Kristen la Exploradora: Nuestra Primera Semana

A few highlights from nuestra primera semana en Buenos Aires!

Spanglish...

On Wednesday, Dan and I went to a Spanglish language exchange event at a bar in Palermo. It was a bit like speed-dating, with different goals of course! There were about 7 bar tables, each with 1-2 spanish speakers and 1-2 english speakers. The first 5 min are spent talking to each other in spanish, the next 5 min in english, then we rotate tables and do it all over with a new group of people! People there came from all levels of language skills, but I have to say that Dan and I were among the top! Don't get me wrong, we've got a lot of work to do, but not a bad feeling :)

Country Music?

Later on Wednesday night, while looking around for a good empanadas/pizza place to dine, we came across a bar with a live band. They were just warming up when we sat down, but they ended up being an Argentine group who play US country music covers... slightly comforting to hear so many miles away from home! Their southern accent was perfect, hard to believe they had never been to the States! They loved having us their and even played a special canción (song) for us, their only US fans! It's really funny that here in BA, they listen to more US and English music than their own. In fact, our upstairs neighbors are blasting the Beatles right this very moment! Hilarious!

Espanol...

It's going really well! Dan and I have made a pack to speak only spanish between the two of us. It can be a little frustrating sometimes but has been incredibly helpful. Of course our vocab is limited, but after one week, we are already talking more naturally and confidently. Sometimes shopkeepers will see that we're American and try to speak english with us... if I respond in english, Dan gives me major demerits. If we REALLY need to communcate in english to talk about important stuff (like tricky lodging planning), we have to grant eachother permission, but usually that's the last resort. Every day we've been writing in spanish in our journals and are making a list of new vocabulary. I think we're up to about 80 palabras nuevas - not bad, right?

We've also been looking around for a spanish teacher. Thursday afternoon we set up a lesson with a woman named Cecilia who teaches classes from her home in the Villa Crespo Barrio. She was awesome, but the bus ride their on colectivo #110 was a bit far... not sure if we'll continue with her. While at her house, she offered us some mate, a south american tea drinking ritual. I'm glad we tried it but it wasn't my favorite... a little amargo (bitter) for my liking. You also have to drink from the same gourd and same straw... which seems kinda gross, but that's the tradition. It's supposed to symbolize friendship between those drinking.

There is another spanish class that's closer to where we're staying - hoping to check that out first thing onMonday morning.

I mentioned that we're living with a few Porteños, right? Best decision so far and soooo helpful - social education is defintely the way to go!

Los Bailarines?

In addition to learning the language, we are also learning their dances! Our first Tango class was on Thursday, and I'm determined to drag Dan back on this coming Tuesday and Thursday... and possibley a class dance club outing on Wednesday. He may say the opposite, but I know he loves it ;)

Dan and Kristen, Las Touristas...

On Friday we went on a free walking tour of the Recoleta cementary and surrounding mansions with Buena Onda Free Tours. Our guide, Carlita, was so sweet and so much fun to be around. Since we were the only patrons, we asked her to give the tour in spanish... which turned into a free three hour language/culture/history class for us! The Recoleta Cementary is the third most important in the world, after those from Paris and Genoa, for the size, architecture, and important remains. We saw Evita's tomb among others, each with it's own interesting story. The freakiest was about a 19 year old girl who was found dead in her bedroom, pronounced dead, and placed in her coffin. A few days later, the cemetery workers heard noises coming from her tomb. They later opened her coffin to find her dead, but with scratch marks from trying to escape... apparently she suffered from an epilepsy attack and appeared dead, without pulse, at the time she was pronounced dead!

Los Boliches...

Last night we went out dancing for the first time here with our new roommates and their friends. The thing about boliches is that nothing gets really started until around 4AM... arriving at 2AM gets you in the doors for free with the other early birds. We hung around the apartment until about 3AM, sipping yummy cocktails prepared by one of our roomies, Martin, and chatting with his friend, another Martin. Carla does promotions for the boliche we went to, which happens to be owned by her boyfriend's sister. Once we got their, not only did we get free entry, we got a special reserved area, and free drinks all night long! Being the old fogies we are, Dan and I left to go home around 6AM... which may be later than any Vegas night I've every had! I'm pretty sure that our roommates are still sleeping in right now... at 7PM! Craziness!

Dan and I had a nice little Easter Brunch/Supper this afternoon and are now thinking about hiding a few candies around the house to conduct our own Easter-Egg Hunt. Dan is in an exceptionally good mood right now - he's been streaming the Tigers v. Red Socks game while I've been sharing our stories with you all. Tigers beat the Red Socks in the 11 inning on a walk-off home run!! Looks like we can now catch a bit of the Giants Game - things are looking good so far, we're up 6-2 in the 6th against Arizona!

Okey-doke, time for me to sign off for now!

If you are celebrating, I hope you all have a fun Easter with your friends and family!

Besos,

Kristen La Exploradora

P.S. Here are a few pics from our adventures this week!

First Parrilla experience