So it only seems like we've been here for about 2 days, but it's been over 2 weeks now. We're really in the groove now. I can go to stores and kind of order what I need. And even if I don't get what I want I still get something. For instance, the other day I tried to order a steak and instead got a plate of SPAM. I can't even complain to the waitress because I haven't taken a class on complaining yet so I just sit there and eat my SPAM and pretend it's what I meant to order. When Sam says "that's not what you ordered is it?", I just reply "what do you mean? This is totally what I wanted... why do you want to trade for your nice roast chicken?". I am also in Spanish school right now and I have to do about 4 hours of school / day. It's such a blast. Nobody speaks english in the school so I'm just winging it. For instance today, I had to put together a sentence about my house.. here is what I intended my sentence to read..
"my apartment is fun becuase we listen to music, dance and eat all the time"
What I wrote was
"my apartment is a joke because we musical, and eat food from the street".
Not exactly what I intended to say. My teacher has no reservations about laughing at me. It's awesome. So to work around the giggles in the class I try to speak quickly in spanish in the hopes that it will be too quick for anyone to understand. That way, if I'm wrong maybe they let it slide. It turns out they are a little slicker at spanish than I am, and they are on to me. For example, here is the sentence I presented to the class.
".. Amueblado es tambien colletto".
Which means.... absolutly nothing. I guess I didn't say it fast enough because they picked up the error. I spend most of my day working on the speed at which I say things. Vocabulary can come later.
It's a total blast here. Sam and I just look at each other sometimes and we know each other "gets it". This city is so satisfying. There is something particularly sexy and enjoyable about Latin American Culture. In fact, my little sister just sent me some quotes she found in the library in Toronto the other day about Buenos Aires in particular. Unfortunately I don't have the sources of the quotes, but here they are..
"my apartment is fun becuase we listen to music, dance and eat all the time"
What I wrote was
"my apartment is a joke because we musical, and eat food from the street".
Not exactly what I intended to say. My teacher has no reservations about laughing at me. It's awesome. So to work around the giggles in the class I try to speak quickly in spanish in the hopes that it will be too quick for anyone to understand. That way, if I'm wrong maybe they let it slide. It turns out they are a little slicker at spanish than I am, and they are on to me. For example, here is the sentence I presented to the class.
".. Amueblado es tambien colletto".
Which means.... absolutly nothing. I guess I didn't say it fast enough because they picked up the error. I spend most of my day working on the speed at which I say things. Vocabulary can come later.
It's a total blast here. Sam and I just look at each other sometimes and we know each other "gets it". This city is so satisfying. There is something particularly sexy and enjoyable about Latin American Culture. In fact, my little sister just sent me some quotes she found in the library in Toronto the other day about Buenos Aires in particular. Unfortunately I don't have the sources of the quotes, but here they are..
"the ability of Argentines to reinvent themselves is amazing. The
unpredictability makes life exciting, it injects creativity into
theater, nightlife and fashion."
"I felt that pent-up energy reverberation across this sprawling
metropolis, which I have loved for its Paris-style boulevards, Bell
Epoque buildings, soulful music and gracious, gorgeous people."
"We never lost our spirit...We know the art of life."
"Today B.A. is a potent cocktail of the sophistication, madness and
ambition of Rome, Paris and New York: it still beats Rome for pure
style, Paris for routines and rituals and New York for the title
"the city that never sleeps."
"Argentine generosity is legendary"
"Though fashion is a priority in looks-obsessed B.A. human
relations trumps all"
"Time, patience and intimacy are now luxuries in the world--and we
have them all. Those things make Argentina even more appealing."
La Boca BarrioI just think those quotes do a good job of giving a brief summery of the attitude here. It's like
nothing I've ever experienced before. I catch myself having these euphoric moments over little
things, like watching kids kick a soccerball down a busy road, cars pushing each other down the
road (If a car stalls, another car will come from behind and push the stalled car where it want's to
go. It's so funny to watch them try to take corners or stop at lights). Likewise the nightlife is super
cool here and people have been so nice to us even though we have pretty serious communication
barriers. Everyone is giving us their numbers so we can hang out at night, bringing us over to their
apartments and so on. In fact, I just recieved a phone call (while I was just writing this sentence)
from a man who says he knows a friend of a friend of Sam's mom. Anyway he found our phone
number and wants to take us out to a polo match in Palermo next weekend. People are so
human here. You don't need excuses or planning to meet with people. The phone call I just
recieved went a little something like this..
Me: Hola
Him: Hola. Sorry for mi english is bad
Me: no problem
Him: Is Samantini there?
Me: no sorry, can I take a message
Him: what is your name?
Me : Sterling
Him: Zurlin?
Me: no. Sterling
Him: oh. that is a hard one.
Me. Yes, what is your name?
Him. Rolofo
Me: Folojo
Him: no. Rolofo. just rolo is fine.
Me: cool Rofo.
Him: zurlin does you want to come to a polo match with me and my friend?
ME: Sure Folojos.
Him: Here is my number --------
ME: Great I'll see you soon.
It's totally random but things like this seem to be happening all the time. In canada kindness from
complete strangers is looked on almost as a weakness, or at least with suspicion. Here it's
expected and very welcomed.
I have lots more to say, but it's almost tea time here. Timing here is a little different. It's a much
slower pace. People have breakfast at about 8 or 9. Lunch at about 1 or 2, tea time is about 5
and dinner is about 10.
Let me explain tea time to you. When Argentines were young they would go to school all day and when they got home at about 4 their mom's would have some milk, or tea, and cookies for them. Well it turns out as you get older you never plan on letting go of tea time. So now as adults they still celebrate tea time. At 5 everyone goes out for a tea or juice or mate and desserts. There is not one meal you have here without desserts.
On that note. It's tea time.
Colorful houses in La Boca: We took a class trip to this neighborhood.
Labels: Buenos Aires
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