Mixing it up... Belgrano, Montserrat, y Las Canitas

So the city has become a familiar haunt. The comfort is a good thing but my pesonality seems to prefer mixing it up. After 10 days on this familiar stomping grounds it was time to stretch. Learning about the syrahs of Argentina was a good place to start on Friday night in Belgrano. A relatively new barrrio for my frequent visits so the sites were different and certainly a class on the technicalities of wine in spanish was a challenge. I learned a bit more about the similarities of the terrain and climate with the Rhone area of France plus I tasted a few new wines to add to my list. Plus hanging out in Las Canitas after class the energy was palpable with the new possible restaurants alluring. The best parts of the weekend were the immersion in the culture.... La Opera Pampa at the Rural explained through dance, song and beautiful choreographic presentation the history in the countryside of Argentina. The war amonst the peoples of the land as well as the invasion of the Spanish was significant. The acrobatics on horseback as well as the dance was impressive. It took me back to my experiences in Salta with the gauchos. I love the music and the dance. The reality is that I love to be in it more than watch it so finding a local place to salsa was the highlight. This was the real stuff....not salsa but son.... taught by un cubano living in Argentina. Though I have taken lessons and certainly danced the dance this was intoxicating. So I am hooked, planning my schedule around dance classes and into exploring the other parts of this city undiscovered.

"No hay moneda," he says.

"No tenes moneda" (You don't have change), I say. This is the second kiosk where I have tried to buy a small piece of chocolate solely for the purpose of receiving change for the "colectivo" (bus). "Donde puedo encontrar moneda?" (Where can I find change?) "No se." (I don't know.) "Pero necesito moneda en colectivo, no?" (But I need change on the bus, don't I?) "Si, necesitas moneda." (Yes, you need change.) "Entonces, que debo hacer?" (Then what do I do?) "Tenes que ir al banco." (You have to go to the bank.) Mind you, it is 7:00PM Friday and I am on my way to a class on the syrahs of Argentina at the wine school in Belgrano. I have an hour to get there but even if I had more time, though the Argentine schedule is different, there are no banks open at this hour on Friday. "Pero el banco no esta abierto ahora" (But the bank is not open now,) I say. "Si, es una locura. Pero no hay moneda," he says. (Yes, it is madness. But there is no change.) So I don't buy the chocolate and proceed north in the hopes of finding change. I am not desperate because I can always hail a taxi but I prefer to go in colectivo. A few blocks past the last kiosk I spy a small mercado and eye the cash register drawer before perusing the chocolate. Hay moneda. I leave the mercado with change and a power bar. It is just a short walk to the first stop for the colectivo.

I hope to update you at a later date on the wine class. Briefly, for over 2 1/2 hours I sampled 8 syrahs accompanied by a dish of rice and veggies with a side of bread. I listened to the expert along with 10 other students, all Argentine. These scenarios are humbling. In this instance both my fluency in the language and knowledge of wine were tested!

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!