standard procedure

currently listening Ojala by Silvio Rodriguez - so happy to have discovered this when being performed by a guitarist at the market last sunday


Last semester I decided to fulfill a longtime dream of mine: to own a moped. I had been daydreaming about this for some time and so finally, after looking for ages and quite a bit of negotiating with a local scooter dealer, I purchased my own yamaha vino and a steamy love affair ensued:

baby vino.

For six months, I got around Austin by bike and scooter and when I wasn't dying from the freezing cold I really enjoyed myself. And then I took a curb too sharply. Myself and the scooter suffered a few scrapes. A bus driver called out from his window at me to see if I was okay. "I am!" I yelled, and then I started tearing up. (Ouch.) And then I hit a cat. Yep. One night I was cruising down Duval Rd. and a cat came out of nowhere and I actually hit it going 25 mph. This was heartbreaking for me, being the cat person that I am, but luckily the cat  (and I) were alright. It really shook me up though. I just remember laying there on the cement, looking at the yellow divider lines, thinking "Ok, I should probably get up now" and then having a nice couple help me up and get the scooter running again. 


After that, I felt like I finally understood what my motorcycle instructor meant about always keeping your mind on the road. It's not anything like driving a car in which  you have the liberty of zoning out - daydreaming in traffic or twiddling with the radio station dials. You've always got to be thinking about the road. So on one hand, even when it was beautiful outside - those wonderfully sunny spring days in Austin - and I was cruising along enjoying the ride, I could never completely let myself relax. And I don't think you can. You can only really enjoy kicking back and riding a scooter/motorcycle to a point; to the extent that in the back of your mind you're constantly scrutinizing the moves of every other object on the road and anticipating what could happen. 


Anyway, the other day I realized that my idea of riding a scooter around is similar to my experience so far in Argentina. Even before coming here, I heard so many stories about pick-pocketing and being held up on the bus system at knifepoint that I had a pretty healthy dose of caution. But living in Recoleta, which is considered the nicest neighborhood in Bs.As., I've kind of shed some of that fear. Only this last week when the US Embassy came to speak with our program about crime in Argentina, ironically, did I realize any of that fear. For the first time, I was ALMOST robbed on the subte as Sarah and I were coming back from Palermo after a day of shopping. I had that feeling of "desconfianza" that one of our program coordinators, Victoria, had described. I moved to get away from the dodgy fellow and he followed. Sure enough, next thing I know - I saw him slowly prying my celular out of my purse and I quickly glanced up to look at him - which i think startled him - and it was enough to get out of that situation and off the subte. It was close, and luckily nothing happened, but it made me realize how I really can't let myself get too comfortable. And it's not just me - in our program alone, we've had at least four "cases" already. When I'm out on the streets I'm always considering the time of night, the barrio I'm in, who's going to walk me home later, and whether I'll have enough money for a cab in case I'm stuck. Even when I'm just standing outside on the sidewalk - or in the subte - I'm holding my purse and keeping an eye out. 


Being subconsciously cautious at all times is a way of life here; it's just how people live. I knew the feeling was familiar. Incidentally, I ended up selling my scooter before coming to Buenos Aires.




The week of "vacaciones de invierno" ended today with a mayoral runoff election in Buenos Aires which meant that even more things than usual were closed on Sunday because people in the Capital Federal are required to vote. As a result of this, the city banned the selling of alcohol after 6pm on saturday which meant most clubs/boliches/bars were closed last night. No vino with our dinner! gasp! It's crazy how the whole city can almost come to a halt for a gubernatorial election here, whereas in my hometown back home I could easily go on existing without ever even hearing about a local election.


Photos from winter break!

Toothbrush machine in the bathroom. Not sure. #keytosuccess?

Tigre, about an hour north of Bs.As. It's a delta canal system in which the community exists sans cars and commutes by boat!

Mate!

I really need to start documenting the graffiti here. here's one of my favorites so far, of carlos gardel 

Casa Bar! We seem to go here a lot.

Inside Cumuna; traditional argentine cuisine and superbarato! the only catch is the wait: there's usually a long line of people on the sidewalk waiting for a table, despite the cold

Cazuela at Cumuna, classic! Perfect on a 5 degree C winter day. (heyyy who's warming up to the metric system?!)

I love that even the cornerstore markets have an excellent wine selection.

And a great variety of meat and cheese.

Disco! my supermarket's name is Disco. 

Grocery delivery is pretty standard in the city

ESTIMADO CLIENTE: As evidence of the elections, the entire wine/drinks section of Disco had to be barricaded. 

Inner city motorcycle delivery is common for anything from restaurant diners, confiterias, or my favorite: HELADERIAS! BA knows their ice cream.

bike fleeting in san isidro

chau chau chicos!