"It's Only Monopoly Money"

Argentine pesos are so much easier to spend than US dollars. Pesos are still so foreign looking to us, it feels like we are spending Monopoly money.

Purse Vendor: "It's 110 pesos..."
Malaina: "OK! I'll take it!"

See... spending money here is "easy as pie." (name that movie!) But seriously, I'm blowing through cash faster than I can "pass go and collect my $200."

Today we kind of slept in. I got up and booked it to the guitar shop; I've been emailing my guitar teacher at BYU and he's made me aware that there could be a problem bringing a guitar from a humid climate to a dry climate. A friend in ensemble bought a guitar in South America and it started to dry out and crack when he brought it back to Utah; I don't know how diligent he was with putting a humidifier attachment in with the guitar when it was in the case. I found another guitar that is cheaper and that I like a lot more than the more expensive one I tried yesterday. I'm emailing a guitar luthier/friend of my teacher and asking him about the whole humidity/climate deal; I hope he gets back to me before Monday and tells me what I want to hear (i.e. climate will be no problem... have a fabulous time buying the guitar).

Amanda and I ate lunch at a parilla; I just got a piece of chicken but Amanda got a whole side of beef (ok not really but there was a lot). We ventured on the bus and made our way to the neighborhood Recoleta- it's home to the famous Recoleta cemetery where famous people like Eva Peron are buried.

There was a fabulous market/fair outside the cemetary.

We got a tinsy bit side tracked and by the time we got to the cemetary entrance they were kicking people out because it was closed. Ok so we are totally lame for getting there too late; we will go back and see the cemetary before leaving Buenos Aires. Tomorrow we get up EARLY! We are going to a Football game tomorrow and we need to see La Boca and San Telmo tomorrow.

We were walking down the street and found a classical guitarist playing with an amp... I had to stop and listen. He was really good... his technique looked good; I wasn't awed or anything but it was really nice to listen to.

We went to a dinner/tango show at a theater that was litterally one block from our hostel (we are so close to everything, it really is a fantastic location).

You can see part of the theater in the background...

We were both awed by the dancing...

The video below is only a small fraction of what we saw...

Amanda and I had to be the youngest ones in the theater. It was expensive but we both decided that we couldn't leave Buenos Aires without having gone to a tango show.

Buenos Aires

We took a night bus that left Cordoba at 10:15. We bought "full-cama" seats or seats that recline into beds; they were a lot bigger and nicer than airplane seats- except there was a big wad of gum on my seat. Needless to say, I (or I should say Amanda) didn't notice it until after walking around the bus terminal; she asked me what was all over my butt and then couldn't stop laughing. I didn't think it was that funny. I did think it was funny that she forgot to pack underwear though...

The food was nothing special. After the bus worker (I don't know what to call him) finished picking up all the trash, he came by with a tray full of some type of drink. He repeated it a couple of times but we just COULD NOT UNDERSTAND what he was saying; Amanda (afraid to miss ANYTHING) immediately took a cup- she still didn't know what it was. We were thinking it was some Argentine tea or herbal drink or something we just hadn't come across yet. I took the cup from her and we both sniffed it- it smelled different but we couldn't figure it out. I took a sip and it was pretty nasty; Amanda took a big gulp and it started burning. Ok, so maybe we really are two naive little LDS chicas and not the grand world travelers we'd like to think we are... it was whiskey.

After our "nightcap" we had a good laugh and slept most of the way to Buenos Aires; we arrived around 7:30 the next morning. It wasn't too bad... I slept about the same as I would have on a 10 hour flight.

Buenos Aires is absolutely incredible! We went to our hostel (it's located right in the middle of everything) dropped off our stuff and then headed towards the guitar shop (which turned out to be a few blocks up the street from us). I think I've found the guitar; it's really expensive so I have to think about it and decide by Monday.

We then headed towards the Plaza de Mayo which commemorates a resolution that lead to Argentine independence from Spain. The Plaza de Mayo was also made famous by a group of mothers that would march in protest because their children disappeared during the dirty war (period of military dictatorship 1976-1983).

This is the main cathedral in/near the Plaza

Ok so I just realized most of the pictures from the Plaza de Mayo are on Amanda's camera- I'll post them later.

We also went to the Plaza de la Republica where the big Obelisk is. It was constructed to commemorate the 400th aniversary of the first founding of the city.

Across the street from El Obelisco waiting to cross like 10 lanes of traffic...

We walked along Corrientes which can be compared to New York's Broadway. We found a musical version of Othello and decided to get tickets.

I love this shot... it's of us eating across the street from the theater after the show; you can see the theater "Teatro El Nacional" in the background.

Please note the white sandals. We had an hour and a half before the play started and the only shoes I had with me were my orange birkenstocks. We were a ways away from the hostel (and we had to run back to change and clean up) and I just wasn't finding the right shoes... I was being picky. I wanted some nice leather shoes and nothing was "speaking to me"- time was running out so I settled for some rubbery/plastic white sandals that are actually starting to grow on me. I am liking them a lot.

After intermission we snuck down from our cheap seats and sat where we could feel the air conditioner and have leg room to stretch our feet.

The whole thing was very nicely done. Othello was a Shakespeare that I never read in high school (my teacher preferred 1,000 page Russian tragedies where you get all the way through just to find out they throw themselves under a train).

We both got the gist of what was going on.

Tomorrow we go to Recoletta, La Boca, and maybe a tango show...

The Worst Pedicure EVER!

The whole culture shock thing is setting in. Who am I kidding? I've felt twinges of it from the beginning; at least I knew it was coming and I knew what to expect. When we moved to Malaysia I was a neurotic mess at the beginning- I was neurotic before we even got there! (but that's a whole other story) At least here the bouts of homesickness and culture shock last for a few hours and then pass on so I can go on with the rest of my day. It is always so much easier to blame your problems and frustrations on everyone else- that's why I have to remind myself that I'm the foreigner, the guest in this country that doesn't speak the language and doesn't know what she's doing.

Everyone here has been extremely nice and helpful- I'm just frustrated with me. Not being able to do the simplest things- like take a bus (because there are a million buses and I can't even remember how to say ¨bus stop¨ to ask where one is), or think of a single intelligent thing to say to the girls in the lab (I probably sound like a five year- old child) or figure out how to chew out the pedicure lady for torturing me (I'm getting to that, BELIEVE ME). Enough with the self-pity. I know I'm going to get to the point where I'm not so awkward and things come easier- it just takes time. This is all part of living abroad; does three months count? I say it counts

So I had to have a pedicure...

I kept an eye out, asked around, and finally found a place that advertised manicures and pedicures. In my wildest dreams I was hoping that pedicures in Argentina would be as nice and affordable as they were in Malaysia; NOT SO.

Normally when you get a pedi you soak your feet in a hot bath to soften everything up. At this joint they pulled out a freaking sander and went to work! I know my feet were a tad bit calloused but come on! Does this remind anyone else of that scene in Dumb and Dumber when they pull out the saw to trim Harry's toe nails? (My feet weren't that bad- promise)

A photo of the torture weapons...

So I'm not very proficient with Spanish- I figured sounds like "Ouch!" or "AH!" or audible gasps of breath combined with moving my foot away, were universal for "Damn lady, that hurts! Lighten it up a bit will ya?!!" Sadly, these signals were not universal.

I'm the dumbie for not walking out. I couldn't though- as bad as the whole experience was, I was morbidly fascinated. The whole process was unlike anything I'd ever seen; I kind of sat there and stared with my mouth hanging open- drool about to escape at any moment. At least now my curiosity has been appeased and I KNOW that I'm not missing out on anything.

After the whole fiasco, I stopped by a grocery store to get some baking powder and some shortening... I had my great grandmother's tortilla recipe in hand; I was on a mission. I found the baking powder, but what about the shortening? I knew I wasn't going to find Crisco, but I looked and looked for some kind of equivalent. I finally broke down and asked the girl at the pastry counter- I knew enough Spanish to describe what I needed (snaps for me!) and she found me some lard. It then occurred to me that even though the recipe called for Crisco, they probably didn't have the chemically- manufacterd/partially- hydrogenated/trans- fatty goodness of Crisco back when my great grandma made tortillas. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that she used lard? My grandma will let me know.

I've never made tortillas before but I think they turned out good.

They tasted really good...

We were both quite happy.

Amanda and I are leaving for Buenos Aires tonight (above picture is of us buying our tickets); all we have left to do is book a hostel. I probably won't be blogging for a few days but who knows? All I know is that I'm coming back with a guitar...

San Valentín in Alta Gracia (cuidado, it's a long one)

We took a little day trip yesterday to Alta Gracia- it's about an hour's bus ride away from Cordoba.  There was an old Jesuit estancia and a chapel.  We went inside and saw a large crowd of people with two at the front- we were able to see the end of their marriage ceremony.

We waited outside to doors and Amanda snapped this photo as the happy couple made their way outside.  We went to Alta Gracia with two other girls from our language school- until one of them said, "How sweet, they were married on Valentine's day!" I had forgotten all about the holiday.

I loved how the photographers followed them and took the photos as they made their way out- there wasn't really any posing.  Whenever I've been waiting outside for couples to come out of the temple, its been followed by family shots, friend shots, bride's maid shots, groom shots and a million other combinations- not that there's anything wrong with that.  As soon as people started throwing rice, I hopefully asked Amanda, "do they let you do that outside the temple?" We both kind of doubted it.  The couple didn't stick around long; within 10 minutes they were in their getaway car driving off.  I bet they had a fantastic party later with friends and family.

Alta Gracia was a really charming and quiet little town... the perfect place for a simple wedding with your friends and family in attendance.

We next headed over to Ernesto Che Guevara's childhood house.  He was born in Rosario in the Santa Fe Province of Argentina; his family moved to Alta Gracia when he was a child because he had really severe asthma and the doctors thought the air in Alta Gracia would help.

Che Guevara met Fidel Castro in Mexico, and then later agreed to join his 26th of July movement by helping invade Cuba and overthrow Fulgencio Batista; the two had a long-lasting relationship.  "To some Che Guevara is a hero that fought for freedom; to others he is the spokesperson of a failed ideology, and a ruthless executioner who didn't afford others the legal process" (wikipedia, because where else do you research stuff?).  

The image above (turned into a monograph) has become a pop culture symbol (outside of Latin America) and is often seen on shirts, hats, bags and whatever else you can think of.  To many it's a symbol of dissent, rebellion, political awareness, or civil disobedience and less a representation of Che Guevara's politics/ideology.  

Che Guevara's house:

Amanda and I broke away from the other two girls that went with us because I wanted to go to the Manuel de Falla museum and I could tell the other two girls didn't care about going one little bit.  Amanda hadn't really heard of Manuel de Falla but was upbeat and happy to go with me- that's one thing I appreciate about her, she's always upbeat and ready to go try anything.

Manuel de Falla was a composer from Cadiz, Spain.  After the Spanish Civil War ended, Manuel de Falla moved to Alta Gracia where he died in 1946- I'm pretty sure he moved there (at least in part) for health reasons.  His house (now a museum) was a few blocks away from Che Guevara's.  

Manuel de Falla wrote operas, symphonies, piano concertos and... GUITAR MUSIC!  I think a lot of the classical guitar music has been transcribed from other instruments but whatever, it still counts.  In the classical guitar world there is a large competition through the Guitar Federation of America- winners of this competition and other international competitions come through Salt Lake City every few months and play recitals (or concertos with the Utah Symphony).  I always try to make it to these concerts- I LOVE going.  Anyway, these world- class guitarists play pieces by Manuel de Falla all the time; they are pieces I have heard over and over and still enjoy listening to.  One day when I'm a master guitarist I will play them.

So we weren't supposed to take pictures inside but...

I absolutely had to...

Look! A piece composed JUST for the classical guitar... an homage to Claude Debussy.

I may as well just come out and say it: I enjoyed the Manuel de Falla museum WAY more than the Che Guevara museum even though the Guevara museum is more popular (we were the only ones at the de Falla museum).

After the Maneul de Falla museum we went back to the Jesuit estancia to look around.

There was a really neat and sophisticated irrigation system (which I can't show you because they wouldn't let us take pictures inside- don't know why).  This estancia was built in the 17th century and offered economical support to the Colegio Máximo which is now known as the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba- the oldest school in Argentina, and second oldest school in South America.  

The other two girls we were with wanted to meet up at a parilla after we were done looking around; I'm glad it wasn't open because I wasn't that hungry and didn't want to strap on the feed bag just then.  The other two girls bought some nasty sandwich at a kiosk but I'm glad I held out because there was a salami (en español: salame) vendor across the street.

It was amazing... you can tell by the way my eyes are glazed over.

I even made friends with Luciana- the vendor that sold us the salame.  She's from Córdoba but lives with her grandparents in Alta Gracia- she's got a lot of family in Alta Gracia.  Her favorite movie is The Terminator with Arnold Schwarzenegger.  

The only downer to the trip was that one of the girls had a bad attitude towards the end of the day.  We couldn't find the bus depot and ended up walking at least 45 minutes out of the way- in her defense it was hot and humid and she was probably tired- but when you're in a foreign country and don't speak the language very well, you're going to walk in circles and get lost.  You just are.  She said something pretty nasty that totally embarrassed me because a local family was walking by and heard; at first I didn't quite believe what she had said but then I asked Amanda later and it turns out I heard right.  She might as well have stamped "Ugly American Tourist" on her forehead- ours as well because we were with her!  That's the last trip I do with ANYONE from the language school; at least with Amanda I know she's got class and wouldn't act like that.  It didn't occur to me ahead of time that something like this might happen.  Live and learn.

Other than the incident mentioned above, we had a really fun day.

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

I NEVER buy it at home.

I haven't eaten it in YEARS.

But tonight I made Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.

The food in Argentina is amazing- the beef is superb.  You can get pastas, pastries, ice creams, amazing fruit (I eat two or three peaches every day), pizza, sandwiches, yogurts- all foods familiar to an American palate.  As amazing as all the food is, nothing, I repeat nothing, is the quite the same.  I don't want it to be the same, that's why I came to Argentina.

When I was packing before my trip, my mother told me specifically to put some macaroni & cheese, peanut butter, and Cup of Noodles into my suitcase because "they'd sound good" when I got there (I also stole some Cheerios from my parent's food storage, and then bought some Reese's at Albertson's). Having lived in Malaysia for two years, we knew that there are certain quintessential American foods- like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese/peanut butter- that are somehow comforting when you are away from home.  At home I eat a PB&J maybe once a month and Reese's only at the movie theater when Jordan sneaks them in.  However, in a month or so a Cup of Noodles and a Reese's is really going to hit the spot.  

I'm all for trying the different foods, eating what the Argentines eat and not complaining when things are different, or you can't find what you want and so on, blah, blah, blah...but I'm an American.  

Sometimes you just need something that is quintessentially American.

"The longest dinner ever...but it didn't even feel that long!"- Amanda Martinez

Forgive the title of this post, it's 1:30AM and we just got home from dinner.  Our professor invited us to a dinner to say goodbye to a friend of hers from Colombia that was working here in Cordoba.  We got an email about it a week ago but didn't really take much time to read it- we both scanned it but missed the part that mentioned it also being a welcome dinner for Amanda and I.

 

Pía is sitting next to me, and Andrea is across from me; Martín is to her right. Sandra is hidden by Martín (she is Dr. Sersic's friend that is going back to Colombia), and Dr. sersic is seen behind Martín.  I don't know the guy's name on the far end, but Marcella (his wife) is holding their really cute baby.  Next to Marcella, Andrea (Dr. Sersic's husband) is sitting next to Amanda.

Pía is really sweet and patient; she takes time to speak to me and help me understand what's going on.  Andrea is also really nice, she spent some time helping me speak tonight and I really appreciated that.  

We met Martín for the first time tonight (Sandra is sitting next to him); he was funny and really nice- he offered to take Amanda, Pía, Andrea and I to a football game next weekend

We went to a parrilla or Argentine grill/barbeque; we had morcilla (blood sausauge- kind of different but not bad), chinchulines (intestine- chewy, that's all I'm gonna say), vacio (sirloin/porterhouse), pork, another really thin piece of beef, papas fritas con huevos (french fries with eggs- surprisingly good).  Everyone ordered el diente liebre- all you can eat sampling of everything off the asado (grill).  The whole dinner and conversation process went on from 9:30pm past 1:00am.

It turns out that the most famous basketball team in Córdoba- Atenas- was eating at the same place.  I was walking in with Pía, Martín, and Sandra when Martín noticed Diego Osella standing outside.  I was told that Diego Osella is the most famous player of them all:

We went over for a photo... (there was one with me but half my head was cut out)

 

It turns out one of the players was from California; Amanda was talking with him and ended up giving him her email- he said he'd email some free game tickets.  We're hoping he doesn't forget.

Earlier today I participated in my first, real "pass-the-mate-around" ceremony (I don't know what it's called).  A mate is filled with yerba and hot water and then shared among friends; when it's your turn you drink it (without swirling the straw around) until it "slurps."  It then gets refilled and passed around a circle- it was more bitter than I remember, but it was good (and it helped wake me up).  

Ok, it's late, more later... Buenas Noches.

Amanda and I have been really busy since our Spanish classes started yesterday; we take about a 45 minute walk to school, spend four hours working on Spanish, walk to the lab and then spend another 5-6 hours working there.  I think the Spanish classes are helping- I'll need lots more practice but they are a good review.  

We went out to dinner last night with some people from our language school- we went to a tango/milonga restaurant.  We had drinks (without alcohol for us two LDS chicas), empanadas, and chicken.  Tango classes are taught at this place and a class got out while we were eating so they turned up the music and people started dancing.  To be honest, I just wasn't that into it. Everyone was friendly but I'm not an extrovert so if I don't butt myself into a conversation I'm usually content to sit and listen; Amanda is completely opposite- always upbeat, singing something, talking and seeking out the next activity.  When I don't get a lot of sleep there's very little that makes me happy- I get depressed and feel sorry for myself.  I wish it wasn't so, but I've just always been that way; Amanda must think I'm insane.  

  

More about the lab work:

Right now it seems like I'm going to be analyzing a bunch of data; I'm building a database of photos to plug into a computer program.  We're trying to quantify the average shape of a species of flower; there are samples from about 30 different populations of this flower from all over Argentina. We are going to use the photos to calculate shape- which is more specific than just measuring the width or height; we are looking for variations in morphology (shape) between populations and the factors that cause this variation.  Dr. Sersic's lab focuses on pollination biology- in my case we are looking at how pollination of Anarthrophyllum desideratum (my flower) by different birds in various regions of Argentina contributes to changes in morphology.  Different pollinators, geographic features such as rivers, lakes, and mountains- all contribute to speciation (new species branching off from each other); the over-all project is aimed at finding out what factors cause speciation in Patagonia. 

Me at la computadora:

Un photo del laboratorio (are the prepositions correct? I don't know, that's why I'm taking Spanish classes!)

Everyone's mate cups; I guess mate is as important to Argentines as coffee is to most Americans (though you can't actually buy mate at a cafe or restaurant).  Yerba-literally herb-goes into the mate (the actual cup) with hot water (I've had it before, it's not bad- tasted like herbal tea to me but what do I know?).  The straw is called a bombilla- it filters the herbs from going up.

Did I mention that La Universidad Nacional de Cordoba is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site called the Jesuit Block?  Jesuit missionaries settled and built these buildings in the early 1600's but were later kicked out.  We finished with our lab work and walked around outside for a bit... we found this really beautiful hibiscus plant/tree.

We shared a lomo (Argentine steak).

Today was a good day.