So it's clear I'm not dead

DISCLAIMER: this blog will be boring.

5 points –

1) 1) I didn’t end up going to Villa General Belgrano, but I did go to the river with my tutor and some other friends which was rad and beautiful

2) 2) St. Patrick’s Day was on a Saturday, not a Friday like I thought so I didn’t actually celebrate it properly

3) 3) I fell while I was trying to coolly leave my psychology class and knocked over an aluminum chair in the process

4) 4) Migrations went off without a hitch

5) 5) Soccer practice started yesterday and today I slept til 1:30

Love life, Love Arg,

Jessie

# of postcards I have still yet to send: 3

# of hours waited in migrations: 6

# of crunches completed at soccer practice: 2 million

# of times I’ve worked out in my brain which shoes I’ll have to leave behind to make weight on my luggage: 12 (ish)

Another post about Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires!

Thursday night we all met up at the terminal to embark on the 8-10 hour journey on a relatively comfy bus. Once we arrived in the capital early-ish Friday morning, we checked into our hotel that was hosting the annual Argentine tattoo festival or something which was totally rad and then we went to do the city tour which was essentially the same as last year. We went to La Boca, El Palermo, La Recoleta, a park with a gorgeous rose garden, and the Plaza de Mayo among other things. After eating lunch, we had some free time to explore or nap (nap for me, thank you) and then we visited some museums and went to dinner at the restaurant from last year (“Siga La Vaca”). On Saturday, we had some more tours and ate lunch at a casino which was gross because it was a buffet, but funny because we were the only people under 80 years.

That night, we went to Puerto Madero and got to see a Tango show and ate a delicious three course dinner. Thankfully, this go around I had a bad reaction to the food on FRIDAY night as opposed to SATURDAY night so I was able to actually watch the show this time! It was really fab- very seductive I must say.

On Sunday, we went to an artisans fair in the neighborhood of “Sant Telmo” where I got a few souvenirs and had a good romp around observing the vendors. After lunch and taking a tour of the “Pink House” (their equivolent to the White House), we hit another fair and then went to the bus terminal.

We arrived back in Córdoba, very groggy, at around 6:30am. Thankfully I was able to go home and sleep for a few hours but then I woke up to an electricity-less house which was loads of fun considering I was obviously smelly and rumpled from the 10 hour bus trip.

Anyways, I tromped along to school where nothing really exciting happened aside from being reminded that the Visa process is about to start again.

Not good news.

Not looking forward to waking up at 5 am to stand in line with millions of other immigrants.

Not looking forward to being denied a visa simply because the systems here are a little slower.

Not looking forward to the hundreds of return trips I’ll inevitably have to make simply because I’m me.

The earplugs are coming in handy pandy dandy! Used ‘em on the bus, use ‘em when I sleep, use ‘em when I go to class (heh..)

The chocolate withdrawals are less frequent.

The weather is really crap.

Today, I woke up for my 8:45 class and it was raining which was fine especially because I got to school and it stopped. But then on my way home it was pouring cats and dogs in every sense of the phrase. Oh sorry, it’s really important to note that when I hopped off the bus (and I literally had to jump to avoid puddles), I was merrily walking along with my stupid useless umbrella when two busses passed me and splashed the dirty road water EVERYWHERE. Best way to start my day, yeah?

Well this week that’s in progress seems like it’s gonna be snoreful…I mean, until Friday that is. Why, do you ask? Oh well of course it’s SAINT PATRICK’S DAY. I also want to go Villa General Belgrano this weekend but I mean who knows what the weather will hold- good gosh I’m praying for sun because I’m sobbingly white.

# of times I spoke English while in Buenos Aires: I don’t want to talk about it

# of exhibitions that were closed in both the museums we went to combined: 3

# of plates I used at the Siga la Vaca buffet table: 6 ????

# of people I saw with face tattoos: 4

good day.

< The flower donated by the ever generous France

< In America we should not whine about the cleanliness of our waterways until we have experienced this one.









< La Boca (I swear it's a different picture from last years'...)

< I swear that the most common medium of graffiti here is white-out.

update of my thrilling vida

wasn’t kidding last time when I said the weather is playing mad games with my closet. Seriously, two days ago a mere blink was enough physical exertion to warrant sweatiness and now I’m sitting in my room with pants, a long sleeve shirt and slippers. I feel like this ALWAYS HAPPENS. In Clemson it’s obnoxiously hot until Fall break and then we return to blizzards. I mean where is the tapering out and introduction to the new season, people? I say this to mother nature, “why rush darling?” Plus it makes me sick which is soooooo unwelcome.

Today is Thursday and tomorrow we will take the final exam of the Intensive program. Yesterday, the new foreigners arrived that will be here for the semester. The main difference between this semester group and the one from last year is that this one is composed primarily of foreigners; meaning, most don’t seem to be from the U.S. which is groovy, right? More people that don’t speak English, I hope!

The grade we receive on our final exam will be combined with the grades from our other test and the informes that we had to write and then the result will determine our level for the semester. I mean I obviously hope to be in the higher level but I got a 7 on my first test and then another 7 on my first essay so omg I don’t know.

WOAH GUYS, DEF FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET WIFI ON MY BLACKBERRY!

So the big question is: will dad’s Verizon bill be one million dollars because I’m using BBM to communicate with Emma more easily? Please let me know! I’m so happy having a channel to my sister at my fingertips (when I’m in a WIFI zone…)!

Having a loving family here does make me miss mine at home- Today I guess Emma was in VA for job interviews (multiple!!!!) and told my uncle about BBM so he sent me a “hello”. The emails and whatsits that I get from friends and family are really happy surprises and tooootally welcome. I might not be great at communication because of my internet limitations, but I almost always have the loved ones from back home in my mind.

Sorry this post took a turn for the sappy.

Soon, we’re going to Buenos Aires, which I’m ¼ looking forward to and ¾ dreading. Sounds really down-ey, right? Well if you saw the itinerary, you’d have anxiety attacks too. I obvs knew what to expect since I’ve done it before, but to the unknowing eye, it appears that Argentines are anything but a relaxed and flexible population. My idea of a perfect Arg trip is more along the lines of our romp to Mendoza last year where wine tours, hostel parties and whitewater rafting were among the main activities. But it’s whatever…beggars can’t be choosers…and although I thought about telling CRI to count me out while I went somewhere else, I’d like to experience the tours with a new understanding and get to know the Clemson group that I hardly hang out with.

Yesterday I finally bought earplugs for two reasons: 1) the dogs that scratch and bark, and 2) bus trips.

Probably some of you are thinking “wait what, it’s two little dogs, how much noise could they possibly make”. Well, one day I might record them for you all because some nights the squawking is literally unbearable and murderous thoughts definitely plant themselves firmly in my mind. Not to mention we have A METAL DOOR. Metal doors + four hungry toe nailed feet = psychosis.

Things I’m missing:

-Chipotle

-Cheese fries

-Chai tea

Today is Tuesday and sorry I didn’t post over the weekend but it was largely uneventful except for the time that I broke a sandal and then Hanna and I split a Big Mac (a first for both of us but …ew)

The exam went fine and then we had an oral interview in which I got an 8.5. Afterwards I waited around to see my second informe grade and I got a 9 which was fab news because it meant my average was an 8 (an A)!

Monday we started classes and I had Spanish, Literature, and Social Psychology.

Social Psych doesn’t start until 8:30 at night so after Lit class, I had an hour and a half to bite all of my nails off in a nervy spaz but then I walked in and there are literally 5 other girls and the teacher (who’s a man, surprisingly), so it was really relaxed and they didn’t mind him giving me a lesson (and them a refresher) on the basics of Psychology. Obvs going to Wikipedia some stuff, but I think I’ll be okay because I can understand the terms and concepts which they say is much better than some other foreigners that they have in their classes before.

Today I had at 8:45 (in the MORNING OMG), Publicity and Propaganda, which has way more people (argentines) and 3 other foreigners. Granted, 2 are from Mexico so it’s not like they’re experiencing a language barrier, but still.

So tomorrow (Wednesday) I have practice for the DELE exam, which is a separate class offered by someone in Spain. It’s a licensure that’s useful for those who want to teach Spanish and I think just in general it seems helpful. One cannot get enough grammar practice!!!!

Muy bien

# of hours slept when the dog, Mono, had heartburn: 4

# of pairs of size ten shoes they seem to have in this country: -18

# of temperature and complete weather changes we’ve experienced TODAY: 3

Some of you might be dying for photo proof that I’m here but honestly the only pictures I have are of shoes that I like, the huge cockroach that was on the bathroom wall, and my broken sandal. Oh and then there’s the matter of my Visa picture that I took today which would make our creator himself blush.

Surely after the weekend I’ll upload some….surely…..................