Un dia tipico....

"So what does a typical day in Buenos Aires look like for you?" he asks. So here you have the answer to that question. Sometime around 8:00AM I come to consciousness and make my way to the coffee pot. Not until the coffee is brewing do I take care of the routine tasks. Once I can smell that enticing aroma it is with great enthusiasm that I pour that first cup. Truly I love this time of the day. With coffee and granola or a medialuna I read, write, or study spanish. Meanwhile CNN in Spanish plays in the background. This seems to have helped with my Spanish because I understand more and more. Most days by 9:00-9:30 I am out of the apartment and off to the gym for lifting, spinning or both. Three days out of the week that routine is followed by Spanish class. The other two I am making phone calls to clients in the U.S. It is the evening time that varies. For sure I drink a glass of wine, often at an outdoor resaturant, where I can take in the warmth. Maybe I dine with a friend, take in a movie, or see a show. There are nights with special events such as the Super Tuesday Party, Salsa classes at my latest discovery, or tonight it is a wine class on the syrahs of Argentina. When I write this it is clear to me that I am who I am whereever I go. Here my life is in Spanish but my routine is not much different than when in the states. The day starts and ends a bit later but my interests and routine are similar.... friends, good food, movies, the theater, exercise, dance, politics, adventure and wine!

El Super Martes!

In Club Tazz in Palermo last night the energy was high and for the most part the language was English. My name tag read "Maureen-Michigan". You got it. I was at the Super Tuesday Party of Buenos Aires for ExPats and for the most part the group attending were U.S. citizens...U.S. citizens with particular political leanings. The sign next to the huge screen airing the results and commentary from CNN or MSNBC read "Democrats Abroad". This morning on CNN en espanol the major news is the results of Super Tuesday (Los resultados de Super Martes no defino el candidato para el candidato del partido democrata...Problamente McCain sea el candidato republicano.) Basically the message is that the race is close for the democrats and continues while it is fairly clear that McCain will be the republican nomination. Now I am listening to Huckabee...are you kidding me? The most important and impressive part of it all is how much attention is focused on this election. Truly, I would think I was in Chicago or St. Joe watching the news if it wasn't for the fact that it is in Spanish!

The Super Bowl in Spanish!!!

So ok, you've heard this before. In fact, I just received an email with the question "Are you watching the Super Bowl in Spanish again?" The truth be known the answer is yes! It is funny how they pronounce "Manning"! The score is 7-3, Patriots leading, the end of the second quarter..."pocos minutos queda"! I did have an opportunity to go to a Super Bowl Party (for sure a bunch of expats because the Argentines are watching soccer) but opted to go with an Argentine friend to see "Amor en los Tiempos de Colera" with Javier Bardem! I didn't debate this decision for long. Though I am now enaged in the Super Bowl, I think that when south of the border I should see it from the Argentine perspective. I must add it is on Fox news. Dice sorprendiendo.... he says there is a surprise.... excuse me a moment while I check. Those of you who know me well know that it really doesn't matter if I watch this with Spanish backdrop or English. You remember that I am the woman who bought Football for Dummies when Shaun was tight end ... or was it wing back... See where I need help. I am not proud. That is why I chose Javier Bardem.

"Tanto Tiempo", ella dijo.

"So much time", she said. That was the woman who works at the lavanderia by my apartment. So some of them do notice with my coming and going that it has been awhile. But for me just three days since my feet touched Argentine soil it is as if I never left. It has become such familiar territory for me that I make myself vary my route to the gym, to yoga, to classes and think about other ways to stretch. There are a few of my favorite haunts that are absolute musts but discovering new places to sip capuccino or dine is what excites me. And contemplating other ways to immerse myself intrigues me. Last night over wine and appetizers a friend talked about the reopening ot the world renound Teatro Colon after two years of renovation work. "It will be a black tie gala affair and I want to attend", he said. I pulled out my press pass with "Global Woman", a new magazine that has included me on their list of writers. "I haven't used this yet, what a great way to christen it." We agreed that is would be worth a trip back in the fall.



In the taxi on the way home the conversation with the driver was as if I were a local. He knew otherwise as he queried me about Chicago. When I said good-bye he welcomed me to his country once again and said, "espero que disfrutes y tenga mucho sexo". Translated he wished me a good time and lots of sex. I can't recall a cab driver ever extending that wish in Chicago. So we are back to the basic differences in culture and perspctive on cleavage!

Bienvenida a Buenos Aires!

How is it that blogspot knows where I am? It never ceases to amaze me when I log on in Argentina my home page and directions are in Spanish with no instructions from me to change the language. What a world!

Barely 48 hours since my feet touched Argentine soil I am into my routine. Gym membership in hand I made my way to spinning class giving the expected kiss to instructors I hadn't seen for months. The new equipment looked good but otherwise all was as I had remembered. Certainly I saw most of the same trainers and many participants with familiar faces. Enroute I passed my favorite fish market and received a big smile from my friend the vendor. Sometimes I wonder if these neighbors of mine know how long I have been gone or if they think that perhaps I just haven't passed their way of late. Time just flies.

There are certain necessities when I arrive. Of course my routine includes a visit to American Express to change money and then the membership to the gym heads the list. Once these two important tasks have been accomplished a visit to Bonafide for un cuarto kilo de cafe molido fino and a trip to my local supermercado to stock up for the week are essential. But most important are the text messages to some of the Argentine and Expat friends to see if we can connect. Though I landed with an open calendar, as I wanted, the dates are filling with dinners and gatherings of those in my southern community.

My geographic boundaries of home are broad. This was confirmed when last night I watched the debate between Barak and Hillary with voice over in Spanish. It was a challenge to follow. For sure the Argentines are looking North and wondering with those in the states what will evolve! I was assured last night at dinner with friends that noone in Argentina pays much attention to Hillary's cleavage since it is nothing compared to Christina's, the president here, who flaunts hers regularly!

Stay tuned!

Sleeping Around in the City!

Aside from the entry about travels to Europe I haven't had much to say. Probably because my focus was on sleeping around and I was hesitant to tell you. But it is not what you think! What a shame! Returning from Buenos Aires last June I knew city life was essential but I also knew that the expat life was not for me. Though I know Buenos Aires and Argentina will be a regular stop in my travels I will not relocate there. It was clear the time had come to head back to the city I never stopped calling home. Yes, my roots are in Chicago, the windy city, and the energy of my home was calling. But how to pull this off, yet maintain the many important anchors in St. Joseph, Michigan, was a challenge. And an even bigger challenge was deciding where to land in this city that offered a myriad of options. It came to me that the best way to decide was not decide until I had "slept around".



In the midst of transition it is back to the basics. Maslow's hierarchy loomed large in my mind. I was on the bottom rung seeking shelter. My needs were very specific: short-term, furnished accommodations, in the heart of downtown Chicago, at an affordable price. I thought about placing an ad, you know, "desperately seeking shelter", but the thought of that lacked appeal. Friends steered me toward Craig's List with reassurance that all needs could be met by Craig.



Nothing is quite as easy as it sounds so it was not surprising when the first visit to Craig's list offered nothing but rentals out of the range of affordability. Most were geared toward corporate rentals with the company footing the bill. When one did catch my eye in the gold coast area I was on it. Entering the lobby my intuition said it was not the place. It had that look and smell like it had been around a long time with not much attention paid to sprucing it up. I queried a man leaving the lobby about the place. "So do you live here?" I asked. "Well, yes" he said, "I sold a condo near-by a couple of years ago and decided to just rent." "And how do you like it", I asked. "Well I'm a truck driver and am on the road most of the month so it works for me. But you can see, the building is old." Mind you, he didn't say vintage, quaint or historic. He said OLD! There you have it! And yes, after seeing the unit, that would be the best adjective to describe the place.

Just as I was beginning to think my dream was lofty and not to be reached, Dan posted his place. Looked good, the price was right, and my timing was on it When sitting at Starbuck's on Michigan Avenue we connected via phone and made the plan for the tour. This cute young man with a baseball cap opened the door to his place on Wacker Drive viewing Navy Pier. What more could I want, except maybe he could stick around instead of just sublet. Now if he came with the apartment I could truly say I was "sleeping around". No such luck.... off to Boston the place was mine for three months. The deal was done with a one paragraph letter of agreement, cash and a set of keys. It was an "if you build it they will come" sort of thing, but it began my city tour. Six months later I have claimed several neighborhoods in the city as mine....the top of the Magnificent Mile, the Loop, Bucktown, the Gold Coast and Lincoln Park. Now I am heading back to Buenos Aires with plans to check out Streeterville on my return.

Stay tuned for more on "Sleeping Around in the City"......

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Though I am still in Chicago my vision is looking south. When I will head to Argentina remains a mystery but it will happen before February 23rd for sure. I am on to lead a retreat at that time and will be meeting travelers again at EZE.

This entry will be short. The intent is first to wish you the best in the new year. Second, to tell you to check out Transitions Abroad January/February issue. This magazine has a 30 year history and began with the purpose of fostering responsible travel. Articles and authors spanned the globe and brought a message to those who wanted to see the world immersing oneself and not just be a tourist in a foreign land. This issue is the last of an era. Although it will continue to provide information through its website a print copy of information will no longer be available. On the last page of the final edition you will find my article. It is an honor to be part of this final hurrah!