One Last Goodbye

I had a great day. I washed all my clothes... and bed sheets. Then I went to the school to meet up with Tarah to see if she wanted to go to Barrio Once with me to get phones (my phone still works after the flood... but the screen is flickering, and there is no sound), and I had an extra phone that Xiaoqing had left me, but I don't want to change my type of phone... 1) because I have 3 chargers for the model of Samsung that I have, 2) because the charger for the other phone, although it is Samsung also, got taken back to Alaska with my dad by accident,  and 3) I am stubborn and want to keep the type of phone that I know... After some planning, Tarah, Austin, and I went together to Barrio Once.

There are no photos that can show how crazy this neighborhood is. It is streams of people going to and from everywhere and billboards as tall as the buildings, covering all building faces, and things hanging from balconies and shops filled from the floor to the ceiling with stuff for super cheap, and blasting reggaeton and rock music. There's clothes, toys, electronics, accessories to electronics, phones, furniture, jewelry, etc... Of course I did not find the gallery mall that was full of phone-related sales, but we did find a charger for the "other" Samsung phone that I did not want to use... I'm just stubborn, it works fine and is pretty understandable. BUT, I wanted to give it to Tarah because I got it for free, and since my phone still worked I was hoping for the best, to use it til I got lucky again and found another one of the same model for cheap.

After this we all made our way to the subte again, and parted ways. We had spent 3 hours in Barrio Once! Tarah and I were planning on going to play soccer with these ladies from frisbee that invited me like 4 weeks ago, and we had realized that there was only 2 hours til game time. We bid farewell for the time being, and when I got home, guess what? MY PHONE'S SOUND CAME BACK! Although it is a bit muted, and the screen's flickering isn't even that bad, I will keep this til it completely poops out on me. I'm so glad I didn't find the gallery of shops like I was hoping, now I can use that 100 pesos on tango classes, orrrr a TRIP!

So at 7:20 I left my house to make it out to the field to play with the girls... I FINALLY got the motivation to go play soccer with them! I'M SO GLAD I DID! Joanna, me, and Erinn went. Tarah showed up an hour late... there was a miscommunication, but it was fun all the same. I will definitely be going back every Wednesday. I'm becoming active and it's so awesome, I'm easing into Ultimate Frisbee (it's still really intimidating for me, it just seems so foreign! but I will get the hang of it and stop being a wimp soon), and starting to play soccer.

I hate the word "soccer" by the way. The USA is the only country in the world that DOESN'T say "futbol", as far as I know. I will say FUTBOL from now on.

Afterwards though... I ended up walking for like 15 blocks to get to a stop for bus 15. Most of the way I was with half the girls from the game, and it was nice bonding time. My feet are killing me... after walking through Once for 3 hours, then playing futbol, then walking 15 blocks they were just dead. Next time I will definitely take a different bus... haha.

AAAAAAND
This weekend I am going to Gualeguaychú for Carnaval! Assuming there are seats open on buses to get there... Maxi is a sweetheart and offered to pick one up for me when he goes tomorrow... I'd go get my own but I refuse to go to Retiro alone. I'm sure I'd survive, but why risk it? WHY risk it...

AAAAAAND
Last, but not least.... actually, MOST important of all, On Monday before the floods and the floating cars and the firemen and the craziness, I said goodbye to my LAST remaining friend from last semester...

Thomas

This was my first attempt to take our last picture together, and it turned out perfectly! Him, Me, the line we had to wait through, AND the MALBA sign in front. And we look great if I may say so... haha. So.... At first, he intimidated me. He is from Germany, but that's not why... he just always seemed in his place and gave this confident vibe that just intimidated me. We took the class on Arte Argentino y Latinoamericano (with Architecture included), and eventually started studying together, and we spoke in Spanish (Of course.. he speaks German, English, god knows what else because he's European, and Spanish). We eventually started just hanging out cuz we had become friends, and that was great. We went to this jam band show at Club Aráoz that was conducted by Santiago Vazquez (Santiago Vazquez y La Grande), who is also one of the chief players in La Bomba de Tiempo, and let me tell you Santiago is just... handsome, talented, and full of energy. Anyways, we went there and had a great time, danced til they closed the place (2:00 am because it was a Wednesday night, hahaha). 

This past week I got to see him twice since he got back from his traveling through South America. Last Friday we saw the Rocky Horror Picture Show, like I mentioned in an entry before, and this past Monday just before he had to leave the city to head to the airport, he spent his remaining hours with me =). We went to the MALBA to wander through the Andy Warhol exhibit. Oddly enough, we ended up venturing the entire museum reviewing what we had learned in our art class! The movements, styles, artists, events in history that inspired them, whatever we could remember, it was great. Then he realized he only had about half an hour to make it through the Andy Warhol section... We made it through all of it, and headed outside... got on the bus... didn't say much, we talked but I was preoccupied knowing I was saying goodbye to yet another good friend. We neared my stop, which was first, and I gave him a great big hug. We wished each other luck in our lives, and me being the awkward person I am, I said we'd talk on facebook...

I got off the bus, knelt down so he could see me through the window, and put my hands to my mouth and blew him a gigantic goodbye kiss. He started laughing =)

And then he rode away... and I started crying. It doesn't really get easier. But I have learned how to take the good out of situations like this, and I wouldn't trade my times with him to avoid having to say goodbye for anything.

Goodnight. Until later...

-Jenny

There's a first time for Everything

Here's what I did tonight...

Jenny

I went to have dinner at this mexican food place with Theresa, Tarah, and their friend. I brought my friend Andy that i met in frisbee

Chrissy

the internet is shoddy, so sorry if i cut out

Jenny

well ima tell you the story now

and if it cuts out i'll message it to you

Chrissy

ok

holy crap

whats gonna happen...

geeeeeez

Jenny

ok well we went out and ate.

all good, and then Tarah was like "oh crap i forgot to tell my host mom i went out to eat, can you text Austin for my host mom's house number jenny?" (Tarah still doesn't have a cell phone, I keep saying I'm going to help her get a cheap one)

so i did. and Austin didnt answer.

so she's like "crap guys i gotta go now then... sorry to rush everyone"

so we all quickly paid and left the restaurant and it was pouring rain, like poooouring

and they were like "let's take a taxi!" but i knew me and Andy lived in the opposite direction, his hotel is near my house, so we decided to walk. Plus it's fun to play in the rain!

It was like 4 inches of water for a while, then it was 6, and we were running and splashing around and having fun

I took some pictures hoping my camera would survive, which it did :D

 

cuz we're super cool like that

and we got to his hotel after hitting some 1 foot deep spots, and cars in deep water, he went to his hotel and i continued walking

Chrissy

well thats good i guess....

Jenny

heh, ya, and right after he got to his hotel I hit the dirty road, the sidewalks by the Palermo Subte station which is also a train station for the train... there were like 10 floating black garbage bags, and the water was getting to my shins. I thought okay this is kind of tough, but i'll make it. I crossed Santa Fe to get to my side of the road. then it got worse, water to my knees, above my knees...

i was like o &#^$ this water's moving fast, I could be swept away possibly... and things kept hitting my legs in the water, if any kind of wooden plank hit me I would have been gone.

and then this fireman asked me where i was going and i said Charcas and Bonpland, and he said alright let's go

(in spanish). I was holding onto his arm and we got to a road that was a couple blocks from my house, and it was way too deep where the road intersected with santa fe, so we went a bit into the street to cross where they had this rope tied up to trees to help people cross. but there were taxis floating down that street towards Santa Fe, towards me and my fireman.

and everyone was yelling at each other in Spanish.

some kiosk owner was screaming at everyone for having the rope up or some nonsese, he was crazy. wtf are we supposed to do? its a flood, we're doing what we can...

Chrissy

holy crap intense

Jenny

so Sergio (the fireman's name) helped me cross this road.

BECAUSE do you remember me mentioning that when it rains enough the manholes and sewer covers can pop off and you can get sucked under from the force!?!?

my intensive month teacher told us that, and no one believed her. and i believed her but i was skeptical. i saw that  happen today man

Chrissy

!!! whoa

Jenny

we crossed that road with the rope, and went another block or 2, and after basically swimming and trudging through deep gross waters it started getting shallower, like a block away from my house, where he left me and said there were others to help cross the deeper areas

Chrissy

holy crap jenny!

Jenny

I was fine with Sergio leaving me there. I didn't say that but I was very thankful... usually i don't want help with things, but he definitely helped save my life...

This is one of the sewer covers with water sprouting through the top like a fountain, it's  ready to burst off.

 

This is right outside my house door. With flash didn't work, so I tried to brighten it up without destroying the cool nighttime-ness of the picture. The water surrounding the "fountain" is about 5 inches deep, so imagine that pressure bursting upwards... 

A few blocks back, when I met up with the fireman, there was some photographer taking pictures around the deepest areas, and i had a life vest on and stuff even though I look like a dork at least i wouldn't have gotten sucked under as easily...

so... i got home. and sat down, soaking with garbage and god knows what else,

and emailed Andy with what happened after he got home. It wasn't fun dancing in the rain after he got home... heh

I seriously was thinking... this is like the news clips... this looks like hurricane Katrina. but obviously it was not NEARLY as bad.

but I've never seen floating cars!!

I've never had to be escorted across the road with a rope tied between trees AND a fireman!

Chrissy

thats so inSANE!

Jenny

There's a first time for everything.......

Beer on the roof and Transvestites

Tonight I went to my friend's hotel to drink beer on the roof.

 

I did not write about him, but Andy was at Josh and Julia's goodbye fiesta as well

It was great, we drank tons of beer and admired the 360º view from the "off-limits" part of the roof, and later wandered to a sandwich shop to eat some milanesa sandwiches. He is such a great guy! I can't believe he leaves in a week, I really want to spend more time with him before then. We talked about our best times with friends, craziest times, among other subjects. 10:30 rolled around and we both had to be somewhere around midnight, so we found him a card to recharge minutes to his phone, then he left on a bus to his party. I then rushed off to MALBA...

...where I saw the Rocky Horror Picture Show at midnight! 

I went with Thomas, a friend I made last semester who is from Germany. We took Argentine and Latin American Art together, and have gone to various events together. He gave me a Rata Blanca patch for my birthday and he's so cool! I don't want to say goodbye to him, he leaves Tuesday... GOODNESS THE GOODBYES! Anyways... so we met up at MALBA (Museo de Arte Latinoamericano de Buenos Aires) and watched the Rocky Horror Picture Show... and i can say that I used to dislike this movie, but today i decided to give it another chance, and I LOVE IT NOW!! There's nothing like watching a transvestite musical with a bunch of Argentinians singing along and yelling "LA CONCHA DE TU MADRE!" to the only old man in the crowd telling everyone to SHUSSHHHHH (because he obviously has never seen the movie before, and does not know why everyone is singing along or laughing so much).

He got it eventually, I forgive him because he learned the ways, and enjoyed the movie and clapped along too.

We found out we could take the same bus back, and did. When I was saying goodbye Thomas gave me a long hug, as if it were the last. NO! I refuse to let that be the last time we see each other!! It's been so great getting to know him, I don't know how I will handle saying goodbye to another soul that made part of my roots here in Buenos Aires. It doesn't really get any easier. So... Hopefully we will make it out to MALBA on Monday again, to see the Andy Warhol exhibit, and other works of art that we both learned about in the class where we met.

Aside from this... I spent all day preparing about 6 litres of sangría for the fiesta tomorrow. I'm throwing a party for the new students, even though one refuses to associate with the group... one is at the beach, and another isn't coming for undisclosed reasons. Whatever, their loss. Unfortunately Joanna can't come either, but she's going to Carnaval in Gualeguaychú! I plan on going next weekend. She's going to have so much fun. And so are we, those who are stuck in the city. Andy might not come either unfortunately, but I understand, he is only here for one more week and there are like 5 events going on tomorrow night that he needs to choose carefully.
I leave with this. I am eating pasta and being thankful that I made it to the bank today to trade in some cash for coins... Using the buses saves me tons of money, and takes me to and from amazing cheap events like the Rocky Horror Picture Show at MALBA for $2.20 pesos, plus the $8 pesos student movie fee... $10 AR night. yesssss

Goodnight
-Jenny

Interpreted Dance & Interpreting Audience

It's a bit late to write about last Sunday, but that's okay. Last Sunday was awesome, definitely too awesome to leave it out of an entry.

 

Club Cultural Matienzo  

Joanna and I went to a free show starting at 18:00 (6:00 pm), and it went on til like 9:00 pm. It started out with these two guys playing some improv guitar. This was the day after Josh and Julia's goodbye fiesta, so I was recovering from the sleepiness, as well I was confronting some other feelings that were brewing inside of me. Earlier this day I could not even type or listen to music or think... not because of a headache or anything, I've never been hungover, I just felt like it was all too much stimulation. For once in my life I felt like I needed pure silence to sit and digest my thoughts and feelings for a while. Later, after this thought digestion, was when Joanna and I had decided to come to this show. Listening to these two guys playing soothing music was perfection. It calmed me down and brought me to the moment, watching them tap their feet and play, admiring the bright colors painted on the walls of the terrace... slowly being subconsciously prepared for the next routine, by interpretive dancers.

 

This was the part where They did the Interpreting

This group of about 7 performers started moving to the sounds of the guitar from the guy in the blue shirt on the right. It wasn't so much dance... as it was doing things. I can't even explain it without degrading the event, it was cool. I have always wanted to go to a show like this, something strange and simple in a great setting with  a small crowd. It was perfect. Although at times it seems that they broke out of character... I could not tell if they knew what they were doing or not, for all I know it was all part of the show. Either way... It was another calming, quirky show that distracted me from my life for a while. What came next was...

SCREAMS

CRYING

SOBBING

DROOL

MISERY

This is the part I think was for us, the audience, to interpret... 3 or 4 guys started screaming into the evening on this rooftop, and there was no remedy. They screamed and cried and sobbed at the tops of their lungs like neglected babies in prison. Five minutes, 10... 15 or 20 minutes... crying screaming gasping for air. The guy in front of Joanna and I was standing in the crowd facing the stage just like all of us, and he kept leaning onto this girl in a chair next to him, she kept laughing and looking to her friend, leaning away from the screaming actor that had begun drooling on his clothes. Eventually... she didn't know what to do, there wasn't enough room to leave, to walk out, she didn't want to keep leaning away from him, so she started patting him on the head, and rubbing his back, as if he were actually a screaming baby to soothe it into calmness. This... seemed to work. This actor slowed to a low sobbing and eventually sunk down to a sleeping state. This left one or two other actors sobbing to the side of the crowd. They continued for another 5 or 10 minutes, I was surprised no one tried patting them on the heads or comforting them as if they were actual children like the girl had to the one in the center of the audience. Eventually it came to a close... and if not for the performance, everyone clapped for the silence that followed the calmed actors. What came next was... 

SCREAMING

SHAKING

GASPING

FACES OF TERROR

A group of about 8 girls started the same deal... except standing in a group in the stage area. The shock of their voices got everyone's attention, and no doubt a sigh of disappointment... but this performance was different. The volume lowered and stabilized into almost a harmonized crying. Crying, breathing, standing in place, they all looked towards the sky as if each asking something from a God. Then, the volume lowered and they were just sobbing and breathing, looking upwards, and one of them started laughing. It was crazy how the change of sound with this one voice made such an impact. She started with that half crying half laughing type.. and evolved into a cackling laugh, as if she just realized they were all pathetic beings screaming for no reason. One by one the others started laughing too, and the looks of misery and terror changed to smiles and grateful looks towards the sky. Eventually towards each other. They formed a circle and the laughter died out, and three of them hugged. 

I'm pretty sure this evolved into one of the last performances of the night, another interpretive type. This one seemed more coherent, and they seemed to have a reason for doing what they did. 

In this skit two girls climbed on the sink and convulsed

It was great. I don't know what they were trying to get across... if anything. For all I know it was just to show that they could, with their delicate movements and kooky convulsions, entertain us all with hardly any music or planning.
 Somewhere around here the performances ended, and everyone gave a small donation to the artists and Joanna and I left. 

I definitely want to go back to this place. It is about 7 blocks away from my house, and it was pretty cool for being free. Even if not all shows are free, I now know about this cool place. I can see myself going to more of these small shows. They even show certain movies for 6 pesos some nights. Gotta check that out.

That's it for now, I think i'm going to start cooking dinner... or at least start planning it, since it's only 7:15 pm.

-Jenny

DeBar's free beer

Just had a great night out with some friends. Not to mention FREE BEER!

No catch. Go to DeBar any Monday - Thursday in February, 2010, and girls get all the free beer they want from 6pm til 9pm.
SOLD!
Erinn, Joanna, Tarah, and I went. Also Austin but he had to pay for 2x1 drinks (not a bad deal either).

 

Tarah, me, Austin

We all shared a Pizza in addition to free beer =)

Except poor Austin who had to pay for his drinks... but that's okay he was a good sport. We had lots of fun bonding, it was the first time I had been out with Austin and I'm glad I got to know him more than before. I told him how he was my best partner in tango in the tango class but no one was in agreement with me. IIIIIII dunno... I've taken more tango than them, and he seemed to know what he was doing. 

 

Joanna, me, Erinn, Tarah, Austin

A waitress was kind enough to take this photo of us...

... even after Austin took an unexpected photo of her which she obviously did not want taken...

So much fun. I'm so glad they made it out tonight for some talking and drinks. And the pizza, which wasn't that bad by the way. Very cheap for a large, and well made. I say this because I heard pizzas made in bars aren't that great, but Debar must be something special. Well of course it is, who else gives girls free beer for no reason between 6:00 and 9:00 pm??

After DeBar everyone went home to eat with their families except Joanna and I. Joanna's host mom was teaching a batik lesson or something, teaching art of some kind. Therefore she came to my house and we ordered empanadas & a beer to share to talk some more. We viewed some music videos from my Genius list made from selecting "Love me or Hate Me" by Lady Sovereign. It's not the most representative of my musical taste but it definitely defines my fun side. I love going crazy to some ridiculous rap or hip hop. We'll go to Lost some day. maybe tomorrow since tomorrow is Thursday, but I might have mentioned that I save Thursdays for Ramón in case he wants to do something. If I don't hear from him we'll head to Lost though, unless he's interested in coming too... part of me doubts it though, haha. 

It's time to go to bed. It's 1:40 am and I had a very successful and cheap outting with some muy buenas ondas. 

Don't be afraid to leave some comments. Make any kind of account to leave them... it's easy, I promise...

-Jenny

Adios to Josh and Julia

Saturday... what a day. It was Julia and Josh's last day at pickup (ultimate frisbee), and that night they had a huge going away party. It was so much fun! And there were so many people! It looked like Julia and Josh really had a good time, I hope they did. Let's see how the day went...

I went to pickup planning to leave early to have a drink with a friend, then have some friends over to get together before going to this drag show or something, called Ambar La Fox. But then I found out it was their last day, and that later that night there was a going away party at their house. I got invited and cancelled all my plans, which is kind of awkward when you are the host of something... BUT some important friends were leaving, I wouldn't miss that!

After pickup Andy and I decided to go together since he is staying literally 3 blocks away from me (he's on a business trip from China), and then Maxi and I decided to go together, so we went as a group. The gathering was embedded in San Telmo, pretty far for all of us but after a half hour long bus ride we got there and walked in the night to get there at about 1:00 or 1:30 am. There were about 100 people there! I couldn't believe how big the house was or how many people showed up. My entire house is probably as big as their entrance and living room.

 

Julia and I 

It was cool to see everyone outside of frisbee, in their pretty dresses and everyday clothes. I made myself up a little bit and I'm glad I did. Julia was so happy to see everyone as they streamed in during the night, and we took some pictures together. Thankfully I brought my camera.

[girl], Emiliano (I'm pretty sure?!?!?), Matt, Paula, Me

I have lots of pictures from the night... Maxi took the camera and took lots of photos. I'm glad, because I didn't know everyone and was kind of shy to ask or just do it, haha. Eventually everyone gathered for a Toast and some touching speeches.

 

Toast to Josh & Julia

After the Toast began the Speeches

Something that I felt but never really identified was said during the speeches. Josh and Julia spoke, mentioning special people... and something that Josh said was that everyone was not like his family, definitely not like a family. He said they all WERE his family, and that he truly meant it, the people they lived with in the house, and the people in frisbee and everyone there. I could feel that when I was there, even though I've only known half the people there for a few short weeks, there was so much love packed into that house. I admit, I teared up at that. I hope I have something like that when I leave. Even if it makes it 100x harder to leave, I want to know my year here made a difference in my life and maybe some other people's, or that I have friends here that are my family... I know it will happen, actually I know it's already been happening. It's been happening since about August or September when I met my first Argentine friend, Ramón. Anyways...

After this, we all partied til late, and someone shocked the hell out of me. I'll skip over that though. And everyone went on the roof and shimmied over to some other roof, I don't even know how the network of roof connections worked but that was scary.

 

Maxi & I (and poor Martín, and sleepy Paula, and.. Mike (??))

Everyone got up and down safely though so that's all that matters. It was time to go, the aftermath was settling in and after being told it wasn't necessary to help clean up Maxi and I took a bus back to our end of town at 7:00am and parted ways. It was a great time, I'm so sad I didn't get to say goodbye to Josh personally, but saying goodbye to 100 people during all the craziness can't be easy. He knows I'm going to miss him, even though I know him very little.

Que buena onda.

If I had never pulled myself out of my pity fest and decided to do something active in my time and start going to frisbee pickup, I never would have met all these amazing people. I would be sulking, wondering why I felt like I had no life here... You just have to get up and get out. Do something. Joining frisbee was one of the best things I've ever done, and if the frisbee community in Anchorage is anything like this, maybe I will feel at home in Alaska again... until then, Argentina has me 100%. I can't imagine my life anywhere else right now.

Tango & Lost

Oh precious demi-god of having fun, thank you for blessing me last night.

Yesterday was amazing. Not only did I get some tango dancing in, but I got me and some friends into Lost for free. Ya that's right, FREE SUCKAZ! That's an overview, here's the details...

 

I arrived at La Viruta at 9:00 pm

Then I waited for about half an hour for the rest of the group. We went for the Tango lesson, but when I arrived the salsa classes were still going on. They look like so much fun! I can definitely see myself learning salsa, as well as tango. 

So the group arrived and we sat at a big table in the corner near the entrance. It's the same table we sat at with the summer students last summer... memories! Then the class began, everyone was confused as hell because they're not used to listening to or understanding Spanish down here. Dude, I'm not even fully accustomed to it. It's a process... but we made our way to the Beginner's section of the dance floor. It was divided into Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. I could have joined the intermediate dance group but I wanted to stay with the other students... I can join intermediate on my own time, later on.

I must say the slow paced repetitive square dancing we started out with is a lot harder when you already know it... I mean... they don't keep the rhythm when they're teaching everyone, and when you're first learning it that helps. But after you already know it, you keep going and it looks like YOU are the one that doesn't know how to do it. Anyways, eventually we paired off and of course I had to dance with the old guy. I guess there's something about me that screams PICK ME! I LACK THE ABILITY TO REJECT PEOPLE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HURT THEIR FEELINGS! but that's ok. Sometimes it's better to dance with the older people. Unfortunately this man did not know what he was doing, and was doing the whole set of moves wrong. I'm not a professional at tango, or square dancing, but I could not follow this guy. Tango is amazing, because you know a good dancer when you are with them, well the girls do anyways, I don't know how it is for the guys. The teachers clapped their hands and told us to change partners, and I kindly thanked him and moved on.

My next partner was Wade. Wade is a sweetheart, I love that guy. He's just so chill and we get along pretty well. I think he was nervous to dance tango but he was a MUCH better leader than the man I had before. Even if he felt like he didn't know what he was doing, he pretended very well. Plus he was pretty optimistic about it, some of the people were all like 'why am i here??? i could care less about tango! when can we go?!?!" and that just puts a damper on everything... The teachers clapped their hands and we switched again.

My next few partners were varied. I danced with a stranger who was decent, he made sure not to run me into people [I think that was the biggest mistake of the old man I danced with first, he led me into so many people! But it's his first time so I forgive him ;) ]. 

Then there was Austin. I'm name-dropping because Austin was the best dancer I had all night. I knew exactly where he wanted me to go, when he wanted me to go, and we didn't have to start over very many times. He said it was his first time dancing! Holy crap! I really hope he continues taking lessons because he's off to an amazing start. And girls are ALWAYS looking for guys to dance with, and if they see you are a good dancer, they will eye you and hope you come to ask them. It's all about eye contact. Tango is all about seducing, from across the room and on the dance floor. Anyways. Austin, really good dancer (so far). 

There was another guy I danced with. He has such potential. I know that he KNOWS how to do it, he just can't do it yet... I think, just from how he and I danced, it's because he was leading with the outstretched arm rather than his right shoulder. By doing that you push the arm of the girl and she twists, rather than pushing her with your shoulder or your chest (depending on how closely you dance together), this way by pushing the center of her body she can go where you want in the direction you want, and she doesn't get twisted and lose balance. I do give him credit though, he was a close dancer (which means to hold his partners really close), like real tango. Tango is a close dance, but you don't HAVE to be that close. I have space issues sometimes and I can't dance like that if I'm tense because of the closeness! So yeah. This guy has great potential, he knows what to do -lead the girl with some force-  but I think he just needs to make his movements with his right shoulder rather than the left arm. If he continues classes and changes the force that he uses to lead, he's going to have every girl in the salon eyeing him to dance... because quite honestly, he's pretty good looking as well ;)

After all the dancing everyone sat down and ate dinner. Then we went out for what seemed like another lesson. Honestly I am confused because the first lesson they had mentioned something about milonga, which is a type of dance similar to tango but different, faster paced I think? Anyways we danced some more, and my feet were killing me! I wore my green super awesome heels that I spent 500 pesos on 6 months ago and have only worn twice...

But aren't they just adorable?

They look better on, I swear. I was really angry that I had bought them for a while, because 500 pesos is a lot of money... but they're sooooo me. They're weird and bunched up and green, this rich emerald green that this PhotoBooth shot gives no justice to. I am now quite glad that I purchased them because heels are perfect for tango, it's actually much harder if you DON'T wear heels. If you pay attention to women's feet in a tango salon, if they're not wearing heels, they are dancing on their toes because it's that much easier. 

Tango night ended and everyone paid for their dinners and Tarah, Erinn, and I were in a rush to make it back to my house to get ready for LOST, this club that is only called Lost on Thursday nights, otherwise the club is called Club Aráoz. Or, in the online world, it is called "Hip Hop Culture Club" on Thursdays. Nope, I'm calling it Lost. With that link if you send them your names and click on the date you wanna go, then at the door you tell them you're on the VuenosAirez list and before 2:30am you get in free. Woohoo free! Even if you pay the 25 pesos to get in, it includes a beer, so it's a good deal all around. The three of us barely made the cut for entering free but we got in with no charge =)

SO MUCH FUN! Dancing, rap music new and old, reggaeton, tons of people. I've always had a good time at Lost. I went there for my birthday and everyone had had a good time. We ran into some of the other students from the group and all danced together. It was awesome. I had soooooo much fun, and 5:00 am rolled around and I didn't want to go, but it was better to leave with everyone. Leaving on a good note just makes you want to go back ;)

I think that's a pretty good summary of my night last night. Next week I think I'll plan a "Welcome Party" at my house for everyone in the group. It's kind of late for it to be called a welcome party but I want everyone to get together and I want to talk to some of the people that I haven't gotten to talk to yet! It would be nice before everyone separates into their cliques more than they already have.

Hope this has sparked your interest!

chauchau y besos

-Jenny

Shamrock y... ¿qué sé yo?

I woke up this morning, feeling like I had slept for hours and hours and hours. Yesterday I woke up at 2:30 pm, and was quite disappointed in myself, that is very late to wake up, so I was feeling the same this morning when I felt completely rested.

I looked at the clock after I got out of bed, and it was 10:30. I had been out til 3:00 so I was surprised I slept just over 6 hours. But then I remember back in last semester when I went out drinking and came home I never slept very much, 4 or 5 hours usually. Whatever works man, I am awake and starting the day before noon, woohoo!

 

I went to Shamrock last night.

Met up with a friend and had some beers. Again. I've been there more times than I otherwise would have chosen, but When Casa Bar down the road is closed, I guess everyone hops on over to Shamrock. It's a good atmosphere, I just don't like their drinks... or their prices. They advertise that Happy House is until midnight. Then you go at 11:45 and order two Warsteiners and they charge normal price. I didn't feel like asking about the Happy Hour 2x1 thing (The Warsteiner label is even ON the poster for happy hour), especially yelling over that loud music and in Spanish. I don't know why I'm weird about Happy Hour, I don't like to make it obvious that I am there for happy hour deals. Anywhere. I need to get over that, otherwise I'm going to keep getting screwed over when I shouldn't. It doesn't really happen anywhere else, I think this is partly why I dislike Shamrock in the pit of my being.

So I came back to the table with two Warsteiners, and my friend and I had long amazing talks. Talked about travelling, points of view from outside the USA, from within the USA, communism, books, movies, That's just how me and this person are I guess. Although, I still can't help but feel less travelled and less well-read. But that is why I am choosing to spend my free time educating myself in ares that I am weak in. For example, literature. I am a slow reader, and I was really stubborn in high school. I never read Walden, I read to page 37 and quit. Absolutely refused to finish that book, but I do know that it is worth reading and busting through. I will someday. I also want to read the Prince, the Communist Manifesto, Nine Stories (you know, that OTHER book by J.D. Salinger?), and I want to read other literature from James Joyce (not to mention other Irish authors). Do I even need to list Jorge Luis Borges (check out how long his REAL name is!) or Julio Cortázar? Gabriel García Márquez or Arlt?

Back to the night.

We had another beer and then headed home. I took the 60 home, and at 3:00 am I only had to wait like 3 minutes! And I had even seen another one drive by before that, as I was walking to the stop. What luck. I had a good time, next time I hope to meet at Molly Mallone's. It's in San Telmo (Although I consider it more part of el Centro) but qué sé yo?

¿Qué sé yo? - literally, "what do I know?", or used as "[talking about details about something], and whatever, that kind of stuff". also, it is informal, so depending on how you say it, it can indicate " but what the HELL do I know?"

¿Qué sé yo? another common Argentine expression. And when I say common, I mean like everyone and their mom says it like 10 times every 5 minutes.

now that I've overloaded this entry with fantastic links that I just KNOW you are DYING to check out, I leave in peace.

-Jenny

one word everyone should know...

Last night I met up with Wade, one of the new students here to study Spanish. He's a really cool guy, he's from California and he's traveled around a lot and is up for seeing new things. We didn't end up going to Acabar, although I'm sure one day everyone in the group will experience that amazing atmosphere.

Instead we went to el Tiki Bar, this is the best website I can find for information on it (or check out Tiki's Facebook Page. This was my first time going, and there was supposed to be some sort of fiesta thing, I'm still not sure what the event was supposed to be exactly. But they had music playing in the Patio area and the vibe was really great. I guess that's all the fiesta thing was, haha. Wade and I sat by the wall at a table that the waitress separated from this other group of people who were not using it. There was no extra chair so we sat next to each other against the wall, which was probably best for talking since the music ended up getting pretty loud.

We had some beers, and talked for like 3 hours. It was super hot so we were both sweating up a storm. That's just part of the charm of South America... right.... right?!!?!

Anyways. We got the check and walked back to Santa Fe to part ways. He had class today and had to make a presentation on a word he learned that is from Argentina. Or something like that, I don't remember exactly. I shared my story of Ramiro, the guy that is cool but starting to be too chamullero. I hope Wade shared "Chamullero" with the class, I feel that this word is something everyone that comes to Argentina should know... particularly the blonde females.

Chamullar (verb, regular)
¹To speak or to write with persuasive intention, but falsely or without solid argument.
²To flatter/charm/flirt/catcall someone else with the intention of seducing [her].
³To say something other than the truth.

Chamullero (adj.)

characteristic of having the habit or inclination to 'chamullar', in any of its senses.

Chamullo (subj., masculine)

¹a piece of news or false story produced to obtain some kind of advantage.

²By extension, any trick with the purpose of gaining some kind of advantage.

You can click the links to view the Spanish definitions yourself, but these are the best translations I can make at my amateur level of interpreting. Notice how they do not directly refer to people themselves... But I think coloquially they are used for Argentine/Peruvian/Chilean men who do this ;)

I see blue sky, there's a break in the rain!
Have a great day,
-Jenny

 

Acabar

So Friday a group of new students came to study. Today was their first day of classes because yesterday they took the placement tests for their level of Spanish. I went to the University to see who I could meet up with just to get to know some of them better, and I met up with Tarah and Erinn.

We went to a café and talked and talked. Eventually some of the other students showed up and they sat inside. It was a nice chill day.

One of them mentioned how the city isn't really as big as they had expected... But I pointed out that after studying a map like we had would make anyone feel like it isn't impossible to maneuver oneself in a place even as big as Buenos Aires. They said I had a point... But I know exactly how they feel. I feel like I can get around in this city perfectly fine, but I also know that when it comes down to going to exact addresses therein lies the problem... heh.

One of the students, Wade, asked me if I wanna meet up tonight. It is a Tuesday and there is not much to do, but I said sure, if he wants to even though he has school tomorrow. I think I'll suggest...

Acabar

it's this beautiful bar in my neighborhood with lots of games to play. The link has more pictures, check it out. I love the interior design... Everything is covered in flowers and roses and it has a classy vintage feel.

Well I'm off to see what the night has in store for me. I wonder how many other students are going to venture into the night...