ADVENTURE COMING SOON

FINALLY, some adventure is coming up.  This weekend I'm taking a boat to Colonial with my friend Luli and were gonna explore the Tigre river a little bit (i also need to renew my visa) and possibly spending the night but probably not.  Then next week, Aaron (my roommate) and I are either hopping on a bus, or renting a vehicle and driving up to Iguazu Falls.  It is a spectacular sight.  Here's a picture for proof.  We're going to spend a couple days there because it's a huge spot for people from all around the world to go.  It is in the northern tip of Argentina, but also borders Brazil and Paraguay.  

After spending a couple days there, taking pictures, and hiking, we are going to head to the northwest of Argentina to a place called Salta...which I've heard is like the Boulder, CO of Argentina.  Mountains, Rivers, Salt Lakes and, salt deserts where those sweet pictures are taken. 

 Very excited because like I said in my last blog, I'm getting withdrawals from no nature, and am getting claustrophobic in this concrete jungle.  I hope we rent a car because that would (I'm assuming) come with a lot of interesting stories and memories :)  Anyways just wanted to update everybody...and I will again be taking shit tons of photos... Chau!

3/25- Updates and RAMBLES

Hello! I know it's been a little while, but you know how it is when life just moves so quickly.  I like writing sundays because it's the one day where I'm not "GO GO GO".  Tonight I'm makin some stir fry with my roommate and watchin movies.  This weekend was really nice and very laid back.  This week was pretty fun because a new group of twenty or so students came in, and I have made lots of new friends.  After school, we all did somethin almost every day.  Visited the famous recoletta cemetery, went to parks, walked around the city, and more.  Friday after school a group of ten or fifteen of us went to a really nice park near my house.  It's my new running spot...and it is indeed a beautiful park.  I bought a futbol, and brought it down.  We played a pretty nice game with students from Brazil, Denmark, Australia, Russia, Israel, US, French, Deutsch, England, and I have to say I had a blast.  I hadn't played soccer in years, and surprisingly scored two goals :)

Almost everyday I go for big runs, and just recently got my roommate running with me and its pretty nice.  I feel strong and healthy and always energized afterwards.  I am learning tons, and can more or less carry conversations.  The trouble for me is hearing and understanding still.  I can read perfectly and talk pretty comfortable, but some people just talk very fast!  I went out with my Irish buddies and Luli and her friend on Friday, and just walked around one of the plazas close to my house.  Lots of fun, and later we met up with the kids from my school.  Big group of us just cruised around.  I don't know if I mentioned this but my roommate plays guitar, so its nice...but we only have one guitar.  SO, I play harmonica, and have been teaching him a little bit on the harmonica.  My spanish teacher (who i think spoke about and is a musician) is currently looking for playing space, and told me I could come jam whenever...which would be amazing!  I also went to a Milonga (tango class/get together).  Very cool to see tango so alive.  I cannot tell you how much I hate modern dancing and the butt grinding.  Here, there exists a very passionate and lively dance that has a long history.  It was this old dimly lit warehouse with art and old wood in it.  It was an overall amazing experience and was tempted to learn, but I was cursed with big feet and literally can't dance to this day without tripping and getting feet stepped on haha.  But I just wish there was some type of dance in the states.  I really want to bringback swing...but that's another blog...

I am for sure going to Uruguay with Luli this coming weekend, and also am going to try and get to a futbol match with her and her brother.  Saturday I went to a very nice garden park, where Luli and I just walked around. I met a cat and am obsessed with him.  I was never really a cat person (and can't be bc of allergies), but I miss playing with animals!  So that was fun haha, this garden is a sort of haven for stray cats...but they seem to get along just fine.

I am still living day by day, continuing classes and trying to decide exactly where to go from here.  I am still loving the city, but think I am going to start to travel on the weekends, and try and escape to some form of nature, because I am having nature withdrawal haha.  I also found a climbing gym! And I am pissed because I packed my shoes...and had my harness...but took my shoes out for space reasons...and because I didn't have my shoes...sent my harness back.  But I am going to try and get a membership there or at least go once a week because I miss climbing so much.  When we go on ours runs, there is a section where they have all those outdoors bars and workout benches, so we sometimes do pull-ups etc.

I've just decided I need to expel energy somehow because it in turn gives you energy and makes you feel rejuvenated and alive.  I was never a big runner, but I have to say...after I run I feel the best I do all day.  I've also noticed the change in my body which is always a nice thing haha.  I don't have my climbing muscles anymore, but am getting more of a runners body because I literally run a shit ton.  I don't know why I was always opposed to running, well I think it was purely because I was bored.  But here, I am running in a foreign place,and its a great way to explore the city, great people watching, and the most important is MUSIC.  Depending on my mood and music, I run faster or slower...but when a song comes on that just really hypes me up...I get the chills and literally start sprinting and that is why I continue running day after day...it feels so good.  I also run purely for the sake of sun.  Nobody runs during the day here except me and a few other crazy people because It's hot...the streets are crowded...and its torture...but at the same time I love when  I come back and my clothes are soaked and I can see how much energy I used.  The park is really nice, it reminds me of those big boardwalks in california or jersey, where there are lanes for bikers, runner,s walkers, etc.  I ran on saturday and it was the funniest experience of my life.  

Did you think rollerblading was gone? out of style? stupid? Well on saturdays at Parque Rosedale, there are hundreds, maybe even thousands of rollerbladers, all ages all types of people just doing laps...and yes beautiful girls in small shorts...it is quite the scene for people watching.  It is so funny how rollerblading is quite big here.  Don't worry I won't become a roller-blader this week.  It's is just hilarious! I wish I took pictures!

Anyway, still in school 6 hours a day, spanish, spanish, spanish.  Its also nice because half of the new kids are Brazilian, and so we all can only communicate through spanish which means I am doing spanish at school, after school when I hangout with these people, and then usually when Luli and I hang out!  Its marvelous.  Wish there was a way I could show you all my progression but just trust and believe me haha.

Things are great, and sadly for you (happy for me) don't think I'll be coming back to the states any time soon.  I will be here until at least may...quite possibly longer if I find a teaching job.  Then after,  I am thinking I want to just work my way north...possibly all the way up through central america.  Right now is my immersion, time to learn the language, and live in a culture...but after this I am going to be a very transient person, moving from place to place.  I am guessing finding some jobs, volunteering opportunities, adventures, and more along the way.  I am also open to staying down here if I find something.  But this is the adventure, NOT KNOWING... I'll keep you all updated ;)

LA BOMBA VIDEO

Sorry about my screaming, but this video is a great example of La Bomba and is the only one where the camer isn{t shaking from me dancing haha

La Bomba (a night of dancing and percussion) and How I locked myself INSIDE of my house

So I have to share my experience at La Bomba del Tiempo last night.  They hold these percussion shows every Monday from 7-10:30.  Short and sweet, everyone clearing out after.  It is somewhat of a hippiefest, but at the same time it is also a place where portenos and travelers/tourists meet and there is just tons of energy, beer drinking, and yes weed smoke in the air.  But the weed and beer wasn't the source of energy.  Nobody is messed up, most people having at most two beers, or splitting a joint between friends.  The energy comes from the 15 or so percussionists wailing away in syncopation, everybody dancing uncontrollably, and is just a healthy get-together.  

When I got there the music was just beginning.  At the front they have the "conductor", who is more or less the organizer and communicator, keeping everybody in sync and giving solos to different instruments and players.  It was an unbelievably energetic show.  I was dancing the entire time, not caring about what I looked like or who was around me.  At the end they always have one or two guest performers, this time being a reggae singer, and the other a trumpet player...both unbelievable musicians.  I have a video of the singer, but unfortunately my camera ran out of memory before the trumpet started...but it was probably my favorite part of the show. I was there with an irish buddy, and 8 or so girls from my school, all from Holland except one English girl and a girl from Turkey...all around a blast.

I love how here, everybody more or less gets along, and by that I mean there are a lot of travelers mostly from Europe, and the locals are super friendly towards everybody and inviting, as well as welcoming.  I have met so many "portenos" and they have all been super interested and super friendly.  I know I've said this before, but if you can speak spanish or even give it your best shot, you get brownie points haha.  Anyways, it was all around a fantastic time and plan to try and go if not every monday, every other monday because it was jsut a nice way of meeting people, without this need you have in bars to be messed up.  The music takes away your inhibition, and as hippie parties usually go, everybody was peaceful and positive vibes were surrounding the warehouse.  An experience everyone must try if you travel to Buenos Aires.

I have a pretty funny story I have to share real quick.  On saturday, I went to dinner with friends from school.  We met at my house, and shortly thereafter left.  I have two locks on my door; a regular one and a deadbolt.  Without knowing, I put my kjey int he deadbolt, and thought it would be ok because usually in the states its the same key.  Well it locked, and locked kinda funny.  I didn't think anything of it until I returned after dinner.  Well, The key must not have fit, because I soon found out that I was locked out and it was not going to budge.  Its hard to explain how I got in, but I basically climbed in through a window in a stairwell (with help of neighbors), and scaled my building (don't worry ground floor) and jumped down into my terrace.  Got in through my back door, thinking I could get it open from the inside.  Well, I was originally locked out...after my smart move...I was locked in.  

I called my roommate and he did the same thing because we both wanted to sleep.  Forgetting the next day was sunday and that almost everything was closed, after waking up, we quickly realized that we were screwed.  I emailed my landlord, called him... no answer.  Then my argentine phone and my roommate's ran out of minutes.  Luckily our neighbors checked in on us, and I passed my phone and money through the window.  They reloaded my phone and I called Luli.  She called an emergency locksmith (who i had originally called but he didn't realize...or I couldn't articulate that we were locked in) and came over.  I told him for all I knew, it was the same key...and he quickly got to work.  After about a half hour of working he said nothing was happening and that he may have to break the lock (600 pesos to fix).  We said we don't want that until a last resort.  Finally, after about an hour...he unlocked it and the door flung open, Aaron and I basically jumping on the guy out of excitement.  It was a very serious situation until it was over, then it all became a hilarious story.  Anyways, all is well now.  I had to pay the locksmith 250pesos (appx 65 dollars), but my landlord said he'd cover it.

Things are still good here.  I'm trying to plan my trip to Uruguay very soon, as I have to make a visa run (mine runs out after 3 months here), but I have been wanting to go regardless.  I love this city, but I need some beach or any form of nature, so we will see where I end up going.

Chau for now!!!

TRAVEL & LIVE

There's a lot up in the air right now as to next steps.  But it is truly exciting.  I am trying to figure out next steps.  I have committed to a three month lease, which is nothing but excitement.  I am loving it here, and learning, and experiencing new things, meeting new people every day.  What I am trying to figure out now is exactly what to turn this trip into.  Right now I am committed to two more weeks (at least) of intensive (30hrs per weeks) of spanish class, which is amazing because I am learning so much everyday.  What I am doing right now is working on my resume, after a friend explained she is connected int he expat culture.  So I could actually live and work here.  Which would be a sure thing of becoming fluent, while getting work experience abroad.  I don't see a downside to this, except that I would be here for a while, delaying my travels.  I have made a promise to myself that I will not leave this continent without experiencing much more of its culture and geography.  I still want to, and will do everything I initially stated...but it may be delayed.  I am just trying to figure out where/what I see myself doing.  I will be traveling from Buenos Aires, using it as my hub, and plan going to destinations in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil.  I love it here so much, and can see myself here for at least a year, especially if I find work that suits me.  I could also teach english and not go for a real job, but I am literally going with the flow of where life is taking me, and right now I feel there's a good opportunity, a chanced of finding real work...abroad...which would be a sure way to learn the language and culture.  So I'm just going to continue letting things unfold as they come and see what happens.

What I do know is if I don't find work, I will have to start moving, for sake of money.  But right now I couldn't be happier.  I am seeing a beautiful person, and learning so much from her.  I have made good friends, I continue to make friends every week.  I am learning so much in school.  I am learning about myself and life in general.  I am learning how much is possible in life, but also how short life is, and must truly live it up and cherish every moment of uncertainty.  I am learning how being lost in a place, is where you find out the most about yourself because all you know is yourself when you're in a foreign place, with the world being your limit.  I have realized I can go in any direction I choose, but also realize that every decision I make, is a turn in my life...so I am choosing my direction with caution and clarity.  All I know now is that things are good, positive, educational, every day is a lesson, everyday I learn something new, and that is how life should be when you're young.

You know how much I love to ramble, but I hope that out of all this, something resonates with somebody, because life is honestly so short, and you must adventure, fall down, get up, make mistakes, get lost, find yourself, and experience all you can, because that is what life is.  Life is one big adventure (or should be), and I am not ready to just live a boring 9-5 life yet. While you are young, you must adventure and live dangerously.  I have seen so many people and heard so many people stress over jobs and these mundane things.  And yes, at a point (when raising a family or when you've had your share of adventure) you can settle down, knowing you've put yourself out there and gotten uncomfortable.  I am saying this because, never in my life, in such a short period of my life, have i learned so much about myself and life; about what it really means to live.  I do envy people at home, who have already got jobs and just haver this security, but at the same time, so happy that I am not there yet, because, god willing, I will have the rest of my life to figure all of that out...and I know myself well enough to know that I will do alright, in whichever direction I choose to go in life...I know I will be alright.  I also know that I will look back on this time in my life, as the time where I truly lived, truly adventured, where I had fun and got dirty.  I know that this will go down as the most fun I will ever have in my life, and you know what?.. educational as well.  I am not just having fun.  I am truly learning, and immersing myself into a very uncomfortable but exciting situation.  I am finding out who I am, and who I am not, what I might want to do and what I learn I'll never do.  Jobs will always be there.  Well actually probably more when I get back because, the job market and job hunting is just a big waste of energy and stress right now.  Whats the point? Ok, so I lose a year in the rat race...thats the last thing I care about right now.  But I am finding many more important things besides a job, like who I am, what I'm capable of, a foreign culture, a language, educating myself on cultures outside the US (because there is more out there).

My rambles are, again, for me to look back on.  If you get anything from this, just understand that jobs will be there.  If you're already working and you love it, that is amazing.  I hope I find a job I love, and if I don't I'll search and move around until I do, because there is absolutely no point in living life unhappily.  Life is and should be a beautiful happiness-generating thing, and what I know about myself is that I will put my happiness and my health before any stupid 9-5 where I make more money than my neighbor.  Maybe i'll have less zeros on the end of my pay check, but I'll be happier and live longer because of it.  And also, to travel, to live outside of the US to realize how lucky our country is.  I was talking to a friend about this today.  So many people complain and bitch 24/7 about what doesn't work in the US, but it's not until you leave, to realize how fucking good we actually have it.  I am still only a couple months into my travels, and have learned so much more than I ever have in my life.  If people are still in college...after you're done...don't go straight to work or school again...go live and adventure for a year.  Enjoy yourself and learn.

Moving and other quick words

So I have gotten a little lazy and I'm sorry. There's just not too many updates. And I don't want to update with every little thing. SO

I jut moved to the younger nice part of town, in a barrio Palermo. Most of my friends live here, and ended up not being very happy in the house because it was far, and there wasn't enough light...and wasn't so keen on living w those girls. And met an Aussie/English guy who I moved in with into a really cool and central location at a decent price. A little bit more expensive, but in the end between cabs and other stuff it's perfect.

I'm also dating the same girl I spoke about prior to this entry. She's great and we have a good thing. Not serious right now but I could see a possibility of that changing haha. Anyways!

I'm still doing classes and my Spanish is getting much much much better. I can carry conversations and chat up porteños (locals). I have a lot of very good things goo I right now and am just super happy and love this country and the people in it. Our land lords are an cute old couple and they will not leave us alone bc they love to chat. And we got a preaching by the adorable old lady, about how you don't we to necessarily be religious but know that Jesus is your friend! Very simple at first, then she kept going... Very cute. Anyways they love us and everybody loves when a gringo can speak English.

I've met so many people it's hard to keep track. I also got an argentine prepay phone bc I will be here for another three months. Yes threeeeeeeee!!!!!! At least.

I'm also dedicating this week to applying for teaching jobs, but have realized if I want to make more than 6 an hour, I will need to get a certification which shouldn't be hard.

Other than that, think I'm going to Montevideo, Uruguay with Luli next week to get some beach time and a little get away from the city. Montevideo is uruguay capital city and is literally on the beach (from what I've heard)

So next week or so I'll have a nice little change and should make for some good pictures and stories to share!

I also will be going to iguazu falls which are one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world. I also want to try to make it to Patagonia, now that I've kind of made this my hub. But Patagonia is going I be really really cold in a couple of months Ao I don't know, may wanna go post up in Ecuador or Peru and surf for a couple months :)

I know life is hard... ;)

I am having the time of my life and never want this to ever end haha.