone so we were able to call her and have her help us out.

When we left the building there were about 4 police cars and one motercycle there. I am glad I did have to explain anything to a group of police in Spanish!

They have gluten free options

Only a few people will be excited about this. I found a libres de gluten store. I had lunch there today and it ended up being very good. They had pre-made salads and dishes with potatoes and rice that all looked very good. They also had some amazing desserts such as this alfajor cookie (a classic cookie for Argentina) that I bought and have been nibbling on. In the middle of the cookies is a large amount of dulce de leche which is very very tasty.

To all my gluten free friends I just want you to know that I thought of all you today when I at my lunch.

Crossing the street

Drea this one is for you.

You would hate crossing the street here because the only way to saftely cross the street is to j-walk. If you are in the cross walk and the light changes the cars will honk right before they hit you.

Every morning I have to cross la calle de Julio. To successfully cross this street in one traffic signal I must run. Why? Because I have to cross about 16 lanes of traffic.

As a pedestrian you have little to no rights to cross the road. I have to remember this.