Archive for August 25th, 2009

Again, drumming/dancing on Sunday:

You should check out the short video, too.

We have fake little dialogues in Spanish class (currently myself, a young Chicagoan named Kelly, and a rotating roster of teachers) now, in which we talk about our everyday lives and how we’re getting by. One of our topics was what we’ve been finding to eat, and on that I expounded in practically flawless Spanglish that with the running, I am used to eating huge amounts of calories everyday, maybe 3 or 4 thousand, and mostly in the form of condiments added to beans and rice. To that point, I’d been able to find arroz, but not frijoles and asked my teacher que tal? It seems that they don’t exist in Argentina as they’re considered a meat substitute, and we have plenty of carne to go around. So she suggested lentils (lentijas) and that I may be able to purchase them in a health food store.

I actually found them at a supermercado, Leader Price.

In other news, something that has been at the forefront of my mind these last 10 days but I’ve been reluctant to write about, because, well, it’s been done, is that women here are absolutely gorgeous. Young women, middle aged women, little old ladies, the women that work behind the counter at fancy hotels in Recoleta and the girls selling handicrafts on the street. They’re some kind of beautiful mix of European and Latin American heritage. And somehow even the turistas are prettier for it. It’s overwelming. And, frankly, wonderful.

And that’s the last I’ll speak of it. At least for a little while.

Spanish class, aside from the occasional gastronomic letdown, is progressing well. The teacher that Kelly and I have had for the last couple of days has been a little mystified by our occasional elefante-sized gaps in our knowledge, but we’ve all managed to keep cool heads and are ending these somewhat intense 4 hour sessions as, for the most part, amigos. I’m learning some Spanish, and am proud and frustrated and hopeful for my skills. And I signed up for another week.

Kai moved in, and he is cool. And not Australian, but Austrian. He’s a good guy to have here, because he seems to be a doer, and as such likes to engage in activites that I may otherwise not think to do, like go to a Bocas Junior game. And we went out for medialunes this morning. Which are, BTW, a huge thing in Buenos Aires.

To sum up, for martes, el vienticinco de agosto:

No beans.
Beautiful women.
Spanish class.
Kai is good. And Austrian.

Topics to be dealt with on another occasion:

Free time stretching before me.
Out of books.
Need to find a place to live after 9/12.
Amazing drumming on Sunday.
Huge city, a mil varied barrios. Perspective changing every day.
Could easily find job, live here. Or anywhere.