Monthly Archive for September, 2008

Ouchies

Published on September 29, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Welcome back!

They got me tonight.  Took a shot straight to the crotch during my regular Sunday night futbol match I play with some internationals.  Ice in my lap probably isn’t good for this laptop I’m typing on.  Worth it to get some exercise in though, because I haven’t been able to find a cheap gym down here yet.  All the ones I’ve checked out have been exorbitantly expensive for very basic facilities.  I saw a really nice one the other night in my barrio though, so I’ll have to stop by tomorrow.  Running is out of the question too, unless I bus it to the parks that are somewhat close.  Running in the streets would be suicide, thanks to the cars.

At night, cars drive around with no lights on.  They only flash their high beams if they’re close to hitting someone.  It’s insane.  And taxi drivers are all amateur NASCAR racers.  I had one that drove a tiny little hatchback who would blow his horn in traffic that obviously wasn’t moving, hit on women on the sidewalk, throw up the cross whenever we passed a church, and yell indiscriminately at the other drivers around him.  Oh, and he was in his 60s.  If it wasn’t so endearing it would have been terrifying.  Buses are a whole different beast though.

I talked a bit about the coin shortage they’re having here a while ago, but it seems the city is still in the grips of said coin crisis.  I saw three signs in kioscos today specifically stating that they had no monedas (coins) available and would not make change for the bus.  And since the bus is by far the most convenient way to get around, it’s putting a serious strain on my explorations.  I’ve even resorted to specifically buying items that will net me a one peso moneda in change.  It’s like a game.  And once you get on the bus, getting off makes knees quake.  All those lessons about “rolling stops” in driver’s ed were lost on these guys.  You better leap out of the bus at your selected stop, or they’ll just keep on driving.  I’m not sure how old people manage it.

Tomorrow I have an interview with a tour company, a date with a bookstore, and some resume revisions to do.  Lets get to it!

The Mullet Watch

Published on September 25, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 1 Comment Tags: .

I’ve had an internal struggle over the last couple weeks over my hair, and I think I’ve finally made the right choice.  I’m going to go for the mullet.  I’ll admit, they have always interested me.  What kind of brave soul would so brazenly flaunt social norms?  Who would dare to go for a haircut with names such as the “Tennessee Tophat” or “Kentucky Waterfall?”  I’ve made my decision on this, so don’t try to get me to back down.  I’ll only shave it if it becomes completely unbearable or I become completely unemployable.  Whichever happens first.

If there was ever a time for me to do this, it’s now.  Down here mullets are acceptable, bordering on fashionable.  I’ve seen mullets that you wouldn’t believe.  Mullet concoctions held together only by gel and sheer will.  They also love variations on the rat tail.  And not even one consolidated rat tail, usually one off to the side of their mullet.  Magnificent.  The Mullet Watch section of my site will be updated every so often to let you know of my progress, and I’ll try to put up pictures as well.  But first, I’d like to present to you my muse:

My Muse

Now THAT is a mullet!  I can only aspire to ever have one that epic.  Notice how comfortable he is in his natural habitat, wearing the typical uniform of a mullet-sporter, the cut-off jorts.  He is definitely bringing the fire.  Below you’ll find a picture of my hair in its current state.  Not much to look at just yet, but in time it will blossom.  I believe that my mullet will most likely only make its way down the left side of my neck, as my hair grows much faster there.  And yes, I know I have a hairy neck.  Thanks for the wolfman genes Dad.

9/25/08

Business in the front, party in the rear.  Rock on.

Foodophiles

Published on September 23, 2008 in Buenos Aires and Restaurants. 6 Comments Tags: , , , , .

One of my absolute favorite things to do in new places is to try out local restaurants and cuisine.  I’m a foodophile.  Lately I’ve been on a quest for good pizza, and also trying out local recommendations around Palermo.  A couple of the places I’ve tried out in the last week are Lucky Luciano’s, Mark’s Deli, and a return trip to La Cabrera for Katie’s welcome dinner.

Lucky Luciano’s is a tiny Italian joint in Recoleta, full of kitschy decor ranging from Scarface posters to a miniature David.  It also plays a pretty smooth mix of of lounge music in the vein of Thievery Corporation.  The main focus is on the food though, and they do Italian really well.  My friend Suresh and I both opted for the margherita pizza.  Lo and behold, this pizza actually had a decent amount of sauce!  New York style slices don’t exist down here, but the Italian pizza we had was great.

Lucky Luciano's Lucky Luciano's Lucky Luciano's Lucky Luciano's Lucky Luciano's Lucky Luciano's

Mark’s Deli isn’t actually owned by an American, which is strange given the name.  It sits on a corner in Palermo and is an Argentine’s take on New York bagels, giant cookies, and deli sandwiches.  Katie and I went there for lunch yesterday and it was great.  Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so I’ll have to forego pictures until I make a return trip.  If anyone reading is in town, go for #15 on the sandwich menu.  Turkey, mozarella, tomato, spinach, and guacamole on white.  Bomb.

The crown jewel of the culinary trifecta I tried out this week was La Cabrera.  For those faithful readers that have been here from the beginning, this is actually my second time going to La Cabrera.  And it was just as ridiculously good as the first time.  We went last night for Katie’s welcome dinner and to give her an initiation to Argentine steak.  I went for the lomo marinada con verduras (marinated rump steak and vegetables), and I’ve got a picture of it below.  The picture actually is two portions, one for me and one for Alana, so don’t go thinking I eat that much steak in a normal sitting.  Kelsey and Jo went for an artery clogging concoction of steak stuffed with tomatoes, cheese, and ham.  Katie got the skirt steak.  Every single one of the dishes we ordered was great.  And you know a place is serious about beef when even its plates are shaped like cattle.

La Cabrera La Cabrera La Cabrera La Cabrera

Speaking of food, I have an interview this week with a tour operator to start giving food tours to Americans.  As far as I can tell I’d lead groups around Recoleta and take them to nice restaurants, and tell them what they’re ordering and what kind of specialties the restaurants have.  And then I’d get paid for it.  It could very well be the best job ever.  I’ll keep you guys posted.

Oh, and you can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Allegiance

Published on September 21, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

I made a momentous decision this weekend.  I chose to support the Boca Juniors.  If you’re unaware of how big soccer is down here, know that it’s not just a sport, but a way of life.  Everyone has an opinion about it and a fanatical devotion to their chosen team.  It’s great.  No longer do goofy Americans make fun of me for being obsessed with the beautiful game.  Down here locals find it refreshing that I can actually talk to them about soccer, and rattle off the starting lineup for Boca.

So why Boca, you ask?  Well, Boca and River Plate are the two giants here in Buenos Aires, and River Plate is associated with the upper-class while Boca is associated with the poor working-class.  I am poor.  I identify with Boca.  Besides, one of my favorite players currently plies his trade for Boca.  Juan Román Riquelme is an attacking midfielder that has laser vision and can spray passes anywhere on the field.  Check this out. If there’s one guy I’d love to model my play after it’s him.  I can’t wait to see him live and in living color at La Bombonera.

There are two sports-related things that I promised myself I’d do down here.  One was to see Argentina’s national team play, and the other was to see the derby at La Bombonera between Boca and River Plate.  It’s regularly rated as one of the biggest and best rivalries on Earth.  The entire city shuts down when it’s being played.  I’m definitely going to find a way to go, and hopefully find a way not to get caught in the fan riots that usually come with the game.

I haven’t been able to get a ticket to a Boca home game just yet, but I have the schedule on my wall now so I’m going to get to one of them soon.  I am now officially part of los xeneizes.  Respect.

No Autumn?!?

Published on September 19, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

I just realized this morning that I’m not going to get an autumn this year.  This year I get winter – spring – summer – spring.  No NC parkway drives; none of the orange and red and yellow seasonal colors that I’m used to.  No crunchy leaves to jump on.  I did get robbed of a real summer out in San Francisco though so it balances out I suppose.  And warm weather down here sounds nice, it’s still a bit chilly at night.

In other news, my roomie arrives at 4am on Monday.  Katie Wilson, one of the girls I met while studying abroad in Sevilla sophomore year.  It’ll be good to have another person in the apartment, I’m used to living with a gaggle of people.  Growing up with seven siblings and then living in a fraternity house will do that to you.  We actually chatted on Skype last night, and she’s super pumped to get down here.  It’ll be fun to have another person to share cabs home with at 6am.  If any of you femaliens have advice for a guy not versed in the wily ways of a female roomie, let me know, I’m flying blind here.

Lastly, quick update on my spicy quest.  I’ve got three Thai restaurants lined up to try this weekend, which are purportedly meccas of caliente according to my guidebook.  We shall see Time Out, we shall see…

Ruminations

Published on September 17, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , .

As I sit typing this in my alpaca wool sweater, I can’t help thinking about how ridiculous moving to another country is.  Granted, Argentina isn’t exactly lacking in modern amenities, but there are the little things that are always funny.

Take peanut butter, for instance.  Like Spain, it doesn’t exist down here.  My friends found a couple of jars in Jumbo (massive department store) labeled from 1994, at the bargain basement price of approximately 12 USD.  Peanut butter.  I’ve also found some organic peanut butter in a gourmet outlet, but it just isn’t the same when you have to mix the oil on the top in to make it creamy.  I want my processed, Americanized Peter Pan peanut butter.  And it sadly is nowhere to be found down here.  To ship it down is also hit or miss, because customs likes to randomly open packages and then refuse to close them.  So if they randomly pick your package, you have to get to the airport ($30 taxi both ways), pay for the package (price depends on the mood of the customs agent), and then sign for it.  That’s a lot of work for peanut butter.  Still tempting though, especially if it’s crunchy peanut butter.

Same goes for spicy.  Nothing in this city is spicy.  Everything is dulled to something that only tickles your tongue.  I’ve tried a couple of Mexican places and requested my food be as hot as possible, only to be underwhelmed when they use mild salsa.  I want my spicy to make my eyes tear up and my nose run, riding the razor edge between pushing the food away because it’s so scalding and eating everything because it’s so delicious.  That’s the spicy I miss.  This problem, fortunately, has an easier solution than the peanut butter.  You can find most of the ingredients needed to make homemade salsa or guacemole in grocery stores, though the hotter chiles usually have to be bought in specialty shops.  If only I could smuggle in containers of my salsa to all the restaurants I eat at.  Rest assured, my search for spicy lives on.

Getting to said restaurants can also be an adventure, owing to the city’s public transportation.  The subway is convenient to getting around the center of the city, but is often completely packed.  Not Tokyo-style packed, but it’s definitely intimate.  Personal space doesn’t exist down here, so you have to be prepared to stand face-to-face with that businessman that just ate his ham and cheese tostada and breathes heavily.  I can still taste his breath if I concentrate.  The buses also cover most points in the city, but there’s a crisis currently gripping this fair city that my friend Julie covered well in this post on her blog.  So transportation can be hit or miss, depending on how you time it and the dietary habits of the commuters.

But despite these minor quibbles, I’m in love with this city.  I love exploring new cultures and meeting new people, and this city is so massive that I’ll be enthralled for months.  It was pretty harrowing coming down here with no real support network in place, but it has turned out great.  I’ve made friends quickly, I have a nice apartment locked down for the foreseeable future, my roomie Katie gets here next week, and I have a schedule that gives me a significant amount of freedom to wander around aimlessly, which is perfect for me.  I couldn’t imagine starting my career right now, which isn’t a swipe at my friends that have, just a reflection of where I’m at personally.  Maybe it’s just fist-month infatuation and my excitement will fade, but I honestly can’t see that happening.  I’m glad to be here.

San Telmo

Published on September 15, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

San Telmo is one of the oldest barrios in Buenos Aires, and used to be considered pretty unsafe.  It has undergone a big revitilization though, and is definitely a fun spot now.  In fact, my Bridge TEFL class was in a building on calle Defensa, the main artery running through the barrio.  The whole place is criss-crossed by cobblestone streets, little antique stores, and quirky shops.

Every Sunday Defensa is completely overtaken by a massive crafts and antiques fair.  It’s awesome.  Tons of crazy old antiques, hand-made jewelry, art, photography, books, pretty much whatever you can think of.  I scored a great hand-woven alpaca wool sweater for the equivalent of $20 at the fair yesterday.  It actually fits great and is softer than any shirt I own.  My new friend Alana also got some jewelry for herself.  I love spending an afternoon checking old knick-knacks and brick a brac.

After our wanderings we tried a restaurant my guidebook recommended, and it turned out to be a pretty nice spot.  It was named Lezama for any of you locals or fellow travelers.  Menu big as a textbook and portions to match, but still cheap.  You can find it at Avenida Brasil 359.  Food can hit or miss down here, but so far my guidebook hasn’t let me down.  If anyone is thinking about traveling to Buenos Aires, the Time Out guide is perfect for young people.

I should have pictures posted up here soon to accompany my posts, but this dang flickr widget keeps giving me trouble.  Stay tuned!

Buenos Aires

Published on September 13, 2008 in Buenos Aires. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Since I’ve been a bit lazy about setting up this blog, I’ll start from the beginning.  I got here at 4am on August 22nd, and I’ve been going nonstop ever since.

Thus far, I’ve had plenty of adventures adapting to life down here.  I’ve gotten myself out of my single-room dimly-lit hostel into a nice apartment in Palermo (negotiated with a broker who spoke ZERO English!), made it through my TEFL certification course despite the best efforts of crazy old man Fred, eaten the best steak of my life at La Cabrera, and been hired at Euro Trust Capital only to quit three days later.  Quite an eventuful first couple of weeks I must say.

Initially I was just glad to get here and off the plane, but then I remembered I couldn’t check in to my hostel until 10am.  I ended up sleeping in the airport for six hours, just like old times when Davy and I went biking.  The hostel was an interesting experience, mostly because I was given the “hippie” room.  It had a hippie license plate on the door, and the walls were covered with pictures of the Beatles, flower paintings, and lots of hippie lyrics.  I felt like I was sleeping in John Lennon’s meditation room or something.  But all of the people living there were really nice, and I got some serious Spanish practice in since none of them spoke English.  The apartment I’m currently in is in Palermo, a real young neighborhood with lots of boutiques, restaurants, and bars (that never close).  I negotiated the whole thing in Spanish, which I’m kind of proud of.  We’re going month by month and the rent is real cheap for the area.  I’m real happy with it, and I’ll probably post some pictures for you guys soon.

I got here on Friday the 22nd, and the following Monday I started at Bridge TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language) for the second portion of my TEFL certification.  My instructor Karina was great, though being told that I was teaching a class on Tuesday was pretty scary.  My experience with the course was great though, all of the students were great and my classmates all were helpful.  Well, scratch that, everyone but Fred.  Fred was a real character that had come over from Brazil, after he had already been kicked out of Bridge’s program there.  He couldn’t take criticism at all.  He would flip out and attack people if they questioned any of his teaching methods.  And they were terrible.  He taught a whole class on a train robbery.  I can’t think of any situation where our students would need to know how to successfully rob a moving train.  I learned a ton, especially about teaching a live class.  It’s pretty intimidating at first, but you get used to it real quick.  We had a Fred meltdown on the last day, but it all ended well; we got certified and the certificate is a good thing to have on my resume.

To celebrate our graduation I went out to La Cabrera with two of my classmates, Jo and Kelsey.  We’d heard all sorts of good things about it, and if you don’t know Argentina is known for having some of the best steak on Earth.  And I’ve got to say, after eating at La Cabrera, I’m inclined to agree.  Best steak I’ve ever had, bar none.  And I’m pretty much exclusively a carnivore.  They knows their meats down here.  Oh, and the steak only set me back the equivalent of $20.  Can’t argue with that.  I can’t wait to try the other famous parillas around town, and keep you guys posted on where to go when you come to visit me.  And I do expect all of you to visit, by the way.

Lastly, Euro Trust Capital.  I hardly knew ye.  They advertised on Craigslist looking to hire “Financial Advisor Trainees” so I shot in an application.  I hear back from them, and give it a try.  Replace “Financial Advisor Trainee” with “Financial Cold Caller” and you’d have it about right.  Direct sales over the phone to our “clients” in Europe who had never heard of us and didn’t want anything to do with us.  Sorry, but not what I signed on for.  We parted ways after three days.

So here I am, a little over three weeks in and riding a roller coaster.  I’ll keep you guys updated on all my experiences down here, but I wanted to throw this up as primer.  Feel free to comment or shoot me an email, I’d love to hear from you guys!

My Blog

Published on September 6, 2008 in Uncategorized. 2 Comments Tags: .

Hi everybody!

So this here blog is my new way of keeping in touch with everyone, because personal emails are going to be too crazy for me to handle.  Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed if you like what you see!