Feliz Bumple Levi

November 23 was Levi's first day as a 26 year old! Here are pics of how we helped celebrate.

I think Bretty has found her calling as magician's assistant! Can you see the wheels turning as she wonders "How does he get these apart?"

Martin the Magnificent, the magician we hired for the party. Had everyone in awe with his crazy skills. We still can't figure out how he does any of them!
Kea picking a card...any card...
First he ate three napkins, then all of a sudden pulled out about 14 feet of paper. Hilarious!
The birthday boy! Look at all that fire!
Anna and Lisa getting ready to sing...
Then Levi asked me "What's a bumple?" It was suposed to say Feliz Cumple!
Clayton just can't figure out how the card got from the deck into the bag on the table! Oh well, Toby looks like he just thinks it's neat-o!
That's not cake! Alexis gives Levi a special birthday kiss, and he doesn't seem to mind!

La Plata Pics

Those murals I was so excited to see. Hmm, not exactly what I was expecting!

This is a monument to La Plata. Like everything else there, it was defaced. How sad.

The church at the center of town. We crashed mass.
In front of the church, pre-crashing.
Fossil of the Argentosaurus.
Me in a whale's mouth!

La Plata

The plan was to head out to La Plata this weekend. Friday night we went to Manolo's (what can I say, we are officially addicts now!) with Gina, Brett and Gina's friend Claire. We had a fab time, as usual, then got home late and Levi went out to Plaza Serrano to listen to music while I (every party needs a pooper) tried to finish my book-nerd alert!- and go to sleep. The next day I woke up around 11:00. Levi woke up around 4. We had lunch, bought the leather bag I have been eyeing and saving for (what am I, 10? Who has to save up for their purchase of a bag? Well, me, living on pesos...) and got on the road at around 7 p.m. So much for day 1 in La Plata.

Anyhow we got on the subte, then got to Retiro, found the bus station after slugging our way through the rain and the ankle high garbage that surrounds the omnibus terminal, and bought our tickets to La Plata. The bus was really crowded and we couldn't even sit next to each other, but we were excited and on our way out of town! When we arrived in La Plata it was dark so we slung our backpacks over our shoulders, ducked under awnings to avoid the giant drops that always come after a rain, as the rooftops and tree branches sit collecting water til they have giant, water-balloon sized raindrops that they let fall at random, and headed straight for the hotel. We got to the Bonaventur or whatever it was called, and it had no rooms. You see, we assumed we could just fly in and grab a room and that would be that. Well, turns out, the man behind the desk told us, that it was the anniversary of the city that night and there were quite a few people in town for the celebration. Shit. So he tried about 10 hotels before booking us in the *luxurious* 76-peso-a-night-breakfast-included Hotel Cristal. This hotel was at least a room and we were glad for that, but it was hot. No air conditioning. Hot. There was a ceiling fan, which we gladly turned on and were immediately met with a high-pitched screeching. Convinced the screeching would stop after a while, we waited. Then we thought it might be better at a faster speed. Now we had a train whistling through our room. Ok, no fan. How about opening the window. Well, not unless we want to watch our neighbors or they want to watch us! It was so close we could have shook hands if they had been home at that moment. Ok, well, we were going out anyway, the room was not that big of a deal. I just needed to freshen up and we would be on our way. Whoops! no toilet paper.

Dinner was at an Italian place the guidebook recommended and was pretty good. We were going to eat then go to the celebration, but by the time we finished dinner we were too late, it was over. Oh well, we went to a bar to watch some live music instead. It was a great bar, and the band was a 60's and 70's cover band. They were really good musicians, but it was their lyrics that we really enjoyed. Our favorite lyrics were (in the origical version) "I'm your venus, I'm your fire..." but this band was singing either "I'm your fetus" or "I'm your penis" we were never quite sure. They also covered Stevie Wonder's Superstition (I have NO idea what they were singing for this one!) And the Beatles' "Come Together"(You can just imagine...!) and a whole lot of Pink Floyd. It was great.

The next morning we were awoken at around 7 by a phone that rang and rang and rang. There was obviously no one in the room, but someone insisted on calling and let it ring for a good 50 rings. Then they hung up and tried again. It was driving us crazy. So finally we got up, had our coffee and headed out to see the town. And it was hot. H-O-T. Our first stop was the government building to see the murals that were painted around it. They were written up as a really great sight and worth seeing. The murals depict the founding of the city, then also different parts of the country and the cultures and costumes. I had my camera at the ready! I got out the map, and we hunted it down. Then Levi got out the map when I couldn't find it, and we got to the right place, and guess what? They have all been painted over. We got a really nice view of some white walls, though.

Then we headed to the big church. It was still really hot, and I mean hot! We took a few pictures, sat in on mass for a bit, then headed back out to make our way to the parks. On the way we stopped for ice cream, changed from our jeans to shorts and a skirt, and immediately felt better. We then headed to the park by way of the street fair, and decided to go to the natural history museum. Boy am I glad we did that! They have the coolest collection of fossils and dinosaur bones and stuffed animals and animals in jars etc. that I have ever seen. It was so cool! And did you know there is a dinosaur called the Argentinosaurus? And there's also an Antarctosaurus? I saw bones from both!

Next we left, got a choripan and a super pancho (finally!) and got on the bus for home. we promptly fell fast asleep until we arrived in BA. When I opened my eyes again, I was greeted with the most incredible attack of allergies I have ever had in my life (though mom and dad you can imagine if you recall the day at the dish...) and I had no kleenex and I was miserable! We got off the bus and I was on the subway and we were changing trains and Levi was trying to help me and all of a sudden I just snapped and was sobbing it was so horrible. Then I got on the next train and we went home. Walking from the train to our house Levi did a hilarious impression of me having a breakdown ("like a matchstick, out of the blue you were like snap! Waaaaa!") which made me feel better. Later we got margaritas which was awesome and we had a very nice end to our weekend.

So overall very fun, though this morning I woke up and my eyes were actually purple, I had rubbed them so much. Damn allergies! Oh well, at least I didn't need make up!

Photos

The famous dancing empanadas! And Levi's new guitar. Just wanted to show you what we are excited about down here. This weekend we are off to La Plata, a little town an hour away, so I will be takng many photos and writing about it when we return. Til then...

The Games We Play

We like to play lots of games here, one of our favorites being Guess What That Drop That Just Landed On Me Was And Where It Came From, and another one is How Much Do You Think This Cab Ride Should, Then Actually Does, Cost? But one that I have come to like playing is Watch Levi's Face which is really fun, because he makes really funny ones. Example: Last night we went to the despedida for my friend Vanessa, which was awesome and we will miss you very much! at a place called Manolo´s. Well, she had told me that it was cheap and good, but I really didn't understand until yesterday. When she says good she means incredible. We had peppers and eggplant and provoleta (grilled cheese-no bread, just cheese, which is a little crispy on the outside, melty on the inside, covered with basil...so good!) and tenderloin and french fries. It was SO good. Levi took his first bite, and it was like his face just froze and he looked up at me with incredulity on his face. "This is the best steak I have ever had. I am serious. In my whole life. It's like a sponge!" Then we got the bill. 14 pesos per person, roughly 5 dollars U.S. Incredible! Another example: I was saying that I had not bought any necklaces since I have gotten here, and I wanted to wear one, and Levi told me to open a gift he had brought me (he came bearing gifts!) and inside was a necklace with a wishbone on it. I love it. Anyway, I put it on and he says "That's your sharing bone!" (If you are confused refer to the salsa incident I wrote about 2 blogs ago...) Anyway we had a good laugh and I wore it all day. At the end of the day I took it off before showering and he looked at me with terror in his eyes and said, without missing a beat, "Put that back on!" So funny! Last one: Yesterday on the way to dinner we took the subway. At first we stood, which entails grabbig the pole and swaying to the rhythm of the hurky-jerky subway rails. After a while we got a seat. There was something on my tongue so I got it off, then looked at Levi and leaned in to give him a kiss. He backed his neck faaar away from mine and had a look of disgust on his face. "You just touched the pole, then touched your tongue and now you want to kiss me? I might as well lick the pole!"

Speaking of funny something I forgot to mention is that while we were at the Feria de Mataderos I walked up to one stall and was promptly shit on by a bird. Well I let out a little shriek and the guy who owned the stall looked at me and I pointed to my arm and said, pathetically, "pajaro." Well that just cracked him up, as well as the owners of at least 5 other surrounding stalls, who all had to crane their necks to see the little brown specks that now covered my once clean shirt.

Feria de Mataderos

Today Levi and I went to the Feria de Mataderos, a fair way out of the center of town, about an hour ride by bus, but it was well worth it. Known for having goods from all over Argentina, not just the city center, it is also famous for regional foods and live entertainment. Today happened to be El Dia de Tradicion, The Day of Tradition (roughly), so there were lots of singers, dancers, people dressed up and visitors from all around the area. The folks to the left were part ofa group of dancers dancing traditional folk dances, much like square dancing, with called out moves and 2 pairs of dancers making formations etc.









To the right here is a stall much like you would see, with a lot of gear for your typical gaucho. I tried to talk Levi into buying some bolos (those things with the balls on the ends) or cow trippers as he named them, but I guess he prefers to watch the gauchos, not ride like them. Oh well, so goes my fantasy of the cowboy...




We bought some spicy chimichurri from the guy who owned this stand, and he promptly invited us to his house for dinner. We just need to call before showing up, in case he isn't home. I think we'll try the sauce, then decide if it's worth the trip.

We also saw the national ballet of Argentina, a dog riding a horse, a llama, a game a lot like polo and some teeny tiny cactuses. It was a huge fair, and may beckon us back before long...

The update

I know many of you are dying to know how things are going with Levi, really. Well, it has been an adjustment, for sure, having an extra person with me all the time, but for the most part it has been great. We have been doing a lot of walking around, trying new restaurants, seeing my friends and of course we were at camp for three days which was really fun. We got back Friday and yesterday had our first little tiff. Well, it went like this: We woke up at about 1, took a shower and generally made plans to go have coffee somewhere and walk around til we met up with my friend Kea later on. Well I left Levi to get dressed and was out on the computer for about an hour, waiting for him to be ready. He finally walks out with a bowl of something that looks suspiciously like my salsa. I ask "What are you doing?" He says "Having crackers and salsa. I am soooo hungry." Well I am just shocked, because the plan was to eat as we were both hungry over an hour ago, and now he is eating a gross concoction, I am still hungry, and he is eating the salsa that I requested because I haven't had it in three months! Shocking! So I say to him "You know, I don't mind if you eat my salsa but you really should have asked," and I calmly explained that we had plans to eat, and now we would be on different eating schedules, which I hate, (Mom you know about this...) and I have a real problem sharing, and I am really not used to the whole what's-mine-is-yours mentality, and that even if you carried the salsa all the way from California once you hand it to me it's mine, and I just need the courtesy of asking. I am not so bitchy as to say no, you can't eat it, but to just take it, well, with all the other factors, namely being the huge sharing bone I was born without as well as the already hungry part, and now my plans are altered/ruined (He should have known to HALT at this point...) I thought I handled it quite well. The good news is that all is well and the conversation went no further, but in the future we are going to be working on figuring out what the other expects. This is a big step for me, kinda takes a lot of adjusting! But wanted to fill you in on everything. Levi says I have faults too. I can't wait to hear what they might be...

Pinamar

So Levi and I spent the last three days working at a camp in Pinamar, a beach 6 hours outside Buenos Aires. It was a beautiful beach with white sands and blue water which I didn't expect at all. We had 41 kids and 3 counsellors, me, Levi and a guy named Leon who was kind of in charge. We played different games, did activities for learning English, watched a movie, had competitions, hung out and played with the kids. As it was Levi's first time teaching anything ever, I was nervous that he would be shy and not have fun. On the contrary he seems to have a sense about what to do with kids, so his activities were really great and his group really loved him.

We did have some frustrations with the camp, however, because of some of the planning and organization. First of all, there were the 3 of us, plus two people froma group called Grupal, who were in charge of the meals and the logistics, named Grace and Yessica. Grace was a 40ish woman who was always singing things like "The Wheels on the Bus" and "We are the Champions," and the kids imensely enjoyed making fun of her. She was really funny. Then there were 3 teachers, Vale, Majo and Melinda. Valeria was on Levi's team, Majo was on mine and Melinda wason Leon's team. Majo was cool, played a lot of the games with us and was generally part of the group, Vale I think was kind of an observer, and Melinda sat out and drank mate for three days straight. Then we also had the principal, Victor, who spoke more or less no English (good role model for an English-only trip) and another guy who spoke no English, and I am not sure what his name was.

So the days started with breakfast at 9, then there were activites (subject to change) then a competition (decided upon on the spot, usually, with rules changing literally in front of the kids so that no one knew exactly what we were doing...) then lunch, then activities (subject to change, time unknown) then free time (which I had to beg for but was finally inclued for day 2) then a workshop, then dinner, then a movie, then activities (subject to change). Then Thurs. night we had a compfire and sang songs and hung out, and introduced Argentines to marshmallows, who promptly set them on fire then decided they were not that good. Oh well, we tried! The funniest thing, to me, was that they all said they were too sweet! This from people who slather dulce de leche on EVERYTHING, which is basically caramel, but so so sweet. Oh well...

During activity time we were divided into 3 groups, I was green, Levi red and Leon yellow. We went to different parts of camp, did games and songs and ran around, but were also competing. At the end of the camp they did a play, and they had me as a cheerleader-type leader, Levi was talking and had to repeat everything 3 or 4 times because he spoke so quietly and no one in his group could ever hear or understand him, and Leon just busting in all the time shouting "Yellow! Yellow!" It was pretty hilarous.

On the bus ride back, a mere 8 hour ride, Leon was asking what we thought of camp, as we got feedback from the schol that it was one of the best trips they had been on. I was saying the ways I think the camp should be organized, and Leon basically told me that he thinks next time I should run the camp, so I am mulling it over. I definitley do like to be in charge...

All in all it was really fun. I had a great time, got to see an amazing beach and got to spend the time there with my boyfriend! Who can complain about that? We also met great kids, Levi got to play guitar on the beach, and had a camper with great music skills who is also a wicked musician, we are hiring him for Levi's birthday party, he is seriously David Blane good!!!

Me and Levi in front of the hotel

The beach in Pinamar

My group (Green!)

From left: Fernando, Fanny, Pablo, Mauro, Meme, ME, Marielena, Melanie, Florencia, Esteban

Missing: Fernanda, Ornella, Tamara, one other girl who I never remember

So Levi and I have been relaxing, walking through the streets and reaquainting ourselves with the city and each other, which has taken no time, really. I didn't know quite how much I missed him but now that he's here I realize how much fun it is to have him with me! Yesterday we went to the school and met the students who will be coming with us to the camp. As typical 13 year olds, they were only interested in whether or not they could bring their cell phones, whether the hotel would have internet access, whether they could watch TV and if they could go into town. Leon decided that we would plan everything for the camp on the bus ride there, and Levi and I were just sitting and watching as they explained all the rules and introduced us. I translated the meeting, which was all in Spanish, and then we shrugged our shoulders and decided this is goin to be one crazy experience! At least we have a guitar, adn marshmallows, thanks fo Levi, so if nothing else the bonfire should be a blast! I will definitley take lots of pictures and write all about it when we return on Friday. Tomorrow we leave at 5 in the morning, yuck! and arrive in Pinamar (not Mar Del Plata but very close) around 12, then we have lunch and begin the day. We will be exhausted but we are super excited.

This weekend we had a picnic to meet some of my friends, so here are some pictures from the day. It was a really nice time.

Me and Anna
Kea, Yshmael, Davin
Me and Levi
Yshmael and Davin
Anna and the mate
Ian and Sheena

Levi and I are finally together again! Yay! After a slightly longer-than-should-have-been wait at the airport due to the crazy secrity measures for our dear president, we found each other and have been walking through the streets of Buenos Aires and enjoying each other's company ever since. This Wed. we leave for work in Mar De Plata, where we will be camp counselors for a group of english speaking teens. Should be awesome, we are really excited to be visiting this beach town and seeing a bit of Argentina outside the city. So, the adventure begins!

Last day...

So it just ocured to me that this is my last day here without Levi. This is going to be the last time I eat breakfast alone, or wake up to an empty apartment, or go to sleep by myself. Weird!

Last night there was a storm with the loudest, strongest wind I think I have ever seen. It was incredible and kept me up for a long time, whistling right outside my window and whipping around the building. It was banging the glass doors with great force and this morning when I opened my window for some fresh air it slammed the door closed and held it shut with such force that it took me 3 tries for me to finally open it again. Wow!

Yesterday I worked a 12 hour day, more or less. I went to Atento, where they teased me like crazy about my boyfriend finally coming, then last night I taught my landlord's husband some English. It is a very tall order, as he is really only a beginner, but wants to translate his emails which are very advanced and technical. So it is going to be a tricky thing to do. But afterward they invited me to stay for dinner so we chatted, and they invited another boy to come and meet me, and he was thrilled to talk to a native speaker. I mean, like, as if I were a celebrity, he was getting all flushed and nevrvous and was telling me about how before he came he was practicing in the shower what he wanted to ask me about. And you know what one of his big questions was? How do you pronounce Schwarzenegger? It was pretty funny, and they were all practicing it all night. It also made me realize how valuable it would be to live with a family, especially when it comes to practicing Spanish.

November!

The latest:

I learned that the term Telo, used for the hotels that you can go to to rent the rooms by the hour, comes from hotel but turned around ho-tel te-lo (the h is silent).

Oh and get this, the Christmas decorations are already up! And I thought Americans started early!!!

Yesterday I walked to work and back, for a total of 90 blocks, which translates to 9 km. Wow.

What else...this always happens. I think all day and when I sit down to write I forget everything.

I bought ravioli which here they call tortellini or some sort of variation on that, and when they put anything in a bag, they grab the two corners, flip the whole thing over the corners then have the two sides to tie together. They are really fast at it and I like flipping the bags when I get home. Weird, huh? I just marvel at how clever they are here!

Um...I am going to a movie tonight. This week my schedule is crazy and I work every day then I have an intercambio today and tomorrow and I agreed to teach my landlord's husband, so I am seeing him Thurs. night then I am going to sleep Friday so that I can get up early to see Levi on Saturday! Yay!

That reminds me what I was going to write about. Last Sunday I was invited along with ian to a parilla, or barbecue/grill at my landlord's house. It was awesome. They had beef, sausage, membrilla, pork, olives and salami and bread and chips and ice cream for dessert and coffee (American style!) and tea and little cookies after. It was so nice! I tried blood sausage and didn't like it but ate some, and membrilla which translates to glands, like the things at your neck. Pretty nasty. But it was a real treat so of course we said it was greeeeat! We also tried some sort of special drink, the name escapes me but I will add it when I can recall.

Other than that pretty mellow weekend, week will be cool then I will be entertaining my boyfriend all next week and heading down to Mar Del Plata, or whatever is left of it after Bush and the rioters leave! There are, of course, many a protest folloing him, and there are often reports of the people marching etc. but hopefully they will leave it down there and leave the city here in peace! That's the hope.

Ok, signing off...