The Count Down...

Yes time is nearing to say farewell for now. I open my email to queries of availability for last good-byes.

Patricia, the Uruguayan who sells Herbalife says "you must be busy...I broke up with my boyfriend, sad but...please stay in touch."

Facundo, my spinning instructor, asks for my email address and says "why do you have to leave?"

Marcela, an Argentine, with her four year old daughter Paloma, meet me in Palermo Viejo on Friday night for wine, sushi, and the latest stories. She asks how I feel about leaving...I say sad. She says "you seem so comfortable here."

Carlos, the Argentine pilot with Areolineas Argentina from the bus, asks for time before my departure. "I leave for Mexico Monday", (the schedule of a pilot) he says, "so maybe we could have dinner this weekend." I say, "sure...Saturday night would be good."

Then Ermes, the woman from Paraguay says, "my husband is out of town for the weekend on business, do you want to go dancing on Saturday night?" I say "well maybe I could meet you at midnight after dinner with the pilot. Can I send you a text message later tonight to let you know?"

Then Gabriela, my Argentine Spanish instructor, calls to schedule time...dinner for sure on Monday night before D-day (departure day) and maybe we can fit in a movie on Sunday night.

Then Brigitte from Colorado writes with last minute questions and a come back soon message.

I am doing my best to spend time with all those who have enriched my life here. And I am doing what I usually do when the intensity of the emotion requires time and space to let the dust settle. I get the hell out of dodge. So Monday, the day before D-Day I will be on the buquebus to Colonia, Uruguay. By the fast boat it is just and hour across the river. I will be traveling with the Argentines who are also leaving town for ferriado (the holiday). Monday is the day they remember the Malvinas war, not a pleasant memory. So we may all be a bit solemn.....

Brigette

The Expat Community...

Tuesday for lunch at the Empire Thai restaurant in barrio retiro I order my stir fry veggies and fish picante (spicy). The taste is excellent. A man appears at my table and queries "sufficiente picante?" (spicy enough), "Si, perfecto". We talk a bit in castellano and then he poses the question "De donde sos?" You guessed it. He's from the states and he tells me in English he is from "New Joysee". Kevin, the owner of this wonderful restaurant, came here 16 years ago when he was working as an accountant for a bank. Yes, an accountant. His bank was bought out by another bank, he lost his job and didn't want to leave Buenos Aires. Five years ago he bought into this restaurant. It is now his and if you don't have a reservation for lunch at 1:30, forget it, you are dining elsewhere.

Then Tuesday dinner I am in barrio San Telmo at Laurie's apartment. She bought two apartments a few years ago on Chacabuco in San Telmo. She tore down walls and constructed this incredible place. The dinner party was the four of us, Laurie and Bergitte from Denver Colorado and Beauty, from Georgia. The three have their stories to tell and have varying degrees of comfort with calling this place home. One is in the process of establishing residency with the next step being dual citizenship. We laugh, talk and share stories of aventures throughout the world.

On the bus home I think about this eclectic community I am claiming as my own...

Mis Gloriosos Hermanos...

Now I am over the top... watching a French Canadian movie with Spanish subtitles and understanding it! If it is available in the U.S. see it...My Glorious Brothers... It won several Canadian awards and is a beautiful movie. I told you I would squeeze in a couple more movies and why not challenge my language ability.

Selling Herbalife to Succeed or Just Survive...

I remember in the 80's people wearing buttons that read "Ask me about Herbalife." Maybe you remember, depending on your age, and it may still be big in the states. I haven't noticed. But it is growing here. And Patricia, from Uruguay, in her thirties, is a distributor and just signed her first downline she tells me. The story is a familiar one. She is the mother of two and divorved. The father barely pays support and rarely sees the children. There are no laws here that enforce support. So women are often on their own to support themselves and their children. Three years ago Patricia decided she no longer wanted to be an employee. There was no future for her. She wanted to be in business for herself. Then Herbalife came along and she hustles. She sees this as her way up and out. I am told that at 35 you are considered old in the workforce and that once retired later in life one lives in poverty. It is not a pretty picture economically.

Ermes, from Paraguay, echoes the sentiments of Patricia, though she is in a better position. She is married to whom it seems is a good guy and between the two of them they are more secure. Lars, a german man, living here for three years and in the real estate business tells me his observations are that the women work very hard and that is not what he sees of the men. Now he does admit this is a generalization but more true than not, he says. I connected him with another German looking for an apartment and he tells me if it works I get a commission...that is the way it is done here. I am not really looking for another gig but...

Guefilte Fish Festival

Tacha los ingredientes que no corresponden a la Receta de Guefilte Fish... It is a contest, "cross out the ingredients that are not in gefilte fish" and submit your entry to YOK judaismo tu manera...judaism your way! I am wandering the streets of Palermo after my usual Sunday morning walk and happen upon a festival. I see signs for kosher this, kosher that, and my eyes are drawn to kosher wine! Yes, there is a jewish community in Buenos Aires but I have yet to see them out in force. Then it dawns on me that Passover starts in eight days and these are preliminary festivities.

Though a relatively quiet weekend, as I prepare for my departure I have made it a point to hang out with the people and in the places that I want to hold most vivid in my mind. Palermo is one of my favorite barrios. If I were to choose another location to live instead of Recoleta it would be Palermo. It is quiet and lovely plus filled with the most avant garde restaurants. It is the up and coming area. I have my favorite cappuccino haunt there... Mama Racha....and my favorite seat outside looking at the park. Today after my cappuccino and in memory of my trip north I stopped for a light lunch at La Paila-cocina del norte argentino, in Palermo Viejo. It was humita en chala and empanada con albahaca, tomate y queso. The humita is mashed corn with cheese, red pepper and spices served in a husk. The empanada is a baked dough, in this case, filled with cheese, basil and tomatoes. I hate to think that the end of these easily accessible meals is in sight. So I choose to pull a Scarlet O'hara... I will think about it tomorrow!

And tomorrow I will tell you of coffees shared this week at different times with Ermes, Patricia, and Lars. There stories paint a picture of the struggle here for the Argentine as well as for the ex-pat. But that is for tomorrow....

Writer's Block

Last night at the Cine viewing "Mas Extrano que la Ficcion", "Stranger than Fiction", I am watching Emma Thompson thinking, that's my problem...I have writer's block. I have resisted writing because the creative juices are blocked and the words are burried. But I am not struggling with how to kill Harrold Crick. I am struggling with how to put words to my good-byes. And I am thinking I will NOT say good-bye to this cinema just yet. I have time. I can squeeze in one or two more films for sure.

At Fundacion Leer on Wednesday I announce when I arrive that it would be my last day of volunteer work in Buenos Aires for now. I say in Buenos Aires because I have already committed to do translation work over the internet while in the States. And I say for now because I know I will return. After my three hours of work Vicki hands me a large envelope "Para Maureen De Fundacion Leer" with a smiley face. Inside are many hand written messages..."Fue un Placer tenerte aca, espero verte pronto de vuelta. Gracias". "Muchas gracias por haber compartado tu estadia en Buenos Aires con Fundacion. Muchas Gracias y Suerte." "Muchisimas gracias por colobrar con nosotros! Y mucha suerte en su regreso. Esperamos una nueva visita! Carinos." "Besos"... And there are many more. Must I truly leave this office that for just a few hours of my time in Buenos Aires has been a place for me to give back to a country that has given me so much. I should be writing them the thank you!

I felt the same as I left the Academia Buenos Aires this week. This institute has been one of my sources of learning this trip. Remember the beautiful building with Francisco, the man who appreciated my accent? I said another good-bye, again for now...Hasta luego...until later. One of my instuctors requested that I consider seeing her as a client/patient when I return. I have always considered my business to be regional and at times people would laugh at me when I called my business Healthcare Consultants International. But I have seen myself as a world citizen for a long time, so why not!

If I continue with the stories of my good-byes I will be weepy. So for now I say good-bye to you with the same promise... Hasta luego. Besos.....

Saying Good-bye Slowly...

It is a process you know, these good-byes. It shouldn't be hurried, but savored. And with every good-bye there is varying degrees of pain, for of course, with good-byes there is loss. I am beginning that process here in Buenos Aires and protecting the days, hours, minutes remaining. I think about the places I want to revisit before I leave. The new places on my list of desires I still want to see. The people with whom I want to spend my time. And when I walk the streets I replay the words, "falta poco tiempo", there is little time left. Today I see Marcelo, the man with the hands, and wonder, will this be the last time? And Facundo, my spinning instructor, is going on vacation. There are many more whose faces run through my mind and I am quite sure their impact on me has been far greater than mine on them. I am the one leaving this beloved Buenos Aires, they are here to stay. But this is a process and I have time yet to savor the moments.