TIA

The air has a slight hint of smoke, for the past two days! They started a controlled burn of the grasslands in the delta yesterday, and of course, this being Argentina, it got OUT of control! So, there has been smoke in the air here since yesterday afternoon! We Americans have a saying that we use for situations like this, as well as many other ones....TIA (This Is Argentina). It pretty much explains any situation that happens to you here. Like for example, you are late to class one day by about ten minutes. So, rushing into the room, you quickly take your seat and get out your homework only to realize that the teacher isn't there yet either! TIA, TIA.

Another example: I take the bus (un colectivo) to class on Wednesdays when I go to my ceramics class, and it's always an experience. The bus drivers (los colectiveros) are some of the best and the worst drivers I have ever seen! So, I was got up before my stop to go ring the bell to signal that I wanted to get off, and the driver slams on the breaks because we hit a red light. I topple into the ladies in front of me with all of my ceramics gear, a little embarrassing, but it happens all the time so no one seemed to care. Then, the doors open and the bus is still moving at about 20 miles per hour. The bus driver slams on the brakes again and signals with his hand for me to get off...while the bus is still moving!! So, I fling myself out onto the street and almost fall onto the sidewalk. It must have been quite the sight. TIA, TIA. That is all that can be said of situations like this.

Some more pics.

Myself and some IES people in front of the Casa Rosada in Plaza de Mayo.

This is a picture from inside the Reserva Ecologica del Rio outside of Buenos Aires. But, you can still see the sky scrapes of Puerto Madero in the background.

This is a picture of the Pampa grass in the Reserva Ecologica del Rio. Mom, I thought you would appreciate these! They're as tall as I am and beautiful in the setting sun!

This is El Obelisco in the center of the city. Look familiar?

Although Argentines don't like this sculpture, I think it's interesting! It's called the Flor de Lis and is across Avenida Del Libertador from the Museo de Bellas Artes which has a surprising good collection of impressionist and modern artworks! A good place to go for free on a Sunday afternoon!

a little update...

Because I know you have all been wondering, we have meat again in the city! From what I understand, there are going to be 30 days of negotiations between the farmers and the Government. If an agreement is not reached by then, then they go on strike again. So, we here are all hoping for this to end. Vamos a ver!

Other than that, things are moving right along. School is getting more difficult as I am getting more and more huge packets of Spanish to read. I started my ceramics class yesterday and am really excited to get going with it. They are going to teach us lots of techniques for working with different kinds of clay and glazes, as well as on aesthetics and design, so it should be really interesting! Hopefully my works will make it back to the states in one piece. But this art school is crazy! It's this kind-of dilapidated old building in the heart of La Boca (a neighborhood in BA) that is completely covered on the inside with drawings, paintings, sculpture, graffiti, you name it! There are people milling around there all the time just drawing on the walls and working on their artwork. Quite an inspiring place!

This past week, I did lots of exploring around the city. On Saturday, I went with some friends to a town outside of Buenos Aires called Tigre. This is in the heart of the Delta so there are rivers all over the place, and they use them almost as much as the streets to get from one place to another. They had a huge market (una feria) there that had lots to look at. I also went to Palermo (another neighborhood in BA) to their feria and picked up a couple of gifts ;)

Tonight, I am going to an Argentine folk music event with a friend and a group of Argentines, so Castellano, here I come!!

Keep in touch!
Ciao Ciao!!

Plaza San Martin

Here is a quick pic of one of the parks by my house, Plaza San Martin in Retiro.

la carne ha desaparecido...

Welp, we are still waiting for word here in Bs.As. about the disappearing meat and dairy. So, no news really to report there...

Some news about me though...I am now enrolled in a ceramics class!! Since I was going to take one when I got back to the States anyway, I figured I would just take it down here since I have some extra time to kill! So, we'll see how this goes, ceramics in spanish. Can't Wait!!

Other than that, same old, same old. Classes are moving along, although slowly and with lots of work on my part. And I am getting to see quite a bit of the city with my almost daily walks around my neighborhood and surrounding parks. I might be going to Tigre this weekend, which is a small suburb on the coast of the Atlantic. It has some good beaches as well as an interesting downtown full of great Argentine gift shops. So, I might pick up some gifts for a couple lucky sisters!

So anyway, that's about it for now! I'll post again soon!

Ciao y Besos!

Riots and Protests...part of daily life in BA.

So, I don't know how much of this news is reaching the US, but for the past 14 days now, the farmers of Argentina have been on strike. The city is suffering from a huge lack of meat, dairy, vegetable, and grain products. They are saying that there doesn't seem to be an end in sight at this point because Christina, the president of Argentina, is refusing to give in to the demands of the very powerful farmers. Until a resolution has been reached, we all have to conserve on our meat and dairy intake here in the city and hope for some sort of end to this strike.

Last night, there was a major protest by the citizens of the city. They were marching from all corners of the downtown neighborhoods to the central plaza, Plaza de Mayo, to protest in front of the Casa Rosada (the government house). There were thousands of people thronging the streets with pots and pans and making a racket you wouldn't believe! I guess an all-out riot happened in the Plaza de Mayo and some people got hurt. As an American, this was quite the site to see because nothing of this sort would happen in the States. But in Buenos Aires, protests are not uncommon at all. In fact, they happen on a weekly basis in the Plaza de Mayo.

So, I'll keep you posted on the latest. At least, that which I can understand!

Ciao Ciao!

A few pictures from the past couple of weeks!

This is the view from the top of an apartment building where some guys from the IES program are living. There is nothing but buildings as far as the eye can see in every direction. This pictures is looking out towards the Rio de la Plata, the huge river on the North east side of the city.

A view from the ports at Punta del Este in Uruguay. This is where a lot of the bars and restaurants were and in the background are all apartment buildings on the beaches that surround the city.

A marvelous view of Casapueblo. This place is huge!! But it was built all by hand by Carlos Paez Vilaro, who you will se in the next picture standing right next to me!! He signed my poster that I bought and I talked to him briefly in his store at Casapueblo. If you ever get a chance to do some research about this man, he is something to behold. His life is full of interesting tales from all parts of the world and his artwork is quite amazing as well!