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!
Sunday, September 30, 2007
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.
Thursday - Tango Dancing Club
Thursday I slept in since I was tired from going out all night on Wednesday. My internet had come back, so I was really happy to sleep late, read in bed, and then surf the web for a few hours. I talked to some friends, which was also nice.
After getting a little homework done during the day, I made plans after dinner to go out with Kate to a Milonga, or a dance bar to go and dance tango. Both of us had an assignment for culture class to go and write about our experience. Her assignment also included asking questions and conducting interviews.
We got the address and got out of the cab. We thought we were at the wrong place. There was no sign outside the door, just looked like an abandoned warehouse door. The only signal was the number address on the door. We walked in, and followed the light upstairs and walked into a giant space of a room. We paid the 15 pesos cover charge and were brought to a table at the back of the place. When we got there, only 3 or 4 couples were dancing. These clubs are not for professionals, but just people who like to dance tango. Although there were a lot of couples, there were a good amount of groups of single men and women who come to ask each other to dance. My favorite person was this single old man sitting by himself at the table next to us. When we got there we figured he just liked watching the dance. But half way into the night, he went over, asked one of the youngest best looking girls, and danced with her for most of the night. Tango isn’t about your looks or age, it has a much deeper purer root.
The room was dimly lit and had chairs and tables made out of broken material. I was sitting on a broken office chair, with just the single metal support beam as my back rest. Kate sat on a chair which was supported by a broken crate placed underneath the cushion. Local artwork and some other random stuff were hanging from the walls. This was a real tango experience. The women at the door and the waiter seemed confused that we foreigners even found the place or knew where to go.
After a little while, the music lowered and some professional dancers put on a show for us. They were great, and showcased a few different styles of tango. Even those who danced tango themselves seemed to be very impressed. A little while after the show we left and called it a night. It was a great experience and one not many tourists really get to have.
After getting a little homework done during the day, I made plans after dinner to go out with Kate to a Milonga, or a dance bar to go and dance tango. Both of us had an assignment for culture class to go and write about our experience. Her assignment also included asking questions and conducting interviews.
We got the address and got out of the cab. We thought we were at the wrong place. There was no sign outside the door, just looked like an abandoned warehouse door. The only signal was the number address on the door. We walked in, and followed the light upstairs and walked into a giant space of a room. We paid the 15 pesos cover charge and were brought to a table at the back of the place. When we got there, only 3 or 4 couples were dancing. These clubs are not for professionals, but just people who like to dance tango. Although there were a lot of couples, there were a good amount of groups of single men and women who come to ask each other to dance. My favorite person was this single old man sitting by himself at the table next to us. When we got there we figured he just liked watching the dance. But half way into the night, he went over, asked one of the youngest best looking girls, and danced with her for most of the night. Tango isn’t about your looks or age, it has a much deeper purer root.
The room was dimly lit and had chairs and tables made out of broken material. I was sitting on a broken office chair, with just the single metal support beam as my back rest. Kate sat on a chair which was supported by a broken crate placed underneath the cushion. Local artwork and some other random stuff were hanging from the walls. This was a real tango experience. The women at the door and the waiter seemed confused that we foreigners even found the place or knew where to go.
After a little while, the music lowered and some professional dancers put on a show for us. They were great, and showcased a few different styles of tango. Even those who danced tango themselves seemed to be very impressed. A little while after the show we left and called it a night. It was a great experience and one not many tourists really get to have.
Wednesday - BOCA JUNIORS SOCCER GAME!
I had class early in the morning, followed by class in the afternoon. After class in the afternoon I walked over to the IES Center with Elise. We had a great conversation about our favorite foods from home and our favorite memories of restaurants from our home town. After a while on a computer chillen and surfing the web, we went down to the corner for a seat outside in the beautiful weather for a café. During our little café session, I received a text from my host brother asking if I would like to go to the Boca Juniors soccer game that night. I immediately canceled my plans to go to ceramics class and told him I was down. I have been working to get to a game the whole time, and this was a great opportunity. This game, vs. Sao Paulo, was the Round of 16 in the South American Cup….a tournament for all the teams in Latin America to compete and see who is best.
I went home to see my host brother and thank him for the invite to the game. He then told me that he might not be able to come, that something had come up. I would still go with his friends, but he was a question mark. He told me to have a friend ready if needed just in case my host brother couldn’t attend. Sure enough, an hour later and 30 minutes before we had to leave, Santiago called me and told me he couldn’t come. So I called Nell and told her to leave right away to meet me on the corner in 25 minutes.
Nell and I met up with Jeronimo, Santiago’s friend who also works with him and the rest of my host family. Jeronimo is really nice, and I had met him once before. From there we took the Subte a few stops to meet the fourth, Marcelo, a friend of Jeronimo. After we met Marcelo near the obelisk, we took a cab to La Boca neighborhood about 5 blocks from the stadium. Since there are so many fans and such poor game day planning, streets any closer just get backed up and shut down.
We walked down closer to the stadium. The whole time we had been speaking in Spanish, and then Marcelo said something to us in English. Nell and I were stunned, but found out the both Jeronimo and Marcelo speak great English. For the rest of the night, we spoke only in Spanish, unless I couldn’t figure out how to say something, or they said something too complex for me to understand…it was a perfect situation.
We arrived at the bottom of the stadium, got frisked by security, and went to the little grilling place next to the entrance. We got these huge churipans, which were amazing. They are local chorizo, or sausage, grilled and then cut in half and put into a sandwich with French baguette bread. So good. We then entered the stadium and started our long trek up the stairs to the upper level.
The tickets we used to get in belonged to Santiago and a bunch of his friends. This team doesn’t really sell single game tickets. Only season tickets are available. You receive a card for the season that acts as a pass into the stadium. It is not a problem to borrow someone else’s card to get into any game. I believe we were assigned to a section, but didn’t have specific seats. We sat on the first row of the upper level, only one section away from the crazy fan section. This section is just general admission with no assignments. It is nuts. They are crazy and never stop singing the many different fight songs of the team. There is even a band of fans with drums and trombones and a few other instruments.
The stadium was great. Big enough to fit a ton of people, but small enough where every single person gets a great view of the field. This game was at a strange time since it was not the normal league that the team plays in, so the stadium was not full. Since they don’t sell single game tickets, there is no way to know when it will sell out or not.
The game was really fun. They ended up winning 2-1, but the other team scored with only 2 minutes left. It was a great experience and I was very very thankful for the opportunity.
After the game we walked for about 20 minutes away from the stadium to get away from the crowds and find an empty taxi. Nell and I took the taxi to Jobs, a bar not to far from my house. Some kids from GW were there, and supposively some other kids from GW that were traveling were also there. I figured it would be a fun time. I walked in, and who do I see? Ryan Smith and Lindsey Toner. I went to high school with Ryan Smith, and Lindsey Toner is friends with my roommates. Its just such a small world.
We stayed at this bar until it closed, and then as a group we all went to Sahara, an upscale bar in Recoleta Village by the cemetery. At night they have fun music. This place was so much fun. It reminded me a lot of the places I go out to in DC, since it was a restaurant that became a bar at night: meaning it had some small tables, a big bar, and a dance floor, but was not a club. We partied and danced away until they kicked us out around 5.20am. I walked home to my house, since it was only 3 blocks away.
Overall, it was an amazing night. I was expecting to go to ceramics class, come home, and go to bed early…..but the way it turned out was so much better.
I went home to see my host brother and thank him for the invite to the game. He then told me that he might not be able to come, that something had come up. I would still go with his friends, but he was a question mark. He told me to have a friend ready if needed just in case my host brother couldn’t attend. Sure enough, an hour later and 30 minutes before we had to leave, Santiago called me and told me he couldn’t come. So I called Nell and told her to leave right away to meet me on the corner in 25 minutes.
Nell and I met up with Jeronimo, Santiago’s friend who also works with him and the rest of my host family. Jeronimo is really nice, and I had met him once before. From there we took the Subte a few stops to meet the fourth, Marcelo, a friend of Jeronimo. After we met Marcelo near the obelisk, we took a cab to La Boca neighborhood about 5 blocks from the stadium. Since there are so many fans and such poor game day planning, streets any closer just get backed up and shut down.
We walked down closer to the stadium. The whole time we had been speaking in Spanish, and then Marcelo said something to us in English. Nell and I were stunned, but found out the both Jeronimo and Marcelo speak great English. For the rest of the night, we spoke only in Spanish, unless I couldn’t figure out how to say something, or they said something too complex for me to understand…it was a perfect situation.
We arrived at the bottom of the stadium, got frisked by security, and went to the little grilling place next to the entrance. We got these huge churipans, which were amazing. They are local chorizo, or sausage, grilled and then cut in half and put into a sandwich with French baguette bread. So good. We then entered the stadium and started our long trek up the stairs to the upper level.
The tickets we used to get in belonged to Santiago and a bunch of his friends. This team doesn’t really sell single game tickets. Only season tickets are available. You receive a card for the season that acts as a pass into the stadium. It is not a problem to borrow someone else’s card to get into any game. I believe we were assigned to a section, but didn’t have specific seats. We sat on the first row of the upper level, only one section away from the crazy fan section. This section is just general admission with no assignments. It is nuts. They are crazy and never stop singing the many different fight songs of the team. There is even a band of fans with drums and trombones and a few other instruments.
The stadium was great. Big enough to fit a ton of people, but small enough where every single person gets a great view of the field. This game was at a strange time since it was not the normal league that the team plays in, so the stadium was not full. Since they don’t sell single game tickets, there is no way to know when it will sell out or not.
The game was really fun. They ended up winning 2-1, but the other team scored with only 2 minutes left. It was a great experience and I was very very thankful for the opportunity.
After the game we walked for about 20 minutes away from the stadium to get away from the crowds and find an empty taxi. Nell and I took the taxi to Jobs, a bar not to far from my house. Some kids from GW were there, and supposively some other kids from GW that were traveling were also there. I figured it would be a fun time. I walked in, and who do I see? Ryan Smith and Lindsey Toner. I went to high school with Ryan Smith, and Lindsey Toner is friends with my roommates. Its just such a small world.
We stayed at this bar until it closed, and then as a group we all went to Sahara, an upscale bar in Recoleta Village by the cemetery. At night they have fun music. This place was so much fun. It reminded me a lot of the places I go out to in DC, since it was a restaurant that became a bar at night: meaning it had some small tables, a big bar, and a dance floor, but was not a club. We partied and danced away until they kicked us out around 5.20am. I walked home to my house, since it was only 3 blocks away.
Overall, it was an amazing night. I was expecting to go to ceramics class, come home, and go to bed early…..but the way it turned out was so much better.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Sorry for the late posts....here is my life
Sorry for the lack of posting. The Internet in my home has been down for almost two weeks and I am trying to fix it. If this continues, don´t expect daily updates as I was able to do before, since my access to Internet has been a little restricted. Ok, enough excuses....go ahead and read about my last week.
Tuesday and Wednesday were busy normal days....which worked out well since I needed to get back into my groove after Monday kicked my butt.
Thursday I had the day off...but still was productive.
Friday I had class early in the morning. My conversation class is really helpful since it is very small and all we do in converse for two hours. It just sucks that it has to be 9am on Friday morning. After class I met up with Elise and Kate to try and finish the application for our tourist visa for Brazil. The process was intense...they needed bank statements, pictures of us, and other formal stuff. Elise and Kate had their stuff correct, but I needed to fix a few things before they would grant me permission to get a visa. We went to lunch at Bengal...a restaurant that combined Italian and Indian cuisine. It was fantastic. So good, I was sooo full. Afterwards since I was full I went home, cuddled up with a book, and enjoyed the rest of my afternoon. After a good dinner with my host family, I met up with Nell and Sam at Temple Bar. They were running late, so I sat at the bar and asked the bartender for a recommendation with their homemade beers. He ended up giving me little samplers of 4 different types, and I was able to pick one that I actually liked. After Nell and Sam arrived we had a drink, they left for a club/lounge called The Living. This place was really cool, and I would have had a better time if I wasnt so tired. They had great 80´s music with the music videos projected on the wall. After almost falling asleep sitting and talking to my friends...I decided to call it a night, and hailed a cab home around 3.30am.
Saturday I slept in and finished my book. In the afternoon I finished a lot of homework and even starting studying for my midterms....that are creeping up next week. For dinner I went with Elise, Alex, and Kate to Casa Cruz. This hip chic and trendy restaurant was awesome. We sat on lounge couches for a little while and sipped on fine drinks before being seated. There we were given their great menu, and fresh bread accompanied with a warm buttery spread. I had a hard time trying to decide what I wanted to eat, since everything sounded so good. I choose the house special fish, since I had not had fish yet in Buenos Aires. It ended up being a white flaky fish, but was cooked perfectly tender and had plenty of flavor. Everyone´s dinner looked great and the atmosphere was delightful. After dinner I convinced the group to order a fondant (I would call it a souffle) with chocolate cake and ducle de leche in the middle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Lets just say it was gone in 20 seconds. Although it was pricey for local standards....one of the finest meals in BA can round out to only 40 dollars. We left Casa Cruz around 1.30am and headed out for an ATM. After walking three blocks looking, we hailed a cab and asked him to take us to the closest one he knew.
From there we left for Club Niceto to meet some friends. It ends up that a band was playing, and a techno DJ was opening for him. I thought this would be a really cool experience, so we went in. It was only around 2.15am so the place was a little empty. Empty since the night was still really young. The DJ got on, and rocked the house. Some of the other people in the group didn´t have such a great time, but I really appreciated the music. The band came on around 4am. They were really really weird, but I liked it. We stayed and rocked out until 5am. A group of us left the club, and decided to walk to the hot dog stand we knew close by. It tasted great. Its not a Gray´s Papaya, buts its a damn good hot dog. I ended up getting home around 5.40am. Good night.
Sunday I woke up and laid in bed reading for two hours. It felt good to just relax. A little later I went to The Alamo to watch some football. I ended up staying there for lunch and dinner, and enjoyed the bar atmosphere and football.
Monday I felt a little bad, partly since I had been out late watching the football games. I felt much better by the end of the day, and was able to get some homework done to make the day a little productive.
Tuesday I went to class in the morning, and then finalized my visa application. After class later that afternoon, I walked over to the IES Center and took advantage of the free internet for a few hours. I did some research for some classes and read up on my political news.
Wednesday, today, I went to class in the morning and then went out to lunch with Elise. After my later class, I find myself back at the IES Center on the computers. I am going to ceramics class tonight, which should be fun, and then coming back in time to meet some friends for dinner at Rubia and Negra, a restaurant with sushi and home brewed beer. Should be a good time.
Tuesday and Wednesday were busy normal days....which worked out well since I needed to get back into my groove after Monday kicked my butt.
Thursday I had the day off...but still was productive.
Friday I had class early in the morning. My conversation class is really helpful since it is very small and all we do in converse for two hours. It just sucks that it has to be 9am on Friday morning. After class I met up with Elise and Kate to try and finish the application for our tourist visa for Brazil. The process was intense...they needed bank statements, pictures of us, and other formal stuff. Elise and Kate had their stuff correct, but I needed to fix a few things before they would grant me permission to get a visa. We went to lunch at Bengal...a restaurant that combined Italian and Indian cuisine. It was fantastic. So good, I was sooo full. Afterwards since I was full I went home, cuddled up with a book, and enjoyed the rest of my afternoon. After a good dinner with my host family, I met up with Nell and Sam at Temple Bar. They were running late, so I sat at the bar and asked the bartender for a recommendation with their homemade beers. He ended up giving me little samplers of 4 different types, and I was able to pick one that I actually liked. After Nell and Sam arrived we had a drink, they left for a club/lounge called The Living. This place was really cool, and I would have had a better time if I wasnt so tired. They had great 80´s music with the music videos projected on the wall. After almost falling asleep sitting and talking to my friends...I decided to call it a night, and hailed a cab home around 3.30am.
Saturday I slept in and finished my book. In the afternoon I finished a lot of homework and even starting studying for my midterms....that are creeping up next week. For dinner I went with Elise, Alex, and Kate to Casa Cruz. This hip chic and trendy restaurant was awesome. We sat on lounge couches for a little while and sipped on fine drinks before being seated. There we were given their great menu, and fresh bread accompanied with a warm buttery spread. I had a hard time trying to decide what I wanted to eat, since everything sounded so good. I choose the house special fish, since I had not had fish yet in Buenos Aires. It ended up being a white flaky fish, but was cooked perfectly tender and had plenty of flavor. Everyone´s dinner looked great and the atmosphere was delightful. After dinner I convinced the group to order a fondant (I would call it a souffle) with chocolate cake and ducle de leche in the middle with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Lets just say it was gone in 20 seconds. Although it was pricey for local standards....one of the finest meals in BA can round out to only 40 dollars. We left Casa Cruz around 1.30am and headed out for an ATM. After walking three blocks looking, we hailed a cab and asked him to take us to the closest one he knew.
From there we left for Club Niceto to meet some friends. It ends up that a band was playing, and a techno DJ was opening for him. I thought this would be a really cool experience, so we went in. It was only around 2.15am so the place was a little empty. Empty since the night was still really young. The DJ got on, and rocked the house. Some of the other people in the group didn´t have such a great time, but I really appreciated the music. The band came on around 4am. They were really really weird, but I liked it. We stayed and rocked out until 5am. A group of us left the club, and decided to walk to the hot dog stand we knew close by. It tasted great. Its not a Gray´s Papaya, buts its a damn good hot dog. I ended up getting home around 5.40am. Good night.
Sunday I woke up and laid in bed reading for two hours. It felt good to just relax. A little later I went to The Alamo to watch some football. I ended up staying there for lunch and dinner, and enjoyed the bar atmosphere and football.
Monday I felt a little bad, partly since I had been out late watching the football games. I felt much better by the end of the day, and was able to get some homework done to make the day a little productive.
Tuesday I went to class in the morning, and then finalized my visa application. After class later that afternoon, I walked over to the IES Center and took advantage of the free internet for a few hours. I did some research for some classes and read up on my political news.
Wednesday, today, I went to class in the morning and then went out to lunch with Elise. After my later class, I find myself back at the IES Center on the computers. I am going to ceramics class tonight, which should be fun, and then coming back in time to meet some friends for dinner at Rubia and Negra, a restaurant with sushi and home brewed beer. Should be a good time.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A very tired Monday
Sunday night was extremely hot, and my room had no air circulation. I slept with the windows wide open, but still had to wake up in the middle of the night to get something to drink I was sweating so badly. To make matters even worse, I had to wake up extremely early to go and apply for a student visa at the migrations office in downtown
I got home, had a quick conversation with my host mom, and I am sure I must have looked like crap, since she seemed worried that I wasn’t feeling good. I told her I just needed to sleep, which is exactly what I did. After waking up from my nap later in the afternoon, I felt like a human being again. I treated myself to a late lunch of cheese and crackers while watching re-runs of The Office on TV. I am looking forward to eating dinner later, and getting a good night sleep so I can start the rest of my normal week without problems. Oh vey.
Saturday and Sunday - Are you ready for some football?
I woke on the earlier side hoping to have another relaxing day. I watched some TV, got a lot of homework done, but my internet was not working for some reason. It was very frustrating since I have been used to internet access in my room. We made dinner reservations for a Thai restaurant at night, and it ended up being a group of 9 girls and me. We walked in, and the host/owner was an ex-pat, and was delighted to talk to us in English and ask where we were from. I had been craving some thai food, and although the food was good, it wasn’t very authentic thai. Still, my craving for Pad Thai and Chicken Sate was fulfilled so I was happy. From there, we all made our way over to the convention center for a wine tasting. For 25 pesos to get in, you got a glass and traveled around the giant hall to different wine stations representing around 100 different wine brands and bodegas. It was my first time really trying to distinguish wine from another, and I don’t think I really knew what I was looking for. After two hours, we were feeling great and had a new-found appreciation for wine tasters. We left around midnight and a bunch of us walked to a hot-dog vendor from some great superpanchos (the argentine word for hotdog). I ended up going home a little later, and was home relatively early, 3am.
Friday
After getting another good night sleep, I decided to spend the majority of the day reading, studying, and getting some other random stuff done that I had been pushing off. After dinner with my family I met up with Kate and we went out to Plaza Serrano. We got a table, and sat and talked over drinks when a group of girls came into the bar. One of them looked really familiar. It ended up being a friend of mine from GW in
Monday to Thursday
Sorry I have been late to update all this.....my internet has been very shaky.....
Monday and Tuesday nothing really happened that I can remember.....
I had a very busy day Wednesday between all of my classes. After a busy morning and one afternoon class, I have ceramics at night. Ceramics class was fun, since we started clay hand molding and tried to come up with some creative bowl ideas. I was trying pretty hard, but compared to the real art students that take the class, mine looked like a 4th graders. I was more experimenting then producing, and I inspired some ideas in myself. After class Elise and I took the bus back to our neighborhood and went out for a late dinner. Pizza and Beer was just what the doctor ordered.
Monday and Tuesday nothing really happened that I can remember.....
I had a very busy day Wednesday between all of my classes. After a busy morning and one afternoon class, I have ceramics at night. Ceramics class was fun, since we started clay hand molding and tried to come up with some creative bowl ideas. I was trying pretty hard, but compared to the real art students that take the class, mine looked like a 4th graders. I was more experimenting then producing, and I inspired some ideas in myself. After class Elise and I took the bus back to our neighborhood and went out for a late dinner. Pizza and Beer was just what the doctor ordered.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Picture Updates
Check out the new album with random pics from Buenos Aires. And check the Iguazu trip picture album for some more pics I got from other people's cameras.
Friday, Sat, and Sunday - What a weekend!
Friday was a really busy day for me. After class in the morning, I booked my spring break to Brasil with the travel agent with a bunch of my friends. I am really excited to spend some time on a Brasilian beach! Anyways, after booking the tickets, we had to go to the Brazilian consulate to get tourist visas since we are American. Because we require Brazilians to get visas to visit the States, they do the same to us for equality. After that I had lunch with Kate and Elise.
After a long afternoon of errands and a great nap, it was already nighttime, and I was helping my host family get ready for a party at the apartment. My host father's birthday was a few weeks ago, but the entire family was coming in to celebrate now. I helped set up some tables and cups, and they were expecting around 40 people. It ended being a great time, both a learning experience for me and also a fun time. It amazes me how different this country is to the USA, but how similar people are. A family is a family, and it doesn't matter where they are from or what language they speak, they are still the same basic human build. During the course of the night, three groups formed: the men, the women, and all the little kids. I was able to sit with the men and try to understand the conversation and add my two sense in when I was able to speak. The conversation ranged from sports to the best butchers in BA to buy meat. My host family has a parrilla (classic Argentine grill) built into their house, similar to a fireplace grill. They had bought some chorizo and lomo, two Argentine cuts of meat and made little sandwiches with a baguette they had me run out and get fresh. The food was great, and it was complimented very nicely with some really nice red wine that kept flowing all night. After dinner the ice cream and cake were served, and the adults started pouring the champagne. Happy birthday song and another round of champagne followed before the night was over.
After the family party I left and met up with friends at Milion, our local favorite bar. Later in the night, we met up with another group of kids on our program at a club called La Francia. This club was all portenos, and the bouncer was confused how us Americans even heard of the place. It ended up being great inside. The music was fun, the place was rocking, and the beers were only 2 pesos (60 cents)! Amazing deal.
Saturday I slept in for a while and then spent the rest of the day relaxing, reading my book, watching videos online, and just hanging out in my house. After a nice lunch that I made myself I watched some US Open and even watched half of Rocky since it was on TV. I met up with a few friends for dinner at a local steakhouse, and enjoyed some great food and nice wine. We later did a little barhopping in Plaza Serrano, and then I ended up in a little neighborhood in Palermo called Las Canitas. I met up with Nell and a few of her friends, and spent the rest of my night there. We all shared a cab home after a fun night.
After two party nights up past 5am, I was exhausted and slept in very late Sunday morning. Later in the afternoon I met up with Nell and Nick and we went to a free music festival in Palermo that they had heard off. It ended up being a great free concert by a good reggae band. On my way back I met up with Kate, Alex, and Elise at an Italian restaurant near my house and had a long nice meal to end the weekend.
This weekend was a lot of fun and combined a lot of down-rest time with fun-party time. A great success!
After a long afternoon of errands and a great nap, it was already nighttime, and I was helping my host family get ready for a party at the apartment. My host father's birthday was a few weeks ago, but the entire family was coming in to celebrate now. I helped set up some tables and cups, and they were expecting around 40 people. It ended being a great time, both a learning experience for me and also a fun time. It amazes me how different this country is to the USA, but how similar people are. A family is a family, and it doesn't matter where they are from or what language they speak, they are still the same basic human build. During the course of the night, three groups formed: the men, the women, and all the little kids. I was able to sit with the men and try to understand the conversation and add my two sense in when I was able to speak. The conversation ranged from sports to the best butchers in BA to buy meat. My host family has a parrilla (classic Argentine grill) built into their house, similar to a fireplace grill. They had bought some chorizo and lomo, two Argentine cuts of meat and made little sandwiches with a baguette they had me run out and get fresh. The food was great, and it was complimented very nicely with some really nice red wine that kept flowing all night. After dinner the ice cream and cake were served, and the adults started pouring the champagne. Happy birthday song and another round of champagne followed before the night was over.
After the family party I left and met up with friends at Milion, our local favorite bar. Later in the night, we met up with another group of kids on our program at a club called La Francia. This club was all portenos, and the bouncer was confused how us Americans even heard of the place. It ended up being great inside. The music was fun, the place was rocking, and the beers were only 2 pesos (60 cents)! Amazing deal.
Saturday I slept in for a while and then spent the rest of the day relaxing, reading my book, watching videos online, and just hanging out in my house. After a nice lunch that I made myself I watched some US Open and even watched half of Rocky since it was on TV. I met up with a few friends for dinner at a local steakhouse, and enjoyed some great food and nice wine. We later did a little barhopping in Plaza Serrano, and then I ended up in a little neighborhood in Palermo called Las Canitas. I met up with Nell and a few of her friends, and spent the rest of my night there. We all shared a cab home after a fun night.
After two party nights up past 5am, I was exhausted and slept in very late Sunday morning. Later in the afternoon I met up with Nell and Nick and we went to a free music festival in Palermo that they had heard off. It ended up being a great free concert by a good reggae band. On my way back I met up with Kate, Alex, and Elise at an Italian restaurant near my house and had a long nice meal to end the weekend.
This weekend was a lot of fun and combined a lot of down-rest time with fun-party time. A great success!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Wed - Thurs = Relaxing and Reading
The end of last week went by without any giant happenings. I was able to finish my book, which was the first book I started in Buenos Aires. That is always a great feeling of success, but it always leaves me a void and I find myself looking for my next book very soon. I finished my book and started the next one within 24 hours. I have spent a lot of time reading my book, reading about the news in America, and browsing the internet.
Thursday I spent a long amount of time browsing different political blogs. Although I know they have a large influence and I read about them a lot, I had never really considered myself active or that knowledgeable. That all changed Thursday, when I did a lot of research and browsed many of the blogs that are more popular and get quoted regularly. After spending a few hours diving into the political blog world, I came out on the other side feeling more informed and definitely having formed preferences for certain cites. My interest in the presidential politics of 08 is getting bigger and bigger every day, even thought the election itself is over a year away. I am also finding myself more interested in the competitive house, senate, and governor races that are being held in November of 2008. It is going to be an interesting year, and unlike anything the American public has seen before.
Thursday I spent a long amount of time browsing different political blogs. Although I know they have a large influence and I read about them a lot, I had never really considered myself active or that knowledgeable. That all changed Thursday, when I did a lot of research and browsed many of the blogs that are more popular and get quoted regularly. After spending a few hours diving into the political blog world, I came out on the other side feeling more informed and definitely having formed preferences for certain cites. My interest in the presidential politics of 08 is getting bigger and bigger every day, even thought the election itself is over a year away. I am also finding myself more interested in the competitive house, senate, and governor races that are being held in November of 2008. It is going to be an interesting year, and unlike anything the American public has seen before.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Monday and Tuesday - Todo Bien
Mondays are long days of class and it fries my brain a little. I have two hours of Spanish language followed right after by two hours of Argentine culture class (taught in Spanish). Then after an hour and a half break I have two hours of The Idea of Latin America. After school I went home and got a lot of things done. I have been thinking of a lot of little things that I need to get done and have been very efficient at checking things off the list. I took a much needed nap in the afternoon and got some homework done. Patricia had somewhere to be for dinner, but showed me what food I had a choice of for dinner and left. This worked out perfectly because I was hungry early, and was able to have a little bit of a few things and sit and finish homework at the dinner table. Every now and then it is nice to sit and eat alone in your kitchen. After dinner I read some news online and then left and met up with Kate for a drink at Milion. We have come to really like that place, since it is classy and fun. Alex joined us a little later and we all had a really nice conversation. I came home a little later, spoke with Lauren for a little while, and then went to bed. It was a long day, but wasn't too bad since I had taken that nap.
Tuesday- My Spanish class form 9-10 this morning was very painful. No one was in the mood to be talkative and interactive, so every time the professor asked a question there was an awkward silence until I would just say the answer so we could move on. Afterwards, I came back and had a mini-power nap to recharge before my really long class from 1-4pm. I got there, sat down, and after a few minutes a man walked in, who was not our professor, and started talking to us. Last week the class was cancelled since the professor was sick, and now this week we had a sub. This was very strange, but I guess these things happen in life. This guy talked to us about general concepts of tango being an art form as well as a thriving business. Then after 45 minutes, he let us all go. I was expecting to be in class all afternoon so this was a pleasant surprise. Elise and I walked for a little and ended up at the supermarket. We explored each isle and found some interesting things. I found everything I was looking for expect Humus. I tried to ask where it was but I have a feeling the word Humus is translated differently in Spanish. The woman didn't know what I was talking about, and then when I tried to explain it, somehow "cut up chick peas" didn't get across to her. I found everything else i wanted, including Ziplock bags, which I had been in desperate need of. I left, got home, and unpack everything. I organized all my food, made my sandwich for tomorrow, and cut up some peppers for a to-go snack tomorrow. I got some food that would be good for a 5pm snack, since I am always hungry then and needed to find a healthy snack that wouldn't fill me up too much.
I finished putting everything away, finished my homework, and came online to update my blog. I will probably take the rest of the night easy and do some more homework, reading, and maybe some web surfing. Tomorrow should be exiting since I start my ceramics class at the local university.
Tuesday- My Spanish class form 9-10 this morning was very painful. No one was in the mood to be talkative and interactive, so every time the professor asked a question there was an awkward silence until I would just say the answer so we could move on. Afterwards, I came back and had a mini-power nap to recharge before my really long class from 1-4pm. I got there, sat down, and after a few minutes a man walked in, who was not our professor, and started talking to us. Last week the class was cancelled since the professor was sick, and now this week we had a sub. This was very strange, but I guess these things happen in life. This guy talked to us about general concepts of tango being an art form as well as a thriving business. Then after 45 minutes, he let us all go. I was expecting to be in class all afternoon so this was a pleasant surprise. Elise and I walked for a little and ended up at the supermarket. We explored each isle and found some interesting things. I found everything I was looking for expect Humus. I tried to ask where it was but I have a feeling the word Humus is translated differently in Spanish. The woman didn't know what I was talking about, and then when I tried to explain it, somehow "cut up chick peas" didn't get across to her. I found everything else i wanted, including Ziplock bags, which I had been in desperate need of. I left, got home, and unpack everything. I organized all my food, made my sandwich for tomorrow, and cut up some peppers for a to-go snack tomorrow. I got some food that would be good for a 5pm snack, since I am always hungry then and needed to find a healthy snack that wouldn't fill me up too much.
I finished putting everything away, finished my homework, and came online to update my blog. I will probably take the rest of the night easy and do some more homework, reading, and maybe some web surfing. Tomorrow should be exiting since I start my ceramics class at the local university.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Saturday and Sunday - Its already been 4 weeks!
Wow...four weeks. Its gone by so fast its hard to believe its true.
Saturday- Woke up early to play soccer with a bunch of guys. We reserved a turf field for a 5 on 5 game. I was the only one to wake up on time and get there. The game never happened. I came back to my room and just relaxed the rest of the day. I read my book for a while, rocked out to a Dave Matthews Concert on my iPod, and read a lot of news online about politics in America and also Argentina. I met up with a bunch of friends at Plaza Serrano for dinner and then a few drinks afterwards. Plaza Serrano is a little circular plaza with restaurants and bars all around it. I think once it gets a little warmer and people want to hang outside, it could be an amazing place to go and hang out at night. We went to a parrilla, which is a traditional steak restaurant, and have some great meat. Afterwards a group of us just went to the bar and sat at a table for the rest of the night. It was really nice, but it started to rain around 3am, so I took a cab home and went to bed. Overall a good day.
Sunday- Woke up and was supposed to go to the craft fair in San Telmo, but since it was raining those plans got canned. Met up with Elise and Alex at a mall in the city for lunch, then went to the Bodies Exhibit. It was different than the Bodies that I had seen in New York City, but was still really good. We walked around the mall for a bit and then came home. I got in bed and was getting ready to read and enjoy my book when I got a call from Nell. She had an extra ticket to a show that night and wanted to know if I would like to come. I asked her what show and she told me that it was the finals for the World Championship for Tango Dancing. It was being held at an exhibition center in Buenos Aires for the last week, and that night was the last night and was the finals for the Salon Tango style. This is the more traditional non-flashy style of tango. The show was great and was a great way to be a part of the tango culture. They had groups of couples dance on stage and in between groups they had performances by a live tango band and a few other similar performers. In the end, a couple from Buenos Aires won and the crowd went crazy. I ended up going out to a cafe after the show for dinner with Jane, Nell's friend from home who is also studying abroad in BA, but on another program. I didn't get back till late, but it was a really fun and interesting day.
Saturday- Woke up early to play soccer with a bunch of guys. We reserved a turf field for a 5 on 5 game. I was the only one to wake up on time and get there. The game never happened. I came back to my room and just relaxed the rest of the day. I read my book for a while, rocked out to a Dave Matthews Concert on my iPod, and read a lot of news online about politics in America and also Argentina. I met up with a bunch of friends at Plaza Serrano for dinner and then a few drinks afterwards. Plaza Serrano is a little circular plaza with restaurants and bars all around it. I think once it gets a little warmer and people want to hang outside, it could be an amazing place to go and hang out at night. We went to a parrilla, which is a traditional steak restaurant, and have some great meat. Afterwards a group of us just went to the bar and sat at a table for the rest of the night. It was really nice, but it started to rain around 3am, so I took a cab home and went to bed. Overall a good day.
Sunday- Woke up and was supposed to go to the craft fair in San Telmo, but since it was raining those plans got canned. Met up with Elise and Alex at a mall in the city for lunch, then went to the Bodies Exhibit. It was different than the Bodies that I had seen in New York City, but was still really good. We walked around the mall for a bit and then came home. I got in bed and was getting ready to read and enjoy my book when I got a call from Nell. She had an extra ticket to a show that night and wanted to know if I would like to come. I asked her what show and she told me that it was the finals for the World Championship for Tango Dancing. It was being held at an exhibition center in Buenos Aires for the last week, and that night was the last night and was the finals for the Salon Tango style. This is the more traditional non-flashy style of tango. The show was great and was a great way to be a part of the tango culture. They had groups of couples dance on stage and in between groups they had performances by a live tango band and a few other similar performers. In the end, a couple from Buenos Aires won and the crowd went crazy. I ended up going out to a cafe after the show for dinner with Jane, Nell's friend from home who is also studying abroad in BA, but on another program. I didn't get back till late, but it was a really fun and interesting day.
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