pensaba que quisieran ver mi cara

Candy mountain!
The dog that adopted us in V. Carlos Paz. We named her Nugget.

Dining one night of our parrilla! Tasting our amazing culinary skills!
The beautiful waterfall of Tanti. Its about 40 feet and Tanti's ONE main attraction.



Cooking on the rooftop of our hostel; bunking in our hostel; a view from the hostel; horseback riding in Villa Carlos Paz. Doesnt my horse Gringa look stunning!




Hey! These are a few weeks delayed and I have taken many pictures and partaken in many other activities since these were taken, however I havent uploaded uploaded anything else onto my computer so here you go! These are some pictures from our long weekend trip to Cordoba.
Starting from the top: The group! Minus yo por supuesto. This is the morning we arrived in Cordoba and we are fresh off a 9 hour bus ride!; Next is a church in San Martin Plaza. It was his holiday that weekend! Just fofr reference, every city in Argentina has the same street and plaza names. Its quite confusing.; Then you see me and my two UCLA friends (I met them in Argentina!) Jenny and Laura. I actually had no idea that the street was named Buenos Aires until I uploaded the picture. What a coinky-dink!; Okay, then yeah- thats fruit... and vegetables. A farmers market where we bought things to use in our parrilla.; Then Ta-Da! giant tub of DDL. a grand and dangerous discovery.

un centavo por sus pensamienos

Okay, so one centavo doesnt actually exist. If youre owed change with .01, they'll round down. Now, what if pennies didn't exist? What would I have named my dog?
This is the point of this post. A random string of thoughts Ive been having throughout the day as I wandered the streets and neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.

I love supermarkets. Today before I left the house Beatriz once again reminded me of the new giant Coto (grocery store chain (all it needs is an 's' and a 'c' and its costco!yeah. cool.)) that opened on Cabildo (main street near where I live). Anyway, it just reopened after undergoing remodeling (good thing they have another exactly one block away) (sorry about all these parenthesis) (damn. sorry again). Okay, back to the point- or whatever it is. So she tells me about Coto blah blah blah. And she reminded me that until tomorrow I can get bife de chorizo- which is steak- for only 5 pesos. divide by three and its in american dollars. So I told her okay, maybe I would go. Then she proceeds to go to the kitchen and wrap up a steak knife for me just in case because all they gave her was a plastic knife. So, today I walked around with a steak knife in my purse. The knife in my purse gave me a little inspiration to actually go and seek this steak but of course when I got there that section had just closed and and wouldnt open for a couple hours. Still, I enjoyed my time. I accidentally stole a tiny bottle of nail polish remover because I couldnt find a basket to carry my goodies and had resorted to sticking it in my pocket as I roamed. Soy una ladrona! and even after I told Beatriz that if theieves came up to me today I would use my knife! hipocracy! but unintentional. Another thing that happened in the grocery store is that I discovered that I may never have a career as a rapper. I just don't have the mind to mouth coordination. This is how it went down. I am looking for peanut butter even though I've heard if it does exist in a store its like 10 bucks and even though Im cool and Argentine now so I use dulce de leche instead. I just wanted to see manteca de mani. I had sort of planned what I was going to ask the store assistant. It was along the lines of 'is there an international food section?' I think I said right which was a feat in itself, but it was filled with stutters and accompanied by an action in which I use here where I cant really look at people while I speak because I am thinking so hard. Its kinda like I am trying to find the words in the air or trying to look up into my brain to get things right.
any-whey, i am glad its the weekend after two days of class! tomorrow im going to finish up some things I need to gather for acquiring my visa, then I have to look into finding a costume for Kay's host 'mom's', or her 'chica' as she calls her because she is only 28, birthday party. Perhaps I will be some sort of super hero-e (read that like you are reading spanish- 'air-0-aaye'- much more fun). Saturday day Im going on an ISA excursion called 'dia del campo' which apparently is horse back riding and a giant asado. I hear its lots of food and really delicious so whats not to look forward to?! I will post pictures from the weekend trip soon! I must be off to eat dinner. its almost 9. chau. besos.

its still the weekend!

I am writing from another hostel in Cordoba. Yep! We are still here until tomorrow night! We only booked our other hostel for the first two nights hoping that we would find other cool places to stay, but since its a holiday weekend we were lucky to get a place at all! This place is called Aldea hostel. Its pretty open and big and the room fits exactly the eight of us.
We have eaten in for almost all our evening meals. The first two nights we had our own parrillas, or grills, on the roof of our first hostel. We cooked steak and veggies likes peppers, onions, eggplant, squash and accompanied it with some nice malbec and fresh baked bread. It was about 8 pesos each... meaning less than three dollars. What thrifty little backpackers we have become. It was good times and delicious food. Two days ago a group of us went to Villa Carlos Paz which is about an hour minibus ride away from the city. It was pretty small and not too crowded during the day but we found our adventure. We rode horses on a trail up a mountain which overlooked the town and the river flowing through it. Once we got back down, we ascended the adjacent hill by ski lift. Up at the top there wasnt too much to do. We were sooooooo excited to take what they called the aero tren. From the pictures it looked like a monorail or rollercoaster. Well, it went about 8 mph for about 300 feet. yay! Then we arrived at our destination which we named candy mountain because it was one store with a playhouse that looked like candy and some lollipops. yay! A few people went zip lining, but other than that it was neat and pretty but nothing spectacular. Nonetheless, we made it fun! There were more stray dogs in Carlos Paz than Ive seen in a while. One of them adopted us for a good like 2 miles through some neighborhoods and even waited across the street for 20 minutes as we stopped to look at some other dogs at a pet store. Oh Nugget (dogs given name).
Yesterday we took another minibus as our 8 person group to a place called Tanti. Basically, we rode the same bus as the previous day, but just stay on as it went along through more shanty towns and deserted areas. We were recommended this little town by someone who worked at our first hostel. She said there was a river and waterfalls and nice hiking so we were all pretty pumped... until we saw that we were driving through shanty towns and deserted areas. mah. oh well. We ate when we got there at one of like two restaurants that were open in this mile stretch of town and im pretty sure my pasta was cooked for about 2 minutes. Al dente right? Im making this sound like we had a horrible time but, although we never got what we expected, it was a good time. Yeah, there was one 40 ft waterfall and a small river that likened more to a creek, but we made our fun climbing boulders around this area on what Im pretty sure was privately owned land. Dont worry, we found the spot to crawl over where the barbed wire was already matted down.
Okay, there was quick recap of my past couple days. Sorry it wasnt as flowerfully written as you may like. Im off to nap on my foam pad on my rickety metal bunk bed frame.

Cordoba

Hello all, I am currently utilizing the computer/internet at Baluch Backpackers Hostel in Cordoba, Ar. We got in around 8 this morning after taking a bus through the night. The ride was a total piece of cake. We booked an omnibus "con cama" meaning with a bed, so basically you get a giant recliner that allows you to almost stretch out completely. Anyhoo, there are 8 of us traveling together, 4 of which I will be sharing a room with for the next couple nights. Its actually almost completely an LA group, one girl being from LA and going to school in Denver, two others from back east and the rest of us from UCLA! How dandy. So, we got in this morning and after a quick cafe con leche and medialuna brunch we bopped around the city exploring. To give ourselves some purpose, we decided that tonight we are going to have our own parilla/asado basically where we grill our own food. The hostel has this sweet rooftop with a bar and open grill. To be honest, it could pass for a boliche (argentine replacement word for discoteca/club). We bought some veggies at a farmers market and picked up some meat and wine at the super market... actually called Disco. Yeah, we went to the disco today... to buy groceries! Other than that excursion we have just been laying about the hostel watching movies and drinking mate. Its pretty comfortable here and I´m shuffling around in socks. Everyone is pretty tired from the bus ride still because we talked for a great portion of it and didnt get a full nights sleep.
Cordoba from what little I have seen is very different from Buenos Aires. Its a different province, east of Bs.As. The city itself where we are isn´t as metropolitan and New York City-esque. Its a welcomed change and I look forward to taking the easy trips to more rural surroundings. The architecture here is amazing though. I mean, in large part I could say the same about Baires, but in addition to every utilized building unique and European, there are lots of churches. Its a bit more intimate here based on what I have gathered.
Well, I will definitely post pictures some time in the future and maybe even post throughout this trip. Right now, someone needs to use the computer and Im just going to chill out and listen to the Bob Marley thats playing (a very different vibe from the earlier Celine Dion)
Chau!

A life gone to the dogs

Today I went on a run. I woke up early and went on a run. Yeah, typically not my style. It was the first excursion I have made with the purpose of a exercising. My exercise lately has been a lot of walking- unfortunately due to getting turned around or lost. Anyway, as I ran/walked through the parks around Palermo,-right next to the zoo I´m too scared to go into because it just looks like caged animals- I came to some realizations. Why do they call it Buenos Aires? The air here actually kinda sucks. Its probably amplified because it is winter time and generally everything to me seems worse when its cold and somewhat gloomy, but man it was kinda hard to run... or at least I tell myself this when I walk after a couple blocks. Maybe I just need a lesson on some sort of name etymology for this city. Also, I realized they LOVE dogs here. Okay, I knew this all along, but after today there could seriously be no doubt in anyones mind how many dog owners exist in Buenos Aires. I´m also thinking that my mom is right and I should become a dog walker because as far as I can see, it could be pretty lucrative. Anyway, let me give your some of my first hand observations/analyses: I would not be surprised up I saw at least 300 dogs today; they have these little hitching hooks in the ground in the park where one-three dogs get tied up, few run around, but mostly the dog walkers hitch them up and so its just DOGS scattered everywhere; I have seen various combinations of dog breeds being walked together, generally its small with other small dogs, and large with large but really in the park there were just all kinds of dogs and no distinction as to who really belonged to who, interestingly though today, is I saw a group of just beagles. Like 25 beagles between two people. What? An exclusive beagle walker? Its really an odd sight so I can´t imagine what this same walk would´ve been like for someone who didn´t like dogs.
Ha. I just wrote an entire paragraph about dogs. I guess I just find it so intriguing.
So yesterday it rained and thank goodness Beatriz semi prepared me for it. I had all that I needed except I forgot that the boots I was wearing have very poor grip on the wet, slippery concrete that makes up the sidewalks of Belgrano. I had to do this weird stomping step where I lifted my leg from my knee and kind of marched all the way home. It probably looked funny but I was trying to avoid humiliating myself by falling. Honestly, I had several thoughts while marching home: 1) I could fall while I´m in the middle of crossing the street and since cars really pay little to no attention to pedestrians I would be run over and crushed to death 2) I could slip and seriously injure myself and not be able to communicate with all the spanish speakers what happened 3) ... and probably my most prominent and also logical fear: I could slip and fall directly above a fresh pile of dog poo (I assume the ensuing repercussions need no explanation)
Well, good news! I got home safe, in one piece, not very wet and definitely not covered in any sort of feces!
So, enough once again about dogs. This weekend, I have made plans to go to Cordoba. We have monday off for a holiday so I´m looking forward to a five day weekend! I´m not quite sure exactly what my days will consist of but it will be cool to see what is in another part of Argentina. We booked an omnibus for the 9 hour drive for 240 pesos round trip. Not too bad. The buses on double decker luxury vehicles with recliners and stuff. We leave tomorrow at midnight so hopefully its a comfortable ride. We also booked a hostel for two nights for a few of us and from there we´ll see what we can find exploring the city. Im going with 6 others for sure, but there is some possibility of others being in the same place! Vamos a ver.
In other news, I have been enjoying my tapatio hot sauce that I brought from the states (thanks kev). It has been que rico on empanadas (now lovingly nicknamed empies), milanesa de pollo and whatever meat item I dined on anoche. Oh Oh Oh and how could I forgot my grand and glorious news? Im getting wifi!!!!! woohoo. Now I will not have to endure smelly, coughing people (such as the person next to me right now) in a communal computing lab!!!!
Okay, unfortunately they DO give homework here so I must be off to do it. Chau chau.

in honor of this dog themed post I´d like to give a shoutout to some real fine pooches in my life: Penny, Beckham, Kiwi, Russel and yes you too Tango! (I mean, you are from argentina anyway right?)

Baires foto post

So, my parents asked me to send them pictures of my life here. Ya know, like the place where I live, my school, some parts of the city, etc. I figured why not just share it with everyone?! That is the other like 3 people that read this thing besides my parents. ha. enjoy!


Some examples of the delicacies of Baires. All I eat here is bread, meat, dulce de leche and cheese. From there I dine on various combinations of these items. Bread with cheese, meat and bread, bread and dulce de leche, etc... The first picture is a scrumptious dessert presentation that in another picture of the same plates, it completely empty of sweets. I am holding in the other picture an alfajorcito. The ito part indicates its a small alfajor, but an inch and a half of dulce de leche would tell me to think otherwise. Eitherway, its HEAVEN. mmm



Just a collection of photos from various days/nights. Brianne and I in front of the obelisco, some UCLA friends enjoying a glass of wine in Palermo and a shot a street while Im standing in Plaza de Mayo (pictured in the photo of a previous post where I'm holding a flag)


Here is where I live. La casa de Beatriz. Its nice and clean and very quaint. I usually eat in the kitchen and spend little time in the living room. The two bedrooms are upstairs and we share a bathroom up there as well!



Some snapshots of Universidad de Belgrano. This is where I go to school! This is the main building where I have all my classes but I think there are other buildings around the city as well. You may be thinking, what the heck is that soap thing doing in a picture? Well, I just thought it was funny. Our soap at school is a bar on a rod. It seems a bit unsanitary and therfore kind of contradictory. How many dirty hands that are trying to get clean touch that thing?! Ha, but I still use it.



me happily reading a menu at the cutest cafe I have ever dined. Santos Sabores is located about two blocks from our school and its just so cheery and shabby chic (and filled with delicious postres in cute jars), you could never do anything but smile while reading their menu.

Well, my first weekend between school days has passed and I must say Ive always thought more days off than on was the way to go and I definitely think I´m still right. Monday is a long day though which makes it extra hard to come back! I had a history class this morning and really you think its easy to tune out in lectures in english? Well try a class in a language you dont know because if youre at all tired or distracted, once you´ve checked out, youre probably not going to be able to tune back in. It just takes so much more concentration and brain power and therefore energy! ha. I need to save it anyway. I have two more classes and therefore four more hours straight. This little blog is my break.

Anyway, the weekend. Recopado! That means very wonderful here in Buenos Aires. My wonderul friend Lali and her wonderful family came for a visit from Chile for 5 days and it was five days of laughter, great food and popping botellas. It felt really nice to be with parents actually. Its comforting to feel again that someone is looking after you in that familiar parental way. On saturday we went out for our first big all out Argentine night, meaning it started around 2am and ended maybe at 630 am? But how could you not go crazy and stake awake when youre VIP at an awesome club (this one called Museo- apparently the building is designed but the guy who built the eiffel tower but Im not sure this is true. Why would you make a historical landmark a nightclub?). Lots of dancing to mostly american music from the 70s,80s and 90s which is an unusual find and very welcomed change from techno. Plus, Michael Jackson? Yeah, youre going to be in a good mood. Last night we went to an amaaazing restaurant called Cumana. It was recommended by a local so it was bound to have some pizzazz but it really did go above and beyond taste comprehension.... and it was cheap. They looked rather disgusted as the greedy Americans barely had room at the table for all the food. Pumpkin and choclo empanadas, ñoccis, two big pizzas, two salads (with mayo as dressing! not our fave), pasta and lomo y calabasa (beef and squash) stew. And for dessert, tres leches cake and extraordinarily tasty vanilla ice cream.I didnt think I would be that happy with something that didnt involve even a drop of dulce de leche.. which is something I´ve already decided I´ll never live without. Im hungry again. I have pizza in my bag sooooooo.... chau

PS its really cold here. You better be enjoying your damn sun lucky california residents!

Culture Shock

Its friday and I've already been celebrating my weekend for a day! Its wonderful to have more days of freedom than days of class, but I'm seriously overwhelmed by my classes. I think the time I spend in them is at least equivalent to the amount of hours in spend in class at home over five days. I mean, four hours of straight class? They don't automatically include time for passing periods. And everything is in spanish! This was my choice, but its a bit overwhelming at present. I understand about 50% in most classes and even that is a word here and there so it loses its context and I'm lost. I have one more week to settle things for the semester so we shall see what happens. I am really fearing my tango theory final exam which apparently will consist of a 7-10 page paper in spanish single spaced! What?! It has to be a joke. I could barely do that in english and thats also when Ive understood what my teacher has been talking about for the past weeks! aye aye aye.

This sense of being overwhelmed has persisted for two weeks now so I guess its no wonder it has transferred to school. Is this what they call culture shock?? Maybe its not just a dance troop. I've been keeping myelf busy while I'm here so that I don't have to focus on the thousands of thoughts and emotions that are constantly bouncing around my entire brain but it probably just helps to create more stimulation. The overstimulation may contribute to my pure exhaustion at the end of everyday. I dont have to try to hard to stay busy here. There is so much to do and so much that I haven't done. I've been jetting between little tourist sights but I know that I have plenty of time to simply enjoy it all.

Its nice to stay busy also because at home its kind of lonely. Beatriz (my host mother) is home sporadically from selling cosmetics, water purifiers and redecorating apartments....all these jobs she has taken up since her husband went crazy two years and left. Last night she showed me the rolling pin she was using to make dinner and told me she should've used it on her husband... then she told me he probably deserves something stronger than that blow to the head. See, she is nice and entertaining but mostly when we're both home we are separated. I like being alone and sometimes I do make a point of going to talk to her but sometimes the conversations just die out. I think im satisfied with this arrangement though. I have plenty of freedom and yet a good amount of interaction.

I'm missing you all (as in my family and friends) terribly and the fact that I won't see all of you for still many months is definitely overwhelming me as well! I appreciate that you guys indulge me with the thought that you care to read this! Please email me or skype me!

Chau