Saturday, December 5, 2009

Bienvenidos a Argentina

Hola desde Buenos Aires...

We arrived Friday morning, after two almost sleepless nights - the first packing up the few items we are taking for the trip, and the second restless in uncomfortable aisle seats on the international plane. Despite our exhaustion, we were recharged during the taxi ride into the city, taking in the sights and sounds.

Our temporary casa is perfecto! We have a room with a double bed that has a door out to a little balconeria, complete with little chairs and potted plants. It lets in a good bit of light. The flat is fairly spacious, and there are several outdoor terraces with different seating areas. Our hosts, Rosa and Fernando, are amazing and have thus far offered exceptional hospitality, beyond what we could ask for. Por ejemplo, on our first night here, they took us to an underground art studio / bar where there was some experimental music playing, and several rooms showcasing different artists. It reminds me a bit of something that one would find in the 619 Western artists' building in Seattle. Fernando has been a part of the experimental music scene in Buenos Aires for over 15 years. He and some friends did a recording before we went out that evening... it was amazing to watch as ethereal sounds emerged from his guitar, and as another musician created rhythms from a French horn, and another used styrofoam, cardbord, and a violin bow as his instruments. ¡Esta musica es el nuevo tango!

Other than that, we have been walking around our barrio and in central Buenos Aires. We are in the Montserrat/San Telmo barrios, and there are many restaurants, bars, and tango clubs. The architecture is remniscent of Spain and Italy. We also wandered into the Reserva Ecologia and saw many birds and speculated about the plant families we were seeing. The beach sand and rocks seemed to consist of eroding building materials - sections of a brick wall softened by crashing waves.

Our Spanish is coming along but is certainly a challenge. Rosa y Fernando are patient with us... thus far they have been primarily speaking in English (I kind of think they enjoy the English practice) and coaxing us along. It has been good for orientation, as we've engaged in some long conversations about Argentinean history, culture, and the economic crash which would not have been possible if we were only using Spanish. Rosa said she will begin speaking only in Spanish beginning on Monday, which is when we will begin our classes. I find that I get kind of scared and flustered, especially when in a store or meeting someone new, and forget even the most basic things I know. One thing that is particularly difficult is that the 'll' sound is completely different here; instead of a 'ljey' sound (um, is that how you spell it?) Argentinians pronounce it as 'sh'. So, all these words we are familiar with now sound completely different than we are accustomed to. And they speak fast! But, we are learning and enjoying the challenge.

By the way, I just want to say sorry to all the wonderful people in New Mexico for skipping New Mexico in our postings... basically, we had a lovely time with Jameson's family and family friends, we went on long walks or hikes almost every day, and I completed my thesis, mailed it off, and completed two graphic design jobs that were hanging over my head (on the very last day there, no less!) Since all of those things required staring at a screen I never had much inclination to go online and write... In short, November in New Mexico is beautiful, the village of Corrales is relaxing and lovely, the city of Rio Rancho freaks me out, and the people we spent time with were all very loving and kind and we appreciate your hospitality.

Until next time...

1 comment:

  1. We just returned from a great trip down under and can certainly relate to your travel anxieties & jet lag. It sounds as though you have settled into a lovely spot for your transition to your adventure.
    Julian is flying to India today so both of my boys will be on distant continents. I guess that early introduction to the love of travel worked!
    I hope you find time in your day to day activities to send a few lines. It makes us feel connected.
    Enjoy the journey!
    Love,
    Jameson's Mom

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