Wednesday, June 17, 2009

one month left....serio?

gah, so I'm feeling so weird as of late. I'm totally in love with Buenos Aires and more so all the people I've met while here. I posted that as my facebook status and Adam, Sara Carothers' boyfriend who I met while he visited her down here, commented on my status, gave it a thumbs up. Even him, this guy I knew for so shortly, was an amazing person. It'd be great to go to a concert with him and Sara some time.

Every person I've met down here has been great and I've learned so much from them. jaja the other day I saw Toby as I was walking down Santa Fe, going to my UBA class I believe...and it was nice to just run into him and wave, super cool guy, I'm glad we live like a block apart. I'm so greatful for everything everyone's shared with me, I've learned so much from all the people I've met here.

Lauren posted pics of Natasha's birthday celebration, the dinner with everyone and Colby's parents, who are amazing people. And then the pics from the club and all of us dancing and being silly. Seriously, I love all these people so much and I've shared so much with them and they've shared so much with me, we've all gone through a lot together the past 4 months and we've been each other's support system, our familia away from home.

At dinner we brought up the fact that in a month we won't be seeing each other on a daily basis anymore. I looked over at Natasha and Kristina and turned to my right to look at Colby and Kat and AH!!! I was gonna start crying. I love these people. I loved last night and I love all the experiences I've had here, the good, the bad, the dumb, the not so smart...all of it, I've grown so much.

I'm ready to go back, I can't wait to see everyone and enjoy LA in the summer, but I'm gonna miss BsAs so much. I feel like I'm another person now and I'm just scared of seeing how I'm going to look at things once I get back. I don't even know if this makes sense, but yes...this is what I've been feeling lately.

Also, I'm barely adjusted and started feeling comfortable here. I was so homesick for so many months and would talk about home nonstop. I finally am doing alright and I have to leave soon. GAH!!! I can't believe this!!! I'm so scared and sad, I guess I'm just scared of the drastic change. blah, whatever, it doesn't matter, talking about it doesn't matter, I just need to enjoy all the time I have left and make the BEST of it, like I have been doing for the past few months!

Friday, June 12, 2009

off to IGUAZU!!!!!

So I'm off to here today!




Last night was good. The day time was whatevs. I went to grammar, this one kid did a really STUPID presentation that I had to hold back my laughter during the whole thing. That last sentence made no sense but I suck at expressing myself lately so don't matter. Yeah, then I met Lauren and I went with her to Retiro bus station in our 1 1/2 between classed and she got her seats on the buses with us, perfecto!!! We had some good convos about family and life and travelling, it was great.

Then we went to Cuestiones Culturales, and of course Corigliano sang a lot, today was great though, he sang a few Village People songs instead of just the usual Peronist songs! jajaja GREAT times. Then during my break, I did my homework for writing class in 2 minutes the got helado with friends...mmmm nothing better than dulce de leche con brownie and banana split flavored helado! Dulce de leche helado here is ridiculous, it's flavored like dulce de leche, but also has dulce de leche swirls in it! mmm....

Then I sadly headed over to my writing class, and Ana had the bad idea of taking a sudoku out during the class, so instead of our usual laughter, I was also sitting there playing sudoku...I even got flat our caught because I was supposed to read and didn't...ooops. jajajaja man, I hate that class, no class in my life has ever moved me to be so disrespectful, except this one!

Whatevs,I ran to the subte (not literally) after the class, passed the usual guy with his cello playing beatles songs, brightened up my mood slightly, then I got home and Marcela and her son Gonzalo were at the house, he's a sweetie, he sat me down right next to him and then sat on my lap! He's so cute and he finally talks to me and brightens up my day!

Then I went outside and met Colby and Kristina at 8:30. We went to a locutorio because Colby really needed to talk to Kenneth. Seems as though Kenneth's not been as frank with Colby as of late, been hanging out with a new "friend". Granted Colby hasn't been frank at all, so I don't want to sound mean, but what else can he expect?

idk, then we walked to Post Street Bar and had their free pizza with some jarras de cerveza. Then Lauren ordered her Bob Marley, and, idk what I ordered, but it was sour, and it was GREAT!!!

I mean, look at this place that we were at:



anyways, we had a great time, then went to a peña and then I started texting Eduardo, and when I arrived home I called him and we talked for 50 minutes, it was great! It was kinda dumb though,I drunkenly said so MUCH, I told him everything about what's happening back home and then in order to do that, I need to tell my whole stupid long story and it was ridiculous. Why did he have to start asking about familias? I can't describe things without going into long winded descriptions, so yes, that was what came spilling out of my mouth. But what's nice, is it's not as terrible as I think it up in my head and if I talk about it it's better for me. He even said, it sounds like you needed to let out a lot and get things off my mind. But yeah, he asked me to buy him a mate from iguazu and he'll pay me back and hopefully, he'll not have work on Monday and he said we can go to la bomba if he doesn't, either way, we're going to try to see eachother monday, can't wait!!

IGUAZU, here I come!!!!!

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

no date...jaja

So today was crazy. I went to class, the usual, the cuentos are actually not that interesting anymore, but oh well. The highlight of the class was when our Prof showed us a documentary on Evita and the cinematography was hilarious. The motion stopped and they panned into Evita's hands, but you could still hear the audion of her speech. Then all of a sudden a flying dove appears in her hands and then more doves. It was so trippy, it was seriously a stoner moment and I turned to Trish and we just cracked up. We couldn't hold back the laughter.

After class, Trish and I walked back to FLACSO and met up with Kat and made our usual Wed. walk to the doner kebab place. The guys there know us already. The old man said that we bring him lots of alegria, but we told him that his place and the food brings us alegria! jajajaja cheesy moment then he brought us our hummus and we chowed down. We left him a good tip at the end. Then, back to FLACSO where I met Naomi and then we went to Retiro and bought our tickets to iguazu!! WOO!!!! So we're set, and my new friend Lauren Moore is coming with us too! Exciting! Then we took the subte again and I got off near the Abasto shopping mall because I was going to meet Colby there so he could calm my nerves before I was supposed to meet Eduardo.

So it's about 4:30ish when I'm there with Colby, and I'm supposed to meet up with Eduardo at 6 and we're looking for a place for Colby to eat when I look at my phone and see that he sent me a text saying that something came up and we'd have to meet another time! GAH!!! So we texted back and forth for a while and Colby and I headed out of the capitalismo I mean mall and found a cafe to munch at. Gah!!! It was so frustrating, but Colby comforted me and we had our usual long convo about life and talked about going to the airport together when we leave. Gosh, I'm gonna be weeping in his arms at the airport if we go together. I don't even want to talk about it. JAJAJA he told me, if I hear about someone going crazy in the Miami airport, screaming things in Spanish and saying "Q se yo!?!?", and rabidly consuming mcdonald's french fries (his only vice) that will definitely be him. The crazy that shuts down the Miami airport. jajaja

After, we walked to the plaza at Facultad de Medicina, and met up with Natasha and Kristina who were finishing up a botella de vino and some cheese. We chatted it up and laughed, then I had to go home becuase I didn't want to get sicker and I told myself I would do homework, but I didn't. Meh, no matter. I went home, ate, tried to do work, talked to la familia, then kim, then eevee shortly, then Eduardo finally called me, and it was a bit of waiting because turns out he's got a horrible night shift schedule at the hospital. He goes in at like 9 pm and leaves at like 6am. GAH!! So he would call and put me on hold or call me back because he had patients and such. It was annoying. Whatevs. But it was nice talking to him, minus the fact that I sound so stupid when I'm nervous and it makes me sound like I barely can speak Spanish. Not to mention the fact that I have a hard time understanding young porteños in general,so it was super confusing and he probably thinks I'm pretty dumb. But he asked me about my family, what life in general is like in LA, what my daily life is like, what I do normally, what people are like over there, if know any humanistos and if people take to the streets the way they do here. So yeah.

Idk if he's interested really. He might just like people and want to have a friend from a different country. But he's super sweet and really intelligent... I hope he's interested. He said to take lots of pics in Iguazu and to post them and such. He said we can hang out on Monday when I get back. Hopefully that actually happens, and hopefully he has it feriado, because then we can go to La Bomba de Tiempo together! aH!!! that would be so great!!!! but either way, I'm going to Iguazu and it's going to be GREAT!!!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

first date? oh snaps! jaja

So today was a GREAT DAY!!! I was in a rush in the morning and had to run down to the lavadero and pick up my laundry that I just threw on the bed. All I had for breakfast was te con leche and an apple. Come to think of it, I didn't really eat well today. Lunch consisted of papas fritas then I waited until dinner to have pizza and salad and soup. jajaja oh the diet of champs, argentine food. Oh I had coffee too! jaja

Then I got to class and the first professor for our Literatura española class passed back our tests and I got a 4 out of 5! This was the same test that I almost didn't do at all because I almost cried because I didn't understand the quote. Well, anyways, I definitely passed and then shortly after she collected the tests, we had a fire drill, so there was no class! Then Karla and I took our break and we returned and our second professor said that everyone did well, the lowest was a 6 out of 10, so no matter what I passed! I kicked ass in this class that I was always intimidated in!! WOO! And it's over, I don't have to do anything else for this class except attend the remaining three sessions. SWEET!!! All of our studying me and Karla did paid off!

Then Karla and I met up with Natasha and had papas fritas together, then headed to FLACSO to use the comps. I was on facebook chat talking to my Bena Li, having a great convo and venting to her about talking to Shanon and how I'm barely realizing they're done and how crazy and different things are gonna be when I get back. THEN...Eduardo starts facebook chatting me and asking me how my day is and everything and finally he asks if we were still on for tomorrow to have some coffee together. So it's set, tomorrow I meet him at the Abasto shopping center for some coffee! Ah!!! jajaja I know it sounds like no big deal, but I never get coffee dates or boys interested in me....so yeah it's scary! AH!!!! But he seems so sweet and chill...too bad he chose the mall...gah I hate the mall, especially this one...so hopefully I don't act too overally socially awkward inside the mall jajaja.

Yup, then I started telling Bena about the date and telling her about him and how he's studying to be a nurse and does theatre improv that centers around social problems. jajaja and she responds, "OMG socially conscious, CHECK!!! We all know how that turns you on!" jajajaja stating the obvious, I do like guys who like to make a difference in the world. Bena knows me too well. Anyways, I'm so excited and scared for tomorrow, but I think it should be fine. Also, I hope I don't get sicker!

Also, I'm going to buy my iguazu tickets tomorrow, so I have so much to look forward to!!! AH!!!!

Monday, June 8, 2009

ah....lunes

so Sunday was weird then great. I had to meet my paper writing partner at a Starbucks in Belgrano, not my choice, twas hers. Anyways, Belgrano is a really nice neighborhood with your usual bunch of high class snobs, add to that the fact that it is STARBUCKS, capitalismo capitalismo capitalismo. Anyways, I hate being in places like that, so not me and I hate it. I got there and just wanted to start pushing put out of the way, they were trapping me in and surrounding me, I hated it. I feel like I'm drowning in social situations like that. To add to the fact, that girl was there with some other FLACSO girls and she didnt bother to save me a seat. So I was standing there, already awkward, then add to that the fact that I don't have a chair..hmm....awkward standing pursues...

Whatever, she had it all figured out and I was out of there within the hour. I got home and Colby called and said they were still in San Telmo, so I took the subte down there and had a snack with them. Then we walked to the Kiosco where Colby's new guy works. This is the same one who picked me up and spun me around at the club. I hadn't seen him since there, but he had one of those stupid smirks on when he did see me. idk, something urks me about this guy....but Colby's into him so can't say anything.

We left them there and Kristina and Natasha and I continued up Defensa, came across a band playing and people. So we opened up a botella de vino and joined the rest of the artesanos there and drank and were merry with them. SO MUCH FUN!!! Then the police drove right threw so the band stopped. We proceeded up Defensa some more and came across a small outdoors milonga and all these cute couples dancing tango. It was absolutely beautiful. jajaja and some old man came over and offered us free tango lessons if we would teach him english, then he asked for my name and I told him and the creeper was like, "Oh Cristal, tenemos q cuidarla, ver q no se quebra!" jajaja smooth man...whatevs...Colby joined us and we bought some food from vendors, it was gorgeous, then we all had to pee so we found a cafe and snacked and such.

Twas a good night.

Today was meh for the most part, errands, casas de cambio, and such. A bit of studying and planning to go to iguazu. I got to finally talk to Shanon and hear from her, that wasn't too happy for me. I'm just scared of having to deal with so much change when I go back, changes in my family, changes in relationships, it's all so scary.

Whatevs, but I also got to talk to Kim, then my mom and robert, and that was good. While I was talking to the familia, Eduardo, the kid from Avantt started texting me and asking me what I was up to. He was inquiring as to our cafe date and asking when I was free and such. Turns out he's a busy man, works at night, then organizing community theatre that centers around pointing out social problems. Yes, then after I hung up with the familia, he called me and FML, I get so nervous!!! Seriously, he was talking it up and telling me all about his amazing theatre aspirations about calling out social injustices and mobilizing people through theatre, and there I am unable to make coherent sentences. BLAH!!!! why!!! He probably thought I was so stupid or so disinterested or so apathetic, but no I swear you're super cool I just get nervous! kfaldskfjaldkfja whatevs, but we have plans to try to hang out sometime this week before I leave for Iguazu this Friday...hopefully that goes well!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Avantt dreams and a bit of Peronismo

Ah, another great weekend, the theme: meeting new people...

So Thursday was GREAT! I got out of my grammar class early so that I could go on my field trip for Cuestiones Culturales. We were all meeting at the CGT (Confederacion General de Trabajo)which was started and created by Eva Peron. Our tour was guided by an oldschool Peronista who was this old man who actually got to meet Evita. He was great, he was so passionate and proud of his country and not afraid to completely fight for rights. He showed us the room where Evita's secretary worked and where Evita received her visitors, which was now turned into a huge altar like shrine to Evita, it was beautiful. Being an altar coneisour (sp?) I rather enjoyed this place, turns out her body was on display for three years in that room. I love it, everyone else was creeped out by it, but really what's to be creeped out by? Whatevs, it was beautiful,plus the old man talked about the 17 de Octubre speech Peron gave and how everyone was just possessed by so much emotion and enthusiasm, not really for Juan Peron but for Evita, she was the people's politician, she believed in fighting for her barrio and their workers, she moved so many people. As the old man talked about her death, he began to tear up. It's amazing how much she inspired in people. I know some kids in my class thought the fieldtrip was stupid, but I thought it was beautiful and it was amazing to see this man and get to know him.

After, me and my friends went and had lunch and the meal came with vino tinto, so I said hell yes and was a little buzzed during the lunch. After, we went to the Plaza de Mayo and got to see the Madres do their ritual walk at 3:30, it was great. It must be so consoling doing that...it's amazing seeing those strong womyn still luchando and never forgetting. Then Natasha and I followed this commotion and some acrobatic kids to this demonstration. Turns out the acrobatic kids put up this aparatus and starting juggling and doing aerial acrobatics on the aparatus. That and the flags and the live music and the Che images and the communist flags, it was so GREAT!!!! I love this city.

Sadly I had to make it over to my lame writing class at 5:30 and had an awkward 2 hours with our stupid teacher... I didn't even do my hw so I just sat there dumbly and tried to find ways to distract our teacher...That stupid class literally makes me feel like I'm in junior high again. He asked us why we all have to go to the bathroom all the time, truth is, I don't go to the bathroom when I step outside, I just stand there in the hallway to take a breather, that class SUCKS!!! jaja

So I went home ate, and then just got helado with my new friend Lauren and her friend Eric. She's super cool. Then I had an easy night in and went to bed early.

Friday, I walked all over the city, it was great and had some nice alone time. Walked to bib nacional, took pics, walked to Centro Cultural Recoleta, walked to this used clothing galeria and bought this short sleeved sweater thing for 40 pesos ($12), then took a bus to the centro and ate at this amazing place called California Burrito Company that all my friends had been talking about. I fell in love. The inside looked like your average San Gabriel Valley hawaiian bbq (jaja silly) minus the hawaiian food and the azn servers! The food was great, they actually had carnitas, and they were playing the Foo Fighters! I never thought that I would say this, but I miss KROQ and their repetitive crappy rock music. I don't actually have the Foos on my itunes because if I want to hear them, I just turn on the radio, not the case here. But it was crazy great hearing that and it felt like I was actually back at home! I loved it!

I stuffed my face with the burrito and chips and salsa then... I don't remember I believe I went home and chilled then met up with Lauren and had some spring rolls with her at a hole in the wall chinese restaurant that I love. Then we met Elizabeth and found this grungy bar with stencil graffiti art covering the walls. They give you popcorn as an appetizer and they have free pizza thursday and Alida later told me that they have a sweet terrace. I'm going back. So we chilled there the rest of the night and just chatted up the night. Walked home and of course Rossana was still awake at like 3 am.

Saturday, I woke up late, chilled at home and then Lauren contacted me and said she wanted to check out the vintage galeria so we went and I bought a sweet vintage hand painted purse and she bought this cute top to wear on her date later that night with this bartender from Bomba de Tiempo, sweet! Then we took the subte over to the movies where we were supposed to watch an Argentine movie with our grupo de interes but Aime was confused and we ended up watching Adventureland, super awkward, but still funny, another hit for Seth Rogan! jaja

Then Aime took us all to a cafe for a drink. Lauren and I then headed back to our barrio and ate pizza together,mmmm...brocoli! Then we parted, she for her date, me to Elizabeth's, I had finally successfully convinced her to come out. We met at her dorm, which is amazing and I'm jealous I didn't pick doing the dorm thing. oh well. We had a few drinks together then got to Avantt via colectivo. She was immediately grossed out by all the emo/indie kids, to which I responded, how could you not be in love with all these kids? jaja got in, free as usual. I also unestimated the smoke, Elizabeth was not feeling it because of her asthma, but she was starting to feel the music. Loving and a few others showed up and soon I saw Zelmar as usual at a distance with his long haired friend. Seriously, I feel like a teenage girl in love with a rock star when I see him. jajajaja I don't know why. Anways, I said hi to him and his friend and made small talk, but returned to my group of friends and later saw him making out with some girl, the first of several times. ah, heartbreak. but really, at that moment I stepped out of my stupid little girl crush and the subsuelo had opened up so we headed downstairs and I randomly chatted it up with this kid named Lucas. It was alright, talked about music and such, kinda awk, but whatevs, I just left and that was that. No harm done.

Later we moved back up to the main floor and we were all dancing in a circle and I started checking out this boy next to us who was dancing and just having a good time with his friends. Slowly I kinda just danced over to him and we started dancing together. It was great. Then we started talking, his names Eduardo, 25, studying to be an enfermero and was pretty free spirited. It was nice. It was really hard to talk in there. But he gave me his number and when I was on the colectivo home at around 5am I texted him and said it was great meeting him and such and he said we should get coffee soon. ah!!! crazy! ooh also, he goes to lots of shows and said we should go to some together. I'm so excited, he's a sweet guy, he added me on facebook and he's really involved in this organization that teaches kids about non-violence...jaja it's just all too ideal. A smart, cute, conscious kid who likes to also rock out to the strokes and such. It's great!