¡Hola todos!
I have been pretty busy the last few days. Tuesday's empanadas were delicious! We also made alfajores, a sweet made with two cookie-like pieces with dulce de leche in the middle. I'm an official Argentinian chef now!!
Wednesday we went on a three hour bike ride around Palermo, a neighbourhood within Buenos Aires. It was a beautiful ride and a great way to see the botanical gardens and parks -- I also got a great tan line!
On Thursday I tested my dance moves, or lack there of, by learning the tango. We first had a brief history lesson of tango and then went to a lesson at a local tango school. Later in the evening, after I had butchered Argentina's national dance, people who actually knew how to tango came and danced the night away. It was a very enjoyable evening with the lessons, dinner, and then watching locals dancing. A few of us ended up at a salsa club afterwards. Again, enjoyable but I just don't have the Latino moves.
On Friday the girls spent the afternoon shopping around Plaza Italia, followed by a siesta. Yes, I'm falling back into the Spanish habit from my trip to Spain and enjoying siestas in the afternoon. I think every country should adopt siestas into their customs. That evening we had a history lesson of Argentina covering mostly politics, people, and of course Falklands. I'm really starting to think the resident director here holds Falklands against me...Afterwards we decided to go to Plaza Italia to see what their night life was like. My friend Sarah and I decided to meet up and get on a bus as the trains were closed. The evening turned into a bit of a mess when we started seeing the ghetto of Buenos Aires and the bus driver stopping and saying the bus was stopping and that we had to get off, keeping in mind he told us before we got on that he went to the Plaza. This ghetto of BA turned out to be Constitucion, the ghetto of the ghetto which we were told not to go to at night. Luckily, there was a family on the bus who walked us to a different bus and all is well that ends.
On Saturday we went to an international festival at Plaza de Mayo, famous for its protests and infront of Casa Rosada where the president (CFK) works. Leaving the apartment to meet up with everybody was quite an adventure. The elevator suddenly stopped halfway between my floor and the one below. I was able to only just tap on somebody’s door and an old woman was able to get somebody to move the elevator. Needless to say I am sticking to the stairs from now on. It was a lovely afternoon with yummy food stands from all over the world. That evening Sarah, Rebecca, and I went out for dinner and spent the evening at a wine bar in downtown Recoleta.
Today (Sunday) has been a day of relaxation and going out with my host sisters. I sign up for my classes tomorrow and start my first day as a University of Belgrano student! All classes start in the afternoon and go until the evening, slightly different than the U.S. but at least I don't need to get up early.
The family situation is still going well, I'm just having trouble with Argentinian eating habits. Eating at 10pm just does not work well for me and I end up starving. Hopefully my body will catch on to the change within a week or so. ¡Hasta luego!
I have been pretty busy the last few days. Tuesday's empanadas were delicious! We also made alfajores, a sweet made with two cookie-like pieces with dulce de leche in the middle. I'm an official Argentinian chef now!!
Wednesday we went on a three hour bike ride around Palermo, a neighbourhood within Buenos Aires. It was a beautiful ride and a great way to see the botanical gardens and parks -- I also got a great tan line!
On Thursday I tested my dance moves, or lack there of, by learning the tango. We first had a brief history lesson of tango and then went to a lesson at a local tango school. Later in the evening, after I had butchered Argentina's national dance, people who actually knew how to tango came and danced the night away. It was a very enjoyable evening with the lessons, dinner, and then watching locals dancing. A few of us ended up at a salsa club afterwards. Again, enjoyable but I just don't have the Latino moves.
On Friday the girls spent the afternoon shopping around Plaza Italia, followed by a siesta. Yes, I'm falling back into the Spanish habit from my trip to Spain and enjoying siestas in the afternoon. I think every country should adopt siestas into their customs. That evening we had a history lesson of Argentina covering mostly politics, people, and of course Falklands. I'm really starting to think the resident director here holds Falklands against me...Afterwards we decided to go to Plaza Italia to see what their night life was like. My friend Sarah and I decided to meet up and get on a bus as the trains were closed. The evening turned into a bit of a mess when we started seeing the ghetto of Buenos Aires and the bus driver stopping and saying the bus was stopping and that we had to get off, keeping in mind he told us before we got on that he went to the Plaza. This ghetto of BA turned out to be Constitucion, the ghetto of the ghetto which we were told not to go to at night. Luckily, there was a family on the bus who walked us to a different bus and all is well that ends.
On Saturday we went to an international festival at Plaza de Mayo, famous for its protests and infront of Casa Rosada where the president (CFK) works. Leaving the apartment to meet up with everybody was quite an adventure. The elevator suddenly stopped halfway between my floor and the one below. I was able to only just tap on somebody’s door and an old woman was able to get somebody to move the elevator. Needless to say I am sticking to the stairs from now on. It was a lovely afternoon with yummy food stands from all over the world. That evening Sarah, Rebecca, and I went out for dinner and spent the evening at a wine bar in downtown Recoleta.
Today (Sunday) has been a day of relaxation and going out with my host sisters. I sign up for my classes tomorrow and start my first day as a University of Belgrano student! All classes start in the afternoon and go until the evening, slightly different than the U.S. but at least I don't need to get up early.
The family situation is still going well, I'm just having trouble with Argentinian eating habits. Eating at 10pm just does not work well for me and I end up starving. Hopefully my body will catch on to the change within a week or so. ¡Hasta luego!
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