Last week, I said that I might get tacos, but alas, that didn't happen. Instead, though, we went on an adventure to find pizza! I've had pizza while I've been here, but it's definitely not the same as United Statesian pizza, but we found a place that even has pepperoni, which is honestly a miracle. It's like something I know I miss, food, I mean, but until you retaste something that you haven't eaten in a long time, you don't really understand how much you've missed it. (Am I even homesick, or just homesick for food?)
And today we had "hamburgers" (it's been so long since I've had them, I apparently can't spell hamburger???) and they were okay. But like, not the hamburgers I have at home. So, Dad, my only request is when I get home, we have hamburgers, like immediately. All the other important food can wait. It doesn't even matter that might flight gets in at 9:40 am Minnesota time. It's fine.
Anyway, in other news, last weekend, we went to some fairs, which were basically like craft fairs, but larger and more permanent. I bought a small orange turtle to add to my collection of turtles, and also as a nice comfort item for here, because I didn't bring any turtles with me, apart from turtles I can wear. I haven't decided on a name yet, despite some average suggestions from some of my friends.
I also got these strawberry candies, which were very good, and cost like 10 cents a piece, and I ate them all and didn't share with anyone, like the good person I am. I think they were homemade and everything, so that makes them even more delicious!
The less good part of that day was all my friend people were like gone on a trip to the far south, and so there weren't a whole lot of people to hang out with? Like everyone is nice and stuff, but I don't know them as well, and because of who I am as a person, it's sometimes hard to figure out how to fit in to social groups where I'm not already accepted as one of the main members. So that was a little tricky, but I survived. And some of us went to get ice cream after we were done wandering around the fair, so that was a yummy time. However, I don't always understand regular person conversation. Again, unknown if it's just because of who I am, or if I am somehow weirdly unknowledgeable about small talk conversation in general, but it is hard for me. Like, all these people were just talking about hair. What can there possibly be to say about your hair that could last for a half hour conversation?!?! And then someone asked me about my hair? And how I got it to look so naturally blonde? Like, I HAVE NEVER DYED MY HAIR IN MY LIFE THIS IS JUST HOW BLONDE IT IS I'M SORRY. So I kind of left after I had finished my ice cream, and took the subway home all by myself.
The rest of the week was pretty uneventful. I did classes, which were good. I didn't have my translation class, because it's on Friday, and Friday was a holiday this week, so that was sad. But we had homework for class, and we were supposed to translate this thing from English into Spanish, which I did, but it vaguely sounded like someone had taken something already in Spanish, averagely translated back into English, and then told us to put it back in Spanish. Some of the grammar was super weird, and I was like, no one would write this. But I guess we'll see when we discuss it on next Friday.
The holiday was the 24th of March, which is a memorial sort of holiday to remember the first day of the last military dictatorship of 1976. So there were lots of marches and stuff apparently (but I couldn't find any to go to) and activities and stuff. Because it's important to remember all the people who "disappeared" during these years.
So because it was a holiday, we went out to party! or not party and just hang out and drink. And also we wanted to watch the "soccer" game, because we couldn't get tickets to it, like the nerds we are. So we started off at this one chicken place that I wanted to try. I had some Nuggets, which is what they're actually called. And I tried some beers, and they were not good. But then my friends suggested that I try a different drink that was supposed to be fruity. So I purchased my first drink. It was underwhelming; they didn't even card me, and they just made it. But I think someone somewhere has a picture of me floating around with my first drink ever.
But it was still kind of gross. Like, who even likes alcohol? It tastes like the worst cough medicine. I don't understand. But apparently the goal is to make me like it by the time I'm done here. Unclear if that will actually happen or not. But they can always try.
Today I tried to go do homework at the university, but this guy stopped me when I got there and said the library was closed because it's a long weekend. And I asked if I could just sit on the chairs and stuff and do work in the upstairs lobby that's always open, and he said no? Like, what is the point of the university being open if no one can go in? This guy is just paid to keep the door open and tell people to go away?? So instead I went to Starbucks to study.
Not that I frequent Starbucks often in the US, but it seems like there are less choices here for things to get. I don't like coffee, so it's probably my fault for limiting my options. But there was something called Strawberry Yogurt, and I ordered that and was like, "please be a smoothie please be a smoothie" and lucky for me it was! So I did homework there for a while, and was generally distracted by the extreme PDA of other cafe patrons.
And then I went to a polo match! For anyone who doesn't know what that is, it's where people ride horses around a giant field with like croquet mallets and try to get a small ball into a goal. It was a really interesting time. I feel kind of bad for the horses, though, cause sometimes they get hit by things, but it seems like they do okay. Except for the one horse that was apparently done with getting hit by things and rolled his rider off his back and crushed him with his body. That was a scary time. They have high-speed ambulances for any crushing that occurs though, and the guy seemed to be okay.
Next weekend we get to go to Uruguay! We get to take a ferry across the river that usually fakes people out because it looks like an ocean, but it's actually a river. And we'll just hang out in Uruguay for the day and then come home! I'm pretty excited for that, and I get to get another stamp in my passport, which will be a good time. Hopefully I'll have the chance to go to at least Chile while I'm here.
Also, today while I was at Starbucks, they asked me for my name, and based on previous encounters of people asking for my name, I said, Jen, with a J, but in Spanish. And when I got my smoothie, it said Jan. So, I mean, closer than previous attempts, which have ended with either Yen or Llen, both of which are pronounced with a J sound here in Buenos Aires. I'm thinking maybe I should adopt one of those. I don't mind. It gives me the cool name I've always wanted!
I think that's all the exciting news I have! Only four more months here, I will try and keep you all updated as much as possible! Don't die!
PS: FoOdS?!?!?!
- Strawberry candies
- American Cookie Ice Cream - Oreos with dulce de leche mixed in
- Campari con naranja - this was the alcohol that I ordered
- Nuggets??
- Chocolate and Vanilla striped cookies filled with quince fruit (which according to Wikipedia looks like a pear, but according to me tastes like raspberries)
- Chocolate chip mousse - I count this because it's definitely different from the mousse I've had in the US, but still good, but also very filling and I couldn't finish it all so my host mom said she would save it for me for the next day but the next day someone had eaten it probably my host mom's son who lives here and is weird but I'm not mad it's fine
PSS: Here is Xander who deals with panicking by making himself into a burrito and listening to Coldplay:
Xander is never a metaphor for me in these blog posts. Never.
"average suggestions" for your turle name...gee thanks! ;p
ReplyDeletePeople getting crushed!
Oh Xander!