Here is Jess and I messing around by the river in Vicente Lopez. We went out there for a picnic on Alejandro's birthday. He and Jess prepared an awesome picnic of gourmet salad and finger food (hummus, sun dried tomatoes). It ended with the whole crew drinking whiskey on the rocks and singing everything from chacarera to beatles to cumbia to johnny cash. I also ripped my pants trying to yoga in jeans.
This is at the Argentine Polo open. It's a tournament in Palermo and it is some of the best polo in the entire world. I know nothing about polo, but I had a great time. I'm really, really interested in riding some horses before I go, and thankfully Ine has invited me to the campo to do it!!
I LOVE VENEZUELANS!!!!! This night started out chatting about Chavez-related horror stories and red wine, followed by a round of drinks from around the world (jager, pisco sour, tequila) and dancing in Crobar for the graduation party of my classmates at UCA. This is Victor and Adriana, both from Caracas.
This is after a little blues-and-beef dinner we had at the house. Jammed out and drank a lot of wine. Highlight: inventing a chorus backline to an improv song based on a bad joke my dad told. ("osoooo, conejooooo, mierdaaaaa..."). That's Ines on my left and kati on my right, a recent CU grad who lived with Ines a couple years ago. She's awesome!
Dad playing music at Alejandro's birthday picnic.
So anyway.
It's been about two months since I've written. I apologize for that, but it's been a pretty nutty couple of months! Dad came to visit for three weeks. It was a good opportunity to reconnect with some the music opportunities. We got a "job" hosting an internet radio show dedicated to tango. check it out!! www.tangobox.com.ar
Dad had befriended Enrique, the owner of a 'tangueria' (basically an intimate bar with live shows, mostly dedicated to tango) and Enrique had recently launched this project. He wants to have one hour of the show be in English, so he asked my Dad to be the host. Unfortunately, since Dad doesn't speak much spanish and Enqrique doesn't speak much English, in order to get the logistics all sorted out, I needed to help out with some translating. I sort of inserted myself in the host role too because I thought it sounded fun. Haha.
They have a "peña de tango" where the pueblo sings. It's basically an open mic night of classic tango music, but the talent is extraordinary. A lot of passion. Dad decided to play a few country tunes one week, and I got up and did a few more the next. It was a lot of fun, though borderline inappropriate. The people at the bar got a kick out of us, though.
It's been about two months since I've written. I apologize for that, but it's been a pretty nutty couple of months! Dad came to visit for three weeks. It was a good opportunity to reconnect with some the music opportunities. We got a "job" hosting an internet radio show dedicated to tango. check it out!! www.tangobox.com.ar
Dad had befriended Enrique, the owner of a 'tangueria' (basically an intimate bar with live shows, mostly dedicated to tango) and Enrique had recently launched this project. He wants to have one hour of the show be in English, so he asked my Dad to be the host. Unfortunately, since Dad doesn't speak much spanish and Enqrique doesn't speak much English, in order to get the logistics all sorted out, I needed to help out with some translating. I sort of inserted myself in the host role too because I thought it sounded fun. Haha.
They have a "peña de tango" where the pueblo sings. It's basically an open mic night of classic tango music, but the talent is extraordinary. A lot of passion. Dad decided to play a few country tunes one week, and I got up and did a few more the next. It was a lot of fun, though borderline inappropriate. The people at the bar got a kick out of us, though.
It's also been a crazy time emotionally. Not so much for me, but for the people around me and I have been trying to provide support for those who have been facing some challenges......
School has been nuts but it is winding down and I'm realizing that I've really learned a lot. I don't feel as much as a fraud when I say I study politics now. Even though there is still a lot I don't know, when it comes to Latin America I am beginning to feel more competent in terms of my knowledge about what the hell is going on on this continent. My last big school projects to knock out are next week, so until then, I can't really put my frame of mind into reflective mode. But I am FREAKING out that I'm leaving in less than 3 weeks. I'm more ready than I was in July, but still not ready. In July, I wasn't completely satisfied with my spanish nor what I had achieved in cultivating my relationship with Argentina. Now my spanish has improved by leagues and I do feel like Argentina and I have a less superficial relationship. But...I'm freaking out about leaving my friends and leaving an environment and lifestyle that has become so normal and enjoyable. I have to start focusing on the things about the states that I really miss so that leaving doesn't feel so sad. And we'll start with....thanksgiving!!
Tomorrow we are having a thanksgiving potluck with some of the american kids from the program here at Ine's house. I'm bringing the rolls, wine, and cutlery (because I can't/won't cook). Mary is preparing a turkey and then there are random assignments involving desserts, green beans, potatoes, etc. It should be interesting given our limitations in the average Buenos Aires supermercado (you can forget cranberry sauce), but it will definitely be fun. There may even be hand-turkeys made of construction paper for decoration.....
But anyway, once my finals and papers are all done with, I'm gonna enter a pretty freaky transition zone...we'll see how it goes...
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