Sooo....
I am leaving tomorrow morning for a 12 day backpacking tour of Argentina and Chile. I will be going to the northern provinces of Salta and Jujuy in Argentina. Then will go to Mendoza, Argentina, the wine capital of Latin America. From there I will travel to Chile, and see Santiago, Vina del Mar, and a few other places.
I will be back on the 13th of December. Look for an update then.
Be good and wish we a safe travel!
Friday, November 30, 2007
The last days of the program
Wednesday I had an oral exam for my Spanish class in the morning. I spoke with my teacher for about 10 minutes, and that was it. I came back to my house to shower and freshen up. Around 1pm I went to go hand in my final paper for my history class. The prof. was late, so we all handed them into the office. Then off to lunch with Sarah at Classica and Moderna. It was a nice and relaxing, since I had just completely finished. That afternoon I had a phone interview for a possible internship for next semester, and then relaxed and read some news. I organized a big goodbye dinner at La Cabrera, a really nice Argentine steak restaurant. As it was for the entire semester, I was surrounded by a group of girls, and had nothing to complain about. Dinner was fun, and being together with everyone was a lot of fun. After dinner we ended up at Paseo del Sol, an outdoor seating area outside one of the malls. It was just nice to hang with a bunch of people outside on a beautiful night. I left around 3am, and got to bed at a reasonable h
Thursday I slept in then met up with Kate and Elise for lunch around the Plaza de Mayo. After lunch we went and watched the Mothers walk in the plaza. It was cool to see them, and see how moving their walks are. I walked Elise back to IES, then after a little Internet walked home. I got some research done for our travels, and before I knew it, it was time to go out. I met up with Alex and Kate for a drink before dinner. Our program had organized this goodbye party at a nice place near my house. It was fun since everyone was leaving, but also made me realize how little people on the program I knew. After the party we ended up at Liquid, a bar/club. After a few drinks and some dancing, we moved to LOST, a nightclub that has hip-hop music. It was nice to hear some of that music, since you don't get much down here. I left around 4.30am, and took the bus home.
Friday I got lunch with Kate and Elise. We picked up churipan and sat in the park to eat. It was nice and relaxing. I came back and worked the entire afternoon on packing and getting ready to travel. I am tired and amazed by how much stuff I have here. I always overpack.
Thursday I slept in then met up with Kate and Elise for lunch around the Plaza de Mayo. After lunch we went and watched the Mothers walk in the plaza. It was cool to see them, and see how moving their walks are. I walked Elise back to IES, then after a little Internet walked home. I got some research done for our travels, and before I knew it, it was time to go out. I met up with Alex and Kate for a drink before dinner. Our program had organized this goodbye party at a nice place near my house. It was fun since everyone was leaving, but also made me realize how little people on the program I knew. After the party we ended up at Liquid, a bar/club. After a few drinks and some dancing, we moved to LOST, a nightclub that has hip-hop music. It was nice to hear some of that music, since you don't get much down here. I left around 4.30am, and took the bus home.
Friday I got lunch with Kate and Elise. We picked up churipan and sat in the park to eat. It was nice and relaxing. I came back and worked the entire afternoon on packing and getting ready to travel. I am tired and amazed by how much stuff I have here. I always overpack.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
My last weeks in BA
Tuesday I had class during the day and did a little work in the afternoon. For dinner we met up with Elise's family and went out to La Brigada, an amazing steak restaurant in San Telmo. We had a really nice fun dinner with her family, and got to know them pretty well. Kate and I successfully made it back and forth on the bus, which was quiet a feat.
Wednesday was just a normal day of classes and getting a little work done. I started to outline my papers that I knew were due the next week.
Thursday I slept in and then got some work done on my papers. I spoke to my family for a while and talked to a few friends. I missed being home for Thanksgiving, not necessarily for the traditions (although I am dying for some turkey and cranberry sauce) but the family gathering together. I ended up going to an ex-pat bar for dinner and to watch the football games. My JETS got killed by the Cowboys, but thats how life goes. After dinner and the game, we went out for ice cream and called it a night.
Friday morning I had a presentation for my conversation class. This was for the final grade in the class, but it was not that hard for me. I choose to speak about my experiences going to the soccer games here, and did a small presentation about the history of the team. It was about 15 minutes, and I think I did well. After that, I met up with Alex to do a little adventuring that afternoon. We met up and took a train out to San Isidrio, one of the nicest suburbs of the city. We walked around for 20 minutes and found a good local place to have some lunch. After we walked around the outdoor market and neighborhood for a while. We hopped on a train back that took us next to the coast, which was nice, but not that scenic. I got home for dinner and enjoyed the meal with my host family. After dinner, I wasnt in the mood to go out crazy, so Kate, Elise and I decided to have a quiet night and go see a movie. We caught a late showing of Superbad, which was amazingly funny. It made my night. I couldnt fall asleep later that night since I was still laughing at the jokes from the movie.
Saturday I was really productive and got a lot of work done on my papers. For dinner, I met up with Elise and Kate and ended up eating Mexican food at a place close to Plaza Serrano. After dinner, we went and hung out at the residencia with our friends that live there. I left a little early to meet up Nell at a bar in Recoleta. I met up with Nell, and two of her friends from GW that were traveling, Gerawa and Dave. From that bar, after a drink, we caught a bus and headed to Nell's ex-roomate graduation party. Augustina graduated from university with a degree in psychology, which is a big deal here since it is a six year program. The party was at this cool bar and it was so full it was hard to move. Augustina's sister is our age, and since Nell knows her well, we ended up hanging out with most of her friends the entire night. After we left, we checkout out this concert that was just finishing up across the street that sounded awesome before, but the band had already left. We split a cab home and I got in bed around 5.45am.
Sunday I slept in and did a lot of reading about American news. I did some more work on my papers, and then took a nice walk in the park. I kinda just hung out at the fairs, and enjoyed people watching. I sat in on some free outdoor concerts and walked passed some fun drum circles. I got back to my house, and relaxed before finishing up one of my papers. I stayed in for dinner, since my host family had invited me to be with their cousins who were visiting. Pepin made a really good chicken and rice paella-like dish that was great, and I was able to have fun talking to the cousins.
Monday I had a review for Spanish in my class, and then went to Culture class to get my exam back and listen to a little Argentine music. After class I met up with Sarah, Lauren, and Elizabeth to go to California Burrito Kitchen for lunch. I ate so much I felt like I might explode. After lunch we did a little gift shopping on Lavalle and Florida streets, and I bought myself my last gift from Argentina. I came back to get some work done, but had to restart my computer. While it was rebooting, I laid down for a second (around 4.30pm) and then got woken up by a text message from Nell (at 7pm). I then left to meet Nell to go to a drum concert that she has been going to for a few weeks. We took the bus over to Abasto neighborhood, to find the concert. The show takes place outside a cultural center, but it looks like a run-down wharehouse. The drummers are on an elevated staircase, and the people stream into the open space to party. The concert was great. The leader of this group invented a sign language to be able to conduct the drummers and change beats, tempos, and sounds without having to yell over the music. The music went on for about 2 straight hours without stopping. They brought up a guest DJ for a little while. It was a great party, and I hope to go again.
Tuesday morning I had my exam for Spanish class, which went very well. I had lunch with Elise, then handed in my final Tango paper. After lunch, Elise and I went on an adventure to get to know the neighborhood of Belgrano. After dropping some stuff off at my apt, and then going and finding her a new suitcase, we took the bus out to Belgrano and wandered around looking at some cool stuff. After a little walking through the neighborhood, we stopped and bought a drink and just sat and relaxed in the park for a while. A stop for ice cream, and then we were back on the bus coming home a few hours later. Now, I am writing before dinner and then plan on going out to JOBS bar tonight. I have a short oral exam tomorrow morning, then I hand in a paper in the afternoon and am officially done.
With soo little time left, I am trying to do as much as possible in the time I have. So, I wont waste anymore time writing, and Ill go do something cool!
Wednesday was just a normal day of classes and getting a little work done. I started to outline my papers that I knew were due the next week.
Thursday I slept in and then got some work done on my papers. I spoke to my family for a while and talked to a few friends. I missed being home for Thanksgiving, not necessarily for the traditions (although I am dying for some turkey and cranberry sauce) but the family gathering together. I ended up going to an ex-pat bar for dinner and to watch the football games. My JETS got killed by the Cowboys, but thats how life goes. After dinner and the game, we went out for ice cream and called it a night.
Friday morning I had a presentation for my conversation class. This was for the final grade in the class, but it was not that hard for me. I choose to speak about my experiences going to the soccer games here, and did a small presentation about the history of the team. It was about 15 minutes, and I think I did well. After that, I met up with Alex to do a little adventuring that afternoon. We met up and took a train out to San Isidrio, one of the nicest suburbs of the city. We walked around for 20 minutes and found a good local place to have some lunch. After we walked around the outdoor market and neighborhood for a while. We hopped on a train back that took us next to the coast, which was nice, but not that scenic. I got home for dinner and enjoyed the meal with my host family. After dinner, I wasnt in the mood to go out crazy, so Kate, Elise and I decided to have a quiet night and go see a movie. We caught a late showing of Superbad, which was amazingly funny. It made my night. I couldnt fall asleep later that night since I was still laughing at the jokes from the movie.
Saturday I was really productive and got a lot of work done on my papers. For dinner, I met up with Elise and Kate and ended up eating Mexican food at a place close to Plaza Serrano. After dinner, we went and hung out at the residencia with our friends that live there. I left a little early to meet up Nell at a bar in Recoleta. I met up with Nell, and two of her friends from GW that were traveling, Gerawa and Dave. From that bar, after a drink, we caught a bus and headed to Nell's ex-roomate graduation party. Augustina graduated from university with a degree in psychology, which is a big deal here since it is a six year program. The party was at this cool bar and it was so full it was hard to move. Augustina's sister is our age, and since Nell knows her well, we ended up hanging out with most of her friends the entire night. After we left, we checkout out this concert that was just finishing up across the street that sounded awesome before, but the band had already left. We split a cab home and I got in bed around 5.45am.
Sunday I slept in and did a lot of reading about American news. I did some more work on my papers, and then took a nice walk in the park. I kinda just hung out at the fairs, and enjoyed people watching. I sat in on some free outdoor concerts and walked passed some fun drum circles. I got back to my house, and relaxed before finishing up one of my papers. I stayed in for dinner, since my host family had invited me to be with their cousins who were visiting. Pepin made a really good chicken and rice paella-like dish that was great, and I was able to have fun talking to the cousins.
Monday I had a review for Spanish in my class, and then went to Culture class to get my exam back and listen to a little Argentine music. After class I met up with Sarah, Lauren, and Elizabeth to go to California Burrito Kitchen for lunch. I ate so much I felt like I might explode. After lunch we did a little gift shopping on Lavalle and Florida streets, and I bought myself my last gift from Argentina. I came back to get some work done, but had to restart my computer. While it was rebooting, I laid down for a second (around 4.30pm) and then got woken up by a text message from Nell (at 7pm). I then left to meet Nell to go to a drum concert that she has been going to for a few weeks. We took the bus over to Abasto neighborhood, to find the concert. The show takes place outside a cultural center, but it looks like a run-down wharehouse. The drummers are on an elevated staircase, and the people stream into the open space to party. The concert was great. The leader of this group invented a sign language to be able to conduct the drummers and change beats, tempos, and sounds without having to yell over the music. The music went on for about 2 straight hours without stopping. They brought up a guest DJ for a little while. It was a great party, and I hope to go again.
Tuesday morning I had my exam for Spanish class, which went very well. I had lunch with Elise, then handed in my final Tango paper. After lunch, Elise and I went on an adventure to get to know the neighborhood of Belgrano. After dropping some stuff off at my apt, and then going and finding her a new suitcase, we took the bus out to Belgrano and wandered around looking at some cool stuff. After a little walking through the neighborhood, we stopped and bought a drink and just sat and relaxed in the park for a while. A stop for ice cream, and then we were back on the bus coming home a few hours later. Now, I am writing before dinner and then plan on going out to JOBS bar tonight. I have a short oral exam tomorrow morning, then I hand in a paper in the afternoon and am officially done.
With soo little time left, I am trying to do as much as possible in the time I have. So, I wont waste anymore time writing, and Ill go do something cool!
Monday, November 19, 2007
A Late Night Weekend
After lunch with Julia on Friday I did some homework then had Elise over to my apartment to make some plans for our upcoming trip. We booked all of our hostels so we knew where we would be sleeping. After dinner I met up with Elise and Liz for a drink at Rubia and Negra. Nell and Jane stopped by for a little, but Elise had to leave to go meet up with some other friends and Liz was going to spend some time with her boyfriend, so I walked and then took a bus to the residencia to hang out with some friends there. Once there I realized that we were going out to a club for a girl on my programs birthday. We got there around 2am, were able to cut the line (not sure how) and got in quickly. The club was really fun, and had an outdoor patio area right on the water. It was a beautiful night so it was nice to dance and be outside. We were there a long time, and Elise even showed up to meet us there. We left around 5am, and Sarah Lauren and I decided we wanted some food. We hopped into a cab and asked him to take us to a cafe that was still open. We ended up only a few blocks away from their building, but it was the worst food I have had since in Buenos Aires. By the time we left, I got home around 6.35am as the sun was fully out for the morning. As I walked in a ran into my host father reading the newspaper and enjoying his morning coffee. He said good-morning, I said good-night and went off to bed.
Saturday I got some work done for my classes and relaxed. I watched Argentina's World Cup qualifying game against Bolivia which they won 3-0. For dinner I met up with my friend Raija for dinner at this really good Indian place. After dinner she went to finish some homework and I took a bus over to Plaza Serrano to meet up with some GW kids to celebrate Deepa's 21st birthday. We all met at Congo, a very cool upscale bar with a cool outdoor patio. I had a fun night there talking with GW kids that I had not really known well before. I split a cab home with some people and got home around 4.20am. It was another long night.
Sunday I woke up early and got more reading for classes done. After some lunch I met up with Nick to go to the Alamo, an ex-pat bar that shows all the football games. I went and had a blast watching the JETS beat the Steelers in a great close game. We ended up staying for the first half of the patriots game that night as well. I got home and was exhausted from a later weekend.
Today I handed in a paper and took my final exam for my culture class. I have a few papers to write, a Spanish exam next week, and a presentation Friday and then I am done till next semester. This semester is coming to an end, and it all seems very fast. Hopefully Ill get a better grasp of it this week.
Also, everyone be safe if you are traveling this week for Thanksgiving!
Saturday I got some work done for my classes and relaxed. I watched Argentina's World Cup qualifying game against Bolivia which they won 3-0. For dinner I met up with my friend Raija for dinner at this really good Indian place. After dinner she went to finish some homework and I took a bus over to Plaza Serrano to meet up with some GW kids to celebrate Deepa's 21st birthday. We all met at Congo, a very cool upscale bar with a cool outdoor patio. I had a fun night there talking with GW kids that I had not really known well before. I split a cab home with some people and got home around 4.20am. It was another long night.
Sunday I woke up early and got more reading for classes done. After some lunch I met up with Nick to go to the Alamo, an ex-pat bar that shows all the football games. I went and had a blast watching the JETS beat the Steelers in a great close game. We ended up staying for the first half of the patriots game that night as well. I got home and was exhausted from a later weekend.
Today I handed in a paper and took my final exam for my culture class. I have a few papers to write, a Spanish exam next week, and a presentation Friday and then I am done till next semester. This semester is coming to an end, and it all seems very fast. Hopefully Ill get a better grasp of it this week.
Also, everyone be safe if you are traveling this week for Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Last Few Weeks
October 22-28
The week was pretty standard. Ive realized that I have so accustomed to my schedule that it has become a routine. Good and bad I think. But it definitely means that I have fully adjusted to living here.
Friday we attempted to go to a polo match. We bought tickets, got all dressed up, rented a car, drove an hour outside the city to the country club, to get there and find out that the game was postponed due to wet field conditions. Once we got back to the city Alex, Elise and I went and sat at an outdoor restaurant and had a drink to relieve the frustration. I went back to my room to take a nap around 6pm. I woke up when Elise called me at 10pm. I had slept through dinner and was very confused. After figuring everything out, I went and got a quick bite to eat and left to meet up with Elise and her friend Erika at a Halloween party hosted by two Chilean guys they were friends with. After I finally got there, since the apartment was in a far away neighborhood, I had a great time. I was not wearing a costume, and everyone else was, so I stole some accessories and just wore giant sunglasses inside and made it work. I was really impressed by how serious the Chileans and Argentines at the party took the costumes...they were dressed up very nicely.
That weekend was quiet since Elise, Kate and Alex went to Uruguay and Nell and Jane went to Iguazu Falls. I relaxed and got some homework done Saturday afternoon, and then went out to dinner with Deepa. It was nice to catch up with her. After dinner I called it an early night since I was really tired.
Sunday was election day, so I woke up early and wandered around for a while to get a sense of what was going on. I was disappointed when i could not find a political rally or protest, but found out that they happen much later that night usually. It was an exciting day to walk around, there was a buzz on the street from election day. That night I went out to dinner with Elise, Alex and Kate to hear about their weekend in Uruguay. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe, and the food was amazing. Went back home and got ready for the coming week.
Week of Oct 29-Oct 4
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were mainly occupied by school and gearing up for Halloween. I had some ideas for costumes, but they really didn't pan out. I ended up going to a costume store and finding a very funny hat that I would use as a costume. I had a hat of a chicken on my head, then taped the word "pollo" meaning chicken on my chest. I walked around the entire night of Halloween just clucking at people on the street, our waitress, and our friends at the bar. We went to a party hosted by a girl on our program who's birthday was Halloween. She rented out a small bar, and played all our American music. The crowd was mostly people from our program, and a few Argentines that were invited. The dancing was great, and it felt like it could have taken place in America. I had a great night, and didn't get home till 6.15am as the sun was coming up.
The next two days were quiet, partly to recover from Halloween. That weekend we out to dinner at Rubia and Negra, a sushi/micro-brewery. We had a nice meal, then walked over to Bar Gran Danzon for a few drinks. We met some interesting people, and had a nice sociably night.
Nov 5-Nov 11
Wednesday night I met up with Nell for drinks before dinner. We had to catch up, it had been a few days since we had talked. I stayed in that night, since I knew I had a lot of work do to the next day.
Thursday was spent writing a paper and figuring out scheduling for next semester at GW. Since I am considering a 5 year program as well as taking another semester off, scheduling was tricky so I could have all options open come the fall.
Friday morning started off really stressful with class registration, but by the end of the day worked itself out. I went to class later, and met up with Elise for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. After lunch we had a impulse to go see a movie. We saw "Mujer de mi pesadillas" (women of my nightmares) which in America is called Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller. It was really funny and a perfect Friday afternoon comedy. That night after dinner I went over to Santiago's apartment for a birthday party of his. I met all of his friends and had a nice time. After a little while I met up with Nell and a few friends from GW at a bar. A few hours later we were off to a house party of a friend of a friend. It ended up being a great party, in an apartment that had cleared out all furniture and had a legitimate DJ. After a fun night at the party, I got home around 4.30am. It was a really long day, from 9am registration to 4.30am partying, but well worth it.
Saturday night I went out to dinner with Elise at La Brigada, an amazing steak restaurant that has such great Argentine authenticity. When they serve you the steak, they cut the portions with a spoon, just to show how tender the steak is. After dinner we went and hung out at the residencia (dorm) with our friends. No one was really going out, but just hanging out on a couch talking was really fun.
Sunday I met up with Kate and her parents to go to a Boca Juniors game. The game was great, and Boca won 4-0. After the game I went to Palermo to meet up with my friends Julia who had just gotten into Buenos Aires that night, and we went out for dinner. I finally got back to my room and fell right asleep since I was exhausted after a busy weekend.
Nov 12-Today
Monday night we all went out to dinner with Kate's parents. We went to a very local small parilla for great steak in the old neighborhood of San Telmo. After a full meal and a few bottle of wine, it was a great success. I got back around 1.30am from dinner, and had to wake up early the next morning for class!
Tuesday after classes I went with Elise to find a cafe we wanted to try for lunch. I called Julia, since she was living at a hostel close, and she came for the search. We finally found the cafe, and I had a Cesar salad, that I had been craving for so long. After lunch, I walked back with Julia and explored the neighborhood. I then finished my Spanish paper that I had been putting for a significant amount of time.
Wednesday after class I caught up reading all of the news that I had missed in America from the last week. I was planning on going out, but then realized I was way to tired anyway.
Thursday I woke up early since I knew that I had to get a lot accomplished. I met up with Elise an we walked over to the airline companies office to book our flights for our traveling plans in a few weeks. After some confusion, we realized that we had to go to immigrations to pick up our temporary residency visas, since the paper receipt that we had would not work with the Airline to get the reduced fair for Argentines. Elise and I walked over the immigrations, and waited for an hour until we finally got our temporary residencies. These papers were very helpful, since we get reduced airfare, and a bunch of other benefits while traveling. After immigrations, we returned to the airline to finish up there. After lunch, we had a spontaneous feeling to see a movie, so we went and saw Knocked Up, which was translated as "Illegitimately Impregnated" It was funny, and I really enjoyed it. After the movie, I went back home to relax a little before Elise and I met up again to go to the grocery store. We were picking up ingredients for dinner, since we were cooking dinner for the group and Kate's parents apartment that we had to ourselves for one night. Elise and I made a feast: French Onion soup to start, then Sauteed Chicken, Spinach Linguine and Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Onions. For dessert we had Elise's homemade cookies with some ice cream. I was so full I couldn't move.
Friday I slept in and met up with Julia for lunch. Then I came back here to update this blog.
Ill try to be a little better at keeping this up to date.
I only have two more weeks of classes before I travel! I can't wait!
The week was pretty standard. Ive realized that I have so accustomed to my schedule that it has become a routine. Good and bad I think. But it definitely means that I have fully adjusted to living here.
Friday we attempted to go to a polo match. We bought tickets, got all dressed up, rented a car, drove an hour outside the city to the country club, to get there and find out that the game was postponed due to wet field conditions. Once we got back to the city Alex, Elise and I went and sat at an outdoor restaurant and had a drink to relieve the frustration. I went back to my room to take a nap around 6pm. I woke up when Elise called me at 10pm. I had slept through dinner and was very confused. After figuring everything out, I went and got a quick bite to eat and left to meet up with Elise and her friend Erika at a Halloween party hosted by two Chilean guys they were friends with. After I finally got there, since the apartment was in a far away neighborhood, I had a great time. I was not wearing a costume, and everyone else was, so I stole some accessories and just wore giant sunglasses inside and made it work. I was really impressed by how serious the Chileans and Argentines at the party took the costumes...they were dressed up very nicely.
That weekend was quiet since Elise, Kate and Alex went to Uruguay and Nell and Jane went to Iguazu Falls. I relaxed and got some homework done Saturday afternoon, and then went out to dinner with Deepa. It was nice to catch up with her. After dinner I called it an early night since I was really tired.
Sunday was election day, so I woke up early and wandered around for a while to get a sense of what was going on. I was disappointed when i could not find a political rally or protest, but found out that they happen much later that night usually. It was an exciting day to walk around, there was a buzz on the street from election day. That night I went out to dinner with Elise, Alex and Kate to hear about their weekend in Uruguay. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe, and the food was amazing. Went back home and got ready for the coming week.
Week of Oct 29-Oct 4
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were mainly occupied by school and gearing up for Halloween. I had some ideas for costumes, but they really didn't pan out. I ended up going to a costume store and finding a very funny hat that I would use as a costume. I had a hat of a chicken on my head, then taped the word "pollo" meaning chicken on my chest. I walked around the entire night of Halloween just clucking at people on the street, our waitress, and our friends at the bar. We went to a party hosted by a girl on our program who's birthday was Halloween. She rented out a small bar, and played all our American music. The crowd was mostly people from our program, and a few Argentines that were invited. The dancing was great, and it felt like it could have taken place in America. I had a great night, and didn't get home till 6.15am as the sun was coming up.
The next two days were quiet, partly to recover from Halloween. That weekend we out to dinner at Rubia and Negra, a sushi/micro-brewery. We had a nice meal, then walked over to Bar Gran Danzon for a few drinks. We met some interesting people, and had a nice sociably night.
Nov 5-Nov 11
Wednesday night I met up with Nell for drinks before dinner. We had to catch up, it had been a few days since we had talked. I stayed in that night, since I knew I had a lot of work do to the next day.
Thursday was spent writing a paper and figuring out scheduling for next semester at GW. Since I am considering a 5 year program as well as taking another semester off, scheduling was tricky so I could have all options open come the fall.
Friday morning started off really stressful with class registration, but by the end of the day worked itself out. I went to class later, and met up with Elise for lunch at a Mexican restaurant. After lunch we had a impulse to go see a movie. We saw "Mujer de mi pesadillas" (women of my nightmares) which in America is called Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller. It was really funny and a perfect Friday afternoon comedy. That night after dinner I went over to Santiago's apartment for a birthday party of his. I met all of his friends and had a nice time. After a little while I met up with Nell and a few friends from GW at a bar. A few hours later we were off to a house party of a friend of a friend. It ended up being a great party, in an apartment that had cleared out all furniture and had a legitimate DJ. After a fun night at the party, I got home around 4.30am. It was a really long day, from 9am registration to 4.30am partying, but well worth it.
Saturday night I went out to dinner with Elise at La Brigada, an amazing steak restaurant that has such great Argentine authenticity. When they serve you the steak, they cut the portions with a spoon, just to show how tender the steak is. After dinner we went and hung out at the residencia (dorm) with our friends. No one was really going out, but just hanging out on a couch talking was really fun.
Sunday I met up with Kate and her parents to go to a Boca Juniors game. The game was great, and Boca won 4-0. After the game I went to Palermo to meet up with my friends Julia who had just gotten into Buenos Aires that night, and we went out for dinner. I finally got back to my room and fell right asleep since I was exhausted after a busy weekend.
Nov 12-Today
Monday night we all went out to dinner with Kate's parents. We went to a very local small parilla for great steak in the old neighborhood of San Telmo. After a full meal and a few bottle of wine, it was a great success. I got back around 1.30am from dinner, and had to wake up early the next morning for class!
Tuesday after classes I went with Elise to find a cafe we wanted to try for lunch. I called Julia, since she was living at a hostel close, and she came for the search. We finally found the cafe, and I had a Cesar salad, that I had been craving for so long. After lunch, I walked back with Julia and explored the neighborhood. I then finished my Spanish paper that I had been putting for a significant amount of time.
Wednesday after class I caught up reading all of the news that I had missed in America from the last week. I was planning on going out, but then realized I was way to tired anyway.
Thursday I woke up early since I knew that I had to get a lot accomplished. I met up with Elise an we walked over to the airline companies office to book our flights for our traveling plans in a few weeks. After some confusion, we realized that we had to go to immigrations to pick up our temporary residency visas, since the paper receipt that we had would not work with the Airline to get the reduced fair for Argentines. Elise and I walked over the immigrations, and waited for an hour until we finally got our temporary residencies. These papers were very helpful, since we get reduced airfare, and a bunch of other benefits while traveling. After immigrations, we returned to the airline to finish up there. After lunch, we had a spontaneous feeling to see a movie, so we went and saw Knocked Up, which was translated as "Illegitimately Impregnated" It was funny, and I really enjoyed it. After the movie, I went back home to relax a little before Elise and I met up again to go to the grocery store. We were picking up ingredients for dinner, since we were cooking dinner for the group and Kate's parents apartment that we had to ourselves for one night. Elise and I made a feast: French Onion soup to start, then Sauteed Chicken, Spinach Linguine and Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Onions. For dessert we had Elise's homemade cookies with some ice cream. I was so full I couldn't move.
Friday I slept in and met up with Julia for lunch. Then I came back here to update this blog.
Ill try to be a little better at keeping this up to date.
I only have two more weeks of classes before I travel! I can't wait!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
I am alive....dont worry!
Procrastinating writing a paper due tomorrow. As soon as I finish that I PROMISE that I will update the site.
Sorry for being so lazy and not updating.
Coming soon.....
Sorry for being so lazy and not updating.
Coming soon.....
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Pictures are Up
Check out pictures from Spring Break in Brazil!
Click on the link to the pictures on the right side of the page!
Click on the link to the pictures on the right side of the page!
The Last Few Days
After leaving Dad at the airport, I took the bus back to
Thursday I slept in later, checked out of the apartment, and then had lunch with
Friday I had class in the morning, then continued working on classes for next semester. Then I talked to some friends at home before I went to lunch with Nell. After lunch I talked to Blaire and a few other friends then sat in the sun for a little and read. I came back took a nap, and had dinner with Patricia. After dinner I met up with Jane, Nell, and Elise to go to a house party of an Argentine that Jane and Nell had met in
Saturday I slept in late and read in bed for a while. I got up, went to lunch, checked some email, and then made my way to the park to sit outside in the beautiful weather and read. Later in the afternoon I did some research for travel plans….and then got myself ready for going out. Elise, Alex, Sarah, Lauren, and I met up for Mexican food at a restaurant in
Sunday I slept in, read in bed, and then made my way to lunch at a café with wireless access. I am eating here and doing some online work with Elise, before we go over to Alex’s apartment to watch a polo match on TV. Life is good.
Dad's Visit
Thursday I met him at the airport, took a cab back to the city, and moved into our apartment for the week. We left for lunch at went to Café Tortoni, a really old classic café in
Saturday we took a bus to
Sunday we started the day at a bakery called
Monday we had to wake up early to catch our 8.15am bus back to
Tuesday we made the trip up to
Wednesday we slept in a little, and Dad finished packing. For lunch we went to Classica y Moderna Libros, then to
Back to School - At least for 3 days...
The next three days I was swamped with school work since I was taking the next week off while my father was visiting. I finished a paper due the next week and handed it in early. I finally finished all my work Wednesday night and was excited for Dad to come in Thursday morning.
Spring Break- BUZIOS BRAZIL!!!!
Once we arrived, we found our luggage did not make it to our direct flight, and that our luggage had arrived in
We decided on a restaurant on the main street in town that had a little eating deck onto the beach. After a fresh fish and a drink, I was feeling much better, and was enjoying the view onto the beautiful water. After lunch we all walked around the town and explored the area a little. Later in the afternoon we took a nap, since our overnight flight had made us all very tired. After sleeping a little, we felt much better, but were not too hungry. We walked into town and found a crepe restaurant and had dinner there. It was perfect, since a light but sweet dinner hit the spot. After dinner we headed to bed early and decided to start our adventures the next day.
The next morning Kate and my luggage arrived at the hotel, although Elise was still missing hers. The included breakfast at the hotel was grand: coffee, tea, a fresh bread basket, fresh jam, and a plate of fresh sweet fruit. We walked into town and bought some towels and sandals before getting a water taxi to take us to a beach for the day. We arrived to Tortaruga beach shortly thereafter and set up camp in some chairs under umbrellas that belonged to one of the many restaurant/bars that populated the beachside. The chairs were a service to customers, and buying one drink at the restaurant paid for the use of the chairs. We spent the entire day on the beach-swimming, sunbathing, walking along the coast. At the beach, there were guys walking up and down the beach trying to sell stuff. Anything you could want while lying at the beach was available: towels, hats, and blankets. On top of that, there was a good selection of food: fresh corn, fresh oysters, and ice cream. For lunch we ordered a shrimp dish from the restaurant. By 5pm, we were ready to leave, and the water taxi came to pick us up. I was definitely red from the day in the sun, but little did I know that I would burn from only one day in the sun. I bought some aloe vera on the way home from the beach. After a little nap in the early evening, we went out to dinner at a Thai food restaurant. After dinner we checked out Mix Bar, a little bar on the beach with live music. We stationed ourselves on a table on the sand, and danced the night away to the live samba music. On the way home we stopped for ice cream, at a self serve ice creamery. It was glorious.
The next day we woke up a little earlier and decided to take a boat tour of the area. We boarded the catamaran boat around noon after some shopping in the morning and took off. The boat tour included going to a few beaches, snorkeling, and drinks on the boat. I ended up befriending some of the other people on the boat, and had a great afternoon. After the boat we headed over to a local burger shop for lunch. In the afternoon we took a nice relaxed walk to a beach on the other side of the peninsula. After getting back after dark I read and relaxed a little while the girls did some shopping. For dinner we went out to a Sushi restaurant. It was amazing, since the fish was so fresh. After dinner, we went to Mix Bar again, but on the way there, Alex and Elise made friends with some locals in one of the shops, and after they got off work, we met up with them to go out to another bar. This bar was filled with mostly locals and had a samba show going on. After a samba show, they opened up the whole place for dancing, and it was a lot of fun. After this bar closed at two, we all went to a hip-hop club that was open. A little later we retired back to the hotel with some new friends and a fun night.
The next day we made a nice long walk to a beach far away. When we got there an hour later, the beach was empty. Literally, we were the only ones on the beach for as far as we could see. We spent the morning relaxing and sunbathing at this beach, then walked across the island to another beach for lunch. After lunch we walked to the main road, and took a shuttle back to our hotel. From the hotel we walked north to the other side of peninsula to watch the sunset from a cute little beach. After an amazing sunset over the water, we returned to the hotel and realized there was a sauna that we could use. Afterwards, I went out on a search to find Nell and Jane, two friends that arrived that day in Buzios, but we had no way of contacting them since our cell phones didn’t work. I somehow stalked them down by asking at their hotel and searching some restaurants. We all went out for some drinks before dinner, and then said goodbye to Nell and Jane since they were very tired from traveling. We continued to a great fresh fish restaurant, and then had ice cream on the way back to the hotel.The next day we took a full day tour from Buzios to two other beach towns near by. The bus from Buzios to Arrial de Cabo was about 45 minutes. When we arrived we boarded a boat and set off for a great afternoon abroad. We went to the first beach to snorkel and enjoy the beautifully blue clear water. Then we sailed past a grotto. The tour guide told us they had a surprise for us, and a crew member jumped into the water and came back out with fresh oysters he had harvested from the side of the grotto walls. He shucked them right for us in front of our faces and we each enjoyed one. The next stop was a little beach that had a hill, which you could rent snowboards for. Elise and I rented snowboards and enjoyed trying to snowboard down a hill of sand. The boat went back to the dock, and from there we went to lunch at a great buffet place. After lunch we checked out a few different beaches by bus, and then stopped at a shopping area for swimsuits. We got back to our hotel later that afternoon, and relaxed in the sauna until it was time for dinner. We met up with Nell and Jane for a nice fancy fish dinner. After dinner we went to ice cream, and then I went out for a drink with Jell, Nell, and Elise at the House of Rock and Roll bar.
The next day I did not go out with Alex, Kate, and Elise, and instead met up with Nell and Jane in the morning to spend the day with them. We attempted to rent a buggy beach car, but after a half hour, we realized none of us knew how to drive a stick shift well enough to actually use the car. After we worked out returning the car, we took the taxi shuttle to a beach for the afternoon. That beach was a perfect mix of quiet beach and popular hang out. The restaurant we had chairs at had a lice acoustic guitarist playing music all afternoon. We walked to another beach to watch the sunset, then parted ways to relax before dinner. That night for the last dinner in Buzios we went to a little romantic fish restaurant. After a great meal, we went to Mix Bar to enjoy the music and drink on the beach, then headed to bed.Sunday morning we had to wake up and be ready for the bus to the airport at 6am. Once we got to the airport we were lucky and were able to change to a direct flight, and also make sure our luggage made it there with us. We got to
Monday, October 8, 2007
Update
I will have my spring break update from Buzios, Brazil up in a few days. I have a full plate of work at the moment, so will be delayed updating the blog.
Please forgive me and check back soon.
Please forgive me and check back soon.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Sunday - Off for vacation
Today I have been getting everything ready for my upcoming vacation to Buzios, Brazil.
I will be gone for a week, so don't expect any updates until I get back.
Buzios is a beach resort town two hours north of Rio. It is a peninsula that offers over 20 different exotic beaches. The main street is safe and hold some of the best seafood in the world, along with a thriving night life.
I will make sure to take tons of pictures and bring back good stories for all of you.
So have a good week, because I surely will!
I will be gone for a week, so don't expect any updates until I get back.
Buzios is a beach resort town two hours north of Rio. It is a peninsula that offers over 20 different exotic beaches. The main street is safe and hold some of the best seafood in the world, along with a thriving night life.
I will make sure to take tons of pictures and bring back good stories for all of you.
So have a good week, because I surely will!
Saturday - Spring is amazing!
Saturday again started with sleeping late and reading in bed until my stomach told me it was lunch time. I met up with my girls for lunch at a nice panini cafe. We sat outside and the weather was fantastic. Afterwards, I walked over to a park by Recoleta Cemetary and found a nice hill where many groups of people at set up little picnics. I laid down using my jacket as a pillow and read there in the sun for a few hours. A group of high school kids were next to me playing guitar and singing, and a couple was on the other side. It was nice to be outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.
I walked over to a locutorio, checked some email and made some calls.
By the time I got home, showered, and cleaned my room, it was almost dinner time, and I met up with Kate to walk to the restaurant which we had reservations for. Doshi, is one of the finest sushi places in Buenos Aires. The meal ended up being absolutely fantastic.
Afterwards, the girls treated themselves to ice cream, but I didn't have any more room in my stomach for desert. We made the nice walk home, and by the time I got back to my room it was already 1am.
I feel asleep very easily, excited about the days ahead.
I walked over to a locutorio, checked some email and made some calls.
By the time I got home, showered, and cleaned my room, it was almost dinner time, and I met up with Kate to walk to the restaurant which we had reservations for. Doshi, is one of the finest sushi places in Buenos Aires. The meal ended up being absolutely fantastic.
Afterwards, the girls treated themselves to ice cream, but I didn't have any more room in my stomach for desert. We made the nice walk home, and by the time I got back to my room it was already 1am.
I feel asleep very easily, excited about the days ahead.
Friday - Beautiful Weather! Spring is here!
Friday started off with conversation class in the morning. Afterwards, Kate and Elise met up with me to walk over to California Burrito Company, a local copy of Chipotle which was started by two American guys. It was not as good, but it came really close, and I loved it.
After lunch, and a little more computer time, I set out with Elise to find a bookstore, since I needed to get a new book for my trip, now that I finished the one i had already bought.
We found a good bookstore, with a good section for English books. I ended up getting three to be sure I would have something to read for the entire of my vacation.
Afterwards, we walked over the Plaza San Martin, one of my favorite spots in the city, and laid in the grass and read for a little. It was peaceful. I started one of the new book I had bought.
I walked home for dinner, and then choose to stay in and enjoy Almost Famous and the 8 Mile on TV. What a night.
After lunch, and a little more computer time, I set out with Elise to find a bookstore, since I needed to get a new book for my trip, now that I finished the one i had already bought.
We found a good bookstore, with a good section for English books. I ended up getting three to be sure I would have something to read for the entire of my vacation.
Afterwards, we walked over the Plaza San Martin, one of my favorite spots in the city, and laid in the grass and read for a little. It was peaceful. I started one of the new book I had bought.
I walked home for dinner, and then choose to stay in and enjoy Almost Famous and the 8 Mile on TV. What a night.
Thursday - Let the relaxation begin
After sleeping late, I continued to read my new book in bed until lunch time. I met up with Elise for lunch at a local Chinese restaurant that I had wanted to try for some time. At that point, i was 380 pages into my book, and 20 away from the end. By the end of the day....in 24 hours, I had finished the 400 page book. I love that feeling.
Lunch was great. I had been craving some Asian food, and this fit the bill. We started with some small pork dumplings, moved the chicken low-mien and pork fried rice, and then ended with some tea. What more can you ask for?
I walked with Elise to IES to sit and play on the computers for a while. After talking to some friends and just going through emails, I noticed that it was already 7.30pm. I walked home and took a long relaxing shower.
This was the beginning of my spring break. My exams were over, and I had freedom to relax and reflect.
After dinner I went out to JOBS, a bar not to far away from where I live. Its a giant hall with picnic style tables all over, and a few dartboards and pooltables. Its a cool place to go and hang out with friends. They also have a game room, and I saw a number of tables picking up games to play while they drank and hung out. A few tables were even playing the classics: Jenga and Sorry!
When the group decided to move to the next venue, I went home, since I knew I had to wake up early and make it to class the next morning.
I walked home and fell right asleep.
Lunch was great. I had been craving some Asian food, and this fit the bill. We started with some small pork dumplings, moved the chicken low-mien and pork fried rice, and then ended with some tea. What more can you ask for?
I walked with Elise to IES to sit and play on the computers for a while. After talking to some friends and just going through emails, I noticed that it was already 7.30pm. I walked home and took a long relaxing shower.
This was the beginning of my spring break. My exams were over, and I had freedom to relax and reflect.
After dinner I went out to JOBS, a bar not to far away from where I live. Its a giant hall with picnic style tables all over, and a few dartboards and pooltables. Its a cool place to go and hang out with friends. They also have a game room, and I saw a number of tables picking up games to play while they drank and hung out. A few tables were even playing the classics: Jenga and Sorry!
When the group decided to move to the next venue, I went home, since I knew I had to wake up early and make it to class the next morning.
I walked home and fell right asleep.
Wednesday - Test Day
I started the day off at 9am with my first exam. My Spanish language exam was the one I was most prepared for and excited to take. I wanted to show how much I had learned and how my Spanish has improved. It ended up being relatively easy, and on the same material that I spent a significant amount of time studying.
Later in the day I had my exam for Latin American history. This exam was very fair, and only consisted of three open ended questions. I wrote a few pages, and felt that I had covered all of the topics I needed to discuss and handed it in and left early.
Feeling great and finished with exams....I wandered the city for a little and enjoyed the sense of freedom. I wandered into a bookstore once I realized that I didn't have a book for my upcoming vacation. I have been able to really read a lot of good books here, but have finished all of the books I brought for the semester.
I found the new James Patterson book, and bought it right there, telling myself that I would save it for the beach and not start it now.
Later that night after dinner, I couldn't find anyone to go out and celebrate with me since they still had exams, and I decided to just stay in a relax. I picked up the book, compromised my own promise, and decided to start it before my trip.....
I feel asleep sometime later that night a good chunk into the book.
Later in the day I had my exam for Latin American history. This exam was very fair, and only consisted of three open ended questions. I wrote a few pages, and felt that I had covered all of the topics I needed to discuss and handed it in and left early.
Feeling great and finished with exams....I wandered the city for a little and enjoyed the sense of freedom. I wandered into a bookstore once I realized that I didn't have a book for my upcoming vacation. I have been able to really read a lot of good books here, but have finished all of the books I brought for the semester.
I found the new James Patterson book, and bought it right there, telling myself that I would save it for the beach and not start it now.
Later that night after dinner, I couldn't find anyone to go out and celebrate with me since they still had exams, and I decided to just stay in a relax. I picked up the book, compromised my own promise, and decided to start it before my trip.....
I feel asleep sometime later that night a good chunk into the book.
Monday and Tuesday - Studying for Midterms
Monday and Tuesday felt liked school. I had homework and studying to do, and it got a little hectic. Strangely, this crazy feeling was nice, since this semester has been so lax.
I spend a significant amount of time reading material for exams and reveiwing notes for Spanish class. I wanted to put a lot of effort into my Spanish exam, since I knew that the more effort I put into the exam, the better my daily Spanish will get.
The two days went by very fast, and it amazed me how productive I can be. It had been a while since I had to apply myself in school, and it felt good.
Not much else to talk about, since I was mainly just studying and going to class.
I spend a significant amount of time reading material for exams and reveiwing notes for Spanish class. I wanted to put a lot of effort into my Spanish exam, since I knew that the more effort I put into the exam, the better my daily Spanish will get.
The two days went by very fast, and it amazed me how productive I can be. It had been a while since I had to apply myself in school, and it felt good.
Not much else to talk about, since I was mainly just studying and going to class.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sunday - Homework Day
I wasn’t able to go to The Alamo and watch the football games since I had a lot of work to do. This upcoming week is midterms, so I guess its ok to start getting serious with school work.
I met up with Kate around 3pm, and we went to a café with a quiet upstairs sitting area with Wi-Fi internet. We ended up eating and working all day there, and it was great. I had a take home mid term exam paper for my culture class that I had to finish. We worked from 3 till about 7.30, and then took a dinner break. I ordered a steak, since I felt I was in the mood for some red meat. I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular since it was just a café, but it was actually excellent. That’s why I love this country. For 20 pesos (6 dollars) I get a great steak, just as good at one in an American steakhouse, at a random café.
By about 9.30pm we had all finished our work, and decided to reward ourselves, we would go catch a movie to end the weekend on an upbeat note. Kate and I bought tickets to see the Bourne Ultimatum. It was in English with Spanish subtitles. The movie was great, but I would have been very lost if I had to read and watch the action at the same time. I walked home and passed out since I was tired. A good weekend all in all. A busy week ahead.
I met up with Kate around 3pm, and we went to a café with a quiet upstairs sitting area with Wi-Fi internet. We ended up eating and working all day there, and it was great. I had a take home mid term exam paper for my culture class that I had to finish. We worked from 3 till about 7.30, and then took a dinner break. I ordered a steak, since I felt I was in the mood for some red meat. I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular since it was just a café, but it was actually excellent. That’s why I love this country. For 20 pesos (6 dollars) I get a great steak, just as good at one in an American steakhouse, at a random café.
By about 9.30pm we had all finished our work, and decided to reward ourselves, we would go catch a movie to end the weekend on an upbeat note. Kate and I bought tickets to see the Bourne Ultimatum. It was in English with Spanish subtitles. The movie was great, but I would have been very lost if I had to read and watch the action at the same time. I walked home and passed out since I was tired. A good weekend all in all. A busy week ahead.
Friday and Saturday - Yom Kippur
Friday I did not have class in the morning since it was Dia del Estudiante and the Primero Dia de Primavera. That being the case, all schools were off, but most adults still worked. I worked on my take-home midterm paper for Spanish Culture class that was due Monday for most of the afternoon. I went out for a lunch and read some homework while I was out. I talked to my mother for a little, and before I knew it, it was already 3.45pm. My Brazilian visa was ready from 4-5, so I decided to go pick it up quickly before I was meeting Zoe, Sara, and Sarah for our last meal before Yom Kippur at 5. I arrived at the Brazilian consulate at 4, waited online till 4.30 without anyone helping the line. At that point, I realized that I had to leave and get home to get ready for Kol Nidre. I took a cab home, hopped in the shower, and got ready as fast as I could. I showed up at Zoe’s to an almost fully prepared meal for the four of us. Some fresh bought pasta and some other torts were a great last supper. After dinner Zoe and I went off to temple at the Chabad, while the two Sara’s went to the reform temple I went to on Rosh Hashana.
Zoe and I arrived a little early for the service, and found some good seats. Since this was a religious synagogue, I sat downstairs on the main floor and she sat upstairs in the women’s section. When we arrived, the only ones already in temple were very religious black hats with beards, and I felt a little out of place. I didn’t have time to shave and clean up my own beard, but I actually felt that it might have been a good choice given the extensive beards that these good Jews were sporting.
Once more people arrived; the congregation seemed to be a good mix. People were in suits, jeans, and every other thing. Its funny since the Jews in Argentina are mostly decedents from the same people American Jews are, how similar the two groups look. The service was nice, but a little long. I felt like I knew many of the prayers and the tunes that they were sung. I don’t think that I could always go to this kind of service, but there is something nice and nostalgic about your religion when you participate very similarly with the religious when they try and be as similar to the people in the bible. IN short, it’s comforting to think that this grouping of men with hats and beards singing is the same thing that happened 1,000 years ago. I understood a good amount of the rabbi’s sermon, and it was about not making excuses and being inspired to become more religious.
After 3 hours, I was happy Kol Nidre services were over. They were serious, but still fun, since the rabbi had a great personality and a great energy about him. On the walk home, Zoe and I decided we liked it, but we would try a new temple for the next day. I tried falling asleep even though I was already feeling hungry.
Saturday - I met up with Zoe in the morning and we walked over to the new temple, the only conservative congregation I could find online. We arrived and were interrogated by the security outside. It is strange for foreigners to come, and since security is so high after the bombings at the Israeli Embassy in the 90’s, they question all non-members. After we passed the quick questioning, we entered and only found standing room in the balcony.
The service was nice, and we got seats when some people left right before Yisskor. I enjoyed this temple, but still didn’t feel like home. I don’t think Ill ever find somewhere that feels the same as the Temple I grew up in.
After services I went home and laid in bed while watching some episodes of The Office on my computer. I then took a quick hour nap, and read and did some homework. We went 24.5 hours, and broke around 6pm. We ended up just going to a great café/restaurant very near where we live. It was great. We all ate sooo much. After dinner, around 8.20pm, which is very very early in Argentine standards, we decided to break up and meet up later again to go out.
I went with Sara and Zoe to Sara’s homestay to hangout and watch a movie. She lived in an amazingly giant and beautiful apartment, and it was nice to see it. We watched Saved!, and then started to drink and chill before we met up with everyone else.
Around 12.30am, we met up to go out to a club. We split two cabs, and got there and went inside. It ended being a cool place, and after some drinking and dancing, we left around 3.45am. It was a fun night, but felt like a really long day.
I got home and was not looking forward to all the work that was ahead of me on Sunday.
Zoe and I arrived a little early for the service, and found some good seats. Since this was a religious synagogue, I sat downstairs on the main floor and she sat upstairs in the women’s section. When we arrived, the only ones already in temple were very religious black hats with beards, and I felt a little out of place. I didn’t have time to shave and clean up my own beard, but I actually felt that it might have been a good choice given the extensive beards that these good Jews were sporting.
Once more people arrived; the congregation seemed to be a good mix. People were in suits, jeans, and every other thing. Its funny since the Jews in Argentina are mostly decedents from the same people American Jews are, how similar the two groups look. The service was nice, but a little long. I felt like I knew many of the prayers and the tunes that they were sung. I don’t think that I could always go to this kind of service, but there is something nice and nostalgic about your religion when you participate very similarly with the religious when they try and be as similar to the people in the bible. IN short, it’s comforting to think that this grouping of men with hats and beards singing is the same thing that happened 1,000 years ago. I understood a good amount of the rabbi’s sermon, and it was about not making excuses and being inspired to become more religious.
After 3 hours, I was happy Kol Nidre services were over. They were serious, but still fun, since the rabbi had a great personality and a great energy about him. On the walk home, Zoe and I decided we liked it, but we would try a new temple for the next day. I tried falling asleep even though I was already feeling hungry.
Saturday - I met up with Zoe in the morning and we walked over to the new temple, the only conservative congregation I could find online. We arrived and were interrogated by the security outside. It is strange for foreigners to come, and since security is so high after the bombings at the Israeli Embassy in the 90’s, they question all non-members. After we passed the quick questioning, we entered and only found standing room in the balcony.
The service was nice, and we got seats when some people left right before Yisskor. I enjoyed this temple, but still didn’t feel like home. I don’t think Ill ever find somewhere that feels the same as the Temple I grew up in.
After services I went home and laid in bed while watching some episodes of The Office on my computer. I then took a quick hour nap, and read and did some homework. We went 24.5 hours, and broke around 6pm. We ended up just going to a great café/restaurant very near where we live. It was great. We all ate sooo much. After dinner, around 8.20pm, which is very very early in Argentine standards, we decided to break up and meet up later again to go out.
I went with Sara and Zoe to Sara’s homestay to hangout and watch a movie. She lived in an amazingly giant and beautiful apartment, and it was nice to see it. We watched Saved!, and then started to drink and chill before we met up with everyone else.
Around 12.30am, we met up to go out to a club. We split two cabs, and got there and went inside. It ended being a cool place, and after some drinking and dancing, we left around 3.45am. It was a fun night, but felt like a really long day.
I got home and was not looking forward to all the work that was ahead of me on Sunday.
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