no lo puedo creer....estoy aqui!!

I can't believe it...I'm here!

Things are going great so far. I'm taking a break from the sweltering heat in the hostel. Problem is, my room has no air-con! Oh well.

The flight was fine, I hardly slept. I wasn't even tired, really. Then my first interaction with an argentino was the taxi driver who helped me with my bags...when my top bag fell off and tangled around my wheely suitcase he said, in Spanish, "your bags are all messed up. just like our government!" It was interesting that's what argentinos compare simple botched situations to.

Speaking of the taxi driver....let's just say I'll never complain about my California friends' driving again. There was an accident up ahead and he simply didn't want to wait so he swerved off the shoulder into the grass and cruised there for a bit. But hey, it worked. It was a nice ride actually, we chatted for a long time and I was glad I could keep up with him.

Then I got to the hostel almost at the same time as this 24 year-old girl from Holland named Fenneke. She insanely reminds me of Annie. We walked to Puerto Madero, one of the oldest neighborhoods in Buenos Aires. There was a nice breeze coming off the port, so we decided to have a typical Argentine lunch: bife de lomo (sirloin steak) and a nice salad with Argentine beer called Quilmes and a whole lot of bread. The Argentines like their lunch! Next to us was a table of two middle-aged professionals who were there before we got there and left after us. They kept getting portion after portion and were sharing a huge bottle of wine, just lingering. I love it.

On the way back we came across a protest of 4 argentinos playing electric guitars protesting their wages as (I think) teachers. It was hard to tell, but it was cool to come across this random, great music that turned out to be a protest.

I also bought a cell phone! It's super expensive for you all to call me on it, but I guess every now and then isn't too bad. If you want the number is (ready?): 0054-011-15-322582543. Isn't that nuts? There's like a whole bunch of area codes in there; Argentina, Buenos Aires, and then the area code for cell phones. Anyway, if you try to call me and it doesn't work, let me know. I'm still trying to figure it out. And remember, my skype name is Elstonka.

Anyway, that's it for now. Chao

-Kate