I Really Live Here--Even the Police Say So: Day 6

I was awakened rather, well, abruptly to the sound of my buzzer. I ran down the stairs to prove that I live here, and received my certification of address validation. In my jammies. Then, turned around and laughed at myself with the porter. Good morning, world. :)
I made an egg and toast for beakfast (because I can, because I have groceries). Enjoyed that. Then I suddenly had an entire day free, because it had earlier been blocked off for the police to come validate the address. So I called Mrs. Z, and decided I could easily spare the time to babysit while she got groceries and took a daughter to the doctor. So I hopped on the now-familiar subway and arrived in time for the dregs of an Uno game.
With two Z kids, I watched Thumbelina. Then I was bombarded wth stencilled masterpieces that now adorn my once-lonely, boring apartment wall.
Shortly after the Z parents returned, I headed home, wanting to evade public transport in the dark. I made dinner (pasta, carrots, zapatillo, olive oil, oregano), ate it, washed dishes, and decided I wanted coffee.
So, at 10:00 at night, I headed up Aguero. Got a cafe cortado (mostly espresso-strength coffee with a little frothy milk blended in), and it came with the customary tiny glass of club soda AND a few spoonfuls of vanilla gelato. Mmm. perfect.
Walked home without an issue, and am now headed for much-needed sleep! Chau chau.

Blessings: Day 5

Today was filled to the brim with blessings.

Woke up and prepared for church. Left for church, navigated the subway through my first line transfer. Found the next transfer led to an "interrupted" line. BLESSING: found a friend, don't even know her name, who got diverted as well, heading the same way. Figured out the right bus and stop together. BLESSING: Arrived at the church. BLESSING: Had friends with whom I could sit. Sang and worshipped in Spanish. BLESSING: Marycela invited me to lunch with a family of friends in a villa nearby. Had my first experience in a villa (like Barrio Egipto in Bogota, for those of you who know it). BLESSING: Had a shopping buddy for my first grocery shopping trip. BLESSING: Real food for dinner. BLESSING: Called Mom. BLESSING: Played guitar. BLESSING: Chatted with friends back home.

BLESSING: Sleep.

On My Own: Day 4

This morning I spent with the Zs, and then made my way to the main street in their neck of the woods for shopping. I found what I needed--a low-cost black purse that I really like--and continued to the subway station to get closer into the city. I was getting near desperate for postcards and an adaptor. The plugs here look like this:

/    \       instead of     |     |

Bought it from a street vendor on Florida, seven pesos. Works just fine.

When I got back to my apartment at about two, I had lunch, chatted with sisters, Dad, and boyfriend. Then I napped a much-needed nap. :)

I also had budget figuring to do. Since I have been at the Z's every night so far, I've always had dinner--the major meal--there, or at least with them at McDonald's, like last night. (By the way, I am of the opinion that Argentine McD's meat beats out any US meat. Yep, having everything be organic is a very good thing.) So, I have not really had to concern myself with groceries until now. And now it is concerning, what with a quick view of my fridge and counter.

Approaching dinner time an hour ago, I realized I have no butter. No eggs. No can opener for the chick peas. I don't even have olive oil yet. Goal for tomorrow: GROCERIES. Needless to say, dinner was interesting: frozen peas (warmed up), fresh potato from the produce shop three doors down (microwaved, because the oven looks like it was here before civilization, and doesn't close), and a glass of milk. I am totally okay with that for the moment, but it will have to change. :)

Today as I went about my business, even my landlady checked in on me. I am well taken care of, friends. Her explanation was that I'm the youngest renter she and her sister have ever had, and, well, I completely believe her! How cool to be a record setter, and to have this whole opportunity. I love it.

I think I'll play guitar for a bit, and then tuck in for the night. Buenas noches!

Success: Day 3

Today began, once again, with a return trip from the Z's. This time, however I drove with Mr. Z., who had to go to the pedestrian street Florida in the city center. I tagged along, and then picked up the subway home.

The mission this morning was dual part: first, to start the process of address validation by talking to the police; second, to start the process for obtaining a criminal record for all my heinous activities in my ten-day history in Argentina. The porter drew me a map to the police office I needed for the first document, and from there they directed me to another office for the second document. So, I hopped on the subway and found my way to the right place.

I must here interrupt myself, and say that Argentines have to be some of the sweetest strangers ever. By that, I mean to say that whenever I have approached anyone for help--police/security guards, fellow pedestrians, receptionists/counter workers at businesses--and smiled my hopeless, try-to-see-me-as-cute-and-in-need-of-assistance-please smile, they direct me with a smile of their own (and directions). Works a peach.

Entonces, I went back home to rest my feet. More like my ankle. There was a storm (apparently with hail) predicted for today, so the combination of lots of distance walking and pending storm was a bit painful. I had lunch: yummy crackers and fontina cheese, a freshfreshfresh avocado, a strawberry yogurt (here the yogurt's like the potential offspring of yogurt and jello in texture), and yerba mate. Spanish lesson: it's pronounced jair-bah mah-tay. It's the typical Argentine warm drink, like green tea on steroids. Mega delicioso.

Next, where did I end up? Adivina donde--guess where. The Z's!! There was a meeting of the youth of the church, with whom Mr. and Mrs. Z. work faithfully and compatibly and passionately. What a pleasure to hear their conversations together from the kitchen, while I browsed Facebook. Gotta love Argentine body clocks; they're still here, hanging around and filling every open space with laughter. I should go enjoy that.

Hola to all my friends back home, and back...in places other than home.

Feelin' Groovy: Day 2

Oh, wow, folks--it is so great to be here! Wasn't there a Hemingway quote about things in the nighttime seeming more hard-boiled than in the morning light? He was very right. I still love Buenos Aires, and am no longer as daunted by the process of Migraciones. I'm here to delight in this, learn anything/everything that I can, and make friends. I did those things all day.

I returned to my apartment this morning via subway, first public transit solo. It was a thrill! Almost got sidetracked at one point, but I decided to ask for help, and soon I was back on the straight and narrow. Or, the Subte line D. Whatever you choose to call it. :)
Upon arrival at my stop, I bought a guidebook and made a friend (the vendor). I then went to the apartment, and got cleaned up. How nice a clean change of clothes can feel after thirty-something hours and airplane smells. Then I set to work moving in--put the hanging clothes on the hangers, socks in the drawer, lotions and potions in the cabinets, my mate and bombilla in the kitchen with my teas. Rabbit trail: the teas I decided to bring with me are organic turmeric/ginger and my Shakespeare's English breakfast. So, anyway, I moved in. The apartment feels homey. This is good.
Pretty soon I realized I need food. Most humans do. So I went on a meandering, exploratory initial grocery run and felt successful. Then there was the matter of setting up the Argentine cell phone, and finding an office for obtaining certain documents. Did both.
My guitar made it! Miraculously, without any doubt in my mind. Somehow it got left behind in Dallas an extra day, but they brought it to my apartment! I was overjoyed. When I called the porter/building monitor up for directions to the office, he caught sight of the guitar, tuned it right up, and we played back and forth for a while. That led to an afternoon of conversation at my table about Argentine Spanish, Argentine history, mate, and of much laughter upon each hearing the other pronounce words in our respective non-native tongues.
Seems I can't spend three meals a day alone, so I find myself back at the Z's house tonight. I took the subway (solo again) to the nearest stop, and from thence successfully found a bus in the right direction and figured out paying, and arrived at their house unscathed. Boo yeah. :)
Loved being present for bedtime--I got to sing the kids my "Jesus Anna" song. What a gift.
I talked with family after the kids went to bed, and that was nice. Technology WORKS, sometimes! Hurrah.
Again, it's late. My bed awaits. Enjoy the rest of your Thursday, fans. I'm sure I miss you. (:

A Brain-dump Update: Day 1

FLIGHT:  Almost missed the connection, lost a guitar for a while. It'll show up soon...ish. Loved the vegetarian meals (kudos Mom for planning ahead)! Had an empty seat for a neighbor--meaning actual sleep possible. Three whole hours. Woke up once at 3:40 to peer out my window into a STUNNINGLY stellar sky; really, stellar, because Orion shone brightly, tilted south where I was headed, as if dancing and marking the way to Buenos Aires. Woke up around 6:00 to peer out and see the silent majesty of the (Andes?) mountains, uninterrupted by humanity. Landed, got suitcase, told them where to send my guitar, experienced massive inefficiency in customs lines. Such is the traveling life. :)

APARTMENT: is fantastic. Mom, you were right--I have access to both bedrooms. (I owe you a postcard.) Anyone want to visit? Signed my first lease papers ever. Felt quite unique for my first solo-living experience to be in a foreign, Spanish-speaking country. Put my teas in the kitchen, my suitcase in the bedroom, learned to lock the door and close the shutters.

THE AFTERNOON: Spent with Mr. Z., Mrs. Z., and their three (wonderful) kids. Was greeted as if I were a queen--they call me "Anna de Jesus", "the Jesus Anna", because I sang them/introduced to them my favorite calming Fernando Ortega song for when I have trouble sleeping. :) Colored, was smothered in blankets, drank coffee, talked about life, received glorious hugs left and right.

THE EVENING: Went with Mrs. Z. to Bible study at La Mision (church). Listened, met cool people, felt welcomed, went to dinner. Pizza. Met some of their friends from church. Laughed. Rode the bus and walked down dark, unpopulated streets at night. Reminded self not in Wheaton anymore. :)

THE NOW: Can a person feel daunted? Grammatically, I mean. Exhaustion ain't conducive to real good grammer. ;) Anyhow, that's me--daunted. Love Buenos Aires, don't entirely understand the immigrations process the company has laid out for me for the internship. Worst case, I work a lot more than I planned with the family and the church. Need to relinquish control. Need to have trust. NEED TO SLEEP. Ciao.

Nearly There

It is Sunday night, my penultimate eve in Wheaton before the adventure commences.

For the most part, I am packed to a satisfactory degree. How does one really ever know all that will be needed in the next three months? That's where faith enters in, I suppose. I've packed socks and outfits, tea and granola bars, and the extra duffel bag packed to accommodate the purchases that will undoubtedly occur. :)

I was blessed by the opportunity last week to see my Philadelphia family before I leave. I made the full drive out there solo, in one long day. The resulting sensation of success was fantastic--plus I got two whole days with cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. Not to mention a visit to Eastern, where I spent a lovely afternoon with friends and future schoolmates, enjoying the beautiful campus once again.

I had a brief lapse into teariness tonight--just suddenly blindsided by the bigness of what I am soon to be attempting. But as a friend told me then, sometimes I just don't get it. Three months against the backdrop of a lifetime? Nothing. In the end, I bet I'll wish it could have been much longer.