Today I saw an old man tearing down and ripping off all of the porn shop fliers posted all over bus stops, im talking like hundreds of them. It was cute and reassuring. The other day Katherine and I were on a run and we got catcalled at like normal “ah que linda, Hermosa, mi amor” etc. etc., but then they tacked on that we were really lucky we were together. That was threatening and not reassuring nor cute. This past weekend I went to Tigre(a cute little tourist town on the river) with Emma and Ansley. It was an hour train ride from BsAs, the trip there and back cost about a whopping .75 cents or something like that (big $penda$). When we got there we naturally set out for food and went to this cute rowing club for lunch. It was a beaaautiful day so we sat at a table in the grass and absked in the sunshine and drank some wine and ate some food. Then we caught a big catamaran boat that went down river for about an hour total and checked out the banks of tigre and all the cute river houses that you have to take a boat to get to. It was awesome. After the boat ride we walked around somemore, bought a dozen churros (filled with dulce de leche, of course, I had 6 I think) and headed towards the fair/market and shopped and browsed. I got a headband and a cool ring. Why do I have such an obsession with headbands? It’s a mystery but I just love ‘em. Oh we also went into the ever depressing casino looking for an atm. I think it was the first casino ive ever been in? and it did not spark an interest for gambling for me. Sunday, I went to mass with my roommate, Juliana, who is from Northern Argentina. I was expecting a huge ornately decorated cathedral but it was nothing special (the church itself). It had the bare minimum as far as paintings and color and stuff, it wasn’t very warm. I don’t think they are all like that here though, I have made it a point to find a cathedral and go to a mass there just to see some hard core latin American catholics. I could barely understand the priest though because the PA system was really muffled and he talked super fast, he lectured about how people shop too much for no reason. Monday I went to the National Post Office to pick up my package from my parents (finally! Only took a month). I got there at 1 expecting to be out of there in 20 minutes with a system similar to that of the USPS, boy was I wrong. First, I had to get in line to get a number. Then once I got the number, I had to wait an hour for my number to be called. Mind you, some cute old man gave me an earlier number that he had for some reason so I cut about an hour off there. Then, once called I had to give them my slip and then get another slip with another number and go to a room filled with atleast 200 people and wait for that number to be called. After about an hour it finally was called and I got to go to the back and wait in another line to pick up my package. I finally got out of the post office around 4:30 and proceeded to devour all of the reeses my parents packed, it was definitely worth it. I saw one computer in the whole place, it reminded me that I am in fact in a 2nd world country (I think that’s what this is? Haah) the lack of technology here never seizes to amaze me. This weekend I am going to Salta with Sam, Seth, and Shannon. My friends from Nebraska. Salta is in the North in the Andes mountains and is supposed to be beautiful (“lindisimo”) and HOT! Can’t wait!

spring in my step

OH! I almost forgot to mention. You know how I said that noone wears color here and it was semi depressing because of that? Well thank gawd spring is here. It was WEIRD. Yesterday (the first day of spring "feliz dia") was like a different world. there was color everywhere. and people were smiling. and wearing belly shirts and cool colorful genie pants that I intend to buy when I find the right pair and wear and get made fun of at home. and everyone was in the park, like everyone. It was just a happier, more colorful, warmer place, and I cant wait for it to keep goin'''' because today was like zap back to winter and dark depressing stuff because the weather is bipolar here too just like home. But tomorrow maybe it will be springy again! One can hope.

broken computer broken life

Hihihi. So, the UL UK game went well. We went to this "american sports pub" and I felt like I was in America. Seriously, when I heard random (the minority) speaking Spanish I was like huh? Everyone spoke English and there were tons of TVs playing Football (the American kind)! Except, they freaking wouldn't show the UL UK game. Needless to say, I was angry. They said they had to keep the TV that could show ESPNU on some Floyd Maywhether fight because one of the members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers was coming to watch it there. So I was mad, but also really excited to potentially see one of the RHCP up close and personal. I didn't but thats ok, because instead I met Larry O'Bannon. While I was wearing my UL shirt, we made friends because Louisvillians always do don't they? They next night we went and saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers in person. Best concert EVER! Even if I was super far away and could have used binoculars to see the stage. I didn't care. After a failed attempt at getting our way to el campo, which is like the floor, by a scary mean aggressive argentine, we settled with our balcony seats and certainly enjoyed it. I could have cried, but surprisingly didn't, at how exciting it was. We didn't have class yesterday because it was "feliz primavera" dia y la dia estudiantes, basically a day off for the city to celebrate being students and the first day of spring. Which was BEAUTIFUL! It was almost too hot, we wandered around our favorite park and found a huge concert of first a jazz-jam band type group then a reggae group- it was cool to see it all in Spanish. So all of my lack of work in the school department is about to kick my butt. I have a ton of work to do, including a take home exam that was assigned monday, due this monday, of 7 pages minimum about obscure Argentine historical things (obviously in Spanish) but get this-- SINGLE SPACED. killllmenowkthxbi. so yeah I have that as well as some other tests and papers due next weekend...funstufffff.. its times like these I miss cLuB mOnRoe! or for those of you that dont attend loyno, our prestigious (#5 in the country to be exact) library at Loyola. I also miss all my siiStAz at loyno. shout outs to you guys and goodluck at recruitment- as much as it sucks sometimes, i miss it. yep i MISS IT, and know you all will do superduper. oh also, my dinosaur computer decided to break again. i dont know how. im thinking the maid must have knocked it or something, but its falling apart, which contributed to my panic attack earlier (along with financial aid stuff, thats always a kicker). it won't shut and after dissecting it, hoping I could rig it John Gray status, i determined it is missing a key part that holds it together and is involved in the opening and shutting. So I will just have to keep it open until I can pass the problem along to my good ol' daddio.. (like you all care about my tech. problems, I was just posting it here in hopes that my dad would read this and prepare to fix stuff).. speaking of parents, HI! ID LIKE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS SOME TIME. I feel like our roles are reversed, aren't the parents the ones who are always trying to get ahold of the kids??? okeydokey. enough procrastinating-

Oh, and today I am going to watch the UL UK game with 4 UK fans (ew) at a greengo bar here, wish me luck..

productive worthlessness

so i have concluded that I will never need to do any homework here. ever. i received a 10 on my first paper (the grading scale is 1-10, 10 being the best) and the Argentines say that 10s are Rare, like noone ever gets them, and that an 8 is excellent. And on my first test i got a 7, in a class for regular argentine students. Sometimes i feel so worthless though because all the girls in my residence study all the time and I just dont. but it is because they go to public universities which evidently are far more difficult and demanding than the private ones like the one i go to. also, I think that the American universities or students there are far better at managing their time, who at my school will start studying for a test that they have two weeks ahead of time nonstop? noone. but we still do just as well, and manage to have a good time. AMURICA! so I am going to try to stop feeling so worthless and enjoy my free time while i have it, because i never have this much at Loyno. also, my camera was stolen last week. im devastated. donations welcome for a new one. TOMORROW WE ARE GOING TO SEE THE RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS. I may be dreaming.. It like my childhood will be coming alive in front of my eyes. I will definitely cry. for sure. I will let you know how it goes!

integration yallllllllllllll

oh, p.s. now that i finally finished the entire series of Californication, (that may have contributed to my lack of steady blogging), i have been hanging out in the common rooms of the dorm alot more trying to catch some spanish convos and meeting some new people. The residence now doesn't seem nearly as bad as I am making my presence known and making an effort to get to know some of the girls, try their authentic food, and in return cook them american breakfasts (nomnomnom). ANywho, the point of this post was to say that I got invited to go play field hockey with some of them on sunday, i am soooo excited..woohoo. that is all more l8a

just living

Hola Pals! Long time no talk, lo siento. Its finally getting warm here so I have been out and about exploring the city a lot more. As I was expecting, Buenos Aires has completely transformed for the better. It is still “winter” until September 21 , it was actually mildly cold since I’ve been here, but the lowest it dropped was probably into the 40s at night. It was always funny to see people bundled up in winter coats, hats, gloves and scarves on the average 50 degree days, it reminded me of a New Orleans winter. A few times when I would walk through the streets with my friends, we would be talking in Spanish (and we all have dark features, we don’t stand out as foreigners) and still be called “gringas” by random bypasses, I could never figure out how they pegged us so easily. Then I realized it was because we were wearing color. During the “winter” there were only seas of neutral colors, and anyone who knows me knows my closet does not consist of these- only the brightest colors. When I would go on a run in this weather I would get the dirtiest, most confused looks. I now realize that los portenos (portenos=BsAs citizens) are fair-weathered friends. Now, the streets and parks are packed with people at all times and I now can understand how everyone is so fit. The past weeks have consisted of lounging in and exploring parks and other barrios of the city. The other day we were invited by some local people in our university to play a “friendly game of futbal”, to drink some mate, and eat some biscuits. I felt like a real live portena! I was on the winning team and may have scored a few goals, but I won’t brag. I have been avoiding los boliches and we have been going to friends houses for dinner and drinks or just to hang out, it has been super awesome and I finally and am enjoying myself. I guess I am a fair-weathered gal as well. last weekend we even went to the house of one of our new friends Agus, it was a FREE STANDING HOUSE! In a neighborhood! It was the first free-standing building ive been in since being here I think. Excuse me, it wasn’t his house it was his pool house. The cutest little thing ever with a pool in the yard right in front of his families actual house. When it is officially warmer they promised we can go swim there whenever and have asadas (bbq’s). My friend Sam from Loyola has finally come and its good to know ive got a fellow loynoer here with me. My computers about to die but now that im actually doing stuff ill start blogging more! Ciao peepz