is this real.

currently listening


I really feel like a foreigner, probably because I am one. it's a unique situation for me, having never really left texas except to visit san francisco/california. which is arguably pretty similar to Austin. the hardest thing i've encountered so far is just how hard it is to express yourself in a language you are still learning; personality. when I meet people here, there's so much that I want to convey that I can't because I can't find quite the correct words. I'm getting really good at body language/facial expressions. and also my spanish is constantly improving!
some differences I've picked up on immediately, which seem fitting to list:

• spanish/castellano: the accent is really thick. especially when the program director at usal talks, all i hear is, "shhhshhhsshshshhs" not even kidding. sometimes my host family will repeat a word for me and it takes me three times until i finally figure out that I actually do know the word they're saying - it's just coated in dulce de leche
• plastic surgery and body image: so i've heard it's really common here. it is. the people (both men and women) are beautiful and that may be part of the reason. already, one of the student's in my program has a host sister that just doesn't eat. when I was 16, I was making pancakes on my study breaks! how strange. 
• cafe culture: i love it! there are cafes everywhere for people to get together and have a drink or take coffee. nobody takes coffee to go. it's meant to be enjoyed. also when you get coffee at a cafe, waiters typically give you little cookies to go with your coffee without even asking. i'm cool with that. also, for some reasons all the bathrooms are upstairs - where there is also additional seating overlooking the street where people study or....in the case of last night gather around giant big screen tvs to shout and drink quilmes when argentina is playing! or anyother equipo de futbol for that matter.
• sundays everything (almost) shuts down and families spend time together at the mercadero or walking around. lots of people at the plaza (see pics below today) 
• eating times/going out: daily schedule: wake up - have a coffee and small cookie that tastes like cocoa puffs in cookie form, go to the gym (megatlon! everyone has a membership. it's the norm.) where i get a spanish lesson from the friendly desk lady who i love, lunch around 1, small snack/more more coffee around 5, eat dinner with fam at 9....go out until 3. repeat. had dinner at midnight last night though - typical! 
• window shopping exits here in a big way. i happen to live on one of the biggest streets for shopping. this is going to be dangerous. 
• not calling people: because it's cheaper to just text people here, we try to refrain as much as possible to talk on the phone. also, my phone is programmed in spanish - including T9 - which means I either text in broken spanish or take a miserably long time trying to type out my thoughts in english. it's good practice.
• going out: most places charge an entrance fee (unless you rsvp or show up for dinner beforehand) but i think still  give you a pass for a drink. i guess this ensures that they get business at the bar. 

it's interesting being the foreigner. i'm so used to students studying abroad at UT and i really don't think anything strange of it - i just think it's really cool that they're from another country and i don't mind helping them with their english. now i'm in that position, and definitely encountering some of the feelings/experiences i'm assuming they must also go through. most of the time when I can't convey myself or just completely can't understand someone i usually just laugh about it or say "yes" too many times. it's pretty funny to me. i think the doorman thinks so too.

my desk overlooking Avenida Santa Fe in Recoleta. note the sticker my host parents left for all the  foreign students they've had jajaj

El Ateneo bookstore

baby yellow auto, you're the cutest thing i've seen

intercambio USAL! program friends and argentine amigos

will probably have consumed what amounts to this much wine while i'm in argentina 

calle

live music at the mercadero this sunday

outside recoleta cemetary near sunset

ryan!

ignore the tgi fridays logo in the back