So.... What exactly are you doing?

I know you are wondering how Greg and I can possible fill our days. Perhaps I should enlighten you at how time consuming being unemployed really is.

The first weeks we got here was spent walking around the entire city. We are not talking walking around downtown Winter Park here..... This was serious walking. We should have had sponsors that donated money to Breast Cancer research support us. Too bad for Susan G. Koman- we would have broken all sorts of records.

Once acquainted with the city, our first mission was to find a place to live. We were lucky enough to have a place to sleep with a friendly face that spoke English (Sara- she is from CA). However- I must first paint a picture. The apartment is probably 700 sq. ft. Upon entering, you walk into the living area. The kitchen is the size of my old bathroom (and yes, my previous bathroom was large, but no- not large enough to be a kitchen). Sara has yet to cook a meal after being here for 5 mo. Straight ahead is a small entry way- the bathroom is to the left, Sara's room is straight ahead, her roommate, Veronica, sleeps in the room to the right. Here is where it gets good. Enter into Sara's room: standing in the doorway, there are two beds to my left and a closet to my right. The two beds resemble those found in 4 year olds room.... not just because they are small and comparative to bunk beds that were pulled apart..... but also because the sheets on them resemble those that would also adorn a 4 yr. old girl's sheets. Underneath one bed is another bed that pulls out- different sheets but equally as childish. So here we are- 4 suitcases, 2 large backpacks meant for hiking, and the three of us.... crammed in this tiny room. It felt like a slumber party every night. Sara was amazing to let us stay for a week..... but we needed to hunt hard to give her room back to her in a timely fashion.

So we go to find a room. This is done by walking into real estate agents and asking them what they had available. A bit of a challenge when you do not speak the language. Lucky for us, a few did. Sometimes you could see the apartment the same day- sometimes not. We ended up finding our place through Sara- she rents an office in a place (where the receptionist is included, and everything else you need.... cannot think of the name for the American equivilent, but I know they are everywhere in the US). The man who owns the place is American and his ex girlfriend had recently reovated a place and was looking to rent it out. Perfect.... we saw it after 4 days of intense searching and took it. While it is not completely furished yet (she was not expecting to rent it out so fast)- it has a bed and shower and internet. Enough said.

So enter into the past almost 2 weeks. Our days are never quite long enough. We wake up and go to the gym. It is 5 min. from where we live - perfect! Finding the gym..... a process and 1/2. We stumbled upon it walking around- after looking at gyms for three days and several hours. We take Spanish lessons (which I have now stopped). They are Monday thru Friday for two hours. The walk is 30 min. to the tutor. Every night we have Spanish homework- 2 more hours. Greg is working on some online businesses, and I was getting situated for school. This week I have studied every day for 6 hours (I need A's in both my classes to get into school). I did not leave the house on Thursday, except to go to the gym in the middle of the day.

Shopping for things is also a huge time killer. It is also where most of our frustrations and laughter (later) comes in. I will give you a few examples. Greg and I needed notebooks. We had seen a Staples before- so we decided to try again to find it. We always go to the main street (Santa Fe) and go right. Right leads to down town. We walk for a solid 40 min. We find the Staples..... we get what we need after searching for a bit and walk home. Total time:2 hours. I need to make copies, so I go out of the house and turn left to get to the copy store. There is the equivilent of the Argentina Staples on the corner. Whoops.

So Greg and I get the copies and then need to find a fan (desperately need white noise in our room to drown out the 80's music that is blasted by the apartment across from us until 6am every night). It is winter here - so no one has fans. We finally stop in a random place..... they have every random thing you can imagine..... from nails to mops to toys..... We think "they must have a fan!" And we were right...... except when they went to the atic to get the fan (20 min. wait) they come down with this huge metal industrial strength fan- the kind you would use in a huge factory. They are telling us how great the fan is- that it is very high quality and will last for years....We need a noise machine (which do not exist in Argentina...according to several sources)- we don't need to cool down Africa. So we gave up- and decided to go to the grocery store. Never a quick trip, even though it is 1 block from our house. While I love going to the meat market to get meat and fruit market to get fruits and vegies..... sometimes it takes several hours to round up everything you need. So we took a chance and got chicken from the grocery store. The vegies were terrible- so we skipped that. The lines for checking out go down the isles. So not only can we never find what we need (different packaging and different language = very frustrating), but we have to maneuver around people to even see what is in the store. The only isle that does not have a long line going down it is the wine and liquor isle. Perhaps that is because it does not have a check out person in front of it. (There is another less crowded store that is very nice- we found it recently, but it is a 20 min. walk). We get home and the chicket "breasts" have weird bones and need to be cut. If only we had a sharp knife...... And somewhere along the way I lost my papers. So I try retracing my steps for a bit- but every store just tries to sell me more paper.... they just do not get that I left mine there. So I need to reprint them..... but the removable drive thing is at the house..... so I go back to the house to go back to the print store to reprint my papers- and we still do not have a knife for the chicken because the knofe store is closed. So we drink wine and eat yogurt- because that is the only thing that we can find and eat without problems.....Do you see where I am going with this. I now firmly believe in travel gods- and I am certain that we have angered them. If anyone has ideas on what to sacrifice to them, I am open.

I should also probably tell you a bit about classes. Online Anatomy and Physiology along with Microbiology...... 8 weeks- how hard can it be? Hmmmm..... A&P involves reading 4 chapters per week (150 pgs), posting a thoughtful discussion (topic is provided) of your own and thoughtful comments on others postings....minimum of 2 times per week. Home based lab- done with things that you would normally find in your kitchen- unless you are in Argentina where baking soda, wheat germ, and peanut butter do not exist (another time consuming and intensive search), Post about the results of the lab and also make insightful observations about others results, weekly quiz, coloring book assignment of 40 pgs (I still do not have the coloring book- it was suposed to arrive forever ago- so I gave up on the one company and reordered from another company- hope it was not stopped in customs), and an online lab experience as well that has a quiz to follow. Multiply this by two - Micro is equally as time consuming.

But it gets even better- my laptop stopped working Monday- the day before class started. The warrenty is only valid in the US. So while the Sony store here could diagnose the problem (three days), to fix it would cost $12oo USD. The motherboard is fried- and it is only 2 mo. old. So it is in the US now- getting a new motherboard- hopefully one that does ot spontaneously combust. I will have it in three weeks. I hope- it also might get stopped in customs- where I would have to pay large taxes on it- about $500USD. Seriously- if you have any ideas for sacrifices to the travel gods... I will pay.......

Getting the computer looked at was another funny one. A friend of Sara's was going back to the US for 6 mo. She left Wed. Since I had to pay for the shipping to and from the US for the computer, she offered to take it to the US for me. I could pick my computer up Wednesday at noon. She was leaving for the airport around 1. Perfect..... the Sony store is a quick Subte ride - 10 min. and it dropped me right at the entrance to the Sony store. So I go to get on the Subte- it is closed because the Subte workers went on strike. THAT Morning! The bus lines are literally 100 people long because the Subte is not running. So I get a cab- but traffic is horrendous here - esp where the Sony store is (think NY city ). So it takes forever. I get there- pay the 50 pesos- and then have to wait 20 min. for them to give me an important sheet. Their printer was out of ink and they could not find the ink to replace it. At this time it is 1 pm. I get the paper- it just was a paper saying I had paid 50 pesos and refused repair from them. Did I really need this?!? I get in a cab and get the computer to Christine just in the nick of time- for once I beat the travel gods.

And I forgot to mention- I got a job here - working for a US company doing sales. I start next Tuesday and will wok 15-20 hrs. per week. I had training this week- 5 hrs..... We shall see how it goes!

So that is life here ..... crazy, frustrating as hell, and amazing at the same time. I wish there were a quick subte ride that took me to Denver- just so I could go, get the things done I needed to, and then return (peanut butter and baking soda in hand) to this place- where I can get my hair highlighted for $20, a mani and pedi for $10, an amazing steak with great wine for $9, private Spanish lessons for $8/2 hr., and salsa classes for $3 for 4 hr. - with an amazing culture that I cannot get enough of. Unfortunately- I have only done the last two so far.... the rest will come in time. Hopefully sooner than later.

Hope you enjoyed my novel today!
Ciao.

Word of the day: chocar- a strike- like the Subte workers went on chocar when I needed them the most!

I Am (not) Magic.....

Webster defines "magic" as: The art that purports to control or forecast natural events, effects, or forces by invoking the supernatural. The lunch we had in San Telmo was magic- who know meat and bread could taste so good if cooked over an open flame? Oh wait... we all do- which is why bbq's are so popular. The magical part of this bbq was that we got it in the middle of a crowded street that was shut off for construction. As you can see, it is far from a gourmet kitchen....or grill..... Was it safe? I hope so and it seems so thus far. Did it taste good? It was the tastiest meal 5 pesos could buy!

We all love magic. We wish we were magic..... and for a moment today, I truly thought I could make things appear in a way that only a magical person could. Greg and I were on the Subte (subway for you American folks) heading to a market in San Telmo. The dirt and dust bothers my nose and, for some time now, I really needed a tissue. I was not about to resort to a "Farmer's Blow"- which was Greg's charming idea. So I sat on the train wishing for a tissue- perhaps the only thing that could possible make me happier at the time. Well, lo and behold, I looked down on my purse and what did I see? Perfectly situated on my bag were two packs of pocket tissues. This was too good to be true. I actually wished tissues on myself.

The train stopped at my stop, and I pranced off, tissues in hand, elated that I could finally blow my nose. My mom had always told me that you always get what you focus on...... I should have listened sooner.

After several hours in San Telmo, Greg and I got on the Subte to return home. We sat down, and as the train is about to depart, a small child runs onto the train. She is carrying a huge bag and starts walking down the isle placing the contents of the bag onto people's laps. She was handing out tissues...... then a few minutes later she walked back down the isle.. either collecting the tissues or collecting money from the people who had wanted to keep the tissues. Guess I'm not so magic after all.

Word of the day: cagarse- literally, "to break down or fall apart".... also translated can mean "to be shitted" as in "Mi computadora le me caga (a derivative of cagarse)....Literally:  My computer shat itself to me..... in other words.... my computer is screwed up through no fault of my own. 

Random Thoughts

A few things I love about here:

Coffee shops everywhere (even in McDonalds and Burger King)- where "to go" is not a available

Everyone has a dog- a big one- and they hire dog walkers.... the dog walkers are everywhere and walk between 10 to 20 dogs at a time..... none of the dogs are ever disobedient (picture new York- with people walking down the side walks - and along comes a dog walker with 20 dogs- big ones- its great!)

The lack of chain stores

Weekend markets

The cemeteries- they are magnificent, really! (Sheri - I now understand why you do not think they are creepy)

The crazy bus drivers- they get you to where you need to go faster than if you were driving yourself

Living in the best location ever- where I can walk everywhere

If you want fruit- you go to the fruit stand. If you want meat, you go to the butcher shop. If you want fish, you go to the fish market. If you want cheese.... you get the idea.

Amazing steak, and wine that is cheaper than beer (if you ever find yourself broke and an alcoholic, move here. A few hundred dollars will buy you booze for more than a year).

The fashion is great- anything goes- so those that are "fashion challenged" fear not- it does not matter

Medialunas- like croissants but much better


Things that I miss:

My dog and Target.

Having a short trip to the grocery store- where I know where to find everything, and can find what I am looking for

Yogurt in a plastic tub instead of a bag, salad dressing, and baking soda (smelly fridges gross me out)

Being able to ask for directions

Clean air and nose goo that isn't black

My car- but only on occasion- like when you have been walking all day and need to go one more place- but it is on the other side of town

My cheese slicer and coffee press..... two essential kitchen items 

Did I say my dog? 



I went running today- around 4:30- rush hour on the sidewalks. It actually made me run faster- like an obstacle course. But women here do not run outside- so everyone stared at me- which made me want to be a dog walker at that moment- because then people would also have gotten the hell out of the way.

People here do not like to walk- so they stroll down the middle of the sidewalk and make it hard to pass them- unless you are a dog walker- and then it is like the parting of the sea. New Career? Maybe :-> On the occasion that /greg and I have asked for directions, people will tell give us the directions and tell us it is far- that we should take a cab. When we ask how far- they will say "like 15 or 20 blocks". The blocks here are short- it would be a 15 min. walk if you were 80 yrs old. To them it is far.

My apologies for the randomness of the post and writing like a two year old ( a really smart one, but still a 2 year old)... my brain is a bit overloaded from Espanol.

Word of the day: esposa- handcuffs...... also the word for wife.

Things I have learned so far

So it has been a few days...... We have slept a total of maybe 12 hours and oddly enough I am not tired and have no problem staying out until 3 or 4 AM. We still have not found an apartment- a search that is proving to be a bit more difficult than I had previously expected. However, I have learned several things already:

1. Here people do not eat dinner until 10 PM. If you go to a restaurant before then, it will be empty. I do not even think that they open until at least 8.

2. A university education and healthcare here costs next to nothing- really you could use your change jar to pay for college. Adidas, Nike, electronics, and other "name brands" are very expensive here in comparison with the US. Is it just me, or is something terribly wrong with that picture?

3. I really need to learn Spanish soon!!! I am lucky to already have American friends here thought that have been a tremendous help in getting around.

4. While I always thought a 2 bedroom house that was 1000 square ft. is quite small- by Argentine terms is it actually quite large.

5. I have way too much stuff in general!

6. While picking up after my dog is rather disgusting, I am happy that people do it in the US. The streets here are decorated with piles of dog poo everywhere.

7. I will make many mistakes riding the bus system- and I will get very lost- and this will happen several times.

8. I will always carry enough cash to get a taxi for when I am truly lost in transit.

9. It is perfectly acceptable to sit at a coffee shop for 3-4 hours. And while this sounds like a long time, it is quite normal here and the time flies by.

10. I have taken for granted the clean mountain air- having a nose full of black goo is pretty disgusting.

11. Americans go to work too early- 9 or 10 is much more acceptable and should be taken into consideration in the US.

12. If you fly into Chile, there is a fabulous "Reciprocity Tax" that Americans, Aussies, Mexicans, and Canadians must pay. It is the most expensive for Americans at $ 131 and the cheapest for Mexicans at $25. It is in place simply because, as the name implies, we too charge Chileans to get into our country.

13. A New York taxi driver would fear for his life in a taxi here.

14. Did I mention that I really need to learn Spanish?

15. Owning an apartment here would be less expensive than buying one. However, if you want to buy a place, be prepared to pay in cash. Mortgages simply just do not exist in most cases.

16. Argentine's are probably the most friendly people you have ever met.

17. When meeting someone, you kiss them on the cheek instead of shaking hands. Yes- this includes men meeting men- even in a business setting. If you know them well, you kiss on both cheeks. You also do this when you say goodbye- even if there are 20 people in a room.

18. To ride the buses here, you need coins called Monetas. Everyone relies on buses heavily and they do not take bills- only Monetas. However, these coins are incredibly difficult to get. No one gives change- they round to the nearest dollar- because they do not want to part with the Monetas or simply do not have them. This problem has been blamed on several things, including the Mafia and Asians hoarding the coins and melting them to make jewelry.

19. We make more money in unemployment than people here make in 4 mo.

20. There are 3 ways to become wealthy here: do illegal things, own several businesses, or earn money in a different currency.

Pig Flu won't let us fly

So..... Greg and I have finally put the last box in storage. As we close the door, I realize that my passport is packed in a box.... in the storage unit.... which was like completing a game of Tetris as we loaded everything in. Woops- probably should have thought of that before. Three boxes, some furniture, and a dog bed later- the gods smiled on us- we found the magic box. But now where did we put that darn lock and keys?!? The gods were not so nice our second time around- we found them over an hour later.

This is pretty much how leaving went, and how getting to Argentina is proving to go as well. Everything that could hold us up did.... but we found a way around it. We departed to opposite ends of the country- Chicago and West Palm- to say one last goodbye to our parents and met up again in Miami.

To miss traffic, I left WP a solid 9 hours before my flight took off. While this would be rather terrible on most occassions, it worked ot well because Greg flew in from Chicago early and was waiting at the airport by himself.

Enter MIA- Are we really in the US? I swear we have crossed the border. The man who checked us in for our flight barely spoke a lick of English (we are flying Aeromexico- but still)- good practice in patience for the upcoming trip. (Note to self- learn Spanish STAT!- STATTER than STAT ) And apparently wearing a blue piece of cardboard on your face,held on by a piece of elastic, has become highly fashionable. Oh wait, silly us, that's to protect you from the pig flu (esp. when you pull it onto the top of you head ). You have heard the phrase "When in Rome...." well we refuse to be Romans today. Sorry- back to checking in.... we are trying to figure out if our flight to Buenos Aires from Mexico City (what timing- I know) is still going. We would rather be trapped in Miami than Mexico City (where the evil pig flu is lurking around every corner). The man smile at us and says "yes, yes no problem". I quickly learned that this means "I don't speak English" to Mexicans. We wish we would have learned that sooner.

Since there are 6 hours until our flight at this point, we hang out with our 300lbs of luggage until he will take them for us (did I mention there is a 70 lb weight limit for luggage on Aeromexico- probably the only thing they have going for them.) We are finally able to check our bags, we are down to about 4 hours and we ask another man- "is our flight going to BA from Mexico City even though it had been cancelled the 4 days prior" "Yes, yes no problem." Okay- not we feel assured.

Jump ahead 3.5 hours- we continue to ask around. We don't want to get on the plane if we cannot get out of Mexico City. However, we are assured by all of the people (6 in total- some 2 times) "yes, yes no problem". Great! We are ready...

Enter Mexico City...... we are stunned at how beautiful the airport is. Really- Americans could learn a thing or two from these people. We make it through customs and wander around for 45 min trying to find our gate. We keep looking at the departures, but it is not listed. And like Miami, no one speaks English. Finally we find an English speaking traveller to be our translator. Turns out we could not find the gate listed on the departures because the flight had been cancelled. By this point it is 1130 PM. No one seems to care that we paid for a ticket to BA and are going no further than Mexico City. It seems perfectly acceptable to these people that we are stuck here- no attempt to reroute us through Chile or another country. Except one attempt- to reroute us through Brazil. Great- we are happy to do this. Just get us out of MC! But wait- it turns out that you need a special visa to get to Brazil which you need to buy several days in advance- unless you are an Argentine citizen. The airline feels like they have done their part- so here we are now...... stuck in a hotel in Mexico City- close to the airport but not much else. No bars or restaurants are allowed to be open. And did I mention- we are among the very few not wearing a blue face mask- providing comical relief for this part of our trip. (We researched to see if they aid in prevention of the flu- and they don't. But it does add come blue to a smoggy brown sky :->